NOLA in September?
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Marcia All I can say is WOW. May god bless you and those affected directly and indirectly from this tragedy.
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((((((((Marcia)))))))))
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Thanks Sue and Sally,love you two!
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((((((Marcia))))))beautiful inspiring words!
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(((((Marcia)))))
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Oh Marcia. What a story. Thank you for sharing it here.
I am in the airport with my dh on our way home (and back to my little girl!)
Yikes - you ladies weren't kidding. That lipo is ouchy business. My first two days were pretty painful, but after that I've felt pretty good, just sore and stiff. I walk like a penguin everywhere I go, but I am walking. And I had no drains this time! Yippee!
I like the nipples! They do look pretty gross with all the stitches coming out, but I can already tell I'm going to be glad to have them. They do make the boobs seem more real.
I met the new Physician's Assistant this week too, and she came to check in on me after surgery. She seemed fine. I agree with all the other comments that you ladies who weren't followed up with properly should squeak about it to the center.
Have to run, but had to check in with you all!
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Laughlines, what in world did you have left to lipo? You are so tiny! I hope you recover quickly and glad you enjoy the new nips. I am glad I got them, too.
I posted my latest pics on Timtam's site. I still have a long way to go, weight-wise, but it's nice to see progress.
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Sue, i also have a really deep belly button. Not sure why. I am just 4 weeks post stage 1 so don't know if anything about that will change in stage 2. I am still using betidine there too. Talked to the PA this past week. She sais sometimes bellybutton takes longer to heal (have whitish gook) but i did not ask her about how deep it is. Figure I will address that in stage 2.
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Marcia-Thank you for your post and for reminding us about the hardships faced by NOLA and the surrounding areas due to Katrina.....to think that many have rebuilt their cities and continue to move on with such strength. And to think you were facing your own bigger battle on top of it all. I know your mom and fellow "sisters" and medical community are incredibly proud of you. I feel honored to know you and mean that from the bottom of my heart. It is so good to reflect at times. You are suvivor in more ways than one.
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Marcia - Thanks so much for sharing your story. What a strange synchronicity re: 8/28. You've been thru so much, yet continue to give back to so many. I agree that it's an honor to know you.
Laughlines - Glad to hear you're doing well. Yes, the lipo is really something, isn't it? A month out and still owww!
Sueinfla - Okay, I have to admit that I laughed a bit at your description of discovering your bottomless navel. Ladybug, too. This is one I haven't heard before! So is it possible that, after the lipo, there isn't any extra fat pushing your belly button out, so it's not as shallow as it once was?
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Lipo tip that really helped me--the first time I started Arnica post surgery and did it occasionally and it helped modestly...This time I started Arnica 3 days before surgery, and took it and bromelain (on empty stomach) faithfully after surgery and at a week and a half out I'm doing great! I am tender, but not sore and most bruises are gone. The other thing I did was had a cold laser treatment on the areas and really got relief from that...I do know though that everyone's body is different. I agree with Anne that part of recovery depends on how long you were under--I've been under 8, 9, 11 and 2.5 hrs--I think the much shorter time is why I've bounced back quicker. I also had been anemic from my other surgeries and took supplemental iron to bring my levels up going into this most recent surgery. Best of luck to all!
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Today is my first day in a bathing suit since my DEIP procedure. Everything look so very natural. Breasts are filled out nicely on the sides and have a nice, natural slope in front. Starting to look forward to stage 2 to get the rest done and behind me. Thinking about the first week in Dec (holtbolt, maybe we would be there together!). Anyway, revision question...Has anyone had a flat nipple after a nipple sparing procedure? And were they able to fix it in stage 2? I had one nipple that was flatter than the other and had what the docs called a "cleft" in the nipple. The breast surgeon thought she knew what was causing it and could help things while she was in there taking out tissue. Well, that nipple has had issues, it survived but has no projection at all..flat as the areola area. I think the docs are probably good enough to fix this, but wonder if anyone has any similar experience?
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Dear Friends
I want to apologize to everyone who has wrote to me without getting an answer. I haven't been on this site for about 7 months. I want to let everyone know I am well and still kicking. As some of you know I went back to teaching in 2009. I had been on disability. I had stage 1 done in June 2009 at NOLA, went back in August to have my abdomen re-closed, had stage 2 in December. I was accosted by a nut case getting off the plane from stage 2 and was in physical therapy for 2 months due to being hit with a suitcase deliberately in my back. Tried to get someone to take my case, tried 3 lawyers and gave up. All that while driving 112 total miles a day back and forth to my teaching position.
I have retired this July 1st.but I haven't had time to take a breath. My daughter and two little girls have spent the summer at our cottage in the thumb of MI. All 900 sq. feet with one bathroom. It has been very busy time.
All of the above reasons is why I haven't been able to communicate or have one minute to myself since December. I have missed everyone and this site. All of you have been a blessing to me.
I have not gone for stage 3 yet. The funny thing is my husband seems to be more interested in my getting the tattoo around the areola than I am. I need to just relax for a while before I go back maybe in October or November.
I would like to see Dr. D. anyway and ask him whether I am being toooooooo picky about not having two breasts that are not exactly the same size. My left is a perfect 36 B and my right side is about a 36 B-. So I fill out the bra on the left and the right has a small amount of extra material. Cleavage is noticeable on the left while the right has very little.
The other thing that I want to talk about and if anyone out there has any feedback or similar problem please let me know: - I have had heel pain now going on for over a year. Can you believe it!? No breast pain, no abdomen pain, no buttock pain, I have heel pain. Ever since my first surgery. Sometimes it is so painful I limp. It is worse when I sit and get up or getting up in the morning. I have gone to a foot specialist several times and he has taken an X-ray. He can find no reason for the pain. He said he can only surmise that I have some kind of nerve damage due to one or all of the operations I had for reconstruction. My next step is acupuncture. Any thoughts from the ladies that have had any similar problems would be greatly appreciated.
I live in MI and belong to the GILDA's chapter in Royal Oak. We are going to have a seminar on reconstruction with a teleconference with Dr. D. and Dr. Sullivan. All details have not been worked out but it will be October 12 at 5-7. Any women in the area who would like to come or would like to participate in the "show and tell" please send me a private post.
Love to all the ladies that have supported me. Love to all the ladies I have met. By next week when I regain some of my quiet time I will be back on frequently to support as I have been supported.
Sassie62
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Sassie!!! Welcome back! You've been missed. Sounds like things have been way too hectic for you.
Wish I had some words of wisdom about your heel pain, but I'm stumped...
You are NOT being too picky for wanting a little more symmetry in the breasts.
Stick around, okay?
Anne
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Hi ladies
I actually went through and read (well, skimmed) all 220 pages of this thread! Took me a week or so but I really appreciate this resource being there for women like me in the info-gathering phase of this recon journey.
So I posted an insurance question a while back; thanks for the feedback. I'm at the point now where I'm considering changing insurance plans. We are currently on a very strict HMO, and the only flap surgery done in network is DIEP, which I've already been told my belly is inadequate for.
My question is this: what insurance companies have people used that considered NOLA in-network? Particularly any of you who are in Washington state?
Thanks
p.s. Hi Laughlines! Glad to hear your stage 2 went well!
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I am considering DEIP reconstruction nine years after a bi-lateral mastectomy. I'm 67 and tired of trying to dress around annoying prosthetics! Just wondering if anyone has waited as long as I have and what your experience has been. Especially interested in someone my age having this procedure.
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zandy: the NOLA docs aren't in any networks
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Thanks for the reply....I will take a look at the NOLA sight. I have just begun the search but it seems that's the preferred place to go. Thanks again!
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I am 12 days post DIEP and doing well. My only complaint is fatigue, and I am trying to take the good advice given so often here and just be patient with that.
I have found it so helpful to read the details of others' experiences on BC.org and I will post a detailed message later, but I wanted first to post a few amusing things that happened in NOLA that you all will especially appreciate.
The night before my surgery I went out to dinner with SallyM and Sarabehealed, along with my sister in law and Sara's daughter. When we were deciding on dessert, our waitress overheard Sara telling me that I should decide since tomorrow was my special day. The waitress said, oh are you getting married? I said no and Sara immediately shot back "she's having twins!" I have laughed everytime I've thought of that.
When I was in the hospital I found the hospital gowns really scratchy and uncomfortable so I just left it off and stayed under the covers. I realized after I got up a few times that I had neglected to put the gown on and just paraded around the room naked. Well not naked, I had on a bra and abdominal dressing and doppler wires and onc ball and 4 drains--and I think in my haze this made it feel like I was covered up! Now I know no one saw me and it wouldn't matter anyway, but walking around my hospital room naked is not something I would normally do.
Then the last thing is there was a guy in the hotel across from the Homewood Suites who, like clockwork open his drapes and DID parade around naked in front of the windows every night. I had 2 girlfriends with me at this point and by the second night I'm pretty sure "naked guy" (remember the naked guy from Friends?) knew we were watching him. We were all very immature about the whole thing and laughed too hard for my post op belly!
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Amy!!! THAT is hysterical! (the naked guy, you naked, the twins... but mostly the naked guy!) Glad to hear you are doing well.
((((((Marcia))))) LOVE YOU!
Laughlines! I have not been on here forever - had company from out of state last week! I am sorry I missed sending you off but so, so happy that all went well. Hope you are home now with your little one and recuperating. And I second the comment - WHERE is exactly did they lipo you?! PS - Don't forget the Arnica!!!
For all those ladies worried about going to to Center... I have not ONE regret about my surgery in New Orleans... except maybe that I didn't go there in the beginning. My breasts are beautiful, warm, and jiggly. For those of you who do not know my story, I researched, traveled and interviewed MD's from coast to coast and north to south... and decided on the Center for my reconstruction after failed expanders and living w/a flat chest on one side and concave on the other for over a year. The amounts that I had to pay for my stage 1 and 2 were do-able and only a fraction of what some other places would have charged me. AND - since I have seen the pics at other places... I know that I have phenomenal results! So, take a deep breath and know that you are going to the place that does this all the time. AND if there are any major issues, they will fly you back there and take care of you!
Update: the lady that works at the hospital where I have pre-op has gotten all her papers and is headed to New Orleans in the next couple of months. She is so excited!
Dragonfly - Spring will update your name when she is back online!
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Amy that is so funny! You and Minn would be dangerous together!
So Wednesday I am having more sugery.
I have to have a hysterectomy and RSO, possible BSO. Damn genetics. I'm going to the same doctor that Nordy went to for hers. I'm a stressed out wreck, but know it has to be done.0 -
((((hugs Trishia)))) See you soon.
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Thanks for the chat last night! You saved my sanity. Well..as much as that can be done. xoxoxox
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Hi All, I missed a few days and boy did I have some reading to do....Amym159, Love the "naked" story...
I went back to work today. Thank God it is only desk work at this point. I am still very tired and I really needed to take a nap about noon today. After I got off work, my daughter and I went for a long walk and that helped.
On Saturday, I put on a pair of jeans that are a size smaller than my pre surgery jeans. They are a bit tight but they hold my belly in so it doesn't swell as much. I am very pleased with how things are healing. My husband was looking at my belly button and scar line the other day. There is a little slit at the top of my abdomen scar line and I think it is the top of my old belly button.
Thanks to all of you for the information on Stage 2 and the lipo. Is stage 2 worse than stage 1? I really don't want lipo but the Dr needs to add fat to my smaller boob.
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Ok ladies... I'm scheduled for stage 1, September 12th. Without reading through 221 pages, can anyone give me some quick tips or pointers? PLEASE
I'm super excited, but the closer it gets I wonder what am I getting myself into.0 -
I too am excited and counting off the days but in doing so I'm also getting more nervous. What I'm holding on to is knowing that I will end up having breasts that won't potentially kill me and that I'm in the best microsurgical hands and facility available. I'll be heading to New Orleans for a bilateral mastectomy, Stacked DIEP Flap and Hip Flap on October 19th. Dr. Sullivan, Dr. Massey and Dr. LaGarde will be performing the procedures at St. Charles Surgical Hospital.
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Dagroz13 - I added your date.
Dragonfly, I changed your date per your PM.
I live in the south and have CIGNA (south) for my insurance, and all the docs were in network for my surgeries. I have so far had three surgeries there and with CIGNA all in network.
Lipo - here is my 2 cents. I had extensive lipo on my upper thighs. They were very "blobby" according to me! Anyway, it hurt like a "mother" for 3-5 days, and I had extensive bruising. Looked like a car accident! HOWEVER, I would do it all over again. My body is transformed. It was worth every owie.
I also felt like I should be much better much quicker after stage 2 (I also had the ab plication). I was very impatient to get better, I was so done with feeling compromised! But it just takes time. I don't know when I turned the corner, but I am 9 months out now and LIFE IS GREAT. Just hang in there! You won't feel like this forever!
Dagroz - I know what you mean about "breasts that won't potentially kill you". I don't know if you can see Trisha's T-shirt in the pic above, but it says something like, "Heck Yeah, they're fake, the real ones tried to KILL ME!!".
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Can they do any lipo on stage 1? I'm just not sure what all they do, I don't know when/if I'll get back for stage 2 due to insurance issues
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Oh, I can't wait to someday wear that t shirt!!!!! Just need the fake boobs first.
LOLA's Breastoration. what a great name.
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Dragonfly, they probably won't do any lipo is Stage 1, because the surgery time is necessary to get the breasts implanted well, plus you don't really know what tweaks are needed till the scars heal, the breasts settle, etc. It's okay to wait as long as you need to for the subsequent stages.
Anne
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