TE TROUBLE
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Miasanta, hi how does that work, do they need to expand the skin first??? i will need both done, as i have had so many probs up and till now i want to take the less risky route (if there is one).......thanks honey B:)
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No, I had a skin and nipplesparing bmx with immediate recon (implants) on 6/28. Ended up with major necrosis of the skin that they spared, had to have dead skin cut out, implants removed and replaced with TEs on 8/18. Ended up with more necrosis! and had to have TE removed and lati flap on 9/2, because I didn't have enough skin left...yea it's been a rough few months...
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And at the time of my last surgery I decided to have the other TE removed also. I'm taking a break from recon for now, after 3+ months of this I was emotionally and financially drained. My BS made it sound like a walk in the park (the ns bmx and implants), but it went awfully wrong and I was blindsided...One day I'll try again, but for now I'm all healed and completely flat!
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Glad to hear that you are healed for now, miasanta! Reconstruction has not easy for me either, but mentally I needed to get it done ASAP.
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miasanta-glad your physically healed, sounds like you need some emotioaly healing before you can proceed and there is nouthing wrong with that.
DLL66-I'm like you, I had to get this all done ASAP.
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Good luck tomorrow survivor!
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survivor - good luck - hope everything goes well for you!
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Survivor - good luck tomorrow. I know everything will go well!
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Thanks so much ladies, starting to get nervous, like what might happen between now and then to screw it up, tornado, flood, plague, Lol.
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Good luck Survivor! We think alike on worrying about what could mess it up. I literally examine them in the mirror every day to make sure there is no rash or redness.
I see my Ps on tuesday to set the exchange date.I think I will have him do one more fill just to make sure I am happy. I have told him I want to be the first picture he shows potential new patients, so whatever it takes to make them pretty, he should plan on it (as long as insurance is convering it).
Miasanta-you have had it really rough. I feel for you. When I woke up from mastectomy with my little foobies from the immediate reconstruction, it didn't really phase me much. When I woke up from having them removed due to a pseudomona infection and was totally flat, I waskind of freaked out. Couldn't wait to get them back in again.
I do feel that it I had to do it all over again, I don't know if I would have done it in the same order. When I had the infection, I didn't think I felt bad, didn't run a fever other than a very low grade one off and on. When I felt kind of crummy I attributed it to the chemo/herceptin I was getting.
Now that they were put in after I was done with chemo, it is a huge difference. I feel so much better, and they actually aren't that uncomfortable this time.
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Thinking of you today, Survivor - you will do great! Keep us posted.
Heading to dermatologist today, asking for Valtrex cream for the red area under the TE. (hasn't gone away since Shingles diagnosis). Every time skin stretches after expansion the red area appears. Hopefully this will be the end of it. I'm tired of worrying constantly over these little things that can cause big problems.
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Momof3-Is it possibly a stretch mark? I have stretch marks from breastfeeding that seem to get irritated at expansion time.
So I went to the Rams game yesterday. Pink everywhere. Pink shoes on the players, towels and gloves too. The cheerleaders were in a pink/white outfit too. And they were handing out pink ribbons. They were interviewing women in the stands about how long since they were diagnosed etc...I have a strange feeling that I am not going to like pink (not that I really liked it before) by the end of Oct. Anybody else feel this way?
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chick - I was diagnosed last year on Sept. 27 - I only had three days before pinktober. It was tough because I couldn't escape it. Everywhere I went - I worked in a hospital and they were fundraising, pink stuff all over the grocery store and every commercial on TV. I am feeling better about it this year but still frustrated by all the companies that jump on the bandwagon and make you think they are donating huge sums of money to "the cause" when they are not. I have some mixed feelings about the money raised because I think it has become a machine and much of the money is paying salaries and funding events and what percentage is actually going to research and patients and a CURE! People need to be cognizant of what pink stuff they are buying and where that money is going. I also think that the general public has bought into the idea that breast cancer is no longer a big deal because of the overexposure of pink! I am going to the Bucs game tonight (Monday Night Football game) with a group from Moffitt Cancer Center so it should be interesting.
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Chick & SpecialK: Thanks for saying it!!! I have felt a wierd discomfort with all this recent "pink" activity. Even our newspaper had a special Pink (literally, pink paper) section over the weekend on breast cancer. Well meaning people have contacted me to let me know about pink activities. I just feel like avoiding it all. People who were barely supportive to me are running around wearing pink shirts and ribbons. It's like the commercialization of breast cancer. I keep telling myself it is a good thing, but you're right Special K, I am not so sure how much really goes to the cure.
Miasanta: I think I am sort of in the same boat as you except I"m still running around with a TE on one side. I have 6 week follow up (post TE removal on the other side) next week with my PS, the following day with a new PS for 2nd opinion. Mostly I just want to hear what my options are, then I plan on taking a break for awhile. Does anyone know if there is a limit to how long a TE can stay in place? I've had this thing in now for 15 months. Mia -did you just do the lat flap on one side?
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Forgot to say SURVIVOR - good wishes today for a easy surgery and quick recovery! It's so great to see progress in our group!!!
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fluffqueen, glad your TEs are less uncomfortable this time around.
jblscw, hope things go well @ your PS appts! I'll bet you are anxious to get back on track & finish things up.
momof3infla, hope the cream does the trick for you.
Have fun 2 the game SpecialK!
Saw my PS this am. He took out a bunch of stitches & I MIGHT actually get the back drain out later this week. Need it to go down a little bit more. He was happy w/the progress so far. Yay!
Hope Survivor does well today.
Lots of progress in this group--that's a great thing!0 -
I keep forgetting to chime in to susan who I think we all freaked out a little. Wonder if she is still reading this thread??? I, unlike many of these other ladies, only developed a leak in my TE. I really was never in too great of discomfort, just a little after each fill. There are many many many of us out there who have an no trouble with the whole TE process. Best of luck to you susan!
Again surrounded by pink this am at the grocery. I was in a box yesterday at the game, people that worked with my husband. You know not one person said anything to me about BC.
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dll66 - Thanks! The game is sold out in Tampa so it will be on TV tonight. It should be interesting - there is a tailgate before the game - hopefully not too much rah-rah pink going on! I may run my politically incorrect mouth!
chick - Box seat for the game, nice! However, not nice of the work peeps to say nothing to you about BC, especially considering you were at the BC awareness game! Sometimes I think people get uncomfortable and are afraid to say the wrong thing, so they say nothing... I lost a pregnancy at the half way point and I was quite surprised at how many people did not acknowledge it in any way. It made me feel like people didn't care when I was already sad to begin with. It was a bummer to be sure.
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SpecialK- will be looking for you on tv tonite
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I have had complete strangers (other then we belong to the same church) send me gift cards in case I didn't feel like cooking, and people who I thought were some of my best friends barely bring it up at all. It is all in the comfort level. I was just a little surprised no one said anything to me yesterday. And the box seats are an occasional perk of my DH job, although I prefer the baseball tickets! The scumbag gets to go to game 3 tomorrow....
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jblcsw10 - I am going WITHOUT pretend hair tonight - it is about 1/2 inch long and really gray, so I think I may stand out a little, ha!
chick - it is nice when people you don't know very well step up and do something nice - disappointing when friends/family (or people in your box seats at the BC football game) don't. Nice for the DH to see the game, no ticket for you too?
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Special K: you go girl you will look fabulous!!!!!!!!!!
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Chickadee - no, not a stretch mark. I think we got the right creams today - she had me putting a steroid cream where the shingles used to be - bad move for sure. It causes broken blood vessels, which is exactly what the red area looks like after a fill. So, no more steroid cream, and back on a Valtrex (anti viral) cream. I think it will be OK from this point (I'm knocking on wood). No more doc appts this week - woo hoo!!! Off to St. Augustine this weekend to watch one of my boys play baseball. Looking forward to getting away for a while. And I'm already sick of pink too lol.
And yay the Bucs will be on TV for a change!
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survivor11: Here's hoping everything's going great today!
jblcsw10: My Ps told me the TE can stay "for a long time, well not for too long", I don't know what that means, better ask your doctor. I had the lati flap only on the right. I lost too much skin and my nipple on that one. The left one has a nipple and it didn't have as much necrosis. I could have left the TE in that one, but I really don't know when I'll continue recon and if I wait a couple of years I thought it better to start fresh on both sides. My PS was surprised, but very understanding.I guess most women keep trying.... He says the longer I wait the softer the skin will get and it'll be easier.
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Hi Miasanta: your experience sounds like me i am at my wits end!, had BMX 26th Aug, TE removed due to infection, i to had necrosis, and chose to have them both removed, this was done a week and half ago..............again my left side has opened up, going to see ps tomorrow, keep being told it will heal will just need to keep dressing on!!!!!!!!!! the hole is the size of a tennis ball, i fail to see how this will "JUST" heal..........I have reqested i see my general surgeon that did the BMX as i am loosing faith, i really want to get my radiotherapy underway............dont know i will ever have surgery again, thanks for listening
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specialK-playoff tickets very hard to come by, so no ticket for me. A few years back when they were in the WS somehow he lucked into 2 tickets twice. He took our son to a game and me to the one where they won the WS.
Bev-Really seems like there is more they could be doing for you!?!?
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bev: I'm sorry for all you're going through. Did anyone suggest a flap surgery? If you have a hole the size of a tennisball I don't know how it'll close up? BUT, I'm not a doctor....Good idea to see the surgeon again, I hope he can help you asap. I didn't need any additional treatment after the BMX, I had DCIS and the BS got it all, thank god...By the time I went for my last surgery the corner of the TE was practically coming out of the skin on the bottom. I was freaking out...so glad to be done with that. Best wishes to you and keep me updated!
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bevdurrant, that does not sound good at all. My PS removed my TE when I had a hole the size of a quarter w/out infection. He stitched it all closed & gave me the option of reinserting the TE in a week or 2 or doing a lat flap w/permanent implants in a week or 2. I chose the 2nd option. He would not leave me with that open hole because he was worried about me getting an infection. Glad to hear that you have requested a second opinion.
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Bev- That sounds very frightening. I am glad you are going to the surgeon tomorrow. I really think going through this kind of stuff can be very traumatic. I hope they can address your concerns and give you some peace of mind tomorrow.
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Bev - a hole the size of a tennis ball sounds really strange….I hope you get some good advice tomorrow.
Hi everyone else….I was on holiday last week so didn't keep up. I've read through all the posts….soooo many! Glad to see that this thread is providing support and friendship to so many.
Re pink October - I have mixed feelings. I'm almost 2 yrs out from diagnosis so getting used to it I guess. But I found last year really tough. Just felt like a constant reminder everywhere I went, and I too wondered how much money is actually going to BC research, and how much is just a marketing ploy….I actually felt angry. Now my feelings have softened a bit, and I'm looking at it as a positive. The more attention on BC, the better. My best friend's daughter participated in the 'run for the cure' this past weekend and last year….I know she's doing it for me, and I so appreciate it.
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