Exchange City
Comments
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Hi All, well, it is finally that time for me. I have my exchange tomorrow. I am very nervous, but, ready to get these cannon balls out! I am getting Mentor rounds, 700cc's. The PS said I didn't need fat grafting, so it should be straightforward.
Roadrash, I am sorry you have been through such an ordeal! I hope things get much better for you soon.
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enim20and stephaiegee - welcome to the other side. I know you're both thrilled to finally have those softballs off your chest. Glad to hear all went well and your new rack is shaping up nicely.
roadrash - we missed you!! I feel your frustration and disheartening over your complications. Rome was not built in a day and for some of us neither are our boobies. Now is the time to let your body heal from the ordeal you've been through. Know that we are all here rooting for you.
summersun - yay, you finally get the new girls. I hope they'll be exactly what you wanted. Good luck!!!
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Hi, was woundering if anyone has the new mentor memory shaped implants ? I will be having my revision on May 7th...a little nervous. Thank you
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sherry67 - I had the Mentor Memoryshape 525cc implants put in in my revision also. I like them much better than the Mentory Memorgel. If you have specific questions, PM me.
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Thank you everyone. I appreciate the feedback. Good thing I m in the hospital right now because my plastic surgeon removed my left implant this am so I am left with just a flap. The removal of the implant was upsetting because for 8 wks we tried to keep it. On Tuesday, I am scheduled for surgery to put a new implant in.
I am going to apply for FMLA tomorrow.
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Oh Roadrash, you poor thing! You have been through so much and now this. I am sure there is a reason, but, it really stinks that the PS couldn't put another implant in today. Sending you gentle hugs and prayers.
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I really appreciate everyone's support. I really do and it does help. I am so surprised by how emotional it all became today. My plastic surgeon wants me to shower tonight and try to clean it with water tonight before he returns tomorrow to repack prior to surgery on Tuesday. None of the nurses can help me bcause " it is out of their scope of practice". I dont know if I can handle pulling out the bentadine gauze he stuffed in the skin and showering. I dont have a clue. I hope my implant comes in on Tuesday.
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roadrash - what hospital are you in?? I would call the patient advocate office there and have them find someone to help you if the nurses feel it is out of their scope. I can't believe that anyone expects you to do this by yourself. you are in a hospital. it is their job to make sure your wound is clean. Does your PS know that the nurses don't want to help you?? Send him an e-mail and disturb his Sunday night. You are the priority and you're paying his bill. Now I'm getting all riled up for you because I can't believe the insensitivity of these people.
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Roadrash, you do need to call the ps on call, so he can find staff to help you...or move you to another facility. That is unacceptable! Btw, what are your seroma symptoms? Why put another implant in so soon? Would it not require time to heal? Have you looked into tissue reconstruction? We are all behind you!
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Roadrash, I am an Operating Room nurse and don't understand why the nurses can't help....unless they haven't been trained. This seems like something that would have been covered in their training. Is it a small hospital? Large ones should have wound care nurses. Perhaps your nurses are afraid of making things worse given your complications. Good luck
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hi everyone, i made it through, I did it.I will never, ever put myself in this positio again. It was hard enough to deal with open wound but the my missing breast and the hanging skin. It was a mess.My hubby was such a trooper. The nurses are very sweet but not trained. They thought the idea of me flushing or irrigating anything was too much for any patient. It is a small local hospital. It took forever and im exhausted. I did as the ps directed and then bandaged it with sterile gloves. The whole day was a mess. The ps took out my implant on my bed in 5 minutes he has housekeeping in there cleaing the room, laying out clean sheets, etc.so his fushing request seemed within normal limits after the breast implant removal stunt. I guess becuase it was a Sunday, the OR booked, the implant had to be removed and then it was gone. I guess I wont be getting an anesthesia bill this time. I did get very nervous when he told me it was going to feel like giving birth when he took outthe implant. The good news was that it was over from start to finish in 5 minutes.
The day before my breast was filled with about 400 cc extra fluid, i was stretched to the max. My ps could not aspirate or put in a drain so he was waiting it out. Apparently, i tapped my breast and the tap caused all the fluid to come out of the suture hole from the week before onto the floor.(Another story, the dissolvable stich didnt dissolve but became infected so my ps had to open it up, remove and close). It startedwith a drip, drip and then a spray to an absolute faucet. I thought it was my implant at first and it was coming thru my nipple but it didnt. The nurse was squealing she didnt know what to do. In fact, she had me take the instructions from the doctor because she was all frazzled. It has been a long few days. She was a lovely nurse ad so caring. SHe gave me big hugs today when she left. Apparently, it was her first per diem shift at this hospital in a very long time.It was a learning experience for her that she said she will never forget. lol
I am truly not looking forward to tomorrow. What will happen? I guess anything at this point. They just hung my last antibiotic for the night (Vanco and chlymidine all day)and bedtime pills.
I hope we all have a great day tomorrow. Thanks again everyone.
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Summer Sun- Good Luck tomorrow and it will be easy breezy. Please do not let my story make u nervous. My journey has been non traditional from the very beginning. For the majority, it is smooth sailing. I had Mentor 700 High. I liked it for the short time I had it. Keep us posted.
Lori, the ps said he was having a mentor high profile 700 overnighted to me but who knows he might have just said that to keep me from crying, it could just be a tissue expander.
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Oh my goodness! At the bedside? Holy cow! 700ml is no little implant. That's exactly what I have. Did it feel like giving birth? Wow. I watched the fat grafting video from Dr. Franco. Really makes me NOT want that. Going to work soon. Keep the faith. Hugs and warm wishes to you!! Someday this will be a distant memory:/
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Roadrash - I bow to you my friend for having endured what sounds like absolute hell and with a good attitude. Just reading it sounds like some sort of war zone field hospital nightmare. Seriously, you are amazing! Your hospital needs to train all it's nurses on wound care stat! I can't even believe they haven't been trained. I just floored by your story. Perhaps after I have my morning coffee, I'll be able to wrap my brain around it. I hope your day is wonderful and relaxing and that the surgery (hopefully in a sterile OR) goes well. Wow!
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Oh roadrash!!!
Come down to the city if need be! that was quite an experience!! I hope that you are soon home and feeling MUCH BETTER!!When I had issue with implant, the PS thought he could 'fix it' in his office, but then opted for me to go to the hospital, - good thing because it turned into many hours of surgery and implant removal and te put it (which they didnt have, and kept me on table for 2 extra hours waiting for one to be delivered!)
Time for SPRING and bright sunny, EASY days for everyone!!
Hugs from nyc
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Roadrash, what hospital? Sent a pm since I will be down at Phelps for rads later today and could stop by if you are still there. Love, Jean
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Roadrash, my heart stopped reading your post I literally held my breath! that was soooo UNBELIEVABLE to have to go thru!....Oh my God I know you're glad that's over. I couldn't imagine any of that! I would have been packing my bags heading to the closest big city hospital! You are a Soldier and deserve a metal for what you had to experience! I'm still in shock and honestly think they should be reported! Hats off to you!
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roadrash - YOU ARE ONE BRAVE SISTER!!! I probably would have needed to be sedated and put in the psych ward. I'm still in disbelief that the PS took it out bedside. Personally, I think that is negligible on his part. I agree with enim20 in that they should be reported. I don't care how small of a hospital it is. Maybe the administrators at the hospital don't know how untrained their staff is.
But thank God you got through it and wish you a calm and pleasant day today. I hope you get that special delivery tomorrow and all goes smoothly (preferably in an OR).
I hope you'll have much laughter if you read the OMG they found the cure for stupid thread.
Warm wishes and gentle hugs!!! You are a true warrior!!!
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thank you everyone..I am so glad you were all witnesses to this mess. my husband and I thought we were being too traditional. I truly felt I was like I was on an episode of MASH or something. The surgeon came in yesterday afternoon and removed all the packing and it hurt and was so uncomfortable. I finally told him to increase my Valium because emotionally I wasn't going to make it to the OR. I did make it to the squishy side again and hope that this experience is now over. This time they took me to the OR n there were anesthesiologist, nurses and surgeons in there waiting for me. I felt so much better. The surgeon said he power washed me on the inside. He has such a way with words. They put in a drain a to prevent fluid back up and everything looks good now. Well minus all the incisions, bruises and red marks, etc. I am happy to have something in the envelope.I'm also hoping to post pics in the forum with both before n after this recent surgery . I do know many, many women who never have my experience when it comes to an exchange. I hope I am one of the lucky ones from here on out.
I'm looking forward to hearing lots more positive stories.
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Roadrash I cannot believe that you have had to endure any of this. Why don't you call the Nirsing Supervisor and Risk Management department at this "hospital" and tell them that you need trained staff to take care of you? You are doing ALL the work and this is not the standard of care. It might be out of your comfort zone to make that type of call, but the hospital needs to know what's going on. This is simply not acceptable in any way, shape, or form... I'm sending you healing thoughts and prayers. Please take care of yourself.
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Roadrash, sending you soft hugs...and many prayers for healing.
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Praying all goes well from here Roadrash:) I think having a drain is a good idea and hoping for no more fluid build up. I am a recovery room nurse, but used to work in a cardiovascular icu for 20 years. We did have "open chest arrests" at the bedside at times, in emergent situations, but never heard of this. (But removing the implant was an emergent situation, or you might have gone septic) I am sure the surgeon only wants the best and safest outcome for you ( I would hope). No more infection or seromas, ok! My ps told me that 1 in 5 end up with infection issues with this type of surgery. Pretty scary stuff. Lots of love sent your way.
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roadrash - glad you're back on the squishy side. I hope you'll have a smooth recovery from here on out.
P.S. I hope you had your husband video that bedside surgery for posterity.
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I am getting smaller since my revision/lipo all fat harvested from the foob area and placed in places needed on my foobs....at week 1+1 day post op I was measured in PS office and I was 41.5"at my fullest part of foobs (31" under foobs)...last measured 1 week+ 6 days at 38" at fullest......looking much better and not so swollen. My hubby said this was the first time my foobs almost look normal....made me cry
HELP I NEED OPINIONS and input' please:
I have something to say to my PS tomorrow afternoon and don't know if I should write a letter or confront him and the anestheiologist, When visited by anesth. in my pre-op room he was really pissy and talking down to me and questioning me about allergies to certain thing....he also didn't like that someone gave the order for my IV to be in my foot.....I do not have lymphedema but was told to always avoid BP and blood draws and IV's as anyone with even someone with 1 sentinel node removed can get it.....and always have been respected by that desire by most every health pro except the anest. and my PS........When I arrived in operating room 41....both PS and anesth. were both scrubed in, as I scooted from stretcher to OR table, I was told to scoot up, and then the anest. started complaining about the IV in my foot, and I told him I didn"t choose that....this was the first for an IV in my foot.....then he started complaining to my PS, saying what am I going to do with the line....my Ps said put it under the table, then told my PS, then they argued about putting compression pumps on my legs....as MY PS said he wanted them on and I spoke up I wanted them on my legs too as a friend of mine died of a pulmonary embolism 4 days post surgery. The my PS seem to cave to the anest. and started saying my risk was very low for getting lymphedema and I said but why risk it, I don't want it, nothing on this arm....please! please !!!! nothing on this side! NO NO I don't want ANYTHING on this arm (having a ALERT RED wrist band on that arm and a stretch bandage, like what they line a cast with.....with NO IV , NO BP written in black bold felt pen.I felt very violated....like I had NOTHING TO SAY about MY body/my desires .......then one of them said she is getting very upset, we'll take care of it when she is asleep, I think they thought I was on my way"out" (I was not taking the deep breaths, as I was thinking of jumping off the OR table and escaping bare ass naked from the rear, as the anesth. tried to put me out so the LAST THING I heard, before I felt the IV flow and went out......when awakening post surgery, BP cuff has been on my violated arm for 4.5 hour....pumping and squeezing....grrrrrrr and they had removed the IV from my foot and it was in my right arm, I have veins with valves that like to close in my right arm too.......to me I was just a body on the table and they were going to do with me what they wanted.
I think the hospital has a patient bill of rights and I may make my complaint to them, and the hospital accredidation (SP?)and the million and a half CEO of the hospital. grrrrrrr WHAT to do......My Harvard educated PS and dr X (REALLY his last name begins with X}
I felt betrayed by my PS that I respected/loved/his in office compassion/manners.........DI0 -
the anest ignored my red band as well and used my lymphnode arm for IV as well. I didn't try to fight it though, dr said in or they have to do what's best.
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Di, I feel your pain. As a nurse, I also see their frustration. The only size IV that they could get in me was the tiny 22 gauge, so my anesthesiologist wasn't very happy. It took 3 attempts to get that. I use my right arm cuz 2 lymph nodes were taken there, but 5 from the left. Foot IV's put you at greater risk for dvt, and they really don't like to use them. And maybe they could have used your leg for bp's, but again more dvt risk. Also anesthesia stays at the head of the bed for your airway during surgery, so a foot IV is hard to watch, to make sure it does not infiltrate. I believe your wishes need respected, but understand cannot always be granted:( Gotta pick the lesser of 2 evils with bilateral arm restrictions. Makes it tough. Maybe they could put EJ line in your neck in the future? (External jugular)
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roadrash. That was a horrible situation. When I had an infected TE they could only get me into a day sx facility. After sx, they checked me out of there and I was sent to a hospital nearby as an inpatient. My DH drove me from one to the other. I was there 3 days. So I can understand the unusual aspects. Getting the TE out is so important. My cavity was power asked too. LOL. As or asking and unpacking an open wound, some expletive on here have had o do that for weeks f not months it a bad infection. But they were trained by the nurses on them the first couple of times. so you were definitely shortchanged.
Di. Man you've been through the wringer. My anesthesiologist ended up putting my iv in my 2 node arm for reconstruction. My knee sx, they actually used my port because they had trouble finding any good veins in y hand or arm..I've had 7 sx on my left side only 2 on my right. So I prefer they use the right arm if needed. But all he anesthesiologist s HATE foot ivs.
Congrats to those with new squishies! Fast healing to all.
Much very to all.
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What an awful experience Di, sorry you went through that. I always worry about my left arm being used (I had 16 nodes out of my left side, and it figures the good veins are in the left arm). I get panicky cause they can never get the IV in my right arm without a lot of sticks/fishing for veins. Kingster, you explained things in a way that was comforting to me, thank you!
On another note...
My surgery on 5/4 will be more involved than first thought.
I will need fat grafting in addition to the skin graft/nipple areola reconstruction. The fat grafting is usually done in stages, but at my urging, my PS will combine the first fat grafting session into the same surgery (2-3 hour surgery). He's going to take fat from my thighs. I asked him if he was only going to do one leg and he said he will do both, he said I earned it and it will be fun (psycho, lol), so I said can't you do my tummy too? He said there WILL most likely be a need for another/future fat grafting session(s), as these grafts don't always take (and this step would come from tummy). I am taking 2 weeks off May 4-May 15 (he said it will be a 2-3 week recovery, but 2 weeks off should be ok).
Fat grafting surgery is a one week recovery, so in the future (don't even have a clue when that would be scheduled) I will need to schedule this.
No exercise/physical therapy and no picking up granddaughters for a few weeks. Just rest (it's going to be uncomfortable).
He told me to buy "shape wear", I found Jockey Skinnies brand that were pretty comfortable.
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Did anyone get a pain pack after implant exchange? I had one for my double mastectomy but didn't think I'd need one for the exchange, yet my PS says she will be giving me one.
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I went home in a surgical bra and an Rx for Oxycodone and a once-a-day antibiotic. He did just a little pocket work. Feeling so happy to be on the squishy side of life.
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