One Year Later

It is hard to believe, well for me at any rate, that it has been exactly one year since my breast reduction surgery. I cannot believe it. Looking back a lot of it was pretty hazy but that may be from the pain medication! The recovery period was rough, I'm not going to lie, especially with the drainage tubes in that first week. I couldn't sleep on my side for six weeks, only my back, and not lift anything heavier than a book. I had a breathing apparatus to make sure my lungs functioned ok. I had to take drainage measurements... ok Ryan had to, I just didn't look. I had hundreds of stitches which mostly dissolved but some had to be removed. I was sore and tingly and numb for awhile.

But I recovered. Nearly all the feeling is back thank goodness. Only one or two spots still feel like when you have a shot at the dentist... you can feel it but not perfectly. I wore a bikini comfortably this past summer for the first time since middle school.



I have worn shirts in mediums and even *gasp* smalls. My back rarely bothers me anymore and I feel taller without the extra weight, literally! It was not a fun experience to go through that surgery and the first month or so after, but it was definitely worth it in the end.

Six weeks after my surgery I did a before and after post because that was when the majority of my swelling went down and I could notice a difference... and wear a real bra again!





Now it is a year later, and I am fully healed... and you can see even more of a difference!






And of course Rylie girl wanted in on the action! Putz.




My scars are fading and I am extremely happy with my 36Cs. Much better than 36DDDs! If anyone ever has any questions about the surgery, the approval process and TriCare or the recovery please feel free to ask. If you don't want to leave a comment you can email me at imyewneek@yahoo.com

I think it was totally worth it.

Wordless Wednesday: Before and After Edition

(Ok this part is not so Wordless... but I hit my six week mark post-surgery! Almost all the swelling has gone down and I feel great. And I can wear real bras! Now some of the pictures I know there is not a lot of difference. But remember in the befores I am wearing a bra that is about a cup size too small which impacts size. Some I think you can tell though! They are not the best pictures, Ryan helped me with the 'after' shots... so bear with me! The pictures you can reeeeally tell in I am not about to post on the internet, so here we go!)

Surgery Story

Follow along with this journey here and here...

I know since my surgery I have been a pretty poor blogger, so hopefully this will change that! Welcome to the new followers too! I was pretty surprised when I saw how many people were there. Wow!

Ok, going back to February 23. Mind you some of this gets pretty hazy since I was heavily medicated :P

I woke up around eight or so and showered and got ready. I had to shower with antibacterial soap and could not wear any lotion, deodorant, or make up. The lack of deordorant makes me feel icky so I kid you not I pretended to put some on (with the cap on the container) so I could mentally trick myself! No eating, no drinking... not even water since midnight. So of course I am starving and would kill for a glass of water. But no matter. I can do it for a few hours.

We are about to head out the door around 9am to get my mom from the hotel when my phone rings. It's the hospital. They want to know if we can push my 12 noon surgery to 2pm. Ok. A couple extra hours. We go and get my mom and come back to the apartment to watch tv and wait it out. I have to get to the hospital at 12 now instead of ten so a few episodes of the Office later we're on our way.

Somehow we find a parking spot and I get into the check in area before noon. I register, which took all of ten minutes, then head to a waiting room. I sat in said waiting room for maybe an hour. Mind you it is close to one now, I have not had anything to eat or drink, and I am all jittery! I finally get called back for vitals and I have to say goodbye to my mom. Ryan comes back with me while I get changed into a gown and some rocking brown socks with funky bottoms so I don't slide.


Waiting pre-surgery

I was told that my wedding band had to come off because the way the do the cut for surgery involves an electrical charge (?!!). The ring was jammed on so the nurses actually had to get some lubricant for my finger to get it off! I gave it to the hubby for safe keeping. I get some tests done and Ryan and I just had to wait. Mind you in the mean time the pre-op nurses had some sort of party so all of them keep walking by with cookies! Ugh! I was so hungry at this point, as was Ryan. He had a piece or two of toast but he was trying to not tempt me. My nurses were great and really funny, they kept making fun of one another and they even sneaked Ryan two cookies, one for him for then and one for me later, post surgery.

Since Georgetown University Hospital is a teaching hospital I had a student doctor in training come ask me lots of questions too. Not bad. Eventually my doctor came in with yet another student and began to draw. With blue permanent marker he marked all over my chest. I was a little embarassed standing there topless with two male doctors but luckily my husband was right behind me holding my hand the entire time. Then I was waiting more. 2pm passes, then 3pm... at this point I am waiting for the anesthesiologist to come talk to me. Waiting waiting. Eventually the nurses needed to have a pow wow so they move my bed/stretcher thing to another bay where I wait some more. Ryan and I begin to play checkers on his phone to pass the time. Then an anesthesiologist in training (yes another student) comes and starts an IV for me. I was just getting some much needed fluids at that point but awaiting the drug that would "calm me and make me loopy" before going in... her words not mine!

Finally the darn anesthesiologist shows up and signs my paper and suddenly I am getting wheeled to the Operating Room at 4 fricken pm. PANIC! I am squeezing Ryan's hand and wondering where my darn loopy shot is! They let Ryan walk with me right about to the OR door. I got to kiss him goodbye, say I love you, and then I was in the OR. Wide awake. Oh my god. I had to force myself not to look around as they had me transfer myself onto the table. I remember looking at a green wall, no one said anything at all to me, and suddenly it is a lot later.

I wake up feeling hazy. I remember thinking, "Wow I am not in that much pain. And I am pretty alert. Not bad! I hope my boobs are small." Hah. According to Ryan I was as high as a kite. I kept asking him trivial questions like if they went to eat during my four hour surgery. Duh. I remember him and my mom coming in, getting my wedding ring back, asking if they looked different, and feeling the need to assure them I was ok. I think I said, "I feel great, but I am pretty tired so I may need to take a nap now." Then I conked out and woke up much much later in my real room. I was still hooked to an IV. I was in and out for a long time. Anytime I woke up someone asked me if I was in pain... I'd say yes and they'd put a shot in my IV. It burned like HELL in my hand and then I conked out again. I remember seeing my mom and Ryan eating dinner at one point and then saying goodbye to my mom, insisting I was fine with Ryan driving her home.

At some point I woke up and was alert. Around 10pm I think. I met my nurses and told them I really had to pee. I was hooked up to some leg decompressors (to prevent blood clots) and had to be unhooked to go to the bathroom. Of course I was very confused as to why my toilet had a bucket in it, but they needed to track my out going liquids apparently. I get back in bed, re-attached to my leg things, and start to feel my chest is pretty darn sore. and I have drains coming out of my sides into these little grenades.

Every hour or so someone would come in and wake me up, ask if I was in pain, give me a burning shot, then I'd conk out again. Ryan was sleeping in a chair/bed next to me the entire time. Around 11pm I started to watch TV and ate some graham crackers which were AMAZING to me at that point. I was still semi out of it though, evident in the text messages I sent. My friend Dell asked if I was ok and I replied "Sore, on drugs, and watching Laverne and Shirley. I have noooo recollection of watching Laverne and Shirley. At all.


Right before check out

Around 5am they had the student doctor and a few other people come in and check on me. Looking down at my stitches made me freak out a bit but otherwise I was alright. At 7:00am I got the best breakfast. French toast (my favorite) bacon and some grapes. I got more burning shots (I later found out the burning shot was morphine, damn that stuff is powerful!)and was told I could check out when I was ready. Around 11am we checked out and I got wheeled to the car. We picked up my mom and then I got plonked on the couch.

We started watching The Office and I passed out again. Percocet became my best friend and I spent most of the day in and out on the couch. I woke up and ate a chicken sandwich at one point. With cucumber salad. And potato wedges. I was hungry. That night they got me into bed and I slept pretty well. I woke up a few times, took more drugs, and passed out. Ryan slept on the couch because he was worried he'd roll over and knock my drains or something. I fought it at first but I was too out of it to really fight back. He set up the portable DVD player for me so I could sleep bnetter (I can't sleep alone in the room unless the TV is on).

Day two home was not that good. I was on some strong antibiotics and I got violently ill. I could barely keep water down. After a paniked call to the resident on duty I was perscribed Zofran which is a miracle pill. Seriously. Thank you makers of Zofran.

Ryan and my Mom watched a LOT of the Office and kept me company while I lied on the couch. Ryan was a trooper and cleaned my drains and bandages daily for me and recorded the outtake, I could barely look when he did! Saturday morning my best friend Sam drove down to hang out and visit with me. We watched a lot more tv, at lots of take out, and caught up. Mom and Sam helped me clean up and wash my hair, which was wonderful. Sunday the two of them took a trip to Georgetown Cupcakes and came back with SEVEN DOZEN. Their order accidentally got doubled and they left me a dozen of magical healing cupcakes. Man I love them.






Sunday Mom and Sam helped Ryan deep clean the ENTIRE apartment. I felt awful watching my best friend and my mom clean while I sat around but it wasn't like I could help. Sunday night Mom and Sam drove home and I started to wean myself off percocet. As you saw from the Damn Drains entry I did, it did not work to my advantage.

Flowers from work, they're gorgeous!




Flowers from Mom, they smelled great.





Now the surgery story is done! I will write more of the aftermath later, but I am very happy. This entry is long enough! Thanks if you read it all and thank you to all my guest bloggers for helping me out. (Ryan was a tad put out that he didn't get more comments on his entry but I told him a few of you emailed me!) Stitches come out tomorrow (:

Quick Update

I am going to do this kind of quick because I am totally not up to speed!

I am sore... my stitches kill and and hurt when I move around. I am nauseous on and off today. I am taking percocet, antibiotics, colace, benadryl, omenprazole, and zofran. Yesterday my body reblled heavily against the antibiotics and I was throwing up for quite awhile. Throwing up with stitches is so not fun. Not that it is ever fun in general but it is a whole new degree of awful with stitches. I couldn't even keep water down. So we called the resident on duty at the hospital and I got my Zofran. It is a godsend. I can eat at least.

My best friend Sam got here this morning and my mom and husband are still being wonderful. I cleaned up today at least, Sam and Mom got my hair washed and I got myself semi clean. It felt amazing.

We've been watching a lot of TV and Movies.... any recommendations for light hearted romantic comedies? I need those to keep up a good mood! But we are watching Weeds right now so Ryan does not go too insane. (:

I look smaller. It is awesome.




Ignore the drains (which also suck). But you can totally tell I am no longer a DD! Definitely a C. I am a fricken C cup. For the first time since I was 14 years old. A C.

Amazing.

Worth the pain and nausea and laying on a couch for hours. Worth being over night in the hospital. Worth being scheduled at 9:40am, then rescheduled for 12, then 2, then going in to the OR at 4 and not eating or drinking all day. I don't regret it.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Thank you all for sticking by

The Night Before...

Sorry about the bad sound quality and the two screen thing. No idea how to fix it! I will look later.

I want to do some "before" pictures too, but my husband is nowhere to be found... so they may not happen.

I am going to leave to pick my mom up at the train station.

Wish me luck bloggers! I will see you next week sometime.

TriCare Came Through!

See here to catch up!

Believe it or not TriCare came through for me!! Oh my goodness, after nearly two months, it is definitely happening. I got approved for surgery! They called me today and we set a date and it is happening.

January 26, 2011. Boom. Done!

I am still a little shell shocked. I called Ryan at work and told him and I called my Mom. Ryan is requesting leave and Mom is coming down and possibly my best friend for a little bit. Work knows about it and will adjust my paid time off as needed. I can go "in the hole" up to 40 hours. I need at least a week off definitely (and I have 21 hours now) but the doctor is recommending two. Eh. I'll see how I am feeling.

Am I a little freaked about major surgery?

Yes.

My first one to boot.

But you know what? Back pain is not worth it. Having people stare at your chest instead of your face, not finding clothes that fit you from the waist up, being hunched over constantly, being self concious, not ever finding a bathing suit that fits without looking like a hooker.... none of it is worth it.

Ok my husband is a little attached to them, but they're not vanishing. I will finally be proportionate. I will still have curves, but not "swerves" as I think of them. And Ryan supports me 100%, he doesn't want me in pain either.


It is really happening.

Wow.

Try Again TriCare

Sometimes I love TriCare. Sometimes I loathe it. This is one of those times.

So in reference to my surgery I have needed another referral from my primary care doctor. I got a referral for a surgical consultation, which I went to as you see from my previous entry. Now I got approved by the surgeon, but before they could submit it to TriCare they needed my records and another referral. This referall had to state it was ok to treat, pre-op, surgery, and post-op.

So the very day I left my appointment I was trying to get Dr Kim on the phone. No appointments. No one knows what the heck a referral is all of a sudden. For two solid weeks I fought to get any contact with the man. I finally go through patient advocacy and he calls me back. I tell him I need a copy of my records and another referral for the rest of treatment.

They fax me my file at work. It is wrong. It said I was allergic to latex, on no medication, a non smoker.... all false. I am NOT allergic to latex but do have a fatal reaction penicillin, (which I told them!) I do smoke and I am on at least two-four perscriptions at any given time as well as calcium suppliments! I write all the corrections and fax it back saying I need an accurate record as this is going to my surgeon and surprisingly they fax it back.... three days later. UGH.

I assume the referral is also being taken care of, as Dr Kim said he was resubmitting it. He said he originally submitted it for total treatment, not just consultation, but he will do it again. I give him two weeks. I call TriCare Tuesday of this week and they have no referral on file.

Seriously???

So I try and call the clinic directly. No answer. I call the appointment line to try and just get an appointment to go in and do this in person. No one, and I mean NO ONE, can see me until Saturday November 20th at 7:40am. What the heck!? I have never had a problem getting an appointment at Belvoir before! I book it and call patient advocacy again, this time to talk to someone in referrals. They tell me it was submitted Monday. As in the day before. Again, seriously?! What did they do with it for TWO WEEKS???

Well whatever, it was in. They told me to call Friday and I would have an answer.

I call today at lunch.

At least it is submitted now. They see it. But... it is still pending.

Call back on Monday.


*insert Allie slamming her head into her desk here*

Anyway.... the ball is tomorrow (and Ryan has to wear Dress Whites?! Whaaaat?) my dad and brother will be here!

See you all later taters!

Step One - Check!

I meant to write about this yesterday but work (my usual blogging time when it is slow :P ) was crazy when I got there!!! Now if you read these posts you will be mostly up to speed...

So I had my appointment with the plastic surgeon today. I actually ended up being late thanks to the filming of Transformers 3 all over DC. Yes, that is awesome, I want to go watch some if it if I can, but not when my husband and I are running late for my appointment!!! Yikes. I was so nervous too. I was shaking and jittery all morning.

Well we get to the hospital and I met with my doctor and... he approved me for the procedure. Yes it was awkward being in a room topless (with an open front gown really) with my husband, a male doctor, and a male student doctor. I focused on the back wall and went to my happy place and tried not to blush. But Dr. Ducic said I am a good candidate. I am actually a DD, not a D, and asked what size I would want. I said the B/C range and asked his opinion. He said closer to C may be better and more proportionate for me but that is just his opinion.

The whole thing happened to fast. I gave the nurse my information, the doctor came in measured me, looked, discussed somethings, and it was done.

Basically my right one (which apparently is bigger, I had no idea but Ryan said he knew that... heck he looks at them more than I do so whatever) would get 700 grams taken out and my left one 600 grams.

I have to quit smoking three weeks before the operation and for three weeks after (heck if I do six weeks I may as well quit) and Ryan cannot around me either. In the words of Dr Ducic, "Do not smoke near her. Not in the car with her, in the same room with her, or anywhere around her. No smoke. At all." Ok then! He also mentioned he has never once had a complication with a breast reduction surgery and I would not be the first! Statistics were discussed, usually 20% of women are unable to breast feed but none of his patients have ever had that happen. Good stuff.

It is a three hour procedure and I would be kept overnight for observation. He then recommended I take two weeks off of work (yikes) and then no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for six weeks post-op. I would have drains the first three to five days that would then be removed. After fifteen days my stitches would come out. Again, yikes. Ryan offered to take leave to stay with me and my mom offered to come down too if need be.

After the consultation I had pictures taken with a photographer in the studio down the hall (thankfully female) and then met with the nurse. TriCare only gave me a referral for a consultation so the nurse said I had to go back and get one for the treatment and surgery and other visits. Cue 45 fricken minutes on the phone with Dewitt Army Hospital and still NO appointment and NO results. UGH. I will call again Monday and keep trying. I need the referral so the nurse can submit my package to TriCare for approval. With my back problems, physical therapy, xrays, medication... she thinks I am pretty much a shoe in.

TriCare please please please do not screw this up. I am tired of back pain and dents in my shoulders and skin problems and people staring at my chest not my eyes. Thank you.

After we grabbed McDonalds, dropped Ryan off at work and then flew to the office myself. It was billing today so I was adding up things for clients and inputting data (skipped lunch to make up for way lateness) all day! I took half hour lunches (vs an hour) all week to make up for it and need two more next week. Got my nails done, came home, end Friday!



Step 2, my PCM's approval, to follow. Fingers crossed!