Instead of being back at work I am back on the operating table. I’m frustrated but staying as positive as I can. I was finally feeling ready to go back to work. I have more energy. I could go out and do things and not feel completely wiped out after that. I was mentally ready. I was nervous but feeling confident I could ease my way back in and gradually get back to the routine. I was looking at the return more with excitement than fear.
But I began having pain along the incision of the “good” breast last weekend. The good news was I didn’t have an infection. The bad news was the doctor was worried that incision may open up if we don’t do anything.
And that brings me back to the operating table. Expanders have a rough edge and that may be what is pushing on the incision and causing discomfort. Expanders are usually not in this long but I had an infection in the other breast and that delayed and complicated this reconstruction. So I will be getting an implant put in on the good side and an expander back in on the other side where it was removed due to an infection in August. It’s a fairly quick recovery and I’m planning on going back to work finally in about two weeks.
This is my fourth surgery since last November when I had port put in and then a bilateral mastectomy in June, expander removed in August and now this procedure in October. And there was the whole 16 rounds of chemo and having a baby during this time as well. To say it’s been a lot and I’m so ready to be done is an understatement.
But I’m focusing on the big picture. Big picture and the most important thing is I was declared cancer free following the mastectomy. The only complications have been with the reconstruction which I hope finally gets settled with this procedure and one more surgery sometime next year to finalize. I’ve overcome the chemo while pregnant and a lot so this is just one more bump in the road. And I know I can overcome this latest hurdle because I am one tough mother.
#breastcancerbattle #bilateralmastectomy #breastreconstruction #postopcomplications #anothersurgery #anotherbumpintheroad #stayingpositive #onetoughmother
