Thank you!  My sister just tested for brca1 and was positive. No shock there, but I am still glad I did not have to test. I don't trust what the insurance companies will do with that information. The politics of that scares me worse than having cruddy insurance and chemo. I am so grateful for your posts. Will be in touch as soon as I can.

Thanks for the encouragement. I am all set for Monday August 12. I got scoped today, and my ulcer is healed....still a tiny bit red, but not ulcerated, just a scar. I have to be at the hospital at 530 and surgery is scheduled for 730.  They are going to start the reconstruction at that time as well...I don't get the tummy tuck because I JUST had my bypass, and  all the docs agreed it was too soon. But they are taking everything, nipples, and some sentinel nodes. I am a little nervous about the mobility after surgery, but my doctor said that I should be able to do my hair, and put on a T shirt and stuff like that.....he doesn't want me lifting anything over 5 pounds. Said he was worried about me using my arms to stand up or pull myself up..I have no idea how I am going to get out of bed and into my wheelchair if I don't use my arms, at least a little, but where there is a will there is a way. (I use a power wheelchair cause my legs are shot). Anyway, thanks again for being there for me. I've been watching all these you tube videos and it's hard to not let my mind run wild.  I am trying to focus on the relief that I feel that this is happening, and on the fact that maybe now I can reverse the hands of fate for long enough to at least enjoy the WLS!  I should be discharged on the 13, and will try to post as soon as I can...I have no idea if the hospital I will be at actually has wifi in the room or not.

They told me I would go home in some kind of compression bandaid, with two drains, and to get a sports bra that opens in the front. Well at the thrift, who knows if they have those, right. Then I found out  that my surgeons office has some other kind of thing that they will give me when I get to my post op appointment.

I am trying to figure out how much I will be able to use my arms after the surgery. I have a mobility impairment, and noticed this week that  I rely quite a bit on my hands and arms to get up out of chairs and stuff...my legs are shot. Also carrying stuff...is it hard to carry like a cup of tea or a bowl of  soup afterwards? what about opening medication bottles that are  in childproof caps?

I am pretty sure my ulcer is healed...I am waiting to get scoped, but the GI department is down a couple of doctors right now, and all the messages seem to be bouncing all over the place. Fortunately my primary seems to think it's ok.

I went for my pre-op yesterday, and i think I am all set. I  had a surgical complication of a small ulcer at the staple line, but it seems to be healed now and I am eating better. I would rather take my chances on the ulcer getting complicated than having my insurance end and getting cancer. My doctors are behind me, and I got cleared for surgery. So I am excited. I am trying to figure out what size bra to go home with. I know they send me home with a mastectomy bra, and I will have two drains. And the doctor has a different bra that I will have when I get to his office the day after that.  They told me to buy a sports bra that opens in the front....IDK what size?  I am 38 around right now ---in the bras that I own....but the measurements I took yesterday showed a 36. I can't fit into a 36 in the store right now because my cups size is too big...they don't make a 36 in the cup size that I need. I am having a reconstruction with expanders and cadaver tissue put in on the day of surgery...I am guessing a 36 B to allow for swelling but was curious if others had some experience and does that guess sound right?  I am still losing weight and  the thrift store is an hour away on the bus so I don't want to make a million trips over there.....