Nearly there ...

Subject to another check-up in early March, I have been given a provisional operation date for implants of Thursday 2nd May. While it will mean another overnight stay in hospital it will be nice to finally feel 'balanced'!

After that, there will be another operation (if I want it) to cosmetically finish things off.

More immediately though, the bruising from the graft procedure has gone right down and, despite some residual muscle pain, I am now moving easily.

I'm also waiting on a mammogram date. I'm supposed to have one annually from the date of my cancer diagnosis but I've had to remind them and chase it up.

It's a year this coming Friday since Mr P. and I received my news. So while it's not a milestone to celebrate, it is one to be remembered. We've come a long way ...

Tickled pink

Mr P. and I had some great news yesterday; he's been selected as a runner-up in the Breast Cancer Campaign's 'Wear it Pink - Superhero' competition!

I nominated him back in October in recognition of all the wonderful support he's given me over the last year. I wanted him, and everyone else, to know just how much I appreciate everything he's done.

So it's lovely that others have recognised his efforts and he will soon be in receipt of  (i) a year's supply of 'Vanish' (sponsors of the competition - and no, I don't know how much a year's supply is either!), and (ii) two tickets to see 'Viva Forever!' the Spice Girls musical. I howled with laughter at the thought of him using the second one but I am going to make him go ...

In other news, we have also been lucky enough to have been cast in a play together. Regular readers will know that Mr P. and I met doing amateur theatre and we have been cast as husband and wife in our group's next show, The Memory of Water. It's a great script, funny as well as moving, and I'm really looking forward to getting back on stage after my enforced hiatus. It will also be nice to do something together that doesn't involve hospitals!

However, I will be back at the 'Marsden on Friday for a post-operative follow-up. The procedure does appear to have been successful in improving my mastectomy reconstruction but it has left my legs very bruised and painful.

So painful in fact that I will now be off work for another few days. I ventured into the office today for the first time since surgery but was in so much discomfort that my boss told me, in the nicest possible way, that he didn't want to see me again until next week! Fine by me ...

New year, new boobs!

Yesterday I went to the 'Marsden and had my third breast operation but the first that was cosmetic.

 

That makes it sound like it was driven by vanity – it really wasn’t – but it will hopefully enhance the end result when I finally get my reconstructive implants.

Essentially, I’ve had fat siphoned out of my outer thighs and injected into my boob. And yes, I know that sounds like every woman’s dream - especially post-Christmas - but, before you get too jealous, please try to remember that I’ve only had one tit enhanced and have to wear support pants for a month!

The immediate result is that my fake boob is now even bigger than it was before (and now significantly larger than the other one) and bright red! My legs are also very, very bruised and sore. Once I am stood up, or sat down, I’m fine – but getting there is an entirely different matter. I’m feeling very battered and pretty immobile.

Fortunately Mr P. has come to stay with me for a couple of days and was, yet again, the designated ‘responsible adult’ into whose care the hospital discharged me. However, when I say ‘responsible’ most people who know him will roll their eyes ... and with good reason! I’ve cited some of his hospital exploits in the past but this time I decided to get photographic evidence. I really can’t leave him on his own for more than two minutes!


Logging in to the hospital system and playing a football game; trying to take his own blood pressure (the machine stopped working altogether after this); having a little lie down on my surgical trolley.



Also keeping me and my lop-sided cleavage company this week is my new furry flat-mate, Phoebe. She moved in on Saturday and has already made herself very comfortable. She's also had about five different names but, hopefully, this is the final one!

The name was actually suggested by Mr P's Mum and it seems to suit our little glamour puss very well. In fact, it’s also proved rather prophetic as we have discovered that little Phoebe has a few, ahem, ‘digestive’ issues – so has been serenaded with more than a few choruses of ‘Smelly Cat’ in the last couple of days.

But naughty boyfriends and flatulent cats aside, everything else seems to be on track. I’m hoping 2013 could be my year.