My last surgery, TRAM reconstruction, was on March 11th, 2013. It was the day after my 23rd wedding anniversary. I’d had quite a number of surgeries in a small number of months, which I chronicled in my humorous salute to women who post actual photos of the stages of their surgery:
The last smiley was smiley represents healing at seven weeks post TRAM. Although the right googly eye is slightly smaller than it was, the overall effect is the same. And if you ask the reasonable question as to why a surgeon would purposely make a reconstructed breast bigger than the natural breast, my understanding is that they do that in case there is tissue necrosis and they need to remove some of the tissue. I had no difficulty with necrosis following the TRAM leaving me with the current va va VOOM effect.
I met with my plastic surgeon last Thursday. We discussed the next possible options for my reconstruction. I decided to go ahead with two procedures, to be done on the same day (March 19th) in an office visit. “VOOM” will get a little reduction and “va va” will get a 200 cc fat injection harvested from my thighs via liposuction. If, like me, you don’t think in terms of cubic centimeters, here is a beaker filled with 200 cc of milk. (Yes, I own a set of small beakers.)
200 cc’s is not a lot so I am hoping I’ll heal quickly from the surgery. But, who knows? This will be my 8th (technically 8th and 9th) surgery so I know that whatever happens will happen and I’ll deal with whatever comes my way.
There are no other planned surgeries after this. I have no crystal ball but these could be my last breast surgeries. That’s kind of a nice thought.
My Eyes Are Up Here 
I would be happy to donate some of my hips. You don’t have extra these days.
Very silly, Mom. I’ve got a beaker’s worth.
I had
a a funny experience at choir today and I can’t stop being silly. Not that I need an excuse.
My experience was similar to yours with 2 lumpectomies and a mastectomy in a short period of time. I had the tissue expander and then an implant instead of the tram flap. I had no problem with necrosis. I also had the nipple reconstruction which was a piece of cake, the easiest surgery of them all. You should think about that. I hope everything goes well for you on the 19th Elizabeth. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, Paula!
Thinking of you Elizabeth, hoping this surgery is nice and straightforward. Like you I’m contemplating some adjustments, removal of the remaining real breast and some cosmetic stuff on the part pig part silicon one, to add a bit more fat around the implant…. All in good time
Thanks so much, Tracy. I’ve been thinking of you, too. I’m so glad I did not before know how long all of this takes!
For some reason today I remembered seeing in one of your FB posts that you had another procedure planned, and I realized I didn’t know what. So to the blog I came. I will think of you on the 19th and hope all goes smoothly and that this one-two punch of a surgery day will indeed be the last stop on your breast-surgery train.
Yes, I am really hoping this is the caboose of that train…