BRCA Gene Carrier Undergoing Reconstruction - San Francisco, CA

After finding out I was a BRCA2 gene carrier, and having lost 8 close female family members to breast or ovarian cancer, I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy and oophorectomy with breast reconstruction. This decision turned out to be the right choice since when having a pre-op MRI it was discovered I had DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). I was shocked since I had a mammogram only 3 months earlier that was "clear." My mastectomy recovery has been much more difficult than I imagined. When the bandages came off I had an egg sized blister which took 3 months to heal before I could even begin my fills. As anxious as I was to start my fills, the process has been a roller coaster. Only those of us who have had expanders can understand how uncomfortable they are. My expanders seem to be filling upwards towards my collarbones and sideways towards my armpits. My doctor says this is normal and all will turn out fine with the actual implants. I am sincerely hoping that will be the case. However, the worst of it so far has been recovering from the lymph node removal on my left side. I am fortunate to have amazing physical therapists that I see twice weekly. I cannot stress enough how important physical therapy (and attendant exercise at home) has been in the recovery process. After four months, my range of motion is continually improving and with their help I am able to "crunch out" the cording that comes after lymph node removal. It is so painful it makes me cry, but afterwards I can move my arm without it feeling like a rubber band is holding it back. I was a D before surgery and would like to at least be a C afterwards, but I am skeptical when I look at how my skin is already stretched to the max with only 355 ccs. Also, since scar tissue on my inner and outer left breast is restricting capacity, I can't imagine how any more liquid will fit in my expander. My fingers are crossed that I will be able to tolerate another couple fills to get me to a C/D, and then have the implant surgery sometime in November or December. Until this process is over and I see how I look, I will not know if it was all worth it, but I will keep you posted...