NOLA in September?
Comments
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Be safe Betsy ... and all ladies in the NJ/NYC east coast area!
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LAStar, an H cup? Noooo. I don't really know what size I am, but I told Dr. Trahan I wanted a D cup, since he lifted the other breast. I haven't really tried on my old bras since I'm working on getting the incision closed...didnt want to get Betadine on anything else. I think I'm a D? Small D?
I think the glue is all gone...flaking seems like dry skin.
A lady on the DIEP 2012 board asked a about not seeing clearly after her surgery. Didn't someone here post that it's due to something they use on your eyelids during long surgeries? I remember waking up to them wiping my eyes and it seeming very oily, and my vision was very blurry after surgery. I couldn't see a darn thing.
BDavis, be safe. And all you other ladies in the path of the storm.0 -
Ttay, my eyes were blurry for a couple days after surgery from that stuff they put on. I also had lots of dry skin and flaking on my breasts. I think it's all par for the course.
Trying to back off the big guns of pain meds and get on regular strength Tylenol. Wish me luck!
I haven't ordered the marena, but plan to tomorrow. Thanks, Betsy and stay safe!
Tamara and everyone else - safe travels to NOLA and prepping for your big day! You are all in my thoughts!0 -
NJ/NY Gals Stay Safe! And all in the path of the storm stay dafe!!
I am in Michigan by Lake Huron and we have 10ft waves and suppose to go to 25ft by morning which is unheard of around here. My power has been out most of the day and we hardly have anything just, Windy , gloomy and rainy! Spooky weather!
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Prayers to all on the East Coast here. Keep safe.
Esmerelda- Hope your recovery is going well.
KatieJane, Maggie, and Jane123- Thinking of you during this week. You will each be on the road to recovery before you know. KatieJane & Jane123- I have enjoyed talking with you over the last few months. Thank you both for your support!
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My family in the North East is without power! Bad flooding in NYC lower Manhattan.
Here are the women coming up!
Oct 31 - KatieJane - Stage 2 DIEP, NOLA, (Dr. M?)
Nov 1 - Mags20487 - Stage 1 Bilateral DIEP with Dr. M., NOLA.
Nov 2 - Jane123 - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA.
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Thanks, Spring. I was trying to remember who is coming up. Also thanks for the encouraging words about life resuming to some point of normalcy.
Ladies, all the best to you this week.0 -
Hope the East Coasters are all OK. My family is in NJ and doing fine, but I'm so sad about what's happened to some of the places that I love!
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have first face to face with DR M tomorrow morining. Not sure what to expect...she called me on Sunday. She mentioned blood transfusion for stage 1...did anyone have to have one for stage 1??? I really do NOT want one at all.
Maggie
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Maggie, I am sure a few others will jump in here on the transfusion, but you won't have one if you don't need it. Believe me, I had several associated with my mastectomies (I was a fair redhead and we bleed a lot). They really boosted my blood levels and helped me heal. The blood is processed and filtered and tested. I completely understand your concern, but hope that it won't add more stress. Better Dr. M mention it now than when you need it. All will be wonderful and can't wait to hear from you after!
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Fairskinned redhead here too. I had a transfusion with Dr M only because I had an extra long surgery, and she anticipated me needing another surgery that week. 2 units. Not the ideal scenario but it was fine.
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I did not have a transfusion with my first stage I, but did for my second one... probably because it was my third surgery within a month. Before the first one, I was so freaked about the idea of a transfusion that I got local donors... but after I didn't need it, they released it to the blood bank... and then when I had my next stage I, it was all last minute and no time to find a donor... I am fine with the idea now. I was a bit freaked thinking about getting bad blood... but they do indeed test it. If I hadn't been in chemo just before my consult, I would have donated my own blood. I even looked into sending it down to NOLA, but the cost was crazy, like $800 per pint.
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Fair skin redhead here: no transfusion for me.
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Another fair-skinned redhead here, and none for me though there was discussion that IF I needed it, etc. Didn't. But, when I had open heart surgery in my 50s, I got over the idea REAL quick as they needed enough blood to run through the heart/lung machine and make sure I was OK. Like Betsy, it became a non-issue. FWIW ...
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I do have a phone call into NOLA. I am 60 years old. 5'2" and 190 lbs. My plastic surgeon is telling me I am not a candidate for any flap procedure except the LD from the back(which I do not want) due to being overweight. I do not have problems with healing after surgery. Can anyone explain her reasoning on the other skin procedures? Thanks.
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akrazykat- here's a link to an article where surgeons at PRMA discuss their experience with doing DIEP flaps on women up to a BMI of 40. http://www.mdnews.com/news/2012_10/breast-reconstruction-for-obese-patients
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akrazykat -- When I hit NOLA for my reconstruction, I was 63, nearly 200 lbs and 5'4". DO NOT be discouraged by a physician that only wants to do what THEY like to do. I actually had one PS at a very well-known medical center tell me that she just didn't want to talk to me about reconstruction using tissues and she would not work on me. Other than being overweight, no other health issues. I called NOLA the next day and never looked back. After all, the docs there need SOME raw material to work with! LOL! I am now 64.5 and heading to NOLA on Sunday for what I hope is the last "tweaking" surgery (Stage IIb) and am still at 165 ...
FWIW ...
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akrazykat - ignore your doctor! This is rediculous. Listen to the Center. Local docs recommend what they can do and sometimes discourage from procedures they don't perform. What Celtic said. I had a similar thing, everyone locally said I didn't have ENOUGH fat for DIEP or GAP, and that was not true either. Said I would be two "less than A's" and I got two C's. The Center knows what it's doing. They only do Breast Recon.
I am fair and blue eyed and blond, and I did have a stage 1 transfusion after 10-11 hour surgery. I was not happy about it, but if your red counts are low, you feel like crap, no energy, etc. Nothing bad happened, apparently the blood supply is now very safe.
What does being fair have to do with Blood Transfusions? Did I miss something?????
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A woman named Dianne is having surgery at SCSH today... Maybe some of you can hook up.
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Hi Spring - I think the transfusions have more to do with being red-headed than skin color. Redheads, which includes me, tend to bleed more and need more pain medication. I learned this after giving birth to my son and bleeding a lot, and hearing the nurse midwife say "I knew I couldn't trust you - you are a redhead." Sounds awful but actually she was wonderful.
I did need a transfusion after my Stage 1 - two units. It helped a lot. My husband said I looked grey before the transfusions.
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So, the problem is since one doctor has already placed tissue expanders in; the other doctors will not step in mid-stream. grrrr
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The NOLA doctors won't step in midstream? Or some other doctor?
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krazykat -- I went to Dr. Dellacroce at the Center having had a tissue expander put in and filled by another plastic surgeon. What's up with that? The PS who putit in only did implants and I wanted autologous replacement. Curious ... fill us in!
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krazykat- did the center tell you that they wouldn't take a case where the TE had been placed by another surgeon? Dr. Massey will be removing my silicone implants (had them for years) and creating breasts with my own tissue next week. If you could clarify, perhaps we could be more helpful?
Redheads, Transfusions & Bleeding - I have been told repeatedly by medical professionals that there is actually a genetic predisposition towards more bleeding, greater resistance to anesthesia and pain meds. I believe it has to do with the same gene that creates the wonderful red hair. Although I was born a redhead and spent most of my life as such, at 60 I have faded to blond. I am always careful to let doctors know that I came into this world with red hair. Has nothing to do with my fair skin or green eyes. Congrats to those who didn't need a transfusion. I will be interested to see if I need one this time - last transfusion came before my hysterectomy when my blood counts were on the anemic side. Since the hysterectomy the numbers have geen great.
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I have not heard back from NOLA. I do have an appointment with a center here in Grand Rapids. It had to be with the plastic surgeon in the office that only took blue cross/blue shield. He will not take me on as a patient since I have the expanders but he can go over the options. So, I don't know if it is an insurance thing that I can't switch or what. I know I have the option to just take the expanders out. Then years down the line, I can decide b/c of the law of 1998. b/c of minnesota by the way. What did I do to myself!!!
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I had tissue expanders placed at BMX by my local PS, one that failed due to infection (twice) and was removed, and the other was removed when I had bilat DIEP flap at NOLA. It had developed a capsular contracture, and would have needed removal soon anyway. The NOLA docs will deal with what you have!
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CelticAntique~ Did you have open heart surgery on valves or artery bypass? If arteries, I take it they used your leg veins since the flap surgeries use the internal mammary arteries that are most often used for bypass surgery in heart patients.
KrazyKat~ Did you go to Dr. Dennis Hammond in Grand Rapids? I checked into him but he's all about Lat Dorsi flaps. Not sure what you meant about BCBS insurance only. I do know that Dr. Kline and Craigie in Charleston take almost all insurance including BCBS, and are also highly skilled flap/natural breast reconstruction surgeons.
Warm wishes with your decisions and surgeries!
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Akrazykat-I too started in Grand Rapids and consulted with two PS. One recommended a LD and the other said she has done DIEP's but would see whe she got in there. I found out she had only done 7. There just isn't enough experience in Michigan with this procedure. I also have Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Thinking of the gals in NOLA this week. Maggie we are having the same type of surgery so I will be following you closely. My pre-op with Dr. M is the morning of my surgery. This makes me a little nervous, but they assured me I will have plenty of time to talk with her.
Esmerelda, are you home? I just got back from VA and have not had time to scan back. I wish we could have met but I am leaving for NOLA in a week.
Stay safe all of you NE girls.0 -
Well you girls were right
I am 5 weeks out and starting to feel a bit like myself again. Starting to introduce exercise again and it feels great. Back to work next week and think I'm ready to get back into the swing of things, slowly but surely. Staying positive and embrace taking things as they come...not always an easy task but it's all about your perception on things right?I do have a question- is there any correlation between exercise and likehood of depending seroma? Contemplating whether to keep the garment on while exercising.
Hugs to all those in NOLA this week.
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Kerry.. I have heard that exercise will make you bloat, but I just couldn't exercise in a compression garment. This was after stage II though. I didn't really go back to the gym after stage I and before stage II, so I can't comment on that.
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