Charleston Bound, part 2

MsSherryInFL

Thanks everyone.  I have an appointment with the endocrinologist tomorrow.  My onc is working with the team at Moffitt.  They are trying to arrange as much testing locally as possible. Hopefully I will know more soon.

LindaG47

Journey,  I am so glad you posted that about the Veronique.  I was considering buying one without zippers, but hesitated, because I am only 4'10" and my torso is very short, so I have to have a custom made one; which is more money.  I had a custom one made for Stage I and it fits great.  They not only shortened the torso, but made my waist and hip area different, because I have a wide waist and slim through the hips.  I am already 4 months post op and have been wearing some sort of compression all the time.  The only reason I was going to consider the new garment is because I do like the feel of the compression and am going to try to continue for 2 more months or until it gets to hot to bear.  I guess I will just stick with my Spanx during the day and my Veronique with the zippers at night.  What I don't like about Spanx is tugging it down to go the bathroom. Can't wait to the last minute or it's a disaster!!

Journey

Sherry thanks for the update. Please keep us posted and know that you are lifted up in prayer.



Jeskachi thanks for the link and description. That is the one I was looking at yesterday as well. The inside leg seams shouldn't be an issue as my real sensitive area is my outer thighs and hips. Looks like Marena is just miles from me so shipping should be very quick!



Linda, I am taller at 5'6 but all my height is in my legs. If I tried to zip and fasten my ompression garment all the way up it would smother my new girls so I have to keep the back up and fold down the front by leaving the last four inches or so unfastened. This is a primary reason for moving to a non zip garment or me with a lower waist or a waist I can more easily adjust. Let me tell you how difficult it is to look nice with all this garment buldge and a drain! Lol, I can't wait to get rid of this last drain AND change into a non zip compression.



Hope Kim and Tina are doing okay!

Del11

anyone hear from Kimber or Tina yet?

kimber3006

Darn!  I just wrote this big long post and then I lost my wifi connection when I tried to submit and lost it all - grrrr!  All went pretty well for me and everyone here is just the best!  I know Tina was a couple doors down, but by the time I felt up to a visit and thought she might be, too, she was gone.  I have to stick around for another procedure in the morning.  I had extra skin that Dr. M allowed for swelling, so tomorrow she's going to trim that and finish stitching me up.  I'd like to go home tomorrow night but I think it will be Saturday.  I miss my little boy so much!  Hope everyone else is doing well - I'm a little too foggy to remember what else I said before!

Journey

There she is, hi Kimber! We are glad to hear you are almost headed home. I know it's been very hard being away from your boy, but it will all be worth it. Rest well. Please give Dr M a hug from Gretchen tomorrow.

LizR

Kim:  So glad to hear all went well!  You are so fortunate that you live in Charleston and don't have to spend any additional days away from your little boy!  He will be so happy to see his mom!

LindaG47

Kim,  So glad to hear from you.  Going home and being with your son will be good medicine for you.  Just be careful to follow instructions and don't lift anything over 5 lbs!  Rest well and keep in touch when you can. A big hug for Dr. Massey from Linda in MI too!!

Anonymous

Hey, ladies! I made it to the flip side! Dr. Massey was great. My husband thought she was wonderful, too. When I met her for the first time the night before surgery, all she did was walk into the room and introduce herself, and I burst into tears. I was overcome with emotion from all the stress to get insurance approval and all the other logistics just to get here. She said it was perfectly normal to feel that way.



After she saw me in person and I showed her exactly where my LE is the worst, she didn't think she should make really large incisions that went around to the side of my chest in order to get rid of all the excess skin. The scarring could disrupt the path of LE flow that I use for manual lymphatic drainage exercises. So, she suggested she make 2" incisions and let the skin shrink back
on it's own. If there was too much puckering, then she could remove more skin later and still have a much smaller scar and not effect my LE. I was disappointed at first because I didn't want to have another surgery and hoped I'd be finished. She reminded me I had come here to get the best proactive LE care, and this was part of that. I had to agree, so that's what she did. She was really pleased with the results and said she didn't think I'd need a second surgery. It's hard to predict how it will look later, but I know it was the best choice. And if she seems confident that my skin will shrink back and look nice, then I'm going to sit tight and see what happens.



However, the best part of this surgery, is that I felt so much better Immediately after the implants were out. Still sore from the surgery but I can tell the difference. There's some swelling on the side of my chest, but it doesn't feel like the LE swelling I know so well. Also, she put the drains under my breast area so they wouldn't interfere with the drainage path.

jacee

Kim & Tina- Welcome to the other side!! Great to hear from you both. Everyone's case is so different, yet it's so nice to know we all get the same TLC!! Dr. Massey makes you feel so good about your care. Thanks for the updates. Heal quickly and let us know how you are from time to time.

Brenda-You can remove me from the surgery list....had to cancel for June.

Joni

LindaG47

Tina,  so glad to here from you too and know that you are pleased so far with the outcome.  Dr. Massey is the best.  She loves and cares for each and everyone of her ladies and we all love her back.  She is a highly acclaimed LE and flap doctor.  You are in the best hands.

Joni, sorry you had to cancel for June.  Hope all is OK and you will get back on the schedule soon. 

Best to you all,

Linda 

AnneW

Yay, Tina and Kim! Glad it all went well for both of you.

I don't know what I would have done without Dr. Marga. I think we all feel that way. I hope she knows how much we love her.

SAMayoFL

Kimber and Tina, how much pain are you in now?  Is it bearable?  Are you happy with the way your breasts look now?  Were you shocked to see it/tem the first time?

I know, I am bombarding you with questions!

Susan

Anonymous

Kimber, I knew you were nearby, but I was highly medicated and didn't have the energy to find you. Really wanted to sleep but people kept coming in and out of room. Got to power rest during the day yesterday and went to bed early. Going back to hospital Friday for PT. Really don't feel up to it with these drains in and still very sore. What room are you in? I can try and stop by if you'd like. Feel free to PM me.



Susan, I just had my implants removed with no further recon. So far, I'm happy with how I look. Having pain, but no worse than original mastectomy. After living with pain from implant for more than two years, I'll take this any day.

Journey

Tina, so good to hear from you and that you are now on the healing side! I know what you mean about no more implant pain. It's a wonderful feeling! Don't stress about the scar / skin issue and give yourself time to heal. If there is a little bit she needs to revise you can do it when you are ready- if ever. Do you plan on reconstruction in the future? Hope your LE session goes well today and you feel better afterwards.

Del11

congrats Tina and Kimber!  Tina: I hope you feel immense relief now. I haven't had implants, but I can imagine your discomfort. Keep taking those deep breaths, and enjoy exhaling (metaphorically  and literally )

Kimber: When you're feeling better I'd love to hear about your experience more since I'm having stacked DIEP in August. You can PM me if you want. Take it easy at home, both of you!

kimber3006

Tina - Hearing now how tired you were, I'm glad I didn't stop and knock on your closed door during one of my walks.  I would have loved to meet you in person, but I'm sure you needed the peace and quiet.  As wonderful as the nurses are, it's still exhausting to see them every couple of hours all night long!

I went in and got my port removed and the rest of that flap closed up first thing this morning.  I just went into the twilight this time versus full anesthesia so it felt like a breeze compared to Monday.

Susan - The pain was a bit more than I had anticipated, to be honest, but controllable with drugs and now 4 days out I'm feeling pretty good.  It's just hard to move without using your stomach muscles!  My breast area feels fine - almost no pain at all and it looks amazing!  My husband and I were both just blown away.  All of the awful rads scars are gone and under my arm looks perfect, as does my new breast.  There are scars of course, but those will fade.  It's exactly what I was hoping for - Dr. Massey is just wonderful in every way!

Brenda - I'd love to tell you all about it a little later this weekend.  I should get to go home tomorrow morning and it will be way more comfy to type on my laptop there.

So, Tina, I hope you're feeling better and I'll talk with you all later!

SAMayoFL

Hey Kimber, thanks for the information and I hope both of you have a safe trip home.  I can't wait to hear a continuation of the details.  I hope you both get better and stronger every day!

Susan

bennetts1

Glad to hear for both Tina and Kimber!  Hope you both continue to do well!  Kimber...I know you are glad to be home with your precious son!  It is so difficult being away from your children!  Tina...How are your drains doing?  Do you know how long you will be keeping them?  Hopefully not too long!  I know you just feel so much better with those implants gone...now just heal!

Sandy

LizR

Tina and Kim:  It is great to hear from you both - it sounds like you are doing very well and are happy to get your big surgery behind you.  Sending you very positive thoughts for quick healing!  Dr. Massey is a gem, isn't she?  Liz

bennetts1

OK ladies...I need some answers, some advice, some help!  I am having horrible itching deep in my DIEP breast where my fat neurosis was (there is still a small area), along with phantom itching along my scar line on the breast.  Of course, I have no feeling, so this is driving me insane!!!!  It was so bad last night, I took a benadryl!  Has anyone else had this happen????  Is there anything that will help with this???  I am losing my mind!!!! 

Sandy

Journey

I'm so sorry Sandy! Could it be nerve regeneration? I have had phantom sensations before in areas that I have no feeling but it always past in short time. You're a Massey girl right? I would email her today if you are still suffering and get her thoughts.

jacee

 Sandy, I can't help with that one. I've had some itching on the surface of the skin before, usually under my bra beneath my breasts. But like you, can't feel myself scratch it. Did the Benadryl help it? I would definitely call Dr. M if it continues. Maybe AnneW will have some advice.

LizR

Sandy:  How are you doing?  Sorry I don't have an answer for you on the itching - I get them occassionally but they last a second or two.  Thinking of you!

AnneW

Sandy, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner--I've spent a weekend out in the snow in rustic yurts with a bunch of crazy friends. So good to get back to my own bed, though. Slept like a baby last night.

Sounds like you have a nerve regenerating. You know how when you have numbing from dental work, and your lip itches deep when it's wearing off, and no amount of rubbing can touch it? Hopefully yours won't/didn't last long. I can't think of a thing that would help that awful sensation!!

Glad your post-op gals are recovering. Take it slowly, ladies. Take pain meds liberally!!

Snobird

I had minor itching on ab scar which I treated with hydrocortisone cream and that helped. I don't know about you ladies but I am starting to have skin sensation even though the actual breast tissue is numb. I can feel the skin surface and it I pinch it I can feel that pinch. Can't feel much under the skin though. I'm not a Massey girl but I'm about 14 weeks out from DIEP surgery.

brendaclee3

Hi Jeskachi~Please put me on the list for upcoming surgery in Charleston.  I had my meetings this last week with Drs. Klein and Baron and was very impressed.  Surgery is schedule at East Cooper in Charleston for May 25th for a bilateral DIEP.  If anyone is going to be around Charleston at that time for surgery, let's get in touch.  I'm sooo neeerrrvous!! (Brenda)

brendaclee3

Hi Snobird~ I see you are 14 weeks out from DIEP.  What's it like now?  I'm scheduled for May 25th in Charleston for a bilateral DIEP.   It sounds like most of the ladies are happy that they went through with DIEP.  Any suggestions are always welcomed. Brenda

brendaclee3

Can anyone tell me what it feels like to have the nipple tatoo?  Seems like it would hurt.  How do they do it?~Brenda~

Snobird

I really can't tell you adequately how happy I am. The surgery wasn't any worse for me than the original lumpectomy was other than being longer time wise. I was under for 7.5 hours. The first 24 hours after surgery were the toughest pain wise but I used the pain medicine which was morphine for the first 24 hours and then Vicodin and then Motrin/Tylenol combo. I was up and walking around slowly as soon as they removed the catheter which was the following morning after surgery. Apparently the PS was in checking on me several times during the night and very early the next morning. I wasn't aware of it but my husband, who was staying in the room with me, said so. When he came in later he showed us how to listen for the blood flow in the flaps with the Doppler which we both found very interesting and informative. They check the blood flow every 2 hours then every 3 hours and then every 4 hours while I was in the hospital. I got pretty good at finding it myself after about the 4th time. I made sure that I got up and walked around, went to the bathroom, etc. as much as I could. I needed some valium to help with back spasms from laying down too much and bending over walking but that subsided after a few days. I had 4 drains which were a pain but they were all gone by 10 days post op. I was discharged after 4 nights in the hospital. After one week I saw my PS in his office and was released to go home (5.5 hr drive).

I wore yoga pants for about 3 weeks and then the swelling of my abs was down so I could get back in my jeans. Wow my stomach was so flat I couldn't believe it. My jeans were pretty loose but I didn't want to trade down a size just yet. (Now I'm one size smaller) I wore a stretch camisole top most of the time for about 8 weeks and then went bra shopping. I never wore compression garments at all and the PS took off the surgical bra in the hospital after about 24 hours. I asked to be a C cup and that is exactly what I am only I've gone from a 38D to a 36C and I have lost 15 lbs since the surgery. I think that at least half that weight loss came from my breasts. 5 weeks post surgery I was downhill skiing and yesterday was my last day skiing for the season. Looking forward to getting my kayak and bike out.

Wishing all of you ladies the best in your surgeries and recovery. This surgery has made a new woman out of me (just ask my DH) I hope it does for all of you too!