happyteacher
Post Double Mastectomy 6/17/14
Jun 16, 2014
Well, I finally did it. I have known for a while that I would be getting a double mastectomy and it finally came about on April 15th. I flunked an MRI so waitng until summer wasn't an option. Missing that much school was seriously not cool, but it was unavoidable. This surgery was different too in that I ended up deciding to tell folks at work prior to the surgery what the surgery was. I knew coming back it would be terribly obvious and I was hoping it would spare constant uncomfortable conversations. I made the right choice, as it was much easier to talk with people openly about the process, the importance for women to be screen regularly, and benefits of the prophalactic procedure. (With what they found most women would merely have had a lumpetomy- the BMX was due to family history and a crappy genetic profile.)
I am in the middle of the reconstruction process right now. The tissue expanders were causing me a lot of pain for a while, as they were resting on a nerve. Nerve pain just plain sucks. Going back to work was very difficult, and in hind site I really should have taken another 2 weeks off. The last drain didn't come out until just a few days before I went back, whereas most women have them out a week after surgery. I just wans't healed enough. But, I struggled through. The kids were great and helpful, and it was good to be there to close out the year.
It has taken its toll on the weight loss journey though. I have not been able to do any regular exercie since mid December of last year (abdominoplasty). I have reached a point that if I am not moving around too much during the day, I can walk 3-4 miles in the evening with my husband, so on the right track at least. The medical leave from April helped a ton with the abdominoplasty recovery... I lost a significant amount of the persistent swell and discomfort (particularly in the Mons area) during that time. I am very bummed that backpacking is not an option right now... it is going to be a very cool summer here in Michigan and perfect for that. My goal for now though is just to get moving again, and maybe in the Fall I can do a light trip here and there.
My weight has been hovering from 186-190 during this recovery. I need to take some of that back off. I will be working on that over the summer.
Clothes wise the abdominoplasty was wonderful. I am still a size 12, but now the waist is comfortably loose, as compared to tight and uncomfortable with everywhere else fitting well. I love how I fill out slacks or a dress now and am very content with my size. I am not sure if I will have to bump up a size in blouses after the reconstruction is done though- right now a large works well, but I don't have a lot of room in the chest area. I am hopeful when I am done I can keep the size, as going up one makes everything loose in the shoulders and waist area.
