Charleston Bound, part 2

kimber3006

Sandy - Did you ever see the ghost at Poogans Porch?    My appt is at 3:00.  That would be great if we could meet!

 Pinkbutterfly - I had the same misconceptions about tummy tucks, etc. before I went into this.

bennetts1

Kimber...never saw the ghost...LOL!!!  I am not for sure what time I will be getting out of the hospital, or if I will be out of the hospital.  Marga said if she did plication I would be staying 2 nights.  I will PM you my cell number. 

jacee

New date for me....Oct. 6, Stage 3, Dr. Massey

kimber3006

Sandy - I sent you my cell #, too, so just let me know whenever you know....

Jacee - Yours is a day before my 1b.  October is the perfect time to come to Charleston!

brendaclee3

My stage II is October 18th with Dr. Kline if anyone is around East Cooper at that time.  Never heard of Poogans Porch, but I love a good restaurant.  I'll check it out.  What's the deal on the ghost? 

kimber3006

It's supposed to be haunted by a lady that lived there for years before it was a restaurant.  She's supposedly one of the most often-sighted ghosts in Charleston.  Poogans Porch is one of the many sites on some of the ghost tours downtown.

SAMayoFL

Awwww man, Brenda, you and I will miss each other for stage 2 too.  I am hoping to be scheduled for the week before Thanksgiving so I will have about two weeks to recover before returning to work! 

How are you doing?  How do the sisters look?

Kimber, I am soooo happy to hear from you!!!  I hope you are doing well!!

Susan

LizR

Sandy:   Thinking of you!!!!! Tomorrow is the big day - please keep us posted.  Hoping for a quick, uneventful surgery!  Cannot believe you are almost done!  Liz

SAMayoFL

Sandy, good luck tomorrow!!  I hope everything turns out beautifully.  I can't wait to hear the details!

Susan

jacee

Sandy!!! You finally made it girl! Wishing you a great surgery and quick recovery. And NO blood clots this time , ok??? Give Marga a hug from me. Let us hear from you soon.

kimber3006

Hope everything went smooth as silk for you today, Sandy! 

bennetts1

Hi Girls...I finally got out of the hospital and I am at the hotel now.  Surgery went great...it lasted about    3 1/2 hours, but I had a lot of work done.  Dr. Massey tattooed both nipples so they would be the same color.  She removed some of the upper pole of my reconstructed breast...it was always a tiney bit larger than my other breast.  Since I have lost weight, she had to do some additional work on my left breast.  I guess she did another lift, she said she removed excess skin because I had lost so much volume in that breast.  I had excess skin removed from my hips and lipo done to my tummy, inner-outer-and back of legs, my back and my sides.  I am extremely sore, but I am not going to complain because she did excellent work!  The tattoo on the non-reconstructed breast is very sore!!!!  I am glad the other breast does not have feeling!  I am so glad I found this board, which in turn lead me to Dr. Massey.  The end to my journey is finally here!  Thanks to everyone who helped me through my journey!  You are a group of strong women who I feel I have a very strong bond with.  I feel very fortunate to have met several of you on this thread...I was able to meet Kim today...such a darling lady!  My hope is one day we can all get together and have a Charleston get together!  I look forward to following the rest of you to the end of your journeys!

((HUGS)) and LOVE!

Sandy

LizR

Sandy:  OH MY GOSH!!!!! That is a TON of work - you must be thrilled (but very sore!).  What a great idea to tattoo the natural breast - I never thought about that and had wondered how I would ever get mine to match!   Wow, you are really going to have a brand new body - between all of the weight you lost and all of Dr. Massey's great work - on top of amazing new breasts!  I agree, I am so glad we found this board and followed our hearts to Dr. Massey!  You sound great - we are so happy to hear all went so well.  I agree, let's have a Charleston reunion!!!!  You are in my thoughts!  Liz

Journey

Sandy, so glad you are at the end of this. Knowing our Marga you will be very happy once healed.

heatherbless

HEY GIRLS!  JUST CHECKING IN!  DITTO TO EVERYTHING LIZ SAID ABOUT A NEW BODY!  I FEEL THE SAME WAY--  I ACTUALLY FINISHED UP ALL MY REVISIONS IN NOLA WITH DR. SULLIVAN!  IT WAS AMAZING--BUT I WILL ALWAYS BE IN LOVE WITH CHARLESTON!

MISS YOU ALL, HEATHER

LizR

Heather:  It is so great to hear you are doing so well - I have seen your posts on the NOLA thread - you sound so HAPPY!   Please keep popping back - you will always have a home here! Liz

bennetts1

Kim,  Great meeting you in Charleston!  How did your appointment go with Dr. Massey?

kimber3006

Sandy - Great meeting you, too!  And I just have to say again, I'm amazed at how fantastic you looked so soon after your procedure.  I was thinking of you and that long drive all day yesterday.

The infection in my chest looks better.  However the 3 new red, bulging spots on my donor site incision don't look so great.  Argh!  It makes no sense.  That incision was completely healed and looking great and then out of the blue came the redness followed by swelling, bulging and pain.  Dr. M aspirated 2 of the spots yesterday and put me on a different antibiotic (my third different one for anyone who's counting).  I called her today to report that the redness hasn't gone away at all, though the one that has continued to drain ever since I left her office feels a whole lot better.  I'm going into Roper in the morning so she can open them up and clean them out.  Hopefully I'll heal right up after that!

bennetts1

Kim, Oh my!  I am sure they will run a round of IV antibiotics through you.  Sounds like you need a really strong one...3 antibiotics, wow! Does she know what is causing the infection?  Could this be the cause of your pain?  I am glad you are there to see her and she is able to take care of you!  Please update in the afternoon...I will keep you in my thoughts all day!

We made it home in about 12 hours, stopping every hour.  If felt good getting out to walk because my legs got so sore and stiff from riding.  I am still very sore, and my left tat is really throbbing today.  I will be glad when they are all healed up...they take a lot of care, but really look great!

Hope to hear from you tomorrow!  It is time for you to be be healed and feeling GREAT! 

Do you have facebook?  I put our picture on my page!

jacee

Kim, hoping your procedure goes well today and they find some antibiotic that will get this cleared up. So glad you are there in Charleston to have this cared for . Hoping we can meet in October.

Sandy...You and Kim look radiant!!!  I can't imagine how it feels to be finished....and how can we go without seeing Dr. M???? Heal quickly.

LindaG47

Sandy, So happy that you, Mike and Colin are home safely.  It was good talking to you, my very Breast Friend!  Take care and don't over do.  Oh, gosh, I just remembered, another summer without the pool!  Not to mention you have to go back into Spanx!!

Kim, I hope the new treatment goes well.  You are in the best hands with Dr. M.  She'll take good care of you.  

Heather, Good hearing from you and glad your NOLA journey went well and you are happy with how everything went.

Brendalee I hope you are continuing to heal and doing well.  

Love and hugs to all.  Linda 

kimber3006

Ugh, I just lost another big long post before I could get it sent!  I am so ready to throw this laptop
out the window this weekend.  I somehow picked up a virus yesterday morning and have spent most of the weekend trying to get everything cleaned and recovered.  At least I've managed to get all of my pictures (I think) and most of my documents back, but I still have a lot of work to do.  Combine that with our central air acting up with all of these extra bandages, and I have just not had a very good weekend.  I'm hoping the next week goes better! 

Sandy - Hope you are feeling better!  I sent you a friend request on FB. 

Joni - Hoping to see you in October, too! 

I went in Friday and got these areas opened back up.  It went fine, and was actually really cool to
be awake in the OR!  Then Dr. M met us in her office yesterday to show DH how to change the wicks.  I'm really hoping we don't have to do this for long as he is having a really hard time stomaching doing it.  I go to the East Cooper Wound Care center in the morning for follow up.  Dr. M said I should be good to go in a couple weeks - didn't look bad in there at all.  I hope she's right!

 

bennetts1

Kim,  Glad to hear from you...I was getting worried!  Sounds like Dr. M has got you on track.  Hopefully you won't be down too long!  Mike had to change wound packings for months!  It never bothered him...but he field dresses deer too...LOL!!!  I did go to the wound care clinic twice a week, so I am glad she has got you set up with them.  Keep us updated!

My soreness is slowly getting better.  My thighs hurt the most.  They are still really bruised.  I have been putting arnica gel on them whenever I get out of the shower, hoping it would help...but I don't see any difference.  I must be healing though because all stitches are itching!  I have to keep myself from picking at the glue!

Sorry you have had a bad weekend...hope this week is better!

Linda...we went to the lake today, I had on the famous DOM!!!!  I was so blasted hot!  I did wear a bathing suit tank top, but I had on a pair of capri pants!  My ankles doubled in size they were so swollen by the end of the day!  I will be in a swimming pool this year...I will miss one day wearing this thing!  Last summer was a nightmare! 

bennetts1

Today, three years ago, I got the the dreaded phone call that I had cancer!  What a way to celebrate my cancerversary...NO CANCER, and completely finished with my reconstruction!  WOOHOO!!!!

LindaG47

Sandy,  WooHoo is right!  Keep healing and take it easy.  Love you girl! 

kimber3006

Well, I went to the wound care clinic today.  They are going to put a wound vac on the three spots on my abdomen.  I'm supposed to be getting tons of protein (so far I haven't found a shake mix or bar I can gag down!) and drinking these special amino acid drinks (which we also haven't been able to find yet).  Anyway, she did say she thought most of it would be in a good place after 2 weeks - a bit longer for a couple spots.  Hope it all works and I can finally heal up right!

Sandy - Hooray for 3 years and completely finished!  So glad to hear the soreness is fading.  How long do you think you'll stay in the dom?

LindaG47

Kim I sent you a PM

bennetts1

Kim, sent you a PM too!

AnneW

Kimber, get some whey protein mix (I sue BioChem  brand)--get vanilla, and mix it with half a pack of Carnation instant breakfast. You'll get tons of protein. Also, Greek yogurt is a fabulous protein source. I get plain and mix in berries, nuts, and honey or agave.

You can do this!! Hang in there!

LindaG47

Hi Kim,  In case you can't find the BioChem brand I use Jay Robb Whey Protein.  If you want a Delicious smoothie Pina Colada flavored try this.

1-1/2 cups ice (crushed)

1/3 cup of water

1 tsp coconut extract

1/2 cup pineapple (fresh, canned in own juice, drained)

2 packets artificial sweetener

1 scoop of protein powder

using a blender, mix ice, water protein powder and sweetener.  Then add pineapple and coconut extract. blend until smooth,  Enjoy!

I like this protein powder because it has 25g of protein, 1gm of carbo and only 110 calories.  I make this for a snack during the day. 

I also like Ann, get Greek yogurt and mix it as she does, but I sometimes add a little stevia or other sweetener in because Greek yogurt is a taste you have to get use to,  In the beginning I use to mix a little Fiber One yogurt in with with.  I like greek yogurt now.

You are doing good.  Keep up the good work.