2 months post-op #2

It's been awhile since I've been here. And this whole time, I've thought about my asymmetry and hope that there is something that can be done to even things out. I've focused a lot inward for the past months and am  hoping to be able to soon put these "girls" to rest, and my mind.

Welding
I did get some welding done over Thanksgiving. It turned out much different than I had in my mind, but how can you help but be influenced by an engineer! Stability rules. We brought the rock home from a rock quarry trip and I have been visualizing what I would do with it for this whole time. Now we just need to find the best spot for it. Fortunately, it can be moved about at will - I can even lift it. I may add some more design to it without needing to weld it. Need to get more metal rod and use the bender that we made while in the welding mode. Some day, I'll have my own welder, but feel like I need more training to operate safely before I do. It was almost like starting all over. It did take my mind off the boobs - I couldn't think about anything but using the equipment safely and creating an object. Good stuff.

Jewelry
I finished up a bracelet that I thought was pretty cool. Has 150-160 beads on it. It's a stretchy charm bracelet with beads wired through the charm "loops".  I now have only one project that I have started that I need to finish.

What else?

Not much. Lots of Solitaire which is equivalent to numbness and wasted time. Guess I feel a little like I am in limbo until I either have to give up or try one more time for better results. I don't have much motivation to get things done. I do totally enjoy focusing on projects that require my attention and leave little room to think about boobs. Welding and jewelry do that for me.

I did buy 2 new bras - sweater bras. Kind of like heavy duty padded bras. Even with that, things aren't balanced. Add a little insert, and it is either too big or still not quite right. Like I said last time - can't imagine wearing them while riding motorcycle. I strive for one garment (with it's own support). Watch me step off the bike, take my jacket off, and omg, sweater bra!!! Or let's just say I don't care that I am uneven and have chosen a sports top with it's own light support. I proudly step off my bike, slip out of that jacket, and  omg, I think I have been spotted. I think I have just been demoted from Biker Chick to Biker Hag. I'm gonna go get me some ugly tats and have a couple of front teeth pulled. Welllll, it may not be that bad.

Went to see my General Surgeon this past week. He was interested in the results, probably because that's his job, but also because he hadn't done many nipple sparing procedures. So he was analyzing the results and asking me questions. Rated it on a scale of 1-10 for breast reconstruction as a 9. That's not too bad. I did feel better (for a little bit) after seeing him. He was please with the nipple sparing results. He explained why I have the area above my right breast that is sort of caved in. Breast tissues goes way up the chest, so they removed tissue from that area as well. Therefore an indented area that is causing much of my concern about asymmetry. Nice to know that. I had begun to understand what the options for fixing that might be from my new job and reading operative reports. We'll see if any of those work for me. 

We talked about future mammograms on the right. He initially thought that I didn't need to do that, but Dr. C thought I should continue. So I brought it up with Dr. I. He thought about why he initially said that. Most women who have a mastectomy have all of their breast tissue removed, so there is nothing to check with the mammogram. In my case they did leave some tissue. He is thinking that probably I should return at least for a baseline about a year after my surgery, then we will have it for any future reference we may need if we note changes. Makes sense. I really appreciated my visit with Dr. I. I thought surgeons cut and run - not these two. Seems like Dr. I might be a part of my life for awhile. I return to see him again in 6 mos, unless I have another surgery. Then I should just push the visit back a bit.

Next

I'll see Dr. C towards the end of January. I await that visit both with trepidation and eagerness. I am hopeful, I think, that there is more we can do. So....

Don't forget, this year (2012) can be about preventive health care measures. Most of us who have insurance coverage have that care provided to us without cost due to the Federal Health Care Reform measures, however we may feel about them. Take advantage of it. Get those mammograms, pelvic exams, prostate exams, colonoscopies, or whatever you have been putting off. Do it for me, you, your family and your friends.

Until a little later.