We met with the doctors this morning and plans have changed. The spot on Aly's right breast had started at the size of a pencil eraser and today it is the size of a quarter and the tissue expander is exposed.
We spent about an hour talking through all the options of what to do and when to do it. The best they could come up with is to replace as much skin as they can with healthy skin and muscle from her back. The PA had just finished with all the paperwork and had left and then came back in and clarified that Aly had not had anything to eat or drink since midnight.
Aly had decided to not eat or drink just in case this happened. I believe my wife may literally carry on conversations with God.
The surgery will be 4-6 hours and Aly will be in the hospital for 3-4 days after surgery. The reason for the long stay is that they separate the muscle going from your shoulder down to your pelvis and they move it to create a healthy area for the expander and permanent implant to go. The only thing they do not cut is the blood vessels connected to that muscle. I believe the vein is called a thoracic vein (not sure) and what they will monitor so closely is to verify that the blood supply to the muscle and skin is not compromised.
Easiest way to tell you is draw a () that is 5 inches long, turn the point of that clockwise to 2 o'clock and that is the shape, size of skin they will move to cover the area that has failed. They will take that skin under the uncut skin and bring it back out at the breast and secure it to the other skin.
We are waiting right now for them to call her back to the OR. Take that back, we are now back here.
I will update later.
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