Exchange City
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Texas...I'm happy to help you anytime you are ready...if you need any recommendations regarding revisions. You can PM me and email me photos.
Laura: Many, dare I say, MOST of us had pre-exchange jitters. A feeling of being less in control about the exchange than we felt about the mastectomy. We are here to support and encourage you....
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Jean: Can you put me BACK on the list for exchange surgery- just one this time. In August. JUDY
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Voted -- what a story -- to have BC is bad enough but to have it while pregnant (wow). Her husband is an angel.
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Voted - hope Linda wins!
And, I got an exchange date!! YAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!! I'm scheduled for May 17. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!
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cs....you mean you are not "lamenting" giving up your TEs?
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I voted for Linda!
Come on, everyone, we can help this sister win!!
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Very touching!! Voted for Linda!
NAE
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Okay, it has only taken me two hours to go back and read all the posts.
Linda just has to win !!!!!
Judy...I was out of town for 4 days but still thinking of you....glad you're doing well. Any special mode of transportation this time? You deserve everything good after all you have been through....and so does Linda...and so does Rebatata and so many others.
Makes what I have been through pale in comparison.
This is a good and healing place. Thank you to all who care for and help others here.
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Hi,
This is my first time posting on this site. I'm having my exchange surgery tomorrow April 20th at 1:30 pm and I am very nervous! I'm trying to read up on all of the posts on here about everyone's exchange experience so that I can be prepared tomorrow. I was told by my PS that it's a day surgery and that I will be going home the same day with drainage tubes in each side. I'm not looking forward to having those drainage tubes again. I will have a follow-up apt on Thursday April 22th. Maybe or hopefully, he will take out the drainage tubes by then. If not, he said it will be out by next Tuesday. Wish me luck! I will be back with updates from the exchange surgery.
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I voted for Linda
Rebecca
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Welcome Alina! Good luck with surgery tomorrow... from everything I've heard (and read) here... exchange should be easier than the MX.
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Welcome Alina: Hope your exchange goes well tomorrow!
I too voted for Linda!
Fairport, how smart of you to mark the area! I sure never would have thought of that before. I'll tuck that in my memory banks somewhere for future reference though!
Luna: If root canals are that bad, I'm in big trouble since I have several! Nedeeza is a hygenist and has some great input about dental issues.
How are you doing Paula?
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I am finally back home after my revision, addition of nips & tuck surgery. I had the surgery out of town and I was pretty out of it for the first few days - had a blow out on one of the incisions on my tuck - got that fixed with more stitches - got together with all my siblings (first time since our father passed 10 years ago) and now that I am home I am just trying to take it easy. My nips look great!!! A little large but I know they will settle down after a bit. My tummy tuck hasn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. I have been able to stand up straight since about three days post op. The revision work I had is GREAT. The girls no longer slide under my arms - I love that they are finally where I want them to be. I am still having to wear the surgical bra and wrap/girdle/spanks-like thing but I am feeling pretty good. I did take some pain meds tonight and I think they are beginning to kick in - cause I am having a hard time concentrating on my typing and my eyes are beginning to cross. I think I''ll go to be now...
Allie
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Almost forgot --
thank you to all of you who sent me the well wishes - they worked!!!!!
Allie
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Waaahooo Allie! So great that you are doing so well.... rest up and heal now
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This thread moves so fast, it's hard to keep up!
Good luck to everyone with recent and upcoming surgeries!!!
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Welcome Alina and good luck with your exchange!
Welcome back Allie, glad your feeling better than you thought you would...sounds like everything is very going well.....rest and heal
Strength and healing,
Laura
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BC: Thanks for asking, I'm doing well. And just for the record, the pain from this surgery has been minimal, as a matter of fact it is so minimal that my DH only stayed with me Friday evening after we came home and has been working ever since, leaving me on my own with the kids. He is a farmer and it's planting season, so he is gone from morning until about 9-10:00 pm. He did drive me to my appt yesterday, but after that I'm on my own driving our son to school and doing everything else. I have just been taking tylenol for the pain as the Vicotin made me throw up the first night. So, all in all I'm doing well. Trying to adjust to the new girls. Considering going for a consult with a new PS that Deborah recommended to me, but right now, just focusing on healing.
Good luck to everyone with future surgeries and those healing!
Paula
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Hi everyone,I am home recovering from the exchange yesterday. I feel ok so far. I am having a little bit of pain but it may be mostly from this tight bandage they have on me. I go see my PS today at 1:40 so I guess I will see what they look like then.Guess that's enough for know. Gotta get off of here before the Percocet starts doing the typing!Becky0
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Just voted for Linda...I think she is now behind by 16 votes....
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Becky, glad that everything went well. Take it easy and let yourself recover, and let us know what you think of your results!
Paula
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Hi ladies
Just got back from my PS : the lump and the infection were not related. The lump was a collection of blood which he aspirated and the lump is gone. The bleeding episode must have happened like a week and a half ago. Why we dont know. The redness cleared after 3 doses of Doxy so it was a good thing I drew the lines so he could see where it was. He said if the implant was infected theres no way it would be so improved in less than 24 hours, but he does think it was an infection of a suture and so I'll finish the doxy and should be fine. wow what a scare. Now just keeping my fingers crossed theres no more bleeding. thanks for the support!!!
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Fairportlady; Glad everything is cleared up. It sucks that every little thing has to scare us so much, but at leaset you were right on top of it and took care of business!!!
Paula
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Fairport
Wow, I am so pleased that so many questions were answered for you and he was able to solve some problems right then and there. Do you have a weeks worth of anti-biotics to take? Think positive, take your meds, and things are going to be fine. Go shopping at those beautiful shopps in Pittsford on such a pretty spring day...no really...I insist!Also happy your mind has been put at ease...that makes all the difference doesnt it.
Hugs
Kristen
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Kathy- I know what you mean. What would seem like no big deal is suddenly much more critical. That's how I felt when I had a hair follicle infection in my graft. I had to have it lanced and drained and I had to go on antibiotics. Normally I would have let it resolve on its own. I am so glad that you are doing better now.
Ladies - Most of you seem to realize it, but my life has gotten very crazy and I am not on too often. Please PM me if you have new dates to add to the list.
Hugs to all that are healing or preparing for surgery right now! - Jean
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Just want to say sending warm wishes for good outcomes for those having surgery this week.
JUDY - so glad everything went well for you last Friday, but sorry to hear about the drains and the need for further surgery.
I had 4 month follow-up (where has the time gone?) with PS today. Complained of the "iron bra" tightness on my left breast. He really pressed on the implant (saline) from all directions to see if there were any adhesions that might break down. Nothing happened, but when he felt under the implant and on the ribs, there was definite discomfort. He gave me 2 choices, 1 was to have the pocket reworked when he does scar revision and the other to inject some steroids right at the rib area where the implant rests as he thinks there is minor inflammation there and that the injection would help. I told him what ever he thought best. He warned me the injections were painful, but he would mix lidocaine with them to numb. I felt hardly anything although now, 5 hours later there is slight stinging. He wants to do scar revision and use alloderm to make a sling to support the implants as my skin is too thin at the base and he worries about down the road what will happen. I will wait until mid July to have that done as have too many functions which I do not want any surgery interfering with and doesn't need immediate attention. Thought I was avoiding the alloderm, but evidently not. When I asked if this was what he used he acted surprised I knew about it. We learn so much from each other here that it is good to know in advance what to expect.
Well I have been too long winded just best wishes to all for positive steps along this journey.
Nancy
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Nancy, I hope that the steroid shots help with your iron bra feeling.
I had to go to JC Penney to get a bigger sport bra (the zip up kind that someone on here had recommended, love them)... my other one was too tight with the swelling and it was killing me. Anyway, while I was there I thought I'd try on a couple of the Warner's bras (I think I heard someone else talking about those too)... big mistake, how sad that was. Width wise they were fine, projection wise, not so much... OH well, probably a little too soon to be bra shopping, I just couldn't resist! Anyway, just thought I'd share, not sure why...
Have a great day ladies!
Paula
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Someone at work just sent me this link in support of the Breast Cancer Petition requiring insurance to cover two nights in a hospital after mastectomy. I watched one of the videos from a breast cancer survivor and really liked it - she quit her job as a lawyer to focus on yoga.
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Well just back from my first visit with the ps post surgery. I must say I was amazed. I know they are just expanders but I still have two breasts. I was not expecting that at all. I guess I was pleasantly surprised to have two lumps that still resemble breasts. One drain down, three more to go!!
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Jenni, I know - isn't it nice to have those lumps? Those little lumps got me through the early part of the expansion process, that's for sure. Congratulations on making through this difficult surgery.
Paula, try not to be discouraged. With a lot of trial and error, you will find some bras that suit your shape. I must have bought 40 bras since my exchange and I've returned the vast majority of them because they started to bother me after a few hours. Now I have about 5 different bras that I actually like. Nordstrom is a good place to get fitted, and there are specialty bra shops for post-mastectomy patients. I bought a comfortable sleep bra at such a specialty bra shop. (They are often attached to a hospital, but can also be stand-alone). You might want to wait another week, though! Happy healing to you, and why aren't you lounging a little more, just 4 days after surgery?
Nancy, hope you get rid of that Iron Bra. I feel like I have one sometimes, especially in the evenings. I find I have to stretch several times throughout the day or my muscles get tight.
Best wishes to everyone. I hope everyone is feeling well and healing well. Kristen
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