I attended my 6 month follow up with Dr. Surgeon today, CD in hand with the digital images of my mammograms from the last 3 – 4 years. Here’s what she said:  “The mammogram looks great!”  “I would like to do an MRI in 6 months, alternating mammograms and MRI’s for two good runs.”  This is in part because the mammogram was not a good diagnostic tool for me on it’s own, and the MRI really gave us the information we needed.  I like this idea even if it means continued potential to glow in the dark.

Dr. Surgeon is just what I need.  She has great bedside manner.  She remembers my story.  She asks about my family.  She smiles a great big grin with good news and at the sight of curly hair.  She shoots straight.  She has a good balance of compassion and professionalism.  I just have so much confidence in and respect for her.  This has been so important for me, and I really recommend shopping around if someone is in need of a surgeon.  I told her I’d be a poster child if she ever wanted to advertise the craftswomanship of her work.  We laughed.

She asked about the port-a-cath, and I told her that Dr. Oncologist wanted to wait until the CT scan in September.  I also mentioned that what her nurse said about some people keeping them in for years, and my dislike of that idea.  She totally supports getting it out to reduce risk of blood clots among other reasons.  She said it’s so easy to take out (local anesthesia for those who can stand being awake for such a thing), and another can be put back in if it is ever needed.  I told her about all the complements on her placement of the port-a-cath and on the scar.  She was appropriately humble.

She asked about B and the kids and said that husbands and partners frequently have a really hard time with the sense of helplessness that they experience.  (This is in addition to the added responsibilities they must take on.) B and I noticed that we really were not able to quantify the amount of stress he was under during all of this.  We also have noticed a significant drop in stress level as I have been able to resume my functioning.  Taking his nose off the grindstone has been a wonderful thing for him and us.  I think I’ve said before that he counts on me getting up at o’dark:30 as much as I do now.  It means I’m back.

I have made an appointment to see the “fitta” next week for a prosthetic breast.  I told Dr. Surgeon that I was not sure what would come of it but wanted to talk with her about options.  Dr. S said “I think it’s a great idea.  I know women who wear them once in a while with certain outfits.  You can always just not use it, but having it gives you the option.  With large breasted women, I recommend them  to help with weight balance.”  My insurance covers all of this stuff as long as there is a prescription, so she gave me a prescription for prosthesis and bras.  The fitter has a boutique in the hospital and there are really beautiful bathing suits and camisoles and stuff for mastectomy women.  SO, next week I will go up and talk with her and get measured so I can have an instant breast on the left side if I ever want it.  I’ll tell you how it goes.

There.  Now I feel like I can say with confidence that so far I have a clean bill of health.  The scan in September will be the next step on the mission.