I had my surgery in the beginning of March and I remember I went to a weekend retreat for breast cancer survivors in April about 5 weeks out. I participated in yoga, but I had started physical therapy for my arm to increase its motion. The worst thing for me is the anesthesia, I get extremely sick and it lasted for over a week. My surgery was about 7 hours and I was put into ICU for the constant monitoring of the breast tissue. You have to take it slow in the beginning and you walk looking at the ground a lot ! You will not be able to stand up straight for about 2 - 3 weeks. I slept in another bed for the 1st week and had my head elevated to help with the drains. When you are in it you think, "what have I done" but now a little more than 2 years later I am happy with the result, I have no pain. (occasionally weird nerves going off but almost everyone has that. I swim and exercise daily and have no issues physically at all, except for drugs, but that's a separate issue. You will have some of your summer, but as a swimmer you will not be allowed in a pool, to many germs. ( you could wade in )

I had a diep flap where they take the tissue from the stomach (fat and skin) and a vein to supply the blood for the new breast. It was long surgery but not having my stomach muscle used is a big benefit for me. Need to make sure you have a great plastic surgeon that does many of them to get correct results. Right now I feel great about my decision You end up in the hospital a little longer because of monitoring the breast to make sure it is getting the blood flow, but you are in the same amount of discomfort as someone who has the tram flap.

I had an expander put in which never bothered me at all, not much discomfort while they expanded my skin. Had my reconstruction 4 mo. after my chemo finished. I had selected my Plastic surgeon before my mastectomy and he followed after the surgeon removed my breast. You can find out so much information about the surgery on utube. My husband viewed so many surgeries online, I never viewed one ! It is amazing how many women tell their story online and even show what the new breast looks like. If you have a breast cancer support group near you contact them and they might have someone local that will talk to you and share their experience with you. You should also contact your surgeon, I am sure they can get you some more information before you sit down with her. I will tell you I also thought it came at me so fast, I was running around trying to find a doctor and did see 2 plastic surgeons before the one that did my surgery. I pray it all works out for you !

I had tram bilateral mastectomy all in one surgery . No expanders needed and no complications .

Many many women have a great outcome! It's unbelievable the outcome, so natural. So happy for you!!