Exchange City

Faulkh, where did you have your surgery - a local hospital or in Philadelphia? I had mine at U of Penn> I have found a couple of other ladies here, where our paths have been crossing quite a bit in the last few months! Small world, so I was just curious if you were one of them.

Estepp my surgeon is Mathew Hlavacek. He has a practice in Lee's Summit called Facial Spectrum. I got him from Truman hospital because i did not have healthy insurance so I had to go where they take medicaid. I had to wait in recovery for 4 ours because they did not have a room for me. They first put me in a room with a woman who was talking incessantly to her guests, on the phone, and to herself. So they then moved me to a private room which was nice.

I can shower if i want to but Doc said the hot water may hurt. So I think i will wait. I will see them after the drains come out. I kind peek down the top but I can't tell anything,

I need some help. My exchange is November 4. This is my second set of expanders. I think my foobs look great with one exception. On the left side, under my armpit there is a little pad of skin or fat.



I asked my PS if it was fixable and he said he could lipo it, but it would extend the healing time and be really sore. Since I had a pseudomona infection, I don't want to invite trouble, but on the other hand, I've come this far, I feel like I should go for it.



Has anyone addressed this or had it done? How painful was it? Ive got 9 days to decide,

fluffqueen01 - I didn't have a massage with my TEs, but I scheduled one (then something came up and I had to cancel).  I spoke with one of the therapists who said they would do a "pregnancy massage" on me (lying on my side) if I wasn't comfortable on my stomach or in the upright chair, which still puts pressure on the chest.  She said they do lots of massages that way. 

Carol:

Congratulations on your exchange!  Can't wait to hear how you are doing as things settle in.  Good Luck to everyone which exchange surgeries coming up.

Phyllis

Angelique



No I had a consult at u of p but didn't like the physician. I had my exchange surgery at BrynMawr. There are a lot of us that seem to be local to the Philadelphia area as of late.



Carol glad to hear you are doing well. The beating of the shower did sting a little at first so just turned my back but got to tell you the shower felt wonders and I think the warmth of the shower water relaxed the pec muscles a little which really helped



Wishing those exchanging today and tomorrow best of luck and continued healing for all



Liz

Hi Pat- I am back home from exchange! It went well despite the Boston traffic making me 20 minutes late and fearing that they would send me home with a new date as the paperwork had  threatened. But apparently everyone had the same issue with traffic and backed up surgeries so I did not get into surgery till 1:15.

I am a bit sore (really from the fat grafting areas more that the actual incisions/implants). They took a little from my hips and a little from upper chest close to armpit. That is what is bothering me the most but just kind of achey.Took pain killer to tolerate the drive home and I was fine. NO DRAINS! which made me so happy. I had a lot of energy initially but am really tired  now. My voice is gone and throat is a bit sore from the  breathing tube.

My husband and I took a look before we left the hospital with the nurse and they look pretty good. Mentor smooth round high profile gel 600cc. Will take a better look tomorrow.Compression bra 24/7 till we go back to see her. No shower for 3 days  sponge bath is ok and  we go back to PS on Monday.

No ice cream sundae for me as it was snowing out the whole ride home but I did have applesauce and gluten free pretzels at the hospital and am about to have some risotto that my husband made yesterday. Was a bit nauseous upon awakening but they gave me something and it resolved very quickly.

All in all it was not bad at all and I know you are going to do great! Check in when you can.

Ginger,  So happy to hear how it went for you-this snow is unreal....My surgery is scheduled for 12;30 tomorrow-right here in town-so no worries. My PS said I would be more sore from the liposuction they are doing around my breasts that the actual exhchange-so I think we're in the same boat.  I'm going to do my best to "sleep in" tomorrow, (LOL) befroe the surgery-don't think that will happen, and then see how it goes from there.

  Glad to hear you are feeling as well as can be expected and on you way back to CT.

  Let's compare notes over the next few days.  I'm hoping for a pain free, easy recovery for both of us so that we can enourage others!   pat

fluffqueen i had a little lipo on my prophy side to make them even because there was a lot more tissue on that side. That side does hurt more than the other. My docotr did say we ould do lipo when i get my nipples done on my sides.

Had my exchange this past Monday. Some discomfort but overall it's been an easy recovery. I have to keep reminding myself not to do too much. I have noticed that I tire easily - guess my body telling me to go rest.

Hardest part for me is not picking up my kids when they reach their hands up to me or hearing them call for me because they want me to put them to bed (they don't understand that I can't lift them to put them in their cribs). At least they can sit on my lap or are comforted when I kneel down and put my arms around them.

So far, happy with the way my implants look but I know it will change a bit over the next couple of months and it's really nice not to have boulders on me anymore...squishy is very nice :-)

Ginger48 - Welcome to squishee land! Great to hear all went well. Take things slowly 'cause it is too easy to overdo after getting the TE's removed.



lab44 - At 4 weeks out I'm suddenly feeling almost back to normal, if you ignore the occasional tightness. Also, yesterday was my first 8 hours straight on my feet. I was exhausted at the end of the day. Lost a lot of stamina over the last 5 months but eagerly anticipating getting stronger than before!

Congrats to all the recent exchangees.  Take it easy - it's so easy to overdo it accidentally.

HL - it's been over two months for me and I'd say I'm finally soft all over.  It sort of softened up in patches for me and it took a while so be patient!  Sorry you're feeling tightness .

Checking in for the first time in a while!  Glad to see everyone is doing well.  Monday will be 2 weeks for my exchange.  No issues to speak of other than I think I have a little extra numbness under my left side- maybe Im imaginign it?  Which was fortunate that I wasnt laid up because my dad passed away wednesday 2 days post surgery.  I am maxed out on crisis and ready for 2011 to come to an end.  I go back next week for the PS to make sure the swelling is going down- to be honest Im not sure I really even had any.  One question I have is bras?  What have your PS been telling you?  Mine said wait 6 weeks before buying anything but in the meantime wear whatever is comfortable...

HeftyLefty- I too am experiencing tightness & hard spots in one side only(the side with pocket work done)....went back to ps just to address this & ps said it's just swelling in places & with time it will soften like the other side.....which is softer, but still not what I would call squishy. And I know, all I hear about are "oh, how squishy" & was worried I was not feeling it. Though as you said nowhere near the hard, pokey TE's but still definitely not squishy.

He gave me exercises to do to speed it along....hands on hips, elbows out & then bring elbows as close together in center while still keeping hands on hips, hold & repeat over & over. You'll see it stretches the pecs & he says massages the implants from the inside which is better then any outside massage(according to him).



Tina- glad to hear you are finally soft all over.....I called mine hard spots & haven't heard any others complaining of this....so it eases my worries to know others have had it & it has gone away.

tlc and ginger thanks.  I had the surgical bra for the first 48 hours then I could shower and wear whatever including just a cami.  he did say wear a good sports bra for the gym which I did I was back in the gym 5 days post surgery and running even.  I am just looking forward to buying nice bras again Its a shame how many I am throwing in the trash from the pre surgery but I can use the retail therapy-5 more weeks and I can splurge...