My Little Journey

Off to the plastic surgeon to get all marked up and sign consents....and pictures. Just what every overweight woman wants in life. To get naked and take some pictures of your breasts. I guess I better get used to it. At least I had my pants on. I guess its a good thing I read the consent. I can't have an MRI with those expanders in. Hmph. Learn something new every day. I feel like I signed my life away. Tomorrow is the big day. I've had my bag packed since I got the date. I guess its a good thing I started prepping for the mastectomy since I got the news. I had ordered me a special pillow, some button gowns and shirts, and some lanyards. I got stool softeners (gotta love those). My husband bought me a recliner and I've got it where I think I can stand it in my room. I'm as prepared as I could be I guess. Bring this on and lets get it over with. My biggest fear is infection since I'm a diabetic and work in the healthcare field. No news of radiation or chem...

Back to the surgeon for pre-op instruction and MRI results. He did say there were some enhancements from my right nipple down the core. So the mastectomy is the best way to go. He also informed me that he would do a lymph node biopsy during the mastectomy and he would try to get to them without making a whole new incision. If the results are positive he would have to go back in in a week to remove. Now I had to break this news to my husband since I was alone for this appointment. I kept it to myself until I walked out of the bedroom before taking a shower. He was a little overwhelmed again. I guess I'm just glad he is trying to understand. I think back to not being diagnosed until now and how different he is from then. He used to be really unkind to me and I don't think I could've handled a diagnosis then and him at the same time. So maybe God knew I couldn't handle it. I seriously don't know what I would've done then.

Now to start the whole process.... I had to take the night off before, so I could sleep to go to the plastic surgeon-go back to work- and have an MRI before making it back home. Whew.... The plastic surgeon was nice and that helps. What I don't enjoy is the hour drive to get there. Plus, I have to go back often to get the lovely tissue expanders filled back up after that are placed. Then, back again after having the implants put in place. Probably back some more to have nipples put on. Gosh, I should get a mileage plan. He explained about the tissue expanders and how they work. He showed me the "gummy bear" implants that he would place after the expanders were full and had made a capsule around them. Seems easy enough. Sounds painful and from what I have read online they are uncomfortable when they get filled. I guess I will just trudge on through the pain. He said they would be in place for about five months depending. My MRI after work was not as bad as my...

9-13-2018.... It was a Thursday. I guess that's a date you aren't supposed to ever forget. I had to work the night before and needed to go home to sleep after to go back to work. So I just wanted to get the inevitable over with. When I arrived to the surgeon's office with my husband, I signed in. On the paperwork next to the desk clerk I noticed my results listed at the bottom. So I already knew before going back to see doctor. I just kept it all to myself. It was what I expected so no real feelings yet. I get back in room and wait for the doctor. He walks in and shakes my hand and just lets it out that my results revealed Paget's. He sits down and I'm still calm at this point. He then goes on to tell me that we need to do a mastectomy. I asked if I heard right and then started to cry a bit. I guess in all my research I concluded to myself (you know, since I'm a doctor in my mind at this point) that I only needed to take off the nipple and be done. He i...

I guess the best place to start would be the scare that sent me to the doctor's office over four years ago. I had noticed some wet spots on my shirt at home, but this is after doing dishes. Therefore, I wasn't sure if I was just messy or had issues with my right breast. Fast forward to while I was at work a couple days later and the same thing happened. My co-workers noticed and encouraged me to visit a doctor. Since I had not had a regular doctor check-up in at least 13 years, I chose to go ahead and get a complete physical. Being a researcher of all things on google, I put in some of my symptoms and came up with Paget's of the breast. It all made since except for a few symptoms. I only researched the symptoms and not how it was diagnosed. I should have researched more. When I brought up the nurse practitioner my issues with my breast (which at the time was just the leaking clear fluid), she said it was normal for women to have that happen at times. She told me to ...