Exchange City

whippetmom

Wendy:  I was hooting about your wonky bangs after surgery.  That is hilarious!  Are you sure it isn't that little shower cap they put on your head during surgery, which hikes your bangs up against your hairline?  I guess this is another good reason for me that I do not have bangs.  I do not need any additional reasons to have a bad hair day.

KEW

Wendy---LOL---I'm not going to get that image out of my head for awhile....I knew what they did, but never gave it much thought, however for some reason tonight, it is cracking me up beyond belief.

Good luck tomorrow.

And good luck Dani--I hope it all turns out well.

Hugs--Karen 

lifegoeson

Terri,

I also get a really strong reaction to adhesive tape.  Nothing much seems to make it better once I get it, but it goes away on its own.  The first time it happened I was sure it was an infection, but it's just an allergy and apparently not an uncommon one. 

Make sure to tell them every time you are in the hospital from now on - for anything at all - that you are allergic to adhesive tape.  Tell them to use paper tape.  They usually make me one of those hospital alert bracelets saying "no adhesive tape."  Once you have the allergy, you will always tend to get it, so be sure to tell them.  Make absolutely sure to tell the anesthesiologist if you are hospitalized again - one time they used adhesive tape for my IV and my hand was really swollen from it.

It's no big deal at all for them to use paper tape, and if you ever need to change your dressings you can buy the paper tape in any drugstore.

Bigapple09

Thanks for the good wishes, but I am sidelined for a while, I have a checkup weds so maybe I'll have a surgery date, till then I am the one boobie girl, on the upside I got a light fake one to take the place of the infected implant and all my muscle tightness is gone.

Off to sleep now, today was myfirst day back in the office since the mess on the 16th I am exhausted.

my560sel

I'll make sure to tell them about the tape if there's ever a next time as I don't want to go through this again. And you're right about the band-aids. I put a band-aid on each of the four end stitches to cover them because my PS tied knots on the ends and the little bit of extra suture was catching on  my clothes. Wasn't I surprised when I took off the band-aids and had 4 exact red replicas etched into my skin!
I bought a white sports bra today at Walmart just to hold the "girls" in place and also because I don't like the feeling of my skin rubbing against the inside of my wool sweaters. I'm going to try the cool water remedy and see how that goes.

Deborah: I have bangs and the strangest thing is that when I wake up from the anesthesia, they're always neatly pushed to one side a la "Veronica Lake " if you know what I mean......freaky.

Candi: Glad you're having better luck with this PS. What a difference from your first, you must be so relieved to be in good hands.

Best of luck and healing vibes to those having surgery this week,

Terri

whippetmom

Terri:  Has anyone told you that you look like Jane Seymour?  A YOUNG Jane, obviously.....but at least in your avatars that is the resemblance I see....

Estepp

Wendy.... LOL... you are a tough chic AND a funny one to bat!

Candi.... Good to see you sister... you sound good!

Ladies.. I know this is EC... but I need HELP.....LOL

I am STILL in pain all the time.. MAKES ME SO MAD.... The side where I had all the nodes removed. I had rads too... mast... the whole 9 yards...

My whole left side and arm tingle... ALL THE TIME.... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,,, is there ANYONE here on EC that can talk with me... ( in PM's) about their experience?? I just don't get relief... makes me NUTS. I take the drug for neropathy for the issue.. ???? Anyway... if you have any ideas ... please PM me... TY!

Baxter

You guys are soooo funny. My PS told me they sit you up too. But what bothered me more than my hair having that "satellite dish" look is the fact that when I'm under I can't suck in my stomach like when I'm awake and I probably have that lovely Michelin tire man thing going on! 

my560sel

Oh my! Thank you, but it must be the angle of the photo...lol She's much more "delicate" than I am physically but thanks for the compliment!  A little tidbit...did you know her real name is Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg.

Terri

Nedeza

Oh Baxter!!  Thanks for making me LOL!!!  I never thought about that!!!  Oh goodness...I'm a girlie girl who does not go anywhere without make up so when they say absolutely no make up...I can only pray that I do not run into anyone I know!!!  LOL!  Sooo...trying to visualize here...not a stitch of make up, waking up with a bed head, & looking like Michelin tire man...LOL!! 

Estepp ~

Sorry to hear of what you are going through & to all who are having a "bumpy" ride on this journey!!  My prayers & thoughts to you all!

NAe

Estepp

CANDI... No doubt... and my PS is really cute/handsome... so I did kinda hate that I gained 20 some pounds... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... I just wanted to scream......" If you had know me my whole life.. you would know I have NEVER looked like I do now.."... LOL.... But really.. I felt so vain.. I really did...

I felt like I was this fat... ugly...... fake breast... old lady .... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It was a hard year for us all....

Tomorrow is the 1 yr anniversary of my mast. The second worst day of my life... I still deal with this...

It is funny,, I can deal with the hangover from chemo... from rads..... but I have a very very hard time dealing with the hangover from the mast...and implants.          ?????????????

Don;t get me wrong... I look good... but... I am not.... "me".....

I know you all get this....... !

lifegoeson

((((((Estep))))))  I know just how you feel about not being "you."  That first year anniv has got to be tough, mine will be coming up soon too.

Just wondering - have you ever been evaluated for lymphedema?  The pain and tingling in the arm sound like some of what the LE sufferers sometimes describe.  Especially since it is all occurring on the side where you had the nodes removed.  You might want to go take a look at the lymphedema forums, there is some good info there.

whippetmom

Candi.....Oh HORRORS about not being able to hold in the stomach!  I thought the same thing, but  I was relieved to find that only my top half was exposed during surgery.  I wore one of those Bear Paws inflatable gowns that a pump blows hot air into so that the lower extremity is kept warm during surgery.  I was not completely nekked.  Of course, the fat grafting surgery was something else entirely. 

And NAE....are you kidding?  I wore makeup to surgery.  I wore mineral powder foundation, eyebrow pencil and eyeshadow primer.  It was the "no lipstick" edict that ruined it for me.  I am the lipstick queen. I love my lipstick.  

whippetmom

Terri....when are we going to see pictures of your 700's?

BTW:  How interesting about Jane's REAL name.  Here I had all along thought that she was linked to the Seymour family - as in the Jane Seymour who was married to Henry VIII ! 

Estepp

Thanks Life.... I will... I am sooooooooooooo in denial about LE.... I have no swelling.. so I just figure I am ok.......

whippetmom

Laura:  What is this? You have been in misery and you have not told us about it?  I am going to do some research.....

KEW

Laura--No ideas about the arm, but I am sorry you are experiencing it.  I do understand the one year of the mastectomy, it was an extremely difficult anniversary for me, leading up to it, but after the date it was better.  Big hugs to you.

Karen 

Estepp

TY !!

Deborah... I have been complaining about this for over 6 months...LOL... just.. not so direct...

I am tired of it... for sure!  I am going to call a LE therapist and see what they thing... this whole BC thing is getting OLD...:).... as it is for ALL sisters....... stage 0-4

whippetmom

But I thought the Neurontin was helping!!!

Nedeza

Whippetmom ~

I was wondering when they inflate the Inflatable Bear Paws gown...makes sense now.  My DH & I pay out of pocket for our insurance & we always have to comment & chuckle w/ all the techno devices!   What's up with the "talking" elevator at the hospital??  My DH & I couldn't stop laughing since we obviously knew where OUR money was going into...but a "talking" elevator?!!  LOL!

The last time I wore make up into surgery was when I went in for my last C-section...my DH looked at me & said, "You have to be kidding...are you wearing make up???" LOL!  Who knows Deb...I may be more daring next time!

NAE

Lilah

Yeah Laura -- I second that about Lymphedema.  Maybe a compression sleeve will alleviate the pain (as a temporary measure).  I am sorry you suffer so.

I am still laughing about this image of being out cold in the OR... can't believe it hasn't been done as a scene in a movie yet (a comedy of course).

I am noticing a small dent on the underside of my foob (the lower pole?  about halfway between my scar and the fold)... had second fill today and nurse was there (PS on vacation) and didn't think it was an issue.  Maybe it's always been there but more pronounced as more CC's go in?  It seems like a bigger dent since this morning!  I am probably obsessing   Is this normal? 

Estepp

It is Deb... it helps about 60%... I cannot imagine NOT having it.. I am so tired of pills....

Peggio

Laura ~  I'm so sorry you are in pain!  Ask your doctor about Lyrica...it's for nerve pain.  My husband takes it for his bad back.  Maybe that will help.

On another note - just know that you are such a source of inspiration to so many women on this site that it just wouldn't be the same without you.  

And ....I've seen you in person and you are absolutely beautiful!

Love ~ Peg

whippetmom

Laura:  I agree with Peg - that Lyrica might help.  It is shown to really help with fibromyalgia symptoms and you have symptoms similar to those experienced with fibromyalgia.   Also, I PM'd you tonight with some additional info.

Mykidsmom

(((((Laura)))))

sftfemme65

Hi everyone!

Dianne,

good luck with your surgery!  I love my HP implants and I bet you do too!

Laura,

Are you kidding me!!! You are absolutely gorgeous and your weight looks perfect!  I feel like a chubby old toad next to you! 

About your arm pain...I have pain all the time in my chest and my arm too, I have been basically dealing with this from the beginning but it really has been bothering me the last year the most.  I did see a lymph specialist and was measured.  I do not have LE and it was highly recommended by 2 different specialist to not wear a sleeve if I dont have LE, that it could do more harm than good.  I believe the majority of the pain is nerve damage from the mast and probably from reconstruction too.  Sometimes it feels like areas of my skin are burned, I have shooting pains, numbness, pins and needles sensation....it just sucks.  Just wanted you to know your not alone!  I dont have a solution for it but I think Im going to try to do some physical therapy, it had been recommended before but I had expanders in and lol well that was just not going to work at all!

Teresa

sftfemme65

Oh yea Laura, your right about our PS.....he is a young cutie, ladies!

Bigapple09

There is a nerve in your arm called the brachalplexus (sp), pressure is placed on it during the node biopsies and sometimes for a longer period during the surgery. the irritation of this never leads to that weird burning/tingly feeling down the arm. Mine bothered me for months but has mostly subsided. It is however only on the SNB side with me. The nerve can be irritated in the other arm also, through any number of things including the placement of surgical clamps during the procedure or an arm restraint etc during surgery. It should not really be a permanent thing. If it is, and if the Dr don't listen, I would call a med mal attorney and find out if it is normal. Oddly enough they can be a great resource for finding out if something is an intended/expected result within the standard of treatment in community. ** disclaimer**** I am not a med mal attorney.

I always recommend getting copies of all of the reports from your surgery, sometimes there will be something in there that will give you an answer, though sometimes, not everything winds up in there. I was burned during my first surgery, it is in no one's report not the bs not the ps not the fellow,no mention of it. Looking at the pathology can also fill in some blanks, for example my surgeon said she took out x nodes, but the pathology report showed more nodes. Granted they are small and easy to miss, and I was not looking to sue anyone,I just sort of like knowing what happened when I was out cold (except for how they sit me up).

Just my pain the butt lawyer side peeking through before coffee.

Texas357

I also ask for all of my reports. Memories dim and it's good to have the originals in case you ever have questions.

I woke up from my first exchange surgery with a huge gash near my port scar -- it was from tape! Now it has scarred over and with the port scar, it looks like I have a 1-12" letter "L" on my chest. Uggh.

Estepp, I read where the pain from a mastectomy/SNB can last a year or longer. I still get sorenes under my arm and along my side from the drain scars. I also have a very mild case of lymphedema which causes my arm to be sore all over. I hope that yours is something that will go away in time.

Hood1980

Laura - I second or third or whatever we are up to   that you should seek out a lymphadema expert.  I got fitted with a compression sleeve and it really does help, especially when you know you are going to be over doing it, which I am sure you have been in your profession, especially this time of year!

The depression/anxiety that goes along with the significant anniversay dates...I hear you sista!  Some don't get it, but what I do is try to plan something I really enjoy for that day.  In your case a day with the Grands is in order!!!  Of course we are all here for you too!  (Even though I am guilty of hanging out more on Facebook these days.)  You know where to find me.

 Love and prayers to all my BC sistas!

Joyce