End of this Journey

Wanted to give this blog some closure. I have now been cancer-free for over nine months and am the happiest I have ever been! My hair is growing back and I had a final/"perfecting" surgery yesterday to smooth some rippling out in my new breasts. I am finally super happy with the symmetry and shape!

Still have the marker from the procedure. Very happy with the results!

Fortunately, I have been able to continue modeling with wigs! Follow me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/JocelynBinderModel

I am also happy to share that I met an amazing man a week after my double-mastectomy and we have been together ever since! We recently moved in together and he has made me the happiest I have ever been :) <3

Recovering

Still very bruised and swollen...the left side is not shaped as round as the right. But I'm happy to have my drains out!!!

Thought this was funny...gummy bear boobs!

Double Mastectomy

After three days of recovery from my skin-sparring bi-lateral mastectomy direct to implant, I am left very sore and bruised. There was a complication with my left breast (the one that DIDN'T have cancer) and my flap" got torn. It left me with stitches on the top of my left nipple and the doctors were concerned that nipple might not survive. As it is, the nipple's main blood supply is internal so with this procedure it has to suddenly switch to getting it's blood to survive from the surrounding skin. And now that it got sliced, the doctors weren't sure it would make it. So, I had to spend some time in the hyperbaric chamber.

They were able to take my port out during the surgery, which is nice because I was expecting that to be a separate procedure. But now I have two more drains.

Drain

Feeling a little sore, and not digging this drain sticking out of my arm pit.

Axillary Lymph Node Removal

Getting more lymph nodes removed at City of Hope today...wearing my lucky glasses with Melanie and my mom by my side. Here we go!

Dolled Up

Going to a fashion show tonight and I'm all dolled up! LOVING the new red hair!

Second Opinion

With surgery scheduled for 11 days from now, I am having some fears. I love my surgeon at City of Hope, Dr. Kruper, who did my segmentectomy beautifully...but my plastic surgeon seems a bit inexperienced with this particular procedure. She has only done it a handful of times and I never really connected with her.

In our meeting earlier this month she gave me a bunch of choices to make about which kind of implant: round, tear-drop shape, silicone, saline...and i felt overwhelmed. I asked her to guide me based on how I look now and explained that I am hoping to look as close to my natural shape/size/feel as possible. But she didn't provide much guidance. So i did a TON of research online and asked a bunch of people with implants to give me advice. I decided that I prefer tear-drop silicone.

However this last meeting with the plastic surgeon was very confusing. I felt like the information was inconsistent, like her insisting that I have the round implants. I spoke with my surgeon about it and told her that I have an appointment to get a second opinion from a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. She told me to consider the fact that they won't accept MediCal and I would have to pay cash. She also told me to ask questions like, what implants she would recommend for me. Then she said, "Do you  mind if I ask who you plan to see for a second opinion." I told her Dr.Cassileth and she was like, "Ohhh I went to med school with her! She's great!!!" So, I am excited to go and gather more information to help make my decisions.