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1.16.2008

We have Saline!!!!

Saw my surgeon yesterday, post-op things have been well. Spoke to him in regards to my concern that the expander on my left side seems off center, and high. I kinda feel like I might be getting a side boob, although I suppose it could all be just swollen since he did cut me open on my side. The doctor really didn't seem too concerned with it, as he found that while looking for the expanders and the valve to inject the saline into, the magnets weren't exactly where they should be. My right expander shifted a little to the left, and my left one shifted a little further up and to the left. I guess it's one of those things that will get fixed when he swaps them out as he went ahead with the injections. YAY! This is a first for me, and I consider it to be a BIG step! He told us that the major concern is to be careful not to nick the implant with the needle - that's why he uses this device with magnets in it and made marks all around my chest. He was quite careful in making sure he found each valve. It honestly didn't hurt as bad as I anticipated. I didn't look, but my guess would be that it was a descent size needle. I have this vision in my head of the port I had in my chest when I went through chemo, and what the needle looked like that they stuck in there. I even got the same sensation, of this alcohol like smell, even though just a little pad was used to clean the injection site - so I'm thinking it wasn't alcohol, but saline as they used to clear my port with a shot of saline before and after each chemo treatment. So anyway, he started with the left side, and I felt the pressure right away, but tried my hardest to take more before telling him to stop. The right side didn't hurt at all - but then again, it's been over 2 years since I had a mastectomy done on the right side. Actually on the 26th it will be 3 years since I found the lump, as I found it on the night of my 31st birthday. But as I was saying, I didn't feel any pressure on that side, but he stopped anyway as he wanted to make sure and fill them with equal amounts. Funny thing is, my right side is bigger than my left. Don't ask why, cause I haven't a clue. Maybe cause it shifted? But I have a little AA like lump on the right side, and I'm so proud of it. I wish that the left side was just as dominant, but we're thinking that muscle may be playing a part in it all. See when they did my right side, a small portion on my muscle was removed. The expander as well as the implants get placed underneath the muscle - supposedly it is supposed to make them look more natural? I dunno. But since none of the muscle was removed on my left side, maybe that's why that side isn't sticking out as much as the other - like the muscle is holding it more tightly back? Heck if I know, I'm no doctor, I just know that I do not look even although they both received the same amount of saline. My left side still hurts some, as it feels tight. The right side feels great, it's even softened up since the appointment, whereas my left side is still kinda hard. Hopefully it will be feeling better soon as I go back next Tuesday for more injections. Looks like this will be a weekly thing, as long as I can handle the pain/pressure - and if it continues like this, I shall have boobs in no time! WooHoo!

1 comment:

Bar L. said...

Happy New Boobs to you! I hope all goes really well. You sure have a good attitude.