NOLA in September?
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Adriene...that would be AWESOME wouldn't it?
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Beverly... You are not going to believe this, but NOLA just called and needed to change my stage 2 date... Apparently Dr D is now busy Nov 18 so I am moved to Nov 14... can you change it again?? Sorry.
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Hello Ladies thanks for the update. I was most concerned about the dye/scan/the heat sensation--yike..about to throw up think about it lol!
Springtime please update me for stage 2 with Dr. D on Nov 2nd!
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and Beverley my stage 2 is going to be November 30th....was given option of Nov 14th today too Betsy but am doing a course and wont have finished by then..and my thinking is that I would rather do later than earlier since i want stage 2 to be as definitive as poss, as in things have really settled. also am figuring want to maximise my time of being recovered before going under again, and then just coast it till week or so before christmas. that's the plan anyway....rosemary
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Oh my GOSH, you ladies!!! I must have added 6 or 7 things to the listing above, all you posted within the last few hours! The list up there is smoking! Get the hose!!! (HA). NOLA must starting to get in all their Stage 2 surgieries for the end of 2011.... If you were thinking of doing your stage 2 this calendar year, you better call soon!!!
Check to see if I got your info right. Thanks!
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Hi Rosemary... I have had so many dates my head is spinning... I went from Nov 3 to Dec 1 to Dec 16 to Nov 18 and now Nov 14.... They offered me Nov 21 (but then I'd be in NOLA for Thanksgiving)... and offered Nov 30, but I can't do that week due to work... Actually most of December would be not great... but I hope Nov 14 is not too soon... they say its ok... Nov 23 is my 3 month mark so I am at 11 weeks rather than 12... When I first scheduled my Nov 3 date that was 3.5 past my July 21st surgery and I was trying to put as much time between surgeries as I could, so I hope its ok... anyone else have stage 2 less than 3 months?? Only half of me is less than 3 months, the other half is 4 months.... so confusing.
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Am sure it is fine Betsy, after all they offered it to you... One week? Bah . We all need to work around our stuff too and they are booking up fast- I only made my first enquiry today and was only given one or two earlier choices but opted for later cos that's what suits me. Just think you will have it all well behind you by the holidays!
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Springtime...dont close your computer yet! Boy, they must have been busy at the Center today! But they were as nice and patient as could be; I never would have guessed what must have been going on there. I had been planning on the end of October for my Stage 2, but decided in the last few days to just get it done! I kept putting off my Stage 1 , partly because we are building a house and I kept waiting for it to be done so we could pack and move and un-pack before my surgery. Last spring it suddenly dawned on me that this was not a good plan, and 3 weeks later I had my surgery. Well, it STILL isnt done and we STILL haven't moved, and I found myself thinking the same way -- when the house gets done...when the house gets done. Yesterday it dawned on me (again), that this freakin house may just take forever... so in 3 weeks I'm headed back to NOLA. Please add me for September 28. At least I don't have very long to fret!
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Yay Jerusha...
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Cider8 (and springtime) I am scheduled for stage 2 December 15 with Dr. Sullivan also!! I still have to do stage 1 though so I hope that works out. But you can put me on the schedule! Thanks!
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Jerusha..way to go, there are always unforeseen delays when building like many things, i always think you can estimate X 3 at least...and this way hopefully you will have completed constructing your new breasts, and a new house for 2012!
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Great KBodie! I'm looking forward to us being surgery buddies. For my stage 1 there were several of us there at the same time, but I was not up to meeting anyone. In retrospect I wish I had met the other ladies, but I know at the time I was just not up for it, and that's OK. I'm having a post-op appt on the Monday following. My sister is going with me this time. She's been going with me to all my chemo infusions and she's had my kids at her house on my chemo dog days. I wanted to reward her with some fun in NOLA! She told her two little boys (5 and 7) that she'll be gone a week in Dec and they cheered! I think now she won't feel guilty that she'll be gone a week.
My husband seems disappointed he's not going. I told him he can go the next time, even if it's just the tattoos.I think it's very funny that just the last couple days so much has been scheduled.
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KBodie... I had my hip flap surgery July 21 and DIEP flap surgery Aug 23 and have my stage 2 scheduled Nov 14 now... A little sooner than I'd like, but they say its ok... it will be just shy of 3 months post DIEP, and just shy of 4 months post hips... so my left and right breasts are a month apart.... both breasts are still quite swollen... Dr D says it can take months for everything to totally settle, like 18 months, so its always possible I'd need a stage 2b... true for anyone.
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Wow... there's quite a lot of activity here with stage 2 dates! Springtime - can you please add me for September 28? It looked liked nobody else was going to be around then but I see now that Jerusha has the same date. I am a bit uneasy about my stage 2. It's looking a bit more like a 1.5. My left breast has significant hardness over more than half the breast. Dr. S said we may be looking at using my abdomen to replace those areas. It was a good thing we only needed the hips at stage 1. We are going to do all the other stage 2 adjustments as well but I am not sure if I am going to need another surgery to follow. They said we would decide that following this surgery. With it coming up soon, I'm getting a bit stressed.
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Ref... I can understand your concerns... From one hip girl to another, I have hardness too... and Dr D did touch-see at 7 weeks post op and says its all fine, and that during stage II he uses a jet something to loosen up the fat... and that it can take months for hardness to dissipate, so don't assume you are doomed... and I sure hope he is right, cuz I have obviously now used my hips and abs... as a matter of fact I had him check my left breast for the hardness before my DIEP... I said while he's in there getting belly fat, I wanted to MAKE SURE he didn't any of it for my left breast.
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betsy - believe me, I am open to the idea that is is just firmness but we have been watching this for quite a while now and it's pretty clear this is necrosis. The feel and look on the left is completely different than on the right so I have a good basis for comparison. Still, until I get there, nothing is for certain. Nothing more for me to do now but wait. Not what I am best at.
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Well for what its worth, they approach all complications with a sense of calm that is very reassuring... and if they have to use your abs, then so be it... they did that with me as you know, and hopefully it will all work out cause I am out of donor sites.
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I agree. Dr. S has been very reassuring. I am confident in his ability to handle this. It's the tapping the absolute last donor site I have that's making me nervous. I can't afford for this to go wrong and I've made it clear that I don't want to use implants as a backup plan. Been there, done that.
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I understand completely... I guess I have thighs to donate, but hope it doesn't come to that... And if for some reason they did need to resort to implants, it would be more like an augmentation rather than just implants, right??
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Yes, but I came to NOLA because I hated my implants and I don't want to go back there. I'm holding out hope for success at this stage.
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I hear you... You know that hip fat is denser than ab fat... so maybe your necrosis isn't as bad as you think... I have my fingers crossed for you.
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Thanks! That is true but it's not the overall denseness that's the issue. There are specific hard areas that you can feel the edges of on the top, inside and bottom of the breast. It's different than just a generally firm feel. What's important now is that Dr. S can fix it and, as you said, they are good with complications so I'm hanging on to that.
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well I am anxious to hear how it goes and what they can do... Keep me posted Rhonda.
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Ok, I added 3 more! Ref, KBodie and Jerusha, added your dates above. Lots of surgery buddies hooking up!!!
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Hi there - Just a day or two away from getting on the plane. I am feeling very absorbed but not too panicky yet. Hopefully that never comes - but in case, I have a brand new (and my first) bottle of Ativan handy. A question - how did your husbands/partners handle the period of the surgery? My husband will be there alone for the 6-7 hours of the surgery and I am wondering if you wise women have any suggestions for how he can occupied/supported during that time. I already have a couple of good friends on standby to check in with him by phone.
Ref- I hope everything goes well for you. That sounds worrying but as Betsy said, the Center seems to be capable of handling all the complications capably. Good luck.
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sonya... my husband was not there while I was in surgery, but I saw plenty of husbands waiting in the hospital room... he can bring dvd's, help himself to the snacks, drinks and icee machine... they have a microwave too... the room has a large flat screen tv and a bluray...most husbands seem to just hang out up there and each room has a phone too, so they can update him that way too.
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Thanks Running - They took my husband's cellphone number and called him about every 1.5 hours with updates on the surgery. He stayed in the room, worked on his laptop. They brought him food - he was a big fan of the food! He was very comfortable while he was waiting.
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Morning all! Been a bit out if it with my "nurses" hanging over every move! LOL! (my cousin and dear friend from England who flew in to help) But, they are making sure I don't overdo it -- though I have a couple of days. My recovery seems (hoping not to hex it) quite steady and good, no unreasonable problems, no fevers, no real issues. Must be that lucky doubloon I wore like religion from the 1983 Mardi Gras that I had caught! Keeping the good mojo going!
Getting hot again here in NOLA afteer several lovely termperate days. Makes being outside and the *$%^#&$^@ girdle hotter than blue blazes! Am changing them twice a day at this rate. Seems like I spend a good deal of time in the laundry! ;-)
Due for 2nd post-op on 14th and will probably have an idea then about Stage 2 timing. Hoping that I'll meet up with some of you then. Sure are keeping Spring busy with the calendar! And many thanks to her for that task, too!
My cousin was most comfortable throughout surgery and even in the pre-op appointment. When was the last time a doctor introduced himself to your DH or partner by simply saying, "I'm Frank." (had Dr. D.) Gordon (cousin) waited very comfortably in the room where he did some work, got some shut-eye, was fed lovely meals, and charmed every nurse on the floor! He preferred to visit everyday for lunch (telling me what he would like) and dinner the food is that good. I believe as good as the care is for us as patients, the Center does not stint on caring for those who care for us! And, yesterday I do a card in the mail with wishes for good health PERSONALLY signed by all of the staff who had cared for me. The little touches really mean a lot!!
We're off! Little antiquing .. then nap!
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Hi all--I'm brand new to this site. I live in LA and want to have an eval at NOLA for hip or GAP. (I had breast cancer at 29, and I'm BRCA1+.) I had a lumpectomy, rad and chemo then. I"m now 9 years out and wanting/needing a double mastectomy with recon.
My insurance (Anthem-BC) will only pay for SOME (out of network) of this at St. Charles and with Dr. Dellacroce if they find that no one else in my area (LA) does this work. Can anyone offer suggestions on (a) if this is true (which I think it is...does anyone else do hip or GAP on both sides in the same surgery?) and (b) how to convince them of this. I
I have lots of other questions too...but first step is getting insurance to pay! Thank you in advance for you help! Debbie
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I had a bilat hip surgery with Dr Dellacroce and I think I read somewhere that a) not many doctors do hip surgery and b) if they do, not sure about bilat... the other thing is that I was under anesthesia about 8 hours for BMX and bilat hip flaps (maybe it was 10 hours)... I was sleeping so don't remember... but that could be a selling point too... not a 20 hour surgery as they have 2 qualified surgeons in there...
Unfortuantely, I think if you (they) can find a GAP doctor in California or in network ANYWHERE, they may not agree with you... just don't know how many GAP doctors are out there... do you know if they cover GAP? When I looked for an in-network doctor in my plan online, no one was listed anywhere, and mine was covered at NOLA but more because of a third party insurance processor, I think.
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