TE TROUBLE
Comments
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My only complaint right now is some stinging (I'm thinking around a drain site) when I get up from lying in bed for a good amount of time. Once I get moving, the stinging goes away. Hoping it's just a normal part of the process. I think I remember the stinging feeling with the other surgeries. Other than that, moving around pretty good. Crossing fingers for a positive PS appt Monday morning.
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momof3: don't you think this surgery feels similar to MX? Especially since PS took scar tissue and TE is on raw tissue? Taking the TE out was really a piece of cake compared to putting it back it. At least that has been my experience. I too am taking it easy this time around. We have to force ourselves to not "do" stuff! And I know that stinging sensation. I don't feel it this time. I also think my tolerance is better this time. Maybe I'm just getting used to it. Rest up!
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Dear Ren and Momof3,
Thanks for keeping us posted on your progress...sounds like you are both doing well (as well as can be expected). Are you on any pain meds?
Looking at our calendar, I'm the next one up....
I actually thought this whole TE thing would be a cinch. What an awakening I got!
Take care,
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Tatina, yes you are next! Well wishes headed your way:) I most definitely am on pain meds. I've gone from taking 2 (Norco) to 1 every 4-6 hours. Also Valium for muscle spasms, which don't seem to be as bad this time around. I'm also trying to throw in some ibuprofen in between pain med time. I just had some pain come back and my son and I walked very slowly down the cul de sac and back (not far, but enough for me to get up and moving). And yes Renn, feels very similar to when I had the BMX, maybe just a little more pain but very similar.
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Tatina, I know I thought getting the cancer out would be the hardest thing. Wrong!
Momof3: I have not taken a walk yet. Been up and down the stairs though, and I even watered the Xmas tree (probably shouldn't have done that, but only used my left side). I am on regular doses of Tylenol/Advil, with some Xanax.
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Chick- my DD got expander put in her mouth at age 7 too. The hardest thing was that we had to crank it once a day with this little keylike thing. She fought us terribly in the beginning. I am not sure if your is the same kind of thing as this was 12 years ago. Hope it all goes well.
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To all the recent surgery folks..I hope you are f eeling better. I am power shopping on a girls weekend in Chicago. The new twins seem to be holding up fine. They seem softer so maybe they have fluffed?
Time for bed. Feel better everyone.0 -
Ginger-Still the same thing! Crank once a day. She is getting it on the top and the bottom as a removeable one I think he said. He doesn't like to attach stuff to the teeh (other then the braces)
Fluff-Going to Chicago next weekend with the family. We did it a few years ago but skiped laast year. Take DD to American Girl and DS to the Lego store. We also do the thing down at Navy pier. I am thinking your girls weekend is a little different
My twins seem softer too and more dimples are starting to show up. Overall though I am still very happy.Everyone still healing take it easy!
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Well maybe I shouldn't have scrubbed my son's baseball pants last night lol. A little sore. Also, feeling that stinging sensation when I move certain ways. I looked under the bandages and sure enough, it's where the drain tube is coming out and it's not secured in place, so when I move it tugs a little bit. My PS will fix that tomorrow. I'm pretty sure one drain will come out as well as the pain pump tomorrow. I can deal with one drain left for a few more days. I'm so proud of myself for taking it easy, usually I'm bouncing off the walls. Haven't had a pain pill since 5am. Probably going to take one soon so I can get some good rest in, but I'm definitely weaning myself off of them.
How are you doing Renn??
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I really thought this reconstruction thing would go like the book. Wrong. I finally got my drains out Thursday, then Fri wound up in rhe ER with fever, and nausia etc. Got treated and released. Then called back the next day because I had gram positive blood cultures, so back for more IV antibiotics. To top it all off, the right side suddenly got droopy and you can see the fluid jiggle when I move, even a little bit. So I have to follow up with the PS tomorrow. I hope I don't have to have it taken out and replaced. These things are so uncomfortable I'd be tempted not to get it replaced. I knew I should have gone with a flap, but the PS really discouraged it because of it being a BMX. I think he just didn't want to take the time.
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Hi ladies, please forgive me if I missed someone's answer to my question, but did anyone opt to have their TE's removed completely? I am wondering about the recovery time since I am scheduled to begin chemo on Dec. 8. With 5 mos of tx followed by rad right now I am regretting this decision. One of the incisions reopening has already delayed chemo by 1 week. Unfortunately I didn't do enough research prior to my surgery.
Thank you and be well.
Laura0 -
Laura-I am sure someone will be along shortly with advice. Liz-Hope you don't join the club.
Looking for some advice. Yesterday I got a letter from Blue Cross (I seriously am starting to think I am the reason my daughter was denied). They want me to fill out this form because they believe that my surgery from September (leaking TE replacement) was a result of a work place/other accident or injury. Basically they want someone else to pay for it. I was going to call the PS tomorrow to see what they think. I guess technically if we want to blame someone we blame the PS since he probably put a hole in it filling it, but I don't think that is right either. What would you do?
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Secretgarden-I did not voluntarily opt to have them removed but they were. Now that I look back, i might have waited until I was done with chemo to start the reconstruction process. I think while my counts were always ok, my immune system wasnt.
However, I didnt need rads. My ps said he likes the expanders to be in during rads if I remember correctly. Cant remember why, other than maybe keeping skin somewhat stretched?0 -
Chick-no answer to your last question. If you are near the Drake, go in with the kids. The lobby is beautiful with a huge tree in the middle and a village with a train etc. Lots of kids getting their pics taken by moms.
Also, lots of american girl aged girls all dressed up having tea with their moms in the Palm Court. So cute. It is pricey, but not as pricey as when I took my daughter to the american girl lunch. Lunch was bad enough but the purchases were insane.0 -
Fluffqueen thank you.
Exactly my concern. I feel like one thing at a time is enough for the body to contend with, and I wish I had time to have them removed before beginning chemotherapy. My bmx was Nov 1st so am anxious to get going. How long was your healing process from your removal?That had to be difficult while receiving treatment, but your remarkable strength persevered and you sound pleased with the results.
Congratulations on getting through a difficult year and I hope the next year is full of wonderful joys for you.0 -
Chick,
What the insurance company is looking for is to see if it might be subject to Workers Comp or some other carrier for something like an auto accident.
I have received those for several things in the past. Instead of filling out the form, I call the number listed and tell them it is not the result of an accident. No more questions, no more answers. Not an accident. Then they pay as normal.
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chick - anytime I had any unusual or emergency-type surgery I got the same form. A lot of times it has to do with the time margin that the surgery center or hospital requests the auth for payment. If their lead time is short the insurance company assumes it is because of an accident, as opposed to an elective-type or planned procedure. I had to fill out those forms like 4 times!
seacret - if you have surgery now they will delay your chemo again. Once you start chemo your body will heal no further. Usually they want at least a month, preferably six weeks between surgery and chemo, just like chemo and rads.
liz - don't know what to say - hope your PS has some good words for you tomorrow!
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chick- same thing for me. I have gotten that form lots of times. Just answer that it was not from work or an accident and they should get on with paying the bill.
Have you had to crank it yet? I hated doing it and she hated having it done...
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Thanks all for the input about the form.
Ginger-We have not even had her fitted for the expander yet. He wants some baby teeth out first so that some more permanent can drop. Right now those permanent have no where to go.
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Headed to PS in about an hour. Hopefully this thick dressing will come off. One of the drains is producing no fluid at all. The other will have to stay in for a few more days at least. Pain pump in fanny pack definitely needs to go, it's awful and bulky. Had some muscle spasms last night but pain meds and Valium helped. Been sleeping well. Walking the cul de sac three times a day, really slow just to keep moving. That's about it! Just checking in
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Secret....mine came out 6 weeks before I finished surgery. Onc and plastic surgeon talked and both were comfortable with removal and continuing treatment. I got chemo/herceptin, then the expanders out. Then went a full week, got drains out and had chemo herceptin next day. I didnt think the recovery was very bad. I have healed really well after all my surgeries. The ps made me wait 3 months before starting reconstruction again. So for me, it was srgical biopsy in decemer, ulrasound biopsy in mid-january, finally the identifying biopsy in lae january, masectomy end of february. Chemo march to june...infection started late march....iv antibiotics...infection returns mid april. Expander removal surgery May 4.....fever in summer, so back on iv antibiotics as preventative. Nothing cultured as infection, so probably a bug. In early august, expanders were reinserted....promptly developed a terrible itchy rash....strong topical steroids fixed it. No idea what it was frum.
Implants on November 4. So far...so good! He had to Use a little smaller implant than he had planned due to an area of really thin skin, largely from the infection, and maybe exacerbated from the topical steroids. Jhe is going to fat graft around that area.
With the second expanders I wasnt on any medications except herceptin and felt really good.
That is what made me think that my system had just had too much trauma and needed a break.0 -
Good morning to all! Thanks for having me.
Brief outline: BMX last Sept 8/10 (one implant, one TE), lost implant to infection October 11/10. Lived that way through chemo and rads. Got back on board with PCS to begin journey to putting in new TE and begin fills. I live remotely so sometings take more time. Calld PS office in June and got early August appt. Seen in august, the TE I already had in deflated Sept 12. Surgery to place both new TEs was Nov.15th. follow up appt was Dec 3.
NO fills done as I have this discoloration of my skin. It looks like it is still bruised, but all my bruises elsewhere has resolved. Doc thinks it might be an infection. I have my mastectomy scar that outlines the top boarder of the area and the IMF is the bottom. The bruising does not extend past there. There also doesn't seem to be an induration or inflammation either, no red streak lines. I get a few tweaky feelings in that area, other than that it is numb to touch and has been since the original surgery. I've read the PS surgical notes and nothing crazy went on other than he took more time on this side as it had more scarring (the other side had a deflated TE in so the pocket was there already. Anyways, I don't find it to be changing, getting darker, or anything.
I'm on the picture forum and have posted pics howping for feed back there.
Any ideas?
Thanks bunches,
Patti
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At times mine looked purple an my PS told me that it was the muscle color showing.
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PS appt went well, got the fanny pack with the pain pump removed, also got one of the drains pulled. All I have left is one drain and I'm so OK with that compared to what I had! Minimal pain. I go back either Friday or Monday, depending on when drain is ready to come out. She said everything looked good:) Today was a good day.
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Patti i have some discoloration that is a little purply in the area of my infection. I asked bs about it before i saw ps. She said he probably did some pocket work on the scar tissue and it was probably bruising that will take forever to go away. Ps said that was exactly it. He said it could take a year
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oh fluff you have no idea how greatful I am to hear that! And yes this is an area that a pocket had to be created again after I lost the implant last year. This is the mastectomy side.
fluffqueen: are you on the picture forum?
Thanks bunches!
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Pitpat-i am not. I havent taken any so far but have been thinking about it now that they are done. Ill let you know.
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Liz, let us know the latest.
PitPat: Hope all heals properly, you have been through the ringer! Welcome to our "special" club.
Secret: Good luck to you. Let us know what you decide.
Momof3: Glad you had a drain pulled! It's the little things (or in the case of drains, BIG things)! Good for you. How much are you still draining from the remaining drain?
I went to my PS appt this AM but he had an emergency so we rescheduled for tomorrow. However, I realized my drain can't come out (yesterday's total output was 65ccs; today, so far, 48ccs). So I will see him later this week. Good news, fever left two days ago and I'm feeling better. Though I sure am sleeping a lot!
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Good news Momof3!
Ren, let us know how your appointment goes tomorrow.
PitPat, wishing you well and sending you good thoughts!
T
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Ren - sounds like you still have too much output in the drain so I guess it worked out well that your appt has been delayed. Glad to hear your fever is gone and that you're getting lots of rest!!!
Liz - hope your antibiotics respond and you won't have to have the TEs removed…best of luck.
Secretgardn - I didn't have chemo/rads so can't speak to that in relation to reconstruction timing, but I did have delayed reconstruction (1 year) and it wasn't the end of the world. Treatment is your primary concern, and if reconstruction isn't in the cards right now, it'll wait for you.
Pitpat - hello and welcome. I hope all goes well with your new TEs. Given that your surgery was only a couple of days ago, hoping the colouring is only due to bruising.
Chick - it's great that your BS still follows up with you….an extra person checking you out is great.
Hi SpecialK - yes you're definitely an honorary Canadian
My daughter is planning to move to Toronto when she graduates from university next April. I'm in Ottawa, so guess I'll be visiting Toronto more often in the future.0
