[KsGal]

Wow..I surpriesed by some of these stories. I had a double mastectomy in November with immediate reconstruction with expanders. Those horrible JP drains were the worst thing about it. Gosh those things hurt. When they removed them in the office I about jumped off the table. I didn't have any problem with infection, although I did have to have a revision of my scar because the skin around it died. The expanders are hard and awkward and look strange...but I don't have to wear a bra and look somewhat normal in clothes. After my first fill I found out I was stage IV, and went through a time where I just didn't see the point in going on with the fills and reconstruction (was having a pity party). I think now I will finish with the reconstruction, but I don't think I want to take it on until my rounds of TCH are finished. My doctors were borderline on me having radiation (I had 3 positive nodes, and apparently they feel four positive nodes indicates radiation). My PS said radiation would ruin the reconstruction. Of course now Im stage IV, I would think I will have radiation at some point. There was a woman in my PS office when I was there who had undergone a reconstruction three years previous, and she was having her implants removed and regretted ever getting them.