The reconstruction consultation I was so looking forward to at UCSF on Thursday with Dr. Sbitany was a real set back. He was my great white hope and it turns out he cannot help me. I'm not a candidate for a "flap" reconstruction. He actually said I was a failure!!! Well, not me, but my surgical reconstruction. Of course I'm devastated at the news. There is one last person who may be able to help me. Dr. Roger Khouri of the Miami Breast Center. He performs a procedure that involves a device (think Barbarella & Jane Fonda) he invented and fat transfer. (I'm told that women come from all over the world to have him work on them.) The procedure would be about a 12 month commitment from me, plus trips back and forth to Miami, without the benefit of my playing golf in Miami, maybe even spending 3-4 months there during treatment. The good news; I would get 'body & fender' work along with my reconstruction--that is--he would harvest fat, via liposuction, from all over my body to get enough fat to inject into the reconstruction sites. However, the catch here is that I was left with skin so thin that I may not be a candidate for his procedure either. If that's the case--there is no other option known at this time to help me. Dr. Khouri may be coming out to UCSF in May and I would see him at that time--if not, Tom and I will fly to see him, sometime in May, for his opinion. It's a wait and see game for now. Once again, recovery from my last surgery should be about 8 weeks (six for me) which means no golf and then we go on our trip from the end of May until mid-July.
Thank you! All of you, for your e mails, texts and cards with good wishes. I continue with my (targeted) Chemo treatment (Herceptin & Arimidex) which I am tolerating well. Thank you to a girlfriend who suggested cutting Arimidex in half for fewer side affects. It works! Happy Easter to all...
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