NOLA in September?
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Patience62- My husband is 6'2" and about 220 and he did fine in the bed in our room at NOLA. I asked him later if he would have been more comfortable in a hotel, and he said he would have been too worried about me if he waSn't with me at night
. The staff will try to be quiet when they come in at night and will treat your hubby well.0 -
Patience, my hubs is 6'4" and 215 lbs and managed the bed just fine too. We never heard anyone else in the neighboring rooms, so don't worry about his snoring! The Center does have several unused rooms in a wing that was supposed to be converted to offices, so perhaps they are using some of these rooms for the rescheduled patients.
I've never stayed at either of the places you named, but I see that Staybridge is closer to the Quarter which is nice if you feel like walking a little. Hampton is very close to the interstate, which might be rather noisy.
Once you get there and all the packing and lists are done, I hope you find some comfort in knowing that you are going to the BEST and they will take excellent care of you. Even with the recovery, things are easier on the other side. Best wishes!
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Patience, My husband was not thrilled about staying in the room but quickly changed his mind. He was treated very well and stayed both times I was at the center. I know he would do it again in a minute if it was needed. You both will get the greatest care.
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VERY interesting article about liposuction: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/after-liposuction-exercise-keeps-the-fat-off/
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Hi ladies! I have a question for all you flap vets. I am cleaning out my closet and stumbled upon a bag full of long line compression garments as well as various drain pouches and surgical bras. What does one do with these? Tomorrow marks my 4 year survival anniversary and as much as I'd love to build a bonfire I don't think it's prudent. Trash?? I need advice or permission please!!
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Is there a breast cancer support group near you that might want them for other patients?
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Good Morning! I am new to this forum (actually first post to any forum). I am scheduled for November 9 with Dr. Massey in NOLA - bilateral diep, stage 1 at Fairway. My initial mastectomies occurred in 1985 and flap surgery then was a very scary thing. I had expanders and then implants. The implants were replaced in 1999 (leaking). I decided that I did not want to spend the rest of my life replacing them (it is time again for multiple reasons). After 27 years, I am getting my boobs back!
I have been reading through the forum and this thread and have found tons of wonderful information. Thank you all for being so forthcoming. Your support will definately help me keep my head straight over the next few months. For the moment, I hope you can help with a few questions.
Drive or Fly - we are a 13 hour drive from NOLA. At 10 days post surgery, were you able to ride in a car for a prolonged period (say 6+ hours a day)? My DH would like to drive because we have to go to Pensacola on the way. If flying is easier (better) physically, we will fly to NOLA and drive over to Pens for our meeting.
Husband in room? I know Fairway, like St. Charles, has beds in room for family/caretakers. Did your spouse/caregiver stay in the room with you or in a hotel nearby. My DH has some health issues (7 fused vertibrae and arthritis, etc) although he is in great shape. I want to be sure he won't get overtaxed trying to care for both of us.
Where to stay in NOLA after surgery? Healing is a very personal path, but should I expect to be able to walk a few blocks several times a day after surgery? Or is most of the time spent in the room? Can you step up onto the street car? In my head, I am imagining that the abdominal discomfort may be very like my hysterectomy. Would that be a fair parallel?
Thank you so much for your willingness to share your experiences!
Marty
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Hi Marty, welcome. My first trip to New Orleans for surgery we drove. I think it was about twelve hours. We stopped about half way on the way home. I did fine. The second time we flew and I must say I liked that more.
My husband didn't want to stay in the room with me but did. He was treated very well and was happy to stay again during my second surgery. He really didn't have to do anything for me except a slurpee once in a while. I don't think it would tax your DH.
I did a lot of walking after surgery. The first time we stayed at the Clarion Boutique Hotel...good restaurant on the bottom floor but it's close to the Center. The second time we stayed in the French Quarter at the Hotel Monteleone. It was a nice location. Close to food and lots of interesting people watching. I know that there are a lot of choices. I'm sure some of the ladies will have much more info for you. You are going to the best.
I had failed implants too. It seems to happen frequently. Good luck on your journey. This site is really a wealth of info. I know it helped me get through surgeries.
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Hi Marty, welcome
For my stage 1 we drove there and I was lucky to have a friend there that flew home with me and my husband drove home by himself. The drive is about 7 1/2 hours for us. For stage 2, we are both flying. My DH stayed in the room with me the entire time and wouldn't have left me, but I was at St. Charles so I am not sure about Fairway. I didn't do a lot of exploring while I was there cause it was just so hot and humid and that was miserable for me, so I stayed in a majority of the time. I know many women that ventured out though, so it'll just be how you feel and what you are up to. Everyone is different
This is thread has been an amazing support system for me and I am glad you have found comfort in reading it. I am headed back in 2 weeks for stage 2, so I am still seeking some support. All the doctors are amazing and you are in the best hands possible!!
Michelle
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I still do not have a surgery date. It has been 2 1/2 weeks since it got canceled. I am beginning to feel lost in the Isaac shuffle. Hopefully this week will produce a new date.
I now have new insurance and am not sure if I will be at Fairway or St. Charles. Waiting to hear on this also. It doesn't matter to me. After touring and meeting people at Fairway I would be very comfortable there.
My husband and I spent a lot of money getting to and staying in NOLA before my surgery was canceled. I am thinking about Hope Lodge when I come again. I need some honest opinions about this place. What are the rooms like? How did you get your groceries? Was it an uplifting and healing place? Did anyone go there after surgery in Fairway? How far is this from St. Charles or Fairway? Please PM me with any opinions you have either way.
On a different note, when I was with Dr. Massey for my preOp, she mentioned that a DIEP would give me smaller breast with no projection. (a B as opposed to my current C's). A stacked DIEP would give me the projection and current size. I am not in this to get big breasts. I am in this to lower my odds of this cancer returning. Is the recovery so much less for a plain DIEP than a stacked? I just can't wrap my brain around it and wondered what some pros and cons were from those of you who have been through this.
Adey, wondering how things went for you in Charleston. Can't wait to hear from you.0 -
Hi Chelle, Wondering how long you are staying for Stage 2. I am flying home(8 hr flt) on day 5 post op and starting to worry that it might be too soon. Would like to hear input from others who have already gone thru this also.
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Cherry, I had a DIEP done locally and then an sGAP on the other side done at NOLA so I am not speaking from personal experience.... My understanding is that for a stacked DIEP they take the same donor tissue that they do for a regular DIEP. With a regular DIEP a portion of the flap is discarded. With a stacked DIEP the blood vessels from one portiion of the flap are connected to the blood vessels of the other 1/2 of the flap and the whole thing is connected to the blood vessels in your chest. They are able to transfer more tissue. Only a few very skilled ps are able to do this and of course the O.R. time is somewhat longer (but you are under anyway so this part wouldn't make much difference at least to me). I would imagine the recovery from a DIEP and from a stacked DIEP would be about the same. Maybe someone else can chime in. You could also post this on Dr. Dellacroce's "ask the doctor" board. If it was me the questsions I would ask are - what is the success rate for a DIEP vs stacked DIEP in Dr. Massey's hands? and possibly what is the difference in O.R. time (though for me this personally 2nd question would not be that much of an issue with these docs). Just my thoughts on this.
Cascader -I think I flew home on post op day 5 for stage 2. My flight was only about 2 hours so not as long as yours. Of course everyone is different - but I didn't need to stay in NOLA any longer than 5 days and could have actually traveled home sooner.
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Cherrie...I had my Stage 1 DIEP, with Dr. Massey at Charleston. I had 4 flaps removed...2 anterior hip flaps and 2 DIEP flaps....with the intent to have stacked flaps. I ended up not needing the 2 hip flaps. The surgery was 11 hours, with no complications. But my pain was intense when I woke up!! Much more than I expected. I was kept on pain meds and remember very little from the first 48 hours. I really don't know how much the recovery was different from non stacked, as far as the donor site area. Except it was a larger area, and my scar is all the way around to my back. I have maybe a 5 inch area with no scar in the back. I had 4 drains, like most do. I wasn't very mobile, even by the time I was discharged. I never left the hotel for a meal after surgery, just stayed in bed till the day we flew home, other than a few walks down the hall. I'm sure adding 2 extra flaps to the procedure adds some extra pain and recovery time. Though if they are SGAP, I've heard the pain isn't quite as bad as the DIEP area. Seems most of the stacked flap ladies have great outcomes!
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Thanks Besa, good to know. Even on a good day, flying cross country is not very enjoyable these days.
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Jacee, I thought a DIEP was just the stomach/abdomen area and the stacked DIEP was that plus the hip/ butt area. Do I not have this right???? I thought with a DIEP the drains would be out much sooner than a stacked DIEP and less drains. At my consult I was told a stacked DIEP but it sounded like in person I had more fat than the pictures showed. I am just confused between the two. I will have to do a little more research. Thanks for your response.
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I think there is confusion of terminology. When they used to say stacked DIEP they were referring to abs and hips and stacking the flaps, but now that procedure is called Body Lift. I had a stacked DIEP (all my ab fat was used to make one breast, one flap stacked on top of the other). I would ask specifically what they mean by stacked DIEP.
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Thanks for the info/thoughts on when to fly home from Stage 2. I'm about to book my flights for December, and I'm pretty sure Dr. Kline said I could leave two days later. I am having Stage 2 plus lymph node transfer so a 4 hour surgery. I have one connection so total travel time is ~ 4 hours. I plan to travel alone so will have to check luggage and will get airport assistance. Friend taking me to airport to help, and DH will pick me up at home.
Now that you all got me thinking -- I think I will stay an extra day - though I know we all have different recoveries and flight schedules.
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Hi Cascader, I am arriving on Tuesday surgery on Thursday and flying out the following Tuesday. So I will be there a total of a week. I want to have a post-op appointment and I am just going to stay that Monday and spend a little extra time with my friend. I will have my hubby with me so all I will have to do is walk/sit, but I'm sure we will be fine.
Hoping to meet a few ladies while I am there, but with schedule changes from Isaac, we'll see.
I am hoping that if he thinks I need a baby flap to replace any necrotic tissue, he will do it then. I am thinking I will be having a mini tummy tuck anyway, so that would be where he would have to get it from. I really hoping all this is just a very large amount of scar tissue in both breasts that he can just break up...that would be ideal
I am keeping my fingers crossed. I am ready to put all this behind me and all this to just be a blip on the radar. I know Dr. D will do everything he can for me!!0 -
Betsy, Dr. Massey did use the words total body lift when referring to the stacked DIEP this last time. So I thought DIEP was the tummy tuck and stacked DIEP was that and more. I will have to learn more. I need to get this cleared up. I have been planning a stacked DIEP all along, but am just confused. Thanks.
Hoping my surgery is soon and I can meet some of the girls going in late Sept. I should find out this week.0 -
Either way, I would do what they feel is best. I have had it all... and in the end it is fine.
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Cherrie - when I was talking about stacked DIEP I was describing the surgery bdavis had - a reconstruction where two haves of the tissue taken from the tummy are used to make one breast - one donor site. I agree it would be good to ask Dr. Massey to explain exactly what donor sites she is planning on using.
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I have had stacked DIEP and I have had the Body Lift, but initially before any surgery, they told me I would have stacked DIEP and they meant abs and hips. I would definitely get clarification.
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Ahhhh-I am having a BMX with reconstruction. I am about 20 pounds over weight. My stomach fat is enough for a B size. I would have smaller breasts. If I want to be the same/bigger and have projection I would need a stacked DIEP which I thought was coming from hip or butt area. I heard the words total body lift. I will definitely get this cleared up. Thanks for the response. Here I thought I knew what was going on. LOL
I am clearly not in the medical field, but try to keep up with research and reading about this. Every little bit helps.0 -
Cherrie...I am thinking a stacked DIEP is when one breast is reconstructed using both DIEP flaps. I was referring to mine as just "stacked flaps" , as I know they can stack them from different locations...ie, hip,SGAP,thigh, etc. So, it must be called body lift when both breasts are done using stacked flaps. Yes, please get clarification for peace of mind. As bdavis said, it's all good!
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I will do that. There is a procedure on the center's website called a body lift flap. That would make sense too.
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Hi ladies! I'm here at Hope Lodge! Hubby and I drove down today. Today is the first day since Isaac that Hope Lodge is open. We saw well over 100 power trucks (with those lift things) driving north. I saw train tracks being repaired outside of NOLA. I was snoozing as we were approaching NOLA and the smell was terribly putrid. I said to my husband You are killing me! He said It's not me!! Ha! Yeah, the swampy lake area was high and it reeked. Once we got into NOLA it subsided. Cherrie, it seems there is still work to be done to get things back to normal in the city. I'm sure you will have your date sometime this week. I will get the lowdown on this past week.
I don't know that I would like to stay at Hope Lodge without a vehicle. But it is beautiful since the decor remodel. The rooms are so calming and gorgeous. There is a small recliner in the room. I'm on the second floor and there is a nice quiet lounge on the second floor. The ground floor is more noisy but it's still nice as well. Remember, there is no food allowed in the rooms. It's a big community kitchen with personal locked areas in different stations. I don't think it would be bad at all to stay after surgery. You'd probably need to take a cab for groceries or restaurants. This is the 3rd time I've stayed at Hope Lodge. I stay here for the couple days before surgery and then I rent a house after.
I love staying in the house! The one I stay at is within walking distance of a few restaurants and grocery stores. I am one who likes to explore after surgery. After Stage 1 I stayed in the hospital an extra night. Once I was out I explored a bit. I remember about day 6 we went to the Quarter for about 4 hours. That was 1 hour too long. I napped for 4 hours after and was fine. So i'd say going out for 2-3 hours at a time is doable. Just plan on long naps! I love New Orleans and cannot keep myself from exploring.
I am on pins and needles wondering what Dr S will do with me! Where he will take a baby flap. I will update you all after my appointments tomorrow.
Oh, I like to have a post op after Stage 2. And I was just fine driving (well, riding) home after Stage 2. I've not flown since Stage 1 on the way home and I prefer driving.0 -
Cherrie, for what it's worth, I'm REALLY happy with my B's! It's refreshing to not have my blouses gaping or going up a size for what were once full C's. They're not too far apart, so I still have decent cleavage. And in the right clothing, very easy to go bra-less, nice to not have to think about special bras for specific tops and dresses!
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Jenlee--
Did you tell your surgeon you wanted to be a B cup or was that your only option from surgery and being too thin. Could you have had the new cutting edge Body Lift surgery to be bigger?
I'm actually happy too with my new B breasts from bilateral SGAP. I'm thin and active so they are proportional and more comfortable.0 -
Going to see my local plastic surgeon who is keeping an eye on me remotely today.
I don't see any waterbed or any thing on the left where my drain worked out early. So I am hoping I do not need any aspirations! You wonderful ladies have eased my mind if I do and I will NOT look at the needle beforehand if I do!!!!
Two questions. I am trying not to pester NOLA based on the hurricane, etc. I have been home 2 weeks and no one has called even once to check in on me. Is this unusual? Is it up to me? I did contact them right before Isaac to see about getting stage 2 on the calendar before 12/31 for ins purposes and concerned with holidays and scheduling...
2nd question. This is sort of weird and wondered if anyone else felt this. Since I only have one hip drain, the side WITH the drain still in, the muscle is sore and super "tight" feeling like it could lock up. Anyone have this? I will tell the PS this but just curious if anyone had this at all.
Have a great week and thanks to all of you for making me aware of this option and paving the way! So thankful for all if you!
Lesley0 -
Lesleyann~
I have the same feeling in my hips and still have both drains. I had a bilateral SGAP though, and think it's just tightness and ache from the donor site.
I think I may be able to pull my drains tomorrow (5 weeks post-op), so I'm hoping to get some pain relief.
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