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NOLA in September?

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Comments

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 311
    edited August 2011

    Dana, so glad to hear that the 1 week mark has brought you to a better place for healing!

    Please pace yourself ,still lots of healing to do and your body is "very busy"!



    It was my pleasure to get you to this day!



    Warmly,

    Marcia

  • JustLaura
    JustLaura Member Posts: 213
    edited August 2011

    Thanks all for your comments on the post-DIEP tummy swelling. I do appreciate it!

     So glad to hear that the surgeries went well yesterday!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Running...oddly enough i didn't have any bruising with these surgeries... Glad to hear that you were able to run... One suggestion that i haven't read, as you are prepping your house for your return, make sure things like towels and washclohes are clean and in a location you can reach. I did not do this, and had trouble... This is also true with a plan to do laundry, eating etc... Just imagine everything you do in a day and make sure it isn't too heavy or too out of reach.

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited August 2011

    Betsy glad you are doing well and up and posting.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Medicated too... Diep is for sure more painful than hip flaps... I am actually using the morphine button... Not unbearable tho

  • celtic_antique
    celtic_antique Member Posts: 351
    edited August 2011

    @bdavis -- great chat with you this AM! We're gonna be fine, and I am  not predisposed to gush away. Chat before dinner!!Naptime coming on now!!

    Ladies never let you talk ourself!! NOLA is great ... and D. D was resplendent in Patagonia shoes!! :-)

  • RunningforSanity
    RunningforSanity Member Posts: 101
    edited August 2011

    Hi Celtic - You are cracking me up!  Is it the post-surgery relief, or the fabulous pharmeceuticals?  I am really glad you are feeling so great.  And of course now I am so looking forward to seeing the famous shoes.  Just afraid that I won't be able to keep my eyes off them during the pre-op.

    Betsy, thanks for the suggestion about getting the house ready.  Will do.  Interesting to hear you compare the DIEP and hip flaps.  Nice to hear that hip really is not that painful, but it is good that you are able to manage the pain. Tomorrow it will be a little less, and the next day even less . . .

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Yes... Hips were painless... Diep ...the not standing up straight is the hardest part for me... I don't have any problems with sitting down or standing up... Just standing straight is the issue... It is with pain.

  • semper
    semper Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2011

    I am considering doing the hip flap with NOLA in september - prophylactic mastectomy. Can anyone show me pictures of their results year out or so? I would like to see how the donor site heals. I am vain and concerned about scarring.  Also does anyone have any advice about the surgery and before and aftercare? Recovery etc.

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited August 2011

    Betsy - glad to see you are alive and well. I also felt the ab was a lot more sore than the butt. But it all gets better. 

    Semper, have you looked at the pictures (before and after) on the Center Web site? see http://www.breastcenter.com  Scar lines - I think a lot of this depends on how well you personally scar. Some of us get to thin white lines you can hardly see, others of us genetically don't scar as well. The incision lines start out really red and angry looking, and then fade over time.

  • denouement
    denouement Member Posts: 190
    edited August 2011

    welcome Semper!  There are a couple of us prophylactic girls floating around here - glad you found this thread.  I had a DIEP and not hip flaps (although I'm thinking now maybe I should have asked for hip flaps) but happy to answer any questions you might have or just chat.  My stage 1 was in May and my stage 2 was 8 days ago!  I agree that the pic on the site are worth looking at but I have to say I thought my scars were less noticeable than the ones I saw on the site just a couple of months out.  Of course now they are fresh again but I'm hopeful that I will heal well again.  Just waiting to get past the first couple of weeks and then I'll start with the bio-oil which is what I used last time...really seemed to help reduce the redness in my scars.  They also gave me this brown tape to put on my scars post stage 2 that is supposed to flatten and lighten them, but I'm not allowed to use it until the incisions are all healed and closed, so another couple of weeks. 

    You'll find a ton of wisdom on this thread about before and after care as well as recovery...some brave souls read it from page 1 all the way up to date!  Happy to answer any questions you might have, this is a warm and informative bunch...

    Haha, looks like Celtic is having fun with the pain pump!  Betsy, hoping things are a bit better every day...so glad you seem to be doing well!

  • BrandyB
    BrandyB Member Posts: 60
    edited August 2011

    I had one side that was a delayed reconstruction and one that was a prophylactic mastectomy/reconstruction. I have to say that my prophylactic side is like a miracle. It looks exactly the same as it did before. So much the same that I had to read and re-read the path report to make sure that they actually did the mastectomy. I still have sensation(although limited) and my nipple still responds to touch. It's my own body and if I didn't know better and didn't have a mirror to see the incision, I wouldn't know anything had changed. I don't know if this is typical, but I couldn't be more pleased.



    My delayed reconstruct is still a work in progress. I'm just 4 weeks out from stage 1, but I have faith that I'll feel great after stage 3.



    Brandy

  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 1,106
    edited August 2011

    Maggie - I did not go to Fairway, but many women did and I have never heard a bad word regarding it. Dr. S was my surgeon too... You are doing a great thing and he is a phenomenal surgeon! My husband came in the night before my surgery - so he did not go to all the pre-op stuff the day before and it was fine. Many women do not have their caretakers there until later - it is up to you and what you feel comfortable with. The nurses take care of you in the hospital, so as far as what is "necessary" you don't need anyone until the day you are discharged from the hospital. For me, it was nice to have my hubby around even though it was a lot of sleeping on and off for the first 24 hours after surgery! As for your family and oncologist not supporting you... they will... but it is going to be after the fact. I just saw another local PS recently and "flashed" him my breasts. His jaw about dropped. He was in utter awe of Dr. Sullivan's work, especially given the failed expanders and concavity I had prior to hip flaps. And I even have the football shaped skin flaps to replace lost skin! All will be well!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Maggie... I had hip flaps in july and had a caregiver the whole time... Then due to a complication i came back to NOLA on august 17, and had a wound surgery on the 18th and a diep flap surgery on the 23rd with no caregiver... The nurses will take care of you... And my friend will fly in this Sunday to escort me home next Tuesday, so that is the time you will need the help... We will be staying at the Homewood Suites for two nights.. And i stayed there last month as well... It is a great hotel in that all rooms are suites (bedroom and living room w/kitchen)... And close to the quarter and the center.

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 311
    edited August 2011

    Just spoke with Joasta7.. All is well and she welcomes visitors!!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Just visited with both joasta (joanne) and maggie (celtic).

  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 1,106
    edited August 2011

    Oh, yes, sorry, forgot to comment on places to stay. I also enjoyed staying at the Homewood Suites. It is convenient to the trolley and roomy. The included breakfast in the AM is good and I believe they serve a light meal in the evening during the week.

    Hurray for Joasta!

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited August 2011

    Welcome Maggie! I added your date above. There is nobody yet listed right around your date, but it's really early yet! Hopefully someone else will show up and you'll have at least one "surgery buddy". :)

    I also stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites every time and we loved it. Tons of room, lots of free food (full breakfast every day, and a "light supper" 4 nights a week too!) It is close enough to everything - you can walk to the French quarter even after surgery - I did every time! We once stayed at the Monteleone for one -two nights prior to surgery, and the roof top pool is fun... but the room is just a standard hotel room and to me felt too small for after surgery if you can get into the Homewood...

    Betsy... you sound great! How are you feeling??? 

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    When medicated i feel good.. Oddly enough the things that bother me are back pain (from hunching over) and my hip drains... Which i think is because i am swollen and the girdle is tighter. If i lap 2-3 times i can stand up fairly straight... And my old port location is also sore... A couple of days and hoping to feel much improved.

  • SandyinSoCal
    SandyinSoCal Member Posts: 559
    edited August 2011

    Sounds like everyone is doing well.  Betsy, glad to hear that walking is helping. I always found that the more I moved around, the better I felt.

    I've been up way too late the past two nights adding content to the Breastoration web site, but we now have information on some of the very exciting auction items for the upcoming House of Pink at the NOLA House of Blues on Sept 10th, and we've begun adding information about the types of reconstruction.  Check it out!!!!  www.Breastoration.org  and also look for Breastoration on Facebook and please Like us!! 

  • celtic_antique
    celtic_antique Member Posts: 351
    edited August 2011

    No stinkin' hurricane gonna keep me from checking out ... unless husband gets stranded in Newark. But he was supposed to be gone before noon, so hoping he'll get here. Then off to Homewood Suites. bdavis and Joasta7 seem to be doing well. For those of you yet to come, this place and her people REALLY live up to their words!! I am one very happy lady!

  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 1,106
    edited August 2011

    Maggie - I had failed tissue expanders as well. And just before I had to have them removed, I also had my PS deflate the right (radiated) one. SO painful - and it had pushed my ribcage back. Dr. Sullivan will fix you up and make everything right!

  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 1,106
    edited August 2011
    Celtic - Smile
  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited August 2011

    I'm in Hilton Head and luckily we're missing the hurricane!! Periods of torrential rain and wind followed by sun, <<repeat>> all day! 

    Betsy, I remember feeling those exact things. the Back from the hunching is really a pain. You are right, things will ease up in a couple of days. Hang in there. You've been through a lot in a small space of time, and your body is fighting so hard to heal!!

    SLEEP!!! After chemo and all the surgeries I had, I felt like my body needed more sleep for like 2 years, I swear. Or maybe it's the Tamoxifen? Who knows! But, it's just been recently that I am starting to feel "like my old self" -- I still let my body sleep nearly as much as it wants. The more I read about sleep, the more important I think it is for healing. Sleep it up girls!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Climbed in bed today... I was just too sore to be in the chair all day... There is a huge difference between hips and abs... Beverly, i don't know how you handled both at one time... My poor body is exhausted

  • BrandyB
    BrandyB Member Posts: 60
    edited August 2011

    Ditto Springtime on the sleep thing. After my treatments ended I was extremely fatigued for about 6 months.



    Betsy- everyone is different of course, but day 3 was the worst(day 1 being the day of surgery). I was down for about 2 weeks, meaning that a walk to the bathroom left me exhausted. I slept nearly all day and night for those 2 weeks.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2011

    Yes Brandy i am sure I will need lots of rest... To add another challenge, my friend was flying down here Sunday to escort me back home Tuesday...BUT...she is flying out of Newark, NJ airport noon Sunday...with Irene hitting NJ ... Soooo... Looks like i may need to travel solo... Just can't believe it.

  • RunningforSanity
    RunningforSanity Member Posts: 101
    edited August 2011

    Hi Betsy - Just think of it this way.  You are accruing the most enormous pile of good luck, one that will last the rest of your life, from the acute shortage of good luck you have had for the last month.  Who would have thought that a hurricane might hit New Jersey!  I can't believe it.  I really hope your friend  can get to you for the flight.  Is is possible for her to fly out early? Wishing you much healing sleep and calmer weather.

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 311
    edited August 2011

    LAdies, please share this link with others who may be concerned about continuing treatment while evacuated/affected by Hurricane Irene


    http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/emergency/hurricanes



    I was evacuated for 6 weeks during Chemo (Hurricane Katrina) and I know the horrible uncertainty of not having medical records and being at a loss for where to go to continue my treatment :((
    I hope to be able to spare someone the angst of research by posting and sharing this link. Be safe y'all!



    Thanks!Marcia

  • BrandyB
    BrandyB Member Posts: 60
    edited August 2011

    Omg Betsy... That sucks... Well, I live in Florida, right on the coast and we were spared from Irene. Maybe the same will happen for New York/New Jersey. Just head on out to sea Irene!!! Otherwise I did make it home alone. It wasn't fun, but it was doable with the wheelchair assist. The airport personnel were very helpful and kind. I asked one to stop at the bathroom and I asked another to stop at a snack place. They were very accommodating. I had a stack of five dollar bills and I was handing them out like crazy. It's much better to tip up front-then you have the reward of better service.



    They wheeled me right into the arms of my family in west palm beach. Plus I slept REALLY well that night. :)

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