NOLA in September?
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Cherrie - I am hoping to meet you in NOLA. If you are staying in Covington over the weekend, stop in to see me on Sunday. Dr. M will be having a busy few days.
Now if I can only get all my little projects finished here at the house. My brain can not keep the time straight - 3 weeks and 2 days (as my DH reminds me). Probably because we are leaving a bit early - Nov. 3. Oh well, back to painting!
Marty
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I will PM my phone numbers. We will be in Covington on Sunday. I was hoping to meet your DH in waiting room on Friday when I do my preop at 3:00. I would come early.
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Don't know if anyone here belongs to the Armyof Women (Dr. Susan Love), but here is a link to a longitudinal studythey are doing that some may be interested in following up on and joining:
http://mailing.armyofwomen.org/form/armyofwomen/viewhtml/9z1z0e5in62g5b9764gchj2ikj9kksht1kuao6k5m6o
Maggie
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Pamela44 --
PM me so we can connect in NOLA. My surgery is the 6th and I will be in NOLA till the 10th!
Maggie
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Hi All,
3 weeks post Stage 1, as of today. Had a teary day on Monday and thought it may be the start of what I have read about the 3rd week. My feeling right now is that it is not being able to do everything I normally do. I am pretty independent and I am really trying to focus on listening to my body and laying low. I think that is a hard thing for all of us women.
I am noticing a bit more soreness which I understand happens around this time as well. I am experiencing discomfort in my L shoulder that hasn't passed since surgery. I am guessing it is from the position during surgery, although I am not sure. Ibuprofen is not doing the trick. Hate to turn to my pain meds but think I may need to do so. Going to talk with the nurse when they call this week.
I do have a couple questions for those post Stage 1:
1) Did anyone experience something like this (shoulder discomfort)? If so, is that made you decide to go to PT? When can you start PT?
2) Thoughts on massage therapy? I'm sure I would have to wait a few more weeks and want to ask the Center about that first. I imagine it would have to be all done while on your back.
Has anyone heard from Gmp300?
Wishing those recovering all the best and thinking of those with upcoming procedures.
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Besa, I have never heard of stopping Tamoxifen for plane flights, but that makes sense. How much before the flight? Just that day or what??
Have we heard from GMP300?? Hope all is okay!!
I had back discomfort after my Stage 1, I think I was hunching over and it started to impact the back. I think it all got getter with time, but I also see an chiropractor occasionally (3x a year).
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Cherrie......As you know I had both my surgeries at Fairway and you leave with everything you need. For my stage 2 I asked for another compression garment and they went and got me another one. They are wonderful!!!!!
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Just wondering if anyone could tell me what was used for post-op pain management after stage 2 in the hospital? Thanks, Katiejane
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KatieJane I was on a pain pump when I woke up from stage 2.
Gmp300, hope you are resting easy!!
Kerry I had arm pain but it was at the very beginning. It was a combination of positioning & the girdle and bra they had me in right after surgery was too tight due to swelling. Id ask the center & get their opinion and yes get permission before starting PT. I didn't do PT after stage 1, but I know others that did. Hope you healing well!!0 -
KerryA, I started gentle PT at 2.5 weeks post-Stage I. I saw an occupational therapist who specializes in lymphedema. She did lymphatic drainage massage on me, measured my limbs to get baselines, and gave me gentle exercises to do. According to Jen (the PT at SCSH), no more weight than a pound for arm exercises (a can of soup in each hand will do), no PT that involves letting the therapist move your arms for you, nothing that involves overextending or holding your arms out unsupported for quite some time. It really helped me to not be too timid about doing the things that will help and avoiding the activities that will hurt. As always, listen to your body, but that can be misleading when pain meds are involved! Hang in there -- week 3 is brutal because you are so sick of feeling this way! Soon, every day will be better than the previous day.
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The Center just published an iphone app. Pretty slick! http://www.breastcenter.com/resources/app/
But I'm still confused about DIEP I vs. DIEP II...
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I had DIEP II and I asked Dr D to explain it to me.. He wrote his response on the ASK THE DOCTOR forum. I am unsure if you can search for questions there, but I think you can.
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Here it is:
Hi Betsy,
Very observant! DIEP II is new and is something I've been working on for a couple of years. It is a solution for a problem with the standard DIEP flap (which I have recently renamed the DIEP I) that isn't generally discussed.
The DIEP problem is that the "perforators" or small vessels coming thru the rectus muscle to enter the fat above aren't always big enough individually and more importantly, don't always come thru the muscle in a straight line so that if you need or want more than one perforator to give more blood flow to the fat, you might be faced with the need to cut the muscle that separates the 2 or sometimes 3 different fiber rows that the perforators come thru. This is the "secret" dilemma that surgeons face when performing the DIEP, the question becomes should I take less blood supply and preserve the muscle, risking fat necrosis in the new breast, or should I take more blood vessels and cut the muscle between them, defeating the purpose of the DIEP flap? This happens in about 50% of DIEP's in my recent experience and as will be submitted to the surgical journals in the near future. That also means that 50% of DIEP flaps don't need conversion to a DIEP II since the vessels are perfectly set up in a single line or big enough to run on 1 perforator.
Cutting the muscle to some degree or sometimes to a significant degree in a DIEP flap is not the same as "converting to a TRAM flap" that some talk about. It is likely very common that surgeons around the country cut the muscle in their DIEP flaps routinely to deal with this anatomic dilemma and just consider it unavoidable. The DIEP II allows the vessels in the flap to be rearranged when the perforators are small or not in a single muscle line (called "rectilinear"). The allows the surgeon to add as much blood supply as they need to keep the flap soft and free of fat necrosis while preserving all of the rectus muscle in the same move. The DIEP II not only makes conversion of an abdominal flap to a TRAM obsolete but also overcomes the little discussed problem with conventional DIEP flaps. Happily pioneered at our Center.
There is no way for a woman to know whether her muscle was cut during a DIEP flap or the lesser blood flow to the fat was chosen' but if a DIEP has large areas of fat necrosis or the abdomen has a big bulge, weakness, or hernia then one or the other may have been the cause. I now routinely photograph the muscle after the flap is harvested to document that the muscle was completely preserved, this is put into the patient's digital medical record and although graphic, provides reassurance to the patient that they can request the pics if they want to see that their abdominal muscle was all saved, otherwise you have no way of really knowing. If a woman has any misgivings about whether their surgeon cuts muscle in DIEP flaps, ask your surgeon to photo the muscle for you in surgery, the answer to that question will be telling.
How's that for long winded!
Dr. D0 -
I hope you all can help me with some info.I thought I was going to have to cancel my recon as the friend who was going will probably not be able to go with me.Dr.Kline's office suggested I stay at Hope Lodge and have a home health nurse assist me.I talked to the agency and they were so nice and sounds like I can make this work.What I need to know is how much care did you need in the days after you were released from the hospital? I will be having bilateral SGAP.I know I will want someone with me when I shower....did you feel you needed someone with you 24/7? When I had my mastectomies I really just wanted to be left alone and of course I was home,so I wore my nightshirt and robe the first few days,but I know this is a much bigger surgery.Any advice appreciated!!
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Panda, I did not do much the first cpl of days after leaving the hospital. I slept alot! Only needed help with the first shower but was fine after that, just moved slowly . I really just wanted help with small meals , my drains and blood thinner shot. Could have done ok on my own with the drains but help was nice.
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OK, Katie tells me the Homeewood Suites isn't available for the time I am there. I will be alone until the day of surgery, so one room for Sunday and Monday, but need rom for my companion (female) and I for Wed, Thurs, Fri. She can't walk long distances, so suggestions? Even adjoining rooms would work. Katie said the Staybridge Suites has rooms. Anyone been there? Didn't look really great to me ... Ugh ... just when I thought all was going so well for this upcoming surgery!! 'Course, in the realm of things, if that is the worst that happens, then all is good!
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LAStar and Chelle- Thanks for the info. I had met with Jen during my pre-ops and really liked her. I called her today and she gave me a few exercises to loosen my shoulder. She also thought massage therapy would be a good idea. I have a local therapist that I have gone to, that is also licensed to specialize in breast cancer message therapy. Going to make sure its Ok with the nurse through the Center first though.
I have found catching up with friends and family during Week 3 to be very helpful. Keeps the mind busy and spirits up!
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Panda - you should call the Hope Lodge manager before you get too far. She may have some suggestions for you and can tell you how their rules apply to the amount of time a home health aide must be with you. Since Dr. Klein is your doc i assume you will be in
Charleston. Talk with Sundi Herring at Hope. She is creative and can give best advice. Hope you can make this work.0 -
Celtic:
I would not stay at the Staybridge Suites. We stayed there after Stage 1 for four days--our room was never cleaned and the trash was never removed even after we asked for service.
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The Homewood Suites rules. (off soap box!) Celtic, are you at the Center? CAn she just stay in the Murphy Bed there with you?
Pend, You won't need much help really. It's nice to have someone get you food, run errands, but I didn't even need shower or drain help by the time I left the hospital after stage 1, though my husband was there with me for company, food and errands (!!). Having someone around while you shower is a good idea, expecailly while in the hospital, as I've known several women to sort of get light headed or faint even! Haven't heard much of that after leaving hospital!
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except for me... I fainted after I left the hospital... I was at the Hope Lodge and felt it coming on... called my friend in and she caught me. I woke up on the floor. So... in my opinion, I think help for a couple of days is important.
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Thanks for the info,it really helps! I will for sure call Hope Lodge(thanks so much for telling me who to talk to) and I plan to have a hotel reservation just in case.I am kind of leaning toward that only because at Hope Lodge you can't eat in your room and I am a nibbler....not sure if I will be after surgery though!But figure it would be nice to have a fridge in the room for cold drinks in the middle of the night.I had forgotten about the blood thinner, I will for sure have the nurse do that.So sounds like if I have her for a while AM and PM I should be fine.The good thing is she can also shop for me and take me anyplace I want to go.I will probably be better off on my own,I know if I was with my friend I would try to do too much,too soon.
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pandazankar - I think having a home health aide stay with you is a wonderful idea. I only had unilateral GAP so not exactly the same surgery. I had many surgieries before so handling drains, etc was not an issue. The only real help I needed initially was having help hooking and zipping the compression garment. I also wanted help with meals - food brought into the room or just going downstairs or across the street. But I did want to have someone around for peace of mind- just in case things didn't go smoothly. Turns out I didn't actually need much help - but I felt that if something did go wrong I wanted someone there who could help me. (Husband did leave for a few hours so he could fit in a Saints game :-) ) (Also at NOLA I was never asked to give myself blood thinner injections.)
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Panda
U cam stop in dr kline's office everyday if u want them to give injections. I was n hospital six days so i ended up only doing three on my own. Hubby said he would but i just did it. I did drains myself too.
Last year at mayo clinic for bmx alnd and immed recon i had a very difficult surgery and had a second surgery unexpectly six days post op. i had a hotel room connected to mayo clinic and visiting nurse everyday. I had six drains and had to sit m shower chair and hubby had to shower me with hand jeld shower wand. Too weak to stand.
So after that first awful intro bc surgery, sgap surgery was still quite painful but i could take care of myself -- moving very slowly. I also did tons better because dr k and staff are so down to earth and caring
Plz pm me if u have ???0 -
I also got light headed after leaving the hospital & had a close call so my friend and hubby stayed in the bathroom with me when I showered. I also needed help getting the compression garment on so having someone there in my opinion is a good idea (just in case as you never know). I didn't have to give myself injections either.
Kerry, glad you got some information and have a plan in place. Hope your doing well and I know I loved catching up with friends and family while I was healing :-)
Chelle0 -
Hi All!
I made it to the other side! I had my Stage2 with Dr. D on Tuesday.,released on Wednesday - post op appointment with Laura on Thursday and I am leaving NOLA in the morning. I have been here with my husband since Thursday and we had 4 1/2 days to play before all the appontments and surgery started. We had a blast and now looking forward to getting home. I have been working also while I have been here so I need to get home and get some rest!
Surgery went fine, 7 hours or so, revision revision, lipo all the usually things so I am not sure what all was done but I am glad it's done. Take Care Everyone! Geralyn
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Hi Geralyn -- Wonderful news! Glad to hear your surgery went smoothly and very nice that you had a chance to enjoy NOLA and have some fun.
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That's great, geralyn! So good to hear from you! I know we've all been thinking about you these last few days. Happy healing!
I have a question for everyone... My husband and I are staying at Hope lodge next week and Katie has arranged for transportation for us for all the appointments and airport pickup/departure. We were initially thinking of renting a car. (we stayed at hope lodge for a couple of days during my stage one - and so we know how isolated it is.) we like having the center provide transportation and so we thought we'd use it, and simply use a taxi to get us around for everything else.
So here's my question: does anyone have any idea whether it would be cheaper to use the Center's car service, as well as a taxi (for, let's say, 5 days of tourism) OR to rent a car and transport ourselves for most of our stay?
How could you possibly know this?! Ha! Thanks for giving it a try! I trust in the collective wisdom of the NOLA ladies.
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Jen... I would use the car service and taxis. Renting a car, and then paying for parking in the Quarter (assuming you go) will far exceed the price of taxis. And the Center's car service is free... And FYI, you can ride the streetcar/bus all day long for $3 pp. At the moment, the streetcar is closed from Louisiana to Canal, but they are running a bus transfer.
About blood thinners, I gave them to myself.
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