NOLA in September?
Comments
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Oh Maggie, those damn damn drains. They really are the worst part. What are you down to?
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Suwannee and others, thanks for your perspective. I do remember from my treatment in 2007 that the fear of the unknown was always worse than dealing with facts. Even when the facts turned out worse than I hoped.
I know this is the right decision. I'm just tired having to make these choices. I want to get back to living my life and put this cancer crap behind me. Not happy about giving another year of my life to cancer.0 -
90cc's today....I just put the dominatrix back on...I cannot do the panties on top thing tho...to be honest I am not a straight shooter when I pee and got it all over myself so I just undo 1 side to do my thing. I will wear it faithfully till I hear from Dr M. I miss her already! Need to talk to her about my LE too. I was out of all compression at the hospital and braless too as they just held the fluid in the flap. Now my arm is blowing up and I do not know if she wants me to do the MLD or compression yet. SIGH....end of whine
Maggie
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Maggie.. I am going to suggest folding a washcloth and putting it inside the DOM over the incision, maybe even two folded washcloths. After 8 weeks of wearing compression and still having hip drains, I had the doc send me smaller compression. So I wore the compression AND Flexees on top of it AND padding up against the incisions for about 3-4 days. It helped SO much. My cc's dropped a ton. Lost those drains after 8.5 weeks.
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Oh Maggie, if it is not one thing it is another. Soooo sorry! Dr. M was covering ER today at Roper in Charleston and is driving tomorrow. Nudge the office again or call her cell. To heck with the panties on top, do what you have to. Several women on this board suggested adding compression to help with the juiciness. I used clean washcloths and layered them across the incision line, zipping the dom over it. Whine as much as you want!
Marsha, this won't be another year dedicated to cancer. It will be a year dedicated to re-creating your beautiful body, with a few tweaks for perfection.
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Maggie- you can slit the washcloths to go around drain too. I hated those damn drains too!!! Dr. M says they are our best friends. They were best friends I loved getting rid of. I know they do their job. You will soon be drainless and we will all cheer for you when that happens! Keep that compression on. ((((Hugs))))
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MartyJ, I wish that were true but it isn't. The surgery is just the beginning of my return to cancerland. Afterwards I'll be doing chemo again, loose my hair again and a year of herceptin.
I've heard of people's troubles with recons, or having to wait to do them after they finish treatment. My hope is that putting my faith in these doctors that at least that part won't take any longer than it needs to.0 -
I am here in NOLA. Just had some great brisket quesadillas! We are at the Hampton in the Garden District till Sunday then Bienvile and SCSC for surgery on Tuesday.
Chelle - I'd love to meet up. My pre-op was changed. Katie called me and said that Dr. D had change it and asked if I would see Laura. (I was wondering if yours changed?) I like Laura and all but I have to many questions and want to see Dr. D so I asked to see him another day since I am here already so now my appointment is with him tomorrow (Thursday) at 3:00. So I guess we won't be passing by in the Center! But i will call you or you can call me, maybe we can meet somewhere - my cell is 810-8441-6613. I don't mind giving my number. I get calls all day for cold caps. Still working here now!
Geralyn
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Good morning, Ladies. Welcome to all the new ladies. Big hugs to all those recovering from their surgeries.
Question for you Veterans: How long before the discomfort/tenderness got better under the new breast - fold? I'm having some problems from the bra rubbing me wrong. I've been using padding to help the area.
Thanks.
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Thank you everyone for the advice. It's strange but I'm freaking out more about this surgery than I did about my bilat mastectomy.
I have not been on the picture forum; how do I get there?
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Ttay... I think the under the breast tenderness was one of the last things to go away... I don't remember how long, but it took a while. How long has it been?
Perry... You need to PM "nowheregirl" and ask for access. It isn't part of BCO... She will ask you a few questions and then give you access.
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Marsha.. Are you BRCA positive?
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Hey, BDavis. I'm glad you're doing well.
It's been about 16 Weeks. I called The Center. I've got to take pictures and send them.
TTay
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Bdavis, No I am BRCA- Just lucky enough to get two completely different king of breast cancers. No family history whatsoever.
So I hear Nola is scheduling stage 2 into 2014 ( from another thread). I haven't even asked them. Do you think I'll have to wait longer than the healing time for that part? If so that would suck. Also do you think they will do it while I'm having chemo or make me wait?0 -
Marsha... If they are scheduling into 2014 then that is something someone requested I am sure. I plan to have a stage IIc in November and have not booked it yet... As far as surgery while in chemo. I would say no, they would not do that. That is just too risky IMO, so even if they allow it, I don't think you'd want it.
Ttay.. 16 weeks... well I would think by then it wouldn't be tender anymore. But as you know, we are all different.
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Ttay - are you wearing a bra with underwire? I have stayed with the bras that do not have underwire and I think they are much more comfortable.
Perry - glad you asked about the booty! I had hip flap reconstruction in June 2012 and will be doing Stage 2 on May 29th. I waited a long time time in between stages because it was better for my work schedule. My breast look really good after stage 1. I imagine they will do what they call "fluffing" at stage 2 and a little powerwashing to get rid of a couple of small necrotic areas. But, I would be fine with my breasts the way they are. The booty is another story. I have 2 big indentations on each side of my hip with some puffieness at the end of the incision line. One hip also has a puffy area where the drain entered. I am looking forward to having this fixed. From what I understand, they will do a but lift to close the gap. Veterans, please chime in on what else is done?!
Judy 63 & Cherrie - I will be staying at the Hope Lodge after Stage 2. I stayed at Homewood Suites after Stage 1 and loved it but felt too cruddy to get out and do anything so decided to save the money and stay at Hope Lodge this time. My biggest concern is meals. Are you able to order pizza? Is there anywhere within walking distance to get to a small store? I believe one of you said that you rented a car. What was the approximate cost per day?
Maggie - I am feeling you on the drain issue. I had mine for almost 9 weeks! You may need to have some wine with your whine
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Just got to talk to Dr M. She is on her way to Chicago for a family emergency. She said that my drain is putting out too much and I need to slow down. I know she is right. I am just not a sit around girl but....compression on and I am back into my recliner. A movie from the chair is my schedule for the weekend
Maggie
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Ttay, I am 10months past stage 1 and 4 months past stage 2 sgap. I still have tenderness and sensitivity under my breasts. I do not like wearing a bra but if I need to I still like the Genie bra because it comes down longer and has a soft stretchy band. I am guessing my discomfort is due to my radiation as my skin still looks discolored.
On this same note...my sgap breast still feels a bit foregin to me, has a tightness feeling and sometimes burning like feeling from deep within. Hard to describe, but wondering if anyone else has these symptoms. They are not constant but I am definetly aware of it. I am a B cup, so have never really concerned myself with "support" , wondering if this is my issue? Or is it radiation, or just plain nerves?? I am scheduled for stage 3 nipple recon in 4 weeks, so hope this all goes away some day.
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Ttay, I had pain from the bra on my breast folds and along the sides of th breast. My scars healed as keloid scars, raised up and red. When in took the bra off at the end of the day, I would gasp. I had steroids injected into the scar to flatten them. They turned purple but the pain was gone almost instantly. So ifmit is the scar hurting, that is an open. If it is skin or muscle, then a different bra might help. I have to admit I have grown to dislike wearing bras since surgeries as well. Just feels so much better not to. And with breasts back on the chest, not down to the waist, it works! I love wearing support tanks from athleta. I can go days not wearing a bra with those!
Maggie, get some tv show season DVDs. They keep me down more than movies. I am on my fifth season of mad men. Also watched season one of homeland. After stage one, i got through the series of lost. After stage two, true blood. I love tv but never have time to watch all these shows. Only after surgery, then I watch them back to back to back....
Cascader, I have a sore pulling sensation under one breast. I do remember that from last time as well. I did take a flexeril the other night. I think it worsens when I am doing a lot.0 -
Marsha, you will have to wait a minimum of 3 months after chemo ends to have surgery. It's not bad. It gives you time for things to settle really well.
I wanted to add that if you need radiation you need to wait a minimum of 6 months to have surgery.0 -
Is it possible to over compress? I am stuffed in like a sausage right now. Double layered, with and pads underneath.
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Yikes, KSue, that is one of my fears but what choice do I really have. I'm an instant gratification kind of girl and realize as bdavis and others have said patience is key. I'm going to have to work on that part.
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Marsha, they will not do the surgery during your chemo treatment, but they only made me wait 4 weeks after my last infusion. I sent in my blood work 30 days before surgery as requested, but then I had all the blood work redone the week before the surgery to make sure all was ok. My MO was great about ordering all the tests for me so insurance wouldn't be an issue, and then he would give me a copy to send along to NOLA.
I did not have radiation, but I know they like to wait much longer if you have. A month after chemo was perfect for me. It gave me enough time to get over feeling yucky, take a nice trip to the beach with my family, then off to surgery without too much idle time to make myself crazy.
Good luck!0 -
KSue, I had lipo with the butt lift, dog ears fixed, and the hip scar revised. Now it is a cute little right curly bracket } centered on my hips.
When I stayed at Homewood Suites, I had groceries delivered from Whole Foods for about $35. Maybe it will be a little cheaper since it is so close to Hope Lodge? There is a little breakfast place a couple of blocks away from the river where I met Betsy and her friend for a biscuit. I think we rented a car for about $200 for 5 days, maybe through Hotwire. We drove south of NOLA and visited Barataria National Preserve for a nice slow walk through the bayous and saw little alligators swimming around. My husband used it a lot because we had family travelling with us and two kids, but I don't know if we would have needed a car if it had just been the two of us.
Marsha, I'm sorry to hear that you have so much to schedule this year. Hopefully your reconstruction will be the bright spot. Even with my complications, I still feel like I made the right choice. Every day I wear horizontal stripes without a bra is like a miracle.
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You ladies are the best.
No. Underwires are a thing of the past for me. I'm just wearing my mastectomy bras.... I may have to find something that is non-irritating. I looked at lunchtime, and I do have a small opening under the right breast... uggghhh!!! I did have radiation.
I'm sending pics to Celeste tonight. I'm back on the Betadine. It doesn't look angry or anything...just like the skin there is angry and open.
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ttay....try the ahh, genie or coobie bras. They are seamless and non irritating...quite soft....only thing is for me they ride up a bit...no matter what size I buy...at least they really do no dig in anywhere
Maggie
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The Bali Confort Revolution bras are awesome, also. Same comfy fit as the Genie bra, but it has a traditional hook in the back. I LOVE them, and it really feels like you don't have a bra on at all.
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KSue, we used an Enterprise that was not far from the center. They even came and picked my husband up. Their number is 504-483-1779. They did not have our car very clean and we got a discount. Don't use the airport as they are very expensive.
I would not have felt comfortable walking around the area around the Hope Lodge. It is an industrial area. There was a diner that some people walked to. The grocery stores are not close. The Lodge did have dinners delivered often during the week, but we had already bought food. A car is nice just to get out, but not necessary. It my be cheaper to take a taxi to get groceries. The office staff at the Lodge are helpful. You could call them and ask some of these questions.
Transportation and location is the downside to the Lodge. Other than that it is a great place to stay!0 -
Have any of you tried a diuretic after surgery (or ever) to see if it can reduce some edema? Did you have a lot of side effects? Did you think it was worth using?
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Marty J, updated your surgery date to 12th.
Marsha1970 - I added your stage 1 date on May 8. Welcome to our thread!
Holy moley! Long "short" list upcoming!!
Apr 5 - Sharon1942 - Stage 2, UTSW - Dr. T
Apr 8 - Chellehump - Consult with Dr. D. on possible 2B surgery, NOLA.
Apr 9 - Downey30 - Stage 2B, Charleston, Dr. M.
Apr 9 - gmp300 - Stage 2b, Dr. D., NOLA
Apr 9 - PerryDawnB - Stage 1 bilateral reconstruction with hip flaps, Dr. S., NOLA
Apr 12 - Russell1 - Stage 1 Hip Flaps (planned), Dr. S., NOLA (Southern Surgical Hospital).
Apr 12 - MartyJ - Stage 2, Dr. M in Charleston
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