NOLA in September?
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Sally - glad you finally heard back. Good luck starting back to work.
Sue - hooray on the swimming! That sounds so good.
Nordy - You can boohoo all you want here! I can just picture you wearing your "I WANT IT ALL" tank top as your wrote your last post. For the record though, if I come out with a total package like yours I will be one very happy woman.
I leave for NOLA soon so I started trying to explain this all to my two-year-old today. Now she has started yelling "I want to get a new breasts too!!!" at inconvenient times. Huh.
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Gotta love those 2 year olds:)
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Laughlines, two year olds can just embarrass you at the worst possible times! But ya gotta love their innocent honesty.
Nordy, I believe that you made the right decision! I recall the relief I received after my MLD massages---you don't want to have fluid that can't go anywhere. Plus, you are still swollen from your surgery, so give yourself time for everything to settle down more, but I think you look amazing.
Spring, yes, you want to consume protein or fiber with sugars to slow them down. When you ingest sugar, your pancreas releases a ton of insulin and it's proven that the immune system is supressed when that occurs. Fruit has fiber, so that helps to slow the sugas down, but fruit juice does not. I've basically stopped drinking fruit juices in favor of making whole fruit smoothies instead.
Tammy, you have to use a photo which is hosted on a web site, and link to it to display it. I can upload the scrapbook photos to my site and give you the links if you'd like. I had ab drains for about a week after stage II.
Sally, I'm glad you communicated with Dr. S and got his advice. I'm sure he understands kids and phones.
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laughlines - when my daughter explained to my 5 year old grandson that i was getting a bilateral mastectomy, they came over and we were going out to dinner. When I got in the car, he said "mammaw, why ya getting your boobs cut off"? After we all stopped laughing, I told him one of them was "sick". He said "like my back" (he had back surgery when he was 3 for a growth). I said "yea, like ur back" and then he said "ok" and was fine. Thank goodness we were in the car and not the restaurant when he asked, lol.
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It's been a heck of a year here - a lumpectomy, DIEP Stage 1 and 2, recuperation, planning for my oldest daughter's wedding, which is this coming Saturday.........and I just had a delightful sister die this past week of multiple organ failure from alcoholism. So very sad. What a wild year! I'm 5 weeks post-op and noticing how tired I still am. Not bouncing back quite as quickly, even before the tragic news of my sister.
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It was because of my sister that I had an MRI this year, since she had breast cancer 7 years ago, making me considered to be high risk. My DCIS never did show up in any mammogram, but it showed up with an MRI. My primary decided that since I turned 50 this year, I should get a better screening. Good thing! If not, then who knows when it would have showed up?
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kc, so very sorry about your sister. That is very sad. You've had a lot to deal with over the last year--any one of those things on their own would be ultra stress inducing, but add them all together and it's just too much. Wishing you the best with your daughter's wedding. I hope you can all find some fun in all of the madness of planning!
I know it's easier said than done, but please give yourself a break and try not to push yourself too much while you're still recuperating. You deserve some R&R!
Suzanne
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Sally - Hang in there with those scabs!!! I hope they dry up quickly!
KC - Thank you. That was exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. I have to remind myself of the reason I didn't take full advantage of the flat tummy... and it is because the one thing that I hate the most about ever having BC is the lymphedema. I despise it more than when I didn't have breasts... and I do love, love, love my new breasts!
Gin, Sue, Sandy, Laughlines and Pam - Thank you! I really did just need to boohoo... and I had a rather down week... which is totally not like me... who knows what the heck is going on!
Pam - do you realize that you will be in NOLA when we are??? How fun is that!
Laughlines... it is interesting what your kids begin to think is the norm with all of this. Mine have started asking when they will have to get theirs cut off so the doctor can make them some new ones. I have had to explain that we really hope and pray that never has to happen to them! And, yes indeed, you are getting close!!! I am super excited for you!
Tammy - I had drains forever after stage 1 as well... and lost them pretty quickly after stage 2... so I think that what you had at stage 1 has absolutely no indication of what you may drain at stage 2... Dr. S did say I had to keep them in for a minimum of 1 week. I think I lost all drains shortly thereafter.
KC - I just read further down on the posts. I am so, so very sorry to hear about your sister. You have had and still have so many stressors in your life! Even the happy ones can be stressful. Please try to take some time for you and give yourself some time to breathe. Again, I am very sorry for your loss. (((((hugs))))))
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(((((KC))))) So so sorry for you loss.
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KC- Im so sorry to hear about your Sister. my thoughts are with you.
I hope you can enjoy your daughters wedding this Saturday. Such a Special day.
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Nordy-Yes I planned my Surgery date around the get together...Or I would have picked Mid Sept.
Im looking forward to it (not the surgery- LOL)
I am not swabbing my Scabs with Betadine anymore. I was running out of them & Asked Jeanine if she would mail me some more - she said I didnt need to use them anymore, so I am not. They are extremely dry though. last week they stopped softening up from a shower.
Laughlines- too funny.
Tammy- Your shells are very pretty. Im glad you finally made it home!
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kc - I'm so sorry about your sister.0
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KC - sorry to hear about your sister.
Ladybug50 - I just told them I wanted to have my hyterectomy done and they said it could be done at the same time as stage 2. Jeanine his nurse worked with their local GYN for scheduling and it was set up. I didn't have to do anything. They'll set up a pre opt appt with the GYN on the same day as my pre opt with Dr. D.
Sally - it would have been nice if we could have been on the same schedule.
Before my surgery, I had noticed a little stiffness on my cancer side and figured I'd probably need some physical therapy afterward. Well, apparently with the weight restrictions and not moving around much for that first 4 weeks - I now have a frozen shoulder. At first I thought it might be a pinched nerve because I was having problems with my thumb also. Went to the doc and said not pinched nerve and needed to see ortho doc. Didn't take him but a few minutes to tell me the thumb and should pain I'd been having weren't related and that the shoulder was frozen. It's my right side and I'm right handed - so couldn't believe that with normal use it froze. For now, I'm going to do steroid shot and physical therapy and hope and pray that I can unfreeze it myself. If I can't - it'll be surgery for them to unfreeze it. Another surgery! He said to go ahead and do my stage 2 and then we'll see about fixing the shoulder. It aches and hurts and I've got limited movement. Just when I was getting back to normal and now this! I'm just sick of having something wrong all the time. AHHHHHH! Anyone else ended up with a frozen shoulder?
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Thanks Cat! Sounds easy enough. What all did you end up having during stage 2 then? Probably didn't add too much OR time?
Did anyone go to NOLA and have the doc mis-judge the donor sites (via pictures) or change donar sites once they were evaluated? I'm sure they get pretty good looking at pics and deciding, but I was just curious..
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Getting on the scale to see a new number for the first in a loooonnnggg time- wahoo! Pulling on a pair of capris a size smaller that fits- yes! Going to Target feeling a little sporty despite chemo haircut- not bad! Coming home to find tape strip indicating size of capris still attached to backside- Sh*t!
At least they were not down around my knees....
Cat- good luck with your shoulder.
((((kc))))))I am so sorry for your loss.
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Boy have I come a long way..... I pulled both my hip drains last night by myself..!! If you knew what a wuss I am (easily grossed out).. you would appreciate what an accomplishment that is for me!! lol. So..... drumroll please.... I believe I'm drain free perhaps for the rest of my life!!! Woohoo! Knock on wood!
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Sue, congrats on the new scale number and size smaller!! That's awesome!!!! LOL about the size strip. You just have to laugh!!
Holtbolt, isn't drainfree the best? Good for you!!!!
I am back at work today but still have one drain. The good news is that it fits inside my previously snug pants easily and nobody even knows it's there! I hope to get rid of it in the next day or two.
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kc, it HAS been a rough year for you. I am so sorry your sister passed. Regarding your fatigue 5 weeks out--it's highly possible that you're anemic (I was and didn't realize it till later.) Consider getting your blood counts checked, or increase your iron anyway. Between a long surgery, operative blood loss, and continuous bloody drainage, it's unusual NOT to be a bit low on iron or volume.
Take care,
Anne
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KC-I'm so, so sorry about your sister. My thoughts are with you.
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Yes KC - I'm thinking of you too. I am sorry.
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KC, I am so sorry to hear about your sister. I have 2 sisters so I know how deep the pain must be.
May G-d send you comfort.
Leah
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KC I am thinking and praying for you and your family. It certainly has been a rough year. Hang in there
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kc - there arent any words that can help, but there is much love and many prayers for you here...
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kc-So sorry about the loss of your sister. Thinking of you.
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To each one of you, thank you for your kind words. This is such a crunch week. My oldest is the one getting married on Saturday, my youngest is the one who is struggling so badly with everything this year. My youngest has bipolar, in addition to developmental delay from a traumatic brain injury years ago. Trying to explain cancer, surgeries, and now this death of her fav aunt. Geez!! It is so complicated. Right now it's taking SO much time each day to work her through all this.
On a lighter note, I just want to say how snappy I'll be looking in my new, smaller, perkier breasts and relatively flat tummy - - look out!! Shopping has been so much easier!
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Hi All,
I had a lot of reading to do to catch up.
KC Sorry for your loss.
CAT1, Yes, I have a frozen left shoulder. It was stiff after my BIMX and the TE's and froze up after the infection and removal of my left implant. I have been doing PT but it is not working. I saw the Orthopedic Dr last week and I have surgery scheduled for this Thursday to unfreeze it. AHHHH. My ortho Dr said I should do it before Stage 1 so that he won't disturb the surgery area afterwards. I hope I am doing the right thing. The pain has been pretty bad at times and I really want to use my arm... But, the way they unfreeze it sounds pretty gruesome and painful....
Lynn
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kc - I'm also so sorry to hear about your sister. Prayers to you for strength to get thru this difficult time... You have lots of reasons to feel worn out. I agree with Anne, tho. I've been struggling with anemia myself and my doc prescribed iron - at higher dose than available on the shelf and for less cost, which surprised me. I'm hoping it's doing its stuff, but I still find myself mighty tired more often than I'd like.
Cat and Sheridan - I'm worried about this frozen shoulder business, too. Have a history of problems on the side where I just had my PM. I know there was stiffness the first time around, so don't know what to expect this time, but I went into it with this bum shoulder and am wondering whether to ask for a consult with a PT.
Laughlines & Sue - great stories!
Dejaboo - I hope you're feeling better. We need to get out together and drink those nipples! BTW, I bought a 4-pack of Red Bull (haven't in a long while). Now I just need to get me some string cheese and I'll be set!
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Lynn, ouch! I've been wary of the surgery to "unfreeze" the shoulder ever since I worked in a pain clinic...but we always saw the bad outcomes there, not the good ones. Frozen shoulder usually resolves in a year to 18 months without surgery. It takes patience, lite PT, and pain meds as needed. I worry that the surgery can create problems that weren't there before, and the rehab can be really, really tough. Have you considered a second opinion? Just playing devil's advocate from a different perspective...
Pam, Red Bull and string cheese??? Gteat way to gag me while I'm drinking my morning tea, girl!
KC, have a blast shopping. You deserve a little immediate gratification!
Anne
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Yep Anne, I am having my morning sugar free redbull with string cheese now. its the best : )
Dont choke.
Eve let me know what you think when you add in the string cheese. LOL
I am ready for some nipple drinks too. it was not the same this sat. without you & G.
I would see a PT Eve- Better to start early if needed then to wait.
I agree with Anne Lynn. While it does take a long time to resolve, It often does. My dh had it a few years back. if it doesnt then you can consider surgery.
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Lynn-I had a frozen shoulder a couple yrs ago (before BC), it was the most pain thing I ever experienced. I remember calling the orth office and crying the pain was so bad and crying to the pharmacist while filing a presc for pain. I do not know what caused it, just happened. Went to PT 3 times a week for 3 months, really didn't think it was doing any good- then one day it was like it just released! It was incredibile!!!!! I've never had any more problems with it, amazing.
KC-Hope things settle down for you and your daughter finds comfort in your words. Have fun shopping!
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