Thanksgiving comes early!!!!

New boobs are scheduled for Monday, November 19th ... the week of Thanksgiving! I am almost jumping out of my skin with excitement!!!!!

Today, I met with Dr. Marshall, my plastic surgeon. It's the first time I've seen that chic since my surgery in May. Whoa! Yes, she is just that busy. I'm okay with that, however, because I know how well-respected she is and what a great job she has done and will continue to do for me down the road. She told me Dr. DerHagopian, my breast surgeon, had called her about getting me an earlier date for surgery. I believe now she would have accomodated me even without his input. She's such a great lady -- very compassionate, gracious, and KNOWS HER STUFF!

I brought numerous pictures with me to show her how I'd like to look with the implants. I do not want stripper boobs, but I do wish to fill out my clothes as nicely as I did before I had breast cancer. To facilitate this discussion, I showed her perhaps 15 (or so) pictures from various Playboy magazines, Victoria's Secret catalogs, and even some pics I printed from the reconstruction thread on my online support group message board. I showed her examples of what I liked and what I didn't like. I want cleavage, but not with the girlz too close together and not too far apart. I want good projection, but I don't want them sitting up toward my neck either. Given this exchange, Dr. Marshall has a fairly good idea of what I want now, even though I trust her judgment. She believes she will likely use high profile, high projection silicone implants with around 500 cc's of cohesive memory gel. The memory gel has a "gummy bear" consistency so that even in the unlikely event of rupture, the silicone will stay in place rather than leak anywhere into the body cavity. (Silicone is what most people prefer because it's much more natural feeling than saline implants. Also, silicone no longer has the bad rap that it did in the 1980's when all those baseless class action suits were filed. Ultimately, plaintiffs had a very difficult time proving any toxic effects produced by the presence of implants and those lawsuits against the manufacturers went away.)

Dr. Marshall also mentioned she will do a little liposuction on a small pocket of fatty tissue I have on the upper part of my right breast at the time of surgery. She said that will just even things out with my other side. I wouldn't have even noticed this without her pointing it out. Just goes to show what a good eye this woman has for detail! She said she will also start working on my nipples (twist and stitch method from the incision line) and do my areola tattoos at the same time. This thrills me even more because I will be looking more natural sooner than I had ever imagined!! I honestly thought the tattoos and nipples would come at least 2 or 3 months later based on other people's experience. Dr. Marshall says I won't be complete, but she will at least begin this process and finish it up on an outpatient basis in her office later. She told me she is also going to start working on the "paint" for my tattooed areolas. She likes to match the areolas to the color of the lips, but I had on bright red lipstick at this appointment so she'll have to match it another day. I had to laugh because it was almost like having a discussion about paint swatches for my home! You know ... like do I want a flat paint or glossy finish?? I told Dr. Marshall she should be sure to use primer and give me a semi-gloss since it will be easier to keep clean! Ha, ha. Seriously speaking, I don't think I want my areolas the same color as my mouth ... that's wayyyy too pink for my taste ... I'd much rather them be in the brownish family, like my old ones. And remember, I took pics the night before my surgery so I wouldn't forget how they looked! I'm going to insist on a close match to what I had before when the time comes.

In the meantime, my tissue expanders have been getting filled with saline every two weeks and Dr. Marshall estimates I will have probably 2 more fills to complete my expansion. I am very pleased with how EVEN my breasts are looking now and they look fairly natural in my bikinis and clothes as well. They are so hard though ... I can't wait for the implant exchange that will leave me with more natural, squishy boobs!

I plan to do Race for the Cure the end of October here in Miami and I may travel to New York in early October to do Avon's 30-mile breast cancer walk. (My friend, Price, had suggested I do the walk with him since he's proposed to do it in my honor. Awww!) Good thing I won't have to worry about these tough tissue expanders bouncing around. But I'll be joyfully bouncing around by Thanksgiving this year! YAY!!!!