Deciding on Reconstruction or not

Hi ladies, my experience with mastectomy and reconstruction was very similar to Lara's. The pain was there, but didn't last too long. The immediate recon with the mastectomy was worse than mastectomy alone, but not too bad. This time I had no lymph nodes removed, and lymph node surgery is the worse part of a mastectomy. The operation to replace the expanders with the implants, is very simple, and the only reason I spent the night in hospital, was due to the surgery being in the afternoon, and they like to give IVI antibiotics for a few doses. I was able to drive about a week after this surgery, although I am sure I could have managed alot earlier. The surgeon only opened up about a 6 cm area on the side of the mastectomy scar. As the pocket is already there, there is hardly any pain at all. I do not remember needing to take anything much for pain at all. I am now 5 months past exchange, and there is still some movement. They have become a better shape than at first, and my PS said he won't do nipples till he is sure they are permanently in place, so as to get the best position. I am not sure if I will bother, but I am certainly considering it. At the very least a tattoo, as a 3D one looks pretty good. There would be no pain with this due to the loss of sensation from the surgery. My PS does the nipples in his room, by somehow puckering up the skin with a minor surgical procedure. I took many months for me to decide about the double mastectomy and recon. Once I had made up my mind, everything was good. My husband and kids wouldn't give me their opinions, and I had to do this alone, which really annoyed me. However, once I had decided to go ahead with the second mastectomy and then recon, they were all relieved. The comment was," thank God for that, and, about time". To them it was a no brainer, and I was happy to have their support, and can now appreciate why they insisted on it being my decision only. I have never regretted taking this direction. Love Chris xx