Eventually I had my expander replaced and the expansion began working properly, so I was able to get the implants. My first surgery was in July 2014 and the final placement was in February 2015, so it was a very long and disturbing experience. I felt completely helpless at times. I didn’t know how long the process would go, or what I would look like after everything was over. It was like I held my breath and put my head down — you get through it and just hope that things come out on the other side. I was so lucky to be working at a company with incredible benefits. I was able to get weeks off at a time, I worked from home a lot, and I had a female manager who I felt comfortable confiding in about what was going on. She really worked with me, and I had a much easier time in that way than the typical person probably does. The same goes for insurance: My benefits covered more than 80% of the cost of the surgeries, including the reconstruction.