NOLA in September?
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Wishing all my NOLA sisters a wonderful holiday and a happy and healthy New Year!
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Springtime: I was able to login to the picture site and Timtam is nowheregirl. She was the administrator and allowed me to join.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and many more to come! Love you all. Thank your for allowing me to read your posts, allowing me to be encouraged and laugh! XOXOXOXOXO
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Maggie.. Just wanted to say I am thinking of you down there in NOLA on Christmas.
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Hi all,
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! I can't believe my surgery date is almost here (Jan 4th.) Ref--you mentioned you are now having a surgery on the same day with Dr. S--I guess I will see you there! (How does it work, btw, when Dr. S was supposed to be my 2nd surgeon with Dr. D as the primary? I'm assumming they are not going to do two in one day!)
I'd love to see and talk to anyone who is there while I'm there. I'll put DJ on my door. I've been sick for two weeks with a lingering cold. I'm now on antibiotics but scared that I won't be 100% by the surgery. Will that matter? At this point it's just tiredness and a lingering cough...I'm doing my best to get better but this cold just won't quit!
Best to all...DJW
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DJ.. they do 2-3 per day.. depending on what they are doing. I had the same question... Dr S was my asst doctor so I wondered how he had his own.. but the assistant isn't really in there for a long time... You are having a stage I, so Dr Stolier will do his work first most likely... then they will flip you over and Dr D will come in... then I think when he is ready to put the flap in, the assistant doctor comes in.... not sure if two doctors harvest. AND Ref is having stage IIb... so her surgery will be much shorter... yours will be like 8-10 hours.. hers will be like 5... give or take a couple... They all sort of help each other.. and Dr Trahan may be in there too.. The nurses told me that with them being right there, they orchestrate it.. one OR is right next to another OR.
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Thanks that makes me feel better!
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DJ - My surgery with Dr. S is scheduled for 10:30. I imagine you will begin first in the morning. As Betsy says, Dr. S will only need to be in your room for a portion of the surgery and my surgery will be shorter than yours. Dr. Trahan may also be there. They have the coordination down so I wouldn't worry about that. Feel better, take some vitamin C and I'll see you there!
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Thanks, Betsy! Ended up with a fever so couldn't even go to midnight services as I had planned. Bummed me out, but OTOH, seem to be healing fairly well (don't care for the fabric in the Veronique ... can't wait to get home and get my own Merena!),. And am blessed to have made it this far. Tats with Vinnie in late spring in NOLA. One step at a time. Am hoping my body in the end looks better than it does now ... and, actually, the body wasn't the point. It was all about the breast, and Dr. D. was definitely channeling his Bottocelli or Titan or Reubens for that. GREAT breast!!! A few more small steps a WHOLE again!!!
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I think I am almost 100% sure I need another surgery.... I am 6 weeks post op and my left breast still has a fair amount of firmness... so this has been the case ever since the surgery in July... so perhaps with time, and I mean time, it will subside, but maybe not... AND my right breast needs a bit of shaping.. the bottom is a bit flat... I think the shape of my left firm breast is better... Certainly not a rush or anything. I feel that I have come a long way and want it as good as we can make it.... and when I am tired of traveling to NOLA and tired of recovery, and I mean really tired of recovery, then I will be done. I have not hit that wall yet... and ONLY THEN I think will I do tats. Maybe Dr D will say I should get the tats in February, but I would imagine it would be easier to fix me without tattoos to work around... but I am not the doc... but the left nipple is a bit crooked as well... so.. the tat party may need to be without me unless you all want to wait.
Sorry for your fever Maggie
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Betsy, I hope you don't but i totally get those feelings...like you think it will never end kind of?? I felt that way this summer going through all my surgeries too....you know you will do it but just want to stop. So...about the firmness...how do you know if it is for sure fat necrosis? The flap that almost failed is still a lot firmer then the other. Other is jiggly:) The top of my breast above my scar is as hard as a rock and is like a huge mound...like lots of cleavage that will not go away. too bad i have a natural breast on the other side that is all saggy. I know Dr. M will fix me up but i just hope that i don't have to have a stage 2 and 2b. Like you Betsy....i have had enought of surgeries. I believe my total for 2011 ended up being 9!! Again, i will do what it takes to make me look "normal' whatever that is.
Maggie fevers suck...sorry sweetie!!!
Hope you all had a nice holiday!
Hugs,
Michelle
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bdavis and momma2four - I can also relate -so many of us have had a difficult path. I've had 9 surgeries since a bc diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago. I have been worn down.
Has anyone had a problem with incisions itching? It took a shower in the middle of the night and then benadryl to finally get it under control.
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Besa.. I itch, but not to that extent...
Michelle... I have had 7 surgeries since last December (including port insertion and removal),and vowed I would take a long break, let all swelling subside and then hopefully have ONE tweaking surgery... About the firmness... I had a hip flap surgery in July and was back in NOLA for work on the right side in August, but my left side felt very firm... Dr D said it was just swelling... So back to NOLA in Nov for stage II and he said it was still swelling. The breast was always warm and never felt lumpy, just very firm... like half of the breast. So I had stage II thinking my firm areas would go away, but I still have them, although they don't seem as firm. So I am trying to trust that it is indeed swelling that just might take months to go away. I wouldn't casre SO much, but the other day at the gym I lift my arms up and noticed my left breast (being so compact) lifted too... my right breast stayed in place. hmmm. So I sent a photo to Dr D with my arms up.I don't expect him to fix it now.. but just want to send progressive pics so he can decide what I need when the time comes... My left harder breast actually has a much nicer shape than the right side... so I can see work on both... in a few months.
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I am trying to schedule a consultation with Dr. Massey in Chicago. I've skimmed through this thread and it looks like several of you have had dealings with her and the experiences have been positive. Is this correct? Any misgivings? Anything I should know or be aware of as I head into this appointment? She will be my 2nd opinion on reconstruction... VERY unhappy with the first!
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lkctjs- The only thing you should be aware of is that Dr. Massey will astound you with her compassion and you will feel as if you've known her your whole life. Truly an amazing surgeon!! I had 3 surgeries in Charleston with her.
Joni
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I second what jacee said. She's an exceptional surgeon and an exceptional human being. You won't be disappointed.
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Thanks for the feedback, Joni and Jeskachi! I kinda feel like I'm doing this alone since hubby wants me to just leave everything as is, so it is good to hear that I'm at least going in the right direction.
Lisa
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Lisa, my husband preferred me not going the SGAP route, too. But he supported me, and then met Dr. Massey and totally trusted her and loved her, too. I wasn't expecting that, since we didn't have a good experience with a previous plastic surgeon.
Do what's right for you. Your husband will follow. And if you choose Dr. massey, he'll love her, too.
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I will be traveling and not able to connect for a day or so at least, leaving tomorrow. Please welcome newcomers and if anybody has something to add to the list, best to PM me in case I might miss it!
Happy New Year, almost!Spring.
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Hi ladies! I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! Time is really flying & in little more than a week I will be back in Nola. I am so excited, & it looks like there are quite a few people that will overlap. I would love to meet as a many of you as possible, if you are all feeling up to it. Please pm me your phone numbers & I will do the same. I am a little worried because the consult I am having with Dr. S is regarding my lymphedema & (shocker) my insurance company is being its obnoxious self regarding some testing that he would like done prior to my appt. grrrrrr!
Celtic- don't throw away those shirts! Rub a little Dawn dish soap into the stained areas & wash. They will be as good as new. Dawn really does "take grease out of your way"!
Also, I am thinking there was someone new on here that is having stage 1 on Jan 6th. If you are checking in please repost! Otherwise, I will go back through the pages & try to figure out who it was.0 -
I do itch too. Have taken benadryl. The veronique on the top and bottom doesn't help, it's so rough.
So I am trying to trust in you experienced ones that more change will come....I found after stage one that how I looked shape- wise at 2-3 weeks is how I stayed for the most part. I am not quite two weeks but I know the bulk of the swelling has gone down since I lost 25 pounds in 4-5 days. I have a pooch in the lower ab, which may be hysterectomy related and the dip between my back and butt, which needed definition and had a lot of lipo, is non-existent. There is not yet any definition after a lot of swelling has gone down, though admittedly, that is one place I still have some. My breasts are smaller than I anticipated and have a harder, wavy brown area on the bottom middle areas, which is wheremi had swelling and/ or necrosis before I went in for stage 2.
I think I just have such high expectations, both because I know my surgeon is a talented artist and because I want a prize at the end of all this. I know the real prize is no cancer, but I wanted the extra prize too you know? So I am telling myself to be patient, be patient, be patient. I really did not expect or plan for any other stage 2s. Sigh.0 -
Kbodie.. I want the prize too.. My swelling is down for the most part I think.. but I could use more lipo in my inner knees and under my armpits/back.... and breasts (right) needs a little contouring (and is still swollen).. left breast has hardness... so as much as I hoped I'd have one stage II, I think it may be unrealisitic for primo results... There is no way for my talented surgeon to get it all in one fell swoop... I don't know how he does what he does as it is, as I was still swollen going into stage II... And believe me, I am being picky... But, at the end of the day, its my body, and I do pay The Talented Doctor D, so I am sure he doesn't mind. He can be the artist, and I can be the canvas.
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Kbodie - The itching seems to have abated for now. I am feeling a lot better. Hopefully it will get better for you too since we had our stage 2 almost the same time.
I was told it will take almost 6 months after stage 2 to see my results. Right now I think the GAP reconstruction looks good. I had lipoed fat transferred to my too small somewhat misshapen DIEP side (that was done in Maryland). I hope enough of it takes so that things look good. If it doesn't take I will be facing another stage ! GAP . A small flap may need to be added to the DIEP side. I want to be symmetrical. I wish I had know about NOLA when I was first diagnosed.
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I'm back...and hope some of you are still around!
3 weeks ago I went back for my third revision surgery. The breasts look great, and are symmetrical. We've struggled because I had an initial failure, so the left breast is a stacked DIEP and the right is hip tissue.
ANYWAY...he also cut me again in my hysterectomy line, and repaired an umbilical hernia that had developed and did muscle plication around the belly button.
Here's my question...below my belly button is very hard three weeks out and it bulges out some (the area below my belly button). Will this go down and be flat? My belly button itself looks great.
Thanks to ANYONE who can help. I am still unclear exactly how he repaired the hernia and what I can expect thru the healing process.
(Dr S, NOLA)
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For me, after stage I, I had a hard lump below the belly button... Dr D said it was the old belly button. I asked him to remove it and he did during his revision.
I also have one hip breast and one ab breast... and 6 weeks post op, they are not symmetrical 100% naked.. In clothes they are fine. But once swelling goes down, I think I need a tweak.
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My stage 1 was 2 years ago. This belly button issue is a new development. The surgical notes tell me he did find and repair the hernia. Since he did that removal for you, I have to think by now, surgery number 4, he would have removed anything that he needed to. Interesting. I've got an email into Celeste too.
Since you have different tissue left and right, you may need a tweak. In a few years, the tissue from the hip will soften and feel more like the other side. My stomach side did droop more and that's what he addressed this time
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My stomach side is definitely more droopy than the hip side... I actually prefer the look of the hip side, but its also the side that has a lot of firmness... I guess time will tell.. but you are saying it took two years for you to see the difference??
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The firmness of the hip tissue to soften will take as long as 8-10 years according to Dr S. That part is no real problem since it doesn't change the appearance, just the feel if you touch both at the same time. That tissue just has "memory" from the hip and will adjust over time.
The only reason I'm 2 years out with another surgery....I thought I was done. They looked pretty good. After time passed, I just decided to go back for another tweak just to even them up a bit more. I thought if I had come this far, I might as well go back and get the best result possible.
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I wondered how it would be years down the road... I asked Dr D if there would be a difference and he said not in appearance, but maybe slightly to the touch... I know I will go back, but don't know when... I tell myself I should wait another year so that I know all swelling is gone, and maximize my coinsurance... so if I go in January 2013 and decided I need a 2c, then I have all year to go... of course a year is a long time from now, and hope i can be patient.
When is your surgery? You should have Beverly add you.
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Yes, I agree with working around insurance too!
I had my surgery three weeks ago, and am doing really well--just wondering about the hernia that was repaired.
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oops.. yes you said 3 weeks ago.. in my mind I was thinking three weeks from now.
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