new and future flat sister, with questions
Comments
-
Hi all, am just amazed at what some of you go through. I remember my parents speaking of frozen pipes and wind chill when they were still at home in Scotland, but I've never experienced it myself. Prb, I'd be like a mad woman too, I can relate to that throwing stuff about too. What a pain in the ass Holiday you've had. I sure hope it starts to thaw soon.
Quiet here today. I hope everyone is keeping warm and is home safe.
I can't imagine driving in those conditions. I used to get whiteout fog on the freeway when I was driving to the Airport in the early hours. I was so scared because it was so eerie, and you had no idea where you were. The huge interstate trucks would just appear out of no where. It makes me get goosebumps to think about it.
Zills, great advice from you about the children and explaining what to expect after surgery.
I can still picture you skating those floors! You are so resourceful! I wonder if the closets got cleared out?
I got rid of lots of bags of stuff when my guests left, but still have more to put on Ebay. I am like you gB, just can't get motivated to do it. I should just bite the bullet and decide to do 10 items a week. That's doable isn't it!
Thinking about everyone else, hoping bobo is getting stronger. gramwe, I miss you. I hope all is well where you are.
Been very slack, and haven't done the Rites since the guests arrived, I must get back into it. Makes me feel good, but find it too easy not to do it. What is that about?
Eye is improving, but it is going to be a slow process. Had it looked at yesterday by Optometrist because of the constant freaking out of everyone I have come in contact with, but was reassured it is just a bad bleed in the sclera. It has been ridiculous, even strangers have been irked out by it. I have more "OMG! What happened to you?" than you can imagine. One of my girlfriends kept saying "Oh yeah, I have had heaps of those happen to me, not a problem!" I sent her a close up "selfie" taken on my phone and she phoned me right away in shock! Ha Ha She had to concede defeat! Not a prize I actually want:)
Well, time to get up and organized...I will check back later....M x
0 -
sgc, you have it all together there. So glad to hear you've got people to help you after the surgery. How wonderful to have someone there who cooks! You'll get the opportunity to rest. I bet you'll still find yourself overdoing it, like we all did:)
We all "get" your fear. I can't stress enough, and the others will agree that it isn't anywhere as bad as our imagination cooks up! We don't do fear of the unknown very well, do we? What is it that always takes us to the dark side? And, thank you DH, for that little pearl of wisdom! Not! LOL
We are all going to be there in the bag for you, and with you! M x
0 -
Hello all !!
Just a bit of "sick humor for the day " Mods sorry but sometimes just can't help myself !!!
SGC728 - Wishing you well for Monday
PRB - Glad as well that the pipes are ok
Zills - Glad the DH is home safe
Just a boring day here listing crap on EBAY . GrammaB it is a thankless job !!!
For you Marika addicts. I found another new brand I like . It is call Sweaty Betty (originated in London) . A bit more pricey than Marika but the quality is great. My 81 year old mother (that calls her boobs hanging baskets) asks me "is that a line of clothing for women going through the change"? I just said yup as sometimes trying to explain to her is more trouble !!
Hope everyone in the cold is staying warm. Spookie most of us are jealous of your weather. Crap keyboard issues again , posting before I lose this !!!
0 -
Sgc, My mx was about 4pm (more complicated case than expected ahead of me) and I went home the next morning about 10:00. I was ready to go. Don't forget a bed pillow to put between you and the seat belt. DSIL sounds like a find. I was lucky that DH is a great cook and took good care of me. Just remember to rest, even when you feel great.
0 -
When are we going to hear from Bobo? I'm worried that she's just feeling really depressed. I want to hear that she's angry and flying her punk flag and her PS is in danger. (((((((BOBO)))))))
0 -
Hi Fiaranch! Boy am I glad we have $1 coins!
You do Ebay too? It isn't the "sport" it used to be. I get so annoyed with the time wasters, and there seems to always be one, no matter how many listings you have there is always that one, thorn in the side. Do you get that, or is it just here in Aus?
Wren, I am with you. I want the Punk Princess back too!
I too, was out first thing next morning, about 16 hours after I got back from surgery. I couldn't wait to go home, even dropped in to a Mall for some shopping on the way.
As Wren says,Sgc, make sure you rest, even if you feel like you can do anything. I felt like I was bulletproof! Seriously, but I'd feel a nap coming on and that was the end of me. I'd nod off mid sentence! but then I'd be up and at 'em like there was nothing wrong. Poor Bec, who had come to look after me had trouble keeping up. I am sure a lot of it was adrenaline, because I was terrified before the surgery. M x
0 -
Sorry. I think I got some of you guys mixed up as far as children's ages go. Can we blame it on being housebound with two little kids and not chemo brain?
0 -
Zills, glad DH got home safe and sound! Excellent suggestion re telling/preparing the kids.
sgc, it sounds like you have everything covered. Great that you have so much family to help. I'll just echo what everyone else has already said: the sx will be nothing compared to what you have been imagining and worrying about; and try to rest a lot, don't over do or push your self. (the second one, not so easy to do...) I too came home the next morning. 24 hr in hospital and I was amazed at what I could do right away, though DD kept trying to make me stop!
Ariom, I ran my DD ragged trying to keep me down too!
Man, I really need to work up some enthusiasm for eBay!! That extra money coming in really helps! Must get to work, must get to work, must.......sigh.
I too hope we will see our bobo soon. And gramwe, starting to worry things are not so good for the OG. Hope not!
Hugs!
0 -
I too went home the next morning... my surgery was 7 AM got to my room around 1 PM and was up walking around at 3 PM and ready to go home by 5 PM!! Give DH a good slap for even bringing that up!! You have the most important thing covered... home cooked food! Glad you got your SN straightened out... but sorry you had to be stressed over it!
Fia, laughed my arse off over that... and I will think of it next time I touch a dollar bill.. so thanks for that.
Zils, smart of you not to try mopping.. did it Sunday and I struggled quite a bit... should have skated it! Just wasn't quite ready for that.
How's everybody doing with the cold.. hope there are no frozen pipes and no loss of power. We had a high today of 18 degrees with a mind numbing (literally) wind.. I can't even imagine what you guys are going through with the 30 belows.
Viv, hope your first day back was positive.
I texted with Bobo a little bit earlier, she appears to be doing much better.. but we both agreed not to talk about it so she won't get jinxed.. but she does seem to be in much better spirits and hopefully the worst is behind her.
posting.
0 -
M, I don't think you should do any exercising or any heavy lifting until that eye heals, which I sure hope is soon.
I hate this time of the year when the holidays are over and there is still a good deal of winter remaining.
0 -
I came home the next day after bmx too. Be SURE you have that pillow for the seatbelt. That's more important than food! Cause you won't get to the food.
A. sorry to hear about your eye. Can you wear sunglasses to cut down the stares?
It was 35 this morning. Yeah, I know that's a whole lot "warmer" than other parts of the country, it's still friggin cold. The growers are spraying the crops hoping to save them.
0 -
I'm so happy to live on the Oregon coast. 50 and raining!
0 -
Hi Linda
50 sounds real good right about now! Oregon is one of the places I've always wanted to visit.Spookiesmom, 35 is friggin cold! For what you guys are used to, it must seem like zero... hope you are staying warm!!!
0 -
SGC - I went home the same day. Surgery was at 8:00AM, I was out of the hospital at 2:30PM! I felt fine after (still frozen!), was chatting away and feeling great. The pain was manageable with the painkillers, so the only effect was from a comfort perspective (trying to sleep, dealing with the drains), so nothing huge. Like everyone says, we're more stressed beforehand due to the fear of the unknown but it is truly not bad. I am so glad you have all this help and support, that's fantastic!!
PRB - wow, you went through a lot of hassle in the past weeks! Did you have a generator to deal with those days of outage? You're a trooper and I hope the coming days are more relaxing!
Zills - you just seem like such a strong person, managing this household brilliantly while dealing with SE/fatigue from all the treatments you went through and coping with the stress of a MIA DH! I'm glad he's back home safe and sound, and it's good that you confirmed that you can manage on your own!
M and gB - good luck with your eBay adventures, you have more patience than I do!
Fiaranch - thanks for the laugh, you always have a little pearl of humor or a great rant to make our day!
Glad to hear bobo is feeling better!
Idesim - yeah, this winter is really testing us. We're fed up now, imagine how we'll feel in Feb!
Linda and Spookiesmom - Enjoy your weather!
DS's school was cancelled today due to the cold (-24C, -39C with windchill), it's the first time I hear of school cancellation in a Canadian city due to temperature, as opposed to a snowstorm. He's only in SK so I don't have much experience with the current school system yet, but his little French schoolboard was the only one closed today in Toronto. I hope it doesn't mean that us French can't put up with the cold as well as the English?
He came with me to my physio appointment, he was sooo patient since it lasted an hour! The appointment was very good, the PT got rid of some of the cording in my right arm and I will see her again on Friday to hopefully get further improvement. She also measured my arms for LE since I have slight swelling in this famous right arm. We will just try to improve it with lymphatic massages (don't know where I will find the time to do all these plus the stretches when I go back to work!), and if there's no improvement in 1-2 weeks, I might see a specialist.
Hugs to all!
0 -
Spookie, I appreciate how cold that is for you peeps in FL. I really understand the damage it can do to the orange crops and to your economy. Once upon a time what that cold would do to the cost of oranges/OJ would have worried me, but since they are off the table as far as what I can eat, not so much any more....
0 -
It's not just the oranges, it's strawberries too. Next month there will be the annual, and old, Plant City Strawberry Festival. It's a really big deal, goes for about 10 days. Top country artists perform. If the fields can't survive, the price of berries goes WAY up, the festival looses $$, nobody's happy.
0 -
Didn't realize about the strawberries. Having spent most of my life in CA most of the strawberries I ever consumed came from there. Really hope the crops can survive the cold.
0 -
Spookiesmom, cant believe you mentioned the strawberry festival! my friends have a time share condo in Florida and every year they go to the strawberry festival and enjoy all the good music. I was just having coffee with her yesterday and she showed me schedule of entertainers and a big plus was she had strawberry jam from there, she actually brought some berries home and made jam... yummy. Would love to attend someday.. do you go? hope your weather warms up down south,, ya know we are equipped for it, not that we enjoy it but we do know what to expect when the deep freeze hits us. This is sure an unusual winter, tomorrow we are to get to about 20-30 above, which is a switch because we have been those digits only below!!
0 -
Hi all.. quiet day here! I hope M is ok.. not like her not to poke her nose in.
I was hoping to see that Bobogirl had posted.. I was so swamped today and just got in from my Herceptin treatment, so I didn't get a chance to text her to see how she's doing.
It's still COLD COLD COLD!!! I think tomorrow we start to warm up a bit.
One of my co-workers has been stranded in the Dominican Republic...she went for 10 days the day after Christmas and has been unable to get home! I feel so bad for her... NOT! It was 81 degrees there yesterday. The poor girl though, using up more personal days that she'll feel when summertime comes, not to mention the additional expense of additional days of hotel and on top of it. Still... 81 degrees sounds like heaven to me
0 -
Was hoping to see something from bobo too. She'll post when she is ready. That really sux for your co-worker....yeah, no....except for the personal days she is using up.
0 -
TeeHee. No I've never gone to the Festival, it's only about an hour from me. I don't like those red, tasteless, smell less, hockey pucks they pass off as strawberries. Supposed to be red all through, smell and taste like a strawberry. I grew up in Ohio produce grew in dirt and had taste. Plus, the last I heard, was about 6.50 for a TINY dish of shortcake. In the winter Fl supplies a lot of the produce for the country. It's yucky. Tomatoes are a joke.
0 -
Hi all! I knew you'd be wondering where I was. Here I am ldesim!
We had a phone call from a friend, who Colin knew well from the yacht club he belonged to in Melbourne, he was with his new lady and had been holidaying in Canberra. We invited them to drop in on their way home, yesterday afternoon, long story short, we were still sitting outside, eating and drinking at midnight. We couldn't let them go, so they stayed overnight and have only just left, to take a good look around Paynesville before going home to Melbourne.
It was a great night and this woman, who we met for the first time, was fabulous, she has her own hairdressing business in a very upmarket suburb in Melbourne, but she is burnt out from the stress of 25 years running her business. She told me how stressed she is and how it is affecting her. I told her my story and how I believe the stress was certainly a contributor
She slept late, and then I found her sitting outside, on a banana lounge, with Dex in her lap, watching the boats go by. Dex adores her and just gave me a sleepy one eye glance through the Rod Stewart spiky bangs. Spoiled Dog! LOL She said she could get used to this and couldn't believe how relaxed she felt. I told her it is a magic place and she better be careful because it can seduce you! That's how it got us!
I hope everyone is OK from your terrible freezing weather. It is on our news every night, just unbelievable.
Sorry to hear about the co worker stranded in the Dominican Republic, but hey 81 degrees makes it more bearable. I hear you about the loss of days though, that's a shame.
Speaking of Strawberries, I was about to pick my little crop in a few days and a bloody Possum has eaten them all! I don't get it, the lettuce and tomatoes are all there and in perfect, ready to eat condition. Thankfully it doesn't touch them, or any of my herbs, but the those big juicy Strawberries must have called him!
Well, off to strip that bed again....chat later! M x
0 -
Linda, I could do with some of your rain! I have to drag a sprinkler around the back yard every few days. I am waiting for a system to be put in, but for the moment it's me!
0 -
I'm glad you had a good visit M! How's the eye doing? Sounds like Dex made a new friend. MyGF's daughter runs a salon.. albeit on a smaller scale, and she finds it very stressful as well. I suppose any self run business would be.
I can sleep soundly now that I know you are ok!
Good night ladies.. have a wonderful day M.
0 -
Hi ldesim! The eye is slightly better, starting to change color a bit, like a bruise, it has a yellow tinge now and not so black at the bottom, very unatractive! It's still scary, the people visiting did the "gasp" when they saw it outside in the light before my transition lenses went dark. LOL
I took your advice and didn't do to much exercise. You're right, of course, at the Hospital they said it could have been caused from coughing or sneezing or lifting something heavy. I'll stick to the walking for a bit. I thought I's be smart and do the "ramps of death" in reverse, so I took Dex up our street along to the ramps. He couldn't work out where we were going because we usually only finish our walk that way. We got to the ramps and I kid you not, it was worse going down than coming up. Big mistake! There was a bit of sand on them, so my feet just kept slipping, and steep, I can't tell you how steep they are, I had to lean back and hold on to both rails to navigate them. They would have to be the worst design I have ever come across and wouldn't have been a cheap build. Poor Dex was sliding too. Sleep tight...M x
0 -
Well the last time I posted I was trying to save the implants, but the inevitable has arrived. I will be having my implants removed on Tuesday due to numerous infections, pain, draining. Just a few questions as I have never been without breast. Wanted to know if anyone has gone from implants to flat? Do you have drains after surgery? What is the recovery time? I know these are all things I have asked my dr but would like your input as well. As far as prosthetics go do most of you go without or wear them and are the comfortable? Just like most of you made a decision to not have reconstruction. I had made a decision not to be flat so mentally, physically and emotionally it has taken its toll on me. Just the unknown is what I am nervous about. My health comes first and I am sick of being sick.
0 -
Hi Togetherness. Hope the explant helps all the infection and pain go away. There's a woman named Sunflowers MA who had hers removed. She could probably give you some idea of what it's like. I'm a uni, so wear a prosthesis (foob) when I leave the house. The foob isn't uncomfortable, but is a bit heavy, so I wear a pretty firm bra. I would love to ditch the bra. Ariom is the foob expert on here; she has a foob moire to hold them all. You probably can't wear foobs until you're healed. In the meantime scarves are your friend. Most of the women here say no one notices they're flat.
0 -
Togetherness, I am sorry things didn't work out the way you had hoped, but at least now you will heal and be healthy. I had my BMX in August and yes, I did choose right from the start not to have recon, so I can't answer any of your explant questions. But I can tell you about going flat. I have several mastectomy bras and two sets of prostheses, but have never worn them out in public. One set are contacts and I have to wait one more month before trying them. The silicon ones I have worn around the house some. I found them heavy and uncomfortable and I always felt like one foob was higher than the other. I couldn't bring myself to wear them in public. That uneven problem may be solved by the contacts we'll see.
At first when I went out flat, I felt like everyone could tell, even with a scarf. But after a few times, I realized no one really noticed. One thing I found is wearing bolder prints and patterns around the neckline distracts/fools the eye. Ruffles work too, but I was never a ruffle type person. I wear camis under my shirts or crew neck sleeveless t-shirts, it is so comfy and freeing not to have to wear a bra any more! As Summer turned to Fall vests partially zipped w/or w/out scarves worked. By Fall I was often going out with just the vest or a light sweater and no one noticed and I didn't feel the least self conscious any more. Now that it is Winter, everyone has on so many layers inside and outside that you can't tell if someone is flat or not anyway. Come Spring and Summer I expect to be going out just with tanks and shirts and an occasional scarf.
There are women that are very flat naturally and no one pays them any mind either. It will take some time because flat was not your first choice, but I hope you will be able to come to terms with it and embrace the flatness. And the foobs too if you choose! (((hugs)))
0 -
I have only worn the foobs twice to a wedding and a funeral. More self conscious than being flat. May feel differently this summer as I won't be doing chemo or rads. But the rest of the year, no one can really tell. I'm not self conscious at home and my family doesn't care.
I chose to be flat from the get go. My DH thought I might want implants but after my BMX, agreed no more surgeries. The sensation won't come back so I see no need for surgeries if it doesn't bother me or I can make do with foobs. Going braless is nice. I can say I didn't look in the mirror for about three weeks.
I'm sorry you are here but remember your health is priceless. I'm sure you are ready to get out and do things and not be sick. It does take time to get your head wrapped around it.
0 -
Hi Togetherness,
I'm so sorry you have got to have your implants out! I had to have one of mine removed after a severe infection. They drained 770mls of fluid off my left hand side and the infection had gone down my back and was making it's way into my leg! Like you I was fed up of being ill and wanted the left one removed! Had I been in any frame of mind I would have had them both removed but opted in a split second to only do one! Hindsight is a wonderful thing! I was so poorly and couldn't wait to get rid of the offender! So afterwards I had a drain in that I came home with. I was off work for about another 4 weeks because the antibiotics completely screwed up my system!!
I have chosen now not to go for recon as I can't face more surgery at least not on that scale and I'm happy with myself as I am. I think we just have to find our new 'normal', whatever that is. I don't wear prosthetics anymore way too bulky and hot. Just didn't like them! So I am now living breast free and proud. One thing I would say is just do whatever you feel comfortable with.
Hope everyone is okay, will try and read through what I've missed this evening.
I've got a bit of a week next week. I'm going for a novasure ablation on Feb 28th so I've got LE clinic one day, scan the next and counselling the day after that! I'm a bit scared about having the ablation but my periods are so painful, if I can relieve it at all, I'll be so happy!
Sending lots of love, hope your all keeping warm/cool!
xxx
0
