Vera's Journey after Chemotherapy

After completing my chemo and having a mastectomy to remove my left breast in Dec. of 2006; I looked on the internet to research reconstructive surgery and the pictures scared me. I decided against it, until one day I ran into a friend who had recovered from a tram flap surgery. She showed me her results, and I decided if I could look half as good as my friend, I was going to do it. In Jan. of 2007 I had an 8 hour surgery in which a portion of fat, blood vessels and skin were removed from my stomach to create a breast, it was a 5 day hospital recovery. I don't remember much, but I do remember looking down to see my new breast, it had stretch marks all over it, (from my stomach graft) a reminder of 5 pregnancies. I was just grateful to have a breast back, but NO more surgeries to create a nipple from another skin graft, I was done! I had been through enough... I just wore shirts when being intimate with my husband. My husband had his wife with two breast, that was enough, or so I thought. Then in April of 2008 I met Lorena Staples, who who was training in 3D areola restoration, I asked her how much she charged, she told me it was free, tears formed in my eyes, it was as though an angel was telling me I could be whole again. In Nov. of 2008 Donna & Lorena Staples created a 3D areola to match my existing one. It wasn't painful; the process was quite amazing, they even added color to my existing areola because it was so light and translucent. I didn't realize the full impact of the procedure for a few weeks; until one day when I looked in the mirror and saw two nipples looking right back at me, words can't express the joy. I actually felt whole again, I could please my husband (no more wearing tops while being intimate for this girl anymore). I had to take a really long hard look at myself to remember my journey with cancer. Permanent make up on my eyebrows gave me HOPE to survive treatment, and the 3D areola restoration was the final touch in restoring my life. I 'M ALIVE and grateful to be ALIVE!!!