One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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Hi everyone, I am unwrapped , minus some of the stitches and pretty happy. My PS said he did quite a lot of lipo looking for fat. Now isn't that a hoot, my jelly belly is mostly skin. My abdomen is purple and green technicolor with pale stripes where I have scars from surgeries and pregnancy stretch marks. Very dramatic. It's still tender but getting better. The dog ear is gone, the nipple looks good, not real, but good. He thinks that the tissue he used will not soften and disappear. The additional fat to fill the hollow in my almost-cleavage looks beautiful. I hope it stays around. I can shower, wear a bra, just protect the nipple with some gauze and ointment, and wouldn't you know it.... arnica. The breast is still flat looking, think I'll be OK with it. The remaining stitches poke clear through my clothes.
Back later if I can...
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Fortunate1, Very cool. Sounds like you're doing well. Did your PS recommend the arnica?
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hi ladies, my typing is slow & i am really drugged up....but i just wanted to share w/ especailly w/ any new comkers. the 1rst day was horrible. i was in recovery fir modt of the day. i literally fekt like christpher reeves. i could notg move mu ipper extrinities & the nurses had to push me up from the back & someone else had to move my feet. goimg to the bathroom which i do a lot was extremley painful....my hands were so swollen. i had much more pain in my rt then my left. i had 2 finaly opem up the bra they gave me even after them cuttting it/ it felt like an extremly tight bandage arnd me/ i recomend to find out if they have a recliner use it!!!!!!
well its hard for me to type now so i will continue later
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Fortunate1, such wonderful news...you are going to look great (without stiches!)
Ally, I seem to remember that 8-12 weeks is the window for final development or as some refer to it, for your implants to "drop and fluff".
AnnL, you and I_AM_OK are amazing...superwomen! I'm sure it helps that you were unilateral MX...but still, you are doing extra ordinarily well.
Carole, exciting here, too. I cooked for six hours. That will last a few days...a great chore for such a cold day. Wondering about Shoshi and hoping for good news soon!
Have a great weekend everyone.
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Shoshi, Yay! You're home. That must make you feel better. I'm taking your advice about the recliner. In fact, I found that the twin size fitted "T-Sheets" that I normally use on the beds in my guest room will make great washable slipcovers for the recliner.
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Thanks for the laugh Fortunate1--your ps is a funny guy!
To the ladies recuperating--I am thinking of you as you go through this early post-op period. Stay on top of your pain. It gets better after the first 4 to 5 days.
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Shoshi, I'm so relieved to know you are home! You sound like you are on the other extreme of BMX. But you are still a super woman too! You have more to deal with than most of us, but will get there...just a little slower. Our thoughts are with you....we must have posted at the exact same second last night.
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Shoshi,
As your same date buddy, I am thinking of you. Mine was unilateral, and the cosmetic work done to my "good" breast was nothing. I am feeling fine today, had to go out and deal with frozen water and drag some hoses around, all very do-able with one arm. My reconstruction breast is not hurting at all. I have not been taking any soma or pain meds, but I will if anything starts hurting. I kind of want to know what "normal" feels like on day four post-surgery. The drain is slowing down, but I do have to put up with it until my next appt on Thursday. I am wearing a close front bra I got at a special bra place, and it feels fine. The PS also gave me an elastic strap to wear high on my chest because the implant is sort of high. I am not worried -- I have read that it takes 2 - 4 weeks for them to settle down. It is ok with me to be worried about looks as opposed to health issues. Now my main concern is making sure I don't get some kind of infection. I am very careful when emptying drains. I scrub my hands with a nail brush and antibiotic soap, and I use a sterile wipe. The PS told me yesterday I could take a shower, but I am kind of scared to. Not sure why -- I guess I am worried about getting incisions damp.
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shoshi....i hope you're feeling a little better today....it does get better....remember how much i complained of pain....i hope you're meds are working, and you have family and friends taking care of you.....we're all thinking of you....fortunate1...how are things going with you?...new bride...you'll do great, you've been with us as we've all gone through this, i'm sure you've learned alot...we'll be there for you...Ann L...sounds like you are feeling great...i felt a little strange taking a shower at first too, but, once i did, it felt very good, my incisions were at the drain site, and after my shower i put a new 4x4 sterile gauze w/ paper tape over the drain site incision.
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A bright sunny morning to everyone, warm honey scented air here, all the windows open. I'll have to remember this when my yard dies again from lack of water. The weather is nuts, you poor frozen friends, absolutely nuts!
I took a commemorative photo of my technicolor tummy, now veering towards deep maroon and yellow with a yellow breast to add to the picture. Okiegal, I am a Fauve painting. My waist has returned as the swelling goes down. I'd post if I had the nerve.
Shoshi, sweetie, soft hugs for you as you heal. It will get better. I have coffee on, and a chocolate babka in the fridge. Can I bring some over?
NewBride, yes, it was the PS that recommended arnica. When I had my mastectomy, visitors arrived with lotions! So I have lots, one was arnica from my dear daughter in law. I'm going to give it a try.
Better get some work done, but will definitely check back in.
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OK SUGGESTIONS: HAVE LOTS OF DRUGS
NO CHILD PROOF CAPS
HAVE A BASKET W/ VERY EASY REACH
ILL TRY 2 TYPE MORE LATER
BUTTON DOWN SHIRTS & SLIP ON PANTS
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Good suggestions Shoshi. Hope you're feeling better.
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shoshi....hang in there.....don't close the bottles....i had such a hard time opening them.
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Hi all,
Just wanted to check in, especially to wish Shoshi (my same date buddy) a speedy recovery, and tell her I am glad she is sounding so much better.
I am doing fine. It is now day 6 post surgery. I took my first shower on day four, after my PS gave me the ok, and after the pep talk from ally1423 (see above). I am having no pain at all, just some mild discomfort from the drain site (I have one drain left in me for another three days), and some tightness of the muscle above the implant. I have no incisional pain at all, and the good breast is just fine. I have to repeat that my surgery was merely a unilateral mast/implant with some minor surgery on the good side. I also had no node surgery because that was done back in 1996. I am nut supposed to lift over 10 pounds or raise my arm above shoulder level, but other than that, I have good motion and strength. I am not pushing it because I want my recovery to be quick and smooth. I am already feeding the horses, but I am being careful not to get jostled by them. I have someone to clean stalls, and I will ask for help with putting their blankets on and off. It has been extra cold here in Central Texas, so I have been able to leave their blankets on all day. They are turn-out blankets, so the horses can go out and play in them just fine.
The implant looks a little weird. It is a bit high and sort of flat. But I am going to be patient about that and let it settle down. I am grateful to be concerned with cosmetic as opposed to health issues. The PS gave me an elastic band to wear under my arms for 8 hours a day, which I am doing. I am comfortable in either a sports bra or braless. I kind of like being braless because it gives me a chance to get used to the feeling of the implant. Right now the implant side feels a bit heavier, but as I said, I am just going to wait all that out. I will ask the PS about how it will take its final shape when I see him on Thursday. Eventually I will have the nipple reconstruction issues, and I will consult this forum about all that. But now I am very grateful to not have major worries. I am very grateful it's over, grateful to have the cancer more out than it was with the lumpectomy in September, and grateful I opted for reconstruction, and grateful I had that choice. I am thankful things were so easy for me, thankful to this board, and send my best wishes and big hugs to all of you.
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Glad you are doing well AnnL and there is nothing "merely" about it. You just had major surgery so please take it easy.
Shoshi: Hope you are doing better.
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Good Morning all, Very good news from you, Ann. I found the elastic bandage to be very comfortable and helpful as the muscle gradually relaxed and let the implant settle into position. Even months later I would go back to it now and then when I had done too much and the pec hurt.
Gratitude, yes.... me too. I am very close to the one year anniversary of my mastectomy surgery (Jan. 22), feeling cheery and, well, fortunate.
I'm off to school today, to check out the room, get my syllabus printed, meet with a friend. It's so blessedly normal. Tomorrow, Oncology appt, PS appt, still normal - just the 'new normal'. Yay-yay-yay, let's hear it for normal!
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Ann and Fortunate, good for you that things are going so well in your "new normal." Ann, I love your photo with the beautiful horse.
Ally, I think there can still be changes in the "foobs" after 6 wks. The implants can drift or settle. Divets can appear. My left implant drifted left and I have a divet in the cleavage area. But the swelling should be gone at 6 wks and the bra size should be pretty well determined.
During the first weeks, I didn't like my new breasts but now I've gotten used to them and regard them with some affection. It's nice to have a slightly fuller shape than before.
Now for the exciting news. Tomorrow I plan to play golf again!!!!! Yeah!!!! I believe I've played only once since Thanksgiving. The weather has been either rainy or cold. Tomorrow the high temp. will only be in the 50's but that's warm enough for me. I'm twisting Dh's arm to play with me since I can't rally any women partners. Dh and I walked today around 10 am. The temp was about 32 degrees but it was sunny and nice. I soon removed my gloves and unzipped my fleece jacket.
Dh is cooking a Rachel Ray shrimp recipe for dinner tonight. He also bought ingredients to cook a recipe with stuffed portobello mushrooms. I'm cheering from the sidelines and hoping for the best in counting WW "points" for the meals he prepares.
A happy Monday to all.
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AnnL, I am glad you are continuing to do so well.
Shoshi I hope you are feeling better.
We all recover at different rates and we found here that our doctors have different ideas during the recovery period. While my drains were in I did very little. I sat in a recliner during the day watching movies or slept because of the pain pills. I took walks in my backyard and received visitors. After one week my BS and PS said Tylenol only. I was still feeling pain and my PS gave me another few days of Percocet. I took Ducolax for the constipation from the pain pills.
My PS did not allow showers until the drains were removed. I took sponge baths while standing in the tub. I used a spray hose attachment that attached to the tub nozzle. I also purchased an electric shaver for my legs. I changed medicated strips every other day across my stitches and around the drains. These moist strips made me feel comfortable. Over the strips I applied sterile gauze pads. I also had gauze pads that had a slit that when around the drain area. Over that, I wore the bra they gave me at the hospital. The bra hooked in the front and had Velcro shoulder straps. PS said to purchase sports bras a cup size larger to accommodate for swelling. I wore a bra 24/7 for six weeks. At my sixth week visit my PS instructed me to massage. She also gave me macaderma cream to apply to the scars. At six weeks I was still swollen. I also had an area on my sides below my arm pits that bulged. PS said it was fluid build up. At six weeks I was surprised to find out that the body was still building fluid. PS said that this could go on for awhile longer. My drains were in for two weeks. My PS pulled them out very quickly and it only hurt for a second and then it was fine. I felt sooo much better and began to do much more. I would say by week eight I felt back to normal.
I was in the hospital for two nights. The second night I sat in a chair. I could not get myself comfortable in bed and getting up was difficult so I sat in the chair. The two nights in the hospital were the worst for me.
I also had a burning feeling on my skin between my neck and breast, not my breasts...like I had bad sunburn. NP said it could have been from the surgical soap. I had tightness across my breast that felt like someone was sitting on me. I thought it was the bra...when I loosen the bra there was some relief, but still very tight.
When I first came home my breast didn't move, but were perfectly round and even. I was pleasantly surprised. When looking at myself in my bra I looked like I did in my 20's - 30's only smaller. As time went by they began to drop. One breast dropped more then the other. They are more even now. When the swelling went down... the nipple area was and is still flat. Extra skin stretched out from the swelling, left a bulge of skin "dog ears" at one end of each scar. Because of them the breasts look misshaped...not round. At around 5-6 months, a noticeable concave developed at the top of the implants cleavage side. My PS told me that would happen.
We all heal at our own rate...listen to your body. Thanks to this forum and sharing our experiences has definitely made it easier!
Carole, I went back to WW before Christmas. Unfortunately, I gain 2 additional pounds over the holidays, but have lost 3 pounds since the New Year! I have been walking on my tread machine 2-3 miles every day and lifting 3-5 lb weights. I think I over did it, because I started to get a sharp pain under my left shoulder blade and visited my PCP. He did an EKG and sent me for a chest and shoulder x-ray this morning!
Hope everyone else is have a good day!
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It's blessedly sunny here today and with the temperature reaching into the mid to high forties....feels like Spring compared to the last few days. I checked on the garden and to my surprise, everything survived! There was some damage, and no noticeable growth, but after I pulled back the plastic and examined the previously wilted and dead Red Lettuce, I noticed a few little leaves coming up from the base of the plants. They had been protected by the plastic, but also by the wilted leaves which formed an additional cocoon! It's been a struggle, but it looks like our garden has weathered the storm. I hope that is the worst we experience this winter.
I too have pulled out my food journal, started back on WW and begun regular exercise...again.
Meg9, that was a generous and informative post. I hope your shoulder is okay?
Shoshi, I had a lot of swelling after my surgery and extremely sensitive skin with lots of itching due to the surgical prep solution. Every bra given to me was uncomfortable. I persevered in discomfort for quite a while until I examined the band size and realized that they were all too small! What were they thinking in surgery? Or at the hospital or at the PS's office when I complained? They all just gave me what they had, I guess. I switched to the front closure cotton bras that I had purchased during my other procedures and felt much better. I hope you are starting to feel a little bit better each day.
AnnL, it is great to see your picture and to read your updates. It's so reassuring to know that some women can get back to normal rather quickly. I guess you don't know which category you are in until you get there.
Fortunate1, sounds like you are getting back into gear quickly. And Carole....enjoy your game!
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hello ladies....carole thanks for the information....i love to know what might be down the road. i'm so happy that you'll be golfing again tomorrow....your retirement sounds like so much fun. walks in the morning, golf in the afternoon, dh cooking shrimp dishes.......can't get much better than that. meg...i agree with okie....great description, and so true we all heal differently. i had very little swelling, not much difficulty with range of motion, but as you all know i had big time intractable pain in my pecs, they were in a constant state of spasm for nearly 6 wks. my ps never gave me a compression band/bra to wear. fortunately that pain is gone now. meg i hope your shoulder is ok. keep us posted. AnnL...glad you are feeling so well, but like upcreek said you did have major surgery.....also glad you got through the shower thing. you'll feel really great when that last drain comes out. fortunate1...hope you are healing well, it sounds like you got through that procedure very well......cheery and normal...i like that....shoshi. i hope you feel better each day.
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hi ladies, i feel a bit better each day & still love my drugs..lol.... i still have not been wearing a bra b/c it was jusst 2 painful..way 2 tight...i still feelst times thst i am wearing a very tight bra but its just my muscles. My dr cave me valium 10 mg every 6 hrs & that helps at times. i have a lanyard arnd my neck & keep the drains hooked to that. My back hurts a lot like where my kidneys may be . My range of motion is a bit better too, but i have a long way to go, but hey its just a week. i am allowed to shower, but my dh has to help. my foobs are tiht swollen & i feel likei am getting oinched a lot..i know this is all normal. I've also learned do not go up & down stairs w/out help...i sm very wobbley...NEW BRIDE or anyone else who is having surgery, if u have any questions, just ask...hope everyone is feeling good0
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shoshi....so glad you're feeling a little better each day.....laynyard that's a great idea. i couldnt figure out what to do with those drains...my ex hub bought me an apron w/pockets and that worked pretty well......but i wasn't doing any cooking....lol.....i still am not wearing a bra....i'll get into thinking about that in a couple of weeks......i'm just happy that i don't have pain......you'll get there too.....take it easy
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Nice to read all your updates. Shoshi--I couldn't wear a bra until the drains came out because of the drain placement. My ps said that after a month I didn't need one. I do wear one during the day because I am still self-conscious of everything.
Please say a prayer for a friend of mine today that is having bilateral mastectomies for invasive cancer.
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Hello, Ladies.
I had my pre-op appt. with PS yesterday. This is what I found out:
Yes, I will be having a "One Step", nipple sparing procedure. However, it will actually be one step at a time as my PS wants to wait until the recon breast is healed (about 6 months). Then he will place a smaller implant on the "good" side in order to match them up. A note on that: I had originally reported that I would receive an implant in the 225cc size range. Mentor smooth, round. My PS feels that in order to "fill the pocket" he needs to go larger. The range of sizes on hand in surgery will be from 375-450cc, moderate and high moderate profiles. I think that may be his diplomatic way of telling me that I'm beginning to sag a little. The end result should leave me with a small C cup. I guess I'll be stuffing on the "good" side for awhile until I get my match up imlant. We will address possible revisions such as step off or dog ears at that time as well. I had hoped to avoid another surgery but the next one will be an outpatient procedure. At least he feels good about my odds of keeping my nipple.
I.V. placement should be in my right hand. I think I'm probably OK with that.
No catheter. Yay!
I will have pre-surgery antibiotics.
No "On-Q". No pain pump either. Percoset and one shot of morpine in the hospital. Vicodin for at home. Valium to help me sleep the night before surgery and also for the nights following surgery. Antibiotic and something for nausea too. The scripts wiil be pre-filled with ez open lids.
One drain only. Drain incision just below the recon breast. He says 2 weeks. 30cc or less in a 24hr period before it can come out. BUT he says I can shower with it.
He will provide a bra that he pretty much wants me to live in for the first week.
He recommends Colace as a stool softener if I need one.
He has no problem with arnica and in fact provided me with a pack of SinEcch to be taken 1 day pre-op and for 4days post-op. I think that I will also take 30C arnica pellets for a few days prior to the SinEcch. It can't hurt me and, judging from the rapid recoveries of AnnL and some of the girls on the Alternative Forum, it may help quite a bit.
He does'nt have a problem with me raising my arm. But I'll bet I have a problem with me raising my arm. He does want me to be careful lifting things. No jerking motions.
I'm to discontinue my vitamins etc. so as not to incur bleeding problems. I have already stopped gingko biloba and ginseng. He does feel that iti is OK for me to continue my glucosamine and chondroitin with MSM. Of course no asprin, Aleve or Advil.
That's about it from the PS.
Shoshi, you sound alot better, girl. I'm so glad. Every day should be better from here on out.
AnnL, Cool, you ride English. Me too. You look much more comfortable in a Dressage ring than I ever was. I (and my horse) preferred a Cross Country course. Thanks for the info on arnica. I intend to use it. Thank you also for the thread on infection prevention. I gleaned quite a bit from that. Those of us facing upcoming surgeries should also look at a website called Reducing Infection Deaths. It has a 15 point checklist that I found to be extremely informative.
Jeez, I'm late for a hair appt. Back later. Bye.
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new bride...it's safe to say that you are definetely prepared....you go girl.....
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I finally made my decision to have a prophylactic right breast mastectomy. I've been vacillating back and forth and driving myself crazy. Last Friday I had my Breast Screening Gamma Imaging test. Although it came back as NED, there was one dark spot that completely freaked me out. It made me realize, I just want to minimize my risks and get on with my life. I had a left breast mastectomy for BC in Sept and I can honestly say, I give little to no thought about the loss of my breast. I was just so thrilled to be cancer free that losing a breast had zippo affect on me.
The surgery will be in April, when I return to Canada from the not-so-hot-and-not too sunny south! BRRRRRR . . . has to be the coldest winter I've spent in a long time.
I've also decided to participate in the one step Alloderm study. It kind of sucks because my left breast will have the tissue expander and the right breast will be one step. Although, since it is only a study, I may infact wake up with two tissue expanders. It's a toss of the coin who gets what but I do know that my left breast is ineligible for the one step so for sure it will have the TE.
It feels good to finally have my decision made. I've already been through this before so I know what to expect. I know my recliner will be my favorite piece of furniture for sleeping. I know my friends and family will be there to "babysit" me and cook for me. DH will work from home until I'm set free! Hated the drains but they were very do-able. Pain was kept under control with Tramacet . . .athough it was disappointing it wasn't covered under my private health plan. The home nursing care was wonderful and showed up every day. And I know that it's only been three months since my left breast mastectomy and I've been able to return to all my sports except canoeing, tennis and upper body weight training. Three months ago I couldn't even bath or dress myself and now I'm healthy and getting back into shape. Amazing how the recovery seemed to be going so slow and then one day you turn around and realize you are ready, willing and able to resume your old lifestyle.
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UpCreek, how lovely to have friends who ask for prayer...keep us posted on her progress.
NewBride, an A+ post...Sounds like you well prepared!
It's going to be a beautiful day, here. Hope everyone is continuing to heal nicely.
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Hello Mantra. I understand the crazy decision process all too well. I chose the other route, no prophylactic, but in my darker hours it stil drives me a little crazy. Welcome, and let us know what we can do.
My bight cheery yesterday - onc checkup and some stitches out at the PS - went badly. I was sure it was going to be the end of my "cancer patient" life and on with ... whatever I wanted. Well, a big cancer dump all over that. First thing, onc. He took a look at the results of my mammo and ultrasound from November and was not happy. Not happy because there was no mention of the enlarged lymph node in my healthy armpit. Isn't that good? Well, its been enlarged for the entire year he's known me. He thinks it's more than one and getting larger. He gave me the job of questioning the Breast Center in person to find out if they can do another ultrasound with a fine needle aspiration. And those confusing words - "its probably nothing, but". It's good really. This is the man who will be making sure that I don't get cancer again, I want him to be diligent, persistent. I'm counting on him. But aw gee.
The rest of the day was a blur of dead cell phone, not enough time, bad maps, long drives, keys locked in the car, with the undercurrent of the return of fear and uncertainty. I did get to the PS's new second office a few towns to the North and had most of the stitches removed - yay!, got to see my son's office close by the PS for the first time - nice!, and talked to the breast center. There were little screw ups throughout that I will hopefully straighten out today. Ultrasound tomorrow, by some kind of miracle, but not the biopsy. So I'm off to call the onc.
NewBride, You are so on top of this, I am in awe.
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Fortunate1, sorry you had such a difficult day. I'm glad you got an ultrasound appointment so soon. I will be thinking of you. Please keep us posted.
Shoshi, each day will get better. Don't get too in love with your meds!
Upcreek, I pray your friend will be well. She's lucky to have you for a friend.
Newbride, I think it's safe to say you're prepared! Good Luck!
Ally, Good to know you are doing well.
Mantra, I had DCIS in both breasts, so the decision for bmx was made for me. I did not know anything about alloderm when I had my BMX, except that they were going to use it. I did call my PS office before bmx and asked how many one step procedures she performed. I was told she was doing it for 3 years. Three years is not exactly a long time, but I had confidence in her. Still, the "one step" is the only reconstruction I would consider.
Okiegal, I took out the crock-pot today...beef stew!
It finally warmed up a little today...33, but feels like 29!
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Hi, Everybody.
I really hope that I'm as prepared for this as you all seem to think I am. I have a pre-op appt with BS tomorrow then on to the hospital for my pre-op blood work (e-e-ew!), EKG, etc. I'm sure that I'll have tidbits to report afterwards. Right now my only immediate concern is that PS does'nt seem to feel the need to prescibe a muscle relaxant for me. According to his assistant the post-op Valium should fill the bill there. I can't help wondering if he fails to take into consideration that I'm not one of his usual TE patients and that he actually is going to try to insert something larger than my fist under that pec muscle. He and my BS seem to be in fairly constant communication so I guess I'll voice my concerns to her as well when I see her tomorrow.
Thank you all for the encouragement and information. The only reason that I'm as prepared for this as I am is because of you.
upcreek, I did say a prayer for your friend that her surgery would go well and the cancer be eradicated. I hope she is doing well after her BMX. Is she on site with us here? It might be nice to check in on her.
Fortunate1, Boo to the "big cancer dump" on you. I'm praying that you catch a break this time and the node thing really is just nothing.
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