Hi, everyone and especially Ginny and Karen. Here are some thoughts:
I totally agree with Ginny that each experience is unique. I also
totally agree that I want to live life to the fullest and I really
think of
my new breasts as the same old breasts with just a few revisions.
Would I do it again?, yes definitely. I felt that way from the
moment
I came out of the anesthesia, even with a terrible time initially in
the
recovery room. I really have to hand it to those of you who are emotionally
strong enough to wake up from a single or double mastectomy and see
a flat
chest. I am personally not strong enough to do that. I feel like I
have real
breasts, nipples or no nipples.
Would I do it again if I had not found you all in the support
group?
That is a more difficult question. I certainly felt strong and sure
of myself
as a result of getting good advice from others of you who have had
similar
surgery.
Here are some additional comments which also point to the uniqueness
of each
surgery:
1. In my case, I also had a hysterectomy, oophorectomies and appendix
removed. This certainly changed my recovery from the waist down, probably
explained why the lower 2 drains were so painful to remove (vs Ginny's)
and
why they restricted my going up and down stairs for 4 weeks. Several
people
in our support group have written me privately that most women undergoing
this surgery do not generally have the additional abdominal surgeries
that I
had.
2. As to the TRAMs, the arteries under my armpits were
shorter-than-they-wanted and as a result I was not allowed to put my
arms
above my head for 6 weeks (!!). Only now am I allowed to begin to do
it.
3. In general, women do not go back to work for weeks after this procedure,
but then again it also depends upon how physically demanding the job
is.
Staying at home is not necessarily easier, it can be harder work
to carry
around kids and care for them than to sit at a desk all day.
4. Other considerations that may be unique are whether this is the
primary
surgery for you in which the mastectom(ies) plus the TRAM surgeries
will be
done or whether other prior surgery has been done and is now being
redone,
such as saline implants or whether you have had prior radiation. I
am sure
that will affect postoperative recovery as well as surgical approach.
5. I strongly recommend speaking with a patient who has had the same
surgery
performed by YOUR doctor. Doctors have unique ways to do this surgery
and
hospitals vary in postoperative practices.
6. In general people in our group have commented that slimmer women
do worse
with this surgery. Well, I am slim and I think it has gone very well
with the
abdominal incision, mesh and lack of back pain. It may have to do with
the
good shape my abdominal muscles were in previously, I don't know.
7. Ginny has had bad leg cramps. Initially I had terrible cramps but
that was
due to low potassium and calcium. Since then, however, I have also
had leg
cramps particularly at night. I think mine may in part be due to pillows
that
are under my knees when I sleep. I would be interested in hearing if
others
have had similar problems.
I hope this is of help, JC