Today we met with a plastic surgeon to talk about the post-mastectomy reconstruction. This doctor was recommended by my breast surgeon and a friend from work happened to use him for her reconstruction last year, I really liked him. We were not supposed to meet with him for 2 weeks but luckily he had a cancellation for this morning. We talked about the procedure and he showed us lots of pictures of various patients. I thought that was going to freak me out or upset me but it was not that bad. He seems to do good work. He is around my age which it weird to me - doctors are supposed to be old or at least older! The recovery is not going to be much fun. He told me it is painful but there will be lots of drugs. :) I won't be able to drive for 2-3 weeks or lift anything for 4-6 weeks. I am more worried about the lifting than anything else because of Emily. We'll get through but it is going to be a big adjustment for her. Thinking and talking about that at the appointment was what got me upset. Based on his schedule and my breast surgeon's, it looks like the surgery will be late the week of February 28. Hopefully enough time to (1) get things in order at home before and (2) be done with treatment and surgeries for our Disney trip in late August. We might get more insight into treatment stuff when we meet with the oncologist next week.
On the good news front, my BRCA mutation test came back negative! I am surprised it came back so quickly as it usually takes at least 10 days. I was kind of surprised when the breast surgeon called tonight. At first I was worried that someone has misread the scan results or something. I was not even thinking about the BRCA test!
Tomorrow is the MRI and I am okay about it now but I am definitely dreading it. I "test drove" some Xanax last night and it definitely relaxed me. I felt like I had had a few glasses of wine. Hopefully it will have the same calming effect tomorrow. I am sure this is not the last breast MRI I will have, so I better be able to tolerate it!
disney in august! rad! :)
ReplyDeleteof course all the other good news is great, too. :)
but seriously, i can't imagine what you must be feeling. and how to make emily understand WHY you can't pick her up and cuddle her like you want. gosh, it's going to be tough. but we'll be here rooting for you!
great news!! :) I almost offered to show you mine but didn't want to put you on the spot or overwhelm you so I refrained. However, if you want to see them, let me know and I'll send you a picture ;). The surgery pain sucks but the meds work and it's all temporary and you'll forget about it - like you did with the c-section recovery. The lifting thing sucks but Emily will be OK - Cooper got used to it and having someone else do it helps (daddy, grandma, etc.). I had them put Cooper on my lap so I could hug him without violating the lifting rules and I placed a pillow over my chest to ensure he didn't pound on me anywhere near the incisions. You're kicking ass, Amanda - just as I knew you would ;) xoxo
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