Free Refills - 60cc's on pump #1

If I were like 12 years old, I'd definitely be getting my first bra. I think I'm like an AAA. But I have good news, REALLY good news.

My tissue expander surgery was exactly 2 weeks ago. I had my drains and sutures removed 3 days ago and today I had my first saline fill. I'm still recovering from the surgery, with twangs, and pangs here and there, but my surgeon is gung-ho about moving this process along. I did after all, delay my breast reconstruction for 17 months. So here's the good news. Originally when I had the surgical consult he told me we'd fill the expanders every 2 weeks. But today- he said we're going to do it EVERY WEEK!!!! The plan is to do 6 or 7 fills at 60cc's each side, each week. That should make me a nice full B. Oh the EXCITEMENT!!!! Then, as long as everything goes to schedule I'll get my permanent implants in May. It would have been April but I teach sewing classes at our High School as part of their Community Education Curriculum. And, of course I am scheduled for 3 weeks in April.

Today I headed down to the Plastic Surgeon's office, it's crazy there. My surgeon only sees patients on Monday and Friday afternoons. He's in surgery all other times. So he has to fit a ba-zillion patients into like 8 hours of office time a week. I get it- he's the man. He does tons of reconstructive and microvascular surgeries. But the wait time to see him is borderline crazy. It's always like this so I am slowing accepting it is what it is. Today was especially drawn out. My appointment was at 2:15pm, I arrived about 5-10 minutes early, I sat in the waiting room until 3pm, and then was brought back to the exam room - where I waited another 30 minutes. Just sitting on the paper lined table, in a jacket gown, in the freezing cold exam room, with lots of weird sterile things surrounding me.

Finally- he came in and was like AMPED to fill my "boobs" with saline. THAT'S how you know you have an awesome surgeon. So here's how it works: The tissue expanders are like silicone pancakes with a round 1" valve towards one side. The pancake is folded in 1/2 so it's like a semi-circle and placed in my chest pocket. As the expander is filled over time, it will unfurl and become circular. Then it will start to balloon. So for the first 2 fills, it's still folded up. The 3rd fill it will pop it open. My Dr. uses a "valve finder" which is a lot like a stud finder. Then he marks the spot with a Sharpie and then injects me with a MASSIVE NEEDLE. It doesn't hurt, but it can be a little drippy- I'll get 60cc in each side for each fill. It's a slow push to inject the saline. And then- that's it.

It was amazing- there was instant shape and definition to my once concave chest. The expanders alone made it look like there was SOMETHING there. But this was awesome. And here's the highlight of my appointment:

Me: Will the saline slosh around?
Dr: Oh yea- especially if you "do the boogie".

My Doc is awesome.

My husband is awesome too. Today is our 8th Wedding Anniversary. Yea- we were youngins' when we got married but some things are meant to be. So here's our favorite wedding picture, in front of the slot machines in Vegas.