Surgery and Recovery Going Great, but I am PISSED

I know everyone knows surgery was a success, but let me go back to the day of surgery and paint the picture for you of what it was like.  Thursday morning I woke up at 3 AM, wrote my blog post, packed my bag, went to the hospital and was calm as can be.  I was a totally a different person from the first surgery, there were no tears, and I can tell you I was sincerely calm and confident.  We got to Kaiser, were the first patients called, went in and bonded with my pre-op nurse, and were just waiting.  The anesthesiologist came by and asked me "Do you know who I am?"  And I did!!  He was the very kind dad of one of Natasha's very favorite preschool classmates and he could not have been nicer and more reassuring!  We knew he was in the medical field but had no idea he worked at Kaiser or that he would be my anesthesiologist and he was incredible.  He had read my entire blog (which the room mom had sent out to the parents) so he knew about my fears and doubts and my family situation, and told  me point blank that the team was going to take good care of me, that they would care for me like I was a member of their own family.  And I totally believed him which just furthered my calm and upbeat feelings about the procedure.  The surgeon came by and then the plastic surgeon, and they found out about the blog and so everyone was taking down the name of the blog and starting to read it and I had to tell the plastic surgeon I compared him to Barney Stinson but in a really nice and funny way (he responded by saying he was going to have to start suiting up!) , and everyone was laughing and it was like a big celebration party. I fell asleep laughing, woke up and the surgery was done.

I woke up in post up to an incredibly kind nurse named Rhonda who was compassionate and kept me medicated and warm and got me a private room in the post partum ward of the hospital so that I could have some peace and quiet during recovery and not be required to share a room.  Every single nurse and assistant who cared for me during my stay was remarkably kind and caring, wanted to hear my story, made sure I was comfortable, the surgeon came to see me and approved me for two nights no problem, the anesthesiologist/dad friend came by as did one of his colleagues.  It was just incredible.  I felt loved and cared for and like I did not have to worry about anything.  I also had great pain management and so was up and walking that first day.

My recovery since coming home has been much the same.  I have received every form of food love you can imagine, my mom and sister in law went out and got me new throw blankkets and a throw pillow to make my recovery chair like a paradise getaway,  They also entertained and cared for the girls during my whole stay at the hospital and the girls, I swear, did not know I was gone, let alone missed me!  I have received flowers and calls and messages of all sorts and today I got an actual singing telegram from a group of friends at work (here is the video
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153774398790174&l=6548029138861694748).  I am incredibly lucky and ridiculously humbled.   The girls have been incredible, I got hugs and kisses from them both today, and Karina sat on my lap for a while without pulling or poking anything so I got at least come daughter love and it was magnificent.  My sister and her family took the girls all over the City of Los Angeles today to the museums. and my parents brought over dinner from my aunt and my mom and sister and nephew are spending the time...I have been just enveloped in ridiculous amounts of love and care.  And I could go on and on which I'm sure is sincere and perhaps slightly impacted by pain meds. :)

Which is why I was so pissed off when I read these two posts that people shared with me this week:


1.  Apparently reimbursement for image guided breast biopsies are going to be reduced.  This is how I was diagnosed and it the least painful and invasive method of diagnosis.  Reduction in reimbursements would mean reduction in utilization.  This can't happen.  (http://www.breastcanceranswers.com/cms-reimbursement-reduction/#.UuXVgxDTmHs




2. Also, I have come to learn that the outstanding process and care I received at Kaiser is not state or federally mandated as standard care for the treatment of breast cancer and so in the state of California under many insurance plans, mastectomy is considered an outpatient procedure and reconstruction is hardly covered.  I have a personal friend who did not have reconstructive options at the time that she battled breast cancer 8 years ago, but now there are new procedures and options that would make her feel whole again, but her insurance will not cover the procedure now.  The mandated care for this disease needs to improve, and the content of this petition makes sense to me.  Please read and at least consider.  Everything mentioned would be considered best in class care and was offered to me as a Kaiser patient as the STANDARD for care.  The fact that some people would not get these same options or benefits when faced with breast cancer is just unacceptable.  http://www.change.org/petitions/ca-state-senate-and-assembly-amend-coverage-of-breast-cancer-surgery


I think that's it for today.  I am still pretty groggy and so I didn't plan to post anything to the blog yet, but I thought the singing telegram and the two posted articles were compelling enough to risk posting something that sounds crazy under the influence of my pain meds.  I am doing so much better than expected and feel really strong.  I appreciate the continued support and will write more when the pain wears off more.  I love you all.


Thanks for reading.


Sherri