Jagator88

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Long time no talk to. My chemo brain still doesn't function up to par so I'm not sure where we left off. Lets see...my last surgery (not as in final but the last one I had)  was on January 12th. after 2 weeks of trying to keep the right breast implant contained and the skin ripping repeatedly it became necessary to remove muscle and skin from my back to create a "patch". Finally, I think we have that nightmare contained. Nipple reconstruction is on hold for a while.

I am now working on getting the spine surgery rescheduled. My current spine doctor says he has nothing open until April 21st which is wwwwaaayyy too long for me to remain in this pain. I am in bed or in the recliner for the majority of the day now. I try to get up and move around as much as possible but the pain in my back and the pressure on my chest are getting exceedingly worse each day. My lowest rib on the right is actually pushing up on the right breast.  I have started researching other surgeons and think I have found a winner if he has an opening in February or March!

During the last surgery I asked my plastic surgeon what he was going to do for my pain and suffering...lol! What was supposed to be a 3 step surgery for the reconstruction process has made it to 12! My "reward" was a tummy tuck!!!!!!!! I never dreamed in a million years that I would have one this soon due to the cost but I fgured if I was going back under the knife AGAIN I should get something good out of it. The tummy tuck was a breeze. Compared to the pain in my breast and back I couldn't feel a thing in my stomach. It healed very nicely too. I am already showing it off to friends. I was going to have a facelift done but he still thinks once I gain weight I won't need anything done to may face or arms so he went with the tummy tuck. Looks like the only thing I will have left to do cosmetically is my legs but I am in no hurry.

I am down to 95 pounds. This is very discouraging but I am eating better than I have since my sleeve was done. I am hoping it is just a delayed reaction and I will see some meat on my bones within the next couple of months. That is also going to depend on when I have the spine surgery as surgery always makes me lose weight and this one will be a biggy!

After 7 long months the final surgery to replace the tissue expanders with permanent gel implants is done. The only part of the reconstruction left is the nipples but that will be January and February. I am pleasantly surprized that the pain is minimal. Haven't figured out what size they are yet. Maybe a C, definitely not a D. They are more round than protruding. Hunny says they look good to him and that's all that matters. I'm thankful for whatever I got just as long as its over (praying for no infections as I am so prone to them)! I am going to go bra shopping toward the end of next week. I have a bra and panty fetish. In addition to a shoe and boot fetich.....lol! I so have to get back to work.

Still need to gain between 20 & 25 pounds. My appetite has improved tremendously but the VSG limits how much I can eat. I am up to eating 3-4 times a day and try to add a lot of sugar and fat to my diet. These are things that I can easily eliminate once I get back to goal and am on maintenance.

Next up is the port-a-cath removal on the 13th and then the spine surgery on the 23rd.

The oncologist said it would be about 4 months after chemo was completed before I would start gaining weight. It has been right at 3 but I keep trying. I have been eating pretty good over the Thanksgiving weekend so hopefully I put on a couple of pounds. Surgeries are detrimental to gaining weight as your metabolism goes into overdrive during the healing process. I posted pics of my alien body. I have surgery scheduled on December 7th to remove the temporary breast tissue expanders and put in the permanent gel implants. That is going to be great as I will begin to feel like a woman again. Nipple reconstruction won't begin until January and it takes a couple of months to complete from what I understand. I am also having surgery on my spine due to scoliosis on December 22nd. That is going to be a tough surgery (upper and lower spine) and a lengthy healing process. The doctor says they will have me up walking the next day! OUCH!!! It is a necessary evil though as my back and ribs hurt soooo much after standing or sitting upright for more than 15-20 minutes.

I am looking forward to getting back into the workforce. Another reason I knew I had to have my spine done as I didn't feel confident going into interviews all slouched over.

Will update more in a couple of weeks.

I wanted to post in my profile (so I don't have to explain all the time on the message board) that I have cancer and am losing about 2 pounds per week. That's why I am trying to gain. The oncologist says it is going to be impossible until chemo is over but I still keep trying. I eat anything and everything that appeals to me on the days that I can eat. There are 3 or 4 days after chemo that I just can't get anything down.

I have also lost all of my hair so when I start posting pics again I will be in wigs. I used wigs as a multiple as I have about 7 in different styles and colors. I get to play Barbie! Something fun has to come out of this horror.

OK, so I am terrified of flying. I usually take a couple ativan and have a few drinks. Well, the drinks are out  I do have the benefit of having my husband with me so hopefully that will help. I'm still not sure if I am more nervous or excited. I think once I get to Monterrey I will lose at lot of the nerves as I think it is more flight related than anything else.