Come join others currently navigating treatment in our weekly Virtual Support Groups! See times and register here.

Exchange City

1…456457459461462…1387

Comments

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Posts: 139
    edited May 2010

    Lilah...woooohoooooo!!!!!!! :)

    Kittycat.......great great news :)

    m-star...fantastic video..it will help so many!

    Kat and Val.......many good thoughts and prayers for you both :)

    Welcome Mary and Valerie, this is a wonderful group of ladies. 

    Rebecca...going to go have a peek at your photos....

    Strength and healing, 

    Laura2

  • juliempw
    juliempw Posts: 191
    edited May 2010

    8 pages later, there's just too much to comment on.  I think you all should stop talking when I can't keep up.  Nice try, huh!?  :-)

    Lilah, I'm so excited for you and so envious of the nipple sensation!  Can't wait to see!

    Julie

  • MBJ
    MBJ Posts: 3,671
    edited May 2010

    Hi Mrianne-- I didn't expect to hear back from anyone so quickly!  What a great group of women.  It's so difficult to talk about with my girlfriends because they equate reconstruction with a regular boob job and it so isn't that (though it's a nice perk after 6 months of hell!). 

    Hi MStar--I saw your post last night and I felt the same way-finally a tall woman with broad shoulders who wants to go bigger! Not unreasonable I think after what we've been through!  I saw your video, (how generous of you) and my shoulders seem wider then yours and of course I only had one breast removed.  But we are both thin, although I am older then you--You look 16 but tell me that you aren't that young because I can't imagine going through this and being so young!  They gave me a very wide expander: 400 cc Allergan Naturale 133-MV-13.  After only my second fill (it is up to 175 cc's) my breast is also moving towards the side!  Because I am now lopsided, I am wearing a soft cup bra and sticking a silicone insert in the other side.  My mx breast feels huge even though when I measure myself I am where I was before surgery.  Of course, I have absolutely no projection at all as it's a hard, flat ball.  I am going to try and get my PS to expand me to the full 400 because he is conservative and was thinking expand to 350 and put in a 300 implant. 

    cs7777--I also saw your post lthe other night regarding the scarves so I wore one to my first fill just incase I couldn't balance them out with the silicone pad.  I feel like I am a science project and I guess I am.  Are you going to do your other breast to match?

    Susiered--a hamburger bun and a triangle--I have to say, I hope they can get my natural breast to match my mx side or I may end up with a permanent burger bun and triangle!  My lumps are all under the arm--it's kinda freaky looking.  Not sure how they are going to fix it but I so want it to be normal.  My expander is so wide that it cuts under my arm and puts a crease up above it, hence the second armpit.

    I appreciate the welcome from all of you--It is such a lonely journey sometimes.  My husband has been great through everything:  the biopsy and tests, the 6 mo of chemo, the surgery, having me in bed for two weeks doing nothing but sleeping (ok, that was a bit rough for him).  I will post on timtam's site as soon as I have a few more fills. 

    Thanks again for everyone's imput--I feel very welcome here.

  • val61
    val61 Posts: 969
    edited May 2010

    Welcome to Mary (MBJ) and to Valerie (vmudrow) from the OTHER Valerie! Smile (On here, I'm just Val.....)  We are absolutely here to support you and answer questions as best we can.  If we don't know the answer, somebody will!  There's quite a variety of different experiences, but we're all either in the middle of recon or finshed it and hang around here for the love and support that EC offers - and to hopefully help out women like you!

    Lilah - Welcome home, girl!  I'm SO glad that everything went well.  Your positive attitude through this all has certainly not hurt, either!  Keep up with that Tylenol, but don't be afraid of the Vicodin...sometimes the pain kicks in after a day or so.....

    and speaking of great attitudes....Go, Kittycat!  Fabulous news about the path report.  Like you said, now it's time to really get down to business and nip this bc for good!   Hang in there, sweetie!

    Paula - I'm SO proud of you!  See....I told you it wouldn't be so bad....the correct fitting bra actually feels BETTER because everything is well-supported.  I feel like a teacher when her student gets an "A"........

    So......tomorrow's "nips day!"  Frankly, I'm still not excited.....but I'm not completely dreading it either....just resigned that it's what I need to do to move forward on my bc journey.  I'm supposed to be at the surgery center at 6am, so I expect to be home by mid-morning....it's only 5 minutes away....lol.  I'll check in as soon as I can with a full report!

    Hugs to you all!  

    Val Smile

  • FACECRAFTER
    FACECRAFTER Posts: 433
    edited May 2010

    Kitty:  Great News--we all breathed a sigh of relief..Now go git em.

    Val- Good luck with the nips..even and perky for you!

    Lilah, So glad you are home and doing well..Personally, Advil is my pain med of choice, but if the tylenol works- go for it.

    Mary and Valerie, welcome.  Mary, you'll find the expanders have little resemblance to the implants.  Remember, they are a medical device designed to expand the skin.  They are not permanent.  We had hamburger buns, coconuts, turtle shells, in our armpits and up around our necks and everything in between.  With fat grafting, and the magic of surgeons hands, we came out looking like we had breasts (after a while)  The surgeon may do pocket work (moving the pocket that the implant will sit in, or whatever, but somehow, they get it right (at least most of them do)   Be patient, and be clear to your surgeon about what you want in the end..  JUDY

  • rebetata
    rebetata Posts: 213
    edited May 2010

      Val61 here is to happy nips. I will say a prayer tonight and tomorrow morning for you.

     Kat I will also say a prayer for you. I hope you will have a pain free exchange and be home resting before you know it.

     Lilah I hope you are pain free and relaxing. Mondays unveiling will be here before you know it.  

     I will have a glass of wine tonight to celebrate for Kat and Val.

    Gentle Hugs to you all,

    Rebecca

  • FACECRAFTER
    FACECRAFTER Posts: 433
    edited May 2010

    Any excuse for that wine eh?

  • Adnerb
    Adnerb Posts: 727
    edited May 2010

    Judy:  You say it so well!  I have to commend you for that.  Your post will put TE sporters at ease.

    Rebecca:  It's almost 4 P.M. in California.  Time to have a toast for Kat and Val.  Cheers!

    Brenda

  • FACECRAFTER
    FACECRAFTER Posts: 433
    edited May 2010

    aw gee...thanks Brenda

  • KristenPink
    KristenPink Posts: 79
    edited May 2010

    Marianne:  Again , good luck with surgery!  Back to NY for you? 

    Kitty:  Congrats and great news!!

    VAL: I will pray for you this evening and enivision a very successful surgery and skilled medical personal for you.   I hope that it is uneventful and you are home resting before you know it!

    IMF:  Woke up to searing pain under right breast. (Slept in my ridiculous space cocoon with right arm snuggled in next to side as not to move too much) Not too bad during the day teaching--didnt lift arm to write on board.  I fixed dinner and did dishes with no restrictions.  Then walked around neighborhood to deliver Race for the Cure shirts and everytime I came down on my right foot it would hurt under my right breast.

    Upset now and just not sure how to compartmentalize this.  Do I call the PS?  Called him with pain after PT appt back in the 3rd week of April. I am about 3 monthes post-exchange.  Just got period today so feeling extra sensitive about this issue

    Kristen

  • susiered
    susiered Posts: 83
    edited May 2010

    Just wanted to wish Val and Kat good luck with their surgeries tomorrow. I pray all goes well for you both.

    Kristen I am sorry you are having so much pain. I have not read your whole story, but I would think if you are in that much pain definatly call your ps. (((((((hugs)))))) and hope you feel better.

    Susan 

  • KatRNagain92
    KatRNagain92 Posts: 59
    edited May 2010

    Thanks for all the well wishes!  I had a good day at work and now I get to clean my house.  :( 

    I had my usual gal coming in today but she called yesterday and broke her foot!  The poor dear.  So, I guess it's time to roll up my sleeves and let off nervous energy!  I'll recruit my DH (the D is back) and my DD and we'll have it knocked out in no time. 

    I'm so glad you're doing well Lilah!  Thanks for the encouraging report!  I'm happy about your nipple sensation too :)  Good luck tomorrow Val with your nips too!

    I got to speak to my PS today and he told me we would definitely put off the fat grafting to do with nipples....if I have nipples or even if I have fat grafting.  We'll see.  For now, it's on to step 2!

    Sleep well Exchange City!
    Kat

  • rebetata
    rebetata Posts: 213
    edited May 2010

     Cheers Brenda. I actually drank the first cup but will toast youwith the secondEmbarassedhehe. I am so enjoying the evening. I have dinner in the oven.

    Life is good I will update tomorrow afternoon when I see my PS.

    Rebecca

  • Tinkerbell99
    Tinkerbell99 Posts: 193
    edited May 2010

    a woman on another bd posted the following & i am trying to help her!!! so maybe someone can send her a PM

    Ter wrote:

    Hi its mid early may 2010 and I havent written in long time...well I did write, a long post, then poof It all went kurplunk!, so I gave up..and I now want to write about what is going on w/me now, as I am having tons of problems in my stomach, they have found tons of lymph nodes thru my gastronologist, and my onc, wasnt too happy, and normally i see him every 6 months for tons of test in tubes etc....he checked me out throughly, and somehow I can see and read his mind, as at the beginning I did not like him, then I spent alot of time thinking of what he has to deal with, from telling someone they have BC, to how many months if that they have left, no wonder he has so much on his mind...

    Please tell me where to post, as so many things and I dont know where to post as Im a stage 4, have had 2 masct's, one each year, from 04, and one in 05, then mets in 06, and now I have had these stomach problems in my lower R quadrant, I thought it might be my appendix, but after being passed around ffrom dr to dr, and test and test, im so sick of it, Im ready to actually give up, as i have no energy, lots of problems and past week the stomach pains since NOT appendix, are in my L side, like coming from my mets in hip.

    Im so sick and tired of trying to fight this battle, and I also as some of you know I have fibromyalgia, which is SO bad, even my onc mentioned as he looked at my feet and touched alot of areas, as my fibro is everywhere...plus I have RSD in my L foot, and I cant get around, let alone get to the grocery store, let alone cook...my stomach cant stand looking or smelling foods, I cry alot, and i was suppose to start H20 warm water therapy for my pains 3 X week..which each time Im suppose to go, something else takes its place....

    I dont want to keep on going, though I finally got my son who is 28 and at home, he is a big help, as though he hasnt been able to talk about my cancer, but last week we got into a big whopping arguement, and I kind of won, as i told him I think he needs to know what is going on with me, he fought it, as he has led a hard lift, and now after many years of school, he got his certificate, and on that day he was laid off w/the rest of the guys...so he is trying to find any kind of work....he even brought home a dog, she is so sweet, she is a pitt bull, but I havent seen any bad things about her..she has been passed around from owner to owner, and here, we just love on her and she is so happy, she is a bit overweight, and loves this content home where no yelling etc takes place..she comes in my room to check on me...I wanted a dog but knew I couldnt take care of one, as I cant take care of myself...I have a mom who is in a rest home from a stroke, and it takes me having a half way good day, and tomorrow being Mothers Day I have to go..I use a walker, and have a wheel chair, as my ortho told me to have one, as he said "remember, if you walk somewhere, remember you always have to turn around and come back. Please help me, as I really dont want to cont to go on w/these test or being told anything....I do take my cousin who is or was an RN as she has ?s for the doc, which is good as my brain is almost zilch...Im by myself, and feel so so alone....

    Please tell me where to post this and other things that are on my mind ..Im putting it in my fav in my home site..but tell me where i should put it.

    thanks so much

    hugs

    Ter, and yes I have a new picture

    I stay in contact with a few by email from as it said i joined in 04, but I actualy did a few years prior to that...Frown

    thanks and HUGSFrown

    It's better to be effective than it is to be right.-

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Posts: 6,028
    edited May 2010

    Oh my goodness!  I just got back into town.  I extended my Texas trip and only had time to answer private messages and the "101" thread at night before falling into bed.  My sister and I went on this trip to help my niece and her husband with their first new house.  There was so much to do, we called the airlines and extended our stay another three days.  Both of us remarked we had never worked that hard in our lives!  Painting, sanding, prepping - for five days, these two kids in their early twenties only had two women in their late 50's to help them!  And from morning to night, we worked as hard as they did, going back to their apartment to crash around 10 p.m.  So I am WHIPPED but happy to be home and reading that kittycat's nodes and margins are clear [woohoo indeed!], Lilah had her exchange, Val is getting her nips, Rebecca is saying "life is good" [Smile]and there are so many new people on this thread!  It took me an hour to read through the pages I missed. 

    I know a page or two back someone had a question about how to address ripples - which happens primarily with women with a thin build.  Fat grafts do work well on ripples - but it might take two procedures.  Moving up 50 ccs - to a larger implant - might resolve the issue also.  If it is only evident when you bend over or lie down and otherwise seems not problematic, then I can attest that this happens with most of us who have a fairly bony ribcage and we just accept it.  But I would say 95% of my ripple complaints were resolved by two fat graft transfer procedures.

    Kristen - Call your PS.  I do know that I had some painful "twinges" after the exchange - but nothing I would describe as "searing" pain.  So please do call tomorrow...

    Praying for all of you with upcoming procedures....

    Deborah

  • Estepp
    Estepp Posts: 2,966
    edited May 2010

    New sisters here on EC... WELCOME!  You have found your "safe" place here!

    Lilah.. WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    Sweet Val... girl.... go get those nipples!

    Kat...good luck!

    KITTYCAT... WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    AND:

    I  must have missed the topic brought up about lesbian/gay?? 

    Cancer and any illness does not care if we are short/tall/fat/skinny/black/white/gay/straight.

    A support group... is there to support eachother. I am proud to be a part of  BCO support groups. I have found  ( at least on all the threads I have been a part of) that BCO ladies are AMAZING and most of them/us support eachother in this Disease.

    Another take on this: And this is just Laura talking.. Not this thread. The Lord did not give us this disease, but He allowed it to happen to us for the greater good of us all. We will never know why really.  He knows... and THE MOST IMPORTANT PART...... ( IMO).... HE LOVES US ALL 100% EQUALLY!

    ok... I am off my soapbox!

    Laura

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Posts: 6,028
    edited May 2010

    Laura.....AMEN!

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Posts: 139
    edited May 2010

    Dear Kat and Val.......

    All good thoughts for you both....can't wait to hear how you are both doing.  Sleep, rest and have a great day tomorrow!

    Glad you feeling better Rebecca :)

    Lilah so glad your doing well!!!! :) 

    Strength and courage!

    xox

    Laura2 

  • Alitman
    Alitman Posts: 95
    edited May 2010

    Becky - Yes, I had dents on both sides but the one on the left was bigger.  My original PS wanted to do fat grafting - the revision I had took care of it and I no longer have any dents and no need for fat grafts. 

    Allie

  • juliempw
    juliempw Posts: 191
    edited May 2010

    Kristen, I agree, call your doctor but I also had something very similar about a week ago.  I was so emotional about it too!  It's bizarre I've become so tight all of a sudden and I wake up sore every day.  I've been doing a lot of gentle stretching and have been going to a great massage therapist who also teaches yoga.  He informed me that there's this lovely pressure point at the bottom of the breast near the sternum and oh boy is that thing sensitive on me right now.  I've been stretching my arms out to the sides while laying on my back on an exercise ball, then with my arms over my head, then lay on my side on the ball and try to do a half moon stretch on the ball.  He also has me doing cat/cow stretch and lotus (I'm sure you can find pictures on the internet if you're not familiar with yoga).  It's helping but slowly.  Hope some of that helps.

    Well Val, I'll be excited for your nips for you then.  You are going to look so awesome! 

    Julie 

  • MBJ
    MBJ Posts: 3,671
    edited May 2010

    Allie,

    I am so glad that they can get rid of the dents.  I feel as if I am a car and they just have to putty and fill in what's missing, give me a coat of paint and I will be as good as new, haha.

    I am so happy to be meeting all of you and now that I have my new computer I finally was able to put my picture up!

  • MBJ
    MBJ Posts: 3,671
    edited May 2010

    Laura, you always sound so full of energy--I'm jealous! 

  • binga
    binga Posts: 30
    edited May 2010

    Thanks Allie.  Mine are on both sides and my PS really acted like it was just something I would have to live with.  I really don't want another surgery but I don't like the way that feels and looks.  I know I don't see it all the time but if it is there when laying on my back in bed with no bra on- hello, I don't really want to have anyone else looking at those strange dents either.  Did you already have nipples before your revision? 

    I can live with the ripples if they stay like they are now.  I just hope they don't get more noticeable because with their location you could see them in a low cut top or bathing suit.

    I must admit my PS says some strange things.  I like him but he is weird.  I think my new boobs look pretty good with the exception of those two things but I am afraid his ego wouldn't allow him to admit I need a revision if I feel I want those areas corrected.  

    Kitty- So great you got good news.  So sorry you had to worry.

    Guess I'll go eat a sandwich. LOL!

    Becky 

  • Kristinka
    Kristinka Posts: 223
    edited May 2010

    Julie, I'm tight, too, esp. in the mornings and at night.  It kind of sucks, excuse my French.  I do similar arms exercises while lying on a foam Pilates tube, but I never get really loose these days.  Hoping time will heal. 

    Kristen, do call your doctor.  I'm just dealing with tightness, but never any searing pain.  I'm sorry you are going through this!

    Hey you guys are all so cool with your acceptance towards gays and lesbians.  I had my son read a few of your posts on this issue, and he thinks you are very cool.   He is very into the internet has mentioned a few times what a neat website this is.  I agree, and I sent out my BCO donation this morning!

  • Adnerb
    Adnerb Posts: 727
    edited May 2010

    Deborah:  That was so nice of you and your sister to help your niece and her husband!  Who were those 2 women in their late 50's?  Now you are not just whippetmom, you are whippedmom! 

    Kristen:  I agree with everyone.  Any kind of real pain should be addressed right away.

    Tinkerbell:  My suggestion for Ter would be to create a new thread in the Stage 4 section.  I scanned through the threads there and looked for something similar with no success.  She could entitle it:  "I am ready to give up!" because this is what she kept stating.  It is so sad, isn't it?

    Brenda 

  • kittycat
    kittycat Posts: 1,155
    edited May 2010

    MBJ - I think many of us had implants into our armpits.  The exhange implants don't go into the armpits like the expanders.  Deborah is the expert on size.  I let my PS decide on what I should get.  I was filled to 550 and 575 cc's and he put in 550 on both sides.  Now that I had some scar tissue removed from the right side, I am little less full on that side.  Right now I have to concentrate on the recurrence.  Someday I will probably get my PS to fix this, but that's in the distant future for now!

  • m-star
    m-star Posts: 340
    edited May 2010

    ok......

    SUSIE~~That PS in my video was one of the 2 surgeons who did my MX. She is the onco breast PS and the other,who is male,is the BS. She just has a poke around then dives right in with that needle! Where as the BS (who normally does my fills) gets the magnet and pen out.

    ADNERB~~ I am 36 years old so yes,it's still young but i was only 17 when i got Dx with Hodgkins lymphoma (which caused my high BC risk due the the rads i recieved)so i consider myself a cancer veteran really! lol

    MJB~~  You are my new best friend!! LOL. Do i really look 16????? I am 36~37 in October.My shoulders look broader from the back.I look like Jonny Bravo from the back! LOL. I too would LOVE my PS to fill me to 400 so i could maybe get 350 implants,but i am currently at 270.I have another fill at 4pm today (uk time) and i think i'm gonna ask for either 40 or 50 and not 60 this time.See if he will put less in but do it over a longer period. I'm in no rush.Not sure if he'll fill a 300 TE to 400 though =(  I have a sneaking suspicion he my want to do the same as your PS and go to 350 for a 300 implant. But not if i have my way!! =D One part of me wants to just keep my mouth shut today and stick with getting 60ml but i know i'm gonna regret it in the morning! And for the following week! I'm SOOOOOOOO undecided.

    I will be getting this expansion filmed also and will hopefully be putting it up on youtube with the other one. This will be my 4th fill. My friens Michele got around to putting her final fill up on her account yesterday and also she made a video comparing her 1st video (2 weeks post op) to now. She had proph BMX like myself with TE and Alloderm. Please take a look,its very interesting..

    This is the comparison:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcvkiTbgwEo

    This is her final fill:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SYgsxZ3N3A

    She is an amazing woman who since starting this journey, has founded a charity and website to help women who cannot afford diagnotic testing and screening due to lack of finances.Her link can be found on her Youtube channel.

    Kay

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Posts: 139
    edited May 2010

    Kay thank you so much for these videos....they are so helpful to women going through this process.

    I would have loved to have seen these before I began my fills and exchange.....they remove so much of the fear of the unknown.  Even though I'm on the other side of this my exchange it is still a great set of videos to see.

    Thank you for your fill video and for directing us to your friends videos.

    All the best to you as you go through your journey :)

    Laura2 

  • Lilah
    Lilah Posts: 2,631
    edited May 2010

    M-star -- I had a 600 cc TE and my PS filled it to 850... then exchanged to a 685 implant (for what it's worth).  I have no idea how it looks yet but it sure feels better than the TE!

    Val and Kat -- I am thinking of you today!  I know what you mean, Val, about not being particularly excited.  Me, I just wanted to get it over with (and probably will feel the same about nips).

    I'm SO sore!  I did give in and take more Vicodin last night and feel somewhat better today.  All I did yesterday was sleep... but it felt good :)  In sleeping position I am not sore.  My dog keeps looking at me with concern (since I don't usually lie in bed all day) but then gets all happy when I give her a treat :)

    Hoping that tomorrow is even better than today in terms of the soreness and the tiredness!

  • Estepp
    Estepp Posts: 2,966
    edited May 2010

    Heal well Lilah! Just chill and rest all you want too. No rush at all! Take those meds. What ever it takes this first week to help you heal better. You will heal faster, if you can get your pain level down early on. If that means Advil or Vicodin... just do what helps you best this first week....

    off to the treadmill...

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual support groups. Read more...
Share more about you! Fill out your NEW profile.