I look for other flat chested women. A rant.
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I had some PT to teach me correct workouts. I am a DEFINITELY FOR SURE proponent of massage for the massage to eradicate scar tissue. IT WORKS. My sweet hubby gave me 6 personal trainer sessions at the local YMCA for Christmas. I have had three. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sore. Hopefully I will be able to deduce the RIGHT work out for me. I am definitely feeling maybe a tiny bit of MT1 is believing. At 56, I am on board to get BUFF on all the body parts I have left!!!!!!!!!
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Agree on the exercise. Since I do have mild LE, I exercise carefully and with a sleeve and gauntlet on, but it can be done. Mel posted the study already, and I was so happy when I found that thing, because otherwise all the doctors were pretty much saying that I could never again lift so much as a pot of water.
Regular exercise definitely improves general well-being in all kinds of ways, and it may even ward of recurrence.
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Interview of The Scar Project photographer, David Jay, and Barbie, who is one of the SCAR girls and one of our Flat And Fabulous tribe.
Barbara
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Rosanna, Crystal, Outfield: I also have that tightness across my chest from scars, am over a year out from surgery. I have had a wonderful PT and also a massage therapist I now work with, both use myofascial release techniques. It is a way to put stretch across the scar, hold it for at least 90 seconds (less than that allows tissue to go back to where it was before the stretch). I had been miserable with the neuropathic pain and tightness, it got much worse after my last wide excision for local recurrence, and I now know it was because I huddled up, hunched my shoulders, kind of "guarding" - and the chest got about 1000 percent worse! Back to PT and massage therapy, after 3 months I have a pain level of around 4 each morning rather than 8. And some days even better than that. I was using pain pills for the flare-up of the neuropathic pain, but have just had it with all the SEs from all the meds, so quit ALL of them last week, including pain pills. Am doing better with just walking, stretching, mindfulness-based pain and anxiety approach.
I am going for another injection of the intercostobrachial nerve today to see if I can get that miserable hypersensitivity on the back side of my arm under control - I keep thinking if that happens, I might actually feel almost normal again, now that the chest is doing better.
For anyone asking recently about reasons for not doing reconstruction, I just have the same reasons most of the others have posted here, so no need to repeat, just say "Ditto!"0 -
Starak, I was going to post the same thing. I love that she is a marine and called Barbie, lol.
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I don't mind not having boobs, but I wear prostheses because my tummy protrudes somewhat, and going flat makes me look like Alfred Hitchcock in profile!
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Yes, my DH pointed out that if both were gone, the highest profile would be tummy.
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Just need the right clothes. Although I really don't care if I look like old Alfred.
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Fern-as long as you consistantly workout on a regular schedule, once you have begun, the soreness will abate and will not return.
This is the link to the online trainer I use: http://www.myomytv.com
Here are a few of my fav weightlifting/fitness sites:
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Barbara, thanks for posting the SCAR Project link. I've spent the afternoon surfing from thread to another to read a lot more about it. The SCAR Project has given me a new perspective about my own. It's been difficult to find positive aspects to having cancer. A big glaring one that I missed seeing before viewing the pictures and reading the stories of these amazingly strong young women is that I have lived 70 years cancer free. It's difficult to even imagine the toll this disease has taken on their young lives, as well of those who love them.
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Thanks MT1. I believe the extreme soreness was/is caused by
the PLANKS. I repeated them tonight....oh yea, THAT was it.
Granellie. I agree...BC is horrible but from my "aged" perspective, my heart goes out to the younger gals.0 -
Grannie and Fern, you are so kind! I was told I was "still young" at the time of my diagnosis, so "full court press" was recommended. My mother was diagnosed and treated about 19 years ago, and did very well, has had a remarkable life. I was not so lucky - my cancer has not been controlled, I am facing life-long treatment according to my MO, and some days am so discouraged by the prospect of never feeling good again because every drug I have been put on has caused miserable SEs. Some days I have been very jealous of all my mom's friends who are in their 70s to 90s, that they are still active and relatively healthy, loving life. I want to get that attitude, I want more healthy years (but I DON'T want the rest of my life to be filled with pain and adverse drug effects), I want to be able to retire and play like they do. I have worked hard all my life, most of it in 60-70 hour work weeks, always thinking I would "take time for ME" when I retired. Stupid thinking, I know... everyone says to stop and smell the roses every day .... anyway, I just want to thank you for recognizing this. Please forgive me for being jealous, for having such negative thoughts. I have to confess this almost every Sunday - well, OK, EVERY Sunday. I am truly trying to move on, and knowing that there are at least a couple of women out there who understand has really helped me understand that it's probably OK for me to feel a little "cheated" but now it's time to get myself picked up and do something I enjoy each day while I can. Thank you.
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Linda - I so understand how cheated you must feel. Finding something to enjoy out of life each day is so important. We're here for venting.
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Linda-n3: This forum, more than most others, is FILLED with like-minded gals . . and on this forum, at any given time, at least one of us is in a LISTENING mood . . . . vent, whine, complain all you want . . . when I personally am unable to "listen", others will be here . . . I hope you get to the point in your journey that you can logically weigh the consequences of treatment/non-treatment and get to PEACE. That is one thing, thus far in this journey for me, that I am learning - ENJOY today. ENJOY the normal. ENJOY the mundane and boring. ENJOY everything around me. HUGS TO YOU THIS DAY.
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gone
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So I was browsing the Saks shopping site and we are very fashionable
this was the model in the header:
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Oh, I could so totally pull this look off if I was about 5 inches taller, LOL! I am 5 ft 1 in tall, 90 lbs, and would so love to be "tall and lanky" rather than "short" or "petite"! But I am working with what I have.... LOL!
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If you are only 90 lbs, then you could still do that style. They also had a jumpsuit in an uneven polka dot fabric, white on black, with short sleeves and a full leg, that I thought would be perfect for summer, with or without foobs. It cost some ridiculous amount, but I figure I can copy it myself for a fraction of that cost.
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YEAH!! I've determined to find a dress for my DD's wedding that will look good without foobs.
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Alexandria, that is why I was browsing the site, to find some summer dresses and things that would work with or without foobs. Because I am a cheapskate, i wasn't planning to buy it from Saks, but they have a ton of stuff, so it is a good place to find inspiration.
I don't know what your build is like, but Theory and DKNY have similar halter-type dresses that I think would look excellent on a flat chest:
But this kind of thing, cut above the bust and with some detail, ought to work as well:
Basic print approach:
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I must report "success" with making a camisole from a slip as described and instructed at http://mastectomysolutions.com/. I am going to make the microbead foobs as well - haven't gotten to that. I constructed the camisole tuesday evening, and wore it all day with my "heavy" foobs yesterday - no problems whatsoever with discomfort in the normal areas created by elastic in other undergarments purchased. I have the cami on today as well. I am very encouraged that there is a comfortable option. I will say, though, when trying it on on tuesday evening, I put in only one foob, and looked at my side-profile from left and right side (one without foob, one with) and because I was an "A" cup before hand, and purchased (expensive) small foobs, the difference is NOT that great . . . logically, I should NOT be noticed . . .
I said all that to say - I am still struggling with the decision of going flat all the time . . . I believe I will rest in someone's previous post about the decision every day being much like what clothes you care to wear that day - flat or not - just depends on the mood.
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Fern, great that you found a solution that works. My profile with foobs is also extremely modest in size. I refuse to sweat it in any way. For the time being I mostly feel more comfortable with modest foobs. I have a feeling it will change down the road, but I am not pushing it either way.
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Hi all, I am usually just a lurker on this (my favorite) thread. The discussion about exercise brought me out into the open. One of the things that struck me the most about my treatment was how little consideration was given to function over form. Questions like “how will splitting my pectorals to insert an expander impact my ability to perform” seemed to be received by my doctors as something that came out of left field from me. And, MT1 and Momine, don’t even get me started on advice to avoid certain activities.
One of my PT friends interviewed me about my experiences because she is hoping to put something together for health care professionals to get them to consider that women have active, dynamic lives and people treating us should assume we want to resume them after treatment. This is a very early rough cut she worked on a while back, and I felt like sharing it even though there are some things that might be insensitive because they are strictly from my viewpoint. One thing that you can see in the film (in addition to my ridiculous glasses!) is that my back is full of fluid (truncal swelling) in the beginning, but in the next couple of months it is all gone due to the paddling. Almost none of that is related to weight loss. Also, now, many months later, paddling is the way I keep my LE at bay, if I am relatively inactive (like over the holidays) I can feel it start to return a bit. As you can see, I am flat and thankfully so, because when I asked the PS what would happen when I flexed to take a stroke, she said that my expander would likely jump a bit. Anyway, I am now (one year later) competing full force and it has really helped me emotionally as well as helping to control the LE (which developed during chemo). Thought I would share since you have all shared pics, videos, etc., and I appreciate what you have shared.
This focuses on LE, but I do agree that it is archaic that people would think women should be OK with limiting their activities to the extent some professionals recommend. Obviously there are some great, knowledgeable pros out there, but some still think the biggest thing we have to work towards is how we can get back to vacuuming our floors.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD69ufUqq7U
cheers,
Anne
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Anne, great video and thanks for posting it. I hope you can get it distributed widely, because it makes a whole bunch of excellent points. I will send it to my PT for starters.
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Alexandria...there is a pic of my dress for my son's wedding on page 43. No foob needed. It was very comfortable. People wouldn't have known I had no boobs if my son didn't mention it during his speech!
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Anne (Cooka): WAY TO GO - so thankful you found a solution to your desire to be strong . . .
I did not have lymph nodes taken (except sentinel) - and have not had lymphodema . . . but I understand this is HUGE deal for many. HUGS to you all.
I am reminded of the "other" thing that we BC gals do not talk about - my hubby had prostectomy - "NERVE SPARING" - and it was moderately successful (I know, TMI) - but here's the point - we are cut open, things are removed, with NO THOUGHT about the nerve damage or sensitivity deadening that occurs during the surgery - - WHY IS THAT?
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Pip, that made me chuckle, that your son mentioned your missing boobs in his speech.
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Pip, and Momine - I too chuckled . . . it's like "son, did you NOT get the memo????"
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Anne,
What an inspiring video. If you haven't already, I hope you'll also post it on the Lymphedema forum, too. I'm sure the women there would be very interested in seeing it.
Barbara
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