Exchange City

Thanks again, ladies!!!  It makes a heck of a difference when you have people rooting for you!!!

Laura, I have a musical family too!  Mine are mostly loud and funny. Nothing serious, very Karaoke.

Dawn-Hope, sorry you're having the blues.  I cried yesterday because Angus wanted to drape his long body over mine , but I had to say no.  Angus is my Scottie. 

Back to bed for me...

Brenda 

Brenda, congratulations on your exchange!

Dawn, Brenda is right. It does get better!

I've still got two more surgeries -- for the implant exchange and for the nipple. But those will be so minor by comparison that I'm not even worried. Just "Get 'er done"!

I'd miscounted on the surgeries. I've actually had 11 so far since BC diagnosis:

1. Left mastectomy

2. Chemo port implantation

3. Chemo port removal

4. Eyelid surgery to remove scar tissue/blockage in tear ducts (failed)

5. Right prophylactic mastectomy

6. Rushed into surgery to remove hematoma after prophylactic mastectomy.

7.Exchange surgery.

8. Emergency implant exchange to smaller implants after the radiated incision burst open.

9. Nipple surgery.

10. Surgery to clean out infection on radiated side.

11. LD Flap surgery.

All of that since October 2008. I'll be so glad to see the veins in my right arm have time to heal from all the IVs. They can rarely find a vein on first try thanks to the chemo.  

Brenda, I am so excited to wake up see your positive post!  I have been waiting for it.    I am so happy for you after your long wait.  Now, just take your meds, get your R&R, and HEAL.  You will feel better each day.

Laura, how wonderful to see the relief in your post!  Very happy that your son's situation is resolving well.

jkz, man, you must hold the record for fast recovery!  Out shopping for bras one day post exchange.  What a trooper!

Texas, I had a Lat D 8 mos. ago.  It's a big surgery and the recovery for me has been gradual and still changing.  Some good news...I think my LE got a little better after the Lat because the PS scraped out some scar tissue from my axilla area during the Lat.  He said that happens for some women.  Regarding the puffiness under your arm, I am sure you are still swollen, but the good news is it pretty much goes away.  Your post made me actually go look at mine since I'd forgotten about it.  My area really has only a little poof to it and I remember how it used to concern me.  The tight bra feeling also settles down although it's hard to evaluate since the TEs and then exchange surgery tightened things up again.  I am one month post exchange and this last week my chest is starting to feel much more comfortable.  Still a little tight, but pretty good considering.  Hang in there, that new healthy back tissue will be the foundation of your new breast!!  Take it easy, deekaay.

hi sweeties, long time for me not posting, sorry!  My daughter is home from college and lifes' been nuts.  She got into an accident with a taxi cab yesterday but thank the good lord is AOK. Minor concussion and whiplash.  Trying to drive into the city to get to her with traffic was a real nightmare, but now she is home with frozen peas on her shoulder and neck and pillows and love.

Yikes.

Laura, your family sounds so talented and fun!  I am glad to hear that your son is getting there on resolving his medical issues.  How are you doing, sweetie?

Anyone with Lat flap tightness issues, can feel free to PM me, I managed to get rid of mine with intensive PT exercises and stretches and muscle relaxers.  But when I get tense, it will still come on.

Texas, you have been thru the wringer ,gal.  You deserve only the best from now on!!!!

I heartily reccomend VS wirefree bras and Goddess online bras for D cuppies.  I have a left over "pooch" of skin that makes me have to wear a 38 from my lat flap surgery and the VS actually has this memory foam stuff that fits customize to my C girl, the new one and the DD original.  In clothers i even look perfectly even, otherwise I sort of half to slouch about as tho I am trying to look cool, which I am not.  Just trying to look semi balanced.

love to all and a happy weekend.  I am thanking god today and all of his angels (esp. St Michael) for my girls' safety.

xxo

Dawne-Hope- I think the biggest surprise for me, post-exchange, was the sadness afterwards yet it seems almost everyone has it.  It does get better.  I am about 5 weeks out and am starting to feel like myself again.  And the implants are starting to slowly feel more like a part of me.  I found the busier I stayed the less I focused on my chest and the better I felt.

Laura- Sounds like you have a wonderful weekend planned.  After all your family has been through, and more to come, you deserve to have some fun.  Hope it is great!

Adnerb- So happy your exchange went well.  Isn't it amazing how little pain meds you need after exchange?

I'm having a few challenges this week, ladies.  I've had a horrendous headache for 6 days now.  Finally cried uncle and went to the doctor yesterday.  My blood pressure was very high, which is unusual since it is usually low.  They said it's like the chicken and the egg. They put me on migraine meds (even though I've never had a migraine in my life) and bp meds.   They said it is like the chicken and the egg.  The high blood pressure could be causing the headache or the headache could be causing the high blood pressure so basically they don't have a clue.  I thought I was done with all this medical crap.  It's like the mob- Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in!

DeKaay, thank you so much for sharing your experience! Your story makes me feel so much more at ease.

Brenda, I'm hoping to only need one fill which will be in a couple of weeks. I have a trip planned the end of August, so will hopefully get the exchange in early September.

Firni, not much more can happen. While I've been having my issues, my husband has had a total knee replacement, two back surgeries, surgical kidney stone removal and most recently a double hernia operation. Until 2 years ago, we were both extremely healthy and we've always taken care of ourselves.

Stuff happens.  We've learned to appreciate all that's good in our lives and just push through everything else!

Giselle7: I went to see the PS. she did not notice on exam any change in the radiated breast. It was just weird, don't know if this has happened to any one else. For about 2 days the radiated breast with the TE was hurting more, now it's back to "normal".

Is it OK to massage the breast with TE?  I was doing it more lately, then I noticed like a thumb imprint in one area. Is this the rippling?

I hope all this does not sound too starnge. I finished raidation mid April, and things keep happening.

Texas357 - what a story!!  So, the implant in the raidated breast " failed" so far down the line. You had had the finla exchange.  How long after the exchange did it happen?  Did the skin open up?  Scary to know that it can still go wrong , so far down the line.

TO ALL - I want to just say, what a support it is to me reading all your comments.  I have never met you, but I find myself thinking of different names I see on this discussion board while driving. You are all a  great support to me.

Donna

Donna, I had my first implant exchange in late October 2009, then six weeks later the incision opened up and I had slightly smaller implants put in. The failure started to happen in May 2010 when the skin didn't heal after tattoos which lead to the infection.  

I knew the risk but others have successfully had just implants after radiation that I had to try.

Any LD Flap girls who have had their exchange?   Please tell me how it went and how your recuperation went.   I am imagining no drains, a few pain pills but nothing like the first bilat lat flap!

Congratulations Brenda!!! 

I'm very fortunate! Not only did I have the option (I have a friend whose BC tumor was situated in such a way that reconstruction was not an option), but I refuse to let surgeries slow me down by much. Three days after surgery, I was grocery shopping. Five days after, I was back to working full time (thankfully I work from home on the computer). A week after, I had resumed my volunteer work as a golden retriever rescue coordinator.

Yes, I nap and I have yet to resume my exercise routine. But I'm making it known among my friends: I'm LIVING!!!!!

Texas, I'm so inspired by how you are handling everything and staying so positive.  So many setbacks and so much with your DH.  You are one STRONG woman!!!!!

Kate:  Hope you sort out your BP and headache issues.  You know the hospital would not let me leave until my BP was lower.  My normal BP rate is very low.  My heart beat was more than 120 and the BP was 160 plus over 100 something.  Scary, but it eventually got low enough for me to go home.  Strange.  I have never had this reaction before.

Lilah:  I did not even realize how long I had waited until friends reminded me.  I did not even mind the coconut shells until they were off!!!  Thanks for asking about the rash.  As mysterious as it had appeared, it left without much ado.  My theory is stress.  My friends who saw my TE's in Nova Scotia thought it may have been the width of the TE's that caused the chafing.  Makes sense, eh?

Lilah, how is your recovery going?

Brenda 

Hi Everyone -

Two days until my exchange and port removal!!   I am crazy excited!  I want these obnoxious unmatched tissue expanders out.  One is giant and the other is small.  I really don't know how the PS is going to match these up.

I can't wait, I can't wait! (I sound like a little kid going to Disney World!)