Visited with Dr. Chatson today to discuss the next steps for my reconstructive/reduction surgeries.
The waiting room was pretty full and as a result, I had to wait a half hour before getting to see Dr. Chatson. Finally being called, I had two two professionals working in tandem, to take my vitals. Then I waited for the doctor to join me.
Dr Chatson came in and wasted no time. Asking me to remove my shirt he closely inspected the surgical area and related scars. He asked me to step in front of the mirror so he could discuss his thoughts/findings as he directed my attention to the corresponding parts of my body.
He said that the scar was still very tight. It had relaxed somewhat since our last visit, so he thought that over time it would continue to relax. Dr. Chatson did say that due to my current state (of body healing), he would have to rethink his approach. Apparently because the surgical area was 'opened' two times, there is considerable scarring tissue that is tight and causing a concavity. He thought that a fat graft/liposuction approach first discussed may not work this time. Because of the tight scarring, the end result of that approach would still have a considerable degree of concavity.
He paused and said, "I may have a better approach." He asked me to wait while he left the room. Upon his return he had his book of before and after pictures of other (anonymous - no face) patients. He turned to the back and said,"Here's someone with a similar situation".
So the tentative plan now is to wait a few months (some time in November) and approach this in two phases.
At the highest level:
Phase 1 - reduction and liposuction of my left (good) breast and initial liposuction of certain areas of the surgical area. Some of my own fat (near my waistline) will be taken to replace and remold. He will need to reopen the surgical site to remove some scarring and insert some (he called hard fat) to relieve the concavity.
Phase 2 - after recovery and healing, he will take a skin graft from the other side of my abdomen to create a new nipple.
He cautioned me that when all was said and done I may still have some concavity, but it's too soon to tell. [It can't be worse that now.]
Because this is a change to the approach, he needed to write up a new case for the insurance company. He didn't believe there would be a problem, but thought that the November time frame was realistic. He said he would notify me when the surgery is scheduled and when I would need to arrive for pre-op.
Sounds like a plan. So now I wait.
Tamoxifen update
I'm on my third day of Tamoxifen. With the host of possible side effects this medication MAY cause, Dr. Mehta told me to notify him immediately for a certain few. One being change in vision.
Change in vision is very broad, so one might be willing to accept little things that may have happened in the past as being 'normal'. For instance, if some dust gets in your eye and you instinctively rub it, your eye may tear a bit. This could be a 'change in vision' but one would argue it was caused by my rubbing and not the affect of Tamoxifen.
To keep cool and comfy, I have been sitting in front of a fan. I know that from time to time one eye may get too much of a breeze and I feel like 'dry eye'. I thought little of that in the past, but my heightened sense of change now triggers an alarm. I had noticed yesterday that the vision in my right eye seemed 'not as clear'. With both eyes, I had no problem seeing or reading, but I did have the sensation of having my 'lens' smudged. Last evening while watching TV, I closed my left eye and my right eye was significantly blurry. Hmmm Hoping a night's sleep would take care of things, I waited until today.
I'm having the same symptoms today. I did make an appointment with the eye doctor. It's possible that after 62 years I need glasses. But panic set in and I was looking up possible causes - cataract? To be safe and the coincidence of this onset with my beginning to take Tamoxifen, I did call Dr. Mehta's office and reported this.
As this writing I've not heard back from either the eye doctor or my oncologist.
Yes, it truly is - 'always something'. More to come.
[Post Script: Eye doctor's office called me back for an appointment for early next week.]
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