TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

HapB, I have a wig, it is of natural hair and was very expensive, not thousands of dollars but still a lot of money and insurance covered 70% of the cost. It is very beautiful and reminds of my natural hair, I had a long one before. I have initially chose another, less expensive, although I could not really chose between those two, and once they were going to dye it there was no way back. However, when we came to pick it up, I saw the lady had this more expensive wig there as well and she told me that if I still wanted it I can have it. I tried them several times and we went home with this most expensive one. It was very kind of her. I have not worn it anywhere yet but I tried it on for my manager when he stopped by last week and told him that it was that much of tax-payers money invested in it and he said that it was best investment ever and he is glad he could contribute. I have the best manager, a former colleague, so far he was more in all the aspects than I could expect from him, very supportive. I have a lot of pimples on my forehead that are turning into zits and this is very frustrating sort of not worth that wig, and my eyes look so awful of all this crying that I cannot look at the mirror.

And do not underestimate your cat, mine was laying on the table by my computer, spinning, rolling on its back just like a seal and at the end it rolled of the table, it was funny, and I do not remember feeling that something was funny in a long time.

They did indeed postpone my treatment for 9/20/17 and have re-scheduled for 9/27/17.  I have had this happen once before and that extra week helped me a great deal to build up strength for the next one.  I guess postponing this one feels a bit harder because it would have been my last chemo (TCH) and I was looking forward to being done.  I will have 6 more infusions of just Herceptin after that.  I WILL NOT let this postponement depress me and will look at it as a chance for an extra week of rebuilding strength.  

I pray for God's presence as I finish up these treatments and go forward as it has been so hard to concentrate and stay on task since I started chemo.  I try to read my devotionals, I read AND re-read and read again because I cannot absorb what I have read!  It is frustrating to not be able to concentrate and remember what I have read.  I start to pray and get lost, only to start over again.  I know that He knows my heart so, I try not to let it worry me too much. 

Cannot wait till I am through with chemo!!! 

Melanie

(cross posted)

Soxfan75, PoseyGirl, Deni1661, and All.

Here is the rest of the story. A friend (12 year survivor) was helping me clean house. It was a "you show me yours, I'll show you mine" moment. Her Plastic Surgeon took 1/2 of her non cancer nipple and used it to reconstruct the removed breast's nipple. Her nipples are small.

I talked with my Plastic Surgeon and told him about this. I shared how I liked how small the nipples were but still big enough to have texture and feel at touch. I think mine will end up about the size of 1/2 of a number 2 pencil eraser. So, I am not concerned about them poking through my clothes.

The 3D tattooing will give the illusion of a larger nipple.

About Vinnie Meyers and 3D tattooing ... He will not tattoo a woman until she is 5 months from any treatment. Aside from his location in Maryland, he also goes on the road to places like New Orleans, Birmingham, Al ... . The price in Maryland is $800 for two with a $400 deposit at the time of scheduling. The price on the road is $1,200.

Because I am in an HMO-type insurance, I had to have a referral. I shared previously that my referral is for "durable medical equipment."

Here is the CPT Code my Primary Care used for the referral:

11921RT 11922LT.

The phone number to schedule is 410 876 4638.

Conversations with the Tattoo POC, shared that I will leave with an invoice and this code can be put on the invoice. The POC also said to expect to file several times with my insurance before they will pay.

As for pictures, I had to send in photos of center, left and right shots to the tattoo shop as well as answer a questionnaire about what procedures I had and when. Just the boobs in the pictures; no head( thank goodness). Frankly, my boobs have been photographed so much since this all happened I am immune to it.

When I am all done, I will pm pictures if you want to see. It won't be until March 2018.

Hope this helps.

Vicky

HapB - I got my wig after taxol #4. Its important to do before you lose a lot of hair, so they can match style and color to your hair. I paid $550, not covrred by insurance. It matches my hair color and stylist trimmed it to match my style. I'd say 95% of people had no idea its a wig, even my mother and siblings. Mom kept saying, you must have gotten your hair done, it looks nice. Finally at week 12 I admitted to her it was a wig. My friends compliment me on my hair, they look shocked when I admit its not my hair! I wear it 100% when i go out in public. At home i go bare headed or bamboo hat if its cool. My hair has started to grow (4 weeks PFC) it thin and fuzzy, all grey. But have noticed that eyelashes and eyebrows getting very thin, didnt lose them during chemo!

I used a wig during my treatments. I just couldn't handle being completely bald in public. I admire the ladies that can and do. I went and picked it out before I ever started my treatments. I had a few close friends to go with me and help pick one it out at a local store. I think it was a little less than $200 and it was covered by my cancer insurance. I wore it when I was in public and most folks had no idea it was a wig. It matched my hair color and hair style at the time pretty well. I had my last taxol treatment in October of 2014 I think and I think I finally stopped wearing it the following March maybe. My hair had grown out enough to cover my head, but was still very short. My hair came back with lots of curl to it when it returned. I had never had curls before and loved it. But eventually it went back to it's normal straight texture.

shelabela- I used Mepitel. My skin held up really well. It wasn't supported by my radiation onc (he didn't say I couldn't, just didn't suggest it, either) so I had to pay for it, but it really seemed to work. After treatment I shared all the studies with them on how it is supposed to be effective. Great that you are getting that as well as proton! There were a lot of people using Mepitel in the radiation thread when I was in treatment.

Meow.  Sorry that you find yourself here but know that this is a good place for encouragement and support.

Melanie

Coachvicky - I didn't even know they could take half of one nipple. I thought I read somewhere that they use the existing skin and somehow twist it to make it protrude like a nipple. I just assumed that was the only way they could do it. I meet with my PS next week so I'll have to mention it. Has anyone else heard of placing the implant under the pectoral muscle instead of on top of it? What about fat grafting to make it feel more real?

Hi Soxfan. Implants are more frequently placed under the pectoral muscles; however, they are placed over the pecs by surgeons who perform that technique for the right candidates. There is an over the pec thread in the reconstruction topic. There are pros and cons based on body type and skin for example

soxfan - you can't place enough fat on or around the implants to make them feel natural, but fat grafting can add some softness, particularly at the upper pole and edges. The issue with fat grafting is that the fat must form a life support immediately after grafting and this does not always happen, so some portion may be reabsorbed relatively quickly - within weeks. It is not a longer term problem, but rather a more immediate failure to take.

Good to know Special K. Thank you. I'm going to talk to my PS about it when i see her next week.

moodyblues, hang in there, it will be over soon, do not let it to depress you, it will get better

Shelabela, good luck!

I have been on Arimidex for 3 years and my hair is as thick as normal, maybe even thicker. I stopped coloring my hair monthly and it seems much healthier.

During chemo I used Nioxin for chemically treated hair shampoo and conditioner. I used it on my scalp even when I was bald. My hairstylist thought it would help remove the chemo chemicals from the hair follicles or something like that. I don't know if it actually helped or not, but I had no trouble with hair regrowth on my head. Eyelashes and eyebrows were another story.

HI ladies! Things went good the first 2 radiation treatments. takes 40 minutes but other then that it was good.

Meg 2016, How often did they change the mepitel film for you? I was told 1x a week.

Meowmmy65, welcome aboard our journey. sorry to see you here but This is a great place for support and answers. I was so scared when I heard the words "you have breast cancer" But these ladies here are wonderful!

Anyone here do proton radiation?