Remove and replace: Napa woman faces second breast surgery – Napa Valley Register

Posted By on February 11, 2017

Growing up Kristi Jourdan Blasky witnessed several family members, including her mother, wearing hospital gowns and strapped to IV poles while battling various types of cancer. She was in the hospital only two months ago looking the same but for a different reason.

"It was a surreal moment," she said. I remember looking in the mirror, in my hospital gown, tied to an IV pole and I looked like the cancer patients in my family. But Blasky didn't have cancer, instead she was reducing her risk of getting it.

Blasky received test results confirming that she had a BRCA1 mutation, also called Heredity Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome, connected to her newly discovered Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on March 15 just five days after her 30th birthday. The results meant that Blasky had up to a 51 percent chance of developing breast cancer and a 23 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer by age 50. Most women have a 1.9 percent and 0.2 percent risk, respectively, according to statistics.

Since then Blasky has begun taking steps to reduce her odds, the first being a preventative double mastectomy, which she had on Dec. 12.

That moment before surgery, Blasky was connected to an IV, had a blood pressure cuff on and was holding her husband Mikes hand when one of her doctors entered the room, opened her shirt and started to draw on her.

With the blueprints mapped out on her chest, Blasky said she felt confident in herself and her team at Kaiser Permanente.

I thought, Im ready for this, she said.

Blasky wasnt sure what condition her breasts would be in when she woke up. She didnt have any implants yet, instead she had tissue expanders in, meaning she would need another surgery to get her implants in.

"It's interesting to wake up not knowing what you're waking up to," she said.

Blaskys plastic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Dr. Mark Price compared the expanders to water balloons. The temporary inflatable breast implants, he said, are put in a patients body under filled and then inflated into the shape of a breast later.

The expanders, which go under the breast muscle for up to six months, help increase blood flow and create space for the implants, Blasky said.

Although Blasky has tried to maintain her positive and humorous outlook, she admitted to her Facebook followers that just two weeks following her surgery, she was having some issues with her expanders.

These expanders feel like someone is stepping on my lungs with a boot, she wrote. "It causes muscle spasms and severe pain in my shoulders, back, and ribs.

During recovery she wore a mastectomy shirt which she called her boob-voyage shirt and was connected to four Jackson-Pratt Drains. Blasky kept the post-operative drains in for three weeks, her family helping her measure the fluids and clean them twice a day. To Blaskys relief, the JP Drains were removed Dec. 29.

While she was stuck at home, Blasky received help in the form of food, household cleaning, entertainment and emotional support from her family, friends and the community.

My family was unbelievably supportive, she said, especially her husband who took on the bulk of the chores. Mike was incredible.

Blasky was scheduled to be out until the first week of February, but returned to work nearly a month early Jan. 12.

"I felt up to it," she said. "I felt better and I had a little cabin fever."

I feel normal, but can definitely tell theres a change, she said during an interview on Feb. 1, despite still having the expanders in. My healing has gone really well.

She met with Dr. Price on Feb. 3 and decided to go with a silicone breast implant that Price says tends to have a more natural movement compared to some other options.

In other words, he said, if a patient is running or active there can be a little movement or bounce to the breast like a natural breast.

Blaskys next surgery is planned for late spring/early summer. She requested that she not miss BottleRock despite the fact that the expanders will trip the events metal detectors.

I dont want to miss Tom Petty, she said in all seriousness. Blasky treats herself to a 3-day pass to the Napa Valley event every year.

What her breast implant is going to feel like and look like isnt something that Blasky anticipated having to think about. In fact, even though she had a fear of getting diagnosed with cancer at a young age like her mother, none of this has been what she expected.

I never thought Id be talking this publicly for this long about my boobs, she said. But she said shes grateful to have the opportunity to reduce her risks and maybe even help others along the way.

For now she is doing that by sharing her story, connecting with others and participating in a Patient Advisory Council for Kaiser Permanente focused on avoiding hereditary cancer.

I want to take this experience and help others, she said.

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Remove and replace: Napa woman faces second breast surgery - Napa Valley Register

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