NOLA in September?
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Thank you Cascader & best wishes to you too!! I hear that Charleston is a beautiful city, so hope you get to sight see beforehand.
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Good luck Jen and Michelle!!!
Jen... Glad you have made it down, and it will be more relaxing once you start the pre-op stuff.. You will LOVE Dr Stolier and Dr DellaCroce.. They are so calming... someone recently referred to Dr D as breezy, and I think that is a great description. He is just so cool you just relax right along with him.
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Thank you Betsy!! I agree, I have only met Dr. D. & Dr. Stolier once but they made me feel very comfortable and relaxed.
Again, you ladies are amazing and I am so thankful to be a part of this thread!!
Good night everyone
Michelle
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Jen, your fears are normal. With dense breasts it is possible they can find something new. It happened to me and I am OK! The great thing is that even if something is found, they are already taking all the breast tissue out. You are in the very best hands. Chances are better that you will have no surprises. Rest easy. I'd guess the stress is contributing to your headache, fatigue increases anxiety. You can ask the Dr for meds to calm you or help you sleep.
They tell you to wear dark clothes in case the ink comes off on your underclothes. You will wash again and some of the ink comes off. But they take pictures of you marked up! You will get all your instructions tomorrow. Write down any questions. Including the 'what ifs.'0 -
Thanks, everyone. I am looking forward to finally meeting with Dr. D and Dr. S. It feels like I'm finally experiencing the start of treatment and recovery - as opposed to talking, researching and preparing for it!
I echo michelle, THANK YOU for all your support. It's amazing and I don't know how I would have gotten through this - nor how I would have gotten to NOLA without all of you!!
Looking forward to a good night's sleep and wishing you the same!0 -
Just read your post, Paula - thank you, thank you!!!
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Best wishes, Michelle and Jen! As I get ready to go to NOLA in 3 weeks, I am hanging on your every word. I'll be thinking about you during these next days and wishing you peace in all the decisions you have made. All your hard work is paying off and you will be in NOLA cancer-free very soon!
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Michelle- Know that I am thinking about you and wishing you well. You are in wonderful hands! Please keep us posted.
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Wow! All this excitement!
Yes, they take pix of you with your marks. They tell you to wear dark clothes and underwear because the ink might stain light clothing. It doesn't actually stay on that well. Mine largely washed off overnight. Especially at stage 1 because I had a day between my consult and surgery.
Can't wait to read about your progress.
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You all are going to love having so many "sisters" down there! When I had my stage 2 there was a whole group of us - women that I now will always consider friends. And there was someone from the Force board that was there during my stage 1 - she helped me so much as she was there for her stage 2, so she had already been through all the stage 1 jitters!
Jen, I am thinking about you this week. You will be sooo great tomorrow! It will all start to feel "right". And Michelle, you will be great also!0 -
PS - if either of you get my girl Deidre for your pre/PACU nurse, give her a huge hug for me! Just remind her that I am the one with the CRNA hubby. Love her!
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Hi Springtime, thank you so much for sharing your story! I'm 6 months post DIEP and sounds like I feel about the same as you did that far out. My abs are still weak, (yet much improved) and I have a big pooch. I only have 1 pair of jeans that still fit because of it, and he removed pretty much all of the outer ab fat I had. I went to see my PS last month because I was sure I had a hernia. Turns out it's just stretched out/separated rectus muscles. I had 2 kids and my 2nd was 10 lbs... I was huge with that pregnancy... no wonder. He's suggesting just the lower abs. I think I'm going to have to go ahead with the plication and deal with whatever recovery time it takes in order to ever improve this. I know exercise can help but from what I understand can't repair the muscle damage.
I will be sure to ask him about the cosmetic improvement and continue researching but think mine is more of a "mechanical" issue? I really appreciate your input and am taking it to heart. I'm dreading another recovery period, let alone an even longer one!... Ugh.
Minnesota - Would you like to post your experience with plication here too? I'll PM you also.
I hope it's okay that I post here even though I didn't go to NOLA - you ladies have such great information and insight. I think is wonderful that you have such cool NOLA Sisterhood going on, too. I wish all of you with upcoming surgeries great success and easy, quick healing
And Springtime, have a great trip!
Shelly
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It's 5:50 am here and I have been laying here since 4:45 :-( So much going through my head and the jitters have definitely hit. Well not to mention my hubby was in a car accident while on duty last night which I found out as I was trying to fall asleep. He is ok and was luckily not hurt and dogs were just shaken up. My son was sick to
his stomach for hours before bed, so my nerves are a bit frazzled.
Besa, thank you!! You were one of the first ones to reach out to me during that "decision" process and your story really made a difference to me. Thank you for your support and I will do my best to keep everyone updated.
I guess since I have to be up in an 1 1/2 hours or so, maybe I'll try to close my eyes again.
Michelle0 -
Well, it looks like I will miss the big July party of sisters, but I am going to NOLA in August! After much soul searching, research and consults I have decided to take the leap of faith and have hip flaps with Dr. D on August 15th. (to recap: I had DIEP flaps done locally in March and lost both flaps, one immediately after surgery and one 10 days later)
Last week, I met with a hematologist, who ran a million blood tests to determine if I lost the flaps due to an undiagnosed clotting disorder. He found no issue and was comfortable with me going to NOLA for the surgery. He is going to write a recommendation for blood thinning treatment and has offered to consult with Dr. D before the surgery just to be extra sure. Most people I tell that I am going with flaps again think I am out of my mind, but my husband feels better after the hematologist gave the ok, and I just feel in my heart that this is the right choice for me.
I finish chemo June 25 (yeah!) stage 1 August 15, and I'm already scheduled for stage 2 on October 19th. Jeanine was nice enough to pencil me in for stage 2 since I absolutely have to be back at work Nov. 7th.
I can't thank you all enough for all the support and info you have shared. I am ready to get this done!!!!0 -
They're coming in cars and in jets
Done with soul-searching regrets
It's time for a blitz
Of flaps and new tits
A toast to our summer Nolettes!Cheers!
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That's awesome Eva!! A special thanks to you too for all your support during this process. Hugs!!
I'm at the airport now waiting for my sons plane. It's all I can do not to break down into tears in front of him, but once he's gone, I don't think I'll be able to hold it together!!0 -
LOVE it, Eva!! 0
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Michelle! It will be okay. When you look back it will be just a blip in time!
Dianne, I have been loosley following your story on another thread. Good for you! I think if anyone can do your flaps it is the team at Nola. You will be great. And August is a great month for reconstruction! Mine was in August - hot, but a great month!0 -
Eva - love the limmerick!
Chelle - I am with you on the crying. I have been managing to keep it together when talking with friends but can tell that I am on the edge. Our boobs deserve a good cry!
Esmerelda - hope your consult was great today. I will be praying for you and sending positive energy your way tomorrow.
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Thanks so much, Eva, I needed a smile today! Feel free to keep the funny stuff coming. Reading about your quick recovery has been very encouraging too!
Spring, have a good trip and thank you for keeping the NOLA gals organized. I am so grateful that I found this thread and all of you.
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Hey ladies! I'm finished with all my pre-op stuff and we're almost done with dinner in the French quarter. I'm all marked up and had great appointments with Dr. Dellacroce and Dr. Stollier. They were both just great, and in particular, Dr. Stollier was so patient with all my tons of questions - and so comforting.
Although I was prepared for a DIEP- hip combo (body lift), upon examining me, Dr. D. decided that either donor site would work - with added fat grafting at stage two for additional fullness. He basically gave me the CHOICE of which donor site to do - which drove me crazy! I was so conflicted... And finally decided on the DIEP, but honestly I could also talk myself into hip flap. Sigh. I appreciate having a choice (?), its just that I'd prefer to be told what should be done! I'm also a little bummed to know that after stage 1, I won't be at my normal full size. That will come at stage two.
Also, I have to decide on nipple sparing! I can tell them tomorrow. I think I started on this journey thinking both nipples would go - so having a different option is difficult to navigate. Save the prophylactic? Save both? Save neither and let Vinny do his work?!
Any final thoughts for me?? What big decisions! help!!0 -
Jen, everyone is different when it comes to nipples... I had prophy spared and could have spared the cancer side too, but decided to be safer than sorry... In the end, I wish I had taken both and been symmetrical... but others here are glad they kept one... Vinny will put the finishing touches on me, so maybe in the end, it will be perfect... Dr D also needs to do a little tweaking with the rebuilt nipple, so we'll see.
Its hard that you got the choice. If you will need more later why not do the body lift?? For me, it was an easy decision for him, as I just didn't have enough belly... In the end it is good he just used the buttocks, because a month later when he needed to re-do the right side, he still had my ab fat to work with. Feel good about the decision... you'll be great!!!!
Where did you go for dinner?
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I'm planning to have both nipples taken. I don't have a choice on the left side, and I like symmetry. But who knows what will be going through my mind when I am in your shoes in 3 weeks!
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I wavered about the nipples right up until they put me under... I know Springtime is glad she has her nipple.
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Jen! That's a big decision. You could always keep one or both and have them removed at stage two if you started having some remorse about keeping them. I don't have nipples and I don't really care, but I know sometimes my hubby wishes I still had atleast one! You will do what is best for you - just lots of pressure I am sure given the time frame!
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I kept mine and am glad I did. The way I see it, you can take them off later if you change your mind but it's pretty hard to put them back. Why not keep them for now if it's an option?
I went for the body lift at stage 2 and it's going to look so good when it's healed up, but it's a HUGE scar! It's tight, but not painful. At 2.5 weeks out I'm a lot more comfortable. I still need a bra and compression garment during the day, but not all day anymore. My thighs are still swollen enough that it doesn't look like I had lipo, but the bruising is almost completely gone. When will they start to look smaller??
Good luck tomorrow, Jen! You're in the best hands. I had the same two docs and you could not do better.
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Eva... I have to say Dr D did a FANTASTIC job on my legs.. Give it 4-6 weeks.
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Good luck tomorrow Jen & I will hopefully see you soon!! HUGS!!!
It's been a crazy day and I have been up since 4:30 or so. I held it together until he got on the plane and then I cried, but it was a just a quick one. I think "real" one that I have been holding in will come out in NOLA.
Good night everyone....I have a long drive in the morning!!
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DianneNC, I added your Aug 15 surgery to the list! i will so PRAY that you have NOTHING out of the ordanary, just a big old boaring regular surgery and outcome! You've had enough excitement!
Cascader, would you like to be added to our listing above? Happy to add you, just let me know.
I paid for the hotel internet connection! ugh. Nice to hear from you all and see such upbeat posts...
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