NOLA in September?
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Russell1-everyones experience is individual I was in hospital for 4 nights. Plan on staying 10-12 days in the area. Your post op will be at The Center. Also, the day before surgery you will have appointments. Mine took most of the day. Especially because I needed to go over the bridge to Fairway too.
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Yes I will plan on that and have to go to Fairway as well. Did you have to rent a car? Or did they provide rides to hospital to hotel? Thanks Cherrie!
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It was not provided by Dr. Massey, but there is service from the rest of the docs at the center. They will pick you up and take you to airport. You will also get rides to appointments. You will need to ask others who had this service. I did rent a car.
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I will call the center after the holiday. Thanks!!
Cherrie I tried to reply to your message but I can't due to limited amount of messages they let you send:( I'll try again tomorrow.0 -
Russell, it may take a while for timtam/nowheregirl to get back with you. Due to the private nature of those who post there she wants to be sure that you're legit so she waits to see if you'll stick around and/or post on these boards...at least that was the response that I received when I got access weeks after sending her a message.
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Audrella, I had a hard area about the same size as you are describing and at my stage II, Dr. D worked on it. It's been a long time now, but I think I remember that he poked small holes in it with a lipo cannula to help it along. That area really did soften over time and I never noticed that any volume was lost. The breast is now completely soft and the tincture of time really did work -- it took about two years before the hard area was completely gone. Try not to worry. You are in the very best of hands with Dr. D!
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Do patients get limo service if at Fairway?
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I also flew for years without a sleeve. Didn't know that flying could even be a problem. Do ask your local doc or NOLA for a script for the sleeve as they are very expensive. Can't hurt to have and use. When leaving NOLA, I felt like the thanksgiving turkey all trussed up for the oven - between the ted hose, dom, sleeves and gloves.
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Russell... I agree that everyone's experience and time needed in NOLA can vary... everyone though has their pre-op the day before surgery, so you will need to arrive two days prior, and plan to fly back home no earlier than a week and a day post surgery. So if you had a Thursday surgery, fly in Tues and out Friday at a minimum.. the number of nights in the hospital can vary from 3-6, but Katie will help with Hope Lodge or Homewood Suites or whereever you stay.
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Russell - I had full node dissection on the cancer side I had positive nodes hence my 3a staging.
Amazingly I have had no lymphadema AND I have had two major traumas to that arm, of course. My older son (11 at the time) actually hit me with a golf ball full swing, ball went sideways instead of straight I had a HUGE lump and hematoma and on another occasion one of my cats got his hind leg caught in a chair back and I tried to rescue him without thinking he was yowling bloody murder and even though there was a huge suede grill glove right there I just grabbed the cat. When I say he shredded my arm with his claws - he was hanging upside down practically dislocated his leg and really freaked, I am not exaggerating I had over 20 deep scratches. My onc gave me antibiotics right away. Sooooo I also flew all the way to Italy but I did wear a sleeve. None for me so far. A gal the same age and stage as me went thru treatment after me, I was her chemo buddy and she was gardening and literally nicked her hand and she has LE : (. So I don't think they really know why some get it and some don't. Your insurance should cover a sleeve. It can happen at any time so I am careful. If you have not had problems yet and you are a year or two out I would not stress too
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A Happy & Healthy New Year to all. May recent surgeries & treatments become a distant memory (okay, that may be a while for some of us). A special thank you to all for your help, sage advice, caring, concern and compassion. Cheers!
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Pinkheart- I am Dr. Massey's patient and did not get limo service at Fairway. I believe the other docs do, but not 100%positive. Our car rental added up.
Looking forward to two surgeries in 2013. NOT! However, I will continue to have a positive attitude and do wonderful after each one.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!0 -
Happy 2013 to all! May we all be restored on many levels.
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Lesleyanne6 I think you are right on when you say they really don't know who why or how you will get it! You certainly have had 2 bad mishaps!! I have had a couple of burns to my hands from cooking and haven't had any problems so far. I worry about it too much and I hat e that! I have also had tissue replaced on the left breast and expander removed from not healing and infection. Got through that with no problems. Except that I have nothing on the left side and a baseball expander on the right side!! lol My skin is so thin that you can see the tissue they put over the expander to cover it. I have never seen pictures of what I have! I just asked access for entry into the forum and I have reg. just waiting for confirmation. I will put the picture up so you ladies can see what I'm talking about. It doesn't look like anyone I've seen with expanders!! I feel like an alien:/
Happy New Year to all of you!! So glad I found you all!0 -
Thanks for the info on the picture forum llro10200:) I figured it would take some time.
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Russell - Ha, baseball expander.
By the time I went for DIEP, the surviving (prophylactic side) expander, 9 months after placement, had a grade 4 capsular contracture, so it was sitting up there like half a coconut shell and was so uncomfortable. Good riddance! It makes me think I'd have had trouble proceeding to implants if the left expander hadn't become infected, followed by radiation. My body didn't want those foreign devices, yet many do fine with implants.Happy new year -- just sitting around home and won't make it until midnight unless insomnia hits. Two weeks post-stage 2 DIEP tomorrow, healing but oh so tired! How about you, Kerry and other December ladies?
Lesleyanne - I am aware of preventing my left arm from getting lymphedema, but haven't had any injuries to the arm like you - WOW, just surgeries to left "breast" & axilla. I did fly round-trip twice (but drove to NOLA) and wore the sleeve and glove. After reading a lot, saw it is controversial because there is no solid clinical trial on it, but I was paranoid about NOT doing it.
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Re Fairway - even if the center were to provide a limo, I think Russell's spouse would appreciate the ability to get out and have a bit of freedom. We rented the car for pre op through discharge from hospital. Once safely checked into Homewood Suites, my DH returned the car.
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She, I had some outer edge fat necrosis after stage 2, which I was told was unusual. It was small. Dr. D. blasted it with some lipo/water thing, to make it smaller but didn't want to remove it I think because it would likely leave a dent. Mine was small and I can still feel it. It doesn't hurt or show or anything. I never got any more after that.
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russell..welcome to the group. I had my stage 1 diep on Nov 1 and had 1 side fail on day 6...unexpected to say the least. It was suggested to me to try Southwest airlines as they do not charge change fees if something happens different than the plan--at least in Nov they did not. Did not need to worry as we ended up driving as I have LE in my left arm...no fun that is for sure ..l have always flown with a sleeve since surgery 18 months ago (5 separate trips --10 round trips) but I think it was the flight in addition to the heat of laying on the beach in Mexico that triggered my LE...may also have been that magnificient hot stone massage I had at the resort. Talk to a certified LE therapist if you feel more comfortable to get an assessment of your risk of developing LE and precautions you can take to prevent it. Once it is there it stays
My left arm now hates flying but sometimes there are no other optionsMaggie-2
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Maggie - how is the wound healing coming?
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home care nurse came today to change the wounds and thinks it is now to the point that the vac can be taken off. I see the doc Wed morning and see what she thinks. I did my 30 prescribed hyperbaric tx and will see if she thinks I will need some more due to this belly boo boo. My daughter saw it today and was surprised at how great it looks. Getting smaller by the minute. Thanks for asking MartyJ...how are new lovelies doing?? Can't wait to have a set again!!
Maggie-2
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AnnAlive that's why I feel implants won't do well with me either even though I had them before cancer and they were fine. Now that I have such thin skin and no tissue it might as well be glass and see through! We are going to a New Year's Eve party at one of the Drs. house that assisted on my masectomy. It turns out he is really good friends of one of our really good friends...such a small world:) I already asked him about the flying and he said I should be fine since I havent had any problems so far. As we know though...no one really knows what's going to happen. I have been staying up late because my kids are off school and getting up around 10am! I'm glad you are feeling better. I went for a 3 mile walk today and plan on upping my protein with whey protein and lots of fruits and veggies! Happy New Year and Cuck Fancer!!!
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Maggie - my newbies are doing pretty well. Left is under my arm and right is still hard, but . . . I really admire your strength and wonderful attitude. I am sure that the next flap will take for you. Your are working harder for it than anyone should!
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thank you Marty you are too kind!
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Happy New Year everyone!
That is very encouraging Sandy, because this hard area is huge and very uncomfortable. Hopefully it will resolve on its own. How long did you wait after stage 1 to do stage 2?
I wanted to brag on Dr. Stolier for a moment. He found an issue I had with my left breast where the DCIS had spread out of the ducts and into the fat, but remained DCIS. He was able to take care of it surgically and got clear margins the first time. No other Dr. I consulted with even saw this issue or mentioned it to me...and Dr. Stolier told me I was his 3rd patient to ever have this issue. He was a bit excited to share my imaging with a board he is on....so much so that he took a pic with his iphone and sent it to them then and there in the exam room! I owe a lot to him because had he not seen this, DCIS cells would have been left behind and in all likeliehood I would have been facing a recurrence down the road.
As a thank you, I sent him a box of pears during the holidays and today in the mail I received a handwritten letter from him thanking me. I wasn't even expecting a thank you at all, much less a handwritten one. He even addressed it himself. I know a lot doesn't get posted on this thread about the breast surgeons so I wanted to share my experience because Dr. Stolier is an absolute hero on my book...and an incredibly genuine person to boot!
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I haven't posted much lately but have been reading on and off, glad to hear so many are recovering well. I've had a little glitch with wound issues but thanks to my local Dr. am on the mend.
Wishing ya'll a very Happy and Healthy New Year!!! Thanks for all the great advice and commiseration over the years.
Hugs to all,
Dorene
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AnnAlive- Happy to report I am drain free! We were able to pull the last one this morning. We celebrated by going out to eat but are spending the night in. My swelling has improved in my legs. By 7 or 8pm I am usually wiped out. Know its the body healing though. My stomach area is the area that still seems pretty swollen. Is this one of the areas that take extra time to calm down? I did not have a tummy tuck or plication but did have some extra skin removed. I have to ask Laura what that procedure was really called..if there is a name for it. I realize this all takes time yet curious what others experience with their tummy areas.
Finally got an avatar posted. Fun memories from a mud run this past summer. Looking forward to resuming exercise in 2013. Happy New Year's Eve Ladies...Here's to a healthy and happy New Year for us all!
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Wishing everyone a healthy and happy New Year!
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HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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AnnAlive and KerryA: I am really tired also since this surgery. The healing is coming along fine. My tummy is still very swollen also. But I know it will take some time for it to go down. I still have 2 of my drains. Can they be pulled at 20 or 30ccs?
Also, how did you ladies trim off the little stitches? Did you need help? I'm waiting until all the glue is gone... seems like there was a lot more stitches and glue this time.
TTay0
