NOLA in September?
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Lesley- For all my surgeries at the center (and I had 3) a nurse always called once a week -not to be contacted is very unusual . If it was me I would give them a call. Jeanine was the Dr. D's nurse who called me at home. I am guessing things got chaotic because of the hurricane.
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Thanks Pink and Besa!!! Pink I did have bilateral also my left drain came out all on it's own : (. I am still at 40-50 ccs on right but sort of hoping if no aspiration is needed on left they will pull right even though only 3 weeks. The actual drain site looks really irritated. Taking antibiotic wearing compression painting with betadine...I am a rule follower : )
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Lesleyanne, when my drain sites became irritated, applying some Neosporin for a day or two really helped clear up the "angriness."
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Feeling a little blue today. Tomorrow is my birthday, the 6-month anniversary of my diagnosis, and the one-month countdown until Stage 2 surgery. What a year! The happy days vastly outnumber the blue days now that I am on the other side of my BMX, so it gives me hope that I will be feeling more normal in just a few months. It all seems so surreal still, but I have the scars to prove it! Dealing with the physical aspects of it all can be more concrete that dealing with the emotional aspects of it all. Maybe it will all sink in one of these days.
On a lighter note, I hosted a tea last week attended by ladies in my town who have had their reconstruction in NOLA. What fun! There were two of us getting ready for Stage 2 and two who had finished their reconstruction two years ago. It's encouraging to see the wonderful results we can expect. My 4-year old daughter didn't know what to think when everyone started showing their breasts!
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MartyJ, I added your surgery date above. Welcome!
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My husband is 6'2'' and 260 and slept fine in the room. I was surprised he wanted to stay with me, but I guess he was worried.
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LAStar, I love it! A tea party with breast show and tell!
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You guys are THE BEST per all your advice I did not look at the needle and it did not hurt!!!! 195 ccs pulled out. Thanks this whole process would be so much more stress inducing without you wonderful ladies!!!!
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Glad to hear it didn't hurt, Lesleyanne! I went back in today, thinking I was wasting this poor doctor's time. I thought everything looked perfectly normal, and he got 180 cc's. At this rate, I don't think I'll ever get the second drain out!
I head back to work part time tomorrow, and I am not looking forward to playing "hide the drain and deformed butt" with work clothes. Still trying to decide if I should try the wig, or stick with my hat. decisions, decisions....0 -
So glad the aspiration didn't hurt.
I found Maxi dresses work very well. The ones that cut right under your breasts and then flare out. If you are still wearing compression, I took a safety pin and pinned the drain to the compression garment and put the dress over both. I am still wearing my dresses now because I am having a hard time keeping my dress pants up with my dents plus the dresses are just more comfortable as I do have seroma's on both sides, but will have them taken care of at stage 2. I liked the idea because they are dresses that I can wear even after all this is over.
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I'm all marked up in blue! I had another CTA scan this morning. Last year I had one but layed on my back. This time I layed on my belly so my butt/back vessels wouldn't be compressed. So, I have a Plan A and Plan B. First, Dr S will remove the seroma and any necrotic tissue he wants. Then he will decide if I will have a rotational flap or a hip flap. The rotational flap is a variation on a non-muscle latissmus flap. It's located sort of under the armpit and just rotates around to the breast. If that is not enough fat then he will use a small hip flap. If he does need a small hip flap he will remove a second small hip flap from the other side to even me out. Dr S said he only had one other breast seroma that was an issue and that was hidden by an implant (he couldn't remember if it was post Stage 1 or 2). So my post Stage 2 breast seroma is very unique. I feel good about the plan.
Thing are hopping at the Center. There is some construction going on; it looks like the small waiting room and conference room is being converted into more office space. I didn't ask about the whole plan. I did meet the new PA (forgot her name already) so now there are two PAs. Last week the Center was closed Tues, Wed, Thurs, with a couple people in on Fri. Still some scrambling today, so stay patient those who are waiting to hear back! Lots of people had no electricity for 4-5 days. There is a lot of tree limb cleanup on St Charles Ave. They said this Cat 1 hurricane acted more like a Cat 3.0 -
Hi Cider,
I have a question - when you all get these extra flaps to fix problems or to add volume after Stage 1 surgery, are the delayed additional flaps again being connected to the IMA-internal mammary arteries for blood flow like they are the first time around?
Warm wishes for easy recovery!
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I hope the NOLA schedule gets caught up and that those waiting will get their surgery soon! What a messy week they have had.
I am still working on my necrotic abdominal wound -- at 7 weeks post-DIEP today. It's open, and I had it debrided again today at the wound care center, but it is generally shallow, requiring debridement ointiment (Santyl) and antibiotic ointment (Gentamycin) -- dressing but not packing. It's not infected.
Still, the wound center doctor I was assigned is eager to do hyperbaric oxygen therapy for several weeks (90 min/day, Mon-Fri), starting as soon as insurance approves and when they have a slot in their schedule. I'm having doubts about it after the doctor said today that it won't cause the wound to heal faster, but it mobilizes white blood cells to do their work. What's the use if I am healing gradually anyway? I had thought the advantage was faster healing.
Anyone here have hyperbaric? The wound care doctor hasn't suggested wound vac, and even Dr. S said he'd rather bring me back to surgically close the wound than put me on a wound vac. I forgot to ask the wound care doc if he is keeping Dr. S informed.
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AnnAlive ~
I am currently undergoing HBOT therapy after bilateral SGAP surgery. Please send me a PM if you would like to know more even though my situation is different.
Meanwhile, here are some informative links about HBOT if you are interested:
HBOT info from American Cancer Society website:
HBOT info from Medscap website (look for info on flaps or necrosis on list on left side):
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Ann
Sorry to hear of your struggles. I had hyperbaric oxygen although it was to try to heal my incision from my second try at implants and the radiated side still broke down. My understanding wad the increased oxygen helped the red blood cells be more active and I did 38 treatments and my skin would look a bit flushed so it impacts red blood cells. Not sure about the white cells, but overall I liked the experience even though it did not work for my intended purpose.
It is sort of a pain because you have to go 5 days a week and if you are at all not a fan of confined space you are in a tube....
Lesley0 -
Good Evening All!
Downey30 & Michelle - thank you for your warm welcomes. Spring, thanks for adding me to the list. The more I read of your posts, the more comfortable I feel with the entire process.
A question - are the wound healing problems mostly related to after effects of radiation?
Thanks!
Marty
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Good question, PinkHeart! I don't know the answer. I'll try to ask Dr S tomorrow.
I stopped by Sucre on Magazine Street for some macarons. They are absolutely heavenly! I think I'm going to try to make some in the future.
So sorry to hear about the healing struggles. Hang in there.0 -
Patience62, I added Sept 12 stage 1 date above.... Welcome!
Marty, I had radiation (wish I didn't, but anyway) I had no healing issues. FYI.
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Cherrie- I had a similar decision to make, ie, DIEP only and smaller breasts or gap flaps or stacked. Dr. Massey said the Diep would be an easier recovery, have lower failure rate and need much less revision than the GAP flaps. She said, "If you were my sister, I'd tell you to get the Diep and be satisfied with a smaller size". That was good enough for me, and judging by what I've read others experiences have been, it seems to be true.
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Happy Birthday LAStar! Think how far you've come...the worst is behind you. May your day be filled with blessings,
Thinking of you Cider 8 and praying all goes well!0 -
Cherrie... I have had both GAP and DIEP and GAP was a much easier recovery. Plus the GAP was zero pain. In the end, after a stage II surgery, I will go back for more revisions that will tweak both the GAP and DIEP harvest sites this coming January, BUT this is a side benefit, as I am going to have a stage IIb only because I have necrosis in my left breast and it needs to be revised. So while he is in there, I will have him revise other stuff too.
Dr D said I could have a DIEP and get small breasts or have a Body Lift (then called stacked DIEP)... I agreed to the stacked DIEP. When I awoke, he only needed to do the GAP to get me my C breasts... I did have the DIEP a month later to fix a problem, so I ultimately had the Body Lift (stacked DIEP). For me, I wouldn't have been happy with B cup breasts having always been a C/D gal. Do note that you can get the B breasts and if you want bigger aftrall they can always add an implant at stage II.
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AnnAlive - I had hyperbarrick to heal my failed tram flap last year and also now have a wound vac to heal the wound on my most recent flap. Both speeded healing. The failed tram flap I had was really really bad, more than half of it was black and was noted as a non healing wound. After 40 hyperbarrick treatments 2 1/2 hrs a day it finally healed. It was a long process going everyday laying in that tube but at the time I had no choice, it was really bad, I am not sure what would of happened if I didn't have that to help the healing.
Your incision doesn't sound as bad but I wonder why Dr. S doesn't want a wound vac? I have one now and it healed up my wound really quickly. Every few days there is notable improvment. I probably would of had it off in a few weeks but I had a little tunneling (2 small spots that were deeper in the wound which is why I have to have this longer) but if it wasn't for that small deeper spot I would of been off this vac a long time ago. I know it would of took months longer to heal on its own with ointments. It's just a nusiance wearing this fanny pack type deal but I am glad I have it and probably be done with it in another week. You can pm me or call me also for more info. if you would like.
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Pinkheart, I went to NOLA because the PS in my area said I didn't have enough for two breasts, not even two B's. Which seemed strange because I'm about a size 8, not extremely thin right now. When i sent my paperwork to NOLA, i asked for B's and when Dr S saw my photos and said he could give me two B's at the most, so i was thrilled. I think he said they could add a half cup size at stage 2 with fat grafting, but I'm fine with this size.
Cider8, thinking of you! Please keep us posted!0 -
I am hoping to get this cleared up soon. Smaller breasts don't bother me if it is not drastically smaller. I am a c cup but 20 pounds overweight. If I lost that weight I would probably have B's anyways. I am only 5'2.
Would there only be two drains with just a DIEP? Do they still stay in for up to 8 weeks? In stage 2 do they pump the breast up using lipo? Is this the same as fat graphing? Can you choose where this comes from? I thought fat graphing wasn't very successful? ie. reabsorbtion.
I didn't know I would have these decisions to make. Bottom line is I am doing this to lower my chances of a recurrence of cancer. However, reconstruction is important to me. My sister can't understand why I don't just do the BMX and be done with boobs. I just wouldn't feel right. It is such an individual decision.
Thanks for all of your input. It helps! Now just waiting for a surgery date.
Thinking of those girls going in. (cider8 and sydgrace). Let us know how you are doing.0 -
Cherrie, when I mentioned I had 4 drains, it was 2 in the breast area, and 2 in the abdominal area.
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That makes sense. How long did you have them in???
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Cherrie, I had four drains w my Diep. One under each breast and one on each end of my abs. Incision. They removed the breast ones before I left hospital and removed one of the hip drains at my post op visit, day 7. I had the last drain for 5 wks , only because my naval was a little funky and doc wanted a drain in just in case it got Infected(it didn't and it looks fine now). Otherwise it would probably Have been out before 3wks. The Gap ladies typically have their drains a lot longer.
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Cherrie, my understanding of the term "stacked" is that it simply means one layer of fat is stacked on another and they are connected somehow. There are 2 sides in the all the donor sites, abdomen and hip/gluteal. So if they need to make 2 breasts they take the fat from one side for one breast and the fat for the second from the other side. If they are reconstructing one breast and you don't have enough fat on one side of your abdomen for the size you need, they can take both sides and stack them. If they are reconstructing 2 breasts they take fat from your back and front and make 2 stacks from these four "pieces."
I had 2 abdominal drains with my DIEP, and I'm pretty sure that is standard. how long the drains stay in is really individual, but what I gather from reading this forum is the abdominal drains just about always come out early because there is less drainage. And as many have said here, some people are just juicier than others! I got one ab drain out at my post op appt, and the second one out at about 2 weeks.
Amy
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Am interested to hear if anyone knows if a baby flap is also one needing microsurgical connection to veins/arteries or not. I am heading for Stage 2B for symmetry as the natural breast is considerably smaller because I lost 30 pounds. I do not want even a small implant -- I went to NOLA so I didn't have to have them!! -- and the fat grafting was absorbed by my body, so Dr.D. said a small flap -- assuming that is a baby flap. Still waiting to hear on a date but am more than patient ... Isaac really threw a wrench in the works!
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I had one ab drain in 4 weeks and one 7 1/2 weeks. Breast drains removed pretty quick after discharge.
About the "baby flap".....from Dr. Massey
" The easiest way to understand these more complicated reconstructions is simply to think of addition. One flap is added to another to make one larger reconstruction. A DIEP flap can be added to another DIEP; a DIEP flap can be added to a GAP flap; a GAP flap can be added to another GAP… and so on. We like to call them “mama-baby” flaps as one flap is hidden beneath the external and sometimes larger flap. Furthermore, the baby flap blood supply is dependent on that of the mother flap. By way of review, the baby flap blood vessels are sewn into the blood vessels of the mother flap. If you were a red blood cell traveling from the heart, you would travel through the arterial blood vessels adjacent to the breast bone, enter the mother flap artery that is superficial, then travel into the baby flap artery, through the baby flap capillaries into the baby flap veins, to the mamma flap veins and then back towards the heart through the veins in the chest wall… just like blood flows from a mother to her unborn child in the womb. Hence, “mama-baby” flap!0
