Janet Testerman has cleared every hurdle breast cancer has thrown in her path.
"I look back and there are moments that I think, 'Did that really happen to me?' Time has moved so quickly."
The 41-year-old Knoxville woman's journey with breast cancer began in late January when she got the diagnosis. In March, doctors removed both of her breasts and inserted expanders. In the months that followed, plastic surgeon, Dr. Matthew Becker, filled the expanders with fluid to stretch Janet's skin in preparation for breast implants.
Testerman says breast reconstruction is the next step in her journey to regaining her life fully.
Dr. Becker begins the process by measuring and marking Janet's chest wall. The surgery will take up to 4 hours.
"You have to picture in your mind what the breast should look like and you have to translate that image onto the skin," Becker said.
As she prepares for surgery, Janet is looking forward to life without cancer but she know's her journey is far from over.
"I would say life is back to normal. But will I ever been done with cancer...No."