More Decisions

A guest post by an anonymous writer, which will be an ongoing series.

Please join us on her journey!

I am five weeks post surgery. My muscles are getting less tight and I have 100% mobility. I am getting back to my daily routine, slowly but surely, and it has been easier in many ways than I expected. I am still not "caught up" on everything I got behind on, and did absolutely nothing I had on my list to do while I was resting and healing, but I can accept that. 

I had another doctor appointment with my plastic surgeon Monday. I went in for my first fill in my tissue expanders. The fill was fine. Everything is totally numb so didn't feel anything. I have a high pain tolerance, but I felt fine all day. I was a little worried because I have heard it can cause pain to get the fills. I have one more fill on April 23, then I should be ready for the next surgery. One thing I did not expect is that there is a sloshing sound when I go down stairs or move quickly! It is the saline they use to expand moving around!

I did get some answers regarding the ADM reaction. It turns out I can do fills and surgery as soon as I can even if the RBS doesn't resolve. I was a little pink at the appointment and he said it looked fine. Today it still looks mostly the same, so I am praying that the redness does not return. If the redness comes back I need to call to get refills on prednisone and antibiotics. He wanted to just do antibiotics but since I didn't have side effects to prednisone I would take that too. He said he is almost certain my RBS is an ADM reaction but the reason for antibiotics is because whenever there is redness they can't rule out infection so it's precautionary. There isn't necessarily a hot to the touch feeling or fever with a breast infection. So whenever there is redness they assume it could be an infection so they treat for both infection and RBS. Also, it will resolve. No one has it after expanders are removed and implants are placed. He says there isn't enough research and a lot of unknowns about RBS so there isn't a known cause or standard of care set. He thinks it's a combination of ADM reaction and body's response to expanders.   

Where my decisions come in are around reconstruction timing. I won't be able to complete construction before our trip in June. I'm a little annoyed about having to make more decisions. I thought I was done making decisions!

I have two options: 

1. Do the second surgery without fat grafting soon and do a third surgery for fat grafting (I need to be bound for 3 weeks on places he does liposuction following surgery. He uses liposuction for fat harvesting). 
2. Wait for any reconstruction until after my trip (implants and fat grafting).  The doctor said many people want a third surgery for fat grafting anyway, even if it was done on the second surgery. I am not sure what to do but he said we will play it by ear. Hopefully, we can come up with a plan at my next appointment on April 23.  

The fact that RBS always resolves after expanders are removed is a case for getting the implant surgery soon and the fat grafting later. If the redness returns, this seems like the best option.  

As I was thinking about this and getting frustrated, once again, I reminded myself that no matter the timeline, this is temporary. At some point, this will be over. That gives me a peace about it. It reminded me, also, that everything in this life is temporary. None of it is a permanent problem. I praise the Lord in these times that is the case, for I know what my future brings. In the end, there will be no suffering or hardship. I can get through anything knowing the promises I have been given!

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, 

but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! 

For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

James 4:14

Read more posts in this series:
Maxed Out Minivan
To start at part one go here:
Part 1: Stage Zero What?