One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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Hi,
Ally i am wearing a bra that is very similar to barley there...i bought 2 diff brands & keep looking. Barely there were tighter arnd the band,
I used to have the extensions for the band & if i cant find them will purchase them again to see if that helps. Tomorrow when i go to wrk, i plan on wearing a bra..so wish me luck.
Has anyone else noticed the gigantic bees? these bees r so big!! They appear more afriad of me then i am of them..so that is good!!! LOL
I waS HAPPY to hear that even though the # on the eathquake was high, it appears damage was minimal...Thank G-d!!
NEW BRIDE, when u can please explain to me abt these cold caps...
wishing all a gr8 Tuesday..back to work for me..Spring Break is over!!!
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Hello everyone,
I am back with some updates. I finished PT last week. It was very helpfull. There is no pain anymore, but I continue to stretch my muscles. Overall, I feel back to normal.
About month ago I bought very comfortable sport bras in Walmart, I wear them at home.
They have wide straps which I believe prevent pec muscles from pulling out . I wear wireless bra when I am out of home, and I don't feel any discomfort during the day.
Last week I had appt with PS. She confirmed that now (5.5 months post op) I have no restrictions for hot tub, sauna, steam room.
Most important thing, I scheduled appt for nipple sharing reconstruction on April 26. I am scared to touch my "good" nipple, but I trust my PS, and she said she's never lost one for twenty years, so wish me a luck.
Meg, my breasts are a little bit outward, but I am fine with it. My PT said that my recon breast is very soft and good movable, she thinks my PS and I (by massaging) did a great job.
Warmest wishes to all.
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Good Morning All,
NewBride, My fingers are crossed that the cold caps work for you. I'm happy you're feeling OK after your treatment. Take as many good, long naps you need! (((BIG HUGS)))
Fortunate1, Welcome back! Happy to hear you had a good trip and no damage from the earthquake! Are you still scheduled to have your tattoo in April?
IamOK, Good luck with your nipple reconstruction. You have been such a quick healer I'm sure you'll be fine! Thanks for the bra suggestion...I'll check them out. I wear the Warner bra you suggested all the time and I love how comfortable they are.
It is partly sunny today and the temperature will reach 78 degrees! Next week temperatures will be back to the 50's which is normal for this time of year.
I wish everyone a great day!
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Hi everyone,
Am I the only one that is comfortable and happy with underwire bras? Apparently, according to the bra fitter I saw, the 36 band I wear is a little large for me. It's very comfortable. The cups are large enough side to side so that the underwire doesn't rest on breast tissue but just next to it. No pinching, no pain of any kind. Could that be the solution?
Meg, yes, the date is April 15. I'm unreasonably nervous. The nipple has shrunk to a "nub". Maybe I'm afraid to be finished, to accept the new breast as it is, imperfect and different from her sister breast. Foolish... its a good reconstruction and.... all together now, "it looks fine in clothes".
Newbride, fingers crossed for your hair! And for your overall well being during the chemo. Naps are so restorative.
Have to run.... hugs to all.
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IamOK, congratulations on your upcoming nipple reconstruction. You will finally have the finished product! I hope yours is an A+!
I'm so frustrated with bras and clothes and my reconstructed nipples. In retrospect, I would have been better off to have chosen tattoos only. If I'm wearing my normal, comfortable, stretchy, cotton bra, the reconstructed nipples are slightly visible under my clothes (ex.wearing a solid color t-shirt...which I do frequently) On top of that, the nipples are crooked, which adds to my self consciousness. It's not extremely noticeable, but it bothers me. The solution would be to wear a more padded or under-wire bra, but I can't seem to find one that fits. By the time the under-wire has the right arc to fit the circumference of my breast implant as Fortunate1 describes, the cup size is too big. Plus, I have a wide chest and it's almost impossible to find a wide (comfortable) band size with a smaller cup. It seems that 'plus size' bras have the right band size, but the cup sizes are always too big. Pads and nipple covers also show through. Last summer, I could easily go without a bra....but then I opted for nipple reconstruction. Has anyone heard of someone having their nipple reconstruction flattened out or reversed? Right now, I'm thinking I will be wearing patterned tops all summer for camouflage!
Sorry for all the whining, I've been doing a lot of shopping lately (trying to find an outfit for my nephew's May wedding and his fiance's shower)....argh. Not fun.
It will be a beautiful day today. Last night's thunderstorms passed by with little rain and no damaging hail. I'll work out with weights this morning and make crockpot Indian Curry for dinner tonight.
Hope everyone has a good day.
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Hello Everyone,
Okiegal, Have you tried this Warner bra?...it really does hide all imperfections and is very comfortable.
http://www.herroom.com/Warners-2003-Elements-of-Bliss-Foam-Contour-Wire-Free-Bra.shtml
I always hated under wire bras and couldn't wait to take them off. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with them anymore. I really didn't have a choice before bmx when I my breasts were much larger.
Has anyone shopped for a bathing suit yet? Ugg! I don't even want to think about it! I have a draw full of bathing suits I'll never be able to wear.
It's another beautiful day..sunny and high 70's. I'm going for my 3 mile walk. I hope every one has a good day!
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Hello everyone!
Thank you, Meg and okiegal. It looks I have no choice because I have already one nipple and I need something on the other side to match
. I think because augmentation was done on the "good" side, my nipple now looks bigger that it used to be , and it is up almost all the time. In sport bra I look pretty even except this nipple issue, so hopefully I'll be fine after the reconstruction.fortunate1, I stopped wearing underwire bras as soon I was diagnosed. I don't know why, I have never be told to do so. I am nervous too, but to be honest I want it to be done asap.
Okiegal, not all wireless bras are comfortable. I've tried a lot of them. For example, I like GAP's panties and I hate GAP's wireless bras. But I found some comfortable brands, WARNERS and GILLY HICKS. There are no Gilly Hicks stores in California, so I ordered them via internet, but they fit perfectly for me. I agree with Meg, Warners bras are comfortable and hide imperfections. Have you tried them? They are available in many stores.
Meg, I am glad you keep walking. I started to hike, 5.9 miles waterfalls trail was beautiful, but the weather conditions are not good for regular hiking yet.
New Bride, shoshi, you are in my thoughts.
I've already planted tomatoes and annual flowers, but there is so cold and wet this year here in California.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day!
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Hi, everyone. Tinkerbell, I hope you soon start to feel stronger and can cope better with the challenges of your job. My surgery was 8 mos. ago, and I still haven't regained my stamina. Ally, I have a couple of the Barely There bras. They are light and comfortable, but mine don't fit perfectly. Meg, my left breast has drifted outward, but not the right breast. It's standing its ground, not drifting or dropping. I keep pressing on the rounded top to no avail. My favorite bras as far as enhancing my appearance in my clothes are the Warners, but it's already getting hot for the molded foam. Today I wore one of the light Underscore bras I bought at Penneys. They are very comfortable.
Fortunate, your trip sounds wonderful. I didn't hear about an earthquake. Okie, you seem to be well-pleased with the results of your reconstruction.
My golf is abysmal. I played an event today and was embarrassed to turn in the scorecard. Bad golf is more tiring than better golf.
I'm continuing to work on learning bridge. Every morning I take my coffee into the living room and deal out a few hands, bid for all four players and play out the hands. Sometimes I keep the cards separate and replay them with a different trump card. DH and I are trying to get the yard in shape. I put in a couple of hours yesterday, mulching flowerbeds with pine straw. Much more to do. Last year we put in a lot of labor, redoing beds and using a landscape cloth to discourage weeds. It really has helped. All the trees are leafed out except the pecans. They're just beginning to leaf, a sign that cold weather is over and there won't be any more frosts or freezes. The bridal wreath shrubs are in bloom everywhere, snowy white blossoms, and the azaleas are blooming, too, many different shades of pink and magenta. Also, lots of wisteria, a beautiful lavender color. It's quite a beautiful time of year, and my allergies haven't bothered me thanks to doubling up on meds.
Newbride, it was great to hear from you. Sure hope the treatments aren't debilitating.
Take care, everyone.
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Good morning all!
Meg, thanks for the suggestion. I've tried Warners bras, but my biggest problem is size. I need a 38B or a 40B. No one makes a 40B, but I should probably start shopping with a bra extender. Maybe that would help solve my problems. IamOK, I had never heard of "Gilly Hicks", I 'googled' them and found that they are sold at Abercrombie, but I also received results for Forever21, American Eagle and H&M. I don't shop in any of those stores, but now know that they have bras. I found a nice bra on the H&M site....in Holland! Hey, next time I'm in Amsterdam....
Thanks for expanding my horizons!Carole, I've been exercising and lifting weights fairly consistently since the beginning of the year. I am finally starting to feel like my 'old' self. My muscle strength is much improved and my stamina seems to be normal now (but could use improvement). It helps that I'm not anemic anymore. I'm ten months post op and am finally feeling completely healed. Perhaps you just need a little more time?
The dogwoods have just started to bloom and our local Azalea festival begins this weekend (in Muskogee,OK). This year, I think, the azaleas will be right on schedule. Here's wishing everyone a good day.
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okiegal
, check Bali bras, they have 38B, 40B. http://www.onehanesplace.com/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgnbr=3060000000
bra extender is a good idea too.
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Another hit-and-run HI from me. It's a beautiful day here. I felt a tiny earthquake aftershock as I was drinking my coffee this morning... like being rocked gently.
Carole and Okiegal , you're gardens sound so beautiful and flowery. Lovely here too, but different. Not as sudden and gorgeously dramatic, ours are lengthier and more subtle.
I am up to my ears in work, with a bad cold and teaching arrangements going wonky. DH has planned a trip for us... to Texas. I'm looking forward to it but keeping the rest of my life working right is a pain. The colleges have new rules for absences every time I need them.
I had no idea that there was so much bra information on the internet! Shows how backward I am. Good luck in the search, Okiegal!
Happiness and comfort to all, with your feet up and a cold iced tea in your hand. Back to work, ick, I am covered in glaze.
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So nice to hear how all your plants/trees are doing well. We are growing herbs and rapini indoors at the moment as the ground is still frozen!
Been busy this week. Our daughtere was home for Easter from University and got quite ill with gastro. I haven't got it yet and hope the danger is over...
I'm wearing a bra all day at work and have no discomfort so things eventually do improve.
NewBride: I hope the cold caps work. Were they available at the ca clinic that you went to?
I am OK: Glad your PT helped. Good luck on your upcoming surgery.
Meg9: Bathing suits? No! I tried on an old one but don't quite fill like before. No drifting but not as much cleavage.
Carole: You don't have stamina? I think you do with all the golfing and bridge. What were you doing before....
Fortunate 1: Sorry about your cold. Hope you feel better soon. I won't have a glass of ice tea but maybe a cup of hot tea. Chilly here today.
Take care all. Hi Ally, Okiegal, Tinkerbell, did I miss anyone?
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hi Ladies,
Thank you all so much for the bras. I need one..i am alos a B cup but need a 40 back. When i had my reduction i had a similiar problem that i could not get a 40 back in a C cup. I did wear extenders & they were comfortable then. I did recently try it again & it was worse for some reason. So this weekend, i am going to go to JCPenny & see what they have. When i bought my old ladies bra there, they had a nice selection. I do have have a Sports Bra (Champion) got them @ Costco & they r definitley comfortable by the breast, but by the end of the day, it was tight under my arm & the back shows to much for summer clothing. Now its time to get rid of all my C cups...i was always buying bras...lol
as much as i can go with out one, i am afraid they will fall more if i dont have the support, plus i cant wear white tops w/out a bra.
well i am glad the cooler weather is on the way here by tomorrow, Work is ok, i am just exhusted..but i must tell u all something very funny..
i was laying w/ one of students during nap time & he put his hand on my breast (hes 2 yrs old) & said what happened, its different. I have not told the parents why i was out ...& to tella 2 yr old...lol...i just thought that was so wierd..its not like he usually touche dmy breasts..
well have a great weeekend
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Today is a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. By mid-May I'll probably be remembering this kind of day with great wistfulness. I even played better golf today. Shot a 44 on the front 9, which seemed miraculous. Then Carole the bad golfer popped up on hole no. 10 and I shot a 55 on the back. Still a total score of 99, and I haven't broken a 100 in quite a while. Maybe the little golf lesson from DH on the carport as I was getting into my car helped!!
I played with Bertha a woman who doesn't tell her age, but we've determined that she's at least 92. She's quite a character. Gets upset with herself when she makes a poor shot because in her younger years she was a much better golfer. We had to wait quite a bit as pace of play was slow but the weather was so nice and the back gardens so lovely that I really didn't mind.
Fortunate, there is an "explosive" quality in our spring flowering. It's as though the trees and shrubs are in a great hurry to open up their blooms. If you tune into a few minutes of the tv coverage of the Masters tournament in GA, you get an idea of what it looks like everywhere around here with the wisteria, azaleas, bridal wreath and dogwood trees. But by late June and early July, our greenery starts to get that tired summer look while everything is fresher farther north in the midwest and New England.
Tinkerbell, your story about your 2-yr.-old student is cute.
I am OK, good luck with your upcoming surgery. I admire your positive attitude. Is the waterfall trail 5 mi. one-way or round trip?
Newbride, hope you're doing well.
Wishing everyone a good weekend.
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Carole, glad you had a 10 out of 10 day, spring beauty and good golf! I love explosive Springs. Ours are sloooow and long lasting. I had paperwhites in the yard in December. Now is fruit trees. Tomorrow the bougainvillea. My lawn is looking very tired already. I'll let it die again this year... very ugly... water is too precious.
Class was so nice today, even with my cold. I worked with a favorite student to make a bowl with "curves beautiful enough to break your heart". She understood perfectly, and made a lovely bowl.
Tinkerbelle, it sounds like you are getting your stamina back and enjoying the little ones.
Newbride, fingers still crossed for your hair. Yhat would be so nice.
I am OK, If the proceedure uses part of your 'good' nipple does that mean it won't shrink down?
Off to the next job. Good weekend, friends.
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hello everyone....glad you are all feeling well. i_am_ok, nipple sharing surgery sounds interesting, i never heard of it before. good luck....okie...did you ask the ps if he could fix the nipple problem? i bet it could be fixed....i have an apt. in may with the ps, i'll ask him if a procedure like that can be done.....as usual, i've been busy at work, i'm feeling pretty good....still feel tight at the end of the day, but it is improving....okie, meg....i know what you mean about muscle strength...it's still hard to open jars, etc...hope everyone has a great weekend....
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Nothing new to read. That's good. It means everybody is involved with Saturday activities. I hope you're all having fun. I walked my 3 miles this morning, had a simple breakfast, then put in an hour or so out in the yard. Used up the last 4 bales of pinestraw, mulching flowerbeds, and didn't have enough to finish. So I'll need to order more. Then I cleaned the interior of the 5th wheel rv, which is parked outside the house. We're taking it to McComb, MS, on Mon., where it will serve as our hotel room while we participate in a MS Seniors Golf Assoc. tournament on Tues-Fri. We'll be staying in a state park, so probably won't have internet connection. DH will definitely suffer withdrawal pains. The country club which is hosting the event is only a few miles away.
I also did some housework today, so I'm feeling quite virtuous, having labored most of the day. Tomorrow I plan to play golf with a friend who just returned from a trip to Italy and had a wonderful time.
Ally, opening jars can be more a matter of technique than strength. Popping the seal makes it easy. I sometimes use my hand-held canopener on the edge of the lid. Also, do you have one of those small rubberized cloths that keep your hand from slipping?
We're taping the Masters. When DH gets home, we'll watch today's round, zipping through all the yakking.
Happy Saturday.
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Hello, I am new to this site and I have been so confused to what I actually had done which makes me feel crazy as I thought I understood it all. Reading all your posts finally helps. I did have the one step implant procedure with a double mastectomy on March 5th. The PS also used the latissimus dorsi muscle - did any of you have this as well? This is where I get confused as everything else I read on the lat. dorsi are the flap procedures and that is not what I had done so maybe someone here might be able to help me on this.
I do have the Alloderm silicone implants and I think I'm probably a size B where I was a small B before. My reconstructed breasts look similar to my old real ones but a bit fuller. My old bras fit but don't look quite right. My PS hasn't said much about what I'm supposed to be doing other than this Friday it will be 6 weeks since my surgery and he said this week I can start doing more with my arms but if I feel pulling inside to stop. I don't know how much I can lift or when I can get back to exercising or using weights or what I can or cannot do about swimming or hot tubs or anything.
My right side looks and feels pretty natural but the left looks OK but I can move the implant and it moves over very unnaturally ( if that makes sense - sort of falls over in a lump ), where the right seems to be all part of the breast. Also on the left at the bottom there is a small point only if I raise my arms and really look but it is there and if I touch it it sort of pops in. I think it was were one of the drains were. I know so many people have really things to complain about and these are tiny and so minor but I thought I'd ask to see if anyone knows anything about any of these things.
Also I still have swelling under my arms and haven't read how long this can last - this is what makes wearing bras the most difficult as it just pushed up the swollen part under my arms so I feel like a football player.
Finally, I read one of you mentioned the risk of CC and if you have nipples and tattoos then they are permanent and can look weird. I am so glad you said that as I will certainly ask my PS about that as I would be very upset if that happened. I know I have looked at pictures where the nipples are odd and wondered why a PS would do that so that would explain those pictures.
Anyway, I hope I'm sort of in the right place. Thank you.
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Greysean: I have swelling under my right armpit & on the side..bras are hard for me & I am gonna share what i found this weekend abt bras. I have some "lumps" "air bubbles" type of things on rt breast & ps said its the allorderm & in time it will all smooth out. I was told after 6 wks i could do whatever i wanted even though i was not physically able to...PS i find that if surgically they cannot do anything for u, then its goodbye...i have heard so many stories abt women who got nipples less then 6 mo-1 yr later & then they had CC or something else & there was nothing the drs could do for the nipple b/c they were lopsided after...
Now on to BRAS: i tried on so many this weekend @ JC penny (they have a nice selection) I would prefer to b in a 40 B its hard to find a 40b or c....u cant even get 38 A...its stupid...
The bra that i found which is a 38B is a warners invisable Bliss (that has wider straps in the back) & is not push up or underwire..tried that too & OUCH!!!!! so we shall see. This was the most "comfortable bra" that i could find. Anything w/out oadding does not wk b/c ur implants dont stick out as much as reg boobs, so they dont really fill the cup...so i need the padding to help..this of course is what i found...
The bra that i tried on taht they have a larger selection of 40B Anbrielle. I cannot order from a catalog ,,,,so ordering from online that has 40 B would not work for me.
Hugs to all!! I hope everyone had a good weeekend...
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Welcome, Greysean. I had nipple-sparing BMX so I have no info on nipple surgery and tattoes. Others on this thread will be more helpful. My surgery was the end of last July, and I am fully healed. The incisions (about 2 1/2 to 3 in.) are faint pink lines. My breasts look okay but aren't completely symmetrical. I have a sunken spot on the left cleavage. But at this point, I'm back into the full swing of regular life and don't give a lot of thought to my breasts. I just turned 67 in March so health and life rank way higher than breasts! The important thing is having a shape.
DH and I will be going out of town today with plans to return on Fri. afternoon. I don't expect to have internet so won't be checking in. Hope everyone has a good week.
I finished watching the Masters golf this morning (taped, of course). Phil Mickelson won. As you may know, both Phil's wife and his mother were dx'ed with bc last year. Amy, his wife, has been in treatment at MD Anderson. I don't know the details, but this was the first tournament of the year that she accompanied Phil with their 3 children. During the other days of the Masters, she was at the house they'd rented, in bed. So she must be having chemo. On Sunday she came to the golf course and was there on the 18th hole when Phil won in thrilling fashion, holing a birdie to increase his lead. He went to Amy and hugged her for a long moment. My eyes filled with tears. Afterwards he said that the win was very emotional for him. What an effort it must have been for Amy to appear in public and be there on the sideline with her children. I'm guessing that her long blond hair was a wig that looked like her real hair.
Tiger Woods also played in the tournament. The contrast between the two men was blatantly obvious.
Everyone take care.
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Hi Greysean, welcome.
I'm confused about your procedure too. The only thing I've heard of using the lat dorsi is a flap procedure. It moves the muscle from the back to the breast area, usually with a small implant under it for added volume. Could yours be called a one-step because the implant was put in at surgery, no tissue expanders, all done in one step? I haven't heard of the lat dorsi used in any other way, but there's always something new.
The one step I am familiar with is... The pectoralis major is released at the bottom and a piece of alloderm stitched in. This creates the pocket needed for the implant without using a tissue expander. The pocket is created during the original surgery, implant is put in place, all done in one step. No lat dorsi, though.
I would recommend that you talk to your PS and ask him just exactly what was done, with pictures and hands on, pointing and patting if possible.... "what moved where?". This is a whole new world and the confusion can drive you nuts.
As for bras, mine still fit, but the reconstructed side doesn't fill out the tip of the cup. I'm happy with a lined bra, contour (more unknown terms), that evens me out. For some women it's a long search.
Carole, what a touching story. Hope you have another 10 out of 10 day today. Tink, are you ordering from I am Ok's suggested website? Bras by mail, wow, a necessary leap of faith.
Have a lovely day today everyone. I spent yesterday in bed and I hope it helped enough for me to be back at work. I'm going to charge on out there. Bye for now.
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Hello Everyone,
Carole, I hope you have an enjoyable trip. I think you have amazing stamina...you are always on the move!
Greysean, Welcome! Here is a short news clip video of the "one step" procedure. http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=137257@wcbs.dayport.com After my bmx I had swelling in my arm pits and along side my breasts for a long time...I still do. At first I thought it was swelling or fluid. I had much larger breasts...I believe it is tissue left that was not noticeable before because of my lager breasts. I had deep dimples where the drains were, now they are totally gone..just a pale pink mark.
The breasts change in size and shape as you heal and they settle. Some have revision surgery to correct imperfections...dog ears, lumps, uneven breasts, etc.
Most PS suggested massaging your breasts to avoid CC. Ask your PS went to start. I did not have nipple sparing mx and chosen not to have nipple reconstruction. I will have 3D nipple tattoos when I'm ready.
I did not lift anything more then a couple of pounds for a long time. Give yourself time to heal. Your body will let you know your limits. I think stretching is important to increase your range of motion. I started by standing in front of a wall and had my fingers climb up the wall to where I felt comfortable. Then, stand with your side to the wall and do the same. Some ladies have gone to a PT with good results. Good luck to you. Feel free to ask us any questions.
Fortunate1, I hope your feeling better. Are you still feeling aftershocks? Yikes!
IamOk & Wendy, I will be thing of you. Let us know how you are.
Ally, I happy to hear you are feeling good. I have increased my repetitions in lifting weights. I also started working my chest and my breasts feel very tight and a little sore... especially the left breasts...I'm cutting back this week.
Okiegal, UpCreek & Tinker. Sounds like everyone is doing well!
NewBride, Always thinking of you. I hope you are feeling well.
I've been spending time with my sister who is going through a difficult time...
DH and I took our weekend walk down a different wooded path in the park. This path was much wider and longer....we came across a couple horse back riding. I also found out that this property (over 300 acres) was once owned by Aldorf Zukor founder of Paramount Pictures and the original Tarzan movies were filmed there.
It is sunny today...going out for a 3 mile walk. I hope you all have a great day!
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Thank you all for your help. I will try and look at that link. Everything I have read on the lat dorsi procedure uses the tissue expanders and the flap so the scars are nothing like I have. For the mastectomy they didn't save the nipples so that is where they went in so I have two circles with skin from my back and they use that skin to make the nipples which he said it tougher than other skin and doesn't have the problem of losing projection but I will certain ask about CC as I hadn't heard how that can change things but makes sense. I do not know why they needed to use the back muscle as they did put in an implant which I thought was under the pectoral muscles but it must be they are between the pectoral muscles and the lap muscles brought around front. But basically when (now if or how )I do the nipples they are supposed to cover all scars on my breasts.
You all have made me think about a lot of things which is helpful. The scars where the drains were are still red and some are hard sort of? I did try on a "real bra" today.Before surgery I was a 34B but on a lot of bras didn't fill them out. The bra I tried today was a Natori 36B and boy I filled it out and it kind of pushed them up which to tell the truth was sort scary. I have never had breasts that do that and I wasn't really sure what to make of them. I guess it is good but I'm not sure how they work with clothes. I know this probably sounds silly to some of you but I was a A-small B and most of the time didn't wear bras unless I need to. I did have one that made the most of them for special dressy clothes but they were nothing like this. Anyway, got off track but thought maybe telling how the scars were done might be something one of you had as well?
I guess I have been confused why women have the tissue expanders unless they are going for bigger sizes but it seems like it is so painful a lot stop at a B or small C.
I have a trainer I have worked with since 2002 when I was diagnosed with M.S. Interestingly she got breast augmentation just last year so she knows a bit about recovery and knowing her she will have read up on reconstruction so she won't do anything to hurt me. She came with me to my first PS apt. but he was dreadful and I didn't use him but she was able to ask a lot of questions.
It just feels strange not doing too much. I can reach pretty much everything and sometimes I will later get pains under my arms so I'm thinking that was too much. I still just get so tired and my back is still terribly sore and numb.
What do you mean by the breasts will settle? Change shape? And what are dog ears? I still have all the surgical tape on the scars and he said they will come off when the stitches dissolve but wow thought they would have by now. Any idea how long it takes to get stamina back. I went to do my taxes and it totally wore me out for the rest of the day. My kids have been a wonderful help but it is very hard still. Thank you all and I do hope I'm sort of in the right place?
Meg - love your little dog!
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Well, just watched the video, so no I guess I didn't have the Alloderm. I do remember the Dr. and the office staff talking about Alloderm for my surgery so I don't know. Sounds like the used the back muscles in place of the Alloderm but gosh that sounds so much better and not having the back scars to deal with. So I guess I'll keep trying to find someone who had what I had done. Thank you so much, I certainly found a lot of good information from you all.
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Hi everyone!
I have been enjoying the beautiful Spring weather! It is absolutely gorgeous and the flowering trees, shrubs and flowers are picture perfect. Couldn't ask for better. It won't last long, soon there will be mosquitos.
IamOK and everyone else, what a great discussion about bras. I've tried on so many. I know we are all frustrated to some degree. I may eventually try to sew one. I figure with all of the time I've spent trying to find something, I could have made one that fits perfectly by now! Of course, I may find out differently.
Greysean, welcome. It sounds like your procedure is different, but that we share some of the same difficulties. Feel free to stick around.
NewBride, how are you doing? Are the Penguin Cold Caps working to your satisfaction? I sincerely hope so.
Tinkerbell, what a sweet little boy!
Carole, hope you have a great trip. Best to all of the rest of you!
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Hello everyone!
Okiegal, You can sew your own bra?! Wow!
Greysean, Good luck in your search. Feel free to ask any questions...maybe we can help.
NewBride, I hope you are doing well. ((hugs))
I had an appointment with my OC this morning. Today was the first time my white cell count went up!...this is good news, but I still have to be checked in three months to make sure it didn't drop again as it has in the past.
It is overcast and cold today. Temp dropped into the 30's overnight. My azaleas and rhododendrons have not bloomed yet. The pollen is high and so is my lawn!...no sign of the landscapers.
I hope everyone is doing well and has a great day!
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Meg9 - I have a pretty much the same diagnosis as you and I asked about some kind of testing and or monitoring and the oncologist said he wouldn't do that. I would certainly feel better if someone was at least checking on things.
I do thing you all have the best bra information going! And a nice upbeat way of conversation. Thanks.
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Hi Greysean, I see my OC every 3 months to be tested because of a low white blood count. I'm not sure if I would still be having regular visits at this time. I was told that because I had DCIS and bmx there was no need for further treatment. I had my last visit with my PS a few weeks ago...my next visit with a PS will be in 2 years for a MRI to check the implants.
Okiegal, Ally, UpCreek, Do you still see an OC?
Fortunate1, I hope your feeling better and ready for Friday!
I hope everyone had a good day! Off to cook dinner....chicken stir fry.
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Meg9: Very interesting about the Tarzan movies.
Yes, I see my oncologist every six months.
Bras....I do better without them. I'm not sore like I was before but still not that comfortable.
Carole: We watched some of the Masters. The scenery is beautiful. I'm glad Phil won. He seems like a great family man.
My DH and I have been biking home from work a few times a week (about 9 miles). He works not far from me so it is a good way to get in our exercise.
Hi to all.
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Meg9, it's nice to know that you are following up with your OC. Greysean, sounds like you've found a reassuring voice in Meg9!
I was never advised to visit an OC. I think it was because my diagnosis was DCIS stage 0. Very fortunate.
I didn't watch the Masters, but I was happy for Phil to win. It was heart warming to see someone of good character win.
I went to the craziest estate sale yesterday. Almost 100% of the furniture and decorative objects were Oriental in style. And all from the 50's and 60's. I arrived 15 minutes after they opened the doors and a lot of the good stuff was gone, but quite a bit of the more funky items were left. The craziest of all were two very pink lamps with very pink shades with a male and female dancer on the base. What the heck, they are indescribable, I'll upload the pictures here.
Have a good day everyone!
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