Charleston Bound, part 2

PinkHeart

Martyj~



Thanks for the reminder about posting surgery dates.



Jeskachi~



Can you please post the following info?



March 28: PinkHeart, Bilat SGAP Stage 2b, Dr. Kline, Charleston



I'll PM you as well.



Thanks for posting dates for everyone!

Catie2013

Yes, Jeskachi, thanks so much for posting - and please put me up there as well for April 12 stage 2a with Dr Kline .



Marty and Pink, yes no drains! I thought I'd have them until Friday, so this is a bonus having it out today! So much free time! ( as if emptying and measuring took up much time) - LOL. But still feels good to be free of it. Awkward place, top of thigh. Although I have no idea where it would be not awkward.



Thanks much

PinkHeart

Gma10/Catie48,



Catie, when did you change your member name??



In one of your older posts, you joked about your son wanting to donate his fat to you. Did you know that identical twins can do it? And that Dr. Allen and Dr Craigie did breast recon for a patient that was thin but her identical twin had fat to donate so they did first transplant. It was in People magazine and I think the article might be on their web site. A nurse at EC said they were fun and wanted their beds in same room.

So I wonder if insurance considered the donor twin's tummy tuck as cosmetic and not covered.

Catie2013

I think I'm having an identity crisis! No drain, oh, my, who am I??? LOL. Its the last week at the beach, the drains are gone, no wounds to heal (like first time) and have lots of time with daughter to 'talk'. The GMA was name was entered when I was a lot intimidated by the whole thing and Catie was already taken.



Now the problem of remembering what my name is when I sign in, so the new and improved me is using the new and improved me's greatest to be year : 2013. So, now it's GMA/Catie48/Catie2013. Unless there is a problem with the name change midstream I'm going to stay Catie2013. I can remember that number! (LOL) When I logged on again after changing it to the Catie48 I had to try a couple of times to remember what number I put after Catie.



Pink, I saw the People magazine in the office. Hmmm, maybe I should have seriously pushed for my son's transplant from his tummy??? But honestly wouldn't want to put him through any kind of surgery. Seriously hope none of my children need any donor site surgery ever.



Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could guarantee that we were the only person in our family that ever had breast cancer or any kind of cancer. I hope the day does some that cancer is a thing of the past.



So, now it's Catie! Hi all!

MartyJ

Catie - Glad you are now you!!!  Remember to PM jeskachi to get your date posted.

Catie2013

Thanks, Marty, I'm glad to be me too! Thought it might be confusing, but going forward will be good.



I think maybe Jeskachi might be out of town, I've asked a couple of times, so she'll probably see it and post when she gets back, but I should probably pm with my new identity/name, hmm??? Thanks!!!

LindaG47

Glad you are Drrrrrraaaaaiiiinnnnn Free Catie.  Freedom is good.

bethcw

Hi everyone!  My husband and I did a day trip to Charleston yesterday for my follow up appointment.  I am estactic to also report that I am drain free!  When I woke up yesterday morning, The breast drain for the failed side was super red and swollen and painful, so I couldn't wait to get to Charleston!  I was even more happy to talk them in to pulling them all.  It was like instant relief. 

I have to have blood work next week to check my nutrition levels (protein).  If they are ok, I am hoping to schedule a stacked DIEP for the failed side in mid March.  If my nutrition isn't good enough yet, I'll have to wait until April.  My insurance year ends June 30, so I'm hoping to take as much advantage of that as I can.  Wish me luck and any tips for increasing my protein amount is appreciated!

So glad that everyone is healing nicely now!

Take care everyone,

Beth

MartyJ

Great news, Beth.  I hope the blood work is perfect.  BTW, which blood test is that?

Catie2013

Beth, so happy that you are drain free!!!! What was the red on the failed side from? Irritation?



And I too will be hoping your protein levels are where they need to be for your upcoming surgery. Crazy having to work around insurance, but I absolutely do know how much of a pain that can be. I had to finally give in that we would have to pay another deductible anyway for my stage 2 and beyond so we bit the bullet two years in a row with the deductibles. And, then bam, the new deductible not only came with a totally new insurance carrier but a $1,000 increase! So, I truly do understand your wanting to get it done asap.



I look at the protein levels in almost everything I eat. If it doesn't have the protein I don't eat it (or try not to). There is a site online that lists the protein levels of tons of stuff, just type in 'high protein food'.



Hoping for the best for you! Dr K's office must have been churning with us yesterday, I was there, Sewannee was there and now I hear you were!

LindaG47

Catie,  how wonderful to be drain free.  You will feel like a new women.  As far as protein goes I am one that thrives on protein.  I eat a lot of Greek yogurt and protein shakes. I have gotten protein shakes from the Vitamin Shoppe.  I usually eat the plain yogurt because I also try to watch my sugar intake and most yogurts have a lot more sugar.  It takes time to get use to the plain kind and I sometimes will add that Simply Fruit jam by Smucker's, because it is lower in sugar and of course I had some kind of berries.  You could add a little granola to it too.  Good luck.  Glad things are going so well for you.  Safe travels home.  

bethcw

Martyj, I have to have the normal bloodwork and then they added "serum prealbumin level", that is what measures the protein levels. 

Catie and Diedre, I can't believe we were all there yesterday, and didn't know it, we really should do a better job of coordinating - lol!  My appointment was originally at 2.  Erika called right about the time we were getting off I-526 and said the 1pm appointment cancelled, so to come whenever I could.  I ended up being there from about 1-3 pm because I had to see Dr. Baron as well.  I started feeling better about mid week last week (about 3 weeks out) and today feel really good.  It's amazing the difference shedding the drains makes you feel!

I think I'm learning my body is pretty drain intolerant.  When I had my mastectomy in 2011, I remember one of the drain areas starting to turn red, and had to be pulled.  They also put me on an antibiotic back then to make sure to head off an infection.  Dr. Craige did say yesterday that it was time to pull the drain, that once they do their job your body does start to become unhappy with them.  It probably should have been pulled before I left Charleston a couple of weeks ago, but they wanted to be conservative since it was on the failed side.  For the past week it had been putting out 1ML or less a day!

My surgery date is going to be March 14 pending the bloodwork.

Catie2013

Beth, how close to March 14 will you have the bloodwork done? I can imagine you want to get lodging squared away but have to wait to see what the bloodwork shows. I would think, though, that if you were happy with the Homewood Suites you could reserve now and then cancel (they have cancelations up until the night of, don't they?) if the bloodwork showed anything negative? Will your hometown doc do the labs and let you know or do you get them done and directly goes to Dr. K or Craigie?



Drains are the pits, but are really needed on the SGAP - at least for me, I was very leaky!!!!



Hope you continue to heal even more every day.



So pretty here today I went and bought a t-shirt - so I could say, been there, done that and bought the t-shirt! We also went for Taco's at Taco Mamacitas in Sullivans Island, yummy and different.

slh_tn

Beth-  I'm glad that you and others are doing well.  Congrats on the drains.  I'll keep my fingers crossed about your bloodwork.    It will be 8 weeks for me tomorrow and I just have one spot on my SGAP donor incision that still has a scab.  It's where there's pressure when I sit and bend.  Back to work last week and I really, really, really miss my afternoon naps.  

All- I've been feeling everyone's excitement about their upcoming surgeries.  It will be June for me before I can schedule my stage 2, and believe me I'm ready.   The end of June, first of July is a slow time at work so I'm waiting until then.  Thanks for sharing all your experiences during stage 1 and stage 2.   I feel like I am so much more prepared.  I appreciate you all!!

Sandi

LindaG47

Oops Beth,  I meant to address you with my protein information and I addressed it to Catie....just adding my 2 cents worth.   Anyway, I am so glad you are free of the drains and on your way to continued healing.  Keep us in the loop about your next surgery.  

Anonymous

I think you may have just discovered a whole new fashion concept!

Anonymous

Oh - I am sorry I missed you, Beth. I saw both Kline and Baron yesterday. I came home today, which is great because it is my b-day. Will never complain about the opportunity to see another b-day. Have had some issues with leaking from a hip drain hole ... Not fun and a bit scary for squeish people like me. Dr. thinks it is resolving.

MartyJ

Deidre - so glad you are home!!! Happiest of birthdays!

I had a leak around one of my breast drains.  The side that had a 2nd surgery.  Dr. M had put me into a black, hook front bra.  The sheet got caught under my arm and twisted.  The bra bleed and I ended up with a lovely black & white tie dye pattern on the sheet.  Scared me to death.  Couldn't figure out why I was leaking blackish fluid til I got my head wrapped around it.  

When is your stage 2?

Anonymous

May 6 - if all goes well. The blood thing was so wierd. Was at IOP (with my mom but without a car) and had had a great day hanging out on the sofa (Super Bowl Sun after leaving hospital previous Tues. - about 11 days post-op. all of a sudden I realized I'd bled on myself and the condo's sofa (yikes!). Hitched a ride to the doctor, who of course saw me on the spur of the moment.



We think a blood vessel burst for some reason and he taped it up and had me lie compressing the spot for the night. Blood was bright red which scared me but he saw me again the next day and we felt the residue was just working its way out, due to no obvious hematoma and diminishing amounts of the blood. Also I was still on blood thinner so we stopped that except during my ride home. Have felt pretty good since. Only really weak horrible day was that Mon immediately after the problem. He also saw me yesterday and things seem otherwise progressi g well.



Since I only live 3 hours away and have a hospital bed at my house, I think I can go back and forth for the follow-ups.



I understand peoe do have mini-setbacks so hoping that is all this was.



Marty - it was so nice getti g to meet you. Hope to see you again when I return for part 2 ...



Deidre

MartyJ

Diedre - I bet everything will go just perfectly from now on.  You won't need that hospital bed for much longer.  Each day will get better and better.  Once the drains are all gone, you will really be moving easily and happily.  So sorry about the scary blood vessel.  Sounds like it is patched up.  

I will look forward to seeing you when you are here again.  I will be 4 weeks post Stage 2.  

Catie2013

Deidre, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! So happy you made it home safely.



Crazy that Beth, you and I were all at the Dr at the same time, but she was in the afternoon, otherwise we could have had a nice chat!



My husband flew in tonight so I am just a day and a morning away from leaving this wonderful ocean! I walked over to the Palms Hotel yesterday and got some of the rates, don't think it will work for me, very pricey for sure.



This condo is rented during the time I'm here in April, and was looking at other possibilities. May try the Homewood Suites or something like that as the stage 2 isn't that long and I can't be that spoiled to have the ocean all the time. If I had to come back in the fall I may opt to see if the ocean would be my destination but in season is nuts! The ocean front Friday and Saturday at the Palms was $349.00 per night, makes the hospital rates look wonderful!



Again, hope you celebrated your birthday with joy and no pain!



Hugs

Anonymous

Thanks, Marty!

Catie2013

Great Dr. visit this a.m. and a super ride home - woo hoo, even though I'll miss the beautiful beach and wonderful Charleston, I am home! Hubby even vacuumed!



Marty, Beth and Deidre so nice to meet you and to see you a couple of times. Marty you are so very kind to transport so many of us to 'coffee' - and getting to see and talk to all of you was such a fun part of this trip.



Now the countdown to the next stage. Dr. K was very pleased with the progress so far.



Beth, Deidre and BDavis, hope you all are progressing wonderfully as well.



My car, though was something to behold as not a space was available for anything. Which turned out to be a good thing as I padded the floor underneath me with pillows so my stitches didn't bother me much at all on the way home (that and a pain pill of course).



Hugs

cascader

Glad you are home Catie..there's no place like home but I think Chareleston has found its way into all of our hearts. Happy to hear you are doing so well!

cascader

Also wanted you all to know that there is a conference in Seattle Feb 22-24 that Dr. Kline and staff will be attending along with some of the NOLA docs. I am honored and excited to say that I too will be attending and hanging out with them, to hopefully help answer any questions that women might have about recon from a patient's perspective. The good , bad and the ugly. I believe there is also a show n'tell. Here is a link to what's happening c4yw.org

I know most of you are not in the area, but if you plan on going, please stop by and say hello. Looks like it is going to be a great event!

slh_tn

Cascader- What a wonderful opportunity for you to help others!  Let us know how it goes.   You and PinkHeart led me to Charleston and my SGAP surgery.  I agree with you about Charleston.   If I could, I would love to spend more time there.   It definitely has healing powers.

Sandi

cascader

How are you doing Sandi?

PinkHeart

Catie, Glad your surgery went well and that you had a relaxing time healing at the beach. Still good to be home i'm sure. Cheers to DH for vacuuming. He may need to keep that on his to-do list til you are 100% healed.



Cascader, You will have a great time at the conference helping others. When I've helped at similar events, I find it healing for myself, too. Hopefully, some northwest women from bc.org will attend and you get to meet them. Is there a thread started for this conference?



All Charleston recon patients ...

Wishing you all strength and healing through the ups and downs of your breast recon surgeries toward that final day of feeling and looking good with our new breasts.



Our surgeons are amazing, and I'm so appreciative that they dedicated their careers solely to helping breast cancer patients!

cascader

Thanks Pink. Looking forward to it.

Isn't this a wonderful place, we can all help each other? I think it is amazing!! I too would not have gone to CHS without all of you. Hugs .

Catie2013

Pink, Amen to that! And, Cascader, what a wonderful treat for the women who will meet you at the conference. I know how important it is to speak to someone who has been there! Thanks for the website address. And, what an honor to be asked to help out! It proves the docs understand the power of us women talking to each other! Surely another example of them looking out for the patients as #1.



Charleston just crept into my heart, both the city and the islands. Such history too, I think I could be there for months on end and not be bored. However very nice to be home for sure.



Home and have slept most of the day I've been here! Catching up I think, I was 'up' so long right after surgery enjoying both the ocean and the grandkids that I think I had a bunch of sleeping to make up for.