NOLA in September?
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Hey! Today went well. Maybe I saw KBodie in the waiting room? I'm here with my sister. Celeste came out and told me Dr S was still in surgery, but we'd get started with photos and consent, etc. We got started in the clinic. Before the Center took my photos I had my sister take pics of me (so I can post later on timtam's site). The photo room now has a little platform with little ridges on it at the angles we are to stand. Then Celeste told me Dr S might be coming sooner rather than later. My sister and I some time to kill in the exam room. So she started taking corny photos of us! We were dying laughing. I left the room to use the restroom; when I was coming out the nurses were all passing along the info that Dr S was on his way. It struck me as funny that he was so tracked. Elvis is in the building. I can't even imagine how orchestrated everything must be.
My appt with Dr S went fast. I had him give his suggestions. Lots of ink! I'm getting my left breast lifted and I my right side shaped up. My right side has a wierd paddle of skin; he said at least 2/3 will be gone. Dog ears taken off. And lipo. Lipo on my axillas, boob sides, sides of back, BELLY, hips, inner and outer thighs. I'm getting my port taken out. I should be able to get a nipple on my left side, but my right side will probably be done in clinic on Monday. !! My right side just has a bunch needed done.
Celeste told me I'd be in a one piece compression; not the dom because I need the compression under my arms/back. It includes the bra. I'll see if I can find a pic. She said if I have drains it will be in one or both breasts and out by Monday.
Oh! I forgot the trough. I have such an indendation around/below my DEIP incision. My belly is not smooth and flat; I assume because I have much fat. Anyway I spoke up about my concern and he said he could revise the incision to try to get rid of the 'trough!' My sister thought that was the funniest choice of word. You have to understand: my sister and I laugh a lot. I'm so glad she's here with me.
Last night and tonight we are at Hope Lodge. It's been good. We've hardly been here, though. The beds sleep well. Today we ate a late breakfast at Camellia Grill. Looked at oak trees in front of the zoo. Shopped along Magazine Street. We both got a Tarot card reading in the French Quarter. Very interesting! Last, we ate at Royal House. I got my crawfish etouffe!
I feel slightly worried that I'm not going to be satisfied with my body. It's not the cancer or Dr S. I've been disappointed in myself that I did not stay in good shape and now I have this opportunity and I'm not able to use it to the utmost advantage. So I guess I have my own body issues. I'm looking forward to 2012. Hopefully this surgery will be a good jump start for me to treat my body better.
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Paula - as hard as it sounds... try not to be too hard on yourself. My goodness, between cancer and ll the treatments plus the meds/steroids they give you during chemo - it makes it VERY hard to stay in shape! Give yourself some time to heal from all of the beating your body has taken, then when it has fully healed and rested, you can go to work on your exercise program! I am glad you are having such a great time with your sister! Good luck tomorrow!
Kaitsmom, Semper, dbdaze - hope you are all feeling well and resting comfortably tonight.
Kbodie - Wishing you well tomorrow also!
Dana - I don't know much about Tricare - sounds like a few other people do, but tell your friend not to give up. I saw one of the docs in Seattle for a consult when I was starting to look for reconstruction after my failed implants. UW refused to work with my insurance AT ALL. They said I would owe whatever insurance did not pay and that they would indeed balance bill. That would have put me somewhere around $100K out of pocket. Can you imagine??? At the time I was sad, but I am SO glad that it worked out that way!!! My boobs look a billion times better than any of the pictures that I saw there. Tell her to KEEP fighting.
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All you party girls in NOLA, cheers to all of you this week!
I am so jealous that I can't go to the tattoo party! Sounds like fun!
Maybe we can have another tattoo party with Semper, CIder 8, KBodie, Besa, and Celtic Antic. I will be a few weeks behind you all but it would be a lot of fun! I hate needles!
Lipo gals: do you still have feeling in areas that are lipoed?
Unlateral gals: did anyone choose to make your natural breast bigger with fat injection to match reconstructed breast? how did it go? worried that there may be complications to the natural breast but could use the size. Also getting worried with all the stories about tats being shrunk.
Good luck Dbdaze with plication, I'm sure you'll look great.
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Cider8 that was you!? Last time I forgot there are still a bunch of people who go here who are not on this board and I kept going up to people asking, "are you semper?" etc. So I wasn't sure if you were from here! I was also so tired, i was trying to doze on the couch in the waiting room! I too am worried I won't be happy with my body, due to my own issues. Maybe after this we should start a new thread for DIEPers who want to shape up!
Been up since 2:30. Couldn't go back to sleep. Very dry air here at the Bienville. Marks almost completely gone and I haven't done my shower yet. Hope he doesn't forget anything!
See ya on the other side....
Good luck cider!0 -
Oh yeh, one other interesting thing, remember how I was sure I had plication and nurse, said no that's only done at stage 2? And I was having lots of pain in the upper ab area after stage 1? Well, he plicated the upper ab during stage 1 and will do the lower ab today. So I did have it and didn't know it! Explains the lingering discomfort there, though.
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In pre op. Waiting. Busy busy in here. All the prep op beds are full! IV is bothering me and I am hungry. But still just anxious to get on with it! Glen was my driver this morning so that's a good start to the day.
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Paula - Thinking about you....Nordy is right..don't be so hard on yourself!! I'm glad your sister is with you, laughter is the best medicine.. I'm just about done with my radiation (24 out of 28) my skin is very "angry looking". Glad Dr D put in extra tissue at stage 1. Best of luck today...have your sister update us.....your in good hands!!0
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OK. Thanks for the pep talk, ladies! I know I'm hard on myself, but hopefully I can spin it into positive motivation. Yes, the surgeries and chemo have been hard on me this year! I've done a lot of great core work to stabalize my crappy posture, which is more important than appearances. I was having those pre surgery jitters! I slept well. We are about to leave Hope Lodge. I will post my screen name on my door when I am with it in my room. I will try to post a doped up message for you all too!!
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Jeskachi - Thanks for the bra recommendation. I think that they look great. I just ordered one from Amazon.
Kaitsmom, Semper, dbdaze, cider8, kbodie - Good luck this week - healing thoughts from Colorado!!
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Brenda, thanks for the bra info. I'm going to order some. Plus the nipple sheilds.
Sounds like a big ol' party at the Center this week!! Best of luck to everyone!!
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@ SurfaGrl -- funny, we have the same sorts of questions!! Having had some lipo in the past when I had a tummy tuck, I can say that the feeling has come back in all of the areas. Acutally didn't notice that it had gone I was such a hurtin' cowboy!! MUCH respect to the DIEP ladies! I DO know your pain!
Think your Tat party idea is a good one!! Personally, I will need to be medicated in order for anyone with a needle of any kind to get close to me! It is a strange disorder, but the Center deals with it well, so perhaps they can help when tat time cometh!
As a unilateral gals, I have noticed a marked difference in size and volume from the new breast and the old. Did have a masto plexy in Stage 1 on the contralateral side, but will want to have the natural breast made larger to match the new. Don't know exactly how that will be done, but it is on THE LIST for Dr. D.! I am also curious if anyone else had to have some additional tissue added to one side whether it "took" or not. I am not at all sure WHAT to think about nipples and shrinking and all that. My natural nipple has a low profile, so it may not be an issue with me at all. And Dr. D. has it scheduled for this round, so we will see. Was just getting used to the breast without one! LOL!
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I requested a low profile, and so after shrinkage, I got low profile... Had I wanted more, I could have asked for more... At first, I was concerned I would be lopsided, but I think its ok.
Whatever fat grafting I had, I think it took, as nothing has changed in size and shape since I came home.
I do have a bloeated look about my upper belly... which seems more pronounced since stage II... maybe I just need more time. It seems ok in teh morning, but by days end, I am protruded... Thoughts??
And I noticed today that the "fat" from under the arm seems puffy... the outside of the breast... anyone else have that at 4 weeks post stage II??
I am jealous of all the Boob comraderie down in NOLA... Enjoy>
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Cherrie, hi from a fellow Michigander:) I live outside of Traverse City. Amy
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Boob comraderie--Love that expression Betsy:) Everytime I read about a big group of "us" in NOLA I feel jealous too!
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Boob Comraderie! LOL!! It's the best way to boob!!
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Speaking of boob camaraderie - everytime I see one of my close friends and give her a hug, she always giggles and says "Our boobs are high fiving!" Like we were in high school or something... She is such a hoot. I could get technical with her and say that her boobs and my butt are high fiving, but since she is so funny when she says it, I don't want to break it to her!
Spring - I have you down for dinner in January. You still up for it?
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Nordy, YEP, we have our tickets and we're a-comming! I have you down for the 4th! We'll be in Portland, flying out early the next AM.... Do we have each other's phone numbers? I will PM you mine...
Here are the women in NOLA this week! Isn't it unreal! !!
Dec 13 - Kaitsmom (Amy) - Tattoos with Vinnie
Dec 14 - Kaitsmom (Amy) - Stage 2b, Dr. D., NOLA (SCSH).
Dec 14 - Semper - Stage 2, NOLA.
Dec 14 - dbdaze - Stage 2b, Dr. S, NOLA.
Dec 15 - dbdaze - Tattoos w/ Vinnie.
Dec 15 - Cider8 - Stage 2, Dr. S., NOLA.
Dec 15 - KBodie, Stage 2, Dr. S., NOLA
Dec 16 - Besa, Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA
D
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I had my BSO today. The last of my surgeries! Hopefully my pathology report is clear and i can close my year of surgery chapter!
There is a party at SCSH this week for sure. for those who had tattooing done how did it feel. any pain?
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Wow, a boob gang in NOLA!! I hope you can all meet up and cheer one another on. You are so blessed to have one another there. Happy healing and holidays. You deserve it.
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Hi all--I have a very vain question to ask (but hey...to some extent that's why we're all going to NOLA, right?) Do most women lose or gain weight after going through a hip flap reconstruction? I'm just curious as when I had my lumpectomy and chemo 10 years ago, I gained weight (from being tired and eating pasta as that's all I could stomach.) But now, I'm wanting to look good. I'm currently not overweight, but I have about 10-15 lbs spread out in various places (thieghs, stomach, etc) that I'd love to get rid of. I know some of that will be taken in lipo in Stage 2, but I wasn't sure if I'd be gaining more before then or losing. Also, does gaining or losing impact the size of my soon-to-be newly formed breasts? Thanks!!!
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Djweinstein - I can't speak for everyone, but I usually tend to lose at least some weight when I have any kind of surgery-- hip flap reconstruction included- I don't gain. (Right now I am a few pounds lighter than I was when I had stage I 3 months ago.)
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How does one PM Timtam about joining the photo site? I have seen the name throughout many of the thread but am not savvy enought to figure it out.
Do all the stage 1's get the pain balls?
Thanks,
Karen
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need2new- I am almost sure that all stage 1s get an On-Q pain ball and also a PCA (patient controlled analgesica) pump. In my case the pain was completely controlled (hip flap) - I basically rated it a zero the whole time I was at the Center. I thought it was pretty amazing.
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This is a dumb question but what is a pain ball? I work w/ PCA's but am drawing a blank on a "pain ball"!
katiejane0 -
DJweinstein: I had DIEP and I didn't feel like eating with the huge scar across my abdominal area for several weeks so I began to lose weight. I have kept 12 pounds off so far and will be back in January for stage 2. I got nervous about plication so my goal was to lose 15 lbs before going back. I could still lose another 10 lbs.
KBodie: I'm sure you'll look great after the final phase of plication.
Is there a photo site?
Tigsun: Congratulations! You are surgery free!
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I lost some weight between stage 2a and 2b...about 15 to 20 pounds. In stage 2a I had a lift on non diep side and lipo... and Dr. Massey relifted that side from the weight loss and did the nipple on the other side.
I had swelling in the torso, from lipo I guess for awhile, but about 4 months into recovery it started to go away pretty quickly...
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Surgery went well today! I am fully loaded. Pain pump! I had to wait around a few hours for surgery. 2 1/2 hrs I think. Surprisingly I did not get hungry. I also got to see the OR for a few minutes. My surgery was longer than 3 hrs. Dr S had lots to do. I haven't gotten out of bed yet so I've not seen all the work. I did look at my port scar in the mirror. I have the left nipple done and right nipple will be done on Monday. I have 1 drain on right breast. I will post my screen name on my door in the morning. So far I've not met anyone!
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The pain ball is called an OnQ ball. It delivers local anesthetic right to the surgical sight - so definitely creates some numbness there! Funny but when I first tried to move around after my stage 1 it reminded me of having my epidural because it was so numb in that whole back side and I found it to be a little difficult to wiggle around in bed (this goes away and you are up in no time - but that was my first impression). I will see if I can find the site that gives you info on the OnQ ball....
http://www.iflo.com/prod_onq_classic.php
To get to TimTam's site you need to send her a private message. If you are unsure of how to do this - look at the blue tabs at the top of this page - private message is to the far right. Click on it then send a message to TimTam. I believe you can just type her name in, but if not, you can find her under the member list (top right hand side of the page), click on her screen name and on her home page, find the "send member a private message" link. She is the one to give you access to the website. Many of us have pictures on there - you can search by type of reconstruction and go from there.
As for weight... I have lost about 15 pounds since my stage 1... I think just feeling good in my own skin again and really getting more active has done it. I always think you are better off going into any surgery being as active and healthy as you can be. It will only help in your recovery. Of course, now that the holidays are here and I have zero willpower to say "no" to sugar cookies and shortbread... that number may start shrinking... !
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Ooops! PS - Congrats Cider!
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Thanks for the answers. I am an operating room nurse so I actually know too much :0 I just wondered if they used the ball. I have kept myself though from watching the surgeries on you tube until after mine in january. We breast recon where I work but it is TE's, some Lat. Flaps and Trams so hence I travel to NOLA!
Glad the surgery patients are all doing well - Happy Friday!
Karen
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