Life after fat grafting

Today I met with my general surgeon for my 3 month follow up in regards to the lima bean and baby pea sized masses we found last fall. The duo reside in my upper outer quadrant of my left "breast" (I don't even know what to call them anymore?) Ultra sound had revealed that they were just oil cysts as a result of my previous lipofill. As with any mass, I have to go in for routine check ups to document any changes. The drill is once a month, then every 3 months, then every 6, then once a year. If you can make it that long without any changes. So far, I can't seem to get past that 3 month mark. Luckily I love my surgeon!

The original cyst (lima bean) has grown a bit and is visible in my tanks etc. She feels confident we can drain it for comfort and cosmetic reasons, but I'm not worried about it at this point. She counted and measured another 10+ masses, I've literally become a braille book 😂 I'm not sure what the book is about, but I hope it's a good one! I have to go in for another ultra sound to be sure the new guys are oil cysts or calcifications as well. My surgeon does not seem alarmed, but wants to be safe and have documentation of them and their diagnosis. It is important to know what they are and be sure none of the new masses are hamartomas forming. If they are cysts like we suspect, we will leave them be. With how many I have, and how close they are to my implants there is nothing we can do about them without putting me at risk. Honestly, I'm over the whole surgery thing and wouldnt do anything about them if I had options. It seems thing one and thing two will forever be the lumpy twins 😂

I know to some there is confusion, and I've received many questions. How can a girl that had a double mastectomy still form lumps? I'm trying to wrap my head around it myself and am honestly becoming quite annoyed by it. I never thought I would still have to have routine visits consisting of "breast" exams, mass measurements and ultrasounds. But it does happen, and it happens more than you would think.

I hope this helps clear some of your confusion. I had a double mastectomy as a result of multiple reoccurring hamartomas that took over my breasts. Hamartomas are a rare tumor entity that little is known about. With certain forms of hamartosis breast cancer is almost certain (85%) no breasts=no breast hamartomas and no breast cancer. The decision was a no brainer and to this day I'm happy I did what I did. I am worth more than my breasts. LIFE is worth more than breasts.

It has been about 18 months since the surgery and I remain hamartoma free. When a mastectomy is preformed all breast tissue is removed, however, cells are microscopically small and there is always a risk of a few cells being left behind. This is why many women with breast cancer go through chemo/radiation to kill off any remaining cancer cells that could have been left behind. I did not have cancer, so I didn't have any of these treatments. Could a few cells been forgotten in the cut? Anything is possible. Which is why routine checkups are common, even post mastectomy, cancer patient or not. Any changes or masses found require examination. It's always best to be safe because that small 1% exists. I have been among that group a few times before. The 2 original cysts I had found last fall were the result of a very common surgical complication of the fat grafting I had done to my chest. As time goes on the fat in my chest is dying. The necrotic fat turns into oil cysts that calcify and harden over time if the body is unable to absorb them. While it is very annoying, and a risk I wasn't made aware of before deciding to continue with the fat graft, it happens and is seen often.

And so I continue forward with life taking it one step at a time. Just as I always have, me and the lumpy twins.