Year 1 Day 39: Life is pretty funny if you allow yourself to laugh…

Busy doctor day today.  Naturopath, Plastic Surgeon, LME/LMP.

I started my day at my naturopath’s office.  She is a great provider that I had started seeing in early 2014 when I could not lose weight. Seriously.  Don’t give me the “it’s a simple mathematic equation of calories in and calories burned.” I hit my frustration point back in summer of 2013 when I did back to back P90X to the letter and followed their fat burning diet and in 6 months lost 8 pounds. EIGHT.  Oh and when I came back from India sicker than sick, unable to eat, I gained 4 pounds in six weeks.  And just in case you think I make this stuff up, this past weekend, I did a two day cleansing fast and an 11 mile hike.  The result?  I gained 1.5 lbs… but I digress.

At my last appointment with my medical oncologist and my naturopathic oncologist, I was lamenting my weight gain.  I have a handy scale that syncs with an iPhone app (thanks again Sparky!) and I was able to show them the actual data.  What the heck, I will show you too. Now you know how much I weigh, but I think after all the boob and nipple talk, you can handle it and if you decide to fat shame a chick recovering from cancer you have more work to do than I do…  Anyway, the dynamic duo of oncologists agreed that I should go back and talk to the doctor that helped my body get back on track prior to this cancer detour.  This is great news for me.

Prior to my diagnosis I was taking Nature-Throid, testosterone and progesterone.  All this was to try to get my cortisol levels down.  Stress has always been a part of my life and I have the cortisol levels to prove it.  Since my breast cancer diagnosis and as you can see from the uploaded image, I have gained 47 pounds in a year. That is with even cleaner eating than before and I have always been the person who eats organic, focus on fresh fruits, local and organic meats and limits breads, pasta, rice, sugar, etc.. I have always been active. Even with all that, I could not get the weight off until I started taking the Nature-Throid.  So after a long consultation, she gave me good news.  The prescription for Nature-Throid is being called in, along with the testosterone troch and DHEA. The testosterone I can take prior to workouts or hikes, so I can maximize those activities and build some muscle, the DHEA is adrenal support because with high cortisol you wear those puppies out.  This is all great news to me.  She reinforced alkaline water, alkaline food choices, staying active, limiting dairy, and recommended no soy or sugar.  Ok.  I have HOPE.  Next up.. the Plastic Surgeon.

Oh… it will get funny… or maybe more ironic… I haven’t forgotten the promise of the headline.

So, part of why I am going through surgery again, is because we need to transfer more fat from one section of my body to above the breast implant on the right side. During surgery the first time, she harvested fat from my abdomen.  All that fat went to the left breast to get it to be the same size as the right breast because although the implants are the same size, more tissue was taken from the left during the mastectomies and it took all the available fat for transplant to get me to be even in size on both sides.  *sigh*

This meant no fat to transfer to the right side and I have a divot over the breast that would be considered a deformity as it is visible when wearing certain clothing. So doc and I talk about the existing implants, swapping those out for something higher profile – whether I want to stick with the type I have (which honestly look, feel and move close to real tissue) or swap it out for the more teardrop shaped harder implant that doesn’t move but would give a closer fake shape and form, whether we need to break up the capsule due to scarring which I really don’t have due to the massage therapists cupping and endermologie, but I am leaving the final decision to her once she gets in there.

We will need to harvest and transplant more fat though – no getting out of that. To transplant fat, you have to harvest fat… to harvest fat… you have to have fat… ok then, I’m good!  I have an extra 47 pounds!!  Right?  Doc says… “Ok, stand up, do you have any fat for me?”  I stand up, and we look at my abdomen, which is still filled with fluid from the first liposuction, takes forever for the body to work through that swelling and she says, “Oh dear. We may have to go other places.  I don’t think there is much fat here.” The voice in my head is screaming, “How is this possible?!” as she glides her hands around to my sides and lower back, “Hmm… well.. there may be a little here. Well… I will find some.”

You have got to be kidding?

So next up is the LME/LMP I have been seeing for endermologie.  I see her because the swelling in my abdomen from the first fat harvest is still a problem.  It can take up to six months for the swelling to go down.  Endermologie is mildly painful, but it helps to push fluid out through the lymphatic system and I have noticed a huge difference since I have been doing it.  Of course, endermologie is also considered “cold sculpting” and will break down cellulite and fat.

Wait…. it breaks down cellulite and fat.  Right then.  I must have the smoothest 47 pounds of added weight anyone has ever seen…

April 5 is the next surgery day… the LAST surgery day.  I can NOT wait to get back to routine and regular exercise!

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