Charleston Bound, part 2

Catie2013

Cascader, now that sure was a SIGN, LOL. You had me laughing when I read that.



I know everything happens for a reason too. Hard to understand at the moment, but as time goes by certainly evident at times. That drive home was a sign for sure, literally.



DeAnn, there is a place named Hope Lodge that the Drs. Office can work with you to get you housing there for your stage 1. I was very happy to be one of those patients for my stage 1 in April. They worked with me to extend my stay when I had some complications and I was able to stay there for 6 weeks without having to pay. It is through the American Cancer Society.



I am back in Charleston right now for my re do on my left flap. This time I rented a condo for 5 weeks just to make sure all goes well. But others don't even think about staying here this long. I just don't have terrific medical support back home so I chose to stay as close to Charleston as possible for this long.



Hope all goes well with your research.



Catie

PinkHeart

DeAnn,

I went a week early and stayed with friend in Summerville. After surgery my husband came down and we stayed at Hampton Inn-Patriots Point, Mt Pleasant. It is 5 minutes to hospital and 10 minutes to beach. Ask for medical rate which is $87 per night. Homewood Suites is same distances, but is $119 per night but a suite.



I planned on staying at Hope Lodge but no rooms open. I did stop by and take a tour of it and it is very nice.



Better-Body-Baby and MartyJ are Charleston residents and can also fill you in on lodging options.



Are you flying or driving?

LindaG47

Beth, I have been on the road and just read your post about your flap.  I am so, so sorry.  I am happy to know you are staying positive and enjoying therapy at the beach.  Because of the way you handled this loss I am sure you are a positive person.  I learned that being positive is the best therapy (besides the beach) through my mastectomy and and chemo.  So glad that Marty and gma visited.  It is so nice to have "breast freinds" support! 

LindaG47

I have a new, still in package, compression garment by Design Veronique which was the kind Dr. Massey put on me in the hospital after stage II  I haven't used it because I had one custom made as I am short and the others were too long geared for me.  I also had 3 others that had been issued to me during other surgeries and just got rid of them. Anyway, if someone would like the packaged one I'd be glad to send it to you.  I think it is a large, or med., but not sure.  I am out of town for 1 month and will be home around the 18th of Feb.  You can PM me and let me know if you would like it; (first come, first serve). It has hooks and zippers like Cascader described and it is beige.   Dr. M wants you to wear the compression for 6 months!  Yes, 6 months.  I know that sounds excessive, but to tell you the truth it really makes the areas that were lipo'd feel better, plus it really smooths you out and look great under your clothes.  These garments have a split-crotch for making going to the little girls room easier. Just remember to wear your panties over the compression garment and not under!  I learned that very quickly!!!  Spanx is a nice addition while the hospital issued garment is being laundered.  Harder to get up and down especially over the sore areas.  Hugs, Linda

Cherrie

6 mo. Holy moly I didn't know that. I don't want to wear it through the summer. 😭 I am just now gearing up for stage 2.. Whew!!!

jacee

Linda is right. I actually got to where I felt great wearing the Dominique. I wore it for a solid 2 1/2 months. The longer you can wear it, the better. I also have a new one in the pkg. XXL if anyone could use it.

MartyJ

I recently read a blog post by a PS who requires his lipo patients to wear dom for 5 days straight - 24 hrs/day (no shower, no nothing) immediately after surgery.  Then for at least 2 months after.  The opinions vary widely.  

Cherrie - feel free to visit me in Charleston in June.  We can wear our doms and lose weight without moving.  Or maybe I should visit you in the north country .

One question - did the zippers on the sides of the Veronique and Marena get ripply?  Mine did and I am worried about how that might effect lipo.  Linda - is that why you bought the custom?

LindaG47

Cherrie, I don't think everyone follows that to a T, but I know that is what Dr. Marga wants you to do.  You'll be surprised though it isn't as bad as it may seem.  your body will tell you how much you need.  Sleeping in it is the worst part because it does get warm.  I remember however, when I first decided to start weaning out of it at night I couldn't stand not having it on and had to wear something with some compression even if it was lighter.  Marena and Design Veronique have a products, but they are expensive.  You could try a "shape-ware" garment from the lingerie department.  That's my 2 cents worth.  There may be other opinions on this.  P.S.  I wore a compression garment for 3-4 months and shape-ware after that.  Linda

LindaG47

Marty - I bought the custom compression before my surgery, because when I took my measurements and compared to the ones online I knew it would be too long geared in the torso and the legs would be too long also. Im only 4"10!  My zippers did not get ripply that I recall.  Marty, did Dr. M put you in compression after stage I?  My Stage I was in 2009 and compression wasn't used until Stage II and lipo.

jacee

Linda...Dr M put me in compression after Stage 1 in Sep 2010. Woke up in it after recovery. Same with Both Stage 2's.

MartyJ

Yes, I woke up in compression. I elected to wear it for 6 wks after stage 1 so I added a Marena to the collection. I am 5'3" with more in legs than torso. I looked at the ripples and could only imagine them causing post lipo lumps.

bethcw

Hi everyone,

Just checking in to let everyone know I got home safely on Friday.  I went home with 3 drains (2 hip and the failed breast drain).  I'll go back in two weeks to have the other breast drain pulled, they are being conservative since I am 5 hours away.  I threw myself a small pity party after I got home over the failed flap, but hopefully that party is over!  The plan is to schedule a stacked DIEP for the failed flap in about 2 months.  My insurance deductible ends June 30, so hopefully I will have the bulk of things completed by then.  My pity party is because I've never really wanted to do a DIEP (I don't have kids so no scars there, and don't have too much of a stomach either) and I can't believe I have to go through all this all over again.  I had researched and prepared for so long to keep from having some of the trouble that some of you ladies have had over failed implants and such.  I guess it just goes to show that all the prep in the world sometimes just isn't enough.  I am one of those people that believes that everything happens for a reason, so I am living my own advice these days! I'm sure everything will work out for the best.

Thanks to everyone for the support and well wishes, you guys are the best!  GMA10, I am so glad that your ultrasound turned out ok the other day.  Good luck sewaneegirl and to everyone else with upcoming surgeries this week!  You guys are in great hands! 

Take care,

Beth

bethcw

Hi DeAnn,

Trying to answer some of your logistical questions while things are fresh in my mind. 

I stayed at the Homewood Suites, Mt. Pleasant.  It was a great place to stay, although there are some cheaper options.  I arrived in Charleston on Wednesday, had all of my pre-op appointments on Thursday, and surgery on Friday.  I went home the following Friday (so a total of 10 days).  My mom was my main caregiver, and she stayed in the hotel while I was in the hospital.  My husband was also in town for the weekend after my surgery.  I did spend some time worrying about my mom's ability to navigate around the city while I was in the hospital, so that was a bit of concern for me.  You will need some help caring for your little one afterward.  I am restricted to lifting up to 10 lbs for about 6 weeks.  They also discouraged my from trying to do a lot of overhead reaching.  The discomfort at this point (about a week after my last surgery), is fairly manageable.  I find the more you move around the better off you are.  Feel free to PM me if you can think of anything specific I can answer for you.

Beth

Anonymous

Beth,



Thanks for the well-wishes. You are truly a brave person. I think all of us would have felt the same way, and I wouldn't call that a "pity-party" - I'd put that under the category of "giving yourself a hug." Please know we'll be rooting for you and cheering you on.

Cherrie

I woke up in compression too and wore it 24/7 for 6 weeks. The zippers did not ripple. Are these the same garments for stage 2?

Del11

In the world of lipo compression garments, the ones with zippers aren't meant to be worn past the second week.  There's probably no harm in it (I don't really know), but I'm just sayin... "stage 1" compression garments are for 1-2 weeks after surgery, "stage 2" garments--without zippers--are for week 3+.

jacee

Brenda...I was given the Veronique all 3 surgeries and Dr M (Jenny, Kaye) told me to wear it the entire time for compression. Never mentioned only wearing it for 1 week, or switching to another form of compression. In fact, they gave me 3 different sizes, so as the swelling decreased I would still get good compression
Edited to add....
Now on Dr M's website. "Historically, I did not use the compression girdle for Stage 1 DIEP flaps (only for GAP’s). I transitioned to home-use of the compression girdle for DIEP flaps in 2007, started doing immediate compression in 2009, and now, in 2012, am using it again only after patients return home in the form of SpanxTM or MarenaTM garments specifically reserving the “dominatrix” for Stage 2 compression.".

bdavis

I wore a stage I compression garment post stage I with zippers for 9 weeks. That was how long I had drains. So duration is based on drains. If you have lost your drains you can switch to one without zippers although I am not sure it really matters except for comfort. After stage II I wore the Veronique for 1.5 weeks until my drains were gone and then switched to a zipper less Marena. The doctor didn't suggest switching but also didn't have a problem with it. I wore it 23/7 for two weeks and then only during the day for another 4 weeks. I am not lumpy. And I am glad I bought the Marena ( bought 2 actually). There is a 20% off coupon if u google for it.

MartyJ

Jacee - Dr M may need to update the "online" statement as I woke up in Dom after Stage 1 (Nov of 2012). She actually suggested something stronger than spanx once the drains were out.  I just felt comfy in the dom and then marena.

Cherrie

I too woke up in a Dom after stage 1 and kept in on for 6 weeks 24/7.

Cherrie

I was a patient of Dr. M.

jacee

I think wearing the "Dom" greatly improved my outcome....but I am 5'11 and long waisted, so it fit me perfectly and was actually comfortable. But, my surgeries were all fall and winter so another layer wasn't bothersome.

PinkHeart

Hi all,

I'm not sure if you ladies had DIEP or SGAP, but I had bilateral SGAP with Dr. Kline, and did not have to wear any compression at all. 

My breasts were swollen, but that only lasted maybe a week.  My butt turned out GREAT, however, my breasts are still a work in progress (he had to take over work from previous PS surgery mess and rads chest wall and IMF damage).  I'm very thin, so don't have big breasts, but they are warm and do jiggle -- a little.    Will be having a Stage 2 b & c for sure.

I believe he will have me in a compression girdle when I wake up from 2b when I have first round and boatload (if he can find it) of fat grafting.  I think he says to wear it for a couple of weeks.  Meanwhile, I'm trying to gain weight!

bdavis

Pinkheart... After my SGAP I woke up with compression, and wore it for 9 weeks until my drains were out. And wore it again after stage II for 6 weeks.

PinkHeart

Wow Betsy, you have put up with a lot.  I'm sure you will be ready to pop a cork when this is all over with!

I had drains for six weeks after my SGAP.  It seems to be longer with drains with SGAP than DIEP.

bdavis

Yes... I had DIEP too, and lost those after a couple of weeks.

jacee

I was pretty juicy....drain in 7 weeks after stage 1 DIEP .

LindaG47

Jonie and Marty.  Gosh, I don't remember being put in compression during Stage I.  Hummm.  Joni, when was your stage I?

Catie2013

I was in major compression at the beginning (few days) with my bi SGAP in April and then bike short type again when drains removed ( they were out too early). I thought I would hate wearing compression anything, but got to feel funny without it. I had developed seromas on each side so the Bali firm compression panties worked fine. I stopped wearing them the day before my stage 1b, January 3rd. Now only 1 drain and it is in my thigh. It is putting out only about 10cc a day right now, can't imagine having the drain out so early now. The 1a drain was in from 4/25 to 7/3/2012! But I had had some surgeries in between April and June that might have set me back in that aspect. And, this one was a PAP instead of SGAP.



I read on the PAP vs TUG that compression long (thigh) was the norm, so I purchased an assortment of style and crotch no crotch type compression just in case. However did not take off the tags - so if not needed will return! I have them in my suitcase just in case I am told to wear them after this drain is removed.



Sewannee hoping everything is in order for your big day and hoping Marty and I get to say hello when you are ready and able to see us. Will be praying for the best for you.



Hugs



Catie

PinkHeart

Catie,

Hi, Just curious, why were your drains out too early on Stage 1?

Funny that we have the same doc, but compression for your SGAP, but not compression for my SGAP done four months later.

How are you doing now?  I see it's a little cooler down there now, but it sure beats 3 degrees here!  Take care