Shot Puts

It's been a busy week!

Sunday one of my closest friends flew in to hang out with me, which was very timely since I was feeling so low.  It was nice to be out and about and also just chill.  Monday night all we did was watch Dancing With the Stars and ate a bunch of junk food.  I also had times where I couldn't stop laughing and I really do believe that laughter is the best medicine. 

Tuesday she drove me to my doctor's appointment with Dr. G, where we met my mom and dad.  Dr. G examined me and said I was looking good, and she went over the pathology report.  I did not expect to cry at the time at all, but she has this way of talking and putting things in perspective that unexpectedly got me going.  She said, "You are cancer free now, and you saved your own life.  You're here now because of you, because you saw something that wasn't right and you followed through and got it taken care of." 

So my take away from all that is and moral of the story is: Always ask and get things checked out that seem off-base to you.  Regardless of what it is.  Don't fear being seen as high maintenance or brush it off as nothing or wait and see.  See now!  What's the worst that could happen? 

Wednesday I went to see Dr. P.  I knew I was going to be having more saline injected into my expanders, so I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect.  I took two pain pills before the appointment just in case!  When I arrived and was brought to the waiting room, this is what I saw:

 

Yikes.  He walked in and I had a list of questions for him:

 

Q: What is the timeline from this point to the permanents?

A: We will do another fill next week and then from there see how I'm looking and how I like it.

(I told him before I was pregnant I was a D, and after I finished breastfeeding I was a sad C.  I want to be a happy C.  He laughed at that.)  From there he will put the permanents in during late summer or early fall.

 

Q: When can I start driving again?

A: I have to be completely off the pain meds and I have to be comfortable enough to make quick, jerking motions.

 

Q: When can I go swimming? (I want to go to the pool with Julia a lot over the summer.)

A: In about 10 days, once the stitches are completely gone.  (Sooner than I anticipated, and I won't be jumping in any pools soon, but good to know I can spend the summer at the pool with Julia!)

 

Q: Can I do things like ride roller coasters and take flying trapeze lessons? (Even before all of this, I wanted to take a flying trapeze lesson for my 30th birthday.)

A: Yes, I can keep doing what I would normally do and can't stop living.  Although he's not so sure about trapeze lessons, with or without implants.  haha.

 

After my list of questions, he sterilized a spot on the top of each breast and then stuck a needle in that was attached to the monster syringes.  I couldn't feel the needle since the area is numb, and he stood calmly and slowly injected the saline.  I looked up the whole time and the sensation was so indescribable.  I didn't feel pressure, but I could feel the increase.  He put 60 ccs in and I now have a total of 360 ccs in each breast.  However, next time he said he'll put more in my left breast because the right one looks bigger.  (I agree.)  He said that sometimes the breast surgeons are a little more aggressive on the side that had the cancer so that's why they're probably uneven. 

 

Initially the increase didn't hurt or bother me.  However, yesterday evening, it hit me.  I felt like my breasts were going to explode, especially the right one.  I would touch them and they felt rock hard and it felt like a throbbing pain.  I was going to attempt to put Julia to bed by myself, but after experiencing that, I decided not to and instead took a pain pill and parked it on the couch for the night.  I felt like I was walking around with two shot puts underneath my skin. 

 

This morning has been better, but I'm proceeding with caution.  We'll see what the day brings!