We just returned from Redding where the smoke is so heavy from the fires. Many people were wearing those face masks like surgeons wear. I can understand why. My eyes were red, watery, and itchy within minutes of getting out of the car. I did not have a good visit with the plastic surgeon today. I had called him on Monday to renew my prescription for pain meds. I had been taking two Norco 10-325 every 4 to six hours. Before surgery, I was able to hold out for the six hours if I made myself. After surgery, his prescription was made for one 10-325 every 4 to six hours. That did not even get close to the pain, so I just went back to the prescription that worked far better than that. I called on Monday for a refill and he changed the prescription to ONE 5-325 every six hours. Today I told him I was still in tremendous pain (I still had the drainage tubes in and could hardly move without experiencing painful spasms from the many, many stitches. His prescription was a joke. I told him I wanted enough pain meds to get to the point of no pain and then to continue on the lowest dose in order to taper off rather than experience withdrawals. His reason for changing it to the lowest dose possible was that he said I should not really be in any pain. I have stitches and swelling from the middle of the front of my chest to the middle of my right shoulder blade on the right and from the middle of the front of my chest to almost the middle of my left shoulder blade. You would not believe the continuous bruise that is on my right side under my breast, running from the middle front to the middle back. He personally told me he does not believe in radiation, so I am wondering if that has colored his judgment. In addition, I told him I would NOT be completing the reconstruction with implants, that I would just go flat-chested! I came close to asking him to allow me to give him a bilatertal mastectomy and prescribe the minimum amount of pain meds available! Somehow, I don't think that would go over very well. Sorry for my pain-ridden rant!!!