New Surgery Update

Friday, I met with my surgeon again. I told her I wasn't comfortable with the TRAM flap procedure and asked more questions about WHY I couldn't have the tissue expanders and implants. I told her that I just was not comfortable with that surgery, with the HUGE scar left across your stomach from hip to hip, and with the "non-perki-ness" of the breasts made out of the stomach tissue. We talked for a bit and came up with these results:

1. RISK: Some people who are going through radiation can look sun burned, some will blister, and some people with tissue expanders can get an infection with the tissue expanders. If I happen to get an infection, they will have to remove them and we will be back at square one, plus it will delay my radiation a little bit because we'd have to stop radiation to have the surgery to remove them.

SOLUTION: Antibiotics can cure an infection, plus removing them will speed the process, so it's not life threatening. It's just a setback, and it may not even happen. I'd rather take the chance and have that option rather than just cutting off the whole boob and ONLY having the TRAM flap option. I've defied all odds so far, so chances are... I'll defy those odds too. I got a TON of prayer warriors on my side, so I'm thinking this is not even going to be an issue.

2. I would always regret it if we just went ahead and went with the TRAM flap and total mastectomy without giving the skin sparing mastectomy with tissue expanders and implants a chance. It's a 50/50 chance of infection, but it does not change my survival rate, my re-occurrence rate, or my overall outcome. The only risk is the possible infection. I'm willing to take that chance if it means better cosmetic results in the end.

So, they've switched my plastic surgeon to one who will do the tissue expanders and I meet with him before my surgery date. They scheduled my surgery for February 1st. There is still a chance that he could tell me I'm not a candidate for implants. Not every cancer patient has good enough skin after radiation, or depending on their type of cancer, tumor size, tissue affected, etc, it could make for bad results. So, once I meet with him, he will let me know if I am a candidate.

So, I am much better emotionally and more at peace with the new process.