Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction
Comments
-
That's wonderful Monika!
0 -
yeah for the nipples
0 -
Monika- So happy that all went well for you during surgery. Hopefully you are home now or will be very soon. A few words of wisdom are- stay on top of your pain meds. Take them as scheduled as it's easier to stay ahead of the pain than try to control it after you're already hurting. And hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! This will help flush out the anesthesia which will make you feel SO much better and will prevent some SE's you'll get from the pain meds. And try to be active as soon as possible. I babied myself for too long afterwards and really paid for it in the long run.
Just know we're all here for you! Whatever you need! Sending you lots of gentle (((hugs))) and healing thoughts!!!
0 -
Monika,
Also a little tip: when stripping your drains, you can use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol or an alcohol pad placed in between your fingers when you grip the tube. This sterilizes and lubricates the rubber tubes and makes it much easier to keep your drains moving. (Taught to me by the home visiting nurse).
I was also told to move about, taking short little walks to keep circulation going in the legs.
0 -
Girls, I've been trying to send TimTam a private message, but when I go to her profile page, the usual link to send a private message isn't there! Any ideas how else I can reach her?
0 -
Crunchy- See if you can click on this link to send her a message-
0 -
Thanks Girls. I am home now. I am trying to stay active. Thanks for the words of advice. 0
-
Monika: Do whatever they told you to do. Don't let the pain get the upper hand right now. Go slow (not that we have a choice) and if they told you to do any kind of stretching, just do it until you feel the pull. I have worked in rehab as a nurse aide, and that's how you get your range back. Slowly, but consistently, stretching (ONLY when told it's ok) until you feel a pull... repeating... and holding for a few seconds. Walking is your friend right now, and drinking fluids. It gets the blood pumping, prevents clots, helps get the anesthesia out, keeps you from getting pneumonia, and more. But only walk short short distances for now until you build back up.
0 -
When you guys say "short distances" ....like if I'm used to doing an hour walk....would 1/2 hour be okay? ....or work up to a half hour over the first week?
Hope you are continuing to do well, Monika!!
0 -
Monika, Glad you are home resting and doing well.
Kate33, I will mention that to my doctors, I was not informed either. My BS also told me that I'm not going to have to have mammagrams again, just him.
SusansGarden, I was back walking 2 weeks after surgery. I took it slow at first, but was back to my routine in no time.
Sweetie and Hurleygirley, I like the new pictures!
Regarding previous posts on the SNB. I have a hole where they took mine out. Well, I call it a whole! I have to get my husband or daughter to shave it for me because it is numb and I'm afraid I will cut myself and not know it.
Also, talking about ripples, I was curious if anyone notices one around where you were biopsied? I have what looks like a whole in that area, and when I bend over it, it looks like a ripple. I was just curious if anyone else had that problem?
0 -
SusansGarden: Each one of us if different in terms of recovery. For me, I walked two days after surgery to the end of my street and back, which is not a 1/2 mile.. maybe a 1/4. Then my next walk, which was perhaps almost 2 weeks out, I was back to around my block (country) which is I think a couple miles. You just have to use your own judgement on how far you can go, and ere on the side of caution. I started gentle stretches the moment I got home, and really started them 4 days out, after drains came out.
0 -
Thanks, Kate - I'm still seeing her profile, like anyone else's profile, but there's not the usual link to send a private message. Hmmmm...??
0 -
Regarding walking - I was thinking more like 5-10 minute saunters. I overdid it after my NSM and noticed that when I'd do that, I'd get so much more fluid from the drains.
(sorry for the visual) Take it at your own pace.0 -
TN, yes , what you are referring to as a hole near where you had you biopsy is what I refered to as the divot that I had complained about. Its where they scraped close to remove the cancer. Had the larger implant in to cover it and now see it again, when I flex. Thinking of fat grafting it.
0 -
My surgeon said no more mammos also, just check for small lumps, and see her to check once a year!!
0 -
Names for new foobs - how about Beauty and Beast, Bambi and Thumper, King and Kong, Tutti and Fruiti, Bert and Ernie, or my favorite Humpty and Dumpty? I do feel like I need to name them - is that weird?
0 -
lol I love the foob names!
0 -
Good morning ladies,
I am feeling ok. I saw PS yesterday and she said that it looks exeptionally good. I am encouraged.
I am trying to go for a walk right now. I am feeling sleepy because of the meds.....
Have a great weekend.
Monika
0 -
So glad to hear you are feeling good so soon after surgery and that the PS likes how things are looking! You are an inspiration for me ! 0
-
MonikaV, Yeah! Glad to hear everything went well!It's such a nice feeling to be done with everything.
Ladies, Today I am basically 1 month out from my exchange surgery and I am loving "the new me"! I think I like these foobs more than my original ones. I like being one size bigger and I think because I never had soft boobs to begin with, that these soft yet firm foobs feel like what I had before! I do have a little ripple that does come and go on the bottom, but all-in-all, these look good and give me the cleavage mother nature never gave me! I was looking at some before pictures and I never really noticed how flat chested I was before and I actually feel sexier now with these than before surgery. Am I crazy to like these more or what? I know I should be counting my lucky stars..but for some reason I feel guilty as well and wonder how I COULD like these more...?
0 -
Yet another inspiration to those of us about to go down the same road!! Congrats on your new "girls"!!!!
0 -
hurleygirly: Good for you! I don't blame you for being pleased with your larger size and cleavage. Don't feel guilty. I had some tissue removed from my left breast and was told by my PS that I'd need the LAT flap to gain the extra size and cosmetic results that I wanted; I'm strongly thinking of having this operation.
MonikaV: Glad you are doing well, and that your surgeons are pleased with your results.
SusansGarden: It is difficult waiting, isn't it??? I had to wait about six weeks before my operation, but basically kept busy at work until the day before the surgery occurred. I had a BMX on 09/17 with TE's. The PS said I could begin walking short distances the same week. I did wait two weeks before I took my first long walk on my treadmill, which was about 20 minutes. My PS also recommended keeping the walking speed around 3 mph or less. The drains were a bit of a pain, but not impossible to deal with. Good luck with everything!
Julie
0 -
Hurleygirly,
You are amazing! I love your positive attitude as it is inspiring and agreed: sometimes bigger IS better!
0 -
Hurleygirly,
I feel the same way - I like mine better - in fact my "before" picutres on the forum look horrible to me. I look better in clothes, they actually fit better and the new foobs are nice and squishy. I just got the tape off on Friday - going to the PS again today and then hopefully I'll be able to get my pictures up.
Susansgarden - are you able to have access to the picture forum yet? Then you can check out all our pictures and kind of see what's in store for you.
0 -
Hi, Ladies:
Where is the picture forum located? I've tried looking for it, but can seem to find it. If someone could post the link, I would much appreciate it.
Thanks.
Julie
0 -
julie75 - the picture forum is a different site. You need to PM timtam to be able to gain access, you have to have so many posts here first (I think).
0 -
There are also other people now helping Fumi (Timtam) with the pic forum because it's grown so much. I was told you can contact any of these: Whippetmom, Estepp, Lilah, MBJ & Firni. Fumi still has the final word for full access.
0 -
cc4npg - thank you so much; that is good to know... I am not able to PM TimTam for some reason.0
-
Thank you for your encouragement everyone!
Yes, Valerie, I have accessed the picture forum and it has been EXTREMELY helpful to visualize and mentally prepare. I would kinda like to see pics of someone who had a BMX NSM with TE's ..pics RIGHT after surgery...you know, like the next day or two. I'm just wondering how swollen/bandaged it will look??
Julie... you need to private message Timtam in order to get access.
28 days and counting! It seems so far away...and yet too soon!
~ Susan
0 -
Thank you, Ladies. I will indeed contact TimTam.
Susan: I had a BMX with NSM on my right breast only (they suspected my left nipple might be cancerous and therefore were not able to save it) with TE's, and wasn't too swollen or bandaged afterwords. The PS used steri strips; when I woke up, I saw scars only. Interestingly enough, my PS inflated the TE's to the same size that I was before surgery! My right nipple turned black, but that was only a scab, and it is falling off. So, other than the scars, they look fairly normal.
I am walking 4.5 miles 3 - 4 times/week and am looking forward to being able to run again.
Julie
0
