Getting Inked

I love the Time Hop app.
I hate the Time Hop app.

Some days reminders pop up and I just smile or laugh at the joy on my face or the faces of my family.  Some days reminders pop up and I think, "Really?  Has it been that long?"

This week was the two-year anniversary of my implants exchange and my hysterectemony/salping-oopherectomy.  While others were at the beach, I was having surgery that would throw me into menopause twenty years earlier than expected and give me Barbie boobies.

I also got tatted up!

I kept putting getting areola tattoos (remember, I'm an open book... if this makes you uncomfortable, then this blog isn't for you) on the back burner.  "Let's see, I have a loan closing at 10:30, lunch with a new client and then I could squeeze in the areola tattoos at 2:00.  Great, send me a Outlook appointment."  Yup, that was the actual conversation with the scheduling nurse.

I had the procedure done at Dr. Stacey's office by his nurse.  They use the same equipment that would be used for permanent eyeliner and other cosmetic procedures.  A bunch of random circle items were pulled out of the drawer.

Donut size?  No.
Half dollar size?  No.
Triangles?  Just kidding.  No.

After a few different tries, we settled on the size and placement.  After some shots of numbing med (was surprised to have more feeling in certain areas than I expected), she tattooed the area, applied some triple antibiotic and bandages and sent me on my way.  That was it.

I guess I could have skipped this step in the reconstruction process, but I'm glad I didn't.  I know that things won't be the same as they were.  I'm not trying to recreate what I had, but it is good for my mental state to not be constantly reminded of the surgery.  It's nice to glance in the mirror and almost not notice the five-inch, fading scars across each breast.  

I also got to see the great folks at Dr. Stacey's office.  They have been great through this whole process and a huge source of comfort and support.  We talked about my "portrait portfolio".  When I was going through the consultations with the surgeon, there were a lot of "before" and "after" pictures, but nothing that showed the process.  I tried to stay away from looking at things on the internet, because there is very little curation.  I decided that could be part of my contribution to future patients...pictures of my breasts.  HA!  Who would have thought...  So, at EVERY visit, we took photos.  The nurse said that the portfolio has been incredibly helpful for those that wanted to know about the different stages.  

Over the last few months, I've been put into contact with young women that are choosing to have prophylactic surgery due to their high risk.  Wow!  What badasses!  They are taking control of that variable in the life calculation and changing it.  I really have to hand it to them.  It's one thing to go through the surgeries and recovery because of a diagnosis and prescription of care, but to make the decision to go through it to reduce the risk of a "what if"...well, that's a big decision and I applaud them.  I applaud them for not running from the facts and thinking that if they don't address the risk, it just won't happen.  Knowledge is power, right.  Knowledge isn't easy and it can make things even more difficult...ignorance is bliss, right?  That's right...blissful, until you die...and then I guess you don't need to deal with it, just the family that is left behind.  Whoa, that got dark quickly.  Not my intent.

Kuddos to those women that embrace the information about their health and decide to do something about it.  Great jobs ladies!  I'd give you an air-chest bumps if you didn't currently have your turtle shell expanders in and would cause me bruising. ;)

So, keep it up my women-friends!  You are doing great!  It may not seem like it at the time, but you are really kicking some ass.  Cut yourself some slack, grab the box of Cheez Its, draw the blinds and binge watch OITNB, if that is what helps you get through this.  And, if someone has something snarky to say about it, just give them my number and I'm happy to schedule a good ole ass whooping in between client lunches and areola tattooing.

Stay strong ladies!