NOLA in September?
Comments
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Paula... I think you are supposed to wait til ALL the glue is off... at the 3-4 week mark. I would double check with the Dr...
Tracy... So glad it worked out... I do believe that things happen for a reason (most of the time) and I am sure this is me just telling myself this to accept things I don't like, but ....
Cherrie... The Center sent me some sheets (can't remember the name) of scar treatment. I cut them into strips and take them off for showering, but they are reusable for about a week. Can't say if one is better than another.
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Paula Kay thanks..that's perfect because I have lots of yoga pants and zippered sweat jackets .
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Now I know why everyone talks great about the doctors and the hospital here in NOLA. They really are the nicest people here. My aunt and me are impressed with all the attention you get. Food is really good. Although I don't have much of an appetite.
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Judy, I hope your appetite picks up to enjoy the food! Some women particularly liked the grill cheese snadwich wth tomato soup.
Just a suggestion! Cherrie, my scars are so small and white, you can hardly see them at all, in most places at this point. They started out really really red and angry looking. Hard to believe the transformation over time. I think this is mostly due to genetics, but I'll also tell you what I did.
I used Mederma cream for a long time every day while the scars were red. Once they were no longer red, for a long time after that, I used Palmers Cocoa butter cream, or the one that is espeically made for stretch marks with the silloette of a pregnant woman on it. This one I think has no pabens.
I also tried that brown tape for a while, but that seemed to aggravate my scars! So I stopped it.
Short list for early April!!
Apr 3 - MillerJ - Stage 1, Dr. S., NOLA.
Apr 5 - MartyJ - Stage 2, Dr. M in Charleston
Spring.
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Paula Kay- if you recall I had a mini meltdown at four and a half weeks when I saw unacceptable symmetry. One breast was fuller but the other was wider and the projection was uneven. They looked different and worse then they looked right after surgery when they had looked pretty great. I even called the center about it. Well, at 6 weeks the asymmetry was gone and the projection was even! I am extremely happy with my results. So please try to remember that swelling can be different in each breast depending on what was done to it in stage 2. Give yourself more time, the finished product takes some time.
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I had the Uptown Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup like everyday... Yummy.
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Thanks Spring!
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(cross-posting from the Charleston thread)
Here's a PSA for those of you sharing photos remotely: http://www.dropbox.com
You can upload large photos and share them with a link. That means when you send an email to your doctor with a link to the photo, they just have to click on the link to download it and then see it. The download happens pretty quickly (more quickly than opening a large PPT or similar file).
You don't have to worry about large attachments to email (which many email providers block as spam) or putting photos in a different program. You don't have to compress a photo so much that it's small and blurry and doesn't show what you need it to. No one can see the photo without a direct link to it.
Free accounts are available and will give you plenty of space for photos for your whole recovery. Your doctor will thank you! (in fact, I'm surprised they don't suggest using something like this from the get-go)
P.S. You probalby still want to resize the images to a reasonable size... I usually made mine 1200 pixels in width or height, depending on photo orientation (i.e., 1200px was the longest side).
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Well after much debate, I did get to pull the last drain last night. It had been hurting me. I hadn't been below 44 cc the day before. Then in 20 hours time I had only 10 cc. I called in, clinic closed early for holiday, had to used answering service to connect to Trahan. He said go ahead and pull it. So I stripped down out of my compression wear and there was a huge clog in the drain right near the entry point. I stripped it and the tube filled up again and I stripped it again and I had 18 cc right there. So then I thought oh no that's why it got so low! Maybe I shouldn't pull it? So I called Trahan again. he and I debated back and forth, he said keep it a day more. Then he said, well if it has been irritated, maybe it should just go. So we finally landed on pulling it. My 11 year old wanted to watch so bad. So I let him! He said, wow mom, great job! And I thought, yeh, for a squeamish gal who cries when an IV is put in, even still after all these surgeries, I did do a good job!! I have pulled 6 now after three surgeries! Have a great weekend everyone!
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Way to go Kbodie! Sounds like your son is a future medical professional.
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Where do you find multivitamins without vitamin E?
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I think the amt of vitamin e that is in a multi is not a problem.
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Marsha... I saw your post about ports... Did you ask your local doctor about putting at the old location?? My experience with ports and the plastic surgeons is that they tried to remove mine during MX and had a problem (it had grown around my clavicle) and so they left it to the interventional radiologist to take out post surgery. From where they cut you for MX, it may be difficult for them to place the port. They would probably need to cut you in the chest either way. And if it doesn't work out, then you will need to get it done locally post DIEP and that means waiting a month.
Long story short, if it were me, I might have the local doc put it in, and beg for it to be at the old site. Then have the DIEP and then have Dr S revise the scar at stage II.
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Bdavis, I only get to talk to my surgeon when I do the node biopsy and port placement. I'm having a new port put in. It was taken out in 2007 when I finished chemo. Unfortunately I will need chemo again after the mastectomy. I'll probably do what you say and ask he put it in at the old site. I need to talk to Dr S to see if he has a preference on the port. Having it before will be handy because its hard to get a line on me, but I'm not sure if they would want to use it for the surgery because it could be in the way.
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Marsha... I get it... But do know that they had no problem doing my MX and DIEP with my port in.. The only problem they had was when they tried to take it out, it was stuck by my clavicle. So if you local surgeon can put where you want, I don't think Dr S will care. I am sure he deals with ports a lot. I am sorry you have to do chemo again... sucks.
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spent the weekend away with friends. The guys went riding their 4 wheelers (and my DD--she is just one of the guys) and my friend and I went shopping. Did pretty well....the ride up was almost 4 hours and killed me..went to bed sore that night. Did super well first day of shopping and was unstoppable. Second day tired out much faster. Ah well all in due time. Got home a little while ago and resting now. My drain had slowed last week only to pick up this weekend with all the activity. It is a shame that 90% of the discomfort comes from that dang drain. Flap looks great...glue is coming off now so that always makes a big difference. My LE is flaring again tho
Really do not want to put that arm in compression as I can barely move it as it is since the surgery. Trying to get the exercises in and they are tough with the pain in the auxilla and chest. SIGH!! Already looking forward to stage 2 as they are so uneven it is noticeable in many of my clothes.Maggie 2
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Stage 2 will be here before you know it Maggie. Until then enjoy Spring and keep shopping with your friends. I am impressed that you went all day shopping. 👍
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Hey everyone! I'm almost 5 weeks out from my BMX and S-GAP reconstruction, and I really think I'm ready for some exercise in addition to walking. I will start very slow, pay close attention, and hope to be able to tell what I can and can't do.
I'd love to hear about your experiences... When did you return to the gym? Are there runners here? What made you feel good? Did anyone try to do light workouts while they had hip drains?
Additionally... my hard right foob is softening noticeably. It still has a way to go, but tincture of time, clean living, and ibuprofen all seem to be part of the magic formula.
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Hi, I'm new to these discussion boards and have been following this thread. I'am scheduled for bilateral reconstruction with hip flaps in NOLA with Dr. S. on April 9. All of the discussions here and advice have greatly helped me make and come to terms wth my decision to have this type of surgery. Although I'm really nervous (after all my surgery is next Wednesday) I am cautiously optimistic and so ready to move on with my life.
Thank you to all of you who have contributed to this discussion.
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Perry, welcome! Please keep us updated on your status and allow us to help if needed!
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Question: I submitted my appln for Stage 2 to NOLA, Liz responded that she received it and sent me the package. When I called to talk to her they said that they process the pts with active cancer first, and the others later. How long does it take to get into the surgical que? I'm really excited to see what the docs recommend.
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Heaven... They do schedule active cancer patients, usually on Tuesdays, but you could probably get a date within 2-3 weeks??
Kim.. I found with the GAP flap that running in particular took a little longer than other things.. It just feels weird at first. Not that you'd do any damage down there... I would be more concerned with bouncing the boobs.
Welcome Perry.
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Hi, I had my stage 1 last Tuesday with no active cancer. I got my appointment for surgery at the end of January for a march 26 date but Liz was naming off quite a few dates and that was the earliest.
I' m doing good today. Saturday night I was nauseous and Sunday I called Dr. Trahan and he changed my antibiotic and gave me some nausea medicine and delivered them to me at the Hope Lodge, which I think that is just a outstanding thing to do. Feeling a little bit more of myself each day. Can't wait to get to go home, which won't be till Wed.0 -
bdavis & Judy 63 - thanks for the info! It makes me feel better and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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Perry, I added your Apr 9 surgery date to the listing at the top of the page. Congrats!
About scheduling: as one of those with "active cancer" (back in 2008) I was delighted to find out that NOLA could fint me in sooner than my local surgeons. That wouldn't have mattered because I was not happy at all with my local optoins, and would have waited for NOLA. But it was a full 2 weeks earlier. A huge relief! to know that was not a blocker.
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Welcome Perry!! My surgery is on April 10 with Dr. Sullivan also. Are you staying at Scsh?
Judy..that was so great of Dr. Trahan to deliver.
Heavenschild...I'm not that far from you. I'm in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. Which is about 40min from Arcadia.0 -
Crap oh crap oh crap. worried I have a seroma. Waiting for call back from answering service. If I push on one side of the abdomen and it jiggle and ripples on the other side, that is not a good sign right? I can actually feel it on the other side too. I have never had one. Who drains it? I live in a small town. Does it hurt? Does it refills? Ok, cart ahead of horse here.....panicking a little.....
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The waterbed butt sounds like a seroma! I had a seroma in my hip where the drain came out early after Stage 1. The local breast surgeon that I saw for my lumpectomies had agreed to follow me when I returned from NOLA, and he or his PA drained it for me. I'm a big chicken about needles (or at least I was before I was diagnosed with BC), but this was not bad if you don't look. They'll give you a local too. The area around the hip incision should be pretty numb so it doesn't hurt as long as they stay close to that area. Then ramp up the compression. I wore extra washcloths in my shark bites under the compression, but I still had to have my seroma drained 4 times before Stage 2. Hopefully, once will be enough for you.
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It is a seroma. Dr. tried to be very reassuring, that these happen even under the best circumstances, not to worry. They will line me up with someone tomorrow to aspirate. After beating myself up that I should gone with my instincts, which said not to pull the drain on Friday after finding it had been clogged, which means there was probably already fluid buidling up before I pulled it, and I was active on Friday and traveled Saturday and sunday for the holiday, then had kids home today and helped clean fish tanks, bake cookies, and stand at the counter paying bills for a couple hours....mad at myself as I did better the other surgeries at not feeling like I had to rush back to normal things and wanted to leave drain, not matter how annoying, as long as necessary. Just when I thought I was doing pretty well 2 1/2 weeks post-op, get a little slap down!
Ok, going to move on with the night and try not to think about it. Maybe game of thrones season premiere will do it.0 -
Oh, yeah. Isn't it interesting how our bodies just slap us down. They are healing on their schedule, not ours. So sorry about the seroma, Kbodie.
Okay, 3 full days til Stage 2. Mani/pedi - check! Costco run - check! Tomorrow, Whole Foods & Trader Joe's finished with a pre-op with Dr. M. Can't wait to find out her plans for me.
Now, if we could only figure out how to remove the large, leather recliner that is on a furniture dolly in the Living Room. No room on main floor and can't carry it to upstairs. Hmmmm.
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