NOLA in September?
Comments
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Question for any ladies that went to Fairway. When I am released from Fairway we are going to the Homewood Suites near St. Charles? My question is: Can I handle that long ride over the bridge or should I stay at the Homewood in Covington until the post-op appointment?
There would be more for my DH in New Orleans.
Just wondering!
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Harmony... I know Dr Sullivan and Dellacroce have a car service to take you to appts... Dr Massey does not?? I am surprised you need to pay for a cab to get to the hospital.
And Cherrie... I would make the drive to New Orleans Homewood... After my release, I was with my friend who had a car and we drove to the Hope Lodge, back to her house is River Ridge, down the the Quarter... just have a small pillow in your lap to protect your boobs and abs... so the seatbelt doesn't press on you.
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Dr Massey does provide ground transportation for everything.
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I was thinking the limo was associated with the center, so if you have surgery with Dr M there, you get transportation. If it is at Fairway, I don't think so. AnneW would know as she has had her surgeries at Fairway with Dr M.
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Hey, everybody, I am 3 weeks and 2 days past stage 1 but who's counting (hee hee). I still am tired often. Will be so glad when energy comes back! I have had one outing - for a pedi. Outing # 2 is planned for this afternoon. Book club is meeting at a wine cave. Hoping I am up to it but tired of being stuck inside. My mother has been searching for bras for me. She found one that I really like. It is Spanx Bra-llelujah! Wireless Front Closure. It is really comfortable but not cheap. I think they are $62. Mom picked them up at Dillards.
CaitlinB - It was so good to hear from you. I am glad that you are tolerating this round of chemo well.
Good luck to Harmony and Jannelle tomorrow!
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Hi everyone,
I have been reading and reading, so much information on this thread! I have been struggling with what type of reconstruciton to choose for a while now. I initially met with a PS just before my UMX last June. She told me that I was too thin for anything but an implant or a LD flap. I decided to just wait for recon while I finished all my treatments as I could not decide what to do at the time of my UMX. I have realized after reading this thread that those may not be my only options, and now I feel as if a big weight has been lifted. Now I think I have decided that I want to do a PMX on the other side since I had ILC and have dense breast tissue. I have another appointment with the PS on August 1, and I want to see what she has to say but, I am seriously thinking about NOLA or Charleston as an option. Am I crazy? I really love all the doctors that I have had at UNC, but I just don't want to settle for something that I am not on board with. Any encouragement and points to think about is very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Beth
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KSue, glad you found a comfortable bra! I was afraid to wear tight bras after my diagnosis (urban legends about tight bras causing BC) and bought all kinds of soft bras without underwires. I tried every one I had in my drawer yesterday and finally found one that doesn't hurt, a Hanes bra...I suspect it was under $15 dollars
but I would like to check out the one you mentioned, I'd like to find something even more comfortable that I can tolerate all day.
Willy, Harmonysun, and Jannelle, thinking of you!0 -
Beth.. we do not think you are crazy, as we did just that. I remember when Nordy suggested I travel to NOLA (and I live in NJ, by NYC and Philley), and I immediately thought, "now why would I do that?" But after reading and researching, and having consults locally, that is exactly what I chose. My husband and friends could not understand my decision, but I am the one who did all of the research. I wanted to do this right and do it once, with the best results possible. And because of that, I went to NOLA.
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Beth, I too am a crazy one. Flew from seattle to Charleston(still here)and happy I did.
Jenlee- I was looking at this one , looks comfy.
Spanx Bra-llelujah!® The All-Hosiery Comfort Bra
Price: $36.000 -
Oh.. I think I own that one...
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Beth, that's the beauty in waiting. You can make a well thought out decision. Initially, I had a lumpectomy at the time of my diagnosis. I didn't know that I carried a Brca1 gene with a deletion at that time. If I had known, I am sure that I would have done recon with implants because that is what they do where I live. I feel so fortunate to have learned about NOLA prior to my recon. Good luck in making your decision.
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Ksue... me too... I had a lumpectomy and then chemo... while I was doing chemo, I decided to have a BMX instead of radiation. I feel if I had had a MX right away, I would have also had implants as I wouldn't have known any better. My BS works closely with a group of well respected PS, but they like Lat flaps and implants.
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hello wonderful gals....finally made it to the hotel close to fairway....very bad day.....everything is good now but it was a challenge to get through.....was crying when i met dr massey ....she probably thinks i dont appreciate how lucky i am to have her do this....didnt even get to talk with her much because i had to rush to get to ct appt...the few mins i did have with her was that she can only get a smaller amt than she thought and that is really disappointing..... and then was taken to the wrong place and then when finally getting to the right place, he had orders for a scan for a diep and it was only through an offhand remark that he realized those were the wrong instructions......etc etc....hope all glitches are out of the way now and surgery goes smooth.......as lastar says....see you on the other side.....:))
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Cascader, I had DIEP after an initial explanders/implant reconstruction, and I was really disappointed with the looks of things after stage 1. Everyone said not to worry because it would all be fixed at stage 2 and I can report that this is EXACTLY what happened! These docs are masters at the cosmetics, but that part doesn't get attention until stage 2. So hang in there!
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Cherrie, I went to the Homewood suites in NOLA after my stage one at Fairway. It was absolutely fine. I think I was sure to have a pain pill at hand in case I needed it but I didn't.
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Harmonysun... sorry for your bad day... and maybe you'll be surprised at what she can do.
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Harmonysun and Jannelle, best wishes for tomorrow! The pre-surgery anxiety will be behind you soon and you can focus on rest and healing. 9 days out, it is not a bad place to be!
Willy, glad to hear that you are recovering well!
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Thank you Amy and others for your words of experience. I am feeling better about it all, think maybe I was having a "moment". I remind myself that this is a process, and will continue to lean on you all for support . I am grateful for this thread.
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BethCW, I am in Raleigh NC. There were no good options for me locally. I have no regrets that I went to NOLA. I got exactly what I wanted. Perfect, natural looking breasts and a kick ass body.
I am sorry to say that there are no doctors locally that can offer you what NOLA docs can offer you. If you are willing to travel for surgery (and we are all experts at that now, and there is much support at the center) then your results will be much better.Yesterday, I went to my yearly GYN appointment. She looked again at my breasts in amazement. There are many of us who have had others pulled in from the hallways to see our recon results. My boobs look better now than they ever did.
anyway. I don't think you're crazy! I left Raleigh and went to NOLA for the gold standard. It's up to you. but no, you are not crazy! Actually, you are in very good company if I do say so myself! DianneNC is from NC, KaitlinsMom, and there have been many others. My ONC actually send ppl to NOLA now...
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And my PS sends her patients to NOLa that want free flaps... And Beth, if you are crazy, then so are all of us! At least you are in good company! I (and many others here) traveled from the Pacific Northwest for our surgeries. And yes, I think Betsy thought I was off my rocker (which sometimes I am - but not when it comes to the reconstruction in NOLA. You will be in the best hands!
Harmony. I am so sorry you had a rough day. Here is to a peaceful night. Sending hugs to you and Janelle tomorrow.0 -
Hi Beth, I am also from NC and a patient at UNC. I am tall and thin and offered very few choices in the way of reconstruction. I ended up doing implants with two additional surgeries and by the time I went to Nola my implant on the radiated side was almost to my collarbone. It's great that you can take a step back and see what all of your choices are. I am very happy that I found Dr. Massey. I am not quite done but can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I wish you well.
Harmony, so sorry you had such a rough day. I know things will go well for you. Hugs.
Hello Amy, sounds like your very happy. Thats great!
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Betsy, you mentioned that you didn't use scar gel until after stage II because you knew they were going to reopen your scars/incisions. Is this common? I know that one breast needs more fine tuning around my nipple area, but the other one seems ok. How did you know that you'd have a lot and did they reopen all of the incision areas, or just some?
I went to meet with my new MO today. I had a consult with her about six weeks ago... I wasn't happy with the one I had and this new one was recommended to me by several other women of OC on this board. She wanted to examine me and started to ask if I was still considering New Orleans... Then she opened the gown and smiled. She asked where I went and I told her. She was very impressed with the work. Which is nice because everyone around here in the medical community knows each other, so she shares patients with my BS who was angry that I wasn't getting implants, also with the local PS and the one at UCLA who were adamant that they couldn't give me two DIEP breasts. It's nice to get validation, since I have quite the frankenbody with the big fresh scars. I'm starting Tamoxifen tomorrow and also Effexor. She said really helps with hot flashes. Which is good, because a lot of days, it's been in the 70's here in SoCal, yet I'm often soaked with perspiration!0 -
Beth - you are not crazy to consider this. Many of us have come to NOLA after having problematic reconstructions done in home towns. Following a bc diagnosis I had a unilateral DIEP done locally -- so many problems and needing multiple revisions - still didn't look great. I came to NOLA for a prophylactic GAP on the other side. It looks beautiful. Dr. D. also did a great job of fixing the DIEP side. I just wish I had know about NOLA when I was first diagnosed. My local oncologist initially discouraged me when I talked about traveling all the way to NOLA for reconstruction. Now based on my experience there, she is referring other patients to NOLA.
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Jenifer... I guess I didn't know for sure, but I knew they would reopen the hip flaps in order to do the butt lift... and I gathered from our conversations that my breasts would also be revised because they said I was getting a lift... and I think I had read that they always revise at least some of the ab scar to make it even better... and finally, no one mentioned scar treatment to me from the Center... After stage II, they gave me the treatments. My left breast scar is invisable... amazing.
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Hey there everyine. Just wanted to let Harmony & Jannelle know they are in my thoughts and prayers.
@ Willy, glad you are doing well.
Quick question to those who had hip flaps done. How do those stitches come out? They don't loom like they are dissolvable.
Also, everyone keeps mentioning changing bras, but the ones the center gave me seem to be fine to me, so I'm just curious why buy new ones now, well after stage 1.
Laura told me I could switch to
Spanx if I wanted to, but I think I read some where that they hurt worse with the drains still in. Is there anything else I can wear other than this girdle? Just curious
Planning on getting out some this weekend, but no too much since it's supposed to be in the 100's for the next several days...ugh
Heat, menopause, and girdle don't mix well.....lol
Gentle hugs to all!!!!!
Chelle0 -
Chelle... I tried switching to bike shorts when I still had drains and it was not comfortable... pulling the shorts up with drains still in is not good... Wearing the crotchless girdle is way easier than pulling the spanx or like up and down all day. If you could find a crotchless spanx, then that would be ok.
And if you like the surgical bra, there is no need to change. I found it to be very full coverage, and so when I wore most of my shirts, you could see the bra at the cleavage. So I think many women just want a normal bra for that reason or just to get away from something the hospital hands out... I think the surgical bra is comfortable, so that was never my issue.
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Chelle, I wore the bra given to me by the Center. I thought it was flattering since I usually wear only sports bras that flatten. I am not very exciting! At week 6 or 7 I purchased 2 great "Fiona" sports bras that are comfortable, super supportive, have back clasps (all my sports bras were pull on types), and adjustable- so not too tight/fit just right. My breasts have gotten smaller since month 3, so I appreciate the adjustability even more - the bras are expensive. There are a lot of choices out there.
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Hi Chelle,
Those stitches will eventually dissolve internally enough that the poky ends will fall off (or can be very gently pulled off). It took forEVER though.
I can't IMAGINE pulling spanks or anything over hip drains. I wore the zip up girdle to the end and never bought or wore a different compression garment. But then, I had my stage 1 in Feb when the weather was cool. I don't envy you!
I wore the surgical bra for quite a while. I found it pretty comfy. I wasn't comfortable going completely braless after stage 1. Things just pulled too much. But finding a bra that didn't show under shirts was a challenge. The Genie bra, which I bought at Bed Bath and Beyond, is VERY comfy, but again, full coverage. Then I found these little camisoles at Costco that offered just enough support to be comfy, enough coverage to hide the nips under thin shirts, and low enough not to show at the neckline. But it would be another layer in hot weather. The darker colors can be worn as casual summer tops by themselves, but you probably wouldn't want to wear one to work.
I went bra shopping last weekend and found a very soft, low-cut brat without underwire at Soma. I tried some underwire bras on but they tend to hurt still. I don't NEED a bra at this point, but I look better with some tops if I'm wearing one. http://www.soma.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=5&pageId=1&productId=570010067&viewAll=&prd=Wirefree+Heidi+Bra&subCatId=cat3310020&color=&fromSearch=true&inSeam=&posId=2&catId=cat40089&cat=&onSale=&colorFamily=&maxPg=1&size=
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Betsy~
Can the scar treatment you had at the center be submitted to insurance?
What does the scar treatment involve?
Thanks!
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The Center just gave it to me, so I never needed to submit it to insurance.. and when I ran low, they sent me a new one... eventually, they said where I could get it... But with no prescription, I am doubtful insurance would pay.
Scar treatment is easy... one treatment is this 3M brown tape that you just place over the scars. I was pulling it off at night and redoing it, but I later heard it should just stay on until it falls off... the second treatment is kelo-cote gel... That is just a gel that you smear on the scars. I believe it is silicone based. That's it... super easy.
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