February 2012 MX

DebbieOS

That's wonderful news, Galsal!!!!!

Deborah2012

Hi FFFs

Dixiemine, what a Wonderful accomplishment! You now belong to yet another group - non-smokers. We're so happy!



Galsal, you're on your way. Keep us posted. Her royal Foobness has more ripples than a potato chip. I shouldn't complain. It's just that it's most pronounced by the cleavage area and may be visible when I wear a bathing suit etc.



Hey DebbieOs, I've been treating myself, too. I have this thing about trying not go above a certain number on the scale. It's not easy. Especially when I worry about recurrence, I find myself thinking that life may be short. Later. I get over myself & shape up.



I let a girlfriend take me to her yoga class. I had never tried yoga. Ha! Now I know why. Was really weird trying to figure out what my body could & couldn't do. That's another story.

Galsal

Thanks.  Had my Sister with me so she finally heard all the stuff she needed to feel better about things.  She wasn't up to and couldn't get the time easily for the BMX preop.  Now she has graduated with her Bachelors in Business and has more time.

Nel138281

Morning all,

Just stopping in to say hello to all.  It feels to me like surgery was years ago, and when I see others posting for more recent months, I feel for them.  I am so glad we are all on the other side of this portion. 

I am in the middle of rads with some skin irriatation, but generally doing well.  I also have herceptin every three weeks until February 2013.  But no SE's or anything, so I am Ok so far.  Trying to figure out the moving on with life given that so much of it has been tied up with treatment for most of the last year.

How is everyone else doing with the moving forward.  I have moments I think I will be OK and others I am sure I just want to go to bed, roll up and  stay there.  Need to stay on the psoitive side more frequently.  Thanks for listening to me whine

Gentle weekend

Nel

Deborah2012

Hi Nel, thank you for posting. We've missed you. DebbieOs & I met last night with our DH s. very fun! And we are dealing with new stuff, too.

We are post surgeries & have realistic fears of cancer returning in various parts of our bodies.

My onc wants to see me. I suspect she mAy be reconsidering chemo. I believe you suffered thru that. I don't think I will chose it as a prevention IF that is her recommendation. I had a what turned out to be a benign skin lesion on my face hairline. It sent me into a tailspin.

My arm is being xrayed in two weeks to rule out bone mets. I don't think I have them.

My beautiful thick hair is now dry, brittle, and breaks off in large strands when I shampoo & comb it because of estrogen blockers.

I am having mild joint pain in knees and hips.

I have a pity party as DebbieOs calls our episodes. We're guests of honor at each others fetes.

However, I do get over it and move on. Am happy until the next scare.

Your journey inspires me Nel. I need to see FFF'S s healing.

XOXO Deborah

mma59

My reconstruction surgery is scheduled for July 17th.  I can't wait to get this TE out!  I will be getting the implant in the left and a lift on the right.  My first grandchild is due on August 23rd and the second grandchild is coming in December!  I have to get this crap over with so I can focus on my babies!!!  Hope all you ladies have a wonderful 4th with your families!

janiceg415

I had my exchange surgery for my uni/MX yesterday.  I am feeling OK, very little discomfort.  I had a silicone Mentor 450 cc implant put in on the left side and had a breast lift done to the native right side.  Whippetmom had given me a recommendation for my TE size and measurements that I could go a minimum of 600 ccs.

There really wasn't much to it, the surgery went good and PS tells me I should be very pleased.  I think he is a bit more conservative than I wanted.  Of course I think it is much more difficult to do a reconstruction on a uni-MX than a bi-MX, perhaps the options aren't as great.   I know that it is way too early to feel this way but I was just hoping to have a fuller look and don't think the size he used gives me that.  I also even told him that I wouldn't have been opposed to adding a small implant to the native R side. However, he didn't really listen and just pretty much went with what he thought was best, and maybe less complicated. 

I also think that because this was a uni-MX, that he made me feel that I should be happy with just having a breast, and not be as fussy about the size of it.  At least that is my take on it.   

mma59

Janiceg415, glad to hear that you don't have much pain.  Do you have drains this time?  I'm having the same thing you had done on July 17th.  Anything I should know?

janiceg415

It was simple, I did not have any drains.  It was so much better than going thru the uniMX.  My pain was never unbearable with the uniMX, took very few pain pills. 

With the exchange surgery it has very little pain especially with the implant side.  My right side I had a breast lift , little more pain but not much. 

Just hoping with the days to come they will look more like I want them to.  I know you can't expect things to be perfect, I was just hoping for a large implant and don't know why he didn't go that way. 

Deborah2012

Hi Janiceg415,

Glad to hear it's done.  I am happy with my sporty models in size.  I think it has made my torso look much younger.  That said:  My foob side, Tweedle-numb, has no sensation so it didn't hurt after reconstruction.  The lifted side, Tweedle-dee hurt significantly.  She had an existing small implant traded out for another slightly smaller implant.  She also had an internal pig skin sling put in for the lift.    I do not yet have full sensation in my lifted natural breast side.  I feel much and the nipple responds, it's just not sending my brain the 100% signals.  Don't know if it ever will.  I'll ask Thursday when I see my PS (2.5 months since recon. surgery).

mma59, I did have a drain in my lifted side only.  I have saline implants.  When there is no breast tissue and only a "skin shell" that holds my water balloon saline implant, it doesn't feel like a real breast.  The lifted side looks terrific and feels as she should.

Galsal is up tomorrow. Here's hoping your well-planned surgery and logistical marathon pans out for you.  Please post and let us know how you are doing. I believe you are having the Diep and will have likely one of the most extensive reconstructions of the Fab Febbie Females cohor?  Good will, great results, and recovery comfort are sent your way.

Take care.

Deborah2012 

Wren44

I'm wondering if anyone else is having increasing pain from their scar. Mine doesn't look infected or swollen, but my bra is more and more uncomfortable. I'm thinking maybe nerves are regenerating and that's making it uncomfortable. I have a checkup in 2 weeks and can ask the MO then.

Galsal

Yes, Deborah, and thanks.  I'm up tomorrow morning.  Will definitely let you know.  Don't know that it will be very soon at touching base on here so bear with me.

Dixiemine30

Thinking about you Galsal....

Galsal

Sorry. Came home sat evening. Incomplete diep, no breasts. Complications happened. Did get tummy tuck though. LOL

mma59

Had my exchange surgery today.  That side doesn't feel too bad.  The reduction/lifted side is pretty sore.  Taking Percocet today.  No drains!!!!!  I can take off the "bra" and shower on Thursday.  Take care everyone!  Good night!

Dixiemine30

Galsal -- That sucks!!  Reschedule?

mma59 -- YAY!!  I'm almost 2 months out from exchange and other than a muscle spasm every now and then, I'm pretty good :-)

Deborah2012

Hey there ladies,

So wonderful to hear from you!

Galsal, I can't even imagine waking up and finding out it was incomplete.  Is that how it went down?  Has anything gone easily for you on this journey?  You have been diligent and stoic.  What is the recovery time from the tummy tuck?  

 mma59 Yay! Like I warned you- Her Royal Foobness isn't the problem.  That lifted side tho hurts.  Mine doesn't hurt anymore.  Now that I am healed, I will say that it is weird to have two different organs traveling together on my chest.  They feel different just carrying them around.  Somketimes I am reminded as I carry a notebook binder in the crook of my arm and chest that- hey -I can't really feel that. Duh it's on the fake side with real skin.  

Dixiemine I assume you are taking an AI?  How are you tolerating it?  I see you are ER+.  

Wren44 I have had no trouble with my scars.  There is no feeling and the one under the lifted side has healed much faster then the Foob side.

Galsal, please let us know how you are faring.  You seem to always get stuck being the pioneer.  

Galsal

Getting tired of being a "pioneer".  Recovery is about eight weeks.  There's no re-scheduling for this.  My arteries from the belly are a different size than the mammary arteries and that alone was a problem.  The REAL problem was that my body threw a clot each time they tried to connect the artery up top.

Deborah2012

Dearest Galsal,

We're so happy you are ALIVE.

What a scare.



Isn't it amazing how a breast cancer caught so early, the "good" type, and small can create so much havoc?



Hope your recovery is swift.

Galsal

My family was scared witless.   That's why at 15+ hours when Surgeons told them they'd tried three times and the last time had thrown a clot within three minutes, Sister said STOP.  Bottom line...it IS just breasts after all.  Looks like it might be implant city for me after all. 

Time to let some one else be the pioneer for once!

Wren44

Galsal, Have you had clotting problems in the past? That was really scary. Hope your implants go well if that's what you decide. (((HUGS)))

Deborah2012

Galsal,

They ARE only breasts.  We are not women in our 20's.  I can tell you that eventually, if you decide on reconstruction- yet another blasted SURGERY- they can do great things.  However, a number of us are just trying to stay ahead of cancer ANYWHERE.  We don't want skin cancer etc. that tend to show up in our age bracket.  With your clotting history and the AI side effect potentially contributing to clotting (and your family history as I recall) you may decide to skip the implants all together or dealy that for a very long time. I hope you find peace in getting your energy back and your body healing. 

I must not be reading your post correctly.  Please confirm that you were not under the knife for 15 friggin' hours????? I am serious- kiss your sis for  me.  Stop was the correct call.  Your body is going to need to stabilize after that ordeal.  And frankly my FFF friend, at our age, we don't just have surgeries and think our bodies will just spring back.  

Please continue to post.

I am trying to just get back into a daily workout as I used to.  The Arimidex has SEs that are definitely tolerable for me- but they are real and it is a bit of a slog to get back (joint pain and lack of stamina).  

 Please rest and again- I am sooooo happy that you survived the surgery.  

Hugs and good wishes.

Deborah

Galsal

Thanks, ladies.  Yes, it was 15+ hours when the Surgeons approached my Sister about the problems.  She'd thought they were coming to say all went fine, since at about half that time they said things were moving along and were half done.

There is a family history of blood clots in my family (mom, from Tamoxifen) (her mom, from who knows what).  I do not have the same genetic blood factor mutations as my mom does.

I don't plan on doing any surgery for quite a while.  I need to recover.  Will try out different prosthetics for a while, see how that goes.

Hoping for some more drains out this week!

Sally

Nel138281

Galsal,  What a journey!  So very glad you sister yelled STOP.  We have all been thru enough, you certainly have.

Hope everyone else is continuing to heal.   I finished my rads on Friday.  Not sure my feethave touched the ground yet.  I will continue to have herceptin every 3 weeks thru the begining of January.  But I have no SE's with it. I am begining to feel more like myself every day.  Hair is coming back, BLACK, no less when I was always dark brown, my Dad had black hair so I guess that is where it is coming from.   I had a group of friends over on Saturday night to celebrate and thank folks for all on htis journey. Laughed all evening, it was so good.

Best to all for an uneventful week as we move forward.

Nel

Wren44

Galsal, Check out All Things Bras & Prosthesis on BCO and breastfree.org on the internet. The breastfree site is run by a woman who posts here. They have good reviews of bras and various kinds of prostheses. Saves some experimenting and not buying things that wouldn't work for you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery from your ordeal.

Galsal

thanks, have been reviewing it. 

Galsal

Two more drains out, one more to go!  Still not driving but oh well.

Deborah2012

Galsal, Congrats on the drain removals. How maore total did you have?



You might be a breast cancer patient if when counting your surgical drains, you think that Jaws with the harpooned barrels on him could be your personal mascot.



The drains really stink. Keep swimming, Sally!

Galsal

You're hilarious!  One more to go, there were Four.  Not sure why I'm being sent to OT when still have drains in but we'll see at the appointment today.  Tomorrow I'll be attending a Luncheon of ladies from BCO.  I'm pushing it a bit by going since surgery was 7/9 but it will be worth it if I get wiped out in terms of exhaustion. 

mma59

Hi ladies!  It's been two weeks since my exchange and lift/reduction surgery.  Just wondering if anyone felt bloated after and how long it lasted.  I feel so bloated still.  Gonna ask the doctor on Monday when I go for check up. Good night!