Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
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thanks for the well wishes and I will only go to conference if ps approves.
Reason I need to go is the opportunity to earn my continuing education credits and it is fully reimbursable by work. Doesn't happen often. But health is more important.
Talk soon.
Vivian
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HOOT HOOT VIVIAN! Everything good for you.
Mariasnow - I completely understand walking away and saying enough is enough.
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Vivian, my best to you for tomorrow. I know it will feel surreal, but after a day, you will be on the recovery side of this! I will be thinking of you for sure!
Tabbies2, yes, sorry for delay but YES they took the full LD muscle in my case. I didn't have a lot to give but he said he could make it work. I know it for sure, because I have much less strength on left side; swimming feels very weird. I am ok with that, I just want to get past all the tightness and twinges.
Kfinn, glad you are progressing so well. It's been a journey since way back when with you....and you sound great for such a short time after surgery. ...and Dpiggy, I think I sound a lot like your experience in terms of recovery . well, kudos and cheers to us all.
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Vivian, thinking of you today and sending positive vibes your way!
Today, is my 6 week mark, and I'm doing well. I had my 3rd fill on Monday and it was my first time getting a fill with a nurse. She said she will fill me 3 times and then I will see my PS the 4th week, that I have to see him once per month. I was relieved, I felt strange not seeing him for the first time! I had her do 30cc and she seemed like she wanted to do more and kept asking me "are you sure"? I said yes, Dr. said this isn't a race. Glad I did 30cc, cause its been a bit achy/tight. Stretching and walking each day. I even did a downward dog move and a plank hold! Excited myself, lol!
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Vivian, I'm hoping all is going well for you today.
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kfinnigan, good for you being able to manage a downward dog and plank! I don't blame you for wanting to go slow on the fills. I know I'll be impatient, but better to be prudent.
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Vivian, Hope your surgery went well...we're thinking about you...
Mariasnow, I know all about the 'uniboob' - and, hate it !!! My PS, on one of my reconstrution surgeries, put in an implant on my good side - at that point wasn't even ready for it...Now I'm even bigger on the good side - which makes me even more lopsided - ugh !!! I'm having my LD surgery in 20 days - still very nervous about it...though that is my only option...Are you happy with your end result?
Andi
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kfinnigan - congrats on your 6th week mark! I know for me that was quite a turning point for the better.
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You were my mentor Dpiggy! I never forgot your words that it took you 6 weeks to trust the journey
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I have used so much sick time with 5 surgeries and chemo that I am concerned about going off payroll with the LD Flap surgery as well as the couple surgeries that will follow. To those who have been through the surgery, please tell me if this is a realistic work schedule. I'm a college professor with a long commute.
Weeks 1 & 2 off
Weeks 3 & 4 - work remotely from home sitting at my computer for several hours per day.
Week 5 - Return to work.
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Warrior Woman - 2 weeks off for sure. I was in the hospital for 6 days following the surgeries, so that was my first week. I was able to start working remotely at my laptop by week 3, but for short periods of time. I found 20-30 minutes was all I could do at one sitting due to back discomfort. Also, I wasn't able to drive for the first 3 weeks. By week 4, I noticed I was able to move around a little better, & I returned to work by week 5. However, I live about 5 minutes from my office, so I can't speak to a long commute.
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Hi, well I am probably on a more conservative end. I spent 4 days in hospital of first week. I would say first two- three weeks are sleeping and minimal activity. Hard to get comfortable, get tired, every day different. Walking was my major activity. I was also still taking meds. I did some email, but very little for the next few weeks, and could talk by phone about work fairly easily, but email was harder. However, I got very tired and probably could not be predictable on scheduling. At 6 weeks, I could drive around town, Bucket seats are not very comfortable and I used little pillows. I did go back full-time at 8 weeks rather than start earlier at part time. I am lucky that I can work at home, but I am now back in office (sick of my house) Email is still rough for extended periods. I would say that if you rebound quickly, "maybe"..... but your recovery is important so not to return full-time too soon. I even still have days that I feel drained, but I get there... going to PT helps and today I had a massage!
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Good morning all and thank you.
I am in hospital should be discharged today. I am uncomfortable but my pain is managed by 1 Vicodin . I am wrapped up in bra but my right breast which was reduced appears to be a nice shape and size.
My lat side is smaller but ps said it went well . Did not have to get a TE . It will be filled with fat grafting at a later date.
I feel tightness and not easy to move that side or arm. Back is uncomfortable especially for sleeping, breasts have their twinges but not really painful.
Belly button also got debrided and sort of restarted from diep. It is packed and will need to continue until healed
Will check in after I am home.
Feel well,
Vivian
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Congratulations Vivian and keep that recovery going well!
Thank you DPiggy & Keryl. My PS said this would be similar to my BMX but I'm anticipating worse.
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Vivian - glad to hear from you & you're doing well.
Warrior Woman - i had BMX the day before the double LD flap, so I was recovering from both. However, I do believe most of my discomfort & majority of my restrictions & limited activity was due to the flap surgery.
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Vivian, so good to hear from and so happy things went well!! let the healing begin...
Warrior, I drove myself after a week and a half, had no choice, I had to see my PS. I basically just used my good right side and was careful and kept/keep a small pillow in the car and used that to lay my elbow/arm on. I came back to work 2 days shy of week 5, and for me that was perfect timing since that shocking nerve pain I was experiencing on my rib went away 2 days before my first day back. But I think your schedule seems doable since you can work from home and do a few hours or as needed at your work computer. I had to take a nap everyday for a few weeks, and then no longer needed them and I walked everyday, which helped and laid on the floor everyday to stretch.
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kfinnigan - Thank you too. Planning is so hard. Fortunately I have a wonderful employer who will allow me to work remotely as long as I need to but I worry that with so much time off last year that things will really fall apart this year. And I am having bilateral flaps. Ugh!
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Ugh is right Warrior!!!!!!!!!!
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So true - with bilateral, there really is no good side.
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Warrior, I'm in that same boat. I used all my sick leave last year for mastectomy and chemo even though I worked on and off during chemo. The recovery time is one reason I've ruled out the more extensive flap procedures. My PS said 2 weeks off for sure then maybe I can work part time since I can work from home. That's for the lat flap on one side and expander placed on the other.
Does your employer allow employees to donate leave to other people who have run out? Mine does. I didn't need it last year but might this year.
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Vivian, good to hear from you! I hope you've been discharged by now and are resting at home. Happy healing!
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Tabbies - They don't pool the sick time but I can get FML and disability. I just don't want to go that route if I can avoid it. The good news is that I have tenure. I just don't want to be out too long and the more I can plan ahead the better. I've requested that they do both sides the same way as it gives me a better shot at symetry.
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Vivian, welcome home. I hope that you are resting easily and on track. Your body will need all it's energy for healing for awhile, so take it easy; I am usually not a napper, but boy did I nap --
Warrior, one thing I did for working at home if you don't already have it is that I got a good headset for conference calls. I had a speaker phone already of course but the headset made it easy to move around or lie down. I also got speech recognition software so that I could type and do email without fatigue. I was surprised how the simple repetitive movement of mousing ached my shoulder or back very quickly. It wasn't ideal, but it helped take the edge off. Frequent breaks, shoulder rolls and stretching.....
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I am dreading this.
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Where I work, people can't donate their sick leave, but they can donate their vacation leave to someone who has run out of sick leave. It's a bit odd, but there are people who have been there many years and accumulate more vacation time than they can use. They generously donate it to those in need.
I did have to take FMLA. If we're out more than 3 days in a row, we have to start taking it. FMLA did me absolutely no good whatsoever. All it did was guarantee they couldn't fire me which they wouldn't have done anyway. I also unknowingly hurt myself by working intermittently as I was able. If I had taken all my leave as a block, I could have saved 40 hours of vacation time for an actual vacation. Since I took my leave intermittently, I was not allowed to do that. So much for trying to be a good employee. What really pissed me off is that nobody told me this up front. Our HR department sucks. This time around, I'm taking it as a block.
Symmetry is something I want to ask my PS about when I see him in a couple weeks. I really don't want to lose my other lat if he can get them reasonably close to symmetrical without doing that.
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Thanks for well wishes . Pain is being managed by hydrocodone. It is uncomfortable to lean back and to lay down on left back and side.
I have 4 drains 1 in each breast and 2 on flap. One of the flaps drains is draining a lot , the others much less. Movement with left arm is limited and painful.
Just walking around house and resting.
Healing thoughts to all
Vivian
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It sounds like you're doing what you need to, Vivian. mostly rest. Drains are such a pain, aren't they? I was really happy to get them out after my mastectomy.
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Hello all
2 breast drains removed today, 2 drains on back remain and are still pretty active. Bandages removed and looks like a gauze tape is left.
Side hurts,incisions are sore and itchy, breast looks good but will definitely need a stage 2 to fill in.
I hope all are recuperating well.
Vivian
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Vivian, it's progress each day. Glad to hear you have at least two drains out. They do their job, but it's great to see them go...
ok guys, I had a new pain today. For the first time I tried to wear moderate heels out for dinner. I am at 12 weeks, I put on cute sandals with about a 2 inch heel. within 5 minutes my back side got tight and cranky. off they came and back into flat sandals. I guess the heel slant ends up working the back or the core to much and I am not ready for it. Who knew?
ok, here comes Wednesday!!!
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Hooray for ditching 2 drains, Vivian!
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