NOLA in September?
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Brenda that would be awesome!!
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@Betsy -- they have finally sorted things out. It must be that people were WAY to busy and tired. First, they oput me in a short compression garment, but I had had my knees done, so out of surgery had to have DOM change to mid-calf one. Then for shower, nurse strips me out of compression garment and pops me in the shower and I very nearly pulled a "Betsy" so had to stay in the hospital another night -- and I got yelled at for not waiting to decompress!! Hello!! The NURSE said it was OK. Post-op nipple instructions said brown paper ones after the plastic one fell off -- I have Dr. D. remember -- so phone call today to tell me to use the clear ones, NOT the brown ones. Hole cut in surgical bra was so big that even with ABD pad, the whole breast fell through!! Just seemed like if it could go wrong it did.
May well be the blues Surfa. They messed up my IV in surgery, so my left hand is twice the size of the right and black and blue. Can't get shoes or slippers on. Everything swollen (I expected some, but not to this extent!) Perhaps it is Christmas alone in NOLA, perhaps post-blues, perhaps just bein' a cranky ol' Grinch! Glad you are here, all of you.
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I don't know why they think that a bra with a hole cut out of the cup is still a bra. It has no integrity, of course it's not going to support... anything. The last time I had one I changed out of it the minute I got home. I'm having a nipple reconstructed next week, I'm going to tell Dr. M not to bother with the holey bra. I'll figure out something else.
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Maggie.. You have for sure had a bumpy ride... So sorry. About the nipple guards, you will need to take it off at one week, don't wait for it to fall off... and after one week, stop using the ointment... just in case they didn't say that. Did you ask for another bra?? My holes were not enormous... just big enough to have the guard pop through and yet compress the breasts... I did double up on bras though so that the guard didn't show through shirts.
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I'm moving on to the brown nipple guards. Celeste said I may have blistered from the steri strips that were applied in surgery, then I swelled. My nipples sure seem huge. I'm trusting that they will decrease to just the right size! From what I've read, they should. And I can toss the holey bras!
KBodie, we are in a similar boat. My baby turned 8 today. I made no elaborate plans but she is still loving her birthday. I do not think of her birthday and Christmas being ruined because I can't do what I'd otherwise get to do! It is just different and I believe it's still special. Stay strong in your decision to have the surgery in Dec vs later. I had to consider all of that, too. When you do the best thing for yourself, it's best for everyone around you. Ditch the guilt and open up for healing.
Maggie, I can understand why you are frustrated. I think there are nursing staff that normally aren't there due to SCSH running at full capacity for the Dec crunch. I am grateful to have had no real issues. The first time I was stuck for my IV, the vein was blown on my hand; the vein was very flat (getting dehydrated!). I still have quarter size bruise a week later, but it's getting better. I don't know if I was lucky or if I was able to walk a lot of the swelling out. Two days out of the hospital my feet were no longer swollen. Hang in there. You made some tough choices and will make it through just fine. One day (even one hour) at a time.
Yay, Adey and Michelle! It's exhilarating to get Stage 2 scheduled!
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Celtic: I have to agree with Besa. What you see now is NOT the finished Stage 2 results! I was amazed to see changes up to 6 months later! I found it to be a slow process, kind of like a flower gently unfolding. Much, much too early to make judgements!!
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OK If Besa, BDavis and Celtic can pull their drains, I will pull my drains. Thank you for encouraging me. If I can clean my drains, I can pull my drains. My surgery is on Thurs. and post op on Monday as I didn't want things to go wrong and have to fly back up.
Ref: did you know you had extensive necrosis before you went back to NOLA thinking you were going to have Stage 2? Wouldn't that be a longer recovery? Is Stage 1B just as hard as Stage 1? I'm thinking if I have too much necrosis, I've already scheduled my flight. I know I have necrosis on the top (chest area) and a few small hard lumps along the sides of reconstructed breast but I thought they would just break it up?
Adey and Momma2four: are your surgeries on 1/2?
If so, there's gonna be another party in NOLA in January! My pre op rescheduled for 1/3 @ 2:30. I hope I don't get delayed in Chicago. I arrive in New Orleans on 1/3 at 12:00 p.m.
Not sure if my hotel is close by the Center but I think it is. I'm staying at the Hampton Inn. If it is, I can visit Ref and DJWeinstein on 1/4 after your surgeries if you're up to it; leave your screen name on your door.
Chrismas eve tomorrow! May your holidays be filled with family, friends, and lots of yummy food! XOXOXOXOX
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Celtic, I am so sorry. I did feel a little like I was getting a different shift of nurses as well. Things were a little off. And I was swollen really bad! Remember I weighed myself? Well, so far I think 12 pounds have gone in two days. Keep taking the meds, though they are a double edged sword as I think they make me feel more emotional but they do dull the pain and make you sleep more. Thanks for the pep talk cider. His birthday was great. He is happy. Just because I am not feeling too hot, he doesn't need to know. I think the drains are slowing down but when i called, Celeste says to move cautiously. I had so much done, and live so far away, she wouldn't want me to get a seroma on christmas. Yet, I think getting them out would be the best christmas present ever!! Happy weekend of celebrations!
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Surfa,,, I think Adey and Momma are having post ops in Chicago with Marga... but they can correct me if I am wrong.
Ref (Rhonda) and I have spoken at great length about second stage I's as we both had a second stage I (mine was not due to fat necrosis, but rather skin necrosis and a gaping open incision)... My second one was just a month after the first one... Rhonda's was 3 months later. And yes, she knew there was a problem... After my stage Ib, I feared I had necrosis and when I went for stage II, Dr D said it was just swelling (and is still firm at 5 weeks post stage II)... IF THEY DECIDE ONCE YOU GET THERE that they gave you wrong information about timing etc, they will eat the cost of changing your flight. I went down Aug 18, told that I would have a wound surgery and go home Aug 23... then they told me I was having a DIEP Aug 23 and would go home Aug 30.. ended up going home Sept 2. My original surgery (BMX and Hip flaps) was July 21. If you have a little necrosis, they will just break it up... don't worry about it.
I am unsure where the Hampton Inn is. Do you have an address?
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For reference. Page 485, 2011 Surgeries
2011 Surgery listing
Jan 4 - Susie, Ann's sister - PBM and immediate recon, Dr. S., NOLA
Jan 5 - Just4Ann - Stage 2B, Dr. S., NOLA - SCSH. (Sister Susie on the day prior, see above!)
Jan 13 - SandyinParadise - revision on old umbilicus scar, in clinic, Dr. D. NOLA
Jan 20 - KathrynLA - Stage 1, Bilateral Hip flaps, Dr. S., NOLA.
Jan 25 - Tracee - Bilateral SGAP, Dr. M. & Dr. S., NOLA
Feb 8 - Xfitgirl - Stage 2, Dr D., NOLA, SCSH.
Feb 17 - Dbdaze - Stage 2 with Dr. S at NOLA, SCSH.
Feb 23 - Foobs - Stage 2, SCSH.
March 2 - AnneW - Stage 2B, Alta View Hospital in Sandy, UT, Dr. M.
Mar 4- Anne W - Fairway Hosp, Dr. Massey, Stage 2B.
March 23 - lciscarroll - Stage 2, NOLA.
Apr 6 - K9Kim - Stage 2 & thyroidectomy on 4/6. "We fly in on 4/3 and fly home on 4/15... Staying at the hope lodge until my post op, then moving to the Bienville House in the Quarter for our last two nights." NOLA
Apr 8 - SallyM - Stage 2B, Dr. D., NOLA.
Apr 12 - CandDsMom - Stage 2C, Dr. D., NOLA
April 29 - heatherbless - Stage 2B, NOLA.
May 4 - denouement - Bilateral PBM and DIEP. Dr. D. & Dr. S., NOLA (will be in NOLA 5/2 to 5/12).
May 10 - Cider8 - stage 1 BMX immediate DIEP w/Dr S, NOLA.
May 10- Kaitsmom - Stage 1 DIEP, Dr. D., NOLA
May 11 - DsynDawn - Stage 1, Dr. D., NOLA.
May 11 - Tigsun - Stage 1 DIEP, Dr. S., NOLA.
May 12 - Jerusha - Stage 1 Bilateral DIEP - removal of my gummy bear ( cohesive silicone gel -- still only available as part of investigational protocol) implants and then bilat DIEP. Dr S is primary, Dr. D co-surgeon. NOLA!!
May 16 - Bdavis - Consults with Dr. D. & Dr. Stolier., NOLA
May 16 - ref - Consult with Dr. S.
May 25 - Rogam - Stage 1, Dr. D., NOLA.
May 27 - NoWords - uni-stacked DIEP at Fairway in NOLA with Drs. Massey and Sullivan
June 1 - Ref - Stage 1 stacked bilateral, NOLA with Dr. S.
June 14 - JustLaura - Stage 1 mastectomy and DIEP in NOLA with Dr D and Dr Legarde.
June 15 - LeslieT - Stage 1 stacked bilateral, NOLA with Dr. S
June 15 - Surfagirl - Consult w/ Dr. S.
June 16 - KathrynLA - Stage 2, NOLA.
June 21 - Dargonfly1976 - Stage 2B, Dr. S., NOLA
June 27 - Louis13 (Rosemary), Consult in NOLA.
July 19 - DJFroo - Stage 1 (?), NOLA.
July 21 - Bdavis - Stage 1 with Dr. D. & Dr. Sullivan., NOLA (Dr Stolier will be my BS and Dr D is the lead dr with Dr S as the asst.)
July 27 - BrandyB, Stage 1, NOLA. (St. Charles surgical center. Delayed recon on the left and a mastectomy/recon on the right. DIEP procedure. Surgeon is Dr. DellaCroce.)
July 29 - Toomuch - Stage 1 - mastectomy and bilat hip flap reconstruction with Drs. Stollier, Drs S & D, NOLA.
Aug 9 - Louis13 (Rosemary) - Stage 1 MX and unilateral stacked DIEP surgery with Dr. D and Dr. Stolier.
Aug 16 - Denoument - Stage 2 NS+SS PBM w/DIEP with Dr. D plus LSH with Dr. Von Almen
Aug 17 - jeskachi - Stage 1 Stacked DIEP (starting over on the left side only), NOLA.
Aug 18 - Bdavis - Wound surgery, Dr. D., NOLA.
Aug 23 - Celtic_Antique - Stage 1, Dr. D & Dr. S, NOLA.
Aug 23<font class="Apple-style-span"> - BDavis - Stage 1b twith Dr. D... Having a DIEP flap to supplement right side.</font>
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</font>Aug 24 - Josta 7 - Stage 1, remove implants, NOLA.Aug 29 - Momma2four - skin graft to cover open would, Dr. M., Fiarway, NOLA
Sept 1 - LeslieT - Stage 2, Dr. S., NOLA. Sept 2 - NoWords - Stage 2, Dr. Massey, Fairway Hospital, NOLA. Sept 13 - Surfagirl - Stage 1 DIEP with Dr. S, NOLA. SCSH. Sept14 - KaitsMom - Stage 2, Dr. D., SCSH, NOLA. Sept 15 - RunningForSanity - Stage 1 PBM with hip flap recon, Dr. Stolier, Dr. D., NOLA.Sept 21 - Besa - unilateral prophylactic hip flap (previously had unilateral DIEP). Dr D. and Dr. Stollier, NOLA.Sept 28 - Ref - Stage 2, Dr. S., NOLA Sept 29 - Jerusha - Stage 2, Dr. S., NOLA.Oct 4 - KBodie - Coming to NOLA October 1, pre-op on the 3rd and surgery on the 4th. Stage 1 BPM and DIEP with Dr. S.
Oct 5 - Semper - Stage 1, Dr S and Dr. D, NOLA.
Oct 7 - MaggieSantaMonica - Stage 1 hip flaps with Dr S., Fiarway, NOLA.
Oct 13 - Lisa645 - Stage 1 Bilat PBMX, NOLA. (between Oct 12 - Oct 21st). Dr. D.Oct 13 - Ccbaby - Stage "3" with Dr. S., NOLA. Oct 17 - JustLaura - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA.Oct 20 - TooMuch - Stage 2 with Dr. S, SCSH, NOLA.Oct 27 - KathrynLA - Stage 2b - Dr. S., SCSH, NOLA. Scar removal on Stomach.Oct. 31 - Minnesota - Stage 2C, Dr. D., NOLA
Nov 1 - TigSun - Stage 2, Dr. S, NOLA.
Nov 1 - Rogam - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA
Nov 3 - Djfrro - Stage 2, NOLA.
Nov 9 - VictoriaB - BMX with hip flap on Nov 9 with Drs. D and S.
Nov 14 - BDavis - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA
Nov 17 - BrandyB - Stage 2, NOLA.
Nov 30 - Louis13 - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA.
Dec 1 - Momma2four - stacked GAP with Dr. M and Dr. S assisting at St. Charles, NOLA.
Dec 5 - Fight-Like-a-Girl - Stage 1, Dr M. and Dr. D., NOLA.
Dec 6 - Adey Stage 1 delayed bilat recon, Dr. M and S in NOLA
Dec 9 - NoWords (Amy) - Stage 2 with Dr. M. at Fairway in NOLA.
Dec 9 - AnneW - Stage 3 (a.k.a. 2b), Dr. M, at Fairway, NOLA.
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
Dec 20 - Celtic_Antique - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA
Dec 29 - Joasta7 - Dr. Trahan for Stage 2
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Can someone post a link to the "Ask the Doctor" website so I can add it to the listing at the top of the page? I can't seem to find it. Thanks.
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Thank you Betsy!
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maybe parentheses timtam is one word... people seem to separate her user name.
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Thanks Betsy, good suggestion. I added that. Can you (or any body else?) think of anything else we could add up there that are commonly asked things?
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perfect.. how can the list be that long already? those nola doctors are busy busy.
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and i do realize it includes all of december
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Well, a lot is December (right). I thought I would leave that up there for a while yet. Though you're right, a lot for January already...
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B Davis saw an old post on bloated bellies, I feel more bloated so far but still early. I had issues will bloating this fall and actually ended up getting my gallbladder out.
Either way bloating sucks.
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Ray... your DIEP was a long time ago... was the bloating related to the DIEP or the gallbladder? And yes, bloated bellies suck.... I sent a photo to the doc and sent one as bloated and a second one with me sucking in, saying what I was hoping it would be like... BIG difference. I am only 5+ weeks post stage II, so maybe I am being premature in my worrying.
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Celtic: I am so sorry about your surgery experience. Leave it behind and on to healing. 3 days post op and I agree with the emotional ups and downs of surgery. Sometimes the journey seems difficult but we are all survivors and I want to encourage you that each day will bring healing to your body. You did the right thing at the right time (December). Every decision you have made has been the right one. May we look beyond the lights and fantasy of Christmas and know that our celebration is the birth of Jesus Christ. May God heal your body and give you rest and peace throughout the days to come. LOL
By the way, I found timtam. She goes by a different name: I believe it was nowheregirl.
BDavis: Thank you for the information about NOLA and if changes are made to surgery.
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Surfa.. that was my experience.. I can't say it happens across the board, but I would think if they tell you to book a flight for a certain date and you do, and then they realize they need to do something else, I think they eat it. I bought insurance for all other trips, just in case. My August trip was all covered by NOLA... the flight down, the change, the change again and the flight home, plus a flight for an escort... this was due to a complication. So anything that falls under complication, they will help out... and its not like you are asking for them to pay for your flight, just pay the change fee. BUT BUT BUT, don't get ahead of yourself. Based on what you described, it doesn't sound like extensive necrosis... HALF of my left breast was FIRM, for 4 months, and he still said it wasn't necrosis.
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cider8 - I agree that Dr. S is amazing. Very talented, nice and actually listens.
Surfa - Betsy is quite right, I knew I had a significant problem going into stage 2. But didn't know for sure if it would require a total revision or not. At my pre-op it was clear that we would need to replace most of the flap. During the surgery Dr. S felt that it was best to replace the entire flap. I had my surgery on Wed, Sept 28, planned to stay 2 days in the hospital and come home on the Mon, Oct 3. I needed a fair amount of blood following surgery and Dr. S suggested I might want to stay in the hospital until it was time to go home which I did and was able to leave as scheduled on Mon. They were wonderful to me and, while I did feel that the recovery was difficult, I was fine to go home. All that said, please know that it is usually NOT necrosis to this degree. I know that is what we all fear but it is much more likely that the necrosis you may have can be broken up. My revised breast has hard spots that will need to be addressed in my next surgery but it is so obviously different from what I had experienced before. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. And I hope to feel good after surgery and be happy to meet you if you are around!
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The first few days after surgery can be a little difficult but I'm amazed at how well I feel 10 days out. I'm no longer swollen -- and my energy is returning. I have to give myself permissio to take a half of a pain pill ocassionally -- for sleep mainly. I also find that taking the edge off of my pain, keeps me in good spirits and more physically active. I think my biggest issue was not peeing -- as soon as I increased my liquids that issue relieved itself. I'm already really happy with the revisions on both of my breasts, can't wait for them to perfect with age now! I feel whole again!!!
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas with your families -- delight in the memories you create because in the long run, it's time spent with family and friends and the memories that we create that give us long-lasting joy. Merry Christmas!
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Merry Christmas to my NOLA sisters! May the New Year bring you health, healing and happiness!
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Merry Christmas All...
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Merry Christmas to all my surgery sisters!
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Happy Happy, Merry Merry to the brave,strong women on NOLA IN SEPTEMBER. Together we have found our way
:):). Celebrate and hold your loved ones close!0 -
Merry Christmas NOLA sisters!
Can anyone confirm that TimTam (picuture forum) is now actually "nowheregirl"?
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Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope that 2012 is a year of health and happiness for all!!
Springtime - I can confirm that in July Timtam responded to my PM to her about the reconstruction pictures as 'nowheregirl'. I sent my message to 'timtam' though - so maybe she is using both?
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