Ottawa ladies?
Comments
-
hey ladies,
I'm new to this group, I live in Orleans and was diagnosed with BC last July. I've since had a mastectomy with SNB, chemo (AC/T) and had a full axillary dissection yesterday. I am hoping to have reconstruction this fall...are there any good surgeons in Ottawa?
Hope all is well with all of you!
0 -
Hey overwhelmed,
Welcome to Ottawa. Gee, this cancer stuff is a B... What a road to travel, but you're in good company. Right now, many of us here are having reconstructive surgery, different kinds and with different doctors,so lots of brains with information and bodies with experience.
Tomorrow, I'm scheduled for mx and pedicle tram, not enough tummy fat. So I tell you how that went. There are women who have had DIEP and implants.. And many of us are going through that now.
Well, off for that dreaded injection. Take care.0 -
Mich, and Sandi, best of luck with your surgeries. Sandi I know you are at the general tomorrow, then the civic the. next, right. Mich are you at the riverside? Gee we are so lucky to have so many good hospitals in our city. I lived in Colorado Springs CO and there was only two hospitals. It was a big city too.
Overwhelmed, I too live in Orleans, in South Chapple Hills. welcome.
Red, I looked for you at the hospital today. I saw a lady who i thought might be you..I had half my staples removed today. My DH says it looks twice as good now...They are quite happy with my progress. But my foot still is numb.
0 -
Red, I was there at 10......everything is going well, had 30cc fill.
0 -
So yesterday I went to buy some new tensor bandage to wrap myself in. It was $10 at walmart and they also had the self stick style that was $8. Then I remembered that we sell what is called Vet Wrap at the store where I work. It is the self stick style, but it is only $2.50 a roll (I get it much cheaper). It works wonderfully. It holds well and I even wrapped it up my tummy and it holds better that that binder. It it hugs the body.and is so much more comfy than the binder. My binder rides up and bags at the top. I looked at getting a smaller size one, but it was super expensive. I think this will work out well.
0 -
Hi 'overwhelmedmom' and welcome to the Ottawa group. I live in Greely. Just wondering why your nodes were just removed yesterday. Why the long wait? As Sandi said many of us are just going through recon now and seem to be having different types with different plastic surgeons so feel free to fire away with your questions.
I just had implants put in yesterday. All went well. Surgery time was about an hour and 20 minutes.Can't take bandages off til tomorrow…I'm a little nervous about seeing the new foobs. Trying to manage my expectations, plus I hear it takes about 3 months for them to settle in. I'm sore but nothing compared to a mastectomy or DIEP/pedicle recon I'm sure. Didn't get much sleep last night so just lazing on the couch today. PS did some lipo around the underarm areas, and was going to do some pocket work to move one implant closer to centre and move the other one down a bit. Hoping they're not lopsided.
Michele - Yes we're very lucky to have our hospitals. My first 2 surgeries were at the Civic and the last 3 were at the General.How are you feeling? Good to hear that you're getting out a bit.
Sandi - hope your SNB went well yesterday and I'm saying a prayer for you today and wishing you all the best with the mx and recon. Hope to hear from you soon.
Red - glad your fill went well.
0 -
Hi everyone!
I've been very busy with work and family stuff I barely had time to breathe! I just read the last few posts and WOW! everyone is getting new boobs! I had my last apt with my BS until I meet with the onc and then I'll be able to figure out timeline for the other Mx and recon! How long has the wait been for you ladies? I was told I am no longer a priority since the cancer is removed so it might be a little longer... I bought a prosthesis and bra for now so I don't have to be self concious in public, looks pretty good!
Friday I meet the oncologists and hope that no chemo and no radiation will be the word!
Mich_M; Did you have a choice for recon? And if so what were the options?
Sandi - Thinking about you today, sending you positive and healthy thoughts
Red - Hope you keep getting better
Michele - Sounds like everything went pretty good with your surgery? I was tempted to use the self stick bandages as well but was affraid it would cause problems with the incision...
Welcome to the new ladies! Wish we didn't have to meet here but at least were not alone in this boat!
Be well everyone!
Caro
0 -
Caro - who is your oncologist?
Re timeline, I had my first mx in Nov 2009, got a referral late Jan to see the PS and had an appt early April. I couldn't decide at that apt what type of recon I wanted so took some more time to think about it. Went back to see PS early June 2010 and confirmed I wanted a prophy mx and expanders/implants in both. My surgery was in Nov 2010 done by the BS and PS together.
0 -
Hi Mich_M
My oncologists are Dr Meng and Price. So it took about 6 months to get second Mx and recon? That's pretty reasonnable... When I told the bs that I was hoping to have second Mx and recon done by this summer he chuckled... saying i was very optimistic ! So I took that as meaning that I probably would have to wait much longer.....
At least the cancer is gone from my body... can't complain knowing that others are in much more serious situations...
Still Iwould LOVE to have new boobies for the summer.. Never had much and they were looking very tired after breastfeeding 3 babies so it would be nice to have brand new perky ones for the summer!
Can't wait for Friday to be over with and call Bs to schedule next Mx and recon!
0 -
How it worked for me was once I met with the PS and decided what I wanted as far as recon goes, then her office called the BS' office to coordinate a surgery time.
0 -
hey Mich_M, I had to wait for chemo to be finished before they would go back in and get the remaining nodes
Did you ladies have radiation? I was told I'd have to wait 6-12 months after radiation was done before they'd consider new boobs. I don't know much about the process but meet Dr. Rockwell in March...any good questions I should ask? Any advice would be welcomed
Hope you ladies are doing well. Thanks for letting me join in the discussion
0 -
I waited about two years after rads to get rocon. I wasn't quite ready, but both PSs told me that I needed time for my skin to heal. I got consults with both Guey and Rockwell. Rockwell was pushing TE & implant. I didn't want that. I wanted my own tissue to be used. Guey does an info session you should go to if you can. It will give you all your options and then you can sign up to see him if you want, or walk out with a whole bunch of info. No commitment. There is also a site he has which might help. I will try to find it or you.
0 -
www.breastreconstructioncanada.ca
here it is
0 -
Thanks Michele! Many options to choose from! Do you know where I can find out about for the info session?
0 -
thanks Michele..that's very helpful!!!
0 -
I got a referable from my ONC. Guey does them every three months at the civic. I missed the first one as I was busy, but they called me when he was having his next one. His staff is amazing. Like I said I my DH and I went for the 1 1/2 hour session with about 12 other women. He tells you about all your options and you can ask lots of questions. When it was done I was able to book my consult with him for about a month later. Then after my first face to face visit with him I booked my surgery which was 3 months later. Some ladies left without booking a conslut. In the mean time I saw Rockwell as well. Some say he has no bedside manner, but I have to say he is great. I had a slight complication at the hospital. He was called and he was there in less than five minutes. Every hour they had to check with a Doppler my breast. It was going well, until the Doppler wouldn't pick up any sound. Two surgeons and one nurse tried several Doppler's, tried changing batteries and even pulled out a new one. They thought they were going to have to take me back to the OR. Then Guey can in to check and remembered he had trouble with the Doppler in that same room last week. Turns out it was interference from some tower so they moved me to a different room. Voila, it worked.
0 -
Caro46- my ps is dr guay also, everytime I go for my check up, he comes in, and I say hey Nick.....how's it going...he has such a big cute smile....yes yes he is attractive. Lol
Ok enough of that hahahha, he is great, but he is fast so have all questions written out before hand.
I'm doing good, failed diep, but have the te expandable permanent implant .
So far I've been doing well and don't complain of any pain like most of the te woman. Maybe once my fills get larger I might, but I'm taking it easy.....
My ab scar is good, still have ab swelling, so I still wear spanks. Go back to work on Monday, I could have gone a week earlier but y not take the Time off.0 -
Overwhelmed….recon decisions are really about personal preference and the PS you see will also have his/her preferred recon based on your situation. Doesn't hurt to get a couple of opinions…take your time and ask a lot of questions. My PS is Dr Rockwell….I like her alot and have heard good things about her from BS, ONC and hospital staff during surgery time.
0 -
I must say...my breast surgeon who did the masectomy and my radiologist both reccommeded dr Rockwell. They didn't push dr guay.....I don't know why.....but regardless I still think he is the best in the city for diep...
I have heard dr Rockwell is the best for implants... But like many have said, get more than one opinion.0 -
Mich- how Long did it take for u to reach your size in the te...? Was urs painful. So far I've not had any discomfort or pain during and after fills.
0 -
Hey Girls! I'm still here. Sorry for not staying in better contact.
NIN - Glad ur doing well
Ur a trooper! My docs seem to all prefer Rockwell. None seem happy with Guays priorities..?
i am leaning towards the least invasive recon. TEs and implants. So it probably doesn't matter who does it, since it so simple... ? I'll find out soon! I get to c Guay and Rockwell at the end of this month
My back/rib pain is still bothering me! I've had 4 docs tell me it not serious, you don't have terminal cancer blah blah blah! Y am still not convinced?! It seems like they don't understand the severity of my pain. Everytime I c the doc, I'm not in much pain. But, the flare-ups come on so randomly and hard!!! Couple nights ago, I got a flare up and all I could do to "relieve" my pain was cry and roll on the floor! I have a "tolerance" to pain meds. Dilaudid and Morphine don't work... just make me ill and cracked out. I gotta keep pushing! I c my family doc soon, and my onc in April. I kinda demanded that I c onc. every 3 months instead of 6.
I am working hard to get this pain under control so it won't delay recon! I'm doing massage, physio, yoga, aerobics, pain meds, resting...!
0 -
So I spent the past 9 hours in emerge. I was having pains behind my knee. I was worried that it was a blood clot. So one blood test and one ultrasound later, I find out it is only a pulled ligament...phew. Sucks to spend the day like that.
0 -
Yes it sucks but at least you got good news:) Well worth the time. Could it have been the ligament that was causing your foot to be numb?
Red - I had an infection the first time, had to have the TE removed, then wait 3 months for a new one. In the meantime fills on the good side stopped while I was waiting for the other one. New TE went in end of June 2011. Can't remember exactly when I got my first fill but assume it was the 1st or 2nd week of July and the last fills were Sept 22nd…so about 3.5 months. I didn't always go weekly though, depending on the clinic appts available and of it was closed for holidays for at least a couple of weeks in the summer so I went about 3 or 4 weeks without a fill.
NannaBaby - I"m sorry you're in such pain. I hope you can get it under control soon.
0 -
Mich- I know u waited a long time for ur exchange, but under clothes you couldn't tell u had a te in right?
Michelle- sux 9 hrs.....but hey not bad news in the end
Diane- have u had a MRI yet?0 -
Hello ladies it's Alice in wonderland! LOL
So I went to see the oncs today and was thrown off by what they had to say..... I will be on Tamoxifen for 5 yrs and in two weeks I go back to see if I have to have chemo ... I know from their point of view it#s good news it was caught so early etc... but I was expecting answers today not in two weeks!!! I#m not complaining about thwe dr#s but just frustrated I have to wait again!
Blahhhhhhhh
0 -
Sorry about the big font... don't know how it happened and I really don't want to re-type everything...
0 -
Caro- waiting game sux big time , but at least ur in good hands now.
0 -
Sorry to hear you're waiting again Caro….did the Dr say what he/she was waiting for to make the decision re chemo?
Red - with clothes on the TEs aren't noticeable.
0 -
Mich_M; I have to wait for my oncotype... According to the Dr it's a good thing I can have the test done because they can prevent further cancer as opposed to waiting to see if it ever comes back of if a new cancer develops... At least that's what I understood...
Who's had or is on Tamoxifen? How is it?
0 -
I didn't know we had the oncotype test available here now….must be new? It's good that you're able to get it.
I'm on tamoxifen for 2 years now. I haven't had any noticeable issues except hot flashes/night sweats.
0
