6 Days To Go

I pre-registered at the hospital yesterday for my surgery on March 7. I told David that it sure brought back some old feelings as I was walking the halls of Medical City Dallas to the familiar desks and rooms where you answer lots of questions and get blood taken from you. Fortunately the lady who took my blood, didn't argue with me when I told her I wanted to lay down and she didn't hurt me at all, even got the vein on the first try. I told her she was good!

We have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. next Friday for my 7:30 a.m. surgery. At some time between now and then we've got to meet Dr. Hodges for him to draw on me again. He said it wouldn't be as extensive this time like it was in May 2007, but he would have to draw on me before I was lying down on the operating table.

This is day surgery, so I should go home that day, but the check-in nurse told me to pack an overnight bag just in case. We'll leave it in the car and David can get it if it's needed. Dr. Hodges said I probably would have drains in again. He said that he will have to remove some scar tissue from the breast where the tissue expander has been prior to inserting the real implant. Then he'll work on the left breast again to reshape it and insert a real implant in it. He will also build a new nipple from extra skin on the side of my mastectomy site. Later he will give me my first tattoo (there will NOT be digital pictures on this site) to match the right breast to the left breast. That will be done in his office later. It is just mind-boggling at what they can do today. And Dr. Hodges is just the best!

I am so not looking forward to this. I've enjoyed having my life back and being me again. BUT this is the last thing. This will officially mark the end of surgeries to get rid of the cancer and to get my body back to a semi-normal-new-and-improved status. I've had lots of women tell me that they were jealous of me, for getting new boobs at 55. But everyone of them said they didn't want to get new ones like I've got new ones. They told me there was an easier way to do this. Ah yes, but Blue Cross & Blue Shield is paying for mine. . . . now that's a positive!!!