Hopeful guinea pig trial
Hey girls
Okay, where do I begin. Huge day for me yesterday. I saw the Plastic Surgeon followed by Dermatologists.
Surgeon is suggesting a trial of Fat Grafting. It has never been done on a breast with Morphea because what I have is extremely rare. He has done extensive research since last seeing me and has suggested this trial.
He was happy that there were significant changes in colour and pigmentation to the breast from hyperbaric chamber. (so am I so I didn't waste my time every day for 6 weeks). He did not expect such changes. BUT not significant enough. He is concerned with the left over damaged tissue which is still very extensive and deep that if we do major surgery of mastectomy let alone reconstruction that there will be problems with healing due to damaged tissue - blood vessels and white cells etc. from the reaction to radiotherapy I have had.
He is suggesting a trial of Fat grafting to transfer healthy cells to the breast. It has never been used in my condition but is used in cosmetic surgery and augmentation on a regular basis.
So they harvest/take (liposuction) from one part of the body eg: love handles (he wants to retain my tummy fat in case surgery is required at a later date), it is put through a centrifuge to remove impurities etc. This is then injected throughout the breast with special needles all over in a grid fashion to create threads of a fat/cell graft. Hoping that injecting the fat and stem cells under the dermis will help to rejuvenate the tissue, can add volume.
It is day surgery (not a long surgery) under general anaesthetic. There will be a degree of swelling, numbness, bruising to both love handles and breast plus pain which will resolve over 2-3 weeks.
We would then wait 2 -3 months before assessing and possibly going again. This may be needed to be done for up to 3 times. So this will be a minimum of 6 months trial period for me.
I am happy to go down this path and plan to be extremely positive about this.
The chances of successful healing of the breast area as it is currently is not hopeful.
This is my only option to try and rejuvenate such a damaged area.
I am going to run with it full speed ahead. It is currently booked for 11th December unless they can get me in sooner.
Dermatology was a completely different ball game!!!!!!!!!! We arrived, we waited a good couple of hours. Some people had been there 3 hours. By 5pm I went up and said sorry we have to go my friend has a minimum 2 hour drive home by the time she drops me home (she drove me because of my weakened eye sight from hyperbaric chamber) plus I needed someone to take notes at PS appt. Anyway they talked us in to staying and can you believe they got me in within 5mins (you should have heard the uproar of other patients and I heard reception saying that I am so sorry but that I was a special case and the doctors were waiting to see me). I had only 3 dermatologists come to study my breast this time. It seems they had also done extensive research in to my very rare case. They asked a number of questions and then asked if I would mind staying for a meeting of all the head Dermatologists from all over Australia who were starting their meeting right there in that Department at 6pm. I declined as I already felt like I was part of a Freak Show and did not want to be Centre Stage and up in lights. They were extremely disappointed. On a less emotional note, Dermatology cannot help my situation in anyway so I didn't see how I could benefit them in anyway either.
So needless to say it was a very emotional and draining day for me and my luvly friend (thank god I had her for support).
Sorry,this is another drawn out post from me but wanted to bring you up to speed on "The Never Ending Story of the Alien".
Sending luv n hugs to each and every one of you and for those that aren't feeling well try using one of my sayings I use now.
"Every Day in Every Way I am Getting Better and Better" and I really hope it can help you feel better.
Mich xoxoxoxoxoxo
