Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction
Comments
-
Yay. I am finally drain free! My whole side is sore but I feel like I can now just focus on healing (rather than healing while working around that foreign object attached to my body). My BS also said that the dark spot underneath my nipple is just my skin's healing from the inside out. She was not concerned with the bleeding or bruising. What a huge relief. Once everything heals, I will try to post some progression photos on the picture forum. Thanks, so far, for all the support. This message board has been a blessing.
Hope everyone is doing well.
0 -
ThisToo - So sorry to hear about everything you and your family are going through. My prayers are with you. I agree about the Access Hollywood thing. I also went into this thinking I always wanted bigger boobs so this works out perfect. Dont think so now that I am going through it. I also read an article today from the Koman website that said women are afraid to get a mamo because they dont want to know. I guess you have to find a balance.
InLA - So glad to hear you got the drain out and that everything seems to be back on track for you!
As for myself have been a little depressed lately but trying to pick myself up and get a lot of encouragement from hearing about everyones strengths.
0 -
Hi girls,
Kate33 - You know I didn't realize this about being bigger breasted originally would impact the course of this procedure. I am too very happy that my ps at least attempted to keep my nipples but at the same time when I went to consult with him I was more concentrating on keeping me close to my size vs being nipple obsessed and now looking back I wish he would have picked that up and maybe suggested to go expander route right away and not do the lift. Seems like this lift was the downfall and cause of all my problems...So how is it living with implants a year down the road? Do you feel they are your own?
InLa - Oh my I cannot believe you just got your drain out now! Congrats! I am having mine again so a total of two weeks and they drive me up the wall! I can't imagine you endured almost a month of this! One week isn't that bad but after - drive me bonkers! I am getting mine out again on Thurs. Aslo, glad your nip is doing better and healing well. Hope this continues !
Amom - Im sorry to hear you are feeling down. I get this in waves - some days are ok and some I struggle too. Does going out help you? I find quite a bit of my mood depends on my "cabin fever" and I know I've got to get out or change atmosphere a bit. Hope this might help, also being here helps a lot knowing that everyone understands and everyone is together in a sense. How are your fill-ups going? Do your breast feel hard still?0 -
Oh and also wanted to add that I might be crazy but I just love my TE now compared my implants. Those were hard as rocks and felt like I have brick splinters in my chest 24/7. Now I still feel uncomfortable but they feel more in-tune with my body. Strange?
0 -
ThisToo-maybe it means your body was not ready for the implants right away and is happier with the slower progression/expansion of the TE. Good for you for putting a positive spin on it! How are your kids feeling?
0 -
inLA- Congratulations on being let off your "leash"- lol! And for the good doctor's report!
ThisToo- I think the biggest ball dropped in BC is the lack of communication from the PS's. So much time is spent with the BS. I wish just as much was focused on the recon itself. As far as living with implants- honestly? I hated them at first. (OK, hate's a strong word.....nope, hated them.) I ended up doing a revison where the PS swapped out the implants for smaller ones and then filled the same space with fat grafted from my lower body. It now feels as though the implants are covered with warm, natural breast tissue and this has made a huge difference.
amom438- I think a lot of the doctor's make it seem as though MX is no different than a boob job but it is very different. I went into it all thinking that was my silver lining, too. But now would give anything to have my original breasts back. (sigh!) As far as the depression- perfectly normal. Not sure where you are in treatment/surgery/recon but the most common time for depression to hit is when we are all done with everything. Prior we are too busy fighting the disease and dealing with recon. It is finally afterwards when we really start to process emotionally what we've endured. Some are even DX with PTSD. There is a great thread on here called "A great saying about depression" where we talk more about the emotional aspects of BC and there's just a lot of friendly chit chat, too. Here's the link to the thread if anyone is interested-
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/102/topic/759882?page=92#idx_2740
Here are the Stages of Grief after Losing a Breast-
Stages of Grief After Losing A Breastby Becky ZuckweilerAnticipatory GriefGrief is an unfolding process that consists of five basic stages. We start the grieving process as soon as we learn that a mastectomy is a possibility and continue grieving long after the surgery is over. Grief for an impending loss is referred to as anticipatory griefStage 1Denial
When we first experience loss we go into the denial stage, during which we may feel shock, disbelief, and numbness. The denial stage is nature's way of cushioning us from the bluntness of reality. Denial allows us to gradually absorb the painful truth. Many women who have grieved the loss of a breast describe their response in the denial stage as hearing the information the doctor is telling them as though the physician is ta1king about someone else. They find themselves thinking that cancer and mastectomies happen to other people, not them. This response can give you time to intellectually attend to the details, such as making appointments with the surgeon and oncologist, before emotion floods in.Stage 2Protest
As our initial shock wears off we move into the protest stage, a phase of intense emotion, including anger, sadness, and confusion. As the facts start to sink in, our thoughts set off an emotional reaction. Our fear of surgery and of cancer is probably foremost in our minds. Before we are even sure we have cancer, we often start to think about dying and leaving our loved ones behind. We feel sad for our kids, our partner, and ourselves. We often feel betrayed and angry with our body. My clients consistently ask me what they did to deserve breast cancer. This is the time during which we tend to blame ourselves or others as we try to make sense of the loss. Anger at God, our doctors, or the relatives who passed on the bad genes is very common during the protest stage. Besides feeling the need to direct our anger at someone; it is also common to engage in unrealistic mental bargaining, such as promising to go to church every Sunday if our breast is spared. This bargaining is a combination of denial and our need to feel that we have some control over the situation. During this time, it is also common to experience physical symptoms from stress, such as diarrhea, constipation, neck and shoulder pain, rest-less sleep, and fatigue. Your stomach may ache or you may find yourself with a splitting headache that makes it hard to think. Your body may seem to be screaming out a message of emotional painStage 3Disorientation
The third stage of grief is the disorientation stage. This stage is often accompanied by restlessness, confusion, and depression, as we have to change our routines and adjust to the changes the mastectomy has brought. We may also continue to experience the physical symptoms of stress during this stage. Disorientation is very natural after your chest has healed enough to begin to wear more normal clothes and you are feeling strong enough to go out in public. You can't just go to your closet and pick out an outfit like before. Throwing on a bra and a T-shirt is not an option at this point. Now, selecting an outfit means finding a top that your tender chest and restricted arm can tolerate, plus finding a way to fill in the missing breast. You have lost a breast, the freedom to wear a variety of clothes, the movement in your arm, trust in your body, some of your sexuality, restful sleep, and physical comfort, to name a few of your many losses. And even though most of these losses are temporary or become easier with time, making the adjustment to them is likely to cause you to feel confused and disoriented.Stage 4Detachment
Following the disorientation stage we move into the detachment stage. During this stage we tend to isolate and withdraw ourselves, and possibly feel resigned and apathetic. It is as though we have to go off quietly by ourselves and sit with our loss. Too much contact with other people at this time often feels like an intrusion and a lot of work. We often feel we need to be left alone in our misery to fully absorb our loss and get used to the fact that a mastectomy has forever changed our life.Stage 5Resolution
The last stage of grief is resolution and it is during this stage that we enter a renewed state of reorganization and acceptance. We are not happy about the loss or our breast, but we see that we can live without it. The resolution stage often brings us insight into our life and ourselves that builds character and produce wisdom. During the resolution stage our mood lifts and we find we are able to experience joy again. This is also a time when we become grateful for what we have and want to give back. Volunteerism, such as in breast cancer support organizations, frequently accompanies this last stage of grief. If you give yourself the room to go through the emotions, you will move forward into the resolution stage of grief where you begin to feel acceptance. You will want to take back control of your life by becoming pro-active again. Priorities become redefined and life goals are reestablished. Your overall reaction may actually be a blend of loss and gain. Initially it may have felt like a horrible loss but, as you move through the process, you discover some advantages that come along with your body changes.Automatic BehaviorThere is also something called automatic behavior that often accompanies the grief process. This is what is happening when we don't get our routine behaviors quite right and we start to feel like we are going crazy. As we process our loss we become distracted from life's little details, and this natural preoccupation results in poor concentration while attending to daily tasks. As a result of automatic behavior you may find yourself putting the cereal into the refrigerator and the milk into the cupboard, squeezing a tube of skin cream instead of toothpaste onto your toothbrush, or seeing that the traffic light has turned red but not really registering it, and driving right through. Your short-term memory will also be affected because good concentration is required for the memory to work well. Do not panic over these lapses. They are temporary. However, it is helpful to remember that automatic behavior can occur during the grief process, so you can safeguard yourself. When you set out to drive, remind yourself that you are prone to poor concentration and constantly remind yourself to tune into the "here and now." During this time you should stay away from dangerous machinery until you feel your focus and concentration return.Each of you will go through the grief process in your own way. The stages of grief are meant to give a general description of the grief process, but in reality they are not as clean-cut as I have described. You will move back and forth through the various stages and can experience more than one stage at a time.The significance you attach to your loss will determine how long your grieving process will last and how intensely you will feel it. Grief from losing a small purchase you just made may last only minutes, whereas a significant loss such as the death of a close friend, a divorce, or a house burning down may take years. Significant losses are often brought to mind by special events and seasons associated with the loss and these triggers can create new emotional pain. Most women take about two years before they report feeling fairly resolved about the loss of a breast. Your most intense grieving will probably happen close to the time of your surgery but you will likely continue to experience some grief from your mastectomy for the rest of your life. You may feel that you have just started to accept your loss just when something else seems to set it off again. It may be three years later, when you are faced with having to find an evening dress for an elegant wedding that you suddenly feel the tears bubbling up again. You may want to scream and stamp your feet at the unfairness of only being able to consider a quarter of the dresses because of the changes to your body. Twenty years after your surgery your best friend or daughter may be diagnosed with breast cancer and you may find yourself reliving some of your own pain as you walk through the process with her. All of these feelings are normal. Every woman grieves in her own way and in her own time.0 -
ThisToo, I know so many people have already commented but I just want to say that I completely understand your experience and I am so glad you said what you said about making young women aware that this isn't always the perfect procedure it's cracked up to be. In April, I had a bmx after a breast cancer diagnosis. Even though it was early stage and I am only 25 and very healthy, I ended up having a setback with a large patch of skin that didn't survive and had to be removed. I got to keep my nipples, but on the breast with the dead skin it was in a weird place and so I've had to undergo extra surgeries to make everything look normal again.
I lamented why this would happen to me. There were so many other women who had easy procedures with no complications and they had beautiful outcomes, and I felt like I would never get to that point. I was angry and upset and resentful. But I am now at the end of my journey - just had my exchange from expanders to implants - and things actually have turned out great. With a few small extra surgeries, my nipple is in the right place, my scars are going to heal, and I am confident that in a couple years, I will look fabulous. So I want to tell you that, even though you have setbacks and they can make things feel terrible at the time, you always have options and can have extra surgeries to make things better. You just need time, which of course can be hard to accept, but you've already done a lot of stuff that's hard and gotten through it.
0 -
Kate- thanks for the "stages"- it really makes sense and explains it well.
0 -
Yes Kate, thanks for the stages - that's a good read.
0 -
Thistoo - So glad to hear your body feels on a better path with everything. Hope your second round of drains come out tomorrow.
Kate33 - Thanks for the posting. Very informative. And thank you for sharing your experience with the implants. I went in thinking I was getting an upgrade and, while I like the results so far, there is that sense of loss, something missing and something foreign taking the place of what was there. I am doing some reading about the fact grafting procudre you had done. Would you mind if I asked you some questions if anything comes up?
By the way, has anyone experienced a little squishing sound after the drain comes out? It is getting less and less and I assume its just excess fluid trying to figure out where to go now that the drain has been removed. It seems to happen when I move my arm around. Just wondering if this kind of thing resolves on its own.
0 -
inLA- I'd be happy to answer any questions about the fat grafting. I did find a wonderful PS in Beverly Hills who does the fat grafting, who would be close to you, and has a LOT of experience so let me know if you want his name. I haven't had the "squishing sound" but, hopefully, someone will chime in about it.
0 -
inLa I had a little bit of sloshing around after surgery, in the upper breast area - not around the drain sites though. It settled down and doesn't seem to be there any more.
I have a question for those of you that have had implants for awhile. I'm now 5 weeks out from BMX NSS w/immediate silicon implants with Alloderm. I'm healing well and for the most part am happy with the results. About a week ago, the implant and skin on the affected side started to show a slight dimpling all over, at times. It feels as though the implant on that side has a more textured surface compared with the other side, and seems to happen first thing in the morning, and when I take off a tight bra. Does it take awhile for implants to settle? Is this part of the healing process?
0 -
Hi girls,
Hope everyone is doing well. I saw my ps today and got drains removed, so so happy. I am now 3 weeks post bmx and original recon and 1 week post implant/te swap. I have to say, second time recovery was not that bad. I am completely functional now except lifting ofcourse and some range issues with my arms, energy is back 80% I would say. Gotta start my excersises. Also a bit concerned with my skin on the "trouble" breast. Stilllooks like it could swing either way. I just hope the normal color around the insision returns soon.
Ginger48 - My kids are doing good now. Thanks for asking. Just finishing their antibiotics. How are you feeling now post your oophorectomy?
Kate33 - Thanks so much for sharing this article. It's very helpful and I actually sent it to my husband as well and he said it really helps him understand different emotions I could be going through. Fat graft is also something I thought of doing but I ear different views on it as to when it should be done - during suregry or afterwards.
curlygirl614 - Thank you for sharing your experience with me. It very comforting to hear that you are pleased with your outcome even tought it took you longer to get there. You are right, sometimes I find myself feeling so sorry for myself and I allow myself to feel that way for a minute and then snap out of it as when I come here I am surrounded by people like yourself that on top of everything else reconstuctive, have to deal with this scary disease, and then I count my blessings. Thank you for your post.
inLA - I got my drains out, I am not having squishing sound that you mentioned. I am not sure what it could be, you mean you feel it or actually hear it?
joyh1109 - I had my implants for only 2 weeks but I had similar thing where when I would wear my bra and then take it of, at fiirst my skin would be all wrinckled and had one dimple at one spot, the after a bit the dimple would still stay there but be less indented.
0 -
Kate - thank you so much for the stages of grief. Things seem to make sense that I/we do have a loss and will grief. You are also right that this is probably coming now because things have slowed down. I do nothing in regards to this except fill ups every 3 weeks which seems to be forever in between compared to how fast things were moving previously, when you did not have time to second guess yourself.
inLA - I sometimes hear a sloshing sound in my breast, which I think is saline in the TE. But nothing at drain site that I recall.ThisToo - So glad to hear that the kids and you are doing better. I hope things continue climbing up the hill!
I am feeling less depression and feeling more upbeat thanks to all of you and understanding the stages that I am going through. I also attend a local support group last night for the first time.
I do have a quetion for those of you that have your permanent implants, have you regained any feeling in your breast?
0 -
Thistoo- I am recovering well from ooph; it was much less painful than I expected. I needed to remind myself to rest.I tried to do too much on Monday morning and definitely felt it.
I am dealing with some lymphedema which is causing me a little more trouble now than the ooph but I have a good therapist and am going tomorrow to be fit for a compression sleeve.
0 -
joy- The dimpling you described sounds like it may be rippling which a lot of us develop. My PS explained to me that implants were never designed to be used for reconstruction- only augmentation under breast tissue. If you hold up a regular implant you can see ridges running down the side. That is what can show up under the skin. Does it get worse when you bend over and smooth out if you stand up straight and put your shoulders back? If so, it is probably rippling. There are several threads on here about it where women have discussed how to get rid of it. There seem to be 2 schools of thought by PS's. Some swap out the implant for a bigger one and some do fat grafting. I had terrible rippling and did the fat grafting and it eliminated it completely. Fat grafting just adds an extra layer between your skin and the implant.
ThisToo- So glad you got your drains removed and your kids are doing better. It sounds like things are turning around. As far as when to do the fat grafting I would definitely wait at least 6 months after exchange. Once the implants settle you can better see where you might want to add fat grafting.
amom- After my exchange I regained full sensation around the perimeter of each breast and in between them, some feeling over the entire breast, but nothing on the nipples themselves. Everyone is different, though, and some have had nipple sensation return. It can take a long time but it can happen. Sometimes you'll feel little "zings" of nerve pain which hurts for a split second but they tell us it's a good thing. That it's a sign that nerves are regenerating.
0 -
amom438 I have my permanent implants, and for the most part don't have much feeling in the breasts. At 5 weeks post-op - the inner breast, close to the sternum is okay, but there is little feeling at the nips and no feeling at the outer half towards the arm pits. From what I hear, it gets better as time goes on.
Ginger48 If you haven't already, check out the lyphedema boards here. I have slight swelling and tingling, and got a compression sleeve for travel. It was recommended that I also get a gauntlet. I am finding that many surgeons are not completely aware of LE and treatment, and not all PT's are up on LE either. There are simple breathing and stretching exercises that I found that help, if you need more info let me know. Hope you're feeling good after the ooph.
Kate33 Yes, the rippling gets worse when I bend over and smooths out when I'm standing. At the arm pit when I'm bent over, the ridges are very visible and almost fold in. What is surprising is that the right side is complely fine, the left side, which was the affected side, has the rippling. Right now I'm happy to be done with surgery - at some point I'll look into revisions. Thanks for your input.
ThisToo So happy that you and your children are on the healing side and are doing well. I just want to say that I hope that you will continue to take it easy - not simple to do with little ones I know. You are inspiration with your great attitude.
0 -
Kate - thanks for the article - very informative. The automatic behavior was interesting - so that's why several times I used conditioner first, realizing it wasn't shampoo
0 -
joy- yes I have been on the thread "recent lymphedema diagnosis" and have gotten good info. My OT is a lymphedema specialist and I am being fitted for a sleeve either tomorrow or Monday. I am curious to know about your breathing and stretching exercises...
0 -
so im back ..just learned the one step is out of the question..I have rh- blood and with the alloderm { cadaber} tissue my body would just rejected it..So i guess i have to go with the TE i meet with my ps on the 12th of Jan,,and then have to call my surgical oncologist when im done she would like to see me as soon as possible to get the surgery underway..im scared but im a really strong person and i can do this..but any information on the healing process and just basic everyday things u do..what to expect what to prepare for..lol im sure if i read every single post i would have all the answers i needed ,,but im a very busy mom and only have time to check on my recent forums.. Thanks Ladies...all your input is greatly valued.
0 -
shawna- Just wanted to post some links about surgery and ways to prepare. The first link is breastcancer.org's surgery section which has some good info.
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/
The second is a thread on here called "Shopping/packing/to-do list for surgery + recovery...." which is loaded with tips. Good luck with everything.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topic/699896?page=17
0 -
Ginger48 There is a thread on the LE board - Remedial Exercises for Upper Extremities - look for the Norton or Lebed exercises. I believe that there are DVD's on these, and youtube videos out there that explain them in detail. They are simple breathing and stretching - I've done them in order and I feel a lot better. It was recommended to me that I not only get a compression sleeve, but a glove or gauntlet to wear with it too, especially for traveling. Hope that your session goes well with the OT.
kate33 It looks like lefty is pretty much rippled most of the time now. Is there an ideal time to start revisions? I've also heard that there are gummy type implants - I wonder if these would give a different result? I'm not wanting surgery again anytime soon, unless necessary.
0 -
Joy - I had some rippling also, I did FG and I barely have anymore, just a bit if I bend over, but I try not to walk around like that, anyway!!! LOL My PS requested I watch and wait 3 months post-exchange before committing to any revisions, this gives the implants and your body time to adjust. My rippling was actually worse at the beginning and then as I dropped and fluffed, it seemed the they settled in. I had a noticable shelf so that was my real push for FG.
Kate & Val - I believe it was this thread that we were discussing the nipples shifting off center and the implants...I went for my 3 month follow up after FG this past week and I mentioned the closeness of the implants in the middle. PS told me I have alot of scar tissue on the outer side, especially on one implant and that has "forced" the implant to migrate in a bit, hence the nipples are not centered. He is willing to go in, clean out the scar tissue and see what he can do to alleviate the lifting of the skin in the middle if my chest. To be honest, as annoying as it is, in the scheme of things its not a big deal, the only time it will probably be noticable is in a bathing suit. And even then its my discerning eye that is critical. I do worry that it will keep on getting worse. Then I will proceed with revision, I think. Right now my advice from PS is to lay off the bra at night, let the implants settle wheer they want, The constant "attention" to staying front and center could have trained my implants to well, I guess!
So I will wait and see...Kate - I mentioned your procedure to my PS re: FG. My PS mentioned he know Dr Khouri well and has worked with him...the advice he gave me was that he hopes to be doing the procedures like Dr K at MGH sometime in the future and that it is an exciting time in PS re: FG. I asked about smaller implants/more FG and he said that since I will be outliving this pair of implants we have a lot of options on how we proceed next. His advice was at this time not to mess around with them too much re: revisions/more FG on what I have. PS claims that the more we tweak, the chance for less optimal results as the years go by. It kinda made sense to me, I guess the more you poke/prod at someones delicate skin, the more opportunities for damage to the skin integrity. I'm must admit I am excited for the future of FG, too...one day to not have these heavy implants would be awesome! But, till then I'll remain grateful that my experience has been relatively uneventful with recon and I like my symmetry and look enought to let well enough be...
0 -
joy- Most PS's will recommend waiting at least 6 months before revision giving the implants time to completely settle. And, if you have Alloderm, some say even longer as they don't like to disturb the Alloderm until it has fully integrated with your own tissue. As far as the gummy implants, which are the tear-dropped shaped ones, I don't have personal experience but have heard from a lot of women that these are much firmer and don't feel as natural but there is less chance of rippling. Some women don't like them because they don't move as much but some more active women like that. It's kind of a personal preference. I have heard that a happy medium are the textured rounds over the smooth rounds. A lot of times the PS will use what they personally like and most women aren't even aware that there are choices. For those who still have TE's there is a member on here who is our resident implant expert who can help guide you in type and size of implant that is best for you. Her name is whippetmom and the name of the thread is 'BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101'.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/746448?page=163#post_2758434
0 -
Hi girls,
Amom438 - How are you doing? Glad to hear you found a support group. As for the feeling in your breast, I think most girls do not regain much, I also had an abdominal surgery 1 year ago and still do not feel half of my stomck and the size area. I do have some feeling between my breast like Kate33 but most of the area is numb and even area under my arpits and as far as the sholderblade.
Ginger48 - It good to hear that your recovery from ooph. is going well. Where is your lymhaedema? In the breast area?
Kate33 - Thanks for the info. I saw your pics and your results look fantastic. I thought it was so neat the way your fat grafting was done and seems like it left very minimal marks if any at all.
joyh1109 - Thank you for your kind words. You know I had the gummy type implants (Allergan Natrelle 410s) and I know that they are better with respect to rippling prevention but after the experience and more research I know why I hated them. They were much more dense and hard than regular silicone implants because they are anatomical (most "tear drop shape"), that's why they have to be a bit more hard because they maintain their shape better, but this time around I will not be getting these for sure because after them, TE feel so soft and nice, imagine? I don't know maybe it's just my experience but I read a couple of threads and some girls have the same feeling. Like Kate33 mentioned, mine felt very stuck and just there without any movement or "give" when you would touch them, weirdest feeling ever. Also, since they are teardrop shape, I did not have any fullness at the top and would assume I would never have "clevage" look, although they have better projection at the bottom than round ones. i am going for round ones this time for sure.
fire-dancer - Interesting what you said about your implants being close together. Mine have a different story of being too far apart and I will ask my ps to move them closer if possible. Have you used that thing (sorry I don't know the name) where the strap goes between your chest and it presses down so your implants are separated?
0 -
ThisToo- Thanks! I do think the fat grafting has made a huge difference in my results.
Megan- I think it's great your PS is willing to tweak things down the road if you want him to. I feel like some PS's have an attitude that we expect too much. I think if anyone deserves to feel happy with their results it is someone who has had MX. As far as fat grafting I think we're going to see amazing things in the very near future. Suzanne Somers was just on Dr. Oz this week. She is participating in a clinical trial for fat grafting to the breast using the stem cells. It was kind of interesting and is probably available on his site if anyone wants to watch it. I did see the results of someone who had fat grafting immediate following her BMX (no implants or flaps- just FG) and it was amazing! I do think this will be the way of the future. Recon with no foreign objects or additional incisions!
0 -
fire-dancer, kate33, ThisToo Thanks for info on rippling and gummies. I truly never thought about appearances, after reconstruction - just wanted to get surgery over with and get on with whatever came next. My contact with the PS has been minimal - I tell him that he has spent more time with me unconscious than awake!
I guess that I will wait for several months and see what happens after drop and fluff. So happy that there are options. I'm curious - are revisions covered by insurance?
0 -
Thistoo- The lymphedema is in my chest, back and arm. The therapist called it mild to moderate. I am learning how to deal with it and keep it at bay.
Joy- thanks for the thread info. I will add it to my favorites and take a look.
0 -
Hi all, well, I'm on for doing this! Meeting with my amazing PS who will be doing the first stage (the reduce/lift, reposition nipple) in most likely March for work reasons. Heal three months, then on to the prophy.
If all goes well, and no reason to think it would not, since no rads on this prophy gal, only ginormous mothership of a boob, I'll get my nipple at the end of things next year.
What a freaking journey. I have developed a divot, and ripples in the recon lady, but PS says that unfortunately, due to the thinness of the skin, he's not sure FG would be a good idea. That breast broke right thru after initial lat flap surgery, got necrosis and I had to be patched. It worked out, but it has issues.
If anyone can do it, my "michaelangelo" of foobs can. Now it's up to me to lose weight and get in good shape for this marathon.
Hi there Miss Kate, how are you, honey?
Merry christmas/happy Hannukah to all!
Annie
0 -
Hi Annie! You definitely have had a "freaking" journey- lol! Guess it's about to get longer, huh, but am so hoping this is the final stage and you will look gorgeous! And you deserve it. I'm surprised your PS doesn't want to do the fat grafting as that actually adds another layer between the thin skin and the implant or flap. But guess "Michaelangelo" knows best! (Love that you can him that!) Hope you have a wonderful holiday as well!
0
