Exchange City
Comments
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astorm, Really? Sun? Hmmm I was told to be really careful of the sun even on my chest above my boobies coz the skin has been thinned and is very delicate now. I like your PS's thinking better.
As far as those contractors... They will have a field day with you sunning the girls. A topless woman is a topless woman. Doesn't even matter what she looks like. Have fun!
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From the Easter Bunny:
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
There's no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Some body parts should be floppy.
Keep your paws off other people's jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
May the joy of the season fill your heart...0 -
Brenda ~ that is cute !
Baxter ~ glad all went well, hope you are feeling good.
Brunettesrule ~ Welcome ! They move quick here, I try to catch up every now and then.
Hood ~ wish I knew what the switch was like from saline to silicone... I am 3 1/2 weeks post my exchange. (GOT saline) and am thinking SILICONE would of been better. These are hard and I am still uncomfortable similar to the TE's. UGH !!!!
Hope everyone has a blessed weekend ~
Alicia
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Wow, I've been "plateauing" (that's probably not even a real word) all these years, and I didn't even know it! I've always thought it was called foreplay, but I guess that word is too adult for middle school?!
The education that's available here is just amazing...
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OK so now there is noise coming out of my breast..only one side (the non rads side)
It sort of sounds like my stomach..everytime I raise and lower my arm,..On the one hand it's hilarious, on the other--well..will it go away? (please?) They are silicone, by the way.
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Judy....You mean....oh no.....the dreaded......FOOB BARTS????
How funny....it happened to me at about this same point in time after the exchange also. Went away just as quickly as it started, thank goodness.....
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Judy, When I saw my PS today I mentioned that my left side sloshes when I walk and he agreed with me. (They are saline.)
Firni, I am supposed to cover the scars and only expose the fibbles and fareolas (he says sun will help darken them which is why we don't want sun on the scars that we want to disappaer).
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Hi Faythnme;
Still adjusting to my Exchange. Tomorrow it is 5 days. I was taped up like a mummy with surgical bra. I just wanted to share this info: Got rid of surgical bra today.
I was a 36-D prior to mast. After mast of right breast and the t/e in, I purchased Champion sport bras, 38-40 because of comfort and removed underwires. Suited me fine. I also purchased a sleeping bra because I had been too confined in Champion. Sleeping bra was from a bra boutique and called Glamorize. I purchased a 42 which expanded from B to D. (very comfortable for sleeping).
Now after exchange I purchased a 38-40 D cup Champion zipper front. (Extra large), but it felt too tight. I also bought a 36D zip front (large) too too tight. I returned large one.
One sister on site told me about Underscore bra with zipper in front. Much cheaper and very comfortable. I purchased a 40D. This bra is sold in JC Penneys for $20.00. I really did not know what sizes to buy, but I guess I did ok. When I see my PC for first post-op vist this Tues I hope he agrees with what I bought. I do have some extra skin on side due to mast so I have expanded in size. I am sure that will be taken care of in due time as part of the healing process.
Just wanted to share. Sleep well all.
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Brunettsrule (Jayne): Welcome! I'm waiting exchange now. You can learn a lot in here from those who have already been through it.
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Jayne... welcome sister!
Judy.. awe yes, the FOOB BARTS , AKA, Boob Farts.......hehehehehe , Yes.. they will go away as Deborah said... it is weird though huh?
Diane...................................LOL LOL
Ladies... I want to wish all of you who celebrate the Easter Season.... A VERY Blessed Easter! He is risen!
Please enjoy your families.. friends... whomever you share you time and love with!
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Hannabearsmom~
Thanks! It is so so true about "just when things are getting back to normal...another surgery"! OK...I'm getting a little more nervous and anxious! RELAX...BREATHE!!!!
Just finished filling all the Easter eggs for Sunday before my boys came home from school. I went & got my hair colored along with a mani/pedicure. AHHHH!
PLATEAU-ing!!!!! Oh my!!! You girls are hilarious!!!
Have a BEAUTIFUL weekend!!! Happy Easter!!!
NAE
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Welcome Jayne! Hope you can learn a lot from our discussions. We look forward to getting to know you better.
Question to those of you who have gone through chemo: how are your veins holding up to all these surgeries? I just finished surgery #9 since BC was found, and they are having trouble finding a vein to use in my good arm. For some reason, they don't even want to look at ankles or anywhere else.
I'm due for a colonostomy this summer, and the part I dread most isn't the goo that I'll have to drink. It's them poking around trying to get an IV started. My arm is still black and blue from the wrist to the elbow from my surgery nearly 2 weeks ago.
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Oh no.. Texas, were you as hydrated as possible? I drank 3 quarts of water over the course of the day before surgery, ending at midnight the day before.. I did have trouble before and they said I wasn't hydrated enough. I made sure I was hydrated this time and it worked!! JUDY
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You know, plateauing just isn't part of the 5th grade puberty/sex ed curriculum, but you never do know what questions will come your way! I'm really comfortable teaching this (actually it feels like a privilege), but my first year I was all 'this is so easy and a bag of chips' when the first question off the bat left me stammering because I really didn't know how 'far' I could go with my answers. Humility -- it's a good thing! (Have definitely learned a thing or two about it this year -- okay, okay, I get it!)
Laura, I did take meds after my exchange, but the pain was far less than after the BMX and TEs. I agree with Kristen that if you can't take painkillers, then something like Valium or Lorazepam would help a lot. I think they would help relax your pecs, and I also think they'd relax you in general. I'm so curious about the mind-body pain connection after all of this. I think some of my pain came from dreading the pain and worrying that it wouldn't end. I think if we could decrease the anxiety, we could decrease at least some of the pain, if that makes sense. After teaching all week (about 2 months out), I'm finding muscles that are waking up and are letting me know ... not really painful, but definitely there. Thinking Advil after breakfast.
Happy weekend! Maggie
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Jayne
WELCOME to EC! So glad you are here to discuss or vent or whatever you need to do! YOur 12 yr old must be learning so much from you right now. She will be a very strong and sensitive woman because of you. The TEs were like bricks to me as well. Wait till you take your first deep breath after exchange. YOu will know you have something soft in there!
Happy Easter to you in Sydney!
I live in New York State
Kristen
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Plenty hydrated ... they've told me that my veins collapse easily because of the chemo.
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Hello Ladies, I went away for a few days and it has taken many more days to get caught up. Although it was good reading... too funny, plateau! Love that! My family and I went to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI... was kind of funny to read that someone else went to a different one. It was our first time but not our last, we all loved it. It was nice to feel normal again, just running around splashing and sliding and laughing and not thinking about cancer or my boobs!
Anyway, my exchange is coming up in 2 weeks (Friday, April 16th), but unfortunately, so are a lot of other things coming up. Both of my kids have their first soccer game on Saturday the 17th and I have a banquet on the following Wednesday... Okay, so here's my question... any chance that I'm going to feel up to going to either? I know the next day is pushing it a little but really all I have to do is walk to the field and sit in a chair and maybe take a couple pictures... it's not like I'm the coach or anything. And the Wednesday banquet is sitting at a table eating dinner and listening to a presentation. (and maybe having a cocktail or 2, if I'm not on the pain meds)... Any thoughts? Is it doable?
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Adnerb - LOVE THE BUNNY AND THE THOUGHTS!!
I also loved the FOOB BARTS - I can't imagine a better way of putting it. The only noise mine have made where when I had the TEs in - they sloshed around quite a bit. You guys really make me laugh and it feels soooooo good. Almost as good as plateauing!!!!
Allie
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Texas, might your lack of veins be a symptom of LE? You did say you had a mild case... When I had my evaluation appointment with the LE therapist, it was noted that my left arm showed no veins as compared to my right (left being the radiated, lymph node excised part).
Paula, I have not had my exchange yet, but I bet it will be up to how you are feeling after your surgery. Some ladies here were out of commission for a while, and some were able to go out to dinner on the way home from surgery!
Going to my favorite restaurant and eating my favorite dish, for me, is better than plateauing.
So now I am looking forward to Foob Barts among other things. Judy, I heard somewhere that scuba diving will really cause your foobs to bart. What a fun ride we are having...
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Cindy (faythnme):
I pm'd you.
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pbebow: Everyone responds differently, but for me after my exchange I would have had no problem going to a game the next day or a banquet later in the week. I really felt very good-minimal discomfort. I didn't take any narcotics after I left the hospital, just a little ibuprofen. My surgery was first thing in the morning and I was home by lunch. I took a nap for about 2-3 hours when I got home then I was pretty much back to normal. I hope that you have a similar experience
. April 16th will be here before you know it--yippee squishy!!Brenda: I liked the cute bunny pic and the wise words of the Easter bunny!
TCK
(Editted because I can't spell)
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Congrats Baxter and Judy that all went well on your surgeries!
I had my exchange surgery Wednesday...bilateral silicone implants with Allergan, and so far I'm loving the results! I sure don't miss the TEs!!! Not a whole lot of pain but am allergic to tape so am gauze/Ace wrapped. I was shocked to see I have 4 drains this time since I only had 2 after BMX. None of the drains is producing much, so I'm hoping they'll all come out when I see the PS Tuesday. My PS confined me to lying flat on my back after BMX and the same for exchange surgery for 2 weeks except for going potty and eating so I'm pretty bored, but at least DH is home recovering from shoulder surgery to keep me company.
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!
~Jan
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Thanks Katey for the warning about my node arm and LE possibility in relation to my poison oak. Thankfully the one spot on my neck doesn't appear to be spreading, and the rest is so far only on my opposite leg, so...we'll see...I'm washing w/Tecnu several times a day and hopefully that's helping beat it back.
Deborah, I'm from the SF Bay Area and was hiking on Mt. Diablo (in the east bay) specifically. It was a beautiful hike, but the trail was just lined with poison oak. The entire Bay Area has TONS of poison oak so I guess it's amazing I've not had it before now since I hike a lot. First time for everything.
Happy Easter everyone!
CS
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Happy Easter to everyone to whom it applies.
Judy and others with the "Foob Farts". My PS told me that it is the nitrogen in the muscle layers that get disturbed during the exchanges and pocket work that make the noise. He said that air doesn't normally get introduced to the muscles. The oxygen gets reabsorbed rather quickly, but like the bends in scuba diving, the nitrogen takes much longer to go back into it's gaseous state and be reabsorbed by the body. This is why scuba diving can also cause noises in the implants.
Probably no one really wanted to know the explanation, but thought I would pass along what my PS told me and he has an explanation for everything. I was forewarned about this prior to my first exchange. One time at work a person was auditing my work and sat really close to me and I was afraid to lift my arms for fear she would hear the "Farts". The second exchange did not have as much noise. Being saline, I still feel them slosh once in awhile.
Good luck to all having procedures this week.
Nancy
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Interesting that the bf"s are just on one side, and it is the side that had the smallest amount of work..Who knew?
Texas I am so sorry that hydration isn't the answer.
JUDY
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pebebow, I felt fine after my exchange and didn't need pain meds but I had drains and was self-conscious about them so I limited myself to breif excersions in bulky clothing.0
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Deborah...remember the Chic Shaper !!!:) Well I am using it over my warners bra to hold my new breasts in place so they won't move and can heal exactly where they are! I'm trying to keep them from gravitating to the sides at all so I can keep the upper fullness. Using pillows for extra support, I can even sleep on my side without any noticeable sag.
Does this sound okay to you????? Wanted to make sure there is no problem with this. Do you think the upward lift of the shaper could cause any problem that I haven't considered?
Thanks.
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Deborah: Love the new avatar!! You look great!! JUDY
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Luna: I do not see how it could cause any harm and certainly it seems to be doing some good. It is a very strong type of compression, so just make sure you are getting enough circulation and no constriction...compression yes, constriction no. But otherwise, the Chic Shaper [thanks to Julie, the "founder" of the device] might really be a non-surgical solution to moving those implants and keeping them in the right place.
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Thanks Judy...I found that photo in my older digital camera today. It was taken the night before my mastectomy in November, 2008.
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