jnewville

A New Life & Second Chance - Jacksonville

Darlene, YOU look awesome! I am so glad you posted pics, and that you are having wonderful after-effects! What a difference in everything! What kind of 'touching up' are you planning to do? Is the scar from the mastectomy under the breast? It looks like there is very small scaring almost like where the nipple would be. I know you told me, but how much bigger did he go? I am also impressed you have no extra skin under your arms! I must say, I am so proud of you for not settling; I am glad insurance covered it too. You did have to get it pre-approved? Anyway, you look so hot! It comes across in your face! How is Dr. Pinksy planning on doing the nipples? Does he have someone who does the tattooing? Does he expect any changes from what you look like now? Are you wearing any kind of special bra? As I said, You look great! Thank you so very much for sharing this! It helps me, as well as others, I am sure! Jeana

Breast expanders are painful the bigger they expand them. I always used the lidocaine the oncologist had prescribed to use w/my port for chemo. You use it 30 min. before. I probably did use enough of it! I tried to always look at the 'reconstruction' as the 'fun' part of cancer. It was re-building! Bringing me back to the normal. Actually it was bringing me back to what a whole new normal would be. I didn't know that yet. I had breast expanders for a year. They were put in when I had the bilateral mastectomy, and my plastic surgeon planned the 'expansions' on my 'good' week from chemo, which was the week before my chemo. I had 6 chemos, so she took that time in expanding me, which I am sure helped.
The feeling I compared to the pain of braces when you had them tightened and moved. NOW, I am old enough to have had the full band silver braces with all the wires, much more pain than now! ;) It is worse for a couple of days then lets up. I was up past 650 cc when it was time for radiation. My pc then took 1/2 the filler, down to around 300 cc, out for radiation treatments. My 'team' of doctors talked and all worked together. I had 33 radiation treatments and took a little time to heal from the burn, then my pc started expanding again.... this time she went a little faster. I don't remember exactly, as it was August 2007. I remember having to go to a meeting before school started,and had expanded before the meeting, and because my radiated side was more damaged, etc...it had started bleeding. That day I had worn a white shirt! :( I started putting paper towels down my shirt having my 'bra' hold them, and went home at noon to change....There were 6 of us in the meeting, but all of them, & 1 man, had gone through the whole cancer thing with me the year before, so it was just another one of those things. My plastic surgeon always asked how I was on pain pills when as I was having this done. I did use them as needed. We expanded until the expanders were totally full-730cc. HUGE.. TIGHT! When saline 'sprung out' as she withdrew the needle we knew I was full! They are hard as a rock at that stage too. As she expanded the pressure also went to the inside, toward my lungs, which made it harder to take a deep breath. They were so full that they fractured a rib and didn't know it, until I had a bone scan or something. That explained the pain too! She expanded them bigger to give her more to work with, and the radiated side the skin is damaged. At Thanksgiving I had the implant exchange, she put in 550cc and that seemed like nothing! They felt so good! Now, I am still going through reconstruction, and will have to have things re-done, after time has let things settle in. They actually have seemed to 'sink in' some. My radiated side has stayed soft, which had a 50/50 chance of doing since it was damaged.
The answer to are tissue expanders painful? Yes, they can be! ;) Sorry this was so long!

Hi Darlene, Thank you so much for the information, AND most of all your openness. I have noticed with most breast cancer survivors their openness and kindness is in abundance! I think you said you said you were in central FL. I am in Gainesville. Do you have an e-mail where I could talk a little more privately about this? Or is there a way for me to get mine to you? Thanks! I appreciate it so very much! :) Jeana

Sounds great Darlene! How did you know what size bra to get? So, let me ask you, do your breasts actually 'project' and how should I say - 'hang' some? Do you have some volume up at the top? I think this is what makes them look more 'natural too. Did he use any kind of tissue from anywhere else? You sound like you are happy and doing wonderfully. I am happy for you, and also very curious because I will be going through this as well. I am sorry for the illnesses in your family, that does make things harder. So sorry for so many questions!
Hugs! Jeana