Reconstruction

Today, I met with the plastic surgeon. When I have a mastectomy in a couple of weeks, he will put in a tissue expander to make room for eventual reconstruction. Because I'm having radiation, he does not want to just put in an implant, since radiation kills both cancer cells and perfectly good cells. There are two options.

1. Use tissue from the abdomen. Tummy tuck plus reconstruction? Sounds great! However, there are downsides, most notably FIVE days in the hospital and six weeks of recovery. Plus, surprising as it may sound, I don't have enough tissue in my abdomen to reconstruct this baby. Strike option number one.

2. Use the latissimus muscle. The downside here is that I'll never again be a world-class swimmer or rower. My public will be disappointed. It looks like option two is the winner.

I have had so many people call and email to check on me. Thank you all so much! I feel so loved and taken care of. Thank you especially for your prayers and fasts. I feel incredibly humble that so many people are taking my cancer problems to Heavenly Father. I don't know what I need yet from my family and friends, but right now the prayers and love are the best things I could ask for. Second is that those of you who know my children, please love them. They are my biggest concerns right now. They are almost my only concerns. I cannot bear the thought of leaving them. This is what breaks my heart. Fortunately, it looks like that won't happen, which is why I really am doing well right now. I can do it. I can do the physical pain and discomfort and reconstruction. I will miss my hair and breast, but as long as I still have my health family and friends, I will make it through this hard time and come out the other side. I plan on looking back at this year from the age of a tree. An old tree, maybe an olive tree.