One Week Post Surgery, 11/23/2011 By Anita

Aloha.  Mahalo to all my family and friends who have supported me thru my PINK journey.  My latest surgery was Tuesday, November 15.  Yes, that was surgery #5.  Today, Wednesday, I am doing well…a lot better than last week.  Although I knew for weeks about the surgery, it still threw me for a loop.  I guess it’s true, you do forget about the pain.  Last week was really difficult for me but it is much better today.  Dr. D was very pleased with the outcome of the surgery, fixing ‘things’ and doing a little ‘touch up’.  There are a lot of physical restrictions, like no lifting or carrying of items, no hula :(, no jogging or working out (I am so bummed!  LOL!!) but in time, I will be able to resume those activities.  I think he said no housework, cooking, cleaning, or working.  Larry, did you hear Dr. D say that??  LOL!!  I wish. 

As this is the day before Thanksgiving, this is a day to reflect on how luck we all are.  I am thankful for my wonderful husband, Larry.  He has been my rock, holding my hand thru this entire PINK journey.  My kids, Brett and Kristi have been wonderful, helping out and driving me around…well, Brett’s been driving me around.  My entire family has been really supportive of me.  I have been truly blessed with the best family and friends.  You all know who you are…hula ohana, bunco and book club friends, crafting friends, friends from the Brett and Kristi’s sports and school-from kindergarten on, Boy and Girl Scout friends, work friends and just friends. From the bottom of my heart, Mahalo.  I love you all.

Take a moment, give your loved ones a hug and tell them that you love them. 

A hui hou (see you soon). 

Aloha 

1st day post surgery-WED 11/16/2011

anita is recovering pretty well.  moderate amount of pain, but she can get around by herself once she gets up with assistance.  will be visiting dr. d later today

surgery update

anita just got out of surgery 615pm.  in recovery.  not up yet. 

November 15, 2011 surgery

Larry speaking:

It's been a while, hasn't it?  It seems like just yesterday that Anita had her last surgery (March 2011), which we were hoping was going to be her last.  It was not to be, however, as Anita was not totally happy cosmetically with the result of her reconstructive transplant surgery.  I guess it's safe to say that it is impossible to accurately predict how a surgery like she had is going to look.

So she went in today and surgery started about 130pm, with about 5.5 hours of surgery scheduled.  The main issue is a "cleaning up" of the transplant site, as it got hard due to a moderate amount of fat necrosis (the tissue dying off at the edges).  Also, in her upper chest area, there is an area of depression where she lost tissue in the first surgery where they are going to try to build the area up using excess fat (this makes anita very happy).

Dr. Dickinson and his partner are busily working away now (430pm), hopefully they took some 5 hour energy before the surgery.  Dr. D has been great-highly recommended.


On the cancer side, so far every test she has had shows no cancer.  She had a full body CAT scan in August and came out clean.


More updates post surgery about 7pm or so