NOLA in September?
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Jenlee and LAstar- Thoughts and prayers, today and tomorrow!
Good luck on your consult bdavis.
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Chelle, Re: bloat. I seem to get fuller faster. If I eat a high fat meal I notice it now for days. You know that "I ate too much at Thanksgiving" feeling? I get that now if I overindulge a little, it does not take much. My experience is that eating light when I feel overfull relieves the feeling, but it takes time, like a week! I try to think of it as a weight control strategy because it is tight and a good reminder. Walking definitely helps as does eating smaller amounts more frequently which are my usual habits anyway. I hope this helps and that your discomfort is not just there for an unknown reason. I should also add that I had the "iron bikini" feeling for months after stage 1 but that has pretty much resolved and I am getting feeling back in a lot of places.
Praying for you all.
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Hi ladies! jenlee, it feels like it was just yesterday we were talking in NOLA post-stage 1, and now here you are! Anxious to hear how you are doing. LAstar, looking forward to an update! My thoughts are with you both.
And betsy, hope your consult went well! I can't wait to hear the details!
Tamara! I'm doing pretty well. I've been following your posts and questions regarding stage 2. Mine is in two weeks! Yikes!! I find that I'm nervous about whether the fat grafting will "take" (and therefore is it worth doing?), nervous about the lipo, nervous about having a blood transfusion (??)... I was feeling pretty chill initially, thinking stage two was easy, until I started to pay close attention to what people were saying! :-/
Cherrie, I was in a similar boat as you - I was a C cup, but the DIEP gave me B cups. This was what Dr. D expected and recommended. (Incidently, I used to be a B cup when younger, prior to some weight gain and being pregnant, etc.) I've lost about 20 pounds since surgery and am almost at my ideal weight. If my breasts remained this size, I really think I'd be ok with them, ultimately. BUT I'd prefer a little more fullness, so hopefully the fat grafting Dr. D does will take! I'd gladly show you my 'girls' if you think it would help in making your decision! We live close - we still need to get together!
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Home sweet home. So comforting to be back home and focus on recovery.
Feel very blessed in many ways. Blessed for wonderful family and friends and for finding the Center in NOLA. I also feel so fortunate for having this board and all the support. Such brave and strong women to talk with and help each other.
Jenlee, LAStar, and Bdavis- thinking of you all this week. Chelle- I hope your recovery is going well and things are getting better each day. Prayers are with each of you.
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Jenifer, I was thinking about you a lot today. I hope it all went well & you are not feeling too bad! Hopefully you'll be able to say hi tomorrow. I should be done by noon.
I hope to see you too, Betsy, but you will not hurt my feelings if you go do something fun instead!
Dr D hoped he could take care of the swelling/hardness and necrosis in my left breast tomorrow, but mentioned that we might need a to do DIEP later if it doesn't work. I told him that I'd be willing to go smaller to avoid another flap procedure. I'm marked up and ready for tomorrow! I opted for low-profile nipple reconstruction at the last minute. I was feeling really nervous earlier but meeting with everyone at the Center put me more at ease. Now I just have to come to terms with having drains again. Wah!!!
Thanks to all the wonderful people on this board that offer such wonderful support & advice!0 -
Hello to all - coming/going and hanging around!! And good healing vibes to all coming out of and going into surgery. Thank you for all the info on Stage 2! Even though I don't post much I read alot and stay posted on everyones progress. Great information!
I am set to leave next Thursday to NOLA. My Stage 2 with Dr. D is not until the 16th but I will have 4 days to play!! Looking forward! It just was cheaper to fly out on Thursday than Friday so I thought why not!
I am getting a little freaked out about the lipo from things I hear but when I spoke to the Center they told me I can discuss it with Dr. D and it will be a joint decision and I can have lnone, little or alot - whatever we decide. I just don't want to ruin any more body parts that are right now in good shape but I know he can find extra fat in many places - just nor sure were hell get it from. I am not sure I want any from my legs - my legs are nice and firm and don't want to regret it later. Any thoughts on this?
It was hard to get a hotel again. Homewood was booked again and others I wanted. Probably because of all the festivals going on. Katie got me in Monteleone after surgery. I stayed there before but before surgery which will be 6 days I'll be at The Hampton/Garden District. Has anyone stayed there and how is it. I know it is on the other side and down further but just wondering if I should keep trying to find something better or if this will be nice. I'll be with my husband and we want to enjoy the weekend before surgery. Any input would be appreciated.
Geralyn
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Jenlee, LAStar, KerryA, BDavis: I woke up thinking and praying for all of you this morning.
TTay0 -
Good luck everyone!!!
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Hi All -thanks for your good thoughts. My stage 2 surgery went well today. I did not need a transfusion, so that was a relief. It will take a while to get used to having C cups instead of F! The nurses are managing my pain well but I haven't tried to get up yet. So glad to have it behind me!
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Good to hear from you LAstar. I hear you about the transfusion, the thought has made me nervous as well. Sleep and heal.
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Denouement - I will look for you are FORCE. I just registered today so I will be there.
Dsnydawn - I will visit Disney while I am at the FORCE conference. Two great great things one week.
I have been so lazy with exercise but after I have set a goal to exercise more after I get back from Orlando.
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Hi All.. Sending my message from NOLA.. I met up with Jenlee (Jenifer) yesterday and we walked 3 laps togther. She is doing great.
Leigh Ann... I will see how today goes... it might be easier to wait til you get to the Hope Lodge to visit as I am staying in River Ridge. I will be down in the Quarter tonight (Girls Night out).
So... my consult. Dr D drew ALL over me. His plan for my left breast is to do what Paula had, take the fat from under my armpit and lat area and flip it around. Sounds good to me, and he'll just cut and toss the fat on the other side. I will also get another little butt lift (now that things have settled) and some lipo on my mid section, inner knee and elbows. He will use this fat and some alloderm improved material, to add to my right inner breast where I had a seroma and after aspiration left a little dent. He will also remove a little from my right outer breast for a better shape etc etc.
About the belly, he said I really don't have much fat left to take, but he'll do what he can... and that "bloat" that I complain about.. he thinks one should avoid salt etc (I do this anyway), but he also says that with scar tissue and being pulled tight, when you eat, the body may react differently than it used to (I am paraphrasing). And that over time, as the scar tissue softens, the problem should improve. He thinks genetically I have great scar healing genes... He said a lot of people develop scar tissue that is thick and problematic, but I don't... Yay for me. Also he said that my lower abdomen (where the incision is) is rather flat or close to my body... if I am making sense. He took all my fat down there during my DIEP, so there is no bulge at all... so in comparison, my upper abs look more pronounced. He pointed out where my ribcage is, so not a lot of room for improvement. Plus, I could lose a few pounds and there is and will be fat in and amongst the organs, that he can't do anything about so that part will be up to me.
My date is Jan 30... of course its Superbowl that Sunday down here at the Superdome, and no hotel is available... so I will come down and stay with my friend. He said I don't need a plane escort, so all good there. And I'll get to catch a Mardi Gras Parade or two as well. He also said a week or two off and I am good to go back to work.
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Hi, Betsy - I'm so glad to hear that jenlee is doing well. My friend Cori is playing drums at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe tonight. Go see her if you can! She is hosting my family and is a great lady. Have a great time tonight!
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Hi Everyone, thank you for your very kind thoughts! Came out of my stage2 DIEP on Thursday and apparently was babbling on about crazy things, just like last time. Nice to meet up with Kerry, my pre-op was the same time as her post op. BDavis came by and gave me the encouragement to get up and start moving. Thank goodness my big sis is here; I'm exhausted and feel like i'm in a fog. So I'm on auto-pilot, i just take the pills she gives me, eat when she says to, and walk when I'm told to. in a fair amount of pain --Dr S moved my abdominal incision down a few inches. Right now, feels like I had DIEP again. The first walks and shower really wore me out. LAstar,is your post-op on Monday? I'm so sorry that i missed you yesterday; I was thinking I'd feeling much perkier than I really am.
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Jenifer, my post-op is at 10:30 on Monday. Don't worry about me - get lots of rest.
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Jenlee and LAstar- so glad to hear things went well. Also congrats on having Stage 2 behind you! Its all recovery from here out!
Bdavis- sounds like you got some good information and a surgery date too!
Starting a walk a bit outside each day since getting home. Been walking for 1/2 mile on a flat trail behind our house. Told walking is good but will increase drain output. Feels good and then get really tired. Its starting to get cold and dreary in Wisconsin as fall is in the air. It can be a beautiful time of year but hope for an Indian summer yet.
Really focused on a good recovery. As Dr. Stolier told me you only get one chance at recovery so I'm really trying to do well. Back to healthy eating and trying to walk as much as possible. I know the swelling will take time. My famiy came to visit last night and I showed my sister the 'results.' She was very impressed.
Does anyone know if you can do stretches with your upper arms? I feel very stiff in my shoulders and would love to try to stretch. Seems a bit "iffy" right now and thought maybe I should call PT in NOLA first. My PT there- Jennifer- was great. She was so nice and chatted with my friend and I while I was in the hospital.
HarmonySun- Nice to hear about being able to work out again. For me exercise was a great stress relieving and help me clear my mind before my surgery date. Looking forward to getting back in that routine after recovering. Did you do anything while you were recovering- like stretching?
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Great to hear from you ladies, Jenlee and LAstar and hear you are doing well. I am glad you guys didn't need a transfusion. I have no idea why I did, but oh well.
My breasts look great, but my left breast is still a bit bigger than my right, but I am not worried about it at all. Trying to get used to my areolas and nipples as they were huge before and they are smaller to go with my smaller breasts.
I seem to be a slow healer, but as my hubby pointed out to me last night. Look at what your tiny body has been through the last few months. Good grief be patient and let your body heal at it's own rate, so....
Those who bought spanx....Which kind did you buy? I just looked at the website and I have no idea what style to buy. I guess I want something that comes up high on the waist and goes below the knee. Any help or suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated. I want to use compression for as long as I can stand to "hopefully" get optimum results.
I am working on the bloating factor. I don't eat a lot of salty stuff, but trying to eat little meals more often. I'm also trying to get used to having the incision around my body. I have some of the kelocote the center gave me, but they said I have to wait 4 weeks to start using it.
Betsy, glad Dr. D gave you a plan that will hopefully make you happy!!!
Kerry, glad you are doing well!! Take care of yourself
Hugs to all
Michelle
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Good info, Betsy. My rotational flap incision extends little more than an inch longer than the other side, from the infra mammary fold incision. Mine doesn't extend straight out but is sort of like an upside down check mark; the incision curves a little up, then a 90 degree angle incision downward. I'm pleasantly surprised that it was such a small incision (of course, all other breast incisions were reopened, so it's all healing the same). My rotational flap was from the same side as my ALND. I have lots of underarm numbness from the ALND and even more from the rotational flap. Don't know if any feeling will return, but it doesn't bother me any more. 4 weeks out and I feel tightness there (which I have issues with on that side anyway since BMX ALND) and now I'm ready to get back to regular stretching.
Jenlee, you rest and just let your sister take care of you! Kerry, I would wait until about 4 weeks before you do some real stretching. Prayers for everyone healing!
Regarding deciding where and how much lipo: I let Dr S decide. For 2B he said my thigh shape was good and I was fine leaving them alone. It's been nice recovering without thigh compression. He lipoed the heck out of my belly and flanks! I needed fat for injection and he found plenty. I stopped wearing the abdominal binder at 3 weeks, at they were getting pretty stretched out and not holding form well. I'm wearing shaper camis, which gives good abdominal compression (none on breast) and sometimes the Marena girdle I bought for Stage 2 recovery.0 -
Betsy, what a great plan! Sounds like you will be slim all over and not a dot of fat left after he is done with you, and perfect boobs of course.
I will enter your date. 2013!0 -
Good morning, ladies.
I had Stage 1 Diep 2.5 weeks ago. When did you all stop wearing the bra from the Center? It seems so loose on me. My skin is so dry from all of the Betadine. When did you stop painting all of the incisions and were able to use lotion or oils on your skin?
TTay0 -
hi ttay!...congrats on being 2 weeks out...hope you are feeling well...i actually didnt wear the bra from the beginning because too tight from a lot of swelling...but bought a bra to give me support when out walking/in a car....
....my doc said to discontinue the betadine after about 10 days as after that point it can damage skin....might be a lil different person to person, but i had no healing issues....
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Ttay.... I wore their bra 24/7 for 2 weeks, then moved over to a normal wireless bra, and nothing at night... This was after my DIEP... After my mx and gap I wore it nonstop, but I had issues and needed to.
As for betadine, dr d doesn't use betadine except at drain sites, so the docs have different opinions on this.0 -
Thanks, BDavis and HarmonySun.
I'm doing pretty good. Seem much more sore today than I had been. I tried to drive the other day and just felt too uncomfortable in my clothes...so I turned around and came home. I'll try again tomorrow in some looser sweats. I see that this is a common problem, after this surgery...that you really are swollen, and that your clothes can just irritate the ab incision.
The reconstructed breast is doing well. I still have a lot of glue on me, both breasts and the ab incision. Guess it'll just come off when its ready.
I was thinking I could probably change bras... At least to one of my cotton sports beas. I think I'll see how I do without the Betadine, also....except on the one drain that's left. I hope to pull it tomorrow. Its putting out about 25ccs daily, and is a yellowish color.
Since I didn't get the full tuck this surgery, I'm wondering if I'll have a harder time at Stage II in December.
Funny side note: I'm a plus size girl, and had always worn shaper type briefs prior to this surgery. You all wouldn't believe how much time I've spent trying to buy panties... I'm Happy about it though!0 -
Dana,KBodie K Sue,
See you in Orlando! Dana I've signed up for one of your sessions!
Marcia0 -
Spring, when you get a chance, please add me for December 12th, Stage II with Dr. Trahan, NOLA.
Thanks,
TTay0 -
TTay,
I added your stage 2 date. You'll enter the new year with all this behind you!
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Soccermom- I will look for you in Orlando. I will be there also.
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Leigh Ann ... Great meeting you today. You look great and will feel so much better in just a couple of days. Safe travels on Tuesday.
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Thanks for making the time, Betsy. Dotwiches and surgery talk was fun!
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Ttay- Congrats on being 2 weeks out and for thinking of us here.
I'm 1 1/2 week out from my Stage 1 and still using betadine on my brain & hip drain sites. Do you know when stop putting it on the breast drain sites? I am also wearing my surgical bra 24/7. I couldn't remember when to stop and switching to wireless bras. Still very swollen and sure my regular bras won't fit. I noticed my breast swelling is doing done a bit but still there and know it will take some time.
Did anyone has Dr. D address the extra skin under their arms at Stage 2 or is that just swelling right now? I know I'm only 1 1/2 weeks out land know I am still swollen but I've read posts here when some noticed that extra skin too and was curious if it went away or was addressed in Stage 2.
Overall feeling good. Walked a bit more today. Now that I'm home I was thinking abou trying to work from home but don't want it to affect my recovery. Feel like I'm in a good place and not sure I'm ready for work stress. My husband does not think I should and thinks stress would not be good for me. He said he could tell I'm a good mood doesn't want that to change with work stuff on top of trying to recover. I can say that since the surgery I do feel such mental relief. So much thinking of Stage 1 and now being on the road to recovery....can't believe it in some ways. As Dr Stolier told me- you only get one chance to recover. I feel so good at times but have to realize my body I have a ways to go to recover and I forget about those hip drains.
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