Plastic Surgeon Pre-op Visit

Prior to this visit, I had worked extremely hard coordinating between the hospital, the breast surgeon and my insurance company to gain authorization for removal of BOTH breasts.  By the time I arrived at this 2nd visit to the plastic surgeon, I had received an authorization number, otherwise, I would have had to pay in advance what the insurance would not have covered.  

It was a stressful time. During the visit, the doctor had taken "before" pictures and some measurements, I'm sure it was for the surgical bra.  She also gave me a binder of post-op home care (those guidelines will be in another post) and prescriptions which included:

Emend - anti-nausea pill to be taken 90 min. prior to surgery
Kflex - an antibiotic
Percocet - pain killer
Premethazine - anti-nausea cream
Restoril - for sleep if needed. The next time I see my plastic surgeon will be after I awake from surgery.

Chantix Worked!

I quit smoking five months ago by switching to vaping, even before I knew I had cancer.  I really  loved vaping and hated that my husband still smoked conventional cigarettes.  I hated to be around him.

For five months, I was cigarette-free and thought I would be for the rest of my life, but noticed some side-effects, most of which was a general feeling of being not well.  I cannot be more specific than this because I do not recall the exact symptoms, but, I knew it was from vaping, so, back to cigarettes I went, reluctantly.

My addiction to cigarettes was hungrily awaiting any excuse to jump back into my life and the feeling that I was a failure, for not being able to stick with the vaping, just fed this addiction even more.

I went back to cigarettes until I learned that I had cancer and had no choice but to quit if I wanted reconstructive breast surgery.

I started the cheap version of nicotine lozenges and was making headway until my plastic surgeon said that she would not do the plastic surgery if I was still using nicotine. That's when Chantix entered my life and I finally, finally, finally quit smoking!

Chantix - Day Five

Day Five:

Had 1/2 cigarette while on the phone with the insurance company. This is good, typically, being this stressed, I would have had probably FIVE!  This is working!!

Chantix - Day Four

Day Four:

Went really well, I think throughout the whole day, I only had 1/2 cigarette.  This was the day that I started one pill in the morning and one in the evening.  I am so, so, so happy that this is working!!

Chantix - Day Three

Day Three:

I just realized, one month from today, I will be in surgery.

Anyway, back to Chantix - still going well.  I love how my mind is not pre-occupied with the addiction! So far, it's been one pill a day, for these 1st three days.  Tomorrow, the dosage increases, one pill in the morning and one in the evening.  Heck, I cannot imagine what that is going to feel like!  I don't think I could smoke with the dosage increasing.  I think that if I don't want to smoke, I'm not going to smoke.

Chantix - Day Two

Day Two:

Read some research on how Chantix really works, here's my layman interpretation - it blocks the receptors in the brain which nicotine and addiction feed.  So, when I smoke a cigarette, there is no pleasure. Actually, what I am finding is that it's almost like forgetting that I ever was a smoker!  It's like it's blocking the triggers that would cause me to smoke. 

I'm starting to feel like I felt years and years ago before I ever picked up my 1st cigarette... the mental-state of not being addicted. BUT - what I read is that it's important to still smoke during the 1st week of treatment, I'm thinking that by doing so will train the brain that it really is not pleasurable to smoke.  I am feeling more positive about this than any other quit-method I ever tried before!!

Chantix - Day One

Day One:

Started Chantix, had it in my mind that I will cut-down on my cigarettes right from the start.  I honestly didn't have to make an effort to start cutting down.  The drug nearly immediately began doing 'something' and I wasn't smoking when I might normally smoke.

Chantix - A New Hope

Went to our family doctor for a prescription of Chantix, the quit smoking drug. This is my commitment!  I need to quit smoking at least three weeks before my surgery date.  I cannot have nicotine in my system.  Plus, my lungs need to start recovering from all the damage I've done to them.

My Lucky Stars

Yesterday's visit to the Breast Surgeon was tiring.  The drive seems to take forever. Dr. Talbert was wonderful!  She was, of course, very professional, attentive and spent time to answer my questions.  When she examined me, her touch was so gentle, I "felt" that I was in good hands.

She reviewed all of my options, legally, she has to tell me all of the options available to me, beginning with the option of lumpectomy because my cancer is so small.  Right from the start, however, I told her that my choice was to have the bi-lateral mastectomy (double-mastectomy) because of my strong family history of breast cancer.  Her following comments were unsettling.

She explained that because Medicaid had refused to remove the accompanying non-cancerous breast of breast cancer patients one year ago, all of the health insurance companies followed suit.  PHOOEY!!!

"Even with my family's strong history, they wouldn't allow for the removal of the other breast?"

"No."

"But, I WANT it removed!  I don't want to have to come back when I'm older and it would be more difficult to heal," I told her.

She said that that would be ok, but, I would have to pay for the "professional fee" of the removal of the non-cancerous breast.  I told her that that is what we have to do for my mental and emotional well-being.

We then talked about reconstruction.  The doctor who had been recommended to me is no longer affiliated with the hospital where my Oncologist and Breast Surgeon are affiliated.  Dr. Talbert recommended another Plastic Surgeon and left the room to see when they might be able to co-ordinate the surgery. Upon returning moments later, she gave me the date of August 13th for the surgery.  Something about that date rang a bell, but, I couldn't remember exactly why.  It wasn't Triskaidekaphobia.

The nurse came to give me paperwork for pre-op labs and as Harry and I walked to the lab, I remembered the significance of August 13th.  That was the day, in 1996, when I was rear-ended in Tucson and my car was totaled and I suffered three herniated disks.  In my books, that was a LUCKY  DAY!!  Because I could have so easily been paralyzed, or even dead!  Yeppir, August 13th is a day when Angels were looking out for me.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang.  It was the plastic surgeon's office phoning to confirm appointment dates.  I explained that I was in a hallway and would have to call her back to confirm the dates of July 15 for the initial consultation and July 22 for the pre-operative office visit.

At the Lab, I was given an EKG, blood was drawn and a chest X-ray was done.  I loved that the hospital was so very organized and all three of these tests were completed in less than an hour!

This morning, I phoned the plastic surgeon's office to cement those appointments.  Tina, the scheduler told me that I was lucky to be able to get in so soon to see this doctor, "I've NEVER seen anyone be able to get in this quickly.  We're booking all the way in to September!"  I told her that throughout this whole ordeal, I have been lucky, as the Oncologist said, "Your lucky stars are aligned in a strong way for you!"

Here's to my "lucky stars!"

Lightening The Load

Today, I'm backing up computer files - my hard drive is dying.  I wanted to sort through a pile of old CDs that have programs on them, programs that I'll never use and I will throw them out.  That's the only type of hoarding I'm guilty of, hoarding computer programs. So, by next weekend, my goal is to have the computer room clutter-free, polished, dusted and carpet scrubbed.

By the end of next week, I'll have a better idea of when surgery will take place, but, there should be one more doctor's visit - to the plastic surgeon.

Great Blogs Are Great Because...

Daily Post: Great or Greatest?

What makes a blog great? What makes you follow a blog or “Like” a post? Photographers, artists, poets: show us GREATNESS.

The blogs I follow are fresh in their daily material. The author's personality is reflected within the stories or anecdotes and I am attracted to the expressive style in which they record their thoughts. I do not have to agree with every post, but in reading the blogs I follow, I am opened to new ideas and viewpoints.

Typically, I click "like" after reading someone's post because more often than not, I do enjoy the article plus, it makes me happy when someone clicks "like" on my post. It is rare that I will pass up clicking "like" and only happens if I stumble upon a spam blog or one which is written for the purpose of spreading hatred.