NOLA in September?
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Hi ladies,
Nordy...we've never spoken but your situation really tugs at my heart...I will keep you in my thoughts.
Minn...you crack me up every time you post
Spring...thank you for checking on how I was
All...I'm doing great, and really want to let those with an upcoming Stage 2 know. This was my 2nd Stage 2 and it involved evening up, lift, reduction, lipo. I ended up with two breast drains, no pain ball, no morphine drip. My first Stage 2 included all that and plication, WITH all 4 drains, pain ball and morphine drip. After that first time, I felt like I got hit by a verrrrrrrrrryyyyyy long train. And it took me about 4 months to feel like myself again. This time...easy peasy!!! I felt great right away, flew home two days earlier than expected, started on just Tylenol for daytime just two days out of surgery. So, I hope all of you experience the best of those two options! I think plication is the big difference.
By the way...I didn't know we could get a "roll" in a place where the dom didn't cover
. Knowing that, I'm tempted to get out the duct tape!Good luck to all, and Happy Holidays, too!
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Nordy - I'm so sorry to hear this. I pray this turns out to be nothing.
Thinking of you xox.
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Oh Nordy, I am sorry you are not feeling well and are dealing with fear while you are so sick. Sending love and prayers for you...I'm sure we will all be feeling anxious for you as you seek answers. Everything else I was going to post can wait. Love you, praying for you!
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My dear sisters - my husband is reading this thread to me and you are all CRACKING ME UP while I am laying here in this hospital bed recovering from today's surgery. I would love nothing more than to see you all on Sunday. Don't know if that's feasible but if I can make it, I will. I'll be checking the post later for time and place.
Laurie from Washington
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Nordy, love......Oh this stuff makes us all NUTS!!! And rightly so! Personally never had any lumps or bumps to see/feel w/ my own 'issues'....had to trust modern technology(mammo/MRI/US)....and my gut? Then after the great 'trade up'....I still don't do much 'checking' (by palpation) unless something is hurting...and honestly...I have suprisingly GREAT sensation/feeling!.......nonetheless....when I saw my local BS in June I think she sent me for US because she felt a couple little pea sized places. Gotta say I totally rolled my eyes and went along then asked the radiologist doing the US(who was the same one who found my 8mm IDC 2 + yrs ago...only on MRI-there was NOTHING on mammo or US...I was high risk after atypical stuff showed on my first screening mammo at 41).....anyhoo.........they were now oil cysts....which is fat necrosis that has.....matured....turned into oil......Lumps or bumps scare the heck out of us.....BUT...our bodies have been thru SOOoooooo much since....august 2009-when this thread started(?). Not to mentionall the other treatent- chemo and rads, etc many had before..............KEEP the faith! I AM for ya!
Gotta say the radiologist who did my US in June..........she just was asking me if I was happy....I told her "OH YES!...best thing I ever could have done!" She told me my recon looked great.....I asked her to US the weird area on the inside L breast where Dr D did a lot of 'work' and she said maybe scar tissue/fibrosis...then just smiled big and said, again..."Well, your recon looks GREAT! I probably won't ever see you again! Congratulations!"......I said "Thanks, sounds great! Would love to bump into you again...but, at the grocery store, or target".
Nordy, sorry you are having to deal w/ ALL this!
Ann......I loved the Dr. S story.......talk about a class act! I was VERY swollen...OMG my ankles were grapefruits! I wore the ted hose and stayed propped up, drank the water and rested but DID walk after some swellign went down. Dr D just said he had 'worked me over pretty good".......THANK You! There is SUCH a huge fluid shift when they do serious lipo...and that's what I had......It took a good several weeks to get back to normal functional....and I hadn't really ever reached normal but was very functional 10-11 weeks post stage 1 when I went back for stage 2. To be perfectly honest w/ you I didn't feel any plication pain until I started exercising regularly/seriously a few mos later and then I just listened to my body and noticed as the pain subsided and I became stronger and more fit. Stay strong- you're awesome!
ok ladies....Nordy...peace-hope you get some soon! Love you all....
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Also....I think for those w/ skin sparing if there IS someihtng that shows up on the skin they can do punch biopsy...or something to that effect to remove?
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Nordy,
"__MN", I can't put into words what I am feeling for you right now.
Wish I were there with you now.
All my heart, Laurie
Sending Hugs your way.
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Nordy You are in my prayers. I too am in the you have no more breast tissue therefore you are probably fine camp. I also would get it checked out so that when your PS says your fine you can finally exhale. And while your at the PS's office I would hit him/her up for some antibiotics. You are there anyways you might as well make it a 2fer.
Ann So glad you are back at home and the leg swelling is doing better. Soooo glad you don't have drains.
lciscarroll Would love to see you too on Sunday. Glad you are feeling good enough to laugh, I'm sure that will speed up the healing process (as long as you don't bust any stitches).
plainjane64 Nice story. It is so nice to hear about when other people notice the great end results of a NOLA surgery... Nordy's butt included
Also, does anyone know how they fix fat necrosis? Do they just suck it out and then inject viable fat in its place? I have 3 small areas of concrete under my radiated skin. I'm afraid Dr. S is going to suggest doing another flap on that side. I just can't wait for that moment when he's marking me up for my stage 2 and he does it with one eye shut. I think I will bust out laughing thinking about you Ann.
Anywho, fat necrosis anyone?
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fourboymom- I just had my Stage 2 with Dr. Massey last week. I had a grape sized area of necrosis in my rt breast. She made a small incision and then pulverized it ( basically just broke it up)...maybe with sound waves???? I didn't ask ...anyway she told me to massage that area gently in the coming weeks. On the left I had a huge area of necrosis, almost horseshoe shaped with a large amount being on the top. She made an incision on the lower fold of the breast and then removed all of it...then filled in with fat injections. I was thrilled to wake up and not feel a brick in that area. She said I might want some more fat injection for volume when I come back, but to wait 6 mos. and see how it all settles. I love it!!
Joni
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(((((NORDY))))) I'm so sorry you are going through this. IT SUCKS!!!
Okay...remember when I had my lump in April?!?!?! Turned out to be an inclusion cyst. It will be NOTHING but B9 for you too!!! Much much love!!!
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jacee Thanks so much for the info. Horseshoe shape would describe mine quite well also. I was obsessing a bit about how they were going to fix it. I almost wished I had done a stacked flap for more volume on my radiated side but I was too scared about flap failure. I didn't realize the skill level of the NOLA surgeons at the time. Now I would do whatever they suggest. That being said I am very happy with the way I look right now. Perky with no bra.
I'm very glad you are happy with your results. Brick removal sounds great. Thanks for the info.
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Thank you everyone. I am hoping it is nothing. Sorry Eve - I think I made it sound like it is in the skin - it is just beneath the skin, but the same exact area as my original cancer. It is very superficial and mobile (okay, but then again, so was my BC) - but this almost feels glandular. Which I think is really weird, but all of my lymph nodes are swollen right now with this illness... but our anatomy is such that there should not really be a lymph node right there! But... yes, I could imagine an area of fat/oil. Will see what the PS says in the AM.
Fat necrosis questions - here is where time is on your side. I had a small area on the right side and a very large area on the left (I think my local PS said about 6 cm). I delayed my stage 2 because of another surgery in between - so about 7 months from stage 1 to stage 2 and by that time the area on the left resolved completely on its own. The area on the right got just a little smaller and I had Dr. S do his magic there because it was also near my original BC site and I just did not want to worry about it. I think Deja had a very large area that she massaged the heck out of (don't know if that is recommended
) and that worked for her (Deja - please correct me if I am wrong!). SO - hang in there, sometimes these things will resolve on their own!Laurie - oh my gosh - you are coherant enough to dictate! Or are you writing this yourself?! I was coherant enough to talk on the phone the night of my surgery, but I don't think I could have typed a single word! I hope you are feeling well and loving your new breasts! If you have Nikki for your night nurse - she is the best! I can never remember everyone else's names! Sending you hugs and glad you are on the other side of this. Now - 6 weeks of breasts in training!
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Nordy Prayers and Hugs to you this AM. Thanks for keeping us updated. And through it all you still manage to take care of others...breasts in training....what a crack up. I'm imangining a cartoon healthclub full of cartoon boobs on treadmills and lifting weights. You are great and I want you to get in to your Dr's ASAP so he/she can let you know you are fine and you can go on and enjoy the rest of your week. For insurance reasons I needed to get stage 2 done before the new year. But if I have to get a stage 2b done I will definetely wait 6 or 7 months for things to "settle". Again Nordy, thanks for taking care of others
I'm currently packing. My flight leaves at 3pm today. Right now the hardest part is leaving my boys. Once I'm down there I'm fine. I also know that after I had stage 1 done and I finally had two (very nice) boobs again the depression (I didn't realize how deep it was) lifted quite a bit and I ended up with alot more energy. I'm hoping after all the surgeries are done I can get off the antidepressants, and if not I'm fine with that to. Okay, I need to get back to work. Continued healing to everyone!
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Nordy, baby, I'm betting you've got a little fat necrosis going on. But I'd be worried, too. Croup in adults is LTB--laryngeotrachial bronchitis. AKA "the crud." Time, inhaling moist, warm steam, rest...get well soon!
Time didn't help my necrosis areas. Like Join, I have a large brick on one side. The other side did get a little smaller over time, but not by much. I'm going to either be in NOLA on Feb 18 or Utah March 2. Gotta find out if Marga's hospital in UT will work with my insurance. Would rather go to UT since it's close, and recovery fits into my work schedule better. Gotta heal up fast for a weekend snowshoe outing in early April, then get in hiking shape for Machu Picchu in August.
If I've already told you guys all this, forgive me. The Neurontin I'm on for the neck disc thingie makes me just a little forgetful...
Anne
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Nordy~ Thinking of you. I hope you got the it's nothing this morning ((hugs)).
Trishia~ How did you test go ??
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I'm at the airport waiting to board for NOLA. Thank you for more info on the fat necrosis. Hugs and prayers to all my sisters.
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Nordy, My thoughts are with you. Sure hope today brought good news.
fourboymom, Good luck to you on Friday. Oh my, that means I am next.
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Hi everyone... and thank you again. Well, this morning brought no news. Of course... but I am super happy that my PS is pro-active and has ordered an US for Friday AM. I told her not to think I am crazy because the lump is so small - she said the only way she would think I was crazy was if I didn't come in to have it checked. She said it is about a centimeter - so not huge, but big enough that they should be able to see it on US. Hoping they can determine something from the US, otherwise she said a biopsy would be necessary. In that case - I would just as soon head back to NOLA - but I believe Dr. S is off the next 2 weeks. If they can biopsy with a needle - then I would let them do it. Anyway, I am still nervous, not horribly as my PS is leaning toward a possible little fat necrosis or lobule, but wants to be certain. I am so glad I have her here on my side! Anyway, nothing I can do until Friday... just hoping it is negative! Fingers crossed... prayers... chants... positive energy... whatever you want to send!
Fourboy - have a great flight, a great surgery and a great trip to NOLA!
Anne - girl are you still on meds for your neck? I hope that you are feeling better. Machu Pichu? My husband will be sooooooo jealous when he finds that out! He has done Rainier a couple times and several of the other big peaks around... If you go to Utah, you could go early and hike Mt. Timpanogas... wait, March... still snow... never mind!
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Yes, Trishia - did you have your testing done??? What is the verdict?
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I got the new compression garments today. They are kinda neat and pretty comfortable. Not as soft as the Marena but nice design. The garments have a high back like a tank top and then the front bra part is like a sports bra. Zipper in the center front instead of the sides. Goes to the ankle.
The shoulders are adjustable with hooks like a bra so I added a couple of bra extenders and got the length I needed to keep it from cutting into me. It seems to be much more comfortable under the arm. My drain site has been so sore and irritated from all the other garments being too short waisted and constantly trying to slip down I can hardly use my left arm. Even the pain meds aren't really helping. My lymphedema has flared up. But this new garment is much more comfortable on the drain site so hopeful I will be getting some relief soon. Other than that, everything seems to be feeling good.
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I was just sitting here watching The Sing Off (you know that singing reality show) and I kept hearing the one judge - Ben - and I kept thinking who does he sound like???.... it was really bothering me that I couldn't figure it out....well, it just clicked... he sounds like Dr. D!
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I have arrived in NOLA,. I have my pre-op tomorrow and they moved my surgery from 10am to noon on Friday. There is a snowstorm brewing in the midwest so i'm so glad i got here today. Let's hope my husband is so lucky getting out tomorrow. I'm sure it will be fine.
Nordy Crap! So sorry you are going through this. Now you have to wait until Friday to enjoy your weekend. I'm glad your Dr. is being proactive so that on Friday you can find out which one it is.......fat necrosis or a lobule. How are you feeling flu wise? Prayers and hugs to you.
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Good luck Fourboy!!! Drop in and let us know how you are doing, when you can...
Anne, I am not adding your Feb/Mar date until we know when where...
Won't you be glad to be done? Nordy, hang in there. I also found a lump on my prophylactic side, so everyone was well that is likely nothing. Had it ultrasounded (and they all marveled at my gorgeous breasts) and it was fat necrosis. Dr. D. blasted it with the "water lipo" thing they now have. I went back for a follow up ultrsound and they told me it was smaller and not to worry about it. Of course, we are all hoping yours is nothing too.
My stage 2b swelling has all but faded away, and my body and breasts look so awesome! We are so lucky... blessed.
Ann - I also loved the Marena! Hope your swelling is going down...
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Reading back thru I see how I droned on yesterday...sorry...again!...gee what a surprise!
......OK so....my REM sleep must have been seriously disturbed last night because I had some pretty wild dreams no doubt influenced by what I'd been thinking/saying /doing yesterday. My lengthy detailed description of fat necrosis and oil cysts probably had something to do w/ one dream.......My R breast was all but collapsed, skin just hanging because apparently - in my dream/nightmare/whatever I'd had a fair amount of fat injections into the upper R breast/chest apparently....and I do know they say the fat injections many times eventually reabsorb...but also ALL the fat necrosis had reabsorbed(that's what happens after they break down to oil cysts- they may resorb)......at any rate I just remember in my dream of course being distraught and thinking wow the flaps maybe just weren't big enough? But I'm happy to report I woke up w/ size 34-36D's that are closer to symmetrical than the God givens and they are still fabulous and I still love them. I will spare you a couple other wild dreams about flying to the UK and my Mom and Dad(who've been gone for 24 and 11 yrs) driving me around on the wrong side of the road....WTH? I had framed some pics of them in my office/second bedroom last pm as well as was putting finishing touches on some british decorations......sorry totally random!Nordy, again sorry for your drawn out recent adventure-hoping praying all is well and that you'll have a ore final 'all is well' on Friday.
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Ladies, I saw a suggestion on another thread that we think about what this site means to us and possibly make a holiday donation in honor of the support and friendship we've shared and I think that's a great idea. Here's a link to the donation page, if you are so inclined.
https://secure3.convio.net/bco/site/SPageServer?pagename=Donate_Now
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Thank you everyone! Sigh... I haven't even told my family... I have had some different scares over the past 5 years - and I always have them worrying for no reason, so I just didn't tell them this time! Except my husband of course. I have just decided that if it is anything that it will just have to be dealt with. And in saying that - I am still going to hope for it being nothing - or well, something benign!
Fourboy - You will be so great. Glad you made it there okay. Let us know how your markings go tomorrow!
Laurie - Hope you are doing well and resting comfortably! Day 1 out of 42 for breasts in training (yesterday counts as day 0). Don't worry, I will keep track for you... and look how short of a time that is! Only 42 days! That even sounds shorter than 6 weeks, doesn't it?! Just a fraction of time in the big picture...!
In the meantime... I am still trying to "kick the crud", but am feeling much better today. Not perfect, but better. Hoping to be back to normal soon so that I can resume my exercise routine. This sitting around crap is for the birds. LOL... which reminds me, I really shouldn't watch shows like the Biggest Loser with my impressionable 5 year old, who told me today, "Mom, I hope you don't stop exercising because you might have to go on the Biggest Loser." Yesterday she told me my belly was getting big and that I needed to get exercising again! What?! We don't really talk about weight issues in our home, except when I am discussing my siblings and in what way I can try to help them (3 out of 4 are morbidly obese and the other isn't because he had gastric bypass and is now an avid bike rider). SO... maybe I need to shut the TV off! ... and since my daughter thinks my belly is getting big, it might be time for that tummy tuck...
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Most people have 1000 wishes for Christmas; a cancer patient only has one - to get better. In honor of someone who has died or is still fighting or who survived cancer, In honor of someone who has died or is still fighting or who survived cancer, please consider copying this to your facebook status. And don't forget to count your blessings.
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Oh Nordy, you're schedule or lack of sounds so much like me right now. I've been down on my butt since Sunday. 1st the sore throat, then the total congestion, face pressure, fever, and now the fabulous coughing and pure exhaustion! I can't believe a cold has kicked my butt so much but I'm sure that my body is just beat, between 2 surgeries in 3 months, the stress with my Grandpa, getting laid off, is not helping... Anyway, hoping it's working it's way out of your system and mine because I'm done with it and too would rather be up and moving! I have yet to start Christmas shopping 0
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fourboymom - can't wait to hear how you feel about your pre-op drawings and just know you're going to look and feel amazing in a couple days
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Hi, everybody. As of yesterday, I'm a NOLA girl! Right side mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction, surgery date 12/15/2010 (yes, yesterday). Surgeons were Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Stolier, and maybe Dr. Trahan (not sure).
Surgery went well and I'll be at NOLA a few more days. If anybody else is here and up and walking, please look me up and pop in for a hello! (I don't know my room number because I haven't been out of it yet.)
Thanks,
AnneN
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