NOLA in September?
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Kathryn-Will be sending positive thoughts your way!!!
BDavis-I hope that you are able to come to a decision that you feel good about. It sounds like the mastectomy would be for your mental health, if you would tend to find yourself worrying about a 2nd primary. There's a lot to be said for mental health though!
Cider-Congrats on getting rid of 3 drains!
DsnyDawn-Glad you're feeling better today.
Denoument-I'm sure your atypical but I'm hoping that I heal like you!
Kaitsmom-Thinking of you and hoping that you're feeling better today.
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Plication is of benefit if your rectus muscles have separated, due to pregnancy or being overweight. It acts like an internal corset, pulling in your waistline. DIEP tends to make you kind of boxy in that area, and the plication plus lipo will address that. It does not solve the problem of internal fat around the organs, and if you gain weight after having it done, I would imagine that would cause the "stuffed sausage" feeling some women have described. I had three good-sized babies and a decent degree of separation, so it did give me a very good cosmetic result. After my first NOLA surgery, I wore the binder for about 10 weeks, but was told that wearing a supportive binder can eventually cause your core muscles to lose strength.
Here's a video that will explain diastasis and how it is repaired:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5uEIVaSNyw&feature=related
Dana, glad to hear you are feeling good enough to stop the narcotics!
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Kathryn.. thinking of you.. Rhonda and I did meet for a drink (I brought mine from Pat O'Briens)... keep us posted.
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Heather, I HATED THE DOM TOO!! Burning PARTY!!!
Hope you all are well, and healing!!!
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Hi.... this thread is crazy active... hard to keep up but I am still trying to read along.... I have four DOMS here that could light up the neighborhood and I would take great pleasure in that!! lol.
I just wanted to also chime in for those who are weighing tough decisions. I've had a second primary in the opposite breast 16 months after the first diagnosis. Trying to get your life back after cancer is difficult as we all know.... but being slammed back down for a second time is very very challenging. I know hindsight is 20/20 but from my shoes there is no treatment that is too aggressive with breast cancer. Peace and healing to everyone who just had surgery and is about to....
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thanks for the pic of the dom--it might not look too bad if it was in black...reminds me of my clubbing days :-) Do they give you two of them? Are they hard to get in and out of? How long do you need to wear it for post stage 2? Do you usually get drains at stage 2? sorry for all the questions, but...
I just booked my stage 2 appt! Tuesday August 16th with Dr. D and a LSH with Dr. Von Almon. Put me on the master list :-)
Sandy, thanks for your insight about Dr. V--I spoke with him about my concerns and he seems to have addressed them all so I'm going to go forward rather than schedule a third surgery for that...my case seems pretty simple so let's hope it goes off without a hitch...
Haven't had a narcotic in almost 24 hours, but I'm taking my 600 mg of motrin regularly...feeling less sluggish already!
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Well I still wear mine on occasion, when I want a little extra help sucking things in
They are definitely black by the way. At stage 2 I woke up in one, and was given another one. After about 2 weeks the swelling went down and it was too big, so they sent me 1 more in a smaller size. That one is probably too big now but I do wear it on occasion. I said I'm sick like that, I LOVE it I am debating when this is all done to buy one without the zippers! I will say after stage 2, like the first few days after it was a nightmare to get in and out of, and I most definitely couldn't do it alone. At least you only have to do it when you shower. So I tried to go a couple days before doing that, it was exhausting changing it! But as the swelling went down it got so much easier. There are hook and eyes all down the sides, then you zip it up. I think it was 2 weeks or 4 maybe post op? I know these 2 surgeries were a piece of cake to me, hardly any pain or complications, compared to my bi-lateral MX. I almost couldn't heal from it, big black sections and goopy it was horrible. This one the pain was tolerable, and I had gained some sexy boobs, how can you beat that?
For stage 2 I took pain pills 2 days after surgery, from then on it was nothing or tylenol for me. Holtbolt - I totally agree. I was explaining it all to this guy I'm sort of dating. I said because I'm young, and because of the gene I carry I wanted to do EVERYTHING I could to hopefully not ever get it again. I did the bi-lateral MX, the chemo, radiation, and ooph!
Plication - I'm really on the fence on that one. I do have the bigger upper belly, and the boxy feel and can't keep pants up to save my life. Safety pins are my friend
I hope Dr S will know just perfectly which way to go. I've only had 1 child, but did gain a significant amount of weight with her. So maybe lipo is the way to go....0 -
Well got my call from Dr. Stolier a few hours ago and left side was all clear (just rmvd as pmx) and trace amts left in right breast after lumpectomy and only 1 more lymph node!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so 3 in total and per my Onc I would need rads after chemo if 4 or more....so needed good news...so with that good news my dh and I took a cab down to Riverfront to shop a little ..walked quite a bit and binder did it's job ,but very hard to sit with it on..so now back to room and little r&r maybe more later or tomorrow...have been taking 1/2 pill during the day and 1 at bedtime
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Excellent news
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Hi ladies! I am still here, believe it or not, at St. Charles. It's actually a good thing, I think, since I really lost a couple of days of healing with the whole fiasco, and so I am happily ensconced in my recliner, just walking the halls and eating Chef's good food. I do wish I could go out, it is such a beautiful day out there, but can't leave of course as long as I am still a patient. I am feeling pretty good and really don't need much care, so I imagine by now I am about up to the other gals who had surgery around my day, maybe a little less walking cause you can only just do so many laps around the hall! Everyone here is amazing, but y'all already know that. I could probably have gone over the the Homewood, but Dr D, etc, thought that we would be better off not dealing with moving after all that I went through. So it's all good . . . If only I could just have a little ride on that street car, though. Oh well, next surgery . . .
Not having a horrible amount of pain, doing ok on a NSAID and did take a Lortab last night. But the dreams from the Lortab are so wil and vivid that I will be worn out if I keep taking them! Last night I "went" to Paris! That part was lovely. Have my two drains in the groin, of course, and they are annoying, but of course it will be a while before they are gone. My breast drains got pulled before they took me over to East Jefferson (EJ, as they call it). I am wearing the binder, two velcro tabs, they gave me a 'longer' one at first, but I am pretty short waisted, so we went for this smaller one. Oh, and I am covered in a lovely rash. Where the doppler wires were laying on my chest is the worst area, all swirly and such. I told Dr D I didn't realize he was going to sign his work. One of the swirls really does look like a capital D! I have all kinds of allergies, so this is not a particularly big surprise, but would like to have skipped this part. Just one more area to take care of. Also have some rashy stuff from the binder, so that is now place over top a thin white cotton tank, which is worn under the black bra. Then the drain pouch over all of that. SO sexy.
We will leave to start the drive home on Thursday morning, should take two days (two sleeps in hotels), though my husband has done it straight through before, even after hard partying at JazzFest. Not this time though. Will need lots of stops and stretches. Ok so enough about me.
Dawn, so sorry to have missed you and Ray as you were leaving. I am glad you are feeling better after your tea. I was just on the verge of needing something a little stronger than the Colace, when everything "woke up" And kicked into high gear! I hope you can get out and enjoy yourself a little bit. When do you have your post-op, and head for home?
How are all my other surgery buddies? Check in please! I wish I was over there with y'all. . .
Kathryn, thinking of you and sending out the good vibes right about now. Looking forward to a good report, girl.
Betsy, thinking of you as well as you make a tough decision. It is so hard to know what the "right thing" is . . .
Ok I am worn out and have written a book here . . . My husband is on the phone looking for a bike rental to get out and get some exercise. I think he has been cooped up a little too long. I will check in later to see if y'all have added some more updates. Thanks everyone for prayers and concern, and even just for keeping the board lively. It keeps me going as well . . . But can barely think about Stage 2 just yet . . . maybe tomorrow . . . xoxo
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Amy, one day at a time!!! Livin' it up at St. Charles Surgical! You will likely loose one more of those drains when you have your post surgical appt with Doc D. How much are they putting out now? Generally for those from DIEP up front is 2 days below 20 ccs and the drain can go. FYI.
BDavis, I had that surgery that Dr. D mentioned to you (flaps from front and back). Several of us here have had it. FYI. It's a bigger deal for sure, but doable.
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I'm back home in STL now. I was lucky enough to get a pat down by TSA. I was not expecting it and told them I just had surgery. In the end, if I wanted to get on the plane, they had to pat me down. So I cried while I got a pat down and cried for a good hour after.
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Oh no cider8--I was afraid this was going to happen to me or to someone else here. Did you get the letter from the center for the airport at your post op? Just trying to determine if they harrassed you even with the letter. I had it and was on a wheelchair and I was treated very nicely--they asked me to walk through the metal detector but no pat down was required--maybe I just got lucky. My mom was selected for a pat down though...insane. So sorry, hope you are doing okay. It's bad enough to get a pat down when you are feeling well.
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I was in a wheel chair and had the letter and went through the xray. I was triggered for the pat down because of the gauze pads I was wearing for wound weeping. It still makes me cry. They treated me like I was trying to get away with something and told me to calm down when I started crying. It makes me so angry and still makes me cry. The letter means nothing.
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wow, that makes no sense...i had tons of gauze pads on me as well...at the center they told me that if anyone gave me trouble at airport security that they letter had a name/number of a rep at the airport who was clued into what they do at the center and to have security call that person to clear any questions up. Although I have to say I can't see the TSA people taking kindly to that either. it's insane to be treated like a criminal when you have done nothing wrong...sorry again...hope you are doing okay...at least it's over now
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Btw... I told Dr D that he was known for his shoes... so I wanted to have a look... he said that kind of freaked him out LOL... it wasn't creepy... rather funny.. he was amused.
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Cider - I am so sorry that you had to go through that at the airport. I really think it depends on who you get when you are going through security. I had my drains under my shirt (and it was not a loose fitting shirt by any means) - and the TSA agent just had me lift up my shirt to show her. I told her that I had a letter in my bag and that I just had surgery, but she did not push it further and sent me on my way. I think it was Spring that was there shortly after I was that they gave a bad time to (Spring, please interject if I have it wrong). Again, I think it depends on the agent - which does not make it any easier. I think I would have been so pissed that I would have just started taking off my clothes to show them my incisions... LOL... that would have shut everyone up... LOL... But then again, that was a couple of years ago and who knows how I would have reacted right after surgery when emotions are running so high. Anyway, lots of (((hugs)))).
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Cider, I am so sorry, that is just infuriating me!!! I hope you report this to the Center, they should know. Yes, Nordy is right, I had to take my drains out of the pouches they were in , and she had to "swab" inside each of the friggin pouches. Can you imagine, with all that blood showing in the bulbs? And I had 4 flaps so it was a lot of drain bulbs! It was totally gross, people were walking by, ugh. Though, she did ask me if I wanted to go somewhere private, and I was pissed and said just do it.
Friggin Osama BinLaden - this is your fault, you friggin asshole!
BDAVIS, well, what is the shoe update? what did they look like?? that is funny.
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They were ivory and kind of pointy... and I said that he was known for his shoes... and people wanted me to report back.
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I've seen him wear pointy ones too. Must be a fav theme....
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I almost asked if I could take a picture, but I didn't want him to think I was a stalker.
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Dang!! Would have loved a picture. LOL, totally understand you not wanting to do that though. ha!
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Well, I had my consult with Dr. S yesterday and, as so many of you have said, he is great! Answered all my questions and just made me feel really confident that he can do what he says he can do. He will take from the hip first but will likely need additional from the abdomen. So, preparing for the stacked procedure. Tomorrow I am going for my pre-op tests. I'm on for June 1. Spring, can you add me to the list? Thank you all for posting - especially the current group of ladies at NOLA. It has helped me to decide to go ahead, although not without the occasional panic attack!
Betsy - it was great to meet up with you! I sent you a PM.
Kathryn - we missed you. I hope everything went well today.
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Kathryn sending love your way! Kaitsmom glad you are headed home soon. Thought you may still be in town next week as I will drive over Tuesday morning. Dragonfly and denouement lol about the girdle stuff. I'm like oh you get one of those....
When I am one week out and I am like excited and kinda nervous all at the same time. Thanks to your post I feel like I know what to expect.
What hotel is best for my fam? I will do my pre post op healing in Miss instead of Nola. Is there anything else I need to know??? Feels like I need a pre and post diep checklist!!0 -
Hi there fellow travelers (on this breast journey), everything was perfect at SCSH. I felt so well cared for and so glad to turn it all over to others and just rest, that we stayed an extra night and then didnt get discharged until evening. So surgery thursday AM and to Homewood Monday evening. At first I was elated, making big plans for the next 3 days, yakkin' on the phone, eating icecream....then, BOOM. i reaized when I picked up my RXs that the nurses had been giving me more Lortab than the max daily dose. Lortab has acetominophen in it and you can not exceed a certain amt per day of that. So I dialed back to the appropriate dose and after about 10 hours on half the pain meds Id happily been on, I was VERY distressed. I had a nightmarish night of waking up to my alarms but feeking all confused about when id been up previously, etc. I spent the night and much of the day weepy and miserable and unable to eat. Finally have things under control. Slept a bunch,had a lovely texting visit with Kaitsmom, went for a walk, got dinner delivery to our room. I think i've got my neurotransmitters back on line and am feeling OK. Trying to decide if i should set alarms to get up for pain meds or jst sleep till i wake up. Im thinking alarms. Good to be on the other side, but seems like such a long road ahead.
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Rogam, im a checklist kinda gal, so ive ALWAYS got lists. For the time you are in SCSH, you dont need a thing! Just your chapstick! Phone, Kindle , laptop if you want to connect to friends that way. I really couldnt read books, or even concentrate on TV, but talked and texted on my phone and followed these boards, of course, on my ipad. A laptop might have been too heavy to hold. If you want to change into your own jammies you can, but dont need to. It helped me to ahead of time pack my "going to preop" clothes, "going to hospital" clothes, and "coming home from hospital" clothes complete with underwear, sox etc-- each in seperate bundles so you could get to them easily without having to rummage around. Especially the coming home. Didnt want to have to be directing DH thru my suitcase -- that one, no, not that one -- haha, and you wont really feel like doing it yourself. Im just 6 days post so will try to think of stuff. Maybe I can find my lists!!
BTW, no binder if you have Dr S ... Only Dr D. I dont miss it ... I feel like I have no tummy to bind.0 -
Jerusha thanks for the update..I got the ipad read and I am reading the book "The Help" so I will try to save some of it for next week. So what do you find most comfortable to wear since you have gotten out? Wow...can't believe it is almost time...
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This is Kathryn's husband Mark. Kathryn had her oophorectomy today here in Los Angeles. The surgeon, Dr. Andrew Li said the surgery went very well and that he and the pathologist examined the septated cyst and ovaries and that were removed and felt they were benign. The final pathologist report will be back in aprox 7 days. Kathryn is doing well but in some pain and groggy from the drugs. I'm glad to have her at home now after today's surgery and grateful that everything looks good.
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Kathryn/Mark I am hitting my like button(Facebook) as this is great news!
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How awesome, getting that path report back will be such a HUGE relief! Hope you heal fast Kathryn
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