NOLA in September?
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Melinda - I really think that was a smart smart move on your part to stay in the hotel afterwards. I loved staying at the Hope Lodge - but I REALLY needed to be able to eat whenever/whatever I wanted and I did not eat or drink nearly what I should have because I just didn't feel like going down to the kitchen. Also, staying at the Clarion (and yes, it is just a few blocks from the center) will allow you to take some short walks and sight see - because the location is great. I did not stay there, but ate there with a couple of friends I met from the FORCE website and it was pretty good.
Yes, I would love to make a scrapbook page and help out with costs or whatever anyone needs me to do. Or, would love to add to the existing book. Either way - I think it would be awesome.
Yes - Let's meet up after the swamp tour. FUN! And, Minnesota - since you and Sandy know the area so well, maybe you two can pick a good place for food!
Christy - Got my days mixed up - but still thoughts and prayers for you tomorrow!
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Ladies I notice alot of you are staying at Hope Lodge prior to surgery and then hotels after I am doing just the opposite ... staying in hotel and then after st charles going to the Lodge should I change it around?? Prayers and thoughts to all
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Sally, I think the reason most stay at Hope before and not after is because it's far away from everything and harder to get around to places after surgery if you stay there. Also, lots of people after surgery like the comfort of being able to have food/drinks in their room and you can't do that at Hope. We stayed at Hope for 2 days before surgery, then switched to the Clarion. That worked out really well for us.
I think either way is okay as long as you don't mind the food and drink restrictions for the room.
Suzanne
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Spring, I got my Stage 2 date...May 20 with Dr. D Yayyyyyy!!!!! Already looking forward to it!!!
Thanks!
Suzanne
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Harold is not a cat and not a rabbit and not a man. He is a teeny Yorkie puppy and I am in love with him! He's on the pro side of the list of pro's and con's of my surgery. I got him, at this time, in anticipation of possible depression post-surgery and surgery and surgery... So just this morning it dawned on me that I wouldn't have this little puppy if not for the surgery coming... so, a plus. Okay, I kind of believe he's a little angel in puppy clothing...
Melinda - Glad to hear you're so stoked about going to New Orleans!
Jaimie - The docs are used to women asking/begging for lipo. Even I, needing a stacked DIEP for one little breast, asked for lipo around my waist. Dr. D didn't even laugh, tho he told my husband after surgery that he wasn't able to get a whole lot. This time there will be more! (Sorry your butt is still water-logged)
Laughlines - Yes! Let's all get together!
Nordy - Sandy knows more restaurants than I do. We'll definitely come up with something good, but not too pricey.
Sandy - Do I get to do another page for the second album? Yes I do! I think that's a great idea!
Tammy - So glad you're home and survived that horrible experience! Also so glad Dr D is following up on it with a vengeance!
I think it would be cool if we made an album that had the capacity for new people to always add to. And we could add volumes as need be. Maybe we have some flyers in a pocket in the book that tells gals the parameters for a page, and then they could add them as they finish them. For the first album, the way we did it was that we could either make our own page or else send the stuff we wanted on our page to the gal who was organizing it. She was very skilled at scrapbooking. So for gals who didn't feel like they were very artistic (not that anyone needs to be), they could just send her the stuff and she put together a really nice page for them. Those of us who wanted to make our own just sent her the finished product. We each either bought our own plastic cover sheet or she got one and put it on the page. Then she put all of the pages into the scrapbook and mailed the whole thing to the Center. I think she was also the one who ordered the album with that embossed cover (I think it's embossed, right?).
So we'd have to come up with what size album and pages we want and could let everyone know, and set some kind of a deadline. The sizing could also be in flyers in the album for other gals to take home. I guess the plastic page cover type depends on the album we choose.
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Thaks everyone for the well wishes. One big thing that I have noticed at the Hope Lodge this time around compared to last time I was here in December is that there is hardly anyone here. I think then everyone was trying to get things done before the end of the year because of insurance. Tonight, we ate at the Cheesecake Bistro that is below the Clarion. My Dad stayed at the Clarion last time and it was very nice and a great price. They have valet parking there too.
Jamie...also, Sally at the hospital told me to 'shoot for the stars' when asking Dr S for extra things. I look at it as my once in a lifetime opportunity to fix some things I am unhappy with. When I asked him, he was very willing to accommodate.
Sara...It was so great to meet you! I am so glad you made your flight. I was worried about that. We left the center at 6:30 last night (3 1/2 hrs after my appt time!) The aquarium was great. We went to the IMAX theater and watched 'Hurricane on the Bayou' afterward.
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I got to sit with the scrapbook while waiting for my discharge appt. My dh and I sat there, looking through it, crying. We examined every single page. We were both so grateful for a remarkable experience, having a great outcome, and being treated so well, that we felt personally connected to every woman who made a page. I loved the creativity which went into it. As I recall, though, the book is fairly thick. Katie told us we could contribute a page if we wanted to and they'd add it for us. I remember thinking that very many more pages might be a bit too much for it to handle. I wonder if it's time to start another book. Possibly others would want to add their own pages if there was a thinner book which looked like it needed more pages added? Just a thought.
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KC - I teared up when I first saw the completed book, too. I was especially moved by the photos of gals with their families - it really showed how this disease affects so many others besides just we "survivors." Also, how important the work is that NOLA does - so many benefit! I agree that the book is already very thick. I do think we should start our own, and in light of what you said, maybe we should start with two new books, both looking like they could use some more pages... It gives more women the opportunity to say thank you, in an additional way than just saying it, eventho we can never thank them enough, no matter how many chances or modalities we have!
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Oh, ccbaby - Still thinking of you - especially tonite - on the eve of your surgery!
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OK, so IF we do a book......I think in honor of (Spring's)SEPTEMBER nola thread.....AND since there are all sorts of stage 2's coming up, etc, etc.......maybe we should have the book ready by SEPT 2010.....and have everyone submit their STUFF by july/august?-OR October the PINK bc awareness month? That gives plenty of time right? OR maybe IF we all get together in september in NOLA we could bring and put together? YES! I am still campaigning for that!
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CCBaby- Good Luck today!
I love the scrap book idea...Am I the only one who didnt see it ? : (
Im sure I will have lots of chances to see it- as I go back several times to fix my Mess.
Melinda- I am staying at the Clarion in April- Id love to get a report back from you on where you ate close by & what else you did off the Streetcar line.
pam
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Minn. I found out what they call Dr Sullivan= McSteamy and Dr. Dellacroce= McDreamy
Sorry I found it out someplace and thought I would come back and report my findings...lol...
J-Lo- Should be getting drained on Friday. My local PS normally has office hours on Wednesdays but she has since changed her schedule. I am sure the fluid isn't going to run off someplace.
Okay so I am 6 weeks out today and I wanted to know when I can start exercising. I still have fluid but I really would like to try and get back to running and weight lifting but I do not want to mess up anything. I just need to get rid of the flab
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Springtime-Please add me to your reconstruction list! April 16th SGAP-stage 2, Charleston S.C. with Dr. Massey
Thanks, and best thoughts to all!
Patti
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Dejaboo - no, u are not the only one who did not see the scrapbook. Maybe some of the ones who did can give us some ideas of what is on the sheets if we are gonna make a new one? Ladies - help out us poor step kids who missed it??
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Greetings
I'd like some input on this topic. I am scheduled to see my PS on Monday to discuss stage 2.
I am generally a pretty assertive person, but I am totally intimidated about telling the PS how unhappy I am with the breast size, which for me is way too big. It makes me feel like an ingrate. I know some people might like going from a B to a full D, but I am not one of them.
I want one breast reduced in size by about 25%, and the other (they are different sizes now) reduced in size by about 40 or 45%. Has anyone had their reconstructed breasts reduced this much? Were there any problems? Do the docs normally make them larger because there may be problems with fat necrosis, or was it just tempting because I had such an abundance of butt to take from?
Feel free to PM me. Thanks for your input.
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Margit~ What I was told was that the first stage is just to get the tissue to the area and have it live. The second was for shaping and size. One of the ladies in our local BC.org meeting was having a reduction of her diep breast. She was a D and wanted to be a B. So I think it happens pretty frequently. I would just come out and ask (think about the $ that you payed
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Margit - I was told that they usually utilize as much tissue as they possibly can in Stage 1 so that if there are any necrosis areas they can deal with that. My left side is enough larger than the right that I need to have reduction done on it in order to fit into a bra that fits both sides. I think, once the recon tissue has taken and established that they can reduce without any problems - but others on here might know more. I just know that I definitely need some tissue removed.
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Christy--Thinking of you today and said a prayer--girlfriend, you do not know the meaning of having a body in need of Lipo--but I'm glad you went for whatever you wanted and am sure you will be pleased with the result! Remember the Arnica! Thank you and your dh too for extending your wait time--they must of slipped me in front of you in order to get me to the airport. NO WAY would we have made it if Dr. S had marked you up first! Bless you...
CAT--Both times I had requested the wheelchair ahead of time--the limo driver dropped me off at curbside check in and requested it and it was right there--it took a minute or two for them to call for a transporter, but very efficient and helpful.
I'm in on a second or third scrapbook! I think dividing it up also helps more people get to see it while they wait...because once you start you want to read every word and at my last two appointments it was wall to wall people...
Well, I'm 8 days out of surgery today and my flap is looking Good! -- (well swollen, bruised and a little over-extended) but healthy and not going anywhere--thanks for all of your prayers! I will need another surgery to take out an extra skin flap that was necessary and to remove some fat--but Dr. S thinks he can do the nipples at the same time. He thinks in about 6 weeks things will settle to know better what is possible. I know different folks have different nicknames, but my dh and I call him "Michaelangelo." Definitely preferable to a "Picasso."
Peace,
Sara
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I agree with calling Dr S "michaelangelo". He's remarkable. I was talking to Celeste today about a probably seroma that has developed at my abdominal incision (bummer) and I also told her it seems that I'm developing lymphedema in my rt arm, where 6 nodes were clustered with the SB also bummer). She told me Dr S is doing lymphatic transfers, as well as is Dr Massey. Good to know.
Regarding the scrapbook - I did not see it the first appt, since we waited out in the larger waiting area. The scrapbook is on a small table in a smaller waiting area in the back, just beyond the clinical sign in desk. And we only happened to see it because they were taking us back for a post-op, and found out they were not quite ready, so they asked us to take a seat. I had no idea it was there before that. It's so special. I'm glad we had time to go through it.
Each page is very unique. The fronting page is a handwritten thanks from women who represent so many stages and styles of life, who are grateful for the opportunity to be cared for in an intimate way at a very vulnerable time. They thank the caring and dedicated hearts of the doctors, as well as the staff. Whoever wrote that page is a remarkable writer - that's what got us crying in the first place. Such gratitude - as we can relate to.
Each page was representative of a different person. Some pages had decorations as well as photos. Some had poetry or sketching. All had photos. Some had before and after photos. Some had family photos. One had a small fold-out photo album of small snapshots of the woman. The uniqueness of each page was very interesting. What struck us was that each woman was not a single patient who went through the process alone. Couples, families, children - all were in there in varying ways which makes the Center's work mean even more, in that when a woman's life is touched, many others are touched.
Doing an entire scrapbook overwhelms me, personally, but doing a single page could be fun.
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Large breasts - mine are a lot bigger, too. In my pre-op, I told Dr S that I wanted to go smaller ultimately. He told me takes women slightly bigger so they've got room to do whatever, later. I am a very full C on one side and a very full D on the other. My dream size is a full B. At Stage 2, I'm told I can tell them whatever size or shape I want, and they'll do that for me then. It may be a reduction, a lift or just lipo. It's my call. I'm sure it will be the same for you. It took me almost 4 weeks to get the Dolly Partons to reduce. I was pretty concerned there, wondering if I'd ever be smaller!!
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I will look in to the scrap book idea for the Sept and beyond NOLA gals to contribute to. I have a few supplies left from teaching the classes years ago. If everyone wants to create a 12 X12 page that would be great, but if it is a Creative Memories book it can only hold those pages (they have a little staple type hinge). So, if you want me to look around for something different I can, but let me know. If anyone wants ideas there is a whole bunch of teaching pages online easy to access. I can put the book together and take it there when I return in May . It will be there and can be added to as the rest of you finish your procedures and pages. Also, if you don' have access to a creative memories page you can put your thoughts (words) ,pictures, and creative artsy stuff on a 12X12 sheet of paper from a scrapbooking store and I can ADHERE it to the CM page when I get it. Let meknow if you want me to procede with the book for our gang
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Hey Tammy - I am game for either way the scrapbook is done. If you do CM, then maybe when we send you the 12x12 - we could send some $$ for the page and protective cover??? So, everyone refresh my memory - did people do just one 12x12, or 2 facing each other???
This is going to sound funny... and maybe I will change my mind when I get there... but I don't want anything done in stage 2 besides a quick clean up of my donor sites, nipples and maybe a little evening out of my breasts (very little evening!). I don't want lipo (because of my already existing lymphedema) and unless he can do a mini tummy tuck, I don't want that either (also because of the lymphedema)! Am I an anamoly?
To everyone that has had nipples done - what is the best kind of clothing to wear? Honestly, I hate going without a bra and I don't have too many baggy shirts - so I am trying to figure out what will be best for afterward. Thanks! Or should I just wear tight t's and go for the Madonna look?
K, gotta run... waiting for word from my sister about my dad... things aren't looking too good for him...
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Jaimie - LOL!!!!! I like those names. And BTW, who are "they"? Just tell me - were they staff or no?
Gin and Deja - Yes, the pages were all different, just like people's scrapbooks have different styles. Some used a lot of flourishes - the little sticker thingies you can buy at craft stores. The gal who put pages together for others often used different patterned papers for backing. Some wrote a thank-you card, and then the card was mounted on the page, sometimes along with a picture. My page was decidedly different and weird (I especially thought it was weird after I saw everyone else's) in that I used a voodoo theme...
Margit - You had better get more assertive, girl! You are going to be living with those babies! They purposely make them bigger so they can sculpt away at the second phase. Dr. D told me to expect this, so I wasn't surprised that it was bigger, and, as he said, you can always take some away, harder to add. So think of it as a mound of clay about to be sculpted! I even had him sculpt a bit more on my third visit, to create more of a little slope on the upper curve, to better match my remaining breast. He used a tiny little lipo pippette (I know that's not what it's called) for a very subtle contour.
Sara - So at first I thought that Michaelangelo was the name you gave one of your breasts, and that the one you didn't like as much was Picasso (like, maybe it was off-center or something...)!
Tammy - I think that would be great if you would be up for organizing this! Maybe it can help you take your mind off of the horrible part of your experience, as well as help you focus on the knight in shining armor who came to your rescue!
Nordy - Some gals actually used 2 pages, which were put in facing each other. When I saw it, I thought, "I could have used 2 pages?! Wow, there's so much more I could have said!" Most everyone only used one, however. (Prayers for you and your dad.)
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Hello and Phoffa, I added you to the listings above. There were several pages, if somebody asked to be added and I missed you, send me a PM. Work and life have been busy, if I missed you, it's just b/c I can't read everything, I am skimming!
Nordy, I had butt drains and ab drains after stage 2 b/c I had 4 flaps to begin with, not enough fat either belly or butt. I had Dr. D, apparently I needed a lot of drains! I've known others to have no drains, so I think it might just depend - I had a lot of work done in Stage 2...
Minn, I am still hoping my lower ab flattens - it is a real bulge right now. As if I was starting a pregnancy, WHICH I AM NOT (just sayin!). I have been thinking of calling NOLA, I wonder if i need to go get "drained"? or if it's swelling? I've not given up hope yet! I am just not sure it was worth it for me. I'm only 3 months out, so there is still time. But you don't know if you don't try. I am a sort of "go for it" person...
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Nordy
where is the lymphadema? i saw a lymphadema specialist today re my left buttock area, which still has a big seroma, and the swelling in my left upper leg. i take it frm what you wrote that lip can interfere with drainage or make lymphadema worse??
margit
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Nordy I would ask Dr. S about the lymphodema and see what he says. It sounds like he is doing more lymph node transfers so I trust what he has to say.
Minn.~ The names didn't come from his staff I think I saw it on YSC (but you know my brain has been fried.
So J-Lo will be deflated on Friday afternoon. The office receptionist tried to give me an appt. on March 26....ummm..not going to work. Then I get a phone call back and my wonderful PS here in MD will see me on Friday which is on her next office day. I am telling you she always makes sure that I am okay
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I suggest that we use standard 12" x 12" scrapbook pages, which will make it easier for all of us to find the paper we want to use. I bought some pages at our local JoAnn's a while back, but didn't want to make my page until I'm all done. I guesss it's been easier to just keep having surgeries than to say a final thank you either in words or with a page, but someday I will need to wrap up my reconstruction and finally express how I feel about everything I have been gifted with in NOLA.
Laughlines, please do join us the evening of the 28th. It looks like I need to stay until sometime on 3/30 due to trying to schedule a lot into a very short trip.
Eve, of course you can do another page! One for each breast, I guess, since you are doing them separately.
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By the way, for any of you who have not seen Katie for a while, you are in for quite a surprise when you walk into the Center!
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Spring, please add my dear friend Bobbie to the schedule for 3/19 DIEP with Dr. D. She attends our EnCourage meetings and has wanted this for a long time. She is so lucky because Stephanie will be there at the same time and can check in on her.
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Yes, Jaimie - I spoke w/him about the lymph node transfers at my stage 1 preop and at this point that is not something that I am wanting to do. Maybe a couple years down the line though... In the mean time, I am a lymphedema certified therapist and although I have not used my certification much in practice (and am my own worst patient to boot), I have a sound working knowledge of the lymph system... and a lot of lipo is not something I am wanting.
Christy - I hope that all went well today and that you are loving your new body.
Margit - I got your PM... I have actually got to run, but want you to know that I will try to write you soon. We are leaving in the morning for Montana - my dad is in the ICU. He suffered a major stroke and things are not really looking very well. So, needless to say, I have packing and last minute arrangements to make for things here before we take off out the door. My heart is heavy and... well... that's all.
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