Charleston Bound, part 2

cascader

lbrewer,  I too had an uni sgap with Dr Kline and have now completed both Stage 1 and 2. I will go back in May to have a nipple created. I am very happy with my results and the entire process has been easier than I had imagined, totally worth it. With that said, I think it is completely normal to be scared  especially after what you have already been through. Hang around on here and read past posts and you will hear of many different experiences, which may help. Feel free to PM me if you would like and ask away.

cascader

Great weekend at the C4YW conference in Seattle. Lots of great information shared and I met so many nice women. It was so fun hanging with Dr. Kline, Gail and Kim, who kept me laughing and were so generous to include me in their mission to help women feel whole again.  If you have never been to one of these conferences I would highly suggest it, and as a bonus I came home with lots of freebies from the exhibit hall

Catie2013

woohooo Cascader, I knew you'd do a great job!!! And, freebies to boot!



Glad you made it home ok!



Lbrewer, I too second what Sewaneegirl and Cascader have said, SGAP last April and PAP this year - going for stage 2 in April. Dr. Kline is very caring and very talented surgeon, his staff is tops! Any particular you want to know just PM me we can talk.



Hugs

PinkHeart

Lbrewer,

I'm another bilateral SGAPer of Dr Kline who I think world of including his staff. I went through a real mess with previous surgeons who were not very compassionate or helpful with all the complications I had.



Dr Kline has done wonders fixing my former issues, and then creating new breasts. He has been great since our first consult and continues to be very excellent with answering my questions in person and emails with me, too.



You will find much support from his patients on this thread as well. Please PM me if you have questions. Take care!

LindaG47

Pink,  I'm not really sure, but because Vinnie goes to the Center most women go to him but Dr. M know's Earleen does good work too.  I think Vinnie charges around $400 if you go to his studio in MD.  I've heard that Earleen does BC survivors for free or at a very reduced rate.  I'm still undecided if I am going to do tatts or stay like Barbie.  I'm too old to really care.  

PinkHeart

Linda,  No way are you too old!  But I am leaning more toward Barbie boobs, too, because I'm tired of so much time and money involved.  I suppose there are always rub on tattoos for special occasions.

ketch

Another drain pulled! One more to go!



The horrid weather broke for a while and mama & I went for a long beach walk. Now, relaxing with just some sternum pain & indigestion!! Dr K seemed pleased with everything this am. I'm stopping by there Friday before we head home. I'm ready to get to the house!!

cascader

Pink, I brought my rub-on-nipple tattoos to the conference and they were a hit! Also seen at the conference were these incredibly real looking custom made nipple prosthetics. A good alternative for some women.I can look thru my stuff if anyone wants more info. Because I am a uni and already have one nipple I am going for the nipple recon, but not sure I would otherwise, think I would probably just go with the 3D tatts.

Ketch, congratulations on getting a drain pulled. I sure miss those long beach walks.

Catie2013

Just the thought of rub on nipples is somewhat funny - do they work??? And to remove them do you rub them off (LOL)

LindaG47

I'd love to try rub on nipple tattoos if anyone has information.  That way I'd know if I'd want to take the leap or not.  Pink, Have you gone through Ashville yet?  When?

cascader

Linda, You can order them from www.RubOnNipples.com (Ha, where else !)

You can choose from a color palette and get a variety to try, or just order one color. They last for a couple of days, and you can cut them to size if needed.  I've only tried them once, but yes, good for seeing what it looks like I think.

cascader

I think I finally figured out that crazy dream I had awhile ago, the one about thousands of women waiting for nipples and wildy dancing at a concert in their hospital gowns. It was a premonition ! Last weekend at the c4yw conference I stopped at one booth that had a big box of custom made prosthetic nipples, there were hundreds of nipples of all shapes, colors and sizes to feel, sort, whatever. Kind of freaky actually. Then later that night there was a dance party held for all the attendees and some of those ladies get pretty crazy. Hmm..now all I am missing is the fountain.

Catie2013

Fountain? Maybe the drinking?? The water??? Or that the nipples were the key to the fountain of youth?? If so, sign me up!!!



Seriously the rub on nipples sound like a good practice run to see if I want protrusion or not?

lbrewer

did anyone stay at the Hope Lodge in Charleston?  What was it like?

Davy

I just posted about my SGAP journey and, yes, I am staying at the Hope Lodge in Charleston. It's very nice. They have a large kitchen with five stoves and four microwaves. Large commercial refrigerator and freezer, washer and dryer with laundry detergent provided. My room has two twin beds and towels are provided.

MartyJ

Hope Lodge also has volunteers that routinely come in to prepare dinner for anyone in the house.

Catie2013

Davy, I'm a Hope Lodge alumni from last April. Like Marty said, the meals are from different business' and organizations in the Charleston area and are so very welcome as it takes the heat off the caregiver to decide and/or make the meal for dinner. When I was there in April through June they were provided on Monday through Thursday and we did for ourselves (or they did for me! LOL) using those beautiful kitchens or ordering in.



Hope your healing goes well with little or no complications at all! I had the same Drs. - such great care and skills!



I'm also just outside of Atlanta, so glad to see you on here!

Catie2013

Lbrewer - Hope Lodge was a wonderful experience for me. I had some complications and whenever I would feel anything like gloomy I would look around and see the people that also shared residency there and see that what I was going through was nothing compared to what they were going through.



The rooms have twin beds, television, two arm chairs, nightstand, bureau and either a closet or an armoire to hang you clothes. There is an elevator, a laundry room that supplies even the soap to use. A free laundry room. There are sitting areas with televisions for your caregiver or yourself to just 'get out of the room'. These sitting areas are on each floor and in several sections of the floors. There is a screen porch for chatting, and a dining room with beautiful furniture that looks like a dining room should. Also a tv. There is also a puzzle room with plenty of puzzles to work on or to jointly do a puzzle with other of the guests. Rite Aid is in close walking distance. Nothing in Charleston is hard to get to or find.



Hope this helps!

Anonymous

I am hopefully nearing the end of my hematoma experience and am beginning to think about Part 2.



I know Part 2 means different things for different people but really have no idea of what to expect. I've been told for me it will involve a "pretty substantial" butt revision / lift (my 2 incisions sort of form a "v" and what is left of my fanny is sort of pointed at the bases of the V), a breast lift / tweaking (I had skin-sparing), and a bit of inner thigh lipo to use for the revisions.



I would love to hear other people's part 2 experiences, recovery time, compression(?), etc. it would be a big help. For example, did butt-revision people experience the extreme swelling the NOLA people talk about?

PinkHeart

Sewaneegirl,

Can't remember if I told you this on our call, but I had no butt swelling whatsoever from Stage 1 or 2 SGAP.

Dr Kline did not use compression.

However, I did have pain in butt. I did buy some high wasted light shaper underwear from Target so that the incisions completely covered and not rubbing on jean seams once I got out of yoga and athletic pants.



I did not have a butt lift at stage 2, but he revised the scar on the left side.



So no compression at all for me, but a pillow to sit on was my BFF for awhile.

cascader

Hi Sewaneegirl, I did not need to have the butt lift at Stage 2 even tho I am a uni. I had lipo done on the fuller cheek and transferred over to the donor site. I also had a 2inch vertical incision to correct the pouf or bunny tail. No swelling. I look pretty even at this point but may need a little more lipo in May. I also had a lift on my natural breast, and lipo in stomach and legs. Most everything they took out went right back in to either my bottom or recon breast along with some tweaking.  I put on a bathing suit this weekend and think I need to get serious about this lipo stuff next time around.Think I may bring a bikini and ask for a full length mirror and point out what grosses me out .Amazing how critical I have become. I am 55 yrs old and really have no business wearing one anyways. 

I woke up in compression and wore it for 8 weeks. I also bought a Marena after I got home  to switch  out during laundering. I actually liked the feel of the compression. Regarding recovery time, I think I am a little unusual but it seemed to take me at least 6 weeks before I felt good. I was bruised and sore for about the first week but the fatigue, melancholy and just not feeling quite right  lasted much longer. I believe it was the anesthesia that caused this, I had a hard time with it this last time. Adding to the mix that I went into surgery at the tail end of having the flu. Many bounce back much faster so I don't want to discourage you.

I just checked your date and mine is May 3rd ! Would love to meet you, we are staying at Homewood Suites on the IOP connector.

bdavis

Sewaneegirl... I had no swelling from my GAP flap revisions and butt lift... I did wear compression to prevent swelling, and prevent seromas, plus I was told that compression can help with ultimate results. And it was more comfortable, rather than panties rubbing against the incision. Where I did have some swelling was in my breasts, but that subsided mostly after a couple of weeks... I also had had DIEP, and that causes a bloated look (wouldn't call it swelling per se) because there is the below the incision flatness compared to the above the incision... So my stage II surgeries have been rather involved as my doctor was revising the Body Lift (so front and back and boobs... I am now 4 weeks post stage IIb, feel great and look great.. Just working on my scar treatment now, and sometime this summer will determine if there is a IIc in my future. If so, I know it will be small... I still have a divot on my inner right breast  (fat grafting didn't take I guess) and a little revision to outer left breast and incision. Then tats.

LindaG47

Cascader,  thanks for the rub on information.  I think I just might order some and try them out.  I think it will be fun to see the results.  How long did your's stay on?  Do you remember what color you got.  My skin is  pretty fair although I am a dark brown eyed brunette.  

Anonymous

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'm excited but also not looking forward to more surgery. That makes me think of 2 more questions ...



What exactly do they do in breast lift? Do they always move the nipples up?



And how did you choose a Merena size? Based on ultimate size you thought you'd end up? Same as swollen size immediately after surgery? Something in between?

MartyJ

Deidre, just be sure to take your measurements before surgery - waist, hips.  Then after surgery, call Marena and talk with them about the sizing.  That way they will have your before and after measurements  to make a decision.  If you want to wear a marena right after surgery, you will need the kind with hook & eye and zipper.  You can make slits in the garment for the drains to feed through.  If you wait until the drains are out, get the kind without zippers.  Predicting the size is difficult as you don't know what the doc will be doing exactly and the ultimate size you might end up is pure guesswork at this point.  Marena is in Georgia, so it only takes a day or so to get delivery.  I am waiting to purchase new until after my Stage 2a.

Cherrie

Marty I ended up ordering a large as you and are similar. It is a good fit. I couldn't imagine it smaller.



I am 9 days out of my 2a and healing well. Dr. M is calling today. I had a breast lift (both sides), dog ear removal, lipo of flanks and back for fat grafting. My bruising is minimal and very little discomfort. I have one drain out of two left. It will be soon as output has been below 30cc for 3 days now. Much easier recovery for me this time around. I am wearing my Marena 24/7.

MartyJ

Cherrie - something tells me that my stage 2 will be a lot like yours.  Good that I have someone going before me.  Thank you for preparing me for drains.  Were they hip or breast?  Bet you end up ordering a Medium soon. 

Cherrie

My drains were both breast drains. I'm a pro at it. I knew they wouldn't be there for long, so I have a much better attitude about it.

Anonymous

Thanks, Marty - that will help a lot.

Catie2013

Where do I go to get onto the photo forum to view results of stages?



I saw it somewhere but lost the name of the person to ask!,



Tanks much



Cathie