Merry Christmas! I cannot believe the time has passed so quickly and we are almost in a New Year! Time has been good for me, I have healed from my latest surgery and decided to take my Dr.'s advice and do 1 last quick touch up. You see, my belly boob is naturally made...ha ha. It has belly fat and now a small implant. That said, it started to head south. Unlike the right side that has 100% implant and does not move! My left side, with the radiated skin actually starting to soften, stretch and therefore, yes, started to look very natural! Dr. Gordley suggested removing some skin (the belly skin portion) and lifting it up, reattaching to my normal chest skin. AND, he suggested doing it all in office! WHAT?? Ok, yes, I'm thinking he's crazy. Cutting my skin, removing it and reattaching it..Yes, a LIFT in OFFICE??  Well, he reassured me I was numb, and he'd give me local anesthesia to make sure I didn't feel anything. Said it's a 45 min. procedure, vs. going to a hospital, pre-op, being put under, post-op, etc. Well, an office visit sounds much better. But still, this is a little scary. So, I put it off and finally, came to realize I really didn't like the saggy belly boob. I have already met my deductible and decided if I was going to do this, I needed to do it ASAP! So, last Wednesday, I went to have a lift, in office! Pretty cool actually, Dr. Gordley prepped me as he would in the OR, I sat, reclined under a large OR light. So away he went. I don't get queasy for these kinds of things, but, on the flip side, I've never watched skin cut, removed and reattached!!  LOL! He gave me some more local anesthesia and in 1 spot I felt the needle. Actually it is the spot where I have most feeling, really, the only spot. He began cutting (with a scalpel), I decided not to watch at all! Then he began snipping with scissors, I COULD HEAR IT! When I saw him pick the old skin up and put it on the tray I told myself DO NOT LOOK!! OMG, there is goes...what does it look like with no skin? I CAN-NOT look down-I started to feel a cold trickle down my back and just thought it was the betadine (when I sat up, Dr. Gordley had to clean up the blood-gross! And yes, there was a mess of it on the chair-eww). So then he cauterized the skin-yikes, I felt one little bit in the area I felt the needle, the most sensitive part. It wasn't that bad and He goes, well I won't do that again. And then he
started sewing-yep, needle and thread-ha ha. Push in, yep, could hear that poking, not feeling it at all though. He sewed it all up, put some glue on it and Wa-La!  I was done! I got dressed and walked out! I now have a very nice, perky, nipple tattoos nice and even, new boob! I AM SO GLAD I DID THIS! Dr. Gordley told me after my major reconstruction a few years ago that I would inevitably have more surgeries. I didn't want to believe him, but of course, he was right. Rob asked me if I thought I was finished. I think I am! I don't want to ever say Never, because I did that before and look at where that got me! I've lost count of the surgeries I have had. I always heard that breast cancer patients have upwards of 10-15-20 surgeries. Yep that is a lot! Just goes to show nothing is as good as God can do! Ha! Well, I'm still under 10 and If I'm counting right, maybe closer to 7.

I hope this time of year is finding each of you enjoying a very Merry Christmas! Remembering, most importantly the reason for the season. Jesus' birth, for without HIM we would not be living the life we have. Learning to love, to live and to forgive. To better ourselves each new day, better than yesterday.

Please keep all the cancer patients in your prayers. My dad included. He struggles daily and continues to make weekly, 3x a week trips to MDAndersen downtown.

And of course, Prayers for you too!

Love, hugs & best Wishes to all, May God bless you in all you do!