NOLA in September?
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Minn,
Go for the PM. I just had my surgery on Feb 2. I wanted a double mx 3 years ago. My surgeon just did not want to do it. Now I get the path. report and I indeed did have cancer on the right. I am so glad I did this. Dr. D. says he has learned to listen to that little voice of the woman. He says he has seen this many times. Women just sense something. Don't ignore that voice!
Bettye
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Oh Bettye my Mississippi chum...I am so glad you listened to that voice!
Whew,,,heal well!
LouAnn ..dont forget to breathe while doing this!
Hugs
Marcia
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Betty~ I am so glad you listened to yourself.
LouAnn~ Good Luck with the drain removal. Just think about how good it will feel once it is gone. How many do you have now ??? You could also pull it in the shower.... I still have a ways to go.....I can dream right...
Nordy~ I am looking forward to hearing how stage 2 is for you. I am thinking that I am going to go for the Mini tummy tuck. This is my one chance because I know I wouldn't do it otherwise...lol... I am a sissy
I have hit the wall
After a couple nights of not sleeping well I seem to have hit a wall. I got up late this morning and I took a nap and I didn't want to get up when I did. We went to the mall and walked so maybe that is why I am exhausted. I know next week is not going to be better since I go for my last herceptin on Monday and I am normally tired for a week afterwards. Oh well I am 2 1/2 weeks out and doing okay I am so ready to be out of the compression gear. I did go buy 2 new sportsbra's yesterday. TJ Max had champion bras for $9.99 each so I bought a large and a medium thinking that the medium would fit BUT the large fit and barely. I never imagined that I would have girls like these...lol.... Okay now drain questions WHY oh why is it that when I stip my drains that I feel like I have a charlie horse in my butt ?? Is that from the drain suction ?? It is driving me bonkers....
Okay off to get a shower I still need help to put the gear back on.... I am still padded up and need help padding the back...
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WHOOP-WHOOP! I am down to 2 drains!! Heaven on Earth!! CCbaby & Nordy - thanks for the tips (I would not have thought to open the cap!) It was painless - honestly!! The drain that was pulled was my abdominal drain - it had not put out but a few drops of fluid in the last 3 days - so I still have my right and left hip drain - and those seem to be slowing down as well (but I will not pull them before they are dry as can be!)
Jamie - I'm sorry you hit the wall - I felt that way a bit today after 2 sleepless nights as well. I talked to Beth at the Center today and asked for something for the pain to help me sleep at night. The 'dom' compression girdle is very tight where my front hip-bones are - which is also where the incision line runs.....which is also where the tubing was placed for the drains - So at night I have been having stabbing pains on these 2 sites, and last night I was up every 2 hours. UGH. I have not taken any pain pills since the 5th of Feb., but I finally said "Enough!" My sleep is needed to help the healing process. I am not sure why you are getting the Charlie Horse in your butt - I have not experienced that.
Bettye - so glad you got the right breast off - and good for you for listening to that inner voice!!
'night all!
xoxo
LouAnn
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LA, I pulled the drains myself, but this was my third time around! I tried opening the bulb and keeping it shut, and personally, I liked it keeping shut better, as it continued to SUCK out the ick as it was coming out. Just me!
Minn!!! That is so wonderful. I keep hoping somebody will come up with a cure and tell the rest of us, "you can just see your PCP now!" But it came true for you! Yay!!! Don't be discouraged if insurance is odd at first. i am sure it is in their best interest do do this.
So, I have an update on my MLD - or "Manual Lymph Drainage". IT IS WORKING!!!! I am much better! Just need to go 2 more weeks, 3x a week. (I'm half way through now).Then I'll be "cured" ha! Actually, they are retraining the lymph channels in other areas to suck up the fluid on the left side that my under arm area can't handle. It is very very cool! I am very thankful for my smart body and these lovely LE therapists that know exactly what to do! Yay!
Happy, I will add you to the list above. congrats!
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Oh my!!! Carolynn!!! Drop us a line! I hope all is going text book perfect!!
Feb 11 - Carolynn (iamc) Stage 2 (second time) NOLA Dr. S.
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Ladies I need some advice. I am doing good but noticed the last few days that on my left breast onm the side around where the drain was it is somewhat tender, more swollen?, and I can feel a hard knot there. It doesn't just hurt, just tender when you rub it. Was wondering if anyone has had similar and what it might be. I talked to Celeste today and she wants me to send a pic, she is not sure if that will help tho. I am going to send her the pics and she will call me Monday.
I am also hoping that you can give me some advice on what is good, comfortable to wear (hopefully not too expensive) now that my two weeks are up and I can get out of the compression bra.
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Jaimieh- I didnt get a charlie horse feeling when I striped my Drains but it did really hurt My Back Side each time I striped them. it did go away around 3 weeks I think. So Hopefully yours will too in a few days.
Glad to hear you are down to 2 Drains LouAnn!
Pam
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Brenda, is the drain out now or in? Do you think it is an infection? Is it really sore? I wonder if they would give you an antibiotic. My skin was so ultra sensitive after each surgery, I could not wear a bra for about 4-6 weeks after. I wore very very soft cotton T's. Not sure if this helps!
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The drain is out, was taken out at my post op on 2/4. Don't think it is an infection, the area is not red at all and in fact is not very tender to touch today but it seems like the size of the hard area is maybe a bit bigger. Can't figure out what is going on, really begnning to get worried about it.. Do you have some hard areas during the healing I wonder. I'm going to circle the area that I feel is hard with a pen when I take the pics to send to nola.
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Could it be fat necrosis? I didn't have any, but in reading other descriptions of it, it is a hard area. I don't know about the tenderness though.
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Hi girls!
KCShreve so we're neighbors? cool. Glad you found and LE person. Let me know if it doesn't work out...love my girl and she knows lots of people. I had minor, stable truncal LE issues and felt full in the armpit upper arm prior to recon probably due to rads last year. I too was pretty overambitious post stage one....OMG I had all sorts of homeowner projects beckoning me and was so.....literally... euphoric! post stage 1....so I went ahead and was framing large prints, hanging pictures, assembling outdoor solar lighting. None was horribly strenuous until I had to exert.....and then it was 'just a little!'.......at about 3 weeks out I had the worst pain in the L breast/chest- went in to get sono'd had fluid needled off and admitted to myself I WAS overdoing! Someone else had similar when they vaccuumed and had swelling flare in the armpit. In regards to my stage 2.......Not really sure it would have been classified as a reduction BUT there was definite contouring/symmetry work and enough DONE that drains were placed but they were smaller than stage 1 drains....the abd drains were basically the same.
Minnesota, congrats! it is SO nice to have supportive docs. I SO dreaded the med onc until she supported me going off campus and to Nola for recon unlike my BS. However the BS has warmed a bit.
Bettye, bravo on following that inner voice/gut feeling. When you don't follow it sometimes it keeps talking...mine went into a quandary....but kept on.....I'm still glad I didn't do implants in 2008! My path was clean but ugggg......I think(for me) I'd always have been waiting for that other shoe to drop! talk about a form of punishment! So glad there are docs who create beautiful natural looking breasts.
Lou Ann congats on losing a drain! woo hoo!
Spring hooray on the MLD and improvement! My newest favorite thing is 'swell spots' by solaris for my L breast issue.....still hoping some of the fluid(below the problem area) is going to 'settle' out too....I need to give another month or so...One can hope! Still too early...may eventually need a tweak -however a friend and today my hair lady assured me that if I were to have a torrid affair even right now it wouldn't be noticed........AS IF!.....AND I got another review that said "I can't tell you had a mastectomy".........
Brenda, you may be feeling scar tissue....I have an area at the outer lower incision. I guess where they attached the outer part of the flap? Have you tried just the champion pull over sports bras from target? if the bras the center provided are still comfortbale I'd use those as compression is your friend in the right amount....but if the band is too tight you may be creating a tourniquet effect too and you probably still have swelling.....if you're out of the dominatrix you could try the target camisoles too? compress but don't bind.
ok, enough outta me!
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Brenda I bet it's fluid.......fluid-lymph cannot travel thru scar tissue....scar tissue reshapes, remodels goes thru all sorts of changes during the first year. Just having had surgery your lymphatics are in overdrive too. Can you call your local doc and get sono'd? And of course stay in touch w/ Nola.
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Yikes I wrote a long post last night and lost it. !@#$$#@!
It has been soooo busy at work I use the weekends to get caught up .
Spring good to hear that the MLD is working for you.
Jamieh sorry to hear you have hit a bump but you need to take it easy. You got out of the blocks really fast and it catches up to you. You have had major surgery, you need to rest and don't push yourself.
Melinda looks like we will be hall buddies at the St Charles. I fly to NOLA for my stage 2, late on Mar 16th, pre op the next day and surgery on the 18th. I will look in on you. 2T I guess I will miss you since you will be at the Fairway. Don't worry you will be well looked after there.
Carolynn I hope things have gone well for you. Sending you healing thoughts.
Eve good news on the Dr. Hope your insurance works out for you.
Lou Ann anytime you lose a drain it is a good thing ( I sound like Martha S) but it is especially good to lose on of those pesky tummy drains. They were the worst since they had to be dropped through the crotch of the dominatrix outfit.
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Maybe it is fluid - didn't realize it would show up as a hard area tho. I am sure my doc here will do a sono for me if I need it. From what I understand if it is fluid they just drain it with a needle, right? After everything else I've been thru a little needle shouldn't be too scary (hopefully). Just will have to play wait and see until Monday. Thanks for the input everyone!!
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Thanks everyone I have slowed way down..
I did come out fast but I wanted to make sure that I talked about the good, bad and the ugly.... My draines are down to 25cc each this evening so I am thrilled. I hope it continues to go down. My glue is starting to peel off and wow I am pleased with my scars so far. I did take my bra off for a bit today since Dr. S told me that I didn't need to wear one but I have been.
So how long after your drains get to 30cc can you pull them ?? Does it have to be for 3 or more days ??
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Jaimieh, I was told I could remove drains after 3 days of less than 30cc. Also, color is a factor. They should be on the lighter side. - KC
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PlainJane - When you see your LE person next, would you mind checking with her to see if there is anyone near Plano/McKinney who she knows of? I am going to meet a person on Monday in Plano, but I see that she is not certified. I have a second appt the following week with a certified person in Richardson. Eventually I'll find the right one for me. Arm still very sore today, esp armpit and back of upper arm. Everything else is going well, but I will admit that this is so annoying that I almost can't focus on the good things. - KC
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kcshreve~ Thank you
I am already light colored but I have a ways to go on the volume. However while I complain about them I will not pull them early because of my history of seroma's. I just hope that I will not be in spanx at the end of March. We are heading to Florida and I would like to sport a bikini without having to worry about losing a prostetic..lol... I refused to buy a bathing suit after I lost my implants so when we went south in the fall I made do with what I had. Thank you ladies for answering my 100's of questions.
I thought of another thing for people to take with them is a thermometer. We had to go out and buy one because I felt hot at one point. While they do not cost a lot it's a pain to have to go out and buy something.
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KC check your PM's I left you info.......
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KCshrev I gave you the wrong url. Correct is www.gosportstherapy.com Sorry for the incorrect info! Call her monday am.0
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Macksix6- hey I'm excited to know you will be in the same hospital as I will be! My Mom will be there for the first 2 days in the hospital then my hubby.
I've been keeping track of everyone on here and reading this thread at least once a day. I don't comment much but am taking it all in.
I just can't get believe i have like a month left. wow!'
Jaimieh- I'm glad you're feeling better, i can't believe your surgery wasn;t that long ago. I keep reading about peoples results and am just hoping and wishing that I have those kinds of results and happiness.i see from so many of you.
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IAMC - I hope that you are recovering well and that thinks went as planned this time around!
Jaimie - they made me wait FOREVER to pull my drains... and they took FOREVER to slow down. But Stacy wanted me at less than 20 cc for 2 days in a row before I could pull... that is until the one started hurting me like crazy. Then she just said to pull it! Of course, we all know I had to have endless needle drainage and new drains placed... because well... some of us are just juicy! Hang in there!!!
KC - I am going to PM you with a couple of really easy things you can do to help move the fluid a little bit. Hopefully they will help.
Melinda - you are so lucky you get to be in the hospital with macksix! You will do great!
Well, in two weeks I will actually be able to go to have my pre-op testing... holy cow... here we go again... Don't mind that I am going to start getting a bit anxious and start boohooing to leave my girls...
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Jamie yes it is below 20cc for 2-3 consecutive days. Also even if you have 2 hip drains below the 20cc they will let you pull one drain and then they want you to wait another week to pull the other drain. After about 6 weeks they want all those drains out since the risk of infection increases.
Nordy are you having the chest x ray again? I guess they are pretty safe these days but I just hate having more rads of any kind. That is the one problem with waiting longer you have to go through all the pre op testing again.
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You guys are great! Thank you all for your support, Jaimie, Nordy, Anniese, Dejaboo, Cat. Trishia. Swastew, BettyeE, Springtime, Plainjane, Macksix6, and everyone!
Jaimie, I AM trying for end of April - the roster seems to be filling up fast, however. I sure hope I can get it completed in this calendar year.
BetteE - Yes! The Voice. Been hearing it for months now...
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Happy Valentine's Day ladies!
Another question for you all that occurred to me as I was getting my despised prostheses out this morning: Do your flap boobs feel like a part of you? I'm so scared that they will just feel like, er, "built in" prostheses.
Thanks for all the updates - I am constantly trying to catch up here!
I have scheduled a tentative surgery date at NOLA for June 15th. THANK YOU to all who encouraged me to keep at it. We're still working out the money thing, but I think we'll get there.
Maybe this time next year I will be sporting a pretty new bra that can be removed without my boobs coming off in it!
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Jamie....you will need to talk with Celeste at the Center and tell her how much cc's and the color, and she will let you know when you can pull them. It will feel so much better when you are rid of them!0
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YES! YES! YES! These new breasts totally become part of you because they ARE part of you! It is the BEST feeling ever.
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Laughlines - YES!! My 'twins' do feel like a part of me - they are warm, they move, they are soft!!! They are NOTHING like the tissue expander I sported for 11 months!!! Honestly, I touch them and am in awe!!
LA
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Excellent question Laughlines... I was wondering the same thing.... I am very eager to donate my protheses and never strap them on again.....(glad you got a tentative date!) I leave for Nola one week from today.... .. HellofromCT, TrainerTam....see you soon!.
Thank you ladies, all of you....... for sharing your experiences and giving us newbies confidence and support.... Nordy, thank you for the photos.... Deja.. what can I say... thanks!! on deck now... nervous, yes, hopeful, YES....any suggestions, tips as I begin to pack?
And what should I see Sunday/Monday before surgery...? 0
