Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

IllinoisLady

No one can get inner peace by pouncing on it, by vigorously willing to have it. Peace is a margin of power around our daily need.Peace is a consciousness of springs too deep for earthly droughts to dry up.Peace is the gift not of volitional struggle but of spiritual hospitality.

Harry Emerson Fosdick

Puffin2014

I'm back from my trip to Florida. Flew to Orlando with Lew, Carey and 2 of the grandkids, granddaughter's dance group was invited to dance at Disney, they did a great job and won the Golden Mickey. We went to Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Spent an afternoon at Clearwater Beach, Weather was great, temps in the 80's and I had a wonderful time. I'm at Dad's near Minneapolis now until Friday, while most of North Dakota has been hit with a blizzard, over 400 miles of interstate is closed down. My cousin had 21" of snow piled up on her deck railing.

Wren44

Puffin, Glad you had a good time. That is an awfully lot of snow. Is she worried the rail might break? We had a big snow here one time and then it warmed up and turned to rain making the snow really heavy. We lost the roof on our deck, but that was minor compared to a whole marina shed collapsing on the boats.

carolehalston

Puffin, I'm so glad you had a fun trip to Florida. It sounds like quite a contrast to current conditions in ND! I cannot imagine dealing with that much snow and such frigid temperatures. We are supposed to be down to 20 degrees on Friday morning. I will have to protect some plants in pots on the patio and will bring a few small plants inside.

Happy Wed. to all.

IllinoisLady

I suspect that the happiest people you know are the ones who work at being kind, helpful, and reliable—and happiness sneaks into their lives while they are busy doing those things.It is a by-product, never a primary goal. - Harold S. Kushner

IllinoisLady

Above all, let us never forget that an act of goodness is in itself an act of happiness. It is the flower of a long inner life of joy and contentment; it tells of peaceful hours and days on the sunniest heights of our soul.

Maurice Maeterlinck

IllinoisLady

Happy day for me today. I will work today and then have the next three off. It is my new schedule. Time to get a few X-mas cards done. The next few days are quite chilly ( 30 degrees this a.m. ) but the sun it out bright to make it feel really okay. If I have a cheerful sitting in the sky and winking at me --- it is all pretty good.

The furnace seems to be working QUITE well --- sometimes I feel a bit warm. It runs often but for such a short period. I know very little about heating systems, but feel un-like our OLD furnace --- the new one senses the change in indoor air temp. quickly and deals with it before it gets too chilly everywhere inside -- at least that is how it seems to me. I guess in the end --- the proof will be in the pudding. If our utility bills show good things.

I hope you are all going to have a terrific Thursday.

Heidibird

Good morning. I fall into this category and was diagnosed with IDC on April 19th of this year. I had a lumpectomy, no clear margins, a re-excision, still no clean margins and then a UMX of the left breast on November 9th after having completed my chemotherapy. I do not plan to have reconstruction (don't like having surgeries).

Since we are an older group here I have a question or two that you all seem to be the most qualified to answer for me. I apologize if it has been asked and answered before but this thread is quite lengthy. :-) My remaining breast is not perky and when I put my temporary foob in for the first time time the difference was shocking. The fake fill was nice and perky while my real breast sags. I have been putting a little fill on that side too to make it look a little more like the other. Maybe once I am able to wear a different bra with adjustable straps it might alleviate the problem. (I have tried wearing the back closure ones but after a couple of hours I am ready to rip it off). What other suggestions do you all have? I am back at work and have to wear a bra as it is quite noticeable to be flat on one side.

Also, what can be done about the lovely fat slab under my arm? What have you done about it and were you satisfied with the results?

Thanks, ladies!

~Heidi

IllinoisLady

Heidi, Welcome to you. I have been working most of the day so missed your post till now ( 6:30 p.m. ). I hope some of the ladies who have done the more extensive surgery will come one. Sometimes it can be quiet here so don't give up on us. Carole I know had double mastectomy so I think she could give you some tips. I do know that there are special bras just for women who have had one or both breasts removed so you might try getting the names of stores that could be around you. I also think some of this is sort of trial and error to a degree. I hope you are able to get plenty of information to help you.

I won't be much help because all I had was a lumpectomy. I am wishing you well and hope you will keep coming ( we aren't a real large group here ) until someone comes on that has had some of your same issues.

Blessings,

Jackie

JAN69

Heidi, I had a similar situation. I had a UNI and was constantly frustrated on how to dress comfortably. So a year and half later I had my healthy breast removed and now I just run around totally flat. I'm not sure all surgeons or insurance companies would go for this, but somehow it all worked out for me. I was a retired teacher at dx, so I was not standing in front of high school kids every day. I'm sure that working would change I'd handle my situation. For you, would layers of light weight mini blazers over shirts, t shirts work?

As for the flabby slab under arm, my surgeon offered to remove it in her office, but I declined.

I wish you well as you deal with these issues. Jan

Wren44

Heidi, I mostly wear lightweight stretchy bras and have the same problem. When are they going to make older women a foob that looks like them? The bras I wear come with a slip out shaper. Sometimes I put two of those on the real side to disguise the drooping. I would wait on the flabby slab to see what it does after a while. It can be removed surgically. Like Jan, I may end up having the healthy side removed so I can go without bras. The strap in the back crosses a muscle that's determined to hurt and a bra with a narrow back can spread the pressure. The only name I can think of is Coobie and these are a different brand. Similar bra, however.

ChiSandy

I too had only a lumpectomy, but my operated breast (courtesy of a conveniently-located seroma in the tumor cavity) is large, round & perky while the other one droops like a basset hound’s ear. I am lucky to be able to wear regular underwire bras (well, as “regular” as an H or I cup can get) and use the shaper pads from a Genie bra (into which I could never fit) on one side or the other to even things out.

carolehalston

I had bmx and reconstruction so have not dealt with the mismatched issue. Seems like a "not so perky" fob would be the solution

wam

hI all! I am jumping in Here if you don't mind. I just got back from a trip to see my son in Tenn. He works at the giant Opryland hotel. We did all the tourist things. It was great fun.

IllinoisLady

Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars.

- Serbian Proverb -

IllinoisLady

Nice sun today but pretty cold outside. My first day off and I had to go have a test done at the local V.A. satellite office. At least, I didn't have to go that far. Tomorrow I am going to work ( a couple of times ) as my boss is having a holiday get together and will be busy. It is okay with me. I just won't have quite the day I thought I might --- but it will be fine.

Thank goodness the new furnace is doing quite a job for us. Most of the time I'm pretty cozy now. I think ( of course it is brand new ) it is a better furnace. The newer ones are high efficiency which means they have a better efficiency level that not only does a better job while using less resources to do it. The fan that circulates really blows out pretty hard --- so moves air quite well and doesn't run long at all. There are still some details to handle, but overall I think we did a good thing.

Going to have to get my Christmas cards done soon. I don't send out many, but need to get them done. So, Sunday when I'm mostly home all day again I guess I will get to a few things.

Hope you are all having a good day.

Jackie

Heidibird

Thank you all. I do appreciate you ladies taking the time to answer. I had thought of possibly having the "good" breast removed at some point but not willing to go that route right now. I'll just keep experimenting with bras. I am getting quite the collection! LOL

~Heidi

NormaJean65

Is anyone here on Medicare for your insurance and do you know if they pay to fix the "dog ears" ? I had two separate mastectomies by the same surgeon and left with one side looking completely different from the other plus the dog ears.

NormaJean65

Heidbird.....please go to the link below that is on Breast Cancer Org and you will find a lady called Ariom in Victoria, Australia that is so informative about breast forms. The list seems to have slowed down a bit, but you can always PM her. Hope this helps.

Forum: Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy → Topic: Custom breast prostheses

ChiSandy

I know that Medicare is supposed to pay for whatever surgery is necessary for symmetry, so I guess that would include the “dog ears."

DenvMom

NO, Medicare does not pay for dog ears.  In June I went to a plastic surgeon to get my "dog ears" done on both sides.  I call them fat rolls.  I had really big breasts G cup before my double mastectomy and I was/am overweight.  I have lost 20 lbs  doing Atkins since June but would love to lose 10 more...Holidays are hard time to lose weight.

I was shocked that Medicare does not pay for the dog ears but will pay for a full reconstruction.  The liposuction cost me $1200.00 and I have one more liposuction to do since the fat roll is not gone.   The left side (where I had the cancer) has more fat than the right side. I will be doing the next liposuction in June again.  I work part time in a school and school is out then.  I hope the next liposuction gets the rest of it.

Hope this information helps you.

Heidibird

NORMAJeAN, thank you. I will check that out.

DENVMOM, was the lipo painful at all? You mentioned needing another session of lipo. Did the first session make a noticeable difference? Was your arm a lot or only a little more comfortable? I am a little overweight but did not have big breasts. I'm anywhere from an A cup to a B depending on how the bra was made. But my fat slab would make one think otherwise. I keep wondering where I should put my deodorant since it looks like I have 2 armpits. :-( And it is ridiculous that reconstruction will be paid for but not this.

~Heidi

ChiSandy

Having had only a lumpectomy, it’s not clear to me, when a mastectomy is done and the patient doesn’t want recon, why does the surgeon leave the dog ears?

IllinoisLady

There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem,
the more likely one will treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.
People who do not experience self-love have little or no capacity to love others.

Nathaniel Branden

Anneb1149

Happy Saturday to all

I had BMX because I didn't want to be trying to "match" sides. I did not have reconstruction. I did have dog ears, especially on the cancer side. My surgeon removed them about a year later- maybe six month, I'm not sure, but Medicare paid for it- or maybe the secondary insurance (VA 100% Disabled widow) paid. The one on the left is gone, but I still have the dog ear on the right. It is much smaller, but still there. I also have lymphedema on that side, which could contribute to the dog ears. I wear foobs every day because without them, my balance is off, and the dog ears seems to swell and hurt if I go braless. For many months I had to wear an empty sports bra to bed because of the swelling overnight. It has taken 3 years to find bras that are comfortable. Medicare pays for 6 bras a year. Don't know if any of this is relevant to you, Heidi, but I guess my point is, regardless of individual circumstances, it takes a while to find what makes you happy. I go to a place that specializes in post mastectomy bra's. Maybe they would have better advice to you, Good Luck,

Anne

MinusTwo

Norma Jean - like Anne, I had 'touch up' work and medicare paid the full 80%. I believe that Sandy is correct and Medicare should pay for the re-do's. Maybe the doctor's office used the wrong billing code and Medicare thought you were having "cosmetic" liposuction instead of breast cancer follow up. Or maybe that doc just didn't accept medicare. Both of those things happen a lot.

NormaJean65

Thank you ChiSandy, Anne, MinusTwo..........both mastectomy surgeries were suppose to be skin sparing. They were done by the same surgeon yet the affected side has a TINY bit of skin and the other side is flat w/ the exception of a sizable lump near the sternum combined with the "dog ears" they are very noticeable when I wear my bras or a bathing suit. (Now I won't even go swimming it's so ugly.) The dog ears look like loose skin on the side under the armpit that use to be attached to "something", ChiSandy. Yeah, my boobs. I would like to have ONE scar from one side to the other and look like a 10 y/o boy. I was never more than a C cup depending on the bra, then only a B cup. Maybe at this age it shouldn't matter & I should just deal with it. And NO I will not go back to the same BS. Spiteful witch........just b/c I didn't want to use her PS. Both pathology reports states Simple Mastectomy. It's one of those coulda, shoulda situations. DH was layed off last Oct. then decided to retire thus the Medicare plus Tricare for Life from his military which picks up the other 20% like any other supplement.

Again, thank you all. I appreciate the feedback.

NormaJean65

Of course, if I had half a brain left I could always call Mediare.

NormaJean65

sorry DenvMom.......I forgot to include you in the thanks. Just a little rattle brained right as DH cut the tip of his finger off this afternoon while "playing" with his new Ninja chopper. He has had leukemia and his platets will never be normal so it's difficult to get him to clot.

Everyone have a great remainder of the weekend.

NormaJean65

Heidbird.........here is another forum that might help you.

Forum: Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy → Topic: HOW TO MAKE A MICRO BEAD BREAST FORM