NOLA in September?
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I'm home! Sounds like everyone is doing well. I was happy to read all of your updates. It feels good to be home but I still didn't sleep the whole night for the second night in a row! I thought being in my own bed would do the trick but nope. I don't nap at all and got home from the airport at 1am and I was still awake at 4:30 wondering if I am having some freakish boomerang from the first two days in the hotel when I slept 18 hours a day. I took a pain pill, a muscle relaxer, and Tylenol pm. Nothing!
Something interesting I learned in my post op before i flew out yesterday is that they used the SIEA vessels from me instead of DIEP. It isn't noted in my surgery notes but he told Celeste to keep my last drain in because using the SIEA causes more drainage. So I still have a drain. But from what I read about SIEA, it should work favorably toward my recovery. I'm going with that anyway.0 -
Celtic, call the center and have them send you a smaller size. I had a friend locally that needed to do this. It sometimes takes a lot of pressure to dry those juicy ones up!! If you lost 14 pounds, that thing is way to loose now, that's my bet anyway!
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I'm 8 months out from Stage 2 with Dr. Sullivan. Lately I've been giving thought to whether I should pursue a Stage 2B or not. I'm not totally satisfied with my "look" and wonder if Dr S couldn't improve upon it. So... my question to those of you who have returned after Stage 2 is was your returning due to blaring discrepencies that affected how you looked in your clothes or those differences between the two breasts you notice just when you are naked too. I'm in no way a stickler for perfection but still wonder if I shouldn't just be happy to have two breasts again. I guess it must be noticeable somewhat because my daughter asked me the other day if my breasts weren't both the same size. I'm small but I don't wear a bra so I guess it could be noticeble. Do you think insurance will be willing to kick in or not a chance??
Also, I hear there is a new tatoo artist on board -- is that who did your work ccbaby? Can any one share their opinion or is he too new for that? Honestly, being so small all my life, I have totally enjoyed my "Barbie" boobs -- bra-less and happy in WA state.
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ccbaby - Congratulations! how does the tat look?
Celtic - LOVE the name of the book. See if it would be an infringement to use it in the title!
dbdaze - I don't know what other women's requirements are but my guess is - if you don't feel done, then you're not. You have a right to love your breasts with or without you clothes on. As for insurance - I don't know if they will or won't cover - but it's worth a try. Good luck!
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Hey all and Surfa Grl. I am now 4 weeks and a day post-op and am actually feeling a bit more like a human being. I walked close to 3 miles this morning and made it till about two this afternoon before I wanted to lie down. I still have one hip drain which is running very consistently at 15-20 ccs and has been pretty dark. I think it is a bit lighter today. Jeanine from the Center called and said if it lightens up more over the next day or two, I can take it out on Sunday. That would make me extremely happy! I know you all know what I mean. Bathing is still the most exhausting thing I do. In fact, it is 3pm and I haven't showered yet. My teenage daughter coming home from school will get me in the shower though. Don't want to be the groaty mom!
Sending good wishes to all for speedy healing. KBodie, i am glad you made it home. Sounds like you are feeling better. Yay!0 -
kathryn - the tat looks great! It is all bandaged up right now.
dbdaze - Celeste at the clinic told me that the new tat artist will be here next week. She said he is really, really good. I wanted this stage 3 (as I call it) because I wasn't happy with the way they looked after it all settled. It has been a 1 1/2 yrs since my stage 2. My insurance is covering it.
The clinic gave a Butterfly pin as a gift since I got my tattoo and am all done. It is really cute.
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ccbaby - Congrats on being DONE!!!
Celtic - I had one hip drain for 9 1/2 weeks. I think that may be a center record. They told me that they usually have you pull them at 8 weeks no matter what. But mine was still putting out 40-45 cc/day and I had developed a seroma on the side I pulled earlier so they let me keep it. I can totally empathize with you about the drag of having a drain so long. But after having my seroma drained, I decided that I really preferred the drain! I'm still wearing compression 24-7, Spanx instead of the DOM.
RunningforSanity - I know you'd rather be running but a 3 mile walk 4 weeks out is fabulous! I hope that you can lose your drain this weekend.
KBodie - I'm sure that you'll get your sleep cycle regulated soon. In the meantime, rest whenever you feel the need to. It helps with the healing!
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ccbaby- so you just got your tats yesterday? That was all you needed to be done? How long do they have to be bandaged and what are your care instructions? I have no desire to have nipples but 3D tats? Well, THAT has me intrigued. I also need a bit of boob tweaking. A bit of lipo would be icing on the cake. Taking pics to send to Dr. S this weekend. See what he says; next step is to see what insurance has to say.
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dbdaze, My insurance paid for my 2b. I waited a while but there were some little things I wanted fixed. They were bothering me. I feel totally done now... feels good to be done!
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Toomuch - Next Wednesday will be eight weeks for me and I am still putting out more than 100 cc on one drain and more than 70 cc on the other. I would prefer not to have a seroma develop and have to get it aspirated. Did they put you under to do that? Did you remove your own drains?
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Joasta - I did remove my own drains. It was absolutely painless! I went to a somehwat local PS to have the seroma aspirated and he used lidocaine at my request. He was prepared to do it with nothing! It really didn't hurt. The biggest issue was inconvenience for me. My local BS who said that she would follow me post op would not drain the seroma. The Center was great about arranging follow-up with a PS in Baltimore but it took half a day to see the PS and drive there and back. I had it drained once and it has recurred. If I wasn't going to New Orleans next Wednesday, I would have gone back this week to have it drained again. But I'm going to let Dr. S take care of it now.
Has your drainage been high all along? Mine initially went down to about 40cc/day 5-6 weeks out. It then shot up to 100cc and became dark. The next day when I was feeling lousy, I realized the drainage was cloudy. I called the center and within 24 hours of being on antibiotics I felt much better. The drainage slowly went back down. I hope that your drainage slows soon!
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dbhaze - Technically, the law says insurance is supposed to cover surgery to attain symmetry, so I think you definitely have a case for some more work.
KBodie - I had all sorts of sleep issues after I got home from stage 1. I couldn't get to sleep until late (around 1) and then would invariably wake up at 3 a.m. This went on for a few weeks, then finally I started sleeping thru the nite. Hang in there.
You guys, here's the nipple part of the website for the new tats guy:
http://vinniemyers.com/section/105672_Nipple_Areola_Tattooing.html
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Interesting, Dr. D. did my surgery - I have been taking antibiotics all along and was told to take them until my drains are gone. Possibly a slight difference between the two doctors. I was told Dr. D wants the drains to be down to 20 ml/day before they can be pulled.
Looked at my operative report and it says that they looked for a lumbar perforator but ended up using a gluteal perforator. I am assuming that I have a SGAP not a lumbar flap????
I think Vinnie Meyers was doing tats for a lot of Hopkins patients. He is supposed to be very talented. I used an out of town tattoo artist for my last DIEP reconstruction. I didn't know there was someone more local. I had the tattoo done in her shop (she also worked out of a plastic surgeon's office but the wait for an appointment was much longer if you wanted an appointment at the office. It turned out I thought it was actually a lot of fun to go to the shop .). I was told that because of this I couldn't donate blood for a year. Not a big deal - but I thought it was interesting.
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wow - just looked at the above post. I didn't mean to make part of it bold - an accident.
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I wanted to thank everyone. I got my pathology back and I had a couple of milimeter sized cancer tumors in my left breast that if left alone would most likely have turned into cancer.
My drains came out when I was in new orleans so I had to have a minor surgery to put them back in (hip drains). So I am getting mobility back all over again but its a minor setback.
I am going back on Dec 14th. I would like to get in touch with other people who will be there at the same time just to make some connections.
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I am glad you are feeling better runningforsanity.
When is your second stage? It would be nice to meet you in person. 0 -
Semper, I will be there dec 14th. Stage 2 on the 15th. We missed each other at stage 1. Wow, so glad on your timing with the millimeter tumors. I hope it gave you some peace that you did what you did when you did.
I just finished antibiotic today and still have a drain in. Funny how they like to maintain their own little preferences. Like I was told compression garment one week after last drain is out. I asked if it would give me a little benefit to go longer and was told no, no benefit at all unless it makes you feel more comfortable. So I have to admit I am excited that shouldn't be longer than 10 more days cause I hate the thing! Though it does make me look good.....0 -
Spring --
Thanks for the tip -- did call the Center and they are sending out two smaller DOMs. I lost 14 lbs, but have also resumed weights, so things are firming and tightening and my output was still 50-60cc per day. Hope the tighter garments cut it so I can have the (*#&@($)(* thing out -- at least for a little while until 12/20 and Stage 2!
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Toomuch - thanks for the response. I am not sure what is considered high but after surgery it was anywhere from 250 to 275 for both. After that I was close to 200 - was on antibiotics for I believe almost three weeks - off antibiotics now for about a week - still high. Not a wuss by any means but am not as brave as you are to take my own drains out. Not even sure how to do it, but I think I made need someone else's help to get it done.
I hope it slows down too and glad Dr. S will be taking care of you next week. Have a safe and wonderful trip.
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semper, KBodie and Cider - I will be in NOLA then as well . . . we arrive the weekend before (hubby always needs his time to go hear some music), and then I have tats on the 13th and stage 2b on the 14th. We can make a plan to meet up . . .
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I hope all you December ladies DO meet up!
Celtic, my friend had her drains in I think for 9+ weeks, they finally told her to pull them out, (I think worrying about infection) and she continued to juice out those holes still! She said if she would apply pressure it would shoot across the room! (!!!) She put on really really tight DOM and she said just squeezed the heck out of herself for a time more and finally they dried up. Good luck!
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For those of you who recently had Stage 2 surgeries, was your arm wrapped prior to surgery? I have LE and definitely want to be wrapped. I'm just trying to figure out if it's standard practice or if I should call ahead and request it.
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Toomuch. It's standard. But mention it at your pre-op just so you don't worry.
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kaitsmom, that sounds good. It would be nice to meet some other people from here.
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KBodie, the cancer was a bit of a shock and even more surprising that it even came up on the pathology since it was so small. Dr Stolier was very surprised they even found it. I have always been way more concerned about ovarian cancer than breast and doing the prophylactic mastectomy was an excrutiating decision for me. So it was pretty amazing to get the pathology report back.
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Ok december people, my plan, though tickets and hotel not yet booked, is to fly in on the 14th and do pre op, stage 2 the 15th, then stay for the weekend, maybe til Monday. How long do you have to stay after stage two? I know hospital is one night but then when can you fly?
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Hello Ladies....the board is busy as usually with updates and status reports...I love it. Please continue to post info about the December meet up. I hope I am able to drive over to hang out. I can't believe stage 2 is just a few weeks away... I am ready to go but must do my pre-op Monday.
Minnesota, TigSun and Djfrro I hope to see you ladies in the Big NO...soon.
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Hi Semper- I guess the pathology report is a mixed blessing. Disturbing to find something was brewing, but that lets you know how right you were to go forward when you did. I know it was a really difficult choice but with this information, I am so glad you had the PBM.
My Stage 2 is on Dec 9 and we will stay the weekend and probably fly out on Tuesday the 13th. Maybe I will overlap with Amy? My husband is a music lover also so maybe we can send the boys off together! Semper, when do you come in?
Hard to think about more surgery when I still have this flipping drain, but there it is. I guess I must be feeling better because last week I could not seriously entertain the idea of more surgery, but today I looked at flights.0 -
Springtime, can you please add me for Stage 2 on Dec 9, Dr D, St Charles? Thank you.
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It would appear that if I exercise (and I was SO tired of being a slug) that my output climbs astronomically -- over 110 yesterday after a hard workout!) Am hoping that the newer smaller DOMS will do the trick, but does that also mean I should just sit and knit? ARGH!!
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