2nd Time Reduction at 50, Wound Infection 2 Month Battle - Vancouver, BC

This was my second BR, the last one was about 20 years ago, I had it done in Vancouver, other than really bad reaction to the tape and adhesives, it wasn't too bad. When I went into menopause though, it was like someone attached a bike pump to my chest and had a go. I went from a 38 B right up to DDD in a matter of one year. The pain in my neck and shoulders came back, I wound up with sores where the bra strap was and I was fed-up. So, I chose a PS in Vancouver, Dr Jane Sproul, we had a very brief discussion, and since I'd been through it before, the most concerning for me was the possible worst-case scenario, which she explained that I could suffer necrosis to the point of losing tissue or the breast. Dr Sproul is not a huggy-feely Doctor, but I was looking for a great surgeon rather than one that would cry with me if something went wrong.

I had my surgery in November 2013. I went home, ate 3 hours post-op and didn't take any pain medications (I'm allergic to almost everything you can imagine). My first appointment was 5 days post-op. Again, it was quick and she showed genuine concern that I did have a terrifically bad reaction to the adhesives to the point of blistering on my skin. She gave me a RX for some cream to put on the itchy parts where the tape had made welts on my back and torso and sides. I figured I would see her in about 10 days and it would be okay. Fast forward. I got a call from the Doctors office saying that the doctor had to leave on an emergency. It sounded serious and even I know that no one can predict family tragedies so I was advised to call back if there was any issues and they were trying to find a replacement. Five days after that, my incision on my right breast starting to ache and turn color, then it split open and kept opening. I called the office and was advised to go to a walk-in or emergency and get Keflex to start with and take it. I went to the walk in and I got something a little different because Keflex is in line with penicillin and I can't take that. 10 days later, the infection is settling but the wound is 2 inches by 2 inches wide and still draining.

I called the office again and got an answering machine that does not take messages but states that if it's an emergency to go to the hospital. So I did, I went and they removed the bandages and the doctor said he was not comfortable with removing any stitches in case there were "attached in there somewhere". He did say it looked like it was starting to heal and gave me another RX for antibiotic cream.

I tried for 3 more weeks, religiously flushing the wound with sterile saline solution and putting the cream on. I noticed now that the wound actually "dipped" down inside, so the wound was not flush with the rest of the tissue, to touch it with the cream made me a bit nauseous. (And I'm the one for YeARS that never gets freaked out about anything, changed many dressings for myself and others) This time it just felt different. I had a "dent" in my breast that was raw, red sometimes oozing and so sore to wear anything on top, even when it was covered with bandages.

Mid December I tried again to call the surgeons office and was told that there was a PS on call. I got his name and called. And this is the worst part....his message indicates he is away on Christmas holidays and won't return till January 7th, 2014 so if you need to, call a certain hospital and they give the number and ask for the PS on call. So....I did that. I called the hospital and asked for the PS on call and guess what? It turns out that the PS on call is my own surgeon, Dr Sproul, who is NOT available. When I returned to the reception at the hospital on the phone, she was not aware of whom else would be available and said she would tell them what I knew. Dr Sproul was definitely not on call. I'm so frustrated by this point, I cried. I just wanted to get better.

January 7th, I make another call to Dr Sproul and get wonderful news! She is back but ofcourse swamped (totally understandible) but I could get an appointment within a week on a Monday, the 13th, I'm happy.

Friday, January 10th, I get an urgent message from the Doctors office.. it says that Dr Sproul has had to leave again, they have to cancel my appointment and that I will have to call them back.

I called for five days trying to get through, either I got a busy number or a recording with a message that says..."this number does not take messages" and that's weird because I heard the beep and it says "the voicemail that your calling is full". No kidding??!!

So, here I am. 2 Months post op and on my own, caring for my own wound and the only thing that seemed to helped most recently is I started myself on a wickedly high amount of probiotic pills and tons of eating garlic. The wound is starting to close but holy gosh is it every unsightly. Oh well.

Would I do this again considering what has happened? Not sure. Right now I still have to put dressings on and can't find a PS that I can go to. Just kind of feel like giving up. Emergency doctors are not PS's and they are there to do instant relief but not deal with long term issues. Right now, my biggest concern is that I have golf-ball size hard lumps under both breasts, they are extremely painful. I'm trying massage but it has no effect. Maybe it's scar tissue and I'll have to live with the pain. I can't touch them normally and maybe will never be able to.

Gah! So, a little update, I'm still doing the same old, same old. Remove, cleanse, rinse and repeat cycle of taking care of the wound. I'm still wearing the dressing too and unfortunately am not comfortable enough to take pics. All I can say is..yes it's getting smaller, it is filling in but it will always not be flush with the first layer of top skin, it's very dark purple, so i would suspect that in consideration of the type of tissue and scarring it will stay dark. The lumps underneath both Areola's is still rock hard, golf ball size and very sore. That never changes. So I will keep trying compresses and massage and hope that somehow that tissue underneath breaks down a bit so that it doesn't actually hurt. I wonder if anyone else has been able to live with this type of pain in the breast and how do you handle it when it comes to intimacy?

Well, the incision finally closed but not before opening to the wide gap and it healed that way. My incision lines under both breasts is still and "angry dark crimson" color. I now deal with reaction from the nerves when they touch clothing, all fabric makes my skin crawl, it is like getting ichy goose-bumps as soon as I put anything on, does not make a difference as to what material it is, cotton, lycra, polyester, hemp..nothing changes it, so I spend all day in discomfort and there is nothing that anyone can do. I realize that the scars are extremely thick and I still have hard large lumps under both aureola's which makes me worry about how I am going to take my yearly mammogram. Anyways, I would still post photo's but I can't stand looking at myself yet. I never had a call back from the Doctor or her office. I gave up calling over 3 months trying to get help. Anyways, for what is worth. I made the choice to do this, so it is my problem. I would not even bother to seek out another plastic surgeon, they will just ask me to come up with $$$$'s of money which I do not have.