NOLA in September?
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I wonder if a "hip flap" is really a "lumbar" flap? This is basically Gap flap, but just a bit higher up on the backside area? Does anybody know?
WHAT MARCIA SAID!!! You ladies who are going to NOLA!!! R E L A X. You are in the BEST of hands. You will have a lovely outcome. You are going to the best place in the WORLD for this type of surgery. If you are scheduled, spend your time thanking God (or your lucky stars if you are not a spiritual type!), and feel the sense of peace!!! If something is not exactly right, THEY WILL FIX IT. It sounds like you can go back there as many times as needed to get it perfect. Look at Sandy, errr, Nip Girl!!!
BettyE!!! Thinking of you!!!
Carolyn, not long now, how are you feeling??
Minn, did you make the call chickie??? Just checking in on you!!!
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I can forward pics of the hip flap to anyone that wants them - Liz sent them to me prior to my surgery. AND if you are so inclined - I have mine posted on TimTam's site. And yes, Spring is correct in that the hip flap and lumbar flap are essentially the same. I think they had changed the name of it on their website a couple of times. It takes from the love handle area. SO, if you want pics from Liz or my pics - PM me and I will forward. Don't worry - it will be alright!!! And Cat - I am soooo glad that you are right up before me with your stage 1 so that I can follow your countdown!!! I counted down w/stage 1 but have not with stage 2. I had better write on the calendar when I need to go for my pre-op!!!!
Bettye - Hope all is going well!!!
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I also just saw that Jaimie has her pics up on Timtam's site... LOOKING GOOD girl!!!
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Okay sisters! Send good thoughts to my son Tre please! He is having surgery tomorrow to lenghten his heel cord that was damaged from radiation. This is is second, at last!, heel cord surgery now that he is done growing. The positive energy that comes from this group is pretty darn amazing, so I would be forever gratefu if you sent some Tre's way!
Thank you!!!!
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Thanks Nordy
I feel pretty good.Trishia~ Tons of prayers for Tre, tons of prayers.....
Ladies has anyone ever been allergic to the bra that NOLA gives you ?? I have blisters one little one on the front and one on the back. I know have AB pads all around and I feel like a stay puff.
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Good thoughts to Tre for sure Trishia....
Okay... all pre-op tests are done and I talked to 2 different people at the center today on my hip/sgap question so I feel much better... thank you for your encouragement...but it's weird signing up for such a surgery just based on sending photos in an email. And.. seriously I am going to STOP describing this surgery to people here at home because they are looking at me like I have three heads and then commenting that they can't believe it can be done (where is the tissue coming from, etc.)....it all feeds your anxiety...... then you start thinking... you know you're right. it does sound crazy and I don't have enough tissue.. lol
Anyway... I was told that yes Dr. D does everything (silly me) and they work as a team on all the different procedures so no worries. And... what I describe will be just a high gap to Dr. D... I don't think they like the term hip flap for some reason... Off to call my mom who had her first chemo treatment yesterday ....
have a good night ladies!0 -
Greetings
I thought I would share my visit with a local plastic surgeon today, should anyone have a similar problem. I was having a LOT of pain in my left buttocks area, and assumed it was because I had pulled a nerve doing pilates before surgery. I also had a very hard, large area several inches above the donor site incision, an area that seemed to be growing. My drainage from both hips was decreasing and getting paler and suddenly the drainage from the left hip increased by about 60% and changed from chardonnay to rose. I was alarmed.
The docs at Univ of Penn refused to have anything to do with me -- they were pissed I didn't go to them even though they don't offer this surgery bilaterally --but a local plastic surgeon not part of Penn agreed to see me today. Ironically, this morning the hard area softened somewhat and he said I had a hematoma that had started to "mobilize" on its own. He saw no reason to drain it, and I have been in much less pain. The drainage color has started to get lighter again and to decrease in volume, so I think I am back on a good path. He was by the way astonished at the twin girls --said they were amazing --and asked if I would come back in 4 months after stage 2 so he could see the end result.
He did comment that I have a bit of "shelf" in my butt when I sit --my donor site is the "muffintop" area. I am assuming that this will get improved in stage 2. In the mean time, my husband has said not to worry; he will use the shelf for extra storage.
Got to love that man
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Greeting from NOLA!!
My healing is coming along nicely - I am not as sore as I expected - although I am finding I need to slooooow down a bit - 2 days in a row of exploring the French Quarter may have been a bit much! My post op appt has been moved up until tomorrow morning - so I will be able to go home to Phoenix 24 hours earlier than expected!! WHOOP-WHOOP! Although I must admit - I have fallen in love with this city - my attitude towards NOLA is so different than it used to be! I have some photo's I will post, as well as much more info - once I get home and get settled (I promise!)
I was able to meet Brenda (what a doll) - and hope to check on Bettye tomorrow while I am at the Center! Jamie - great to hear you are doing so well!
For those of you with up-coming surgeries - you are in the best of hands!! I also was concerned about where they were going to find the tissue to create a new set of girls on me - I am 5'11, 135 lbs - very slim through the hips and buttocks - but ladies - I am sporting a new set of full C's - and they are beautiful!! I also had done everything by e-mail - my first meeting with Dr. S was the day before my surgery - so don't fret - they will find tissue!! Dr. S. told me the day after my surgery that he was able to find more tissue than he expected - and that they are finding this to be the norm on thin women!!
Will give a more detailed update when I can - Love to all of you!!
LouAnn
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Hi LouAnn, great to hear you are feeling so good and getting around so well after surgery! I am amazed that you have been 'exploring the French Quarter' for two days...that's fantastic!
Question re: length of time at NOLA. I am scheduled for bilat DIEP on Feb 23, getting out of hospital on the 26th and returning home on 3/2... Does the time you are there depend on which procedure you have? If you are having a combo: say DIEP/Lumbar or DIEP/GAP, would you be there longer?
I ordered a back max so should have it in a couple of days. Thanks to JenniferJane and everyone else who helped out with that recommendation. I think it will be so much nicer than trying to prop up on pillows. I just can't imagine myself staying up without the extra help!!!
Had all my pre-op tests last week but got a call from the Center today that they hadn't received any results. I called everyone and nobody had sent them (despite having been asked)...oh well, everyone said they were going to do it 'right now' so I'll check in with the Center tomorrow to be sure.
Looking forward to hearing from Bettye!
Spring, thanks for the reminder to be grateful that we are in the best of hands....it's normal to have worries, concerns, anxiety....this is major surgery...but we are really lucky to have the best doctors!
Holtbolt, hope all is okay with your Mom. Thinking about both of you.
I've got to start scouring this thread for packing tips, etc. Time to start my list. Only 20 days to go!!!!
Suzanne
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I made mine and my mom's flights today, wow cant believe it!
jaimie-holy crap girl you look awesome in your pics!!
Suzanne- 20 DAYS!! Wow, so closw, hope that time flies by.
Louann- leaving early? how often does that happen? that is great, you must be doing fantastic.
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Louann ~ What time are you going to be in the center ?? I will be there at 10am
I am going home to snow, snow and more snow. We normally get 7-11 inchs a year and we are already passed 30 inches and have more coming.
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Jamie - I'll be there at 11:15! Hope to see you!
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Jamie....you look fantastic!
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Dang LouAnn we will just miss each other.. Maybe stage 2 we can meet up...
Thank you Christy.
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Happy to report NO CHANGE from 1 1/2 years ago on my breast MRI! Yeah, I didn't wait too long! And yes, Springtime, this chickie did make the call, er actually, e-mail. Already got a response from Liz. They need to check my insurance and then will schedule. I'm probably looking at the last week in April. I can only imagine how thrilled my insurance company will be that I'm going back for more!
Thanks to all of you for your GAP info! It will be interesting to compare this experience to my DIEP. Hey, if I try implants first, maybe I'd be the first person to have had all three of those procedures. Hmmmm. NO!
Guys, I need to introduce you to NSWTD (now what does that stand for?). I met her on another thread and invited her over here, since everyone here is so friendly, supportive, and ready to share knowledge. She is having immediate flap recon out of town and is wondering about how it is to sleep in a regular bed after recon, and how it is to stay in a hotel after surgery, and what she should take with her. I know we've addressed the "what to take" issue somewhere in these 100 plus pages. Anyone here who remembers where? I think we need a table of contents for this thread! Anyway, welcome, NSWTD! You won't be released from the hospital until you are ready, and if anything arises, you can call your doc at any time. I liked being at the hotel. It felt like a vacation, and I was able to do sightseeing, too. I'm not sure where you're having your surgery, but I bet there are things to see and do, keeping in mind that you'll be pretty easily worn out. You'll also want to ask for extra pillows, so you can make a nice nest to situate yourself in the position your surgeon recommends. Take comfortable, loose-fitting clothes, and something that hangs down long enough to help cover up any drain hoses... Also, I tell everyone to be sure to journal about their experiences. It's amazing how much you forget when you go back and look over what you wrote, even just a few months later.
Trishia - Super-charged positive vibes to Tre and to you tomorrow!
Margit - A shelf for extra storage! HAHAHAHHA! Another flap joke to add to the list! I think we need to put together a joke book about flap recons! It would have only a very small audience, but a very appreciative one!
LouAnn - I love that another one of us - YOU - has fallen in love with New Orleans! It really works it's spell, doesn't it! "She" has been compared to a sultry siren in literature for hundreds of years! And I love what Dr. Delicious said about thin women having more fat than they expect! That's exactly what I needed to hear!
Jaimie - I'm heading for timtam!
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Trishia - positive thoughts for Tre... LOTS of positive thoughts and prayers.
Holtbolt - I sent you a PM
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Yes Trishia - more positive thoughts for your Tre from me too.
Holtbolt - I'm sending more good thoughts for your mom. You have a lot going on right now. And I TOTALLY agree with you about the pitfalls of talking about flap surgery in NOLA to people who don't know anything about it. I have gotten that "Are you a crazy person?" look every time when I've tried to vet the idea with people in my everyday life. And I feel like even though my husband is being very supportive and positive about all this, he is working REALLY hard to hold in his "Are you a crazy person?" look sometimes. I don't think it helps that when he asks questions I usually respond by sharing the feedback I have from all my new online best friends with names like Springtime and Minnesota and CCBaby and swastew! I am laughing right now just thinking about how loony it must all sound to our poor out-of-the-loop support people.
Jamie and LouAnn - good luck with your post-ops and happy travels home.
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Trishia- Good Thoughts for Tre today!
BettyeE- hope you are doing good today.
Pam
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Laughlines... I know People are looking at me like I am totally crazy. I can see it in their eyes ... the "I'd never in a million years do that" look... but they would never say that out loud. It's funny.. I told my oncologist yesterday about this look I'm getting... I told her.. the truth is... 2 years ago I may have given that same look to someone if they were describing this to me.... but when it's you... well, you are in such a different place.... and truthfully after chemo.. you know that you can do anything.... so this doesn't sound all that crazy scary to me.
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I think those that look at us like we are crazy.
They never had to make that Mastectomy decision or the Reconstruction decision.
I dont know anyone with BC locally. So everyone here looks at me like I am nuts.
if it was someone we told with BC they would not look at us like we were crazy.
Pam
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Jaimieh - You look awesome! WOOOHOOO!
Holtbolt - I know what you mean, I want to talk about my surgery too! People have no clue what we've been though and what it means to us to get our bodies back. We want the best results and everyone wants to donate some fat! That's everyone's biggest comment, I'll give you some of mine. If it worked that way, we'd have the biggest new girls ever! Wishing your Mom the best thru her treatments.
Nordy - it's funny you mentioned countdown. I just realized this week that I've only got 6 1/2 weeks before I head to NOLA. After seeing Jamieh's pictures, I can't wait!
LouAnn - glad your doing so well. Two days of the Quarter, you go girl! Hope we all do as well as you and Jamieh. Can't wait to see your pictures?
Minnesota - I've kept a journal of all my appts, with all the info they give you I thought it would be the best way to keep everything straight. I made a few comments along the way but I now wish I had put more of my thoughts thru this process down. Plan to do a better job of it going thru this last phase.
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Hope everyone sees the VOTE to HELP HOPE LODGE forum! Voting ends Friday and we need to get the votes in! Money would go to the NOLA Hope Lodge! Please vote!
nfl.com/PepsiRefresh
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Dejaboo - You're so lucky you know no one with BC locally. I know waaay too many. Today, a friend (who also had BC) and I are taking lunch to another friend whose BC went to her brain. She has only a couple of months left, says her doc. It is very difficult for her to communicate - it has affected her ability to find the right words, among other things. She is a beautiful woman in so many ways, and she sings, paints, is brilliant, passionate, and on and on. Whenever I visit with her, it cements my resolve to do whatever it takes to prevent this from ever happening to me. The newest way I look at this is - this stuff would like to eat my brain. That's even worse than it wanting to kill me, in my opinion. And that's the bottom line. I think someone would be nuts NOT to do everything it takes to let anything this evil get another foothold in their bodies!
Hey - you and I should get together sometime!
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Holtbolt and HelloFrom Ct, I'm right behind you with all you are doing (I'm scheduled for 2/25)! I'm looking into any packing ideas too, so if you read a good thread please share!
Getting ready to send them my $5,000.00 down payment, gulp! I hope to get a nice reciept back so I can show the ins. company I have definately PAID my co-pay!
Have a fever and a cough today, I'm thinking NOOOOO! I can't get sick, and I can't take any days off to be sick, I need every last one of them for the surgery recoup time. I'm drinking Rooibos (South African) tea, and Cold Ease......I think I'll take a nap at my desk here in a minute.
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Trainertam you WILL get a receipt! AND all you girlies coming up-really EVERYONE: DO take extra good care of yourself. Get your rest!....hate to say this- but avoid crowds...WASH your HANDS! and TAKE those vitamins........
I am happy to report my voice is back! it is a sexy voice, still a bit of residual, but verbal communication is now audible! I was thinking I was going to have to take up sign language after 10 days of voicelessness....and it started w/ a probable dumb viral infection I probably picked up from?????? I may have still been a bit down post surgery? when I started feeling bad.
I remember last fall...EEKS-I'm already telling war stories! LOL!......my stage one was sept 22.....I work in a hospital in the recovery room so it's cleaner -less chance of unknown contagious issues than ER or clinics......BUT about a week or 2 before I left was the height of that H1N1 surge and they were floating us to the ER....I went to the house supervisor and said 'I'll take unpaid leave if necessary' and explained and she was a-ok w/ it and understood.
Spring, glad you liked MLD. I missed a week of treatments but returned this am....first me sick then my LE therapist whose kids have all been sick....there is bad stuff going around! Anyhoo....I had nipple sparing so I don't have to do the guard things.
My LE girl thought I was much softer which was great...it is so hard to be objective as I've been worried about that L breast weird place and a possible nipple issue but am still playing the wait and see, let it SETTLE-it takes a while! as directed by Nola and have been in touch a couple times in the last week...YIKES it's hard to be patient! BUT I have also dropped about 8-10 lbs like in the past week. Maybe there IS something to that 8 weeks(tomorrow)-2 mos post stage 2 thing! Actually I think being sick and on the 'Robitussin Diet' was a major contributor too. But w/ the remaining area of swelling I'm all about pushing fluids and eating lots of veggies, less processed fat laden, etc.
Speaking of weight.......some of you ladies- actually a lot of you are TINY! OMG! Oh well.... as my parents always said -I never was a 'little' girl. I need to go buy smaller scrubs too but am holding off just a bit longer as they basically have no fit anyways.
Spring......Ultrasound? news? have been keeping you and your anxiety about all in my prayers and positive thoughts......
Minnesota....congrats on the normal MRI! I am framing my final mamo/MRI results.......I had 2 separate problems on each in about a 2 year time period, not to mention the need to take up chain smoking or binge drinking if I had to keep having those nerve racking diagnostics! I SO love telling the receptionist in the UTSW Simmons Cancer Center "NO, and I NEVER have to have another!" When the first thing out of her mouth(even before hello) is; "Are you here for a mammogram?". I think since my PTSD is improving, I will take it down a notch and start saying "No thank you!" from now on!
On the journaling experience....YES...I have saved so much and journaled/blogged so much and it is for me truly therapeutic PLUS the majority was such a good experience it's uplifitng to look back at all that. Need to organize more but must do some more responsible paperwork first like taxes, bills, etc.
Have a great wednesday!
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UGGGggg.....shortly after I posted I got a phone call. A friend from bible study called me. We're in the same small discussion group...but I actually met her because she's a close friend of my ex next door neighbors (from 20 yrs ago) who also popped up in the same class....sorry for excessive details but small world huh?
I had texted her this am...she was on my mind because last time I saw her almost 2 weeks ago she was getting an US scheduled for a suspicious area on her mamo. She texted me back to say she was to get results this afternoon and I told her I had been thinking of her but missed class last week because no voice. She has BC....Uggggg.....Not sure of details, apparently her MD's phone was cutting in and out and we all know how our breath got taken away w/ the news. Anyhoo. She was so sweet, asked me to be her BC mentor if there was such a thing....I told her of course anything! I certainly don't know everything but have lots of friends w/ all kinds of experiences! I was so sorry she'd joined the club but she just wouldn't believe the support she was about to receive.
Anyhoo......then she said she just would never forget our first class(one week before my stage one in Nola) . She knew what I was about to do(PBM and DIEP) and she said she just couldn't believe how UP, positive I was, then how well I'd done and looked after each surgery.
So send more good thoughts, prayers for my friend and me as I try to support a local breast friend! She's 50 beautiful, a true saint, picture of health, she's a personal trainer, eats clean, lives clean, FUNNY....of course she's happy and feels blessed re; the early detection and treatability.
Had to share ladies! we all remember!
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Hi all, just thought I would check in but honestly just caught up on the last couple of pages, seems that is all the energy I have right now.
BetteE I am thinking of you - hope all is going well. Got to meet up with swastew as she mentioned which was great, she is such a hoot.
Staying at Homewood suites just chilling and waiting to be set free so I can get back home on Friday. Seem to be doing ok, just sooo hard to get into a comfortable postion so I can sleep. The painkillers help to get comfortable but my shoulders, back and neck get so tight they are killing me. Finally got some decent rest last night and am hoping that will help my energy level a bit. I really, really could use some encouragement right now. Not sure why but yesterday evening I was laying in bed (very uncomfortablly) wondering what have I done!! I should have just dealt with things the way they were but then I remember all the great things everyone always said about how glad they went thru with it. The prospect of taking a shower and having to figure a way to get back into the girdle contraption ( was so difficult at the hospital with help) is just overwhelming to me. Any advice on dealing with that would be great, I know if I go back thru the thread a bit I will find great advice but just am not up to it right now.
My post op app is 10:45 in the morning (thursday) and will be riding back to tyler tx on Friday morning. Just not sure what to do to shake the blues that seem to have hit me.
I hope this does not discourage anyone going to nola in the future because I know without a doubt that in a day or so I will be back "up" and looking forward to being myself again!.
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Minn, I am sorry about your friend, and see it has given you resolve. I totally agree with what you say. It wants to eat our friggin brains!!! ugh!! I think I needed to hear that given I've had this lump and the edema massage stuff. To remind myself it was good i was aggressive.
So the lump: first ultrasound shows it is likely fat and does not look anything like cancer. Since it is on the prophylactic side, the breast surgeon here was thinking it was nothing, plus she says, you are not that far out from surgery, could be surgical stuff. I have another 'hard core' ultrasound Monday to get a baseline. Though she thinks it will just go away on it's own.
I have so far had 2 Lymphedema massages, and they are wooooonderful. I am also wearing compression top and sleeve. It is puffy on side of rib cage under armpit and my back. not noticing any difference yet. I need to do it for minimum 3 weeks, 3x a week! Hard with work!
Trisha, good vibes or your son!!! Check in and let us know what's going on...
Everyone thought I was insane to go to New Orleans of all places, and do this surgery. I had some convincing to do, and I think that this is just a "phase" of this process. Everybody thinks you should just "do implants". Anyway, you ladies, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We all went through this!!!! Just be firm in your resolve and do what's right for you. For me, once my husband had the "aha" moment, everything was easier from then on. With the two of us, we were unstoppable!!!
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Hi Tammy, just two days behind us...well, maybe we'll be able to see you there! Take care of yourself so you get better before surgery!
Jennifer, I received my back max in the mail today. Yay...I think it will be a big help to me in trying to sleep once I get home from NOLA. Sorry about your friend. I'll keep her in my prayers. She's lucky to have you for a mentor.
Brenda, so sorry you are feeling down. They do say that it is not unusual after surgery to feel let down and a bit depressed. I hope you feel better soon and maybe once you get home your outlook will change. I hope so.
Suzanne
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Cat...I just voted for Drew Brees and posted it on my Facebook! Thanks for sharing that with us!0
