Cancer Lesson #25: “Wanna see my new boob?”
Sometime during the first night after my surgery, the hospital resident on duty stopped to check in on how I was doing. He asked if I’d looked at my reconstruction yet.
It hadn’t occurred to me, not because I had any reservations about doing so, but because only one activity held any attraction, and that was sleep, sleep, and sleep some more.
Still, I couldn’t help sneaking a peek when he removed my big, ugly, white, Velcro-closed bra.
I had a new breast.
If I squinted hard and used my imagination, it sort of looked like my old one, despite the stitches, and the tubes coming out of my flesh. Dr. K2 had even made me a new “nipple,” something normally done later as outpatient surgery.
I felt somehow comforted by the fact that I still had something to put into my bra. Even if it was a big, ugly and white with Velcro closures.
When my husband happened to come in as Dr. K2 was examining his work, I asked him if he wanted to take a look.
“Wanna see my new boob?” The doc repeated my words with a laugh.
The Engineer merely shrugged and moved closer to study my new breast. He may even have said something about it looking pretty good.
Engineers are like that. Nothing seems to faze them.
Addendum: I came across this video from a CBS news report on the breast reconstruction. They cite some interesting statistics and facts.
Keeping A-Breast: Cancer Lessons 