Melissa’s Rap: Sometimes things don’t go as planned. And sometimes you do everything right and everything falls into place except one detail. Unfortunately, that is often the case with reconstruction after a mastectomy. Some women will require three to four surgeries to get the reconstruction to take. Continue reading
“Ray of Sunshine”, © 2011 Jamie Pfister, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio
Melissa’s Rap: A couple of weeks ago, I had a Bilateral Skin-Sparing Mastectomy. Leading up to the surgery, I was in a sort of prep mode. It helped me take my mind of what was to come (to a certain extent) and helped me to feel more prepared for the known of what was to come, as well as the unknown.
Why do we wait to deep clean things? It always feel so good to get it done. It usually happens when somebody is coming over or you are throwing a get together of some sort. Or when you are moving and need to clean the place to hand it over to the owners or the new tenants. Or in my case, when I choose to endure a difficult surgery in the hopes of preventing a more difficult experience in the future. I don’t know why we wait, but all I could think was…why did I not start this sooner?
Melissa’s Rap: How do you tell your 6 and 10-year-old children you are having a body part (or in my case parts, plural) cut off – just in case? That has been on my mind lately. Honestly, it has been difficult to focus on much else.
A couple of months ago, I was diagnosed with Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia Bordering on Lobular Carcinoma In-Situ. My gynecologist recommended a mastectomy based on my history – 21 plus years of mammograms, where they always found “something”, followed by ultrasounds and needle biopsies and, five times during those 21 years, surgery.
My surgeon, however, felt it best to take things one step at a time, so I had a lumpectomy in January. Thankfully, the area they removed came back cancer-free. However, because of my original diagnosis, I was offered three options:
Melissa’s Rap: When I was 21, I discovered a lump in my breast. After multiple doctors appointments, mammograms and ultrasounds, my doctor decided I should have it surgically removed. Before the surgery, doctors found another lump in my other breast. So, I had bilateral biopsies. Thankfully, both were benign. Ever since that year, I have had at least one mammogram with a follow up ultrasound each year. They always find something, which results in additional mammograms, ultrasounds and ultimately surgeries or needle biopsies. It has been 21 years of waiting for bad news.
This past week, it finally happened. Continue reading
The Sister Rap 