NOLA in September?
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Jaimieh - sorry your having so much trouble with the drains. Hopefully, it will come out soon!
For those of you up next week - keeping you in my thoughts and wishing you the very best.
Cathy
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HellofromCT, TrainerTam.... see you in a few....
Is it me or does everyone sound like they are having problems all the sudden... okay.. it's me... because surgery is Tuesday.... lol.
It does help that even if you guys are having issues you are still saying you would do it over again in a heartbeat and that you are happy with the results.. keep saying that .... as I pack.... otherwise I'm going to have to put my fingers in my ears and start humming... lol j/k..0 -
Hmm.. I can see I wasn't as clear as I thought. When I said "the best in the country" I figured people would notice that I'm from Israel. Sorry!
So, if I tell you his name is Dr. Yoav Barnea and the hospital is Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv....nope, didn't think it would help.
But I still need questions....
Leah
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Leah, if you already have 2 pages of questions, how can we know what else you need to ask? I'll bey you've got every inch of territory covered!!
Just know there are some things you can't control, or know the answer to before you start. Your ps may have a good idea of what will be accomplished, but things come up introperatively that may be unexpected. perhaps the biggest question would regard how a flap failure or partial failure will be handled?
Best of luck!
Anne
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Any tips on negotiating down your portion of the "co-pay"?
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Leah, I am a detail person, too. The more info I have, the calmer I can remain. Too little info, and I'm a mess. I wanted to know upfront what the doctor's out of hand flap success rate was. Some will tell you 95%. I wanted the guys whose numbers were more like 99%+. This higher rate tells you a lot. It tells you that the surgeon indeed knows what they're doing, and that their aftercare nurses are really on it, as well. Ask about how often he has to switch from a DIEP to a TRAM. This made my local PS nervous, since the switch is his choice in the middle of surgery, for whatever reason he may deem important. While a Free Tram is a common procedure, the true DIEP never uses abdominal muscles and is a quicker recovery. It it important to have a clear understanding of which procedure he does. You may be fine choosing the Free Tram, but either way, you need to know exactly which procedure he'll be doing. I also asked about average time for surgery. My local person averages 12-13 hours for the procedure. I chose to travel to a different city when I could find a doctor whose average time is 5-6 hours with a 99%+ success rate. And, finally, how many of these procedures does he do per week? Again, my local guy does 1 per week, with 150 behind him in 3 years. The place I chose to go to has 3 doctors and they do about 10 per week, 425 per year. This level of experience was assuring to me. How many days in the hospital? How many drains, where will they be located? Can my support person stay with me, where do they stay? When is the first post-op appt? Are there other stages or other surgeries, if so, what do they entail? Of course, costs are important as well. Best wishes to you - KC
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Christy!!! LOL I am laughing out loud at your post of the boob feeling! You cracked me up!! My ONC felt both of mine, but I guess that is not as bazaar as a client! LOL!!!!! YOU GO GIRL!!! What a riot. You ladies CRACK ME UP!!!
Baaayyy, about the stitches, I would call them, but how far out are you? more than a couple weeks? I think I'd snip. Are they like clear fishing line? I echo what was said, at NOLA we were told at 2 weeks we could clip away, and I sure did!!!
Hello, and Holt, and Tammy!! You ladies next. Just remember. You can do it because a slew of other ladies have already done it. This is how it was when I was pregnant, I kept thinking, surely it is impossible to pass a baby down there, but all these other ladies do it, I can do it! (YOU CAN DO IT!) Also, it is worth it. You will be R E S T O R E D. There is a reason it is named, "The Center for RESTORATIVE Breast Surgery".
LA, I have noticed that if you were to call the center and say the drain site really really hurts, it is putting out gunk, it is red and sore, (signs of infection) -- they tell you to pull it out and they put you back on 10 days of antibiotics. I believe this happened to both (at least) Trisha and me, and I think others. Maybe this is how they judge it. I get what your PS is saying, but the Center has figured this stuff out. You will BE OKAY!!! But if stuff starts hurting, call them, don't be a hero.
Update: Did I ever tell you all that lump in my prophylactic side was a bit of fat necrosis the size of a "lima bean" according to the lady doc radiologist. She was this very young cool lady. She was so impressed at my boobs, she could not believe my surgery was like 10 weeks prior, she wanted the name of the Center in case it happened to her!!! I gave it to her! She was utterly amazed and was telling other people to "look at this!!". LOL. My DH was there, we were both smiling. Things like that make this ALL WORTH WHILE!!! Anyway, I have to go back in 6 months and they will ultrasound it again. I guess to see what it is doing??? if anything...
Update 2: My LE therapy is going GREAT!! Apparently I had lymphedema in the trunk, but it had started getting in my upper arm - which really freaks them out. Arm issues are apparently WAY more serious than trunk issues. My non dominant arm was 4% larger than my right arm (not good, should be at least 4% less). After 8 sessions, it is now 6% smaller! So my arm is all better now, and my trunk is much better too. I have 4 more sessions.I am also taped up occasionally, and now we can do it at home, with Kenisio tape, which really works well for me, but I can't wear it for long or I get itchy! The massage: They apparently "retrain" your body to drain the fluid to other areas since (apparently) my left armpit area is not picking up all the slack it should. I FIND THIS AMAZING!! That our bodies can do this, and also that there are therapists trained to help us! YAY
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Spring and KC--I did get the word today that I can snip the belly button knot. Before you snipped, did you wipe your knot or your skin down with anything or just wash with soap and water? And I'm 3 weeks post op.
Spring, How wonderful your LE is being reversed! It's something we all worry about and your post is so full of hope and success. Huge congrats!!!
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Bayyyy, I would swab everything with alcohol. like splash it on the area and on the scissors. Then, try to pull up the thread as high as you can and snip close to the skin, but don't cut your self! I found using my fingers for feeling was better than using my eyes for seeing this. I hoep this makes sense. Hopefully the thread will go under the skin. Having the tiny bit out used to drive me batz!.
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Spring that is awesome that you found a way to deal with your LE. It sounds like it is really important to get help ASAP.
I sent my backside pictures to Celeste because after 2 nights being awake thanks to drain pain is getting to me. I also have blisters at the drain opening and I think they are causing a lot of the pain. Anyhow now I am waiting for Celeste to call me back to see if I can pull my right DITA. I just hope that if I pull it I do not fill up with fluid. I am scared because Celeste said to take a pain pill before I do it because it's gonna hurt since it has been hurting so much but that the pain would stop immediately. I guess I am going to trust my wonderful DH to do this.
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One of the new items we saw in Las Vegas is Booty Pops--panties that make your booty pop. "Creates the ultimate in lift and curves."
I have a free pair in size medium for the first GAP girl who sends me a PM!!
Sandy
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Jamie, call them back if they do not get back to you!!! I know it is scary the first time, but really, my drain removals were mostly nothing. The very last one did little pinchy things inside on the removal, and I asked DH to stop, and then I rubbed the area for a bit, then I pulled the rest myself while putting a bit of pressure on the pinchy spot, somehow that helped. But the rest of the drains just came right out, really a nothing. I was so surprised! I hope it is like this for DITA!!! LOL.
This is a real bonding experience for you and DH!!! I remember calling my DH DOCTOR RICHARD after this. It is amazing how much stuff our families go through with us in this !!!!
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Thanks spring. I am trying to be patient. My DH who is not by nature very gentle has been a saint thru all of this. He honestly has been so wonderful every night since I have been home he has been helping me get back into my compression pants and is actually getting things down to a system. If I get the go ahead he is going to be thrilled that I am letting him do it rather than going to my local PS. He loves doing stuff like this.
So to pull the drain we cut the stitches out around the base and removed them then undo the bulb (I know spring likes to keep the bulb going) and then we pull out and down ?? I am sure Celeste will tell me but sometimes people who have done it multiple times have good hints
ETA: Since my incision is not red Celeste wants me to wait and get the drainage down even further. I did talk them into letting me use dermablast which is a spray topical and so far it seems to be working
. Now I get to send pictures in on Monday morning as long as the drainage keeps going down. I think I am more comfortable waiting anyhow since I do not want to risk anything. 0 -
Ding dong, the stitch is gone! The annoying stitch is gone!!
Now I'm really contemplating the flap stitch--it's not red like the bb one was but it sticks thru all my shirts... 0 -
Yay Bayyy - congrats on getting that stitch out!
Spring - I am so happy that lump was just fat necrosis. I know it's hard to stay calm when a lump appears for us survivors. Whew!
Jamieh - I hope you get to lose DITA soon!
Another question: Did you ladies who had some out-of-pocket at NOLA get a written statement of your expected financial responsibilities from the center before surgery? I am following up with Lanita on this but just wonder what your experience has been. Thanks!!
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Thank you , KC. I've added some of those to my list.
The questions I'm looking for are basically the same a the ones everyone here asked along their journey.
You can't imagine how helpful this thread has been for me, not only in giving me questions but also in answering questions that only women who hae been through this can answer and in clarifying my thinking.
Leah
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Regarding knots - Were you sent home with betadine swabs? I've swabbed the area, then snipped. I don't know that it's the end of the world either way. Personally, I would not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Alcohol stings, and hydrogen peroxide can react negatively with new scars (a NOLA nurse told me this). That's why they are fans of betadine, I guess. Good luck on the snipping. Some are ready sooner than others. - KC
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Dog ears - they are driving me nuts!!! Both sides are still very tender, and I tend to catch them on panties or my pants. Just thought I'd get that out there. They've been bugging me since I stopped wearing the binder, which protected them.
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Spring....what is even funnier is that my client who felt me up is 74 years old!!!
Jamie....good luck with your drain removal! It is relatively easy.
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So Christy you have to tell us what did she think ??
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I went to my primary yesterday, who was curious about my recon results. She was totally impressed, and now wants some brochures from NOLA. Her question was what is done when someone is as skinny as she is. I had the opposite problem, so I told her about the stacking procedures, but I am not sure fi stacking works if a woman truly has very little body fat. Can any of you respond to this?
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Jamie...to tell you the truth, I don't remember what she said because I was kind of freaking out about the whole thing! It reminded me of the beginning of the movie '16 Candles' when the Grandma told the Grandpa that Molly Ringwald has "gotten her boobies" and then felt her up!0
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kcshreve - I didn't and don't have much body fat. Right now I'm weighing the most I have since i was pregnant because I'm trying to gain weight in my rear end for GAP. I probably weighed about 115 when I had the stacked DIEP (5'6') to make a B breast. Now we will see if they can make me another one from my rear.
As an aside, my body feels totally foreign to me these days! I am up to 120. Finally I can feel a butt back there! Also, my breasts have both gotten pretty danged big! I was worried that only the Voodoo breast (that's what I call the reconstructed one - long story!) would get bigger, since that's where my stomach fat now resides. But with this extra 5 pounds, not only has it gone to the Voodoo breast, but also my original breast - which is now a bit bigger than the Voodoo one, rather than a bit smaller, as it was before! I have cleavage like never before in my life! I'm always looking down there in wonder and amazement! Also spending time squeezing all 4 places! Who is this?!
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I am really sorry that I only had one pair of the Booty Pops. They are on the way to the first responder. I had no idea that so many of you would be interested in trying them. It's possible that we'll decide to carry them and I'll be able to provide them to anyone interested, at wholesale---will let you know if that happens.
KC, whenever I snip a suture, I dab a bit of the antibiotic ointment on it first, so that any part of it that retracts into the skin takes some ointment with it.
Jaimie, I walked around while I pulled gently on my drains, and due the movement, I did not feel the drain tubes coming out. Glad you are so close to getting rid of yours!
Spring, can you please add me to the list, 5/21 for a tweak with Dr. D.?
Stephanie, any chance of lunch at Commander's Palace on Saturday before you leave NOLA? You'll be really relaxed for your flight!
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Oh.. I hope to meet you Sandy in May.. Spring.. can you add my Stage 2 also on 5/21 with Dr. D? Looks like we are sharing Dr. D on that day!!
Thank you again, everyone, for all your tips and suggestions.... we leave Sunday for NOLA and I would have never made this decision had I not found this thread!!! Hopeful.... and Happy..... and of course.. a little nervous.....
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I am looking at having a preventative mastectomy because I am BRCA 2 positive and both sisters and my mother have had breast cancer. I want to go to NOLA sooo bad for this but just found out that they are out of network for my insurance. I was wondering if anyone knows of any assistance I could get for this. I am a single mother and even though NOLA is telling me dont worry I am worried because I really cant afford paying 30 % of the costs but what do I do wait until I get the cancer and then worry about it?? I am in NY and had planned for the travel and pre and post surgery hotel but not the out of network costs. What do I do??
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I am looking at having a preventative mastectomy because I am BRCA 2 positive and both sisters and my mother have had breast cancer. I want to go to NOLA sooo bad for this but just found out that they are out of network for my insurance. I was wondering if anyone knows of any assistance I could get for this. I am a single mother and even though NOLA is telling me dont worry I am worried because I really cant afford paying 30 % of the costs but what do I do wait until I get the cancer and then worry about it?? I am in NY and had planned for the travel and pre and post surgery hotel but not the out of network costs. What do I do??
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Holtbolt, best of luck with your surgery. Good thoughts go with you.
Leah
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Holtbolt, HellofromCT & TrainerTam- This time next week you will all be on the otherside!
You will get through it & look wonderful!
Do something fun this weekend or Just stay home...Whatever feels good. try not to worry.
You are Almost there!
Pam
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Sally, you could look into Dr. Massey who works at both NOLA and Charleston, SC. My insurance covered her in SC, but not at the Center. www.drmarga.com
Sometimes appeals work for the insurance. I'm sure others with NOLA experience will chime in here and help you out!
Anne
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