Win a Dress from Shabby Apple!
I thought I'd do a monthly summary for anyone reading who might be considering expander surgery. For those not interested in this, here's a pass: TL:DNR. This is the third of five summary posts. The first and second posts are here and here.
I thought I'd do a monthly summary for anyone reading who might be considering expander surgery. For those not interested in this, here's a pass: TL:DNR. This is the third of five summary posts. The first and second posts are here and here.
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| {Color blocking= distraction from booblessness? @ three weeks post-op} |
Getting closer: I had a moment for about a month where I decided that I wouldn't think about my breasts, my family history, or the surgery. And then I got my head out of my ass and scheduled it. About two weeks out from my surgery, I started to get VERY NERVOUS. Not "I- shouldn't- do- this" nervous, but "what- if- I- hurt"/ "who's- going- to- cook- and- clean- and- walk- my- doggie"/"will- I- get- my- dissertation- done- this- semester"/"will- my- husband- and- my- mom- clash- during- her- long- stay" nervous. So I got hypnosis, basically so I could stay on top of pain and manage the anxious feelings creeping up. To prepare, I also bought stuff. (I used everything but the sippy cup- didn't need it.)
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| {side view- shit, I have a tummy now. Or, rather, I have no boobs to convince me otherwise.} I also had my pre-op appointment, during which my blood pressure was sky high. The surgical oncologist recommended that I return to my primary care physician to see about blood pressure medication to regulate it before the surgery. Given that I eat very few processed foods and was at that point exercising 3-4 hours per week for nearly a year, I panicked. I made the appointment for the following week. |
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| {I look tired. It is the biggest side effect of the surgery. More on that later, gator.} |
In the meantime, I went to a Weight Watchers meeting thinking that I could use the structure to lose the final pounds more quickly. But when I went to my primary care physician, she applauded my weight loss for the year and noted that the pre-op reading was the only one that had been that high. No meds necessary, and she encouraged me to "keep doing what I was doing," which was basically eating mostly whole foods and amping up my exercise.
*This summary is the third in a series of five posts on the subject. For others, use the search function to search "prophylactic bilateral mastectomy."*
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