"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." - Dorothea Lange

Friday, May 23, 2008

the not-so-pleasant part of reconstruction

I’m probably wrong, but I’ve always thought that the person who invented high heels must have surely been a man.

I believe the same can be said for tissue expanders.

It’s a brilliant concept, but one that conjures up demonic thoughts like, “How can we inflict sheer and unadulterated pain on women?”

I am nearing the end of the expansion process that was begun immediately following my mastectomy in February. Gradually, over the course of these many weeks, a nurse has injected alarming amounts of saline into a plastic bag that was installed under my chest wall during surgery. It expands with each and every “fill up” and stretches my skin as it goes. I was told that I would pretty much know when the expansion process would need to come to an end, because I would not be able to tolerate any more injections.

Well, I think I can safely say that I have reached that point.

Call me half Dolly Parton, partial Pamela Anderson Call me hurting. Especially when I breathe, which, as it turns out is something I do with surprising regularity.

Oh, and you should see me when I travel. Something about the pressurization of the plane and being at 35,000 feet… it is really scary to feel like you’re going to pop right there in the window seat of a Southwest 737 airliner. The peanuts would go flying, the flight attendants would come running – it would certainly cause a stir.

What I’ve learned is that you “expand” (read get tortured) to a point that is larger than where you’ll end up once the implant goes in. So, perhaps I won’t be Dolly or Pamela when it’s all said and done, but in the meantime….

(And now that I think about it, both of these women wear five-inch spiked heels.)

Ouch.

2 comments:

Mel said...

you are such a strong woman gloria: i really admire your honesty and frankness.

heres to hoping you dont pop!
maryelaine

Anonymous said...

I am sorry for pain. I hate that for you.

It probably won't help that my favorite line from Dolly Parton is something to the effect, "If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with some rain." I'm sure that doesn't help at all, and I only include it because how often do I get to quote Dolly Parton after a printed reference to her?

You are strong, and I am thankful for your example.

--KB