South Texas
 

For reconstructive surgery I used Dr. Chrysopoulo of PRMA of Southern Texas, in San Antonio. He was the nicest doctor, and his nurse and his staff were excellent. He was the fourth plastic surgeon I met with, and as soon as he was finished talking to me and examining me, i knew I had finally found a doctor I trusted for this surgery.

Re: South Texas
 

Wow what a story. Hope you are doing better now that you are back in your home town. What a shame to have traveled so far and to not have a good experience. Hopefully you will sail thru chemo with no set backs at all. It was unfortunate that reconstruction did not go as well as expected but try not to let it get to you. Not all experiences will be that bad. Hang in there and stay strong. We are all here for you. God bless.

Re: South Texas
 

Hi Chekmark,
Yes, I went through quite an ordeal, but i'm so glad I was at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio. I have been to many of my local hospitals, and never had the same caring that they showed me at methodist. Unfortunately, I had Acute respiratory distress Syndrome, which can be brought on by things like blood transfusions. And all my complications (low blood pressure, small vessels, damage from radiation) made the "perfect storm" for my surgery! But i really believe that with any other doctor I would have lost the left breast. There is a 99% success rate with this procedure, which means that it doesn't work for 1 out of 100 women...that would have been me, but my doctor was able to think outside the box, and use a vessel from my arm to save the breast. I will suspend my final judgement of how I like the breasts until after the second stage surgery when they will try to make the left one bigger, and rebuild the nipples. I am still glad I went with this procedure because I really didn't want a tram flap, and I didn't want implants...and I did want some kind of reconstruction. And since I had to deal with such complications, i am so glad I was in such a good hospital. I even told my Mom that at times I felt like I was on a retreat, rather than in a hospital. It was a very faith-based hospital, which really helped me. All the nurses were great, and so was my plastic surgeon, regular surgeon, pulmonologist, and internist.
It is nice to be back home. I had my first chemo session yesterday, and so far so good....just a little tired and some mild stomach cramping. Tomorrow i go back for a neulasta injection. Monday i went to a local Breast Cancer Resource Center and got a free wig, hat, and sleep cap, so I am prepared!!!! I am attending a weekly yoga class for people with limited mobility. I am trying to stay upbeat, and positive, and as active as possible, while resting when I feel like I need to.
My experience in ICU on a ventilator was the scariest of my life, but I believe it happened for a reason. I already was close to God, but feel even closer now, and just feel like everything is a little different now...I appreciate things even more than I already did.
Thanks for writing, and I will keep you posted on how my chemo journey goes. I am getting cytoxan, taxotere, and herceptin every 3 weeks for 4 sessions, and then herceptin every 3 weeks for a full year. (Not crazy about all the meds we have to take with the chemo...decadron, zantac, colace, neulasta, anti-nausea meds, etc.!!!!!)
Take care,
Pat

Re: South Texas
 

You are amazing to have gone thru so much and to still feel so passioniate about the care you received. That passion will get you thru anything. Stay strong. God Bless. Darlene

Re: South Texas
 

Hi Pat,

Indeed a traumatic experience!

I'm glad you shared with us your ICU experience. You see, I stayed in ICU for 10 days also (21 years ago). But I couldn't remember much - only fragmented 'glimpses' in the forms of 'dreams' (nightmares :)

Three years later, I went to a counselor and was introduced to the term 'trauma patient' (I'd had brain surgery). By that time I was already pretty much back to 'normal' physically. And mentally I no longer had the 'weird' feeling that somehow I wasn't part of the 'reality', that I was an observor looking from outside...

The travelling must have tired you out. Be sure to contact your local breast cancer support group (such as American Cancer Society) and search for all the available local resources. With the complication you've had from the surgery, you might qualify for home health care services. Be sure to check with your hospital social worker...

Sending you good vibes.