WARNING: NSFW / graphic content below.
The story I mentioned in my last post, has been published in Sunday’s edition of The Virginian-Pilot. “At-risk local women take the fight to breast cancer” features stories of the two local FORCE coordinators and mentions this very blog. Check it out.
In other news, I am definitely over the hill with the expansions. I reached the size I’d like to be after the exchange surgery with my last expansion that brought me to 450ccs and am now in the overfilling stage. My seventh expansion added 50ccs to each expander, for a total of 500ccs/side. There is one more 50cc fill left. I don’t know how that’s going to go. I feel like any minute now, these foobs are going to pop!
No surprise that this was the most painful expansion thus far. After previous fills I usually had a shitty Saturday morning, but did not really think about it by Sunday afternoon. Today is Monday and I did not have a pleasant morning. I slept fine, but I was feeling pain as soon as I sat up in bed after waking up. Gravity … I hate your face right now! I am both looking forward to and dreading the final expansion in three weeks.
100 + 50 +75 +75 + 50 + 50 + 50 + 50 = 500ccs
Saying NOPE to Breast Cancer 
Oh, Mogatos… I feel your gravity-hating pain!
Thanks to a surgical revision, I just had implants swapped out for ones that are 100cc larger (BRCA2 mutation, and a complication post mastectomy and implants made it necessary to upgrade surgically). It was worse the first couple weeks, mostly from sitting up after sleeping on my back. Your comment made me laugh. Thank you!
And good luck with your upcoming swap! 🙂
Thank you, Lannis. I was cursing gravity again this morning!
Love your writing, btw. Do you have any posts about the surgery and your recovery? I read as far as the pre-op consultations and then the trail ended.
They’re coming… I just started publishing the series in May, and I’m doing installments every Monday. The next post is the pre-op with my plastic surgeon, then after that will be surgery, recovery, and so on–and I like to think they get funnier as they go. 😉
And thanks for the compliment. Your blog was one of the first I found documenting the journey, and it wasn’t until my complications that I really decided to write about my own. 🙂
Gotcha. Looking forward to reading more!
It makes me feel sore just thinking about it!!!! Wow nearly there
Yes … almost there. I wish this was getting easier, not harder. I have to keep telling myself that it’s temporary.
Mogatos, do they always fill with same about in both? They appear to be more symmetric now.
Yes, we added the same amount at each fill. The asymmetry is due to my right pocket closing up a bit at the bottom, so the tissue expander sits higher than than the left side.
I am hoping to have some of the scar tissue removed from the necrotic side during the exchange, so we may have to fill that one more.
Hi there, much like a lot of other I am so glad to have found your blog. Like you I am negative for the BRCA gene but have breast cancer on both sides of my family. As I was once told, ‘you have a mutated gene, we just don’t know what it is yet.’ Lovely, eh? I always knew I wasn’t quite right! Ha! Any hoo, my surgery is scheduled the same day as your next expansion…..a boob connection. :). Thank you for sharing your experience with us and I wish you the very best on your continued journey.
Looking forward to your next post…… Jill
I am so glad you’ve found it too, Jill! 🙂 Thank you.
I hope your surgery goes well. It’s only two weeks away! How are you feeling? Excited? Scared? Both? I hope you can keep ME updated. I’d love to know how you are doing afterwards. Are you by any chance participating in any FaceBook support groups?
I am excited (new boobs, who wouldn’t be?), nervous and scared…..the last two mainly because of the unknown. I feel very confident with the decision I’ve made and even more confident with my surgeons. My plastic surgeon gave me her cell number to text her with any questions I might have…..how wonderful is that? I am, however, making sure not to abuse that kindness. :). I haven’t joined any of the FB groups……recommendations? Any support I can get is welcome! I’ll keep you posted and I’ll look forward to your updates. My e-mail address is jilljesalyn76@gmail.com, please feel free to email if you need anything…..
Jill
I went through a bit of an emotional roller coaster in the weeks leading up to my PBM. Some days I was so proud of myself for taking BC by the balls, so to speak, but other days I was questioning if the decision I made was maybe a bit too drastic and I was overreacting. What if I have complications? What if I can’t reconstruct? What if …? The unknowns were getting to me too. Five months later, I have zero regrets. All that matters is that I’ll never have breast cancer.
It’s wonderful that you’re very happy and confident with your surgical team. That is extremely important.
I sent you an email and a FB friend request. Looking forward to seeing you in the groups and checking up on you over the next few weeks/months!
Almost there! Congratulations on the newspaper story. Your blog will help even more people.