NOLA in September?
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Karen, I just defaulted to Homewood because that's where I stayed the first time. It was very comfortable, not noisy and I'd never been to NOLA before so it was fun to be so close to the French Quarter. Especially at Mardi Gras time. There were two false fire alarms in the middle of the night though - probably kids messing around - and I was not happy about that! I'll send you a PM with my contact info.
I'm sorry to hear you have to wear the girdle even longer. What a drag!
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I love the Homewood!
KatieJane, I am sorry, I agree with Nordy, it is SO WRONG. I had Cinga, and it was in network. I just don't get how insurance works, honestly.
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Hi am home in Colorado. The airports were great - no problems!
It feels sooooo good to be home. Hugs and thanks to all of you!
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I spoke with Cheryl yesterday... She has had some sternum pain, some dizziness, some bleeding from her lip (Lovenox induced), but doing well, and going for her follow up today.
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DJW- Best of luck tomorrow.
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Hey, everybody. I just finished my consultation appt at NOLA. You are all correct. They are awesome. I am blue markered up. A hip flap it is for me. Dr. D estimated that I have 275 CC's currently and he will probably take 400 CC's from each hip. Anybody understand CC language? If so, please convert. My surgery is scheduled for June 5. Add me to the board!
I saw Cheryl (cfrustie) today and she looks awesome! Go Cheryl! I am hoping for the same result. Great looking foobs. Is it weird that i am becoming obsessed with women's boobs!? I was so impressed with how she was getting around. It sure made me feel better. Hope it will give comfort to the other upcoming Stage 1 gals.0 -
If you are dealing with water (or human tissue)
1 cc = 1 ml
50 ml is just slightly less than a 1/4 cup - actually about 0.211 cups),
so by my calculation 400 ml should be about 1.7 cups
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Ksue, I'm obsessed with breasts, too! I'm glad you had a good consult.
I had my 6 month follow up with my medical oncologist today. All is well!0 -
don't they usually measure solid tissue by weight, i.e., grams?
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jeskachi - when being very accurate they measure sold tissue by weight but the convention is to asssume 1 gram tissue = 1 ml (or cc) tissue
so physicians and lab researchers making an estimate often just use grams and milliliters interchangeably. For an analogous example - a person who cooks can look at a volume of flour and say that it is about a cup of flour or also describe it as approximately 8 ounces.
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KSue, I got our PM but no date, is your surgery tomorrow?? I'll add you for tomorrow, and I can update the date if that's not right. Good luck!
Good luck DJWeinstein!!!!
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I was able to move up my ultrasound to tomorrow following my CA125 test last Friday. Really hoping everything is okay.
Thinking I should hear about insurance this week. I feel like my husband and I are already focusing on NOLA. I'm a planner so its been challenging having to wait. I have come to find through this whole experience that waiting is becoming the new norm while practicting patience and lots of prayers.
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BDavis- Are nipples done at Stage 1 or 2. I was looking at nipple sparing with my prophylatic double mast. with hip flaps and was thinking I would have my nipples still with me after Stage 1.
I am more focused on my test tomorrow and even getting to go to NOLA but I was curious about this after reading some of the posts within the last couple days.
Thank you.
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Kerry, if you have nipple sparing, you won't need nipples 'done.' I had nipple sparing prophylactic double mastectomy and my nipples look just the same as they did before. I could wish that they FELT like they did before, but I guess that's the BRCA life. I am happy to see my little friends.
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Kerry.. I had one nipple spared and one removed... Dr D rebuilt my nipple at stage II.. so for three months I had one nipple... Now at 4+ months post stage II they really look very similar (except for the areola), which will get tattood when I am all done!!
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Bdavis and Eva thank you for the info. That is what I had gathered from all my information but after reading some of the posts I was not quite sure. Thanks again.
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer was when I was young, about 10 yrs. My mom is a survivor, 20+ yrs! I was old enough to remember what was going on around me. She then had reconstruction about 10 yrs after her diagnosis and remember that as well. She found out she was BRCA 2+ in November 2011, and myself in February of this year. When I was waiting for my results I had already told my husband that I would do surgery over survelliance after living through my mother's diagnosis. She is planning a mastectomy w/ reconstruction on her remaining side and just got her surgery date today, May 7th. I wish she was going to NOLA but plans on going to our big local hospital (UW Madison) instead. I love her and want the best for her. Most likely she will be having surgery before me and then she hopes to come to NOLA for mine.
I know we have a journey in front of us but pray it gets easier as I read from many of you, that it IS better on the other side. I realize things will feel a bit different but know that peace of mind will be invaluable. I want to be able to help others as you have all helped me so much already.
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Bumping this up. Been too quiet around here. Everyone must have spring fever. We had 4 inches of snow today after enjoying record highs on Sunday. Need every drop of moisture we can get!
Hope everyone is recovering well and living big!
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Yes Anne, it has been very quiet around here!!! I don't post much but I am on here reading just about every day. Still fighting my insurance battle-I have the ok for the surgeons, DIEP, but they (cigna) will not let me go to St. Charles or Fairway. This is really wearing me down but I hope I can keep pushing forward. If it's not an HCA facility, then it's not doable so they tell me!
We also had about 4 inches of snow here in UT which is great! Like you, we need water!
Katiejane
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Hi everyone, haven't posted in awhile,but have been trying to keep up. I wanted to ask your "opinion" about exercising and concern of lymphedema.....I am trying to get in the best shape for my stage 2 so far with diet I've lost 15lbs and I'm going to be taking a "boot camp" (3x wk) at the end of april and plan on doing a 5k in june.. Do any of you girls wear a compression sleeve while working out? I haven't had a problem so far and have been doing PT and she has been measuring me and so far so good...well let me know how your experience has been..thanks
And anyone that has had plication...I think I may be a candidate (3 c sections and after diep still bump on top?) I guess at my stage 2 on the pre op day he will make the call? Is that how it worked for all of you?
Spring....sorry to do this to you but, I've moved my stage 2 to Sept 14th (want to enjoy my summer) thanks...
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Paula...Glad your check up went well!!! What should I expect? Just bloodwork or Mri?? thanks Dawn
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Need2new - I had a seroma in one of my hip sites but after 6 weeks I couldn't take wearing the girdle. I wore spanx and stuck sanitary napkins to them in the area of the seroma to increase the pressure. I only had to have the seroma aspirated once but I can't say for sure that was because of the compression. I hope that yours stops accumulating soon!
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Dawn... I only had two nodes taken and never wear a sleeve for anything... and the Center never put one on me either, as they did for some during surgery... I don't fly with one or use one at the gym. Today for example, I did a toning class after my step class and I routinely lift 10 pounds per arm, no problem with swelling... BUT I think you need to know yourself.
About plication... I have the bump and it is worse after exercise... Laura tells me to continue with ab work and my problems may resolve on their own, but if they don't I will I guess get a surgical intervention at my stage IIb next January... to be determined at my consult next fall.
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Betsy, what is "the bump"? I'm still undecided about a tummy tuck for my stage II in May.
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All finished with first round of survelliance testing. Ultrasound came back clear. Yah! Then I think to myself I could walk away from this all for six months but I know that is not the right answer for me. And you never know what the next round of tests will bring back...
Today I got the insurance denial. I am going to file a grievance. Anyone have any good tips with writing a grievance letter? I know I will be attending a grievance hearing and stating my case. I wonder when this gets easier. I know I have to be strong and just keep pushing ahead.
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KatieJane- We can cheer each other on!
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Eva... I have a protrusion (a bit distended) right around my belly button. So my belly is flat from incision down, but I look puffy above the incision, concentrated around the belly button. Laura says she can sort of see it in pictures, and its not uncommon... She said after 2 pregnancies and probably not using my ab muscles recently, the ab muscles are stressed and weak after the DIEP surgery. She said that exercise may be able to sufficiently tighten them up, but if not we will discuss alternatives. I have seen some pictures of other women and they look pregnant... mine is not THAT bad... although at days end, I do look puffier. I look more like the starving child in the hunger poster.... distended.
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Hmm. Thanks, Betsy. I didn't have DIEP and my abs are in good shape from regular exercise. I'd mostly be having the tuck to fix some very stretched out skin and belly button from pregnancies. It would be nice to look smooth again. I know I've gone about as far as I can go with diet and exercise. But I'm not thrilled about the additional long incision. Though my current incisions are healing very smoothly, so in the long term I don't think it would be a problem. I also worry about numbness. I do have some numbness around my hip incisions. I guess I'll discuss all that with Dr. D in May.
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Do realize that with a tummy tuck there is no need to manipulate the ab muscle, so that probably wouldn't be an issue for you... Also, I was not numb after DIEP... but after stage II and some revisions and lipo, I have some numbness... not bad... but initially I had all feeling. I then asked Dr D to remove this hard lump (old belly button) and I think that may have caused some of my numbness. I am just a little numb around the belly button.
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Toomuch - thank you. I am having it drained again tomorrow and after each of them I have been diligent with extra compression. I even put an ace wrap in there as a roll a couple of times.
I will do it once more since it is uncomfortable and I have a physical on your feet, lots of walking job (am an operating room nurse) and I am uncomfortable. Will do the compression and see if I can get it this time. Freaky as my stage 2 is in 6 weeks!
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need2new - Dr. S was my surgeon too. I still had a seroma going into my stage 2 but I came out of surgery without drains. And I didn't have any issues after St 2. Here's hoping that you have the same results! I didn't work between stage 1 & 2 because I work in an ER and I had one of my drains for 11 weeks and was afraid of infection. I could have gone back to work for a week but I had St 2 12 weeks out and it wasn't worth it. I can imagine how uncomfortable you are at work : (
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