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NOLA in September?

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Comments

  • Cherrie
    Cherrie Member Posts: 921
    edited August 2013

    Maggie-What day are you going back in and what are you having done? My 2c is on Sept. 19. Hopeful that it will be my last. My deductible and co-pays have all been met. Hopefully our doc won't balance the bill as this has been a financial drain. I know you have been through this too.

  • mags20487
    mags20487 Member Posts: 1,092
    edited August 2013

    I have no idea what she is going to do but she did say it would be limited to the front as we want to leave the behind alone for a few more months.  The girls need lots of work as they are really uneven and leftie has some hard spots along the edges

    Mags

  • MartyJ
    MartyJ Member Posts: 819
    edited August 2013

    Cherrie - I spent the night because for my Stage 2a I was very sick after.  It took a lot to get me to stop tossing my cookies.  And I had a bad reaction to some phenergan.  This time, they seemed to tackle it differently so I wasn't sick at all.

    My DH was up for 2 walks today and they will send him home tomorrow.  My GF took me to the hospital to see him today so I could pick up his car (he had to drive himself to hospital).  As I returned home, my car suddenly lost power at the top of one of our big bridges.  Thankfully the big rig behind me saw that I was having problems (I hit the flashers right away) and he stopped behind me until I could get going again.  I finally got home without AC or radio and then was able to look up the warning signal - transmission.  Oh, goodie!  Since DH can't drive, I am just going to wait til next week to even consider what to do.  Aaarrrggghhh!

  • ssla01
    ssla01 Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2013

    One of my drains was coming out! Stitch broke. Yikes. It was out about an inch. I put it back...can't recommend that. I taped it down and am wearing tons of compression. Dr. M. Said I have to go to my helper Dr. Tomorrow and get the stitch put back in. Crap!

  • mags20487
    mags20487 Member Posts: 1,092
    edited August 2013

    oh Sharon...ouch!!!  so sorry.  take it easy til you see the DR tomorrow  Drains suck

    Marty..wth!  when it rains it pours!  Don't you do too much young lady!

  • ssla01
    ssla01 Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2013

    You are right Maggie. I'm sitting still and not moving a lot.

  • Cherrie
    Cherrie Member Posts: 921
    edited August 2013

    Holy bananas Marty!



    I was very ill for two days, but I go to a surgical center with no overnight stays. She came close to having me go to the hospital, so it worries me. I would feel safer with a one night stay. Hope I don't experience that again. Yuck!



    Sharon, that darn drain. Poop! It won't be long now. Trust that PS of yours. Isn't she great?<


    Thinking of you Betsy?/p>

    Dx 10/4/2002, IDC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 1, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-Surgery 10/21/2002 Lumpectomy (Left); Lymph Node Removal: Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection (Left)Radiation Therapy 11/14/2002 ExternalHormonal Therapy 01/10/2003 TamoxifenSurgery 10/11/2011 Lumpectomy (Right)Surgery 11/12/2012 Prophylactic Mastectomy (Both); Reconstruction: DIEP flap (Both)
  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 204
    edited August 2013

    Hello all, haven't been here in a while, it's been a hard road. I bounced right back from my surgery, but am having harder time with recovery from chemo and tamoxifen side effects. But each day, am grateful to be alive.

    I was wondering about what you're all doing for surveillance of your Nola breasts. I had a breast MRI in January, but the local surgeon who is following me wants me to continue with regular mammograms as she said they'll show more in some areas. i just feel like a mammogram is going to hurt. Are any of you having regular mammograms? Any thoughts/ recommendations would be appreciated.

  • Audrella
    Audrella Member Posts: 153
    edited August 2013

    Yikes sharon!  Hopefully you can get that sucker stitched back up without too much discomfort.

    Jenlee, I'm curious about monitoring as well.  Dr. Stolier told me that once I'm all finished, that I should get a baseline mammogram because I don't have a "normal" one and then we'd decide what to do in the future from there.

  • ssla01
    ssla01 Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2013

    I'm back from the doctor. Left drain is firmly stitched back in....OUCH!



    I have wondered about follow-ups too.

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited August 2013

    I have breast exams from my ONC and GYN. No mammos. I did have a breast MRI like 2 years after dx. They don't recommend any other scans for me since there is essentially no (or nearly no) breast tissue.

  • Russell1
    Russell1 Member Posts: 413
    edited August 2013

    Ssla.. I'm sure that did hurt putting that drain back in!

    I am scheduled to do a breast MRI in mid December. I thought I didn't have to have mammos anymore. My ILC didn't show on my mammogram or my ultrasound.

    Geez Marty..sorry about the car trouble on top of everything else!

  • klanders
    klanders Member Posts: 152
    edited August 2013

    Hi! Busy with vacation and helping my first born pack for her freshman year of college (sniff, sniff). I head back to NOLA for stage 2a surgery with Dr S on Wednesday, September 4. I've been told I will be released on Thursday and can fly home on Saturday. I think it seems odd, but I've been told I won't have a post op appt. I hope they can do whatever needs to be done in stage 2a because I have to be finished this calendar year (because of insurance) and I'm hoping not to have to make that trip again at Christmas. I'm ok with how I look now so I'm hoping things don't look worse after 2a.

  • Barbmal5
    Barbmal5 Member Posts: 76
    edited August 2013

    Klanders, nice to hear from you, it sounds like your doing well. I'm also having stage 2 on a Wed, released Thurs & fly home on Sat, although its this week. I'm having a post-op Fri....I hope. At first they said i wouldn't need one if i didn't want one but I told I'd feel more comfortable with one. They've called 3 times to reschedule, ( first with Laura then Amy & now with someone I've never heard of) so who knows if I'lll even have an apt by Fri!

  • ssla01
    ssla01 Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2013

    I'll be there for stage 2 on the 9th!

  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 219
    edited August 2013

    Jenlee,ssla....Dr Massey recommends a bilateral breast MRI every 1-2 years after my DIEP. BS and ONC both agree.

  • Russell1
    Russell1 Member Posts: 413
    edited August 2013

    Klanders...you will look even better!!!!

  • MartyJ
    MartyJ Member Posts: 819
    edited August 2013

    Many of Dr. M's patients don't have a post-op as we communicate heavily through photos and on the phone.  Not really a problem.

    Spent today back in ER with DH.  Thought it was a UTI, but apparently a bladder emptying problem.  Got him home and in bed by 3:30 and he has been sleeping since.  Yippeeee!  Neither of us slept last night so today's nap was welcome.  Note to self - never do back to back surgeries.

    Jamie - I hope you are doing well!  Sorry I wasn't able to check in.

  • Russell1
    Russell1 Member Posts: 413
    edited August 2013

    Oh Marty..The joys of surgeries:/ Hang tough my friend~

  • gmp300
    gmp300 Member Posts: 196
    edited August 2013

    Just checking in.  Hope all is well!   I am going to NOLA tomorrow morning 6:00am.  I 'll be there by 10:30am.  I have an appointment with Dr. D on Tuesday at 9:00am and Vinnie at 10:30am.   they were suppose to be on Wednesday but I got rescheduled too!

      Hope to see barbmal5 while I am there.  I'll try to check on you!

  • besa
    besa Member Posts: 289
    edited August 2013

    GPM300 - Thinking of you! 

  • kathrynla
    kathrynla Member Posts: 406
    edited August 2013

    Hi KLanders.  I'm scheduled for a stage 2c at the end of this month. It's hard to know if it's going to be a big or small surgery - but I have my surgery on Thursday the 29th, am released on the 30th and fly home on Aug 31st. If I wanted a post-op (which no one seemed to think was necessary), then I'd have to stay until Monday.  So I'm opting to head home.  I guess if I decide I really need it I can change my flight and head home on Monday (using frequent flier miles so I should be okay.)  Good luck to you with your stage 2!

  • Zenful
    Zenful Member Posts: 394
    edited August 2013

    Hi, I am new to this thread, but has anyone had the Body Lift surgery at NOLA? I am having a double mx, and my local PS is recommending a double lat flap surgery. Not willing to sacrifice my back muscles. I was so excited to run across the Body Lift procedure for women who don't have enough fat for some of the other flap procedures. Does anyone have experience with this or know someone who has? The results look pretty good on their website. I would be traveling from Ohio. Do they let you fly after your surgery, or do you have to drive?

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2013

    Hi Zenful... I have had this... Results are great. And yes, you can fly home. You do need someone to fly with you though. There are others on here who also had the Body Lift... it has also been called stacked DIEP, but that can also mean ab fat stacked on itself. Even though my scar is a 360 degree scar, you can't even see most of it. It fades.

  • Zenful
    Zenful Member Posts: 394
    edited August 2013

    Bdavis - glad to hear you are happy with the results. Is the scar around your hip area at the bikini line, or at your waist?

  • Downey30
    Downey30 Member Posts: 199
    edited August 2013

    Hi Marty, So sorry DH had to make a trip back to the ER. Hopefully they have it all straightened out.  I had that happen at my last surgery....pretty miserable.  I'm doing fine but pretty sore.  I seem to gain a little everyday.  How are you doing with your surgery and nursing duties.  I hope you are not worn out.  Let me know whenever you get a minute.

    Zenful,  I am also a four flapper.  The scars are fading.  I was on the thin side and they did SGAP on both breasts.  They found that I had a bony defect in the right side so DIEP was performed and they put part of it on both sides.  Feel free to ask me anything.  Jamie

  • Russell1
    Russell1 Member Posts: 413
    edited August 2013

    Welcome Zenful...My local ps recommended lat flap as well and I didn't want any muscles used. I had the hip flap done. I flew from Ca. These Drs. are the best and I'm so happy with the results!!!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited August 2013

    Zenful, the scars are at the bikini line... I wear a bikini and you cannot see any scars at all...

  • gmp300
    gmp300 Member Posts: 196
    edited August 2013

    Thank you Besa!

    This ones for fun! Wish you were here!

  • klanders
    klanders Member Posts: 152
    edited August 2013

    Hi Zenful, my local docs said I was too thin for DIEP. (5'6" and 121 lbs). Thanks to the ladies on this forum I ended up at NOLA (from Michigan) and Dr. Sullivan did what he called an extended DIEP. He used ab fat and my love handles. My stage 1 was 3 1/2 months ago. It's by no means an easy surgery but I'm so glad I did my reconstruction this way. (I had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.). My scar is fairly low and just wraps around my sides. The scar is low in the middle and then rises at the sides and is right on my hip bone at the highest level. I'm still sore and somewhat numb but thrilled with results.

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