Exchange City
Comments
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Home! Actually feeling pretty good...wrapped tightly in an acewrap so don't know what they look like...will see on Sunday when I can shower again...
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Thanks, Ladies concerning the bikini top thing...I can't try them on yet, but I will after my exchange...um, I suppose 3-4 weeks after...sound about right? Same with bras...ya don't want to buy any until you are dropped/fluffed...and not swollen anymore?
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violet - That's right, things might change a lot after exchange as there is usually some or a lot of swelling. Your PS won't know until he/she is in there how much "adjusting" needs to be done so that will affect the amount of swellling. I was one of the lucky ones who breezed through TEs and looked pretty much like "me" the whole time. Didn't experience a big drop and fluff. Everybody is different so you won't know until you get there
For some it takes longer than a month. 0 -
Keetmom... So happy you've crossed over to the squishy side! Now rest up. How do you feel?
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Keetmom....CONGRATS!!!!
....welcome to the squishy club!Di
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Thanks TinaT...but GORSH, it's HARD to have to wait & wait...until we can FINALLY get our exchange, wait to buy bras/swimsuits, etc. We've already had to wait enough w/ all of the surgeries/tests, huh? Sigh...
STILL. I'm getting super excited about my upcoming exchange...probably end of May
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violet - One thing I remember my mother telling me when I was a kid (and she still says it) is "Patience is a virtue". She said that to me A LOT when I was growing up so I guess I needed frequent reminders
I agree, there is too much waiting with all of this. I try to take it one day at a time, but it sure is hard sometimes!0 -
Jdevonm congratulations!!! So happy that you dug deep and mustered up the strength and courage to make the call. Best of luck w/ new PS.
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Shellshine.....yes it very frustrating....I don't know if everyone has the strength & experience, that is on Medicare to fight the system. I had a butt of an insurance company, still do, but it is now my secondary, so I am use to figting insurance, although it wears me down more now, than it used to!
It seems like a waste of tax dollars to blanket reject, every x?-numbered claim....or don't understand that I did not want to live with tissue expanders for the rest of my days on earth.
They paid the nurse anesthetist (the next day) for the surgery but rejected my PS.......duh!!! I just didn't want a nap to go to lala land with my chest exposed!
Di
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Violet 1,
Wait, shmait.... I'll be two weeks out Monday and couldn't wait any longer. Just got back from the mall with a new swimsuit for my upcoming 28th anniversary trip next month. I bought one of the tankini tops that are sized according to your bra size. I'll hold on to it for a couple of weeks to be sure there's no major droppage and fluffage! Didn't really have any swelling from exchange surgery and I'm already in an underwire bra. Of course, everyone is different!
Keetmom,
Congratulations on crossing over to the squishy side! You will rest so much better tonight! Just remember when you unveil Sunday that those things have been under very tight wraps for awhile and will change quite a bit after a few days. I'm excited for you!0 -
I know this may seem weird, but a lot of you talk about being wrapped up tight for a few days after surgery... Is it weird that I was just sent home in a surgical bra with a little bit of gauze over the steri strips? I'm past all of that by now anyways, just kinda curious...
Also, CONGRATS TO ALL OF YOU LADIES that recently had their exchange surgery!!! Even though my results were terrible, I was sooo happy when I got rid of my TE :-)0 -
Jdevonm.... I was the same way - no mummy wrap, just surgical bra, some large gauze-like pads and steri-strips. Not sure how I feel about the squishies yet, too early to tell (surgery one week ago today) but like you said, NO TE's!!! One side still has pain, especially when i sit/lie down or try to stand (almost like TE's), PS said she had to do a lot of work on that side. So hoping its just a result of her trying to make me symmetrical and not some other problem.
Speaking of wondering, does your PS believe in "fluff" massage? Mine doesn't but am curious when that usually starts. Checked it out on Internet, not sure I'd be able to make myself do that. So maybe it's a good thing my PS doesn't believe in it.0 -
Yeah, my surgery was 2weeks ago today, and I still have a little pain on the one side too, but I think mine is from the nerves beginning to regain some feeling. I've never heard of the massage thing, I will have to look into that, although I'm not putting much effort into things until after my appt Tues. I hope things get better quickly for you. Be sure you watch for fluid build up and any fever, even if its a localized fever in that area... When I had my staph infection, I didn't run a full body fever for over 3 weeks... But I had a lot of heat radiating from that side of my chest after the 1st week, and a lot of fluid build up (even with drains in)
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Thanks jdevonm, will be on the lookout. For now, it's still swollen but hasn't gotten any worse. Sometimes at nite the bad side gets so irritated by the bra band I put ice chips in a small zip-lock and ice that area for as long as I can tolerate (I have a t-shirt or small towel between skin and ice, not directly on this skin). This seems to help a lot. I still look really flat (implants are HP 750's) but I'm giving them time. I had the 1st mx 16 yrs with no recon, so this is a considerable improvement. I just wish I felt better so I could discontinue the Percocet or Norco and can get back to driving and going for walks. Not sure if I'm being impatient, it's only been a week. Have read so many of our exchange sisters are up and functioning pretty much normally much quicker than me so I don't know if it will just take me longer or if I'm being a big baby about this all.
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No, you are in no way being a baby!! I thought I was too honestly, my PS kept telling me to go back to work, but that was even after I went to him with a fever of 103.7 for week straight... Your body is going to tell you if there is something wrong, just keep your eyes open for signs. Other than that, my biggest advice would be to try wearing a sports bra instead of a surgical bra, will still give you the support you need but the band won't be as tight. When I switched, I lost a lot of the fluid (2nd surgery) overnight.
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No compression garment or band for me either.....went home in a snug surgical bra with extra dressings over the glued incisions.
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Good to hear not just me lol :-)
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Good nite jdevonm and Tina (and many others too): We're all in this together!
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Just a surgical bra for me too. And after one or two weeks my PS told me to do some message. But his instructions were very different from those one of my friends got so I am guessing message may be dependent on type of implant, placement, surgery, etc.
And girls in pain....hang in there!! I still had pain in two specific spots 5 or 6 weeks after exchange. I was discouraged because "everyone else" seemed to be back training for Olympic events by that point. ;-). But when I asked my PS he said give it a little longer as those two spots were where the implants were anchored. More work at those locations equals more time to heal. And the pain is gone now. Don't get discouraged!!0 -
2nd time around,
My PS doesn't believe if the "fluff" massage, but he did tell me to move it around in the pocket. Up, down and to the inside....but not to the outside. He said that it would naturally want to migrate to the arm pits so not to push it to the outside. It would be so nice if there were a consensus so we would all know what the right thing to do was!
Keetmom,
Hope you were able to take a nice warm shower today. It gives you such a new perspective on things.0 -
I did get a nice warm shower...they itch because of the tape but feel SO good not to have the tissue expanders in there....this surgery was SO much easier then my last one it is hard to sit still and not be out working on spring cleaning the yard because today is the nicest day here in a LONG time!
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Unowhoandwhy, Juicy Jackie, Romey, Shellshine and any one else having their exchange surgery this week: YAY! You are finally here! Sending prayers, hugs, and good thoughts your way! Please let us know about your progress!
Thanks Peanutsgal... See PS this week for 2nd post-op. Wonder if she'll say something about massage then.
Keetmom... Please take it easy! That momentary urge for normalcy could cost you! You're only a couple days out, remember the mantra, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."0 -
Thank you! Had a bit of a panic today when my ride fell through. My mom is going through some rough times and left me stranded at the hospital after my hysterectomy in February when she had a panic attack (thank goodness a friend from work was around!). She just let me know she isn't up to driving me Tuesday. Fortunately, one of my aunts is available that day. Phew! And mom is going to start seeing a psychiatrist next week.
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Unowhoandwhy... Ok, last minute panic calmed! Rest up as best you can.
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Congrats Keetsmom on your exchange last week! Glad to hear you are doing so well so soon! Good luck to all the ladies due in for surgery this week. Hope all goes well and you recover quickly.
Still no new date for me yet. More testing and a second opinion from a new doc this week to see what's going on with my heart. Hoping its just the tissue expanders sending out false positive results on my stress test. All my other tests came back normal except for the stress test. Really can't deal with a heart issue so soon after a cancer diagnosis
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I know 2nd Time...and my DH is good at lecturing me too!
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Keetmom.... Didn't want to come off like I was lecturing, just know by experience. A friend of mine had exchange 5 days after me and was up & out of the house, down by the beach, living it up a couple days later; was I ever envious! Specially since I was still on pain meds and light-headed/dizzy. She's hurting today, poor thing! Glad I'm taking the slow & easy route!
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LOL I didnt take it that way...I am just saying he is making me lay low... I know I need to lay low...but it is hard for me to have people taking care of my stuff...I know I have to...and it is finally nice here in WI after a winter that would not end...
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Wow - you're right - there's 4 of us: Tues, Weds, Thurs and Friday!
Been so busy finishing up my final exams the nearness of the date slipped by me. Last test is on Tuesday, last class Weds, then a day to catch up, then lotsa rest. I did't tell you folks that I am getting my upper eyelids done at the same time! I figured WTH, I'm under anesthesia with a PS, might as well get something special out of all this!! So I'll be applying icepacks to my eyes and emptying my drains that week!! I'm in good spirits.
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Shellshine... Hey, why not? Smart move! Drains you say? Did PS already say you'll be getting them? Hmmmm. Here's the picture I see: if you have drains, with eyelids swollen, will you be able to correctly see how much drainage accurately? Also, with all the studying you've been doing, great timing as your eyes are tired from all the studying? New squishies + new eyelids + rest = one hot lady!
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