No Breast~Cancer stuff.......Reconstruction of me

Sorry my friends that are probably sick of my breast cancer stuff, but just doing a little update.

Well I haven't posted an update on what's been going on..........nothing much- yeah!
I have my next blood test July 15th  and I do get nervous as it approaches.  I'm being monitored every 6 months with a blood test and yearly with a mamo in my real breast.

Since treatment has finished I have noticed my implanted breast being very tight and at times painful.    I need to stretch it out everyday.

Anyone with an implant can get a hardening of their implant:

As it was told to me before if this gets too painful or I can't stand the looks of it I have the option of them using my own tissue to make me a new breast.  There's a lot to considered:

Pros-
Never have to swap out an implant
My breasts will be better matched
I'll have a nipple
It will not be painful
I'll feel free to have sex with no bra on

Cons-
Putting my family through the process- all this stuff affects everyone
Using my own tissue is a surgery~ do i even believe in doing that to my body?
There will be another scar on my body
If they want to use my belly - lymph nodes will be affected and I'm enjoying them at this time
Money and Time- I would most definitely go to the best surgeon for this and in my research the one I hear good things about is:
Dr. Frank Dellacroce
Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery
Male - 12 years experience
Center For Restorative Breast Surgery
1717 Saint Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA
MORE info HERE
It's a toss up-

I have to be honest if you are newly diagnosed you really need to do some research on all this.  There is no doubt in my mind my plastic surgeon did exactly what should be done- but unfortunately I had a not so rewarding outcome due to my skin taking a big hit from radiation.  What I have is great for clothing and even a bathing suit as long as I have my prosthesis- but in no way nude does it appear normal.  I have gotten more concerned as I have more pain and discomfort.  I FINALLY was able to share my photo with a woman who has a lot of knowledge on reconstruction for advice.  Through the Breastcancer.org cancer site I found a forum of women going through reconstruction who post their pictures.  This is a very guarded site and you do need to go through an approval process to access it.  Well I have had access for a while, but found it hard to look at.  It's hard to look at picture after picture of breast cancer reconstructions, but when you are wondering how normal you are compared to others it helps.  You don't feel so alone.  I finally needed to look into what it REALLY could look like to get a Tram Flap (my own tissue transplant) and not pictures you find in the doctor's office of their BEST turn outs- I need to see the real stuff that goes on.  It helped a lot and I met a woman who viewed my pictures and let me know what I should do next to fix mine if that is my intention.  I still haven't posted my picture- because it's in good faith they ask you to share if you can- to help others.  Just like you 2 breasted girls we compare our foobs to see who's got the best one..lol. 

I look to woman who got what I got- One reduced breast and one foob.  In doing so I stumbled upon this (not on the private site) woman; A 49-year-old jewellery designer posed with her mastectomy scars to give hope to other victims of the disease.


'The picture is an affirmation of life. It has restored my confidence and made me feel sexy again, says Ms Brassey.

 As a young girl she was approached to do Playboy, but turned them down.  As an adult breast cancer survivor she did agree to do a nude shot.   Sometimes I feel so rotten about my breasts and I miss them a lot, but then you see someone like this and it is inspiring.  You may look at it and feel bad or think it looks pretty bad, but to me it is beautiful.  Before going through this I would have felt very different.  I would hope that if someone would look at me they would see how hard I fought and how much I love just being here and find that beautiful.     

Here she is:

Featured at the Extraordinary Portraits exhibition held at Chelsea Arts Club in London.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1215537/Breast-cancer-survivor-spurned-Playboy-poses-nude-raise-awareness-disease.html#ixzz1QmG5rBoD

This is what I have going on - except for the tummy- I have one.

Some of my scars aren't as bad and some are worse but getting better

I continue to LOVE my bathing suit from Lands End (mastectomy suit)

Thank You Lands End for thinking of us....Uniboobs 

Summer will be a breeze because I also found a spray tan I can live with that I can spray on at home- 

Quick Tan by Body Drench.

I'm loving that after more than a year I can wear my hair back and I'm a smidge away from a baby pony tail.

I'm totally in love with my Certified Manual Lymph Drainage/CDT~  Alana at the Myers Center and CAN'T imagine that if I wouldn't have met her I would never know what I know about my lymph system.  She has taught me how to keep my arm safe as to NEVER get Lymphedema. 

 I've learned how to actually help my lymphatic system by actually doing some manual manipulation on myself. 

What I'm learning to do is to get my fluid flowing away from my (mastectomy) arm which has little to no lymph nodes left.  I direct the fluid to other/ better drainage areas.

My good breast has a very bad scar and thanks to her advice I have been massaging my scar (which is like a rope under my skin) with

100% ARNICA OIL

 and it has gotten so much better. 

GET this oil if you have scarring- LOVE IT.

Alana also told me about LympheDIVAS

I wear a compression sleeve when flying, working out or when doing stuff outside in the heat and it looks something like this:

I was professionally fitted for my sleeve and it works well.

Well at LympheDIVAS I can get a more stylish less constricting sleeve like this:

Sometimes my arm gets a heavy feeling and that's when I put on my heavy sleeve, otherwise I can wear a lighter more stylish one.  I haven't purchased one yet because there are too many to choose from, but I am liking the one above.    

Like this FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/LymphedemaGuru

I found an AMAZING website concerning Organic Make-Up

The GLAMORGANIC Goddess

and she really likes make-up... LIKE really trampy eye lashes and everything!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Glamorganic-Goddess/124792960872102?ref=ts&sk=wall

My diet and exercise has been....well hasn't been.  We are eating better at home, but I need to go back to the gym and Pilates!  I noticed a big difference in my arm/implant when I go to Pilates.  My instructor is on a long vacation and I'm not liking it. 

I'm starting to go on with my life and enjoy my friends SO much.  I spent a wonderful evening with some girl friends - we had a sleep over and at one point a friend said- "now that's the old Danielle".  I realize I am sometimes quiet not sure why- I take stuff in a lot more.  Sometimes I just wanna watch ~ Sometimes I'm afraid to live like I did.  BUT I'm getting over it and I'm finding ME again!

I love you girls SOOOO much!  Thanks for being there for me. 

Girls SleepOver Deposit NY

Bat and All

ALSO must report this- Finally I feel like I look more like a woman than a man....lol. 

Funny, but true!

When a guy looks at you like a woman instead of a dude it's a good day!