Reconstructing Erica

This post is about boobs and for some that is uncomfortable to talk about or read about so hit "close" now and I will never know :)

Yesterday (Wednesday) I met with my plastic surgeon who will be performing my reconstruction following my double mastectomy on June 5th.  I had done minimal research on the different options but I did have a fairly general idea of what we were going to go over and I had talked to several people about their experiences with reconstruction.  So I went into my appointment pretty sure I knew the road that I wanted to go down.  I came out however with a completely different plan of action and while that very abrupt change was a little emotional for me I am VERY much at peace with my decision and I know that it is the best LIFESTYLE decision for me at this point.  Let's get down to details friends:

Two basic options for people who need to reconstruct their breasts: implants (silicone or saline) or a TRAM Flap.  There are a few different types of TRAM flaps but for the purpose of this blog I am going to lump them all into a general bucket and call it the TRAM flap.  There are pros and cons to both kinds of reconstruction.  Implants have a quicker recovery time and surgical time but the process of getting to the final result-- which is your actual set of boobs "installed" you-- is done over time (generally 3 months or so).  You can also pick the size breasts you want within reason.  MD Anderson WILL NOT make you look like Pamela Anderson ladies :) There is still lots of pain, soreness, limited mobility at first, yada, yada, yada...  The TRAM flap is the kind that is growing in popularity.  It is where they use YOUR tissue from YOUR body to recreate breasts on you.  They generally use your belly tissue although it is possible to use tissue from your butt and back to make it happen.  It is a more "major" surgery because not only do they operate on your breasts but they are operating on your abdomen as well.   And for ladies who have had c-sections-- we are talking much more invasive than that!  It is even more invasive than a tummy tuck because they have to re-route a vein and an artery to supply blood to your new "breast" tissue. There is a greater (although still small) chance of infection, obviously more wounds to care for, and a longer healing process; however, I receive the a final product (my boobs) immediately.  This type of surgery is much longer-- approx 12 hours.  It has been coined the "Tummy Tuck Reconstruction". 

So who wouldn't L-O-V-E a tummy tuck?  Seems like an easy, no-brainer decision huh?!  Well, it is never that simple is it and while I walked into my appointment pretty sure that that is the way I wanted to go...  I have elected to have implant reconstruction and let me explain my decision.

• Reason #1: I am a 28 year old mom of a 4 1/2 year old and 19 month old.  My plastic surgeon said one phrase that rocked my world, "After you are completely healed from your TRAM flap surgery you CAN NOT pick up anything over 25 pounds without risk of an abdominal hernia or bulge".  For those who don't see my 19 month old often he is almost 30 pounds.  I can not imagine never lifting my baby again and I know he won't be a baby forever but I still pick up my 4 1/2 year old as well! That is TOO much of a mommy function and I know that I would end up harming my incision and it would result in unfavorable results. 
• Reason #2:  This reason is more superficial but a reality.  I was told I did not have enough belly tissue and/or back tissue to reconstruct to the size I wanted :(  Probably the only time in my life I was sad that someone said I was too lean... and probably the only time someone will tell me I am too lean! LOL!  As you know I am not a small-chested person and while my desire is to go down a size or two they are not confident enough without cutting me open to know if I have enough tissue to create the size I want.  And I have to believe them!  They are professionals that know what a body needs to look like, they know what adequate tissue looks like, and they do this ALL DAY LONG.  If they are not sure then I am not going to risk being unhappy with the result.  They quickly said that they can always supplement my belly tissue with an implant but why go through all that extra pain and recovery when in the end they needed to use an implant anyway.  If I am electing to have this procedure I need to know that the end result will make me happy or why do it?!
• Reason #3 (or really just a neat fact):  Since they use belly/body tissue your reconstruction can gain and lose weight just like the part of your body they look it from SO if you are a person who loses weight from their tummy areas when you work out you will now be a person who loses weight from their boobs!  I happen to be the person who can lose weight pretty easily from my belly.  Usually through diet and exercise I lose my weight from my belly, face, and hips first.   Currently with my breast tissue I never lose weight in my breasts (not even after breast feeding ladies!) but if I chose the TRAM flap I would lose my fat tissue from there now.  Crazy fact huh?!  So... I can't risk getting smaller than expected results and then possibly losing them through exercise anyway!

I know for many of you this was TOO MUCH INFORMATION! But I believe that knowledge is power and some of the facts are just kind of neat.  You never know when you might be on Jeopardy and the category is Breast Reconstruction ;)

So implants it is!  Another thing to know is because I am so young they told me that I will have multiple surgeries as maintenance over my lifetime.  Who knows what they (my breasts) will look like in 20 years and the implant companies recommend getting new ones every 10 years anyway so they wanted to caution me that this is not a one time thing.  I have to mentally be in this for a lifetime.  They also said that in 20 years if I want to come back and have a TRAM flap done because I am done lifting kids, weight is harder to keep off as we age, etc that I can elect to take the implants out and do the "tummy tuck" version.  So my decision is somewhat temporary and they are willing to work with me to ensure that I am happy with my body for LIFE-- not just the months following my surgery.  It is so nice to know that I have advocates in the medical field!

So that will be my next step! I am praying for a speedy recovery because I have too much left to accomplish in 2012-- can I get an AMEN! :)