Exchange

6:15am, and we’re on our way to Atlanta for an 8:15 doctor’s appointment. It’s my first post-op visit since my exchange surgery last Tuesday. The exchange was tissue expanders for implants. We’re nearing the end of this particular road. Hallelujah!

Have I mentioned I love love LOVE my plastic surgeon, Dr. Bahair Ghazi. Jamie and I both love him and the entire staff at Atlanta Plastic And Reconstructive Specialists. I had a tee-shirt made and wore it the day of surgery. I’m wearing it again this morning. Photo taken Tuesday evening after surgery.

I expected a walk-in-the-park surgery. I mean, after the others with their complications & long healing times, this outpatient surgery would be a breeze, right? Not so much.

I had a thorough mastectomy in January that left me with a bony upper chest wall. To avoid the look of having two grapefruit halves stuck on my chest and create a more natural looking slope, Dr. Ghazi transferred some fat to this area. Yes, liposuction. He took fat from my sides and put it into my chest.

This isn’t a pain-free procedure. We were told by a nurse the fat is “hammered” (her word) in to place with a metal rod. I was left swollen, bruised, in pain, tired, and a little…not depressed but just tired of it all & unable to find the joy. Remember, I had expected a walk in the park. I was also put in a compression bra & two-TWO!-compression wraps and told I couldn’t shower for two days. I also felt like I’d been kicked in the chest. Am I whining? Yeah, but this time I’m not asking permission or forgiveness for it. It was a tough week for me. This photo was taken Tuesday evening immediately following the one above.

I also have giant dark bruises at the sites from where the fat was taken, but there’s no way to show you those without showing off my lower half. Take my word for it, they’re ugly.

When talking about the bruising, a nurse told me they would look pretty gnarly before it was over. Two things. One—I haven’t heard that world used that way since the 80’s and Two-gnarly is a perfect description for how they’ve looked as the days passed.

Here we are, almost a week later. Yesterday was a good day, my first really good day since the surgery. Today will be a good day. Bandages will come off at this appointment, and I’ll learn about my restrictions and receive the wallet cards with my implant info. Did you know breast implants are registered devices? Well now you know.

Here’s to good days and the time we won’t have to get up at 4:30am for a doctor’s appointment.