NOLA in September?

Adey

Congratulations EvaM!

Nordy

Eva! Hurray! I have been waiting silently with you! Woooohooooo!

bdavis

Yahoo!!!!!

Katiejane

Congratulations Eva!!!  What wonderful news!!!!      katiejane

Momma2four

Congratulations Eva. Yeah!!!

JustLaura

SO happy for you Eva!!!

BettyeE

Eva,

So happy for you!

Seashellie

Eva - Enjoy that nice big exhale and deep breath of relief!.... Congratulations!!!

Minnesota

Hallelujah!

EvaM

Wow! Thank you all. This was just the WORST. But now I'm on my way for a weekend retreat and then next weekend I fly to NOLA! I wasn't really able to feel fully at peace with my decision before, but now I do.

besa

Eva - Wonderful news!

bdavis

Hi Ladies.. I have a question especially for you veteraned women.. I received my operative reports today (never got them) and it says that I had a DIEP II... that my vessels were modestly underdeveloped therefore a conversion to DIEP II was necessary for this harvest site.. What does that mean??

SurfaGrl

Eva:  Awesome news! I'm so glad you can feel at ease now and move on.

Question:  I had stage 2 three weeks ago and the Center called me today.  Stacy said I should cut my sutures and pull them out.  YIKES!  I didn't do it for Stage I, I kind of just let them fall off but she said she didn't want the skin to grow through the sutures.  How did you folks do it?  I can see them but I wouldn't be able to cut them off below the knot myself; probably the hip area but not breast.  I have quite a bit of sutures because I had to cut an area of fat about 2 inches under the arm pit, revise a very old scar, take away the dog ears, and take down the recon breast.  Seems like one knotted suture is in the middle of nothing on the side of breast? Please advise.  Did you need to sterilize the scissors? Use any scissors? Where did you folks cut on the suture?  THanks 

Downey30

So so very happy for you.

bdavis

I did it for stage I and only some for stage II... I thought they were dissolvable... Sure hope so.

besa

Surfagrl- I don't know if I am an expert but here is what I did.  After a number of weeks Janine told me to clip the threads of the remaining stitches.    I sterilized scissors and tweezers in alcohol or betadyne (spelling ?) .  Using tweezers, I gently tugged at the stitch so that I could cut below the knot.  (I used small, thin, curved "nail" scissors.)  After the stitch was cut below the knot I pulled out the "thread"  and then wiped the site with betadyne.   I would be interested to see how others handled this. 

Bdavis - I don't know what a DIEP II is  but would be very interested to learn about this.

cider8

Surfagrl, I had a suture removal kit from the Center.  It had tweezers and scissors.  I used the tweezers to pull the knot out far enough to snip, so the knot doesn't retract back into the skin.  I was able to twist enough to get most of my sutures. Some I pulled on a bit and they came out.  I did ask my husband to trim one I couldn't reach.  The suture that might be located in the middle of nothing might be from the lipo canulla?  I think if really wanted to, you could see if one of your local docs could trim the sutures.

Betsy, if I recall correctly, JustLaura had DIEP II.  I don't know what it means, though!   

Springtime

Sandy, good one with swell hell.

Betsy, I don't think anyone can predict how long it will last. I think mine is the outside range because of the plication at 2 years +. Yes, my tummy now feels stronger and bloats less.  

Eva, YAY!!!!!!!!! 

chellehump

Eva, YAY!!! I have been praying for you!! I am so happy & relieved for you sweetie

Have fun at your retreat

HUGS!!!

SurfaGrl

Besa and Cider:  Thank you so much for the detailed information because I am going to try it tomorrow.  I called my former surgeon but she isn't open tomorrow and I wanted it to be done soon as I'm 3 weeks out from Stage 2.   

BDavis:  I thought they were dissolvable too!  I guess not.  Stacy wants me to pull them. 

KBodie

Wow Eva! Great news. Glad you have peace all around now.

celtic_antique

B9!! BINGO, Eva!! GREAT news!

cider8

Those little knots are dissolveable, but since they are outside the skin and more of a ball than a thread, they don't dissolve like the rest.  I've also trimmed some threads that were poking out of my skin.  Does/did anyone else feel the internal sutures 'pop?'  I do!!  Around week 4/5.  I didn't feel it fron Stage 1, but for sure Stage 2.  Especially where my hip dog ears were excised.

Eva, so glad you are able to relax from the good news for your retreat. 

need2new

Eva....so thrilled for your results. Relax and go knowing you have made a good decision. 

I am home, flew yesterday uneventfully and safely. I used the porter curbside w/wheelchair and it worked perfect. They get you through all the security and what not so easy. Then I was trying to upgrade to the bulkhead seats and the agent at checkin was less than helpful. WHan we got to the gate the poter went to the desk agent and got it all sorted out. He earned his 30 dollar tip!

It was hard to decide to use the wheelcahairs but worth it, preserved my energy for coming home to my beautiful girls who yelled "mommy" so loud when theu got home after school.

 By thw way, they think the girdle and bra are "ugly: and wasn't I embarassed wearing them" Had to tell them I had clothed on over them in the airport ro which they said 'oh, good" - little rats.

Onto healing and life!!!!!

Will keep thoughts for those coming up, my advice, move as much as you can, drink and breahe deep. And a cup of warm prune juice will do the trick  

bdavis

Paula.. I did the same with the knots ,but didn't pull out the threads as I didn't want to disturb anything... I have not heard popping sutures...

besa

I don't know if I did a good job of explaining -  I gently tugged on the threads at the surface  and cut the knots  - got rid of the threads on the surface and  knots at or just barely below the surface.   I wasn't sure how to handle anything that obviously extended below the surface.  If it could be pulled to the surface with VERY gentle tugging fine - if not I just clipped as close to the surface as I could and left it to dissolve. 

bdavis

Besa... After stage I, I cut and tugged and could remove the whole suture... but after stage II, I cut the knots and stray threads they were extending out, but did nothing with the internal portion of the thread.. I had waited too long I think and things were too healed... when I pulled my abdominal thread after stage I, it was a weird sensation. I also seemed ot have more threads after stage II.

Djweinstein

Brenda--Thank you so much!  I'll keep those bras in mind!  Prior to getting your email I found two great (and fairly cheap) bras at Nordstroms. I wanted ones that were more comfortable and also looked better.  I found two:  (1) A Kensie "Jaime" lace Trim Bralette ($28)--here's the site I hope it works as it's long:  

(http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/kensie-jamie-lace-trim-bralette/3253242?siteid=J84DHJLQkR4-zyNeEn.iRkGuyjoVGizQUg&url=http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/kensie-jamie-lace-trim-bralette/3253242?origin=category&cm_ven=Linkshare&cm_cat=partner&cm_pla=10&cm_ite=1) 

 which is light support but sooo comfortable for sleeping (and quite sexy too!)  

(2) I also bought a Shimera Seamless bra for $18--see: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/shimera-seamless-bra/3073229?origin=category&resultback=290

This one has a little more support.

I hope they that have enough support...I'm guessing they do at 3 weeks plus!  But I'll definitely keep the others in mind as I go through everything to come! 

Del11

those are really cute! much sexier than the ones I've been wearing   but probably too small for me. definitely too small back when I had my first stage 1.  Dr. M told me at the time of surgery that I'd need to wear good support... those babies were heavy.  It's hard to find "good support" in wirefree bras but those I mentioned do a decent job.  After a few lifts and shrinkage and softening they aren't quite as heavy as they were so I might get adventurous with some cute bras like the ones you mentioned.

cider8

Just to be clear, the only threads (not talking about the knots) I trim are the ones somehow poking through my skin and becoming an irritant.  I cut those only close enough that they retract back into the skin.  I never unravelled anything from under the skin!  

Need2New, glad you got home uneventfully.  How old are your kids?