Exchange City

Dear M-Star,

Congratulations on your final fill.  It's great that you've been able to get to 500cc's.  I know you've wanted that.  I always felt like my foobs didn't look any different right after a fill, and it was also a few days later that I could tell a difference.  Maybe you'll see some changes in a few days! 

Sorry you have the added stress about your job situation.  Hopefully that will all get worked out.  Take care and congratulations again on the approaching end of your journey. 

Lilah~ nope-no joy with the boss. I went to meet him at the salon when it was shut and we ended up rowing! He told me if i go back before my exchange,he is slashing my hours and my pay!!!!!

When i asked by how much,i would have been coming home with next to nothing (literally) as i would have to pay out £65 a week childcare during the school summer holidays! I was better off staying off but you have to have medical assessments etc and fill out SOOOO many forms etc to claim this other benefit.

The medical assessment has nothing to do woth whether you can perform your own job,but if you can perform ANY job. I took a look at the criteria on this assessment form and you need a total of 15 points to qualify. There are questions like...."can you walk 50metres unaided"......and ...."can you bend down and pick up a piece of paper from a low shelf"....!!! They are carzy questions and of course i can do them!

Makes me so cross. Now why cant they ask...."can you stand for 10 hours with your arms at shoulder height blow drying and straightening long hair!"....!!!!

Dawn-Hope~ yeah i was glad they managed to get up to 500ml! never thought they would. I'll be happy if i get a 35ml gummy....i think! LOL

Brenda - no I didn't have any radiation - PS just says that some people build up more scar tissue that others which makes the TEs feel more hard. 

Brenda, with regard to my exchange last week, my PS told me yesterday that he did a lot of additional work on my radiated side to release scar tissue.  That's why he went ahead and put in a drain which he usually does not do for an exchange surgery.  He even went under my arm where I had rads and also deep removal of lymph nodes in '08 and tried to get rid of more scar tissue.  So maybe this what he did in the breast area was a capsulotomy as your dr's notes described?  I get the feeling that any time they open us rad girls up, they try to clear out excess scar tissue.  Just gotta hope it does not return in any kind of big way.  I have my lat muscle working to help my rad side, but it is still much firmer than my new squishy foob.  Has your rash calmed down?  deekaay

Laura:

I am so sorry you are going thru this and that your son has to go thru this as well.  Wearing a heart monitor does not a heart patient make.  Nor does having a heart rate of 52.  Many things can cause a low heart rate.. I have a low heart rate (59-60) and I am not active at all...

Hang in there and don't fear.  We are with you and your son, and our hands are out to you.  Please don't worry until the doctors give you something to worry about!!  The worrying can be worse than the knowing, expecially if the knowing is nothing!!   JUDY

The good news Claire: you will have the surgery you need and the results you deserve

deekay:  Laura (Estepp) also has a radiated side and she has talked about massaging that side regularly after implants were installed.  That may help with the firmness you described.

I think you are right about the radiated side getting more scar tissue and capsules, therefore needing drains.  My PS said to get ready for drains, but only for a few days, not 12 days like the last time.  DH did my drains.  I don't mind that their there, I just can't handle them.  And I'm a kindergarten teacher!  I just can't handle my own injuries. 

My evil rash is still with me.  I am going to see another doctor tomorrow.  My theory is that my skin is still reacting to the chemo (though it's been 5 months PFC). The first time I noticed a change in my skin was right after the last infusion.  My inner arms were so dry!  I thought what the heck, but did nothing, just used regular Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion.  Now the rash is on the very same areas and the skin is still very dry.

Brenda 

Wow!  Rashes, postponed surgeries, really sick kids, really sick hearts, recons of our recons, works issues, insurance issues.....WTF?!?!  Wish I could wave a magic wand and make all these trials and tribulations disappear for all of you!  Tell the universe- ENOUGH!

Probably won't help but I heard a great song today and I love the line that says, "Didn't anyone tell you how wonderful you are?"  So I'm telling all of you that you ARE wonderful, and brave and strong for facing all of these things you are going through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6cgOV9KjW8 

Estepp ~ My thoughts and prayers are continually with you.  Colleen

Thank You sweet, sweet women. Your prayers and experiences were/are helpful for me to read. Thank You.

Laura/I am truly sorry..

Brenda, yep, if I had to bet, I'd blame the chemo for residual skin issues.  I am 18 mos. post chemo and my skin is different, changed.  Definitely drier and more susceptible to fussy reactions.  For the last 2 mos. I get these small little itchy patches on my face. Sounds lovely, but thank goodness they are minor and don't show under makeup.  Anyway, I had to get some stronger cortaid type cream from dermo to try to get rid of them.  They've settled down but every few days I still see one emerging and put the cream on.  My eyelashes and eye brows still thin every few months and for sure that is the TCH.  All I can say is the stuff better keep working as hard on any errant cancer cells as it does on the rest of me!!  Hoping your skin settles down soon so you can focus on your upcoming surgery.  deekaay

Brenda I went to the doctor today and he thought that my rash looked a little better but not significantly better. He wants to see me next week just to keep and eye on it since I am supposed to have my surgery on the 26th. I hope and pray that I do. I just want this all put behind me and done.  I can't wait to make an appointment with the makeup artist for my nipples and maybe a few other procedures. When I am completely done I want to focus on me for a while .. Don't we all deserve it.  I also am seriuosly considering the Vegas trip this year if everything goes as planned.

Laura & Laura2:  Thinking of you both all day today--Sending you many good thoughts to help you get through.

Kay:  Why is your boss being such an ass??  I up and quit working for my #$%! boss but now I have to figure out how I can earn more then a bit here and there come the end of September.  Really, it's enough that we have to deal with cancer but to have to deal with attitude!!  I feel for you.  I am so happy you got to 500--just so you know, the gummy implants have way more projection then the standard implants, so even though I am at 535 cc's, you could end up bigger then me!  You will look great, and they will be squishy!  I don't know how I ended up a month ahead of you with my exchange, though!

Kate:  You are such a doll.  Great to hear you are doing so well. 

Kay good luck... I am at 720 cc's right now in the expander and my PS is going for anywhere between 659-750. He will bring all 3 sizes to surgery and decide from there he said.. This sounds good to me..:)

LOL... Kay you are too funny but I really hope not. At least right now they aren't huge but I am not as tiny as you are either...I am an average size woman. He said they will be like a C- cup. I was a D cup pre mastectomy..