NOLA in September?
Comments
-
Momx5Mplus1--me again, I feel the same way as celtic-antique. I had a unilateral DIEP done locally following a bc diagnosis. It ended up requiring 5 revisions. (I was worn down by the experience). When I decided to do the contralateral side I went to NOLA for hip flap. I have only had stage 1 so I am still a work in progress but so far I am very happy with how things have gone. In retrospect I wish I had gone to NOLA for my DIEP but at the time of my diagnosis I didn't know about it. Also, when I consulted with a local ps about having this GAP surgery, I was told that I couldn't do nipple sparing. Because I had a previous reduction it was absolutely doomed to failure - the nipple would die. The NOLA docs told me that though they could not guarantee results, usually in their hands nipple sparing worked after a previous reduction. In my case they were right - nipple sparing worked without any complications.
0 -
Hi Toomuch, great that you are headed home after a good postop visit. Ive got a question...Did you have actual areolar grafts-- with tissue from a donor site? If so, why have tattoos? Thx:)
0 -
Jerusha - sounds like you're an expert on nipples now! Yay! That's good, because I don't remember how long I wore them. But I did combine my Big Bra with the nipple guard because I felt more protected that way. I was always worried something would dislodge the guard and decapitate the nips, or something! Also, it worked as extra protection in bed. I wore the Big Bra a long time - again, don't remember how long - probably a couple of months, to be safe. I also found that the regular bras I have tend to leave a little bit of space in the end, anyway. We lose the apex of the breast, with mastectomy, so the nipples tend not to fill out the very end of the bra quite as well - at least it's that way for my recon nipple. And yes, I tend to be a night owl, too. I get a lot done after my husband goes to bed and like to watch some CNN and get on the Internet. Always takes me a looong time on bc.org! Especially when I get behind!
Surfagirl - Yes, I definitely think I recovered better when I gave myself 4 months in between stages 1 and 2 than just the 3. Without question.
Denoument - I LOVE your article. You write so well, so honestly, so compelling! Oh, and I think you asked about ropey scars. My experience with them has been that they tend not to get as better as the non-ropey ones. Even with laser treatment for the redness. Dr. D. revised a remnant part of my breast scar that had stayed red and ropey after the rest of it had faded really well. That took care of it. I'm hoping that he can do a quick revision of a ropey part on my new recon breast, too, this time. IF insurance comes thru for me in time. They're balking now, at the 11th hour!
KBodie - Brave!!!!! It IS freaky how long those tubes are - like they keep coming and coming! Same if you pull the OnQ Ball - ew! I just don't look and have my husband do it. If I had to, tho, I know I could do it, especially after hearing about you! And once, after my drains were pulled, I still had some build-up of fluid. I didn't know there was an issue, but one morning I woke up and the side of my pajamas was all soaked. Turned out the fluid just burst its way thru. No problem after that, tho. Marcia told me the same thing happened to her, except that she was walking down the street when it happened! So even if your drains come out prematurely, that doesn't guarantee you'll have problems with seroma's!
Running - You are NOT whiney!
Adey - My husband and I stayed at the Clarion on St. Charles with Dejaboo and her husband. It was very nice. You used to be able to book the front room, which had a great big balcony right overlooking St. Charles - wonderful to sit out on. I think I heard that they no longer let us Center ladies use it with our cheap rate, tho : ( But you could ask about it, just in case. Maybe if the place isn't full when you're there, they'd let you have it. My husband and I stayed in the room next door and it was very nice, too. The area is not dangerous at all, IMO. It's kind of a mixed residential and commercial area just about a block and a half from the Center, I think. St. Charles is a busy street, with the street car and all, and as others have said, the houses are nice. A couple blocks behind the Center, it's still not so terrible as people might think. One of our fav. restaurants is back there - Cafe Reconcile - and cabbies have assured us it's okay to walk from there to St. Charles, which we have done many times.Nothing scary, IMO. Don't be thinking this hotel is in an iffy place, really. Oh, and there's a very popular cheesecake restaurant right there, too. I'd have no problem staying there again. It's just that I'd rather be in the thick of things in the Quarter. But on some dates the Quarter is so danged expensive!!!!
0 -
Eve! I didn't realize you had stayed at the Clarion with Dejaboo (was it this time last year?) - but that totally makes sense!
Momx5 - I am going to second what Spring said on this one: my perforator vessels are not adequate - I would not necessarily believe this and if I was you I would get evaluated in NOLA and then you will find out the real story. Yes, totally second it!
0 -
Momx5: I agree with all the other ladies. I've always been told I have small veins from people drawing blood so I was afraid my veins would be too small and I wouldn't be a candidate. But, that was not even mentioned in my pre-op. I had enough fat to do a stacked DIEP. I am almost 6 weeks post op from Stage I. The Dr., nurses, and facilities are quite fabulous at NOLA.
Running: So glad to hear from you! I'm glad you will be able to be a full time mom during Christmas; that is special. For the same reasons I did not want to do a surgery in December because I already was incapacitated during my younger son's birthday. I will come back a day before my second son's surgery. It was either Christmas or birthdays for me. My kids are older (in high school) but we still find it special to celebrate our birthdays.
As for me, I still have scabs! I have a stubborn one in the middle of my abdominal and where my right hip drain was. Every time I get a little antsy to move, like dancing to music or do too much, it starts to bleed just a little. Can't get a tub or swim yet. But, I'm enjoying my leisure walks with my dog. I guess it's the season for me to just be a slug, relax, read, and write. Hopefully in two weeks it'll heal. I too, am very tight on the chest and my back gets pretty achy by the end of the day. My abdominal pull, I can live with. Not sure if I'm standing totally straight yet.
0 -
fwiw... I was told (by a local, while I was there) to avoid taking cabs in NOLA, especially at night.
0 -
Surfagirl - I felt ready for my stage 2 by 4 months out from stage 1. Myself, personally, I don't think I could have tolerated it as well at 3 months out. In fact, no way. If nothing else, I wanted/needed that month to have some normal time, felling mostly better and not still in recovery mode. Are you keeping that scab moisturized? That might help - thats what my local ps recommends - a little vaseline . . . You could check with the center.
Minn - hope your insurance comes through! What the heck??! They are balking one week out??
0 -
Oh I just do not believe there is any problem with taking cabs at night in NOLA! Have done it oodles of times! There are lots of neat places to go that are too far to walk to, plus taking a cab seems like the safest way to get anywhere! I would hate for people to think they have to sit huddled in their hotel room at nite!
Amy - Yes, they just told me last week! So I wrote an appeal, which is being considered this week! If they give me a hard time on this, I'll challenge it again! I enclosed a photo - if they refuse me, I will not be happy. I hate it when some administrator thinks they should have more say than me and my doctor. It feels so personal - like it's hard enough to go thru all this and then have someone else think they should decide what's right for me - or rather - their bottom line.
Nordy - Yes, we stayed there part of the time and the other part of the time at Place d'Armes - which is uber expensive at Halloween!
0 -
Minn- I'm just repeating what I was told
My boyfriend was out a lot while I was in, he used the streetcar mostly since we were right off St. Charles. He never had an issue. Although I did make him promise he wouldn't walk around with his iphone in his hand. We also made sure to walk to St. Charles before heading north.0 -
Cabs? Took them all of the time - needed them to eat all the fabulous meals I had there! I guess there are all kinds of opinions about all kinds of things - you probably need to know the personality of the source.
Minn - gosh, I hope your insurance doesn't wimp out on you! I'm looking forward to us all meeting on Friday
Will you cancel if they pull out?Can't believe that it's my 3rd trip to NOLA for surgery and I'm nervous again!
0 -
I lived in NOLA for 5.5 years and I thinks cabs are far safer than walking.... NOLA is a very checkerboard city.. one street looks nice and then one street dangerous, so its easy to find yourself in a bad neighborhood or area... There are great restaurants off the beaten path and cab is the only reasonable way to get there... The streetcar line is relatively safe, but nothng is a sure thing... but certainly safer and more public than a side street.
0 -
Kathryn, be sure to give us a detailed report of your preop appt! You'll do fabulous.
I started with a personal trainer today. My stage 2 is in about 7 weeks, and I'm about 6 weeks out from chemo. I want to build up strength before surgery!
I'll have to have Christmas ready in my house before I leave. I'll be back home Dec 20 and my daughter's bday is Dec 23. I brought her home on Christmas Day, so I'm used the the unconventional Christmas. I do feel a little guilty that I'll miss her Christmas program. I missed her Mother's Day program when I had Stage 1. My dad will record it though.
Toomuch, I'm curious about your areolas, too. I thought our docs don't do areola grafts.
0 -
Jerusha & cider8 - I didn't realize areola grafts were unusual at NOLA. I had hip skin patches where my nipples were taken off at Stage I. At my pre op I told Dr. S that they really bothered me. He said that he could do an areola graft after he created my nipples. Maybe it was just so I wouldn't have the visable patches. I'm not sure but the grafts look great. I swear they are exactly the same size as my own areaolas were. They really pay attention to those photos!
The grafts are the same color as my skin. I guess the tattoos are optional but I think that I want them a bit darker.
0 -
Cider, we really are surgery buddies. Same day sugary, same day back home, and my son has a birthday the 23rd as well! I hope I can swing the whole birthday Christmas holidays. I hope we both can!
0 -
Minn- I am sorry they are giving you a hard time . . . keep up the fight!! I hope you win your appeal! Why are they denying you in the first place? I had a horrible weeks-long battle with my insurance company re. my bi-lateral MX, etc., all beginning one week after my diagnosis. It was a nightmare. I agree - why should anyone other than you and your doctor have any say in this whatsoever? It's not like we would have chosen to put ourselves through all of this. I worked for a health insurance claims company for nine months - worst job I ever had - telling people we wouldn't cover things which to me seemed perfectly reasonable, and often, quite necessary. Anyway, wishing you success . . .
0 -
Jeskachi - I know u were just passing on what u were told. I guess the main thing is just for everyone to do what feels right to them and use common sense
Thanks guys, for your good lucks re: my insurance. I will be in NOLA for Halloween, regardless, Kathryn - I spent way too much time converting my dom into a Black Swan costume. NO way am I going to miss grand jeteing down Bourbon! I find out on Thursday what the ins co. decides - the day after we get there! Seems like all they're seeing are the words "Lipectomy" and "subcutaneous injections" and are saying they're just cosmetic. I sent them a photo showing the pretty big depression at about 2 oclock on my new breast. Corresponds to the rib resection. It happened with my first breast, and the doc just did a little lipo and filled it in, and I've been good to go ever since. It shouldn't take long, at all, and I'm hoping to be able to be outa there the same day. If ins won't pay, I'll appeal the appeal. I wonder if they ever let you appear in person to do so...
0 -
I can see it now, wearing you DOM swan costume and then bearing your breasts... that might get their attention.
0 -
Kaitsmom: thank you for sharing your experience between stage I and stage II. I didn't realize this was such a difficult surgery. I've had 3 previous ones and I recovered pretty quickly but this one will take a while. I'm hoping I am all healed up by 3 months to be able to do some exercising before stage II. I'm kind of holding out on my buying my airline ticket because I want to make sure I'm still not in recovery mode.
Minnesota: appeal, appeal, appeal. Your DOM costume must look great! Tell us all about the fun and take some pictures. Not sure where everyone posts their pictures or how to view them.
I had my sister in- law look at my stubborn scab today and she said it just takes time and it looks like it's healing. She's a nurse and although she didn't have BC, she had a tummy tuck (plication) about a year ago. The Center told me to keep putting betadine on it so that's what I've been doing. I almost went to the wound clinic but I thought that I still had to deal with the scab. I"ll see what the Center says this week and inquire how I can speed up the recovery.
0 -
Minn- Yes, that's why I didn't go as far as telling people not to take cabs, although it seems everyone interpreted it that way. Everything is relative, including risk in a sometimes-dangerous city. Common sense will always win out, carelessness will get you in trouble.
Knowing what I know, however, I personally would never get in a cab alone at night in NOLA. But maybe that's just me. And the NOLA native who told me not to do it.
0 -
Bev, add me to the last for Fairway with Dr. Massey on Dec 9. Stage 3! I'll be there with nowords. yay!
0 -
Looks like the week of December 12 is going to a busy one -- I just got the official word, Stage 2B surgery with Dr. S on Wednesday Dec 14 and tats with Vinnie on the 15th. (Katesmom and Semper, looks like Stage 2B rules that day, huh!) I'm flying in Sunday evening, staying at Prince Conti hotel Sun/Mon/Tues but haven't booked my hotel for Thurs/Fri after surgery. I stayed at Hotel de Armes last time and loved the location. Prince Conti is under the same ownership and looks very similar. Has anyone stayed there? Any hotel suggestions for my last two nights? I got a terrific rate at Conti -- $51 a night but Friday night it zips up quite a bit so I'm wavering whether to book Thurs/Fri with them or not. I'm also traveling alone so if anyone wants to meet up, I'd love to. I also need a person to be present when I am discharged on Thursday -- whereas I don't need anyone with me during my hospital stay, it is a hospital requirement that I have someone present for my actual discharge. I'm traveling extremely light so as to follow the 10lb limit restriction and have a back up plan if there are unforeseen problems but if anyone has an extra person available on Thursday to act as my discharge person, I'd be grateful. I'm just leaving the hospital and going straight to the clinic for tats.
Does anyone know what the cost is for tats with Vinnie? Sooo excited to complete this reconstruction!! Does anyone else have a husband that just doesn't get it -- mine wonders why I'd care so much that they aren't matching..."who's going to see anyway?" is his reaction. ME, for god sake! Silly guy!
0 -
I think he charges $350, for one or both... he said something (or I read it) that doing one to match the other is actually harder and takes longer than doing two... so same price.
0 -
Hey ladies,
My implant reconstruction has failed and I had to have the right implant removed on Sunday. My PS seems like he might be out of his league and I am looking at getting a second opinion. How do I get started with NOLA? Will my insurance pay for this? Are there programs to help with travel costs? My head is spinning and I'm just pretty clueless.
0 -
Just arrived at the Homewood. The Center picked us up in a big stretch limo - the kids were overjoyed!
Then I made a quick stop and saw Dr. S. I woke up from my sleep this AM and dreamed he forgot to mark me up! but my oh my - he sees things no body else does. I feel like I'm marked up as much ast Stage 2! Of course I am most excited about getting the scar tissue out and flattening my tummy (there may or may not be a plication involved), filling in old scars, refining, lifting, lots of lovely tweaks.
Saw Katie's ring. One word for it - GORGEOUS! Maybe I'll post it somewhere for all to see. Betsy, did you put together some facebook page? I remember something about it but forgot to sign up. Let me know.
Anyway, my mother and her boyfriend flew in from FL today (a big vacation for everyone but me!) and we're off to Galatoire's for dinner. Surgery is now moved up to 11AM tomorrow AM. I'll post post-surgery. Wish me luck.
0 -
PS - my husband is looking for someplace to go tomorrow night for dinner - with the kids - that is close to the center. Any suggestions? (He might be able to use a lunch suggestion near the clinic too. Thanks!
0 -
Kathryn - Will be thinking of you tomorrow! Houstons is on St. Charles a few blocks uptown from the center on the same side of the street. Zea's is a few blocks toward downtown on the same side of St. Charles. I never went there but my husband ate there several times while I was at the center. You can see both menus online!
Your should all ride the streetcar uptown to the zoo while you are there. Many of the mansions are all out decorated for Halloween. They were a lot of fun to look at! In the quarter there were a lot of people walking around in costume already last week!
0 -
sundermom - The best thing to do is contact the center and either arrange for a consult with them or send them photos. Liz usually takes care of new patients. Vicki deals with your insurance company to determine your cost. If the number she comes up with creates a hardship for you, they do have financial need papers that you can fill out. There is a company I think called Angel Flights that will help with transportation and the Center has reduced hotel rates negotiated with many hotels. The hospital rooms have twin size beds for your caregiver so there is no need to incur the expense of a hotel when you are in the hospital.
I just came back from my stage 2 and going to NOLA was the best decision I could have made!
0 -
Hello All
Whew that was a hard week for me. Sorry its taken so long to check in. I had multiple full blown panic attacks... Im not sure if the different medications were setting them off or just my normal worrisome brain or the compression binder but....omg. They took me out of the binder and kept me medicated with sedatives the whole time I was there. I am just nnow getting back to normal.
My good news is I am drain free, came home with one and we got to pull it last night. Was easy to do at home., snip the stictch and pull.
Just Laura thank you so much for coming to see me, it really felt great to have a bco lady stop and say hi. It seriously made my day. thank you.
I am having nerp complications now...hoping it doesnt get infected.
The surgery itself wasnt bad nor was the pain afterwards, just incase any neewbies read this..the hospital and clinic and doctors and staff are supreme!
Sundermom...thhey will work within your means....finacially....its very do-able as they feed/house you and your 'buddy' at the hospital, you and 'buddy' can stay at hopehouse for free during your time when you are not in the hospitial. Vickie will work magic with your insurance AND the center will be able to adjust fees if you need it. The key is to communicate your needs....OH and dont forget...there is usually a bco'er in town for stage 2 who will pop in and say hi and make you feel great! (I guesss its sorta a been there done that look in the eye that lets you know everything will e ok)
Lisa645 aka leslie
Dana, you rock!
0 -
Sundermom, go to www.breastcenter.com and there is a "getting started" or "new patients" under one of the main drop down menus. That's how you kick off the process. I am sorry this all happenend to you, but if you can get to NOLA, you will not be sorry. If you need natural tissue recon, it's the best place in the world to go.
Anne, will add your date!
Daze, I will add your dates too!
Minn, so SORRY about insurance!! What a NIGHTMARE!! You and Nordy could share a martini and trade stories. I know exactly what you mean. Can you imagine some young administrator looking at your naked pics and giggling. Makes me want to throw up!!
Lisa, glad you have recovered from the panic, that doesnt' sound pleasant!!!
Thinking of you, Katheryn!
Oct 27 - KathrynLA - Stage 2b - Dr. S., SCSH, NOLA. Scar removal on Stomach.
0 -
After stage 2 - how long (general range) until women go back to work? I know this depends on exactly what is done and if they are any issues with healing. If everything goes smoothly what is the time frame?
KathrynLA - My husband talked to the guard at the Center. (Evidently there is a guard - I guess at night -- I never met him.) He was very helpful when it came to recommending places to eat or things to do. You might ask him for suggestions.
0
