Exchange City
Comments
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Artista-I did not have drains with my exchange. I did have extensive pocket work done as well. I had my drains for 4 days with my BMX so I don't know if that makes a difference. I was walking into the OR at 7:45 and I was home by 12:30. That included a stop at the drugstore on my way home. Was very easy compared to the BMX Good luck with your surgery.
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Hello everyone!
Haven't posted anywhere for a while I think, but have checked in and read various boards here and there. Just wanted to announce and celebrate that I only have 3 more sleeps until I get to join the squishy side. Surgery is Thursday the 28th and I can hardly wait. It was scheduled 2 months ago, but my husband has been going through some major health problems which kept me busy and worried about him. So for me and my procedure......it sort of got buried and I almost forgot!
I'm very excited to get these TEs gone.....they move back and forth across my ribs......very strange sensation and occasionally painful. Right now I'm thanking God that our 26 year old son is unemployed and still lives with us cause he has had to become our caretaker. After my BMX my PS explained my limited ROM like having raptor arms until he okayed more movement. Once I have my surgery done it will be back to raptor arms and I'll be just like my husband right now. He had an ICD placement and can't raise arms above shoulder level for a month.
Anyway I just came here to post a hopeful, celebratory kind of vent......cause my TEs will be gone in 3 days! Do you think they will let me take them home with me so I can have a bonfire and watch them burn? LOL
So good luck to everyone here wherever you are at on this BC journey. Sending prayers for all of you!
Cyber hugs......
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Good luck AnnieKay! Thinking of you! I go in on 4/27. My PS has told me I will have two drains but probably won't have to have them in as long as the ones after BMX. Not my favorite thing in the world but she does approve me to shower 48 hours after surgery and I work from home. I am taking off 3 days plus the weekend and hoping to be ok to work by 5/2. I can take more time as needed but I am not one to sit around and rest. I prefer to be sitting on the couch or recliner earning a paycheck rather than sitting there thinking of the pain (which she has said it would be a little tougher). She is doing some liposuction on my tummy (she said she does this to use the fat for smoothness and because of that insurance covers it. Bonus! But as a result, that typically causes more pain in the torso and breasts. Oh well! I guess I can deal with it. Good luck everyone! MSpaulding....how are you doing? Hugs!
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Good luck this week proctor! I am doing pretty good. My exchange surgery was uneventful. Not a lot of pain. I went for second follow up today and she pushed around onthem a lot so kind of sore tonight.
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Proctor
Good luck to you too....my thoughts and prayers will be with you! Don't you almost feel like a kid at Christmas.....hard to sleep solid because of the excitement building. I'm choosing to be positive and see this as my final procedure....I've just "decided" ...and it will be so LOL. Between my husband's worsening heart condition and my journey with BC, we use humor with each other saying "no, you're more delicate right now" .......of course we laugh and stick our tongues out at each other too. Its how we deal with everything that has been coming our way since July 2015 when my DH had a heart attack.
Here I am at age 54 not working because I did medical transcription from home for the hospital for15 years or so....then I got replaced by technology. I never thought they would develop a program that could understand those heavy accents and residents who made up words. Anyway, I'm lucky enough to have a DH who works full time, but right now he is half way through a week off work after he had an ICD implanted. He is driving me nuts! I love him dearly but he hates doing nothing......and what he suddenly wants to do are all post op "no-no's". I keep hearing that dreaded phrase "I'm bored".......like I said.......driving me nuts!
I think the main thing I've learned from these boards is just how different each PS really is. Yours says drains for less time, some say none at all and mine says a minimum of 10 days same as BMX . Yours is telling you the pain may be worse this time......mine says it will be a lot less despite the tummy lipo (but he said that about the BMX too and first prescribed Motrin .....obviously that one got changed before I ever left the hospital.)
As for the lipo / fat grafting part.....happy dancing in my head.....I agree it's not gonna be fun dealing with that pain, but at least I'll come out with a flatter stomach than before I went in. Always trying to find the positive every step of the way.... Maybe I can dream of that "flat" tummy and perkier foobs in a bikini? (LOL probably pushing on that positive thought). I'm going to try crocheting, reading or finally jump back into sewing to distract myself from the pain, stress and sheer boredom of waiting to heal.
Now you mentioned a shower......oh what I would give for a shower! Since I live in Flint where our water is contaminated (not just lead and heavy metals, now they are finding Legionella too), my PS absolutely forbid me to take a shower and expose "his incisions and his work" to water that could irritate at the least and cause infection or other complications. I am so tired of baby wipe baths and the time / labor intensive boiled filtered water sponge baths, which is my current reality. I'm dreaming of the day I'm okayed for a shower after this surgery, cause I plan to go visit family (2 hours away) just to use their shower! Once I'm cleared for swimming and hot tubs, I am headed to Florida to stay with my sister and visit my parents (in between hot tubs, pools, and showers)! Seriously who plans a vacation around bathing......oh yeah, that would be me! LOL.
Well I should probably try again to get some sleep since I started this "short" post about 4 am and it is now 4:45 am. I thank God for everything I've gone through because of all the valuable lessons I've learned and for giving me the opportunity to join this wonderful community of women who are the kindest, most understanding and loving women I've ever met....even though it's in cyber space.
Cyber hugs....
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Anniekay, your post about the showering was funny. Too bad you have to deal with the Flint water on top of everything else. Here's hoping all goes well on Thursday and that this is the last one!
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Bikefam
Thanks for the encouragement! I have to laugh about the whole water situation myself or I'd end up in a crying puddle (pun intended). We own our home, no mortgage, so no real possibility of moving out of here. Hey, anybody want to buy our house in Flint right now? We'll give you a great deal......just don't drink the water! LOL. It is now part of our routine to stop at a fire station to pick up a couple cases of water every other day or so. All of us here in Flint are truly grateful for all the water donations.......we just aren't thrilled with the fact that we need them. If we had to buy enough cases of water to get us through the week, I'm pretty sure it would rival our grocery bill.
But, life moves on and we deal with what we have to. It's funny what we take for granted. I never thought I would be jealous of my husband and son who use our shower every day (doesn't irritate their skin).......but my plastic surgeon is adament......no Flint water on "his" work.
As for my exchange surgery.....I'm going to end up in the "Hall of Fame" for compliant patients. I'm doing a lot of praying and putting my faith in God.........I'm hoping he will make sure this is the last surgery just so I'll shut up and he can have some peace and quiet. LOL.
Look out ladies....I'm about to join the squishy side!!!!
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Best Wishes Anniekay80 and proctor1725! Hope all goes easily and painlessly, if that's possible. Post here afterwards if you are up to it.
Anniekay, you are a hoot. I love it. Isn't it funny how having your DH around can drive you batty? When my kids were little I wanted him around all the time to help, but now I have a routine and he just messes all that up if he happens to be home. Best idea? Vacation, get out of the house! Maybe to a place with showering options! That is a rough road on top of what you are already dealing with. Look forward to Florida!!!
Today I have to call my PS's office. I just happened to look at the appointment info they sent me and found they scheduled my surgery on the wrong day. Ugh. It's supposed to be June 22 but she put it down for June 20. I'm taking my daughter to swim camp on the 21st and it's kind of a tradition with the moms and girls that go. We help them setup their dorms and go out for lunch before we leave them to their fun. I would be sad to miss that.
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JessieJake
After being depressed and sad for a few months after my BMX I just decided since I can't change anything I might as well decide to be happy. Its tradition in my family to use humor to deflect from saddness. My family is always the ones laughing at fond memories at a funeral.....people look at us like we're crazy and probably want to kick us out!
Oh and It looks like we have even more in common...... I was on a swim team from middle school through college then my oldest daughter swam from middle school through high school. I am one of 5 siblings and 4 of us swam competetively and my sister did the synchronized swimming. I grew up poolside and volunteered during my daughter's years on the swim team. Don't know what it is about swimming, but I still love it. Wish I had a pool....then again it would be filled with Flint water and with all that lead I might sink. LOL
As for husbands off work on sick leave....ugh! Not only do they get in the way, he gets bored! After being married 35 years you would think I'd be used to it. I especially love when my husband decides to be funny cause I am always the butt of his jokes......and right now he is recovering from the ICD placement so I can't womp him! Very frustrating!
Hope you can get your surgery date fixed. Good luck!
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Anniekay80, Ahh, swimming! I think it does get in the blood as I have seen many families where this is a shared sport. My DH and I both love swimming but we didn't grow up with it as a sport option. I figure just the love of water was passed on to our kids. The ironic thing is that we live in a school district without a HS swim team. My kids swim with a club in a neighboring town. Still great opportunity but my daughter does get envious during HS season when many of her club friends are away from club. I love swimming and I love watching my kids swim. Just amazing when I think how far my daughter has come. She used to be afraid to stand on the block. When she started competing at age 9 she would dive from the side of the pool! My son is taking a break right now but I'm hopeful I'll get him back into club this summer. His feet have been growing like crazy; I think he'll have some good paddles! You must have been a great swimmer to have continued on through college. Pretty impressive!
I can tell you what I don't enjoy - timing!!! I always pick one of the outside lanes in hopes I'll get empty heats. It's kind of a standing joke I have with another parent on meet days. We rush in to grab our favorite lane before the other! However I can appreciate the efficiency of a swim meet much over the slow movement at track meets! Good idea on not having a pool right now....I've been following all that in the news. What a mess and I feel for the families who feel their kids have been affected by it.
35 years! Congrats. Guess he can have a few moments to make his jokes. My DH is having knee surgery on Monday. Not as serious as your DH's situation but it does mean I'll be doing some babysitting next week - and he also can't sit still!
Pass on the happiness!
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AnnieKay and JessieJake: Add me to the list of (former) swim moms. Daughter and Son swam on age group teams and then high school. Timing, running the score board, sitting all day in a hot pool room-all very familiar. My kids are adults now, so no more of that, but I took up swimming a few years ago and try to do 40 laps 2 or 3 times a week for exercise. My daughter still swims and does triathlons. Son does when he visits, but there's not a pool where he lives. Many happy memories.
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"Former" - that word almost brings tears to my eyes. I both fear and look forward to the end of this part of our lives. I had no idea how much swimming would identify my daughter (my son, too, for a while), and of course, me as a swim mom. It will be over before I know it and I'll have so many fond memories, but what will I do with all my free time? Weekends of not getting up at 5am to make it to warmup by 7, those cold mornings (you should be able to relate in MI!) of -20 driving to the meet, cheering for your kid although their head is underwater, shooting dirty looks at officials if they dare raise their hand while looking at your kid, but my favorite, is sharing the excitement when they make some goal. Who didn't have the time standards memorized (even though I tried not to!)?
As you are experiencing bikefam, hopefully they'll carry it through as a hobby when they are done competing. I'll just float alongside
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JessieJake: Now I have the excitement of watching my grandkids learn to swim! In fact, my 3 1/2 year old grandson is signed up for the local swim team this summer. I think he's in the 'minnow' group or something like that. Unfortunately we don't live close, but hopefully I can make one meet.
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CUTE!!! I get as much excitement watching the littlest ones swim as I do the very experienced. Remembering my own kids' starts - my DD diving from the side or my DS diving in to start the backstroke at his first meet, I can't help but chuckle when I watch other little ones starting out. All in good nature, of course! I hope you can make it or have them video it and send it to you.
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I agree with you all! I think swimming is a special sport because you are part of a team competing but at the same time you compete more against yourself.....always trying for a new "best time". I volunteered for my DDs team from practices to meets and yes....timing! I loved timing the middle lanes...so much excitement. Wish they had an old lady swim club system....go and compete in other cities with other old ladies like me!
My Gkids have been talking for a long time about joining the swim team, but my DGD is in 755th grade and could have started this year but didn't. Don't know if it is because of band or my recently divorced daughter not being able to handle the schedule with working full time. Next season I'll be healthy and happy to provide rides and babysitting (grandson too young to be latch-key kid just yet). I've spent every summer except last year working with them both to improve their stroke and technique. We all love it.....it's our own special thing.
BTW I was a swimmer and diver in HS because the first girls team started my freshman year and not enough people. It was a tag you're it kind of thing. I was a medium size fish in a small pond....come college I was a tiny fish in a giant pond. Didn't swim much competitively in college I just enjoyed being part of the team and getting in that water every practice! I also ended up volunteering to work with special needs kids in the pool. It was a beautiful site to see my little assigned tyke who was paralyzed from the waist down to learn to swim all over the pool all by himself....the freedom he felt in the water was written all over his face!
Well I joined the squishy side today and it's time for some pain meds. This is no where near as bad as the BMX was....at least so far. Got 2 drains in but I guess that's better than fluid build up and getting stuck with a needle to drain it frequently. I dislike needles! LOL. But I'm keeping a positive attitude and that is making ALL the difference in the world for me. I just decided to be happy cause the stress was dragging me down......I unloaded the stress and embraced the happy! (and no.....I'm not drinking any alcohol here....there is no "happy hour" here. I just try to stay happy all day.....I know it can be tiresome and irritating...my husband tells me ALL the time to tone down the happy....I apparently look like a lunatic at times LOL. He just needs to jump on my happy train!
Cyber hugs.......
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AnnieKay: Enjoyed your post. Welcome to the squishy side. Take it easy and I hope everything works out for you.
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Gardnergirl, I am a size 16, XL top too. I needed 800cc saline implants over-inflated to 1140cc to get back up to a 38DD. My 1140cc implants definitely appear smaller than my 1100cc expanders did.
I also question the ability to go from 300cc to 550cc under the muscle. My surgeon was pretty insistent that we would have to put in bigger expanders if we couldn't over inflate my first pair to the size we needed but thankfully we managed. (First idiot PS put in 600cc expanders). I would definitely question that one as well as the sizing.
Artista, I was told that I probably wouldn't need drains after my swap & that most patients don't but it was a possibility. Thankfully I didn't. It took less than an hour to do the swap & honestly, I could've gone out for dinner that night but my husband wouldn't let me. Super easy surgery for me. I actually felt BETTER immediately after because it was so awesome to be rid of those awful expanders
To everyone who is recently exchanged, WELCOME TO THE SQUISHY SIDE!
& to everyone who is soon to be exchanged, GOOD LUCK & GOOD VIBES!
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Good morning. I posted this in the thread "Implant Rupture", but I thought I'd put something here to see if this has happened to anyone else. I had my original exchange on Dec 8, almost 5 months ago. Monday, I went to the PS because a little hole developed in my incision which was leaking clear liquid. He hoped to just stitch it up but discovered that the implant was actually exposed, so rushed me over to the hospital where he had to replace the implant. While in surgery, he discovered that the implant had ruptured. He says he has NEVER seen an implant rupture after 5 months, and that I MUST have had a traumatic impact to it such as a car accident or kicked by a horse. There is nothing that we can think of that happened to me since the implant was in. I've been swimming, running, snowshoeing, biking, doing housework, etc, which I was cleared to do. He said that wouldn't rupture the implant. I think he blames me, but I think it was a faulty implant. Any comments? So I am set back 5 months. I was so looking forward to an active summer.
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Oh no! That is terrible. I have never heard of that but I guess I will be aware now and watch. I had my exchange surgery last week. I will say the first 24 hours were a little tough. I ended up with two drains and I still have them. My PS also did lipo and used the fat to reconstruct the breast. I am happy this was done but I think it definitley adds some recovery challenges. For those who had drains, how long did you have them? I am a week out and they are still capturing quite a bit of fluid. Hoping to have them out before the weekend. Virtual hugs to all!
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Proctor: On my original exchange in December, I did not have drains or lipo. Everything went real well. I took several weeks off work because it was close to Christmas and I just wanted to be off. I must say I am much sorer this time around but he went in and washed me out really well, so I think that is the reason. I hope to be back to work next week, as I am really tired of being home sick.
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My exchange surgery is 5/6/16
Wahoooo!
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My exchange is also 5/6/16 Maine1965!!
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Bikefam, so sorry to hear that:( What type and style of implant did u have? I hope your ps didn't make u feel as if this was your fault. He must be reaching for a cause. My aunt went through 3 sets of implants for breast reconstruction over the last 25 years. I believe anything can happen:/
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Bikefam
So sorry to hear about your setback. I'd say rupture this early on means it WAS a faulty implant, but that's just my opinion. Praying for a smoother road from here on out.
Proctor-- Had my exchange last Thursday. I've got 2 drains and a LOT of fluid is coming out. My doctor says drains come out about 10 days post op.....once the output is less than 30 ml in a 24 hour period of time. I watch the daily numbers go down and it makes me happy that each day it's a little less than the day before. I'm about 10-15 ml to go to hit the magic #30. But remember every doctor is different.
Can't wait for drains to come out cause I see that as the next step in my recovery. One step at a time and eventually I'll be done and recovered.
Cyber hugs......
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Hi all,
I had my exchange surgery on 4/22. Silicone implant with fat grafting. Everything is going well and I feel so much better after this surgery than my BMX. Still pretty tired though, and sore. My PS said no exercise that gets my heart rate up for 1 month, so the fat grafting sticks. So been trying to do easy walks with the dog every day and a gentle modified yoga class.
Does anyone hear their implant sound like its squishing around? Kind of a strange suction almost farty sound. Weird
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bikefam - I do know someone else who had an early silent rupture - it was a faulty silicone implant, but it is an unusual event.
star - that sound is common right after exchange - it will go away. It is discussed in the manufacturer booklet that is signed before exchange - when you have the implants placed some amount of air and irrigation fluid becomes trapped inside and it takes a bit for it to absorb or dissipate.
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I have this exact issue and I am 4-5 months from exchange. My PS initially told me to wait a year to allow myself to get back to regular exercise and then we can address what might need to be done. Seems like what used to be soft contiguous side/back fat now hits the implant/suture area and leaves an unnatural flabby area. I'm only 5'2" and 120 and fairly lean so this bugs me. I hope to ask him to adjust if possible. Meeting with him on 5/10 so I'll post what I learn! Glad I am not alone!
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SpecialK: Do you know how that person proved that it was a faulty implant? I think my PS is convinced I did something to damage it. It doesn't really matter-what's done is done, but I don't like the idea of taking the blame when I've been so careful.
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How careful do you have to be with implants?
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bikefam - I don't think she had to prove it, it was just the assumption. She had experienced nerve pain from the outset and when they removed and replaced the implant I think they determined that the rupture had been pressing on nerves. No nerve pain after the implant was replaced. Because the pain happened from the start her doc's felt it was a faulty implant and not something caused by her action. It is a bummer that your doc is making you feel this was your fault - what is the point in that? The implant is covered under warranty.
Molly - not particularly careful - silent rupture is pretty unusual. I've seen people have falls or impacts and no issues
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