NOLA in September?
Comments
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I had an area of concern during my MRI. (First one after surgery) Dr. M called and talked to my oncologist. They had me do an ultrasound and found it to be vascular. (Surgical changes)
Whew!! I don't think radiologists know how to read these as they have not come across any or many DIEP's. we are their guinnea pigs.
Enjoy NOLA Patty. Do a swamp tour. That was so much fun. Keep in touch.0 -
Tamara (Jane), I am praying for you. Hope you get the results soon and don't have to worry too long. You were a huge comfort to me before my surgery, and Dr. D did a marvelous job, and is every bit the artist you described. Hugs.
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Thank you very much everybody.
Zenful, I am pleased that you are pleased! I hope you recover well - it takes time, so try to be patient with yourself. That recliner sleeping was a drag but when I look back it seems like it was a small price to pay. Walking, drinking water, and making sure I ate adequate protein were the biggest helps for my recovery.
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Hi all! Just feeling up to posting since my surgery on Tuesday. This one kicked me in the butt big time. I've been in major, major pain and nothing seems to help except flexaril which literally just puts me to sleep for 12 hours. Couldn't get my pain or vomiting under control so I stayed an extra day at the hospital. I'm not on hormone replacement just yet because Dr. Von Almen discovered endometriosis during the hysterectomy, so I'm sure that is not helping things.
Dr. Von Almen did hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and Dr. D re-lifted my left side, shaped both breasts, excised necrosis on my left side, and lipoed my abdomen, flanks, axilla and outerthighs. Things are looking pretty good!
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Wow, Audrella -- you had the works! I really hope the pain is managed soon and you start feeling better. Exciting that you already like the results! Rest well.
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Audrella...hoping its easy going from here out!!! Hugs😘😘🌸🌸
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Audrella and Zenful- thoughts of continued healing for both of you. One day at a time. These surgeries can knock us flat for a while, but we always get up and soon every day gets a smidgen better.
Patty- Thinking of you this week. Start that Colace and Miralax. Marty is ringing in my ears.
I walked 2.5 miles Friday with surgery 8 days ago. Healing well.
Question for those who have had lipo of the inner thighs. How long did your doctor want you in surgical compression? I know all docs are different about this. Dr. M is asking for 6 months 24/7. 😢 Just wondering!!!0 -
Thanks Cherrie...I almost forgot about the stool softener and Miralax..though I did pack it. I keep losing track of the days..and I only got here yesterday! Lol. I will start it all tomorrow, Monday...surgery is Wednesday. Do you think that is enough time? Or should I take a hit tonight?
Hubby and I walked all over today,I've got a blister from one of my sandals...
Started at MOTHERS for breakfast and then to a steamboat cruise and then Cafe due Monde for the beignets and last the French market...all before 3:00. Hubby is resting. Lol. He will have plenty of time to do that I want to keep going!
Staying at the homewood Suites. Apparently I just missed someone from a stage 2 (the conceriege here is very friendly ...or would you say nosy?...depends on where you are from! Lol). Anyhow,we are checking out tomorrow and heading to Hope Lodge....will have to see what I can squeeze in to do in the am before heading out, but will likely come back before Wednesday.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Pat0 -
Ack,
I did not rent a car for our stay in NOLA.
I just googled the addresses for hope lodge to the hospital...14 minutes away!
What did your caregiver do for transport?
If anyone rented a car where did you rent from?
Geez, I'm usually up on this stuff! Oops!
Lol
Pat0 -
Pat, did you set up a driver with NOLA? They'll pick up/take you & caregiver wherever you are.
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The transport of me to appointments/surgery is Taken care of.
I was in the final planning of booking a rental car when I spoke to Katie and she said if we rented a car she couldn't get us a driver from airport etc...so I said fine, we will take the driver (figuring it would be easier for me!)....but, I wasn't thinking about how hubby would get back and forth to the hospital from hope lodge.
Pat0 -
Your hubby can stay with you the whole time you are in the hospital. They have a Murphy bed & will even feed him! Hope lodge should hold your room for the time your in.
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And btw, a cab from Hope Lodge to the hospital could run you $40 each way. Its not that far, but it can get expensive. My friend took a cab from uptown to the Quarter and that's what it cost her.
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Enterprise Rent A Car is only a couple of miles a way from Hope. They came to the Lodge and got my DH. Took him back to fill out paper work. We had it for 5 days after hospital for grocery shopping and rides. Before that he stayed with me at hospital. He was compy there and the Lodge WILL hold your room.
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Mother, where are you???!
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Patty, I found a really good car rental deal on hotwire.com - it was about $10/day. I hope you work it out!
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Morning ladies. I am home... still really out of it. Surgery was Thurs. and I flew home Sat.... I was miserable. I have had a very tough time controlling my pain this time around. Awful in the hosptial... better at home... but really really uncomofortable.
I am concerned since I am draining next to nothing. I have 4 drains... 2 breast , 2 hip... I don't know if they are squeezed to tight or not but my husband thinks he has padded them all in a way that will let them drain. The compression garments were a nightmare and I had to change them 3 times while in the hospital. I'm now in a breast, unitard thing that goes to my knees, with a jacket on top of that. The problem is Dr. D lipo'd my knees so I don't think it makes sense to be cutting me off at the knee. I originally had on the jacket and pair of pants... but those were digging so badly into my side I had to change them... like blisters. Ultimately, I think I need the unitard thing that goes to my calfs... but they don't have one. I have 2 drains coming out of my crotch and pinned to my front kangaroo pouch... and two that are worked up through my underarm area into my pouch.
I'm super cranky and def. feel like this surgery has been super hard.... I was told it would be 3-4...ended up being about 6. I'm sorry... I guess I need to call Laura today... Not doing very well.... wish I could say that I was doing better.
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Mother - you sound just like a lady that had a whole lot of lipo. Thankfully, things change rather quickly, but it can take a week to be most comfortable. I do hope that you can find the right garments really soon. If you need to order, makemeheal.com usually has a discount on design veronique with really quick shipping. I got my last garment in 2 days. Wish you were feeling a bit better!
Patty - your DH will be so much happier with a car and so will you. It costs a lot less to rent a car away from the airport so you will benefit from the cheaper rates. Now, get on the Miralax and Colace. Do the colace every day. Miralax takes a couple of days to work so you could take it today and tomorrow. Or take it everyday for a couple of weeks while you are on the antibiotics and pain killers. It won't hurt you to do that and just might help keep things moving properly. Have a really fun day!
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Hang in there, Mother and Audrella. Remember the (Marsha/Soccermom) mantra: "This too shall pass". I remember those early post op days, just focus on resting and breathing; you will be up again and can get back to being you. Wishing you peace and healing, Tamara
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Thanks for the rental car info...will be addressing it now...as in I'm running out of time! Lol
MartyJ...I just pm'd Cherrie, but might as well ask publicly (for the lurker a)..ami taking my own stool softener and Miralax in the hospital too? Or while I am there are they giving me something? (Or would they only give you something if you ask?). I think you see my confusion.
I have no problem taking my own the whole time if it means not waiting to see if I back up, and then having to ask for something!
Pat0 -
Patty - a good question. When in the hospital they will give you colace. Just do the miralax before and then pick-up again after.
Remember that everybody reacts differently so the miralax/softener combo might not do it for you. It is way too soon to worry about that eventuality. I had little problem after Stage 1, but did after Stage 2b (though I was under different stressors as my DH had bigger surgery the day after mine). Tried warm prune juice (remedy of choice for the elderly), no luck. To remedy that problem, I went to the drug store (target) and got lemon flavored magnesium citrate. Chilled the bottle in the fridge, drank it down and ta da!
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This has nothing to do with breast cancer, but I have no one else to "talk" to. I went to have a hearing evaluation as I have some hearing loss in left ear. Found out I have gone quite downhill in the last two years. Walked out of there with an appointment for a brain MRI to rule out a tumor (I am claustrophobic ), and told that there is a high relationship between early hearing loss and dementia. Also, by the time he mentioned hearing aid eval. I lost it. My tummy is in knots and of course a headache. I am so tired of medical issues. I am only 58, and soon to be 59. I was so excited to be at the end of my BC journey, it's a nice day, and then bam!! In the last two years my mother has died, I retired, my son got married, and my children both moved far away. (Seattle and Chesapeake) I live in Michigan. I hurt!!!!!! Thanks for listening and letting me rattle on. I know we all have our issues, but it is a bad day for me. DAMN I HATE THIS!
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Cherrie, I'm praying that this is nothing.
Ttay
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Cherrie <<<<<<<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>>>>
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Cherrie ....
We have all been there at some time or other ... the rollercoaster they call life. Rant away because we are here to listen and offer what words we can or just send good thoughts and hugs.
Hope things level out soon and praying for the best for you!
Maggie-1
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Cherrie,
Sorry to hear that! I too am claustrophobic...I HATE those dang MRI machines...consider asking for a calming agent before the appointment. personally, I can't stand wearing the earbuds with music...I feel even more enclosed. Last one they insisted I had to have ear protection...so they used just the spongy part of the earbud for me...my ears were ringing for hours! I told them their machine must be super old as I never had ringing ears like that!
Can you get an open MRI? (I've never done those)
I hope all goes well for you.
Hugs!
Pat0 -
Audrella, Zenful, and Mother -- I hope you are turning the corner soon and feeling better. The lipo is the worst (I'm sure you are getting all the references to toilet seats). Mother, I hope you find a garment that won't pinch. I had lipo under my armpit and it hurt like the dickens for about a week, worse than the thigh lipo (except when sitting on the toilet).
Cherrie, I hope it's nothing at all and you can rule out the big stuff quickly. The PTSD of BC diagnosis is hard to shake and it's hard not to fear the worst. When is your MRI? I hope this year turns around for you soon! {{{big hugs}}}
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Hi all, Cherrie suggested I post this on the NOLA site (and the DIEP 2013 site) as well as the original site/forum I posted it on Charleston Bound 2:
Just a thought - I was listening to Dr. radio on Sirius on the way home from church and heard a woman talking on the oncology show about a letter writing campaign to write a letter of encouragment to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Who better than us?
We've been there and can certainly lend encouragement (as shown by your so many encouraging words to me!) to those recently diagnosed!!!!
The website is www.girlslovemail.com - if you are interested, go and see what it's about and check it out for yourself. They are trying to get a goal of a mile of letters in a year. I personally checked off once a week, but you can do it only once, once a week, month, or just thinking about it in case you want to do more.
After just losing my dad 2 weeks ago from brain mets, I am thinking this might be something for me to do in his honor (of course there are guide lines and not mentioning someone passing b/c of BC!!!!!). The letters need to be handwritten but not necessarily terrifically long or specific. The guidelines tell it all.
Just a thought!0 -
Cherrie...my darling I am so sorry that you must now deal with this. We are always here for anything!
Love and Hugs to you
Maggie
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Maggie - how are you doing? It has been 6 weeks. All well?
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