Exchange City
Comments
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Wishing you fast healing Sandra
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Sandra,
I am so happy to hear from you, it sounds like you just had quite the overhaul! It also sounds like your surgeons knew what they needed to do.
I have all my fingers and toes crossed (figuratively, as I am not that flexible!) to ward off any infections and complications for you...and that this time everything holds nice and high.
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Sandra, wishing you trouble free healing and great results.
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Thank you so much for your support. I'm safely ensconced in my recliner. Pain is better today. No more involuntary shaking when I stand. I had a good bit of blood on the right side of my pj top this morning, which looks scary but actually isn't so bad. I had sprung another leak from the drain site. Something is preventing all the "juice" from getting gathered up by the long flat shoe lace type part of the drain inside so it is using the direct route - dripping from the drain entry site itself. At least it isn't gushing like it was Friday evening. If it gets worse, I'll go to the ER.
The ominous lavender color on the troubled left side looks fine today so I guess the tissue is getting enough blood flow to keep it alive.
There was such little blood on that side, the PS said there was no point putting in a drain on the left. Implants look lumpy, bumpy and uneven - as usual. No worries there. This is my fourth set so I'm not surprised anymore with the peculiarities of implants in the first couple of weeks. 
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Sandra-- We are all so glad to hear from you and that you are recovering well. Keep taking care of yourself and know that only our positive thoughts are with you!
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Sandra, it looks like you are healing well. I'm happy your lavender spots are gone and there are no signs of infection. Take it easy!
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Sandra glad to hear from you. Sounds like things are moving in the right direction for you ! Thank g- d!!!!!
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I'm so glad you are recovering well and know to take it easy. It all takes time and patience, doesn't it? Hugs!
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Sandra- I hope that you heal quickly!!! Good to see you standing!
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Sandra, you're looking good! Much better than my right side, and I'm 4 weeks out. I'm so glad to hear the lavender color is gone. I'm praying for a great outcome this time.
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Andrea I was thinking the same thing. Almost 4 weeks out also, and those look way better then mine! So happy for you Sandra, you deserve it after all you have been through. Will continue to pray for your smooth recovery.
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They are full of lumps and bumps, just like new implants always are. I also see a dent in the sternum area. No idea what that is. I'm used to this so I know the implants will smooth out as the swelling goes down from the completely reconstructed pockets & addition of Alloderm. Feeling great as the day wears on. Pain completely under control with Tylenol. (The Exparel lasts about 4 days so it's still helping.) It's so much better than Friday or Saturday.
Mike wrapped my chest in Glad Press N Seal to keep it dry so I could shower a few minutes ago. I could have stayed under that warm water for an hour but my doc prefers a short shower for the first couple of days...barely a wash off. That's ok. It was heavenly. Fresh soft surgical bra, clean pj's, and my recliner...life is good. Watching football - go Denver. This time I have been told to keep my arms next to me and not allow my elbow to raise up. Man, talk about T-rex arms!
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That first shower always feels like heaven! I'm so glad to hear you're doing well.
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Yesterday I started having sharp pains in my armpit. Not constant or throbbing, but rather sudden and sharp, then goes away for a few minutes. This is the side 2 lymph nodes were removed (June) , but have had no previous problems at all. The pain is not debilitating, but very strong. Any ideas?
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the nerves beginning to regenerate...very common and could go on for quite awhile, off and on.
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Hey all - hope you are all doing good!! Just wanted to let you know that I posted a picture of my progress after exchange in the picture forum. I am still very pleased with my results and feeling very good!
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Linda, you really are looking great! Is it bad to admit that sometimes I feel sad that I don't look as good as everyone else? I'm trying to keep in mind that I'm still a work in progress, but when I look at my rads side, well, it makes me sad. I am thankful to be cancer free, but I'd sure like that side to look and feel better.
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Andrea, I just wanted to give you lots of virtual hugs so....
((((((((((((Andrea))))))))))))
I think your feelings are perfectly normal, especially given the difficulties you have had with that stubborn radiated side, and I hope in time you feel much better about your outcome even if your journey there is a longer one.
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Andrea, I am afraid to look at the photo forum for fear that I'll compare myself to everyone else! I'm sure your feelings are completely normal! I wish you healing and happiness with how you look.
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Sandra - You "T-rex" arms line made me laugh! That's exactly how I felt last time and this time around with exchange! I was telling everyone it's like having T-rex arms
Oh also…I have a little gripe. Does anyone else get a tad annoyed with their well meaning, but clueless augmented breast friends who love to compare their surgery to yours? I have a few friends who, every time I say something about my recovery, they say, "Oh yea, that completely gets better, and you will feel this and this happens…" etc, etc. And I say, "No actually I don't have breast tissue anymore, so no, I don't feel anything and probably never will." I say this with a smile because I'm not trying to be a B-word, but I do get frustrated by the constant comparisons. I know they're just trying to make me feel better, but I do generally feel there is a complete lack of understanding as to what a mastectomy really is. I know before I was diagnosed I was totally ignorant to this process. I had no idea we'd go through all this!
Just last week I was having phantom itching all over my reconstructed implant. It was driving me mental. It was an incessant itch that I couldn't get to scratch, because it was 'inside' and didn't exist! Those are the kind of moments (and there are many of these moments) where you realize, ok something major has just happened and I'm going to have to be very patient with myself and my body.
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And how about friends who watch the "Housewives" shows and tell you that the ladies there who have implants have such an easy time? Arghhh!
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When I think of how much I DIDN'T know about breast cancer when I got diagnosed last summer, it makes dealing with insensitive comments a little easier. People think that for us it's "same couch, different stuffing." Wish that were true. <sigh>
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Yeah people have no idea about how breast reconstruction works. I try to educate people and they are always amazed that there is so much involved in the process. They normally think you just have the implants placed in your breast area and have no idea about having all your breast tissue removed, the TE's, or the permanant implant surgery.
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I did "just have implants placed in (my) breast area" as I never had TE's, but they still had to remove the breast tissue, through much larger incisions than used in augmentation, and I still of course lose feeling and experience numbness all over. Oh, and am likely not done as I will be looking at a revision in the new year. I have never had people in person compare it to augmentation, but to be honest I limit those I actually talk to about it to those very, very close to me and quite open about hearing and accepting *my* reality without comparing it to others and to those who have been through a similar experience. I actually appreciated that one of my colleagues, compared it to "what Angelina Jolie had" and he meant her PBMX. In my case, he is not too far off (though I did not have TE's like her, and did not do the advance nipple procedure, though did keep my nipples).
I have known some augmentation ladies who have gone through a LOT of surgery themselves - to fix implant displacement, due to infections, rippling, capsular contracture, and so on, but yes, at the end of the day it is still quite a different procedure in that they still do have breast tissue and (usually, but not always) their pre-surgery sensation and if they "de-construct" they can go back to how they were (though may need a lift).
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Andrea, my lat flap is doing well, never had any fluid buildup or infection, yay! Looks like I have to wait for January to get TE exchanged for implant and get an implant on the good side. My new lat boob is all scarred up (my frankenboob lol) and has the shelf drop on top from chest to boob jetting out as my radiated skin is so thin.
Sandra, glad you are feeling better and on the mend!
People get creeped out when they find out I had more than a "boob job", that my back muscle was tunneled around. I just tell them that and they shut up and run! heehee
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Exparel is wearing off and I can feel a little stinging in all the incisions. (Exparel usually lasts 96 hours <4 days> so it's right on time.) Combining Exparel and Tylenol has worked great, just like the last surgery.
I'm getting those WEIRD phantom itches on one side so I can tell the nerves are trying to figure out what happened...again. The nerves on the other side haven't begun to wake up yet. Also noted the first signs of post-op depression today. It's just a heaviness. Hard to explain. Tomorrow I'll probably cry over nothing. It always happens as my body is trying to metabolize the general anesthesia. I felt good today and walked down the driveway to the mailbox. Gee, who lengthened the driveway? Was it always uphill getting back? Amazing how the least little bit of activity can wipe you out.
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Sandra, glad you're past the surgery and yes those phantom itches are definitely WEIRD. And I know what you mean about your driveway seeming longer and steeper. Previously simple things can be quite a challenge after surgery. Unfortunately you've had to do this so many times, I guess you know the drill. I wish you continued healing.
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This week I'm turning the corner, I'm starting to finally feel like my old self again. I've been warned, just because you are feeling better don't be trying to do things you shouldn't. In this healing process, one tends to say we are doing better, but there does come a point that you really do! Monday was the first day the thoracoepigastric flap wasn't hurting me - yay! The oozing on my lifted side is still there but that is starting to look and feel better.
I was going to try and make it back to work this week, but something is telling me to hold off to mid next week. Because once I'm back, I am back there are no partial days, I don't feel good I'm going home kind of thing. That would totally mess up my SD disability and I would have to start the cycle all over again. At this point in time, I can't imagine wearing a bra for a full 10 hours, 5 days a week without it causing me pain. On the mastectomy side it usually bothers the flap, and on the lifted side, that is still sore, oozing and extremely sensitive. It's good to be home and able to wear the lightest t-shirt I can, massage my cream in to get everything circulating and not have anything pressing on it. I can go for short periods of time, but I'm afraid to get back into that schedule, I don't want to go backwards.
They told me 4-6 weeks and I hit the 4 week point yesterday. I was determined and told my boss I would be back at 4, but sometimes pain trumps determination. I know most of you ladies were only off work for like 2 weeks, but I had a little more work done than just the exchange, and was under the anesthesia longer, so it looks like it will be 5 for me.
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Sounds normal to me, Frostecat. It took me a full four weeks after my exchange. One day I was moping around thinking I'd never get better, and the next I could tell things had changed. It was exactly 4 weeks. Having all the extra pocket work adds plenty of recovery time.
This surgery #5 recovery is going ok now that I've stopped springing leaks. (Never did that before.) Everything is sore, of course, but that's to be expected at 5 days post op. Tylenol takes care of all but some minor discomfort...unless I lose my mind and do something stupid in which case my body slaps me with a little dose of pain to make me remember how dumb I am. You'd think after all these surgeries I'd be taking my own advice to sit down and let my body heal. But when you feel pretty much ok, you forget the trauma you've just been through. Today the cat wanted out and I didn't think twice about opening the very sticky sliding glass door...until the pecs started screaming, "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Somehow I got it closed by pushing with my hip. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
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Sandra, thanks for the info. It seems like so many were going back to work after two weeks, and I was still sleeping half the day at that point. It was 4 weeks to the day for me too! Those sliding doors, watch out for those. Those use the exact muscles that we are trying to heal. Who would of thunk that opening a sliding door could hurt so bad!
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