DIEP 2013

Moviemaniac

wow! Lots going on today on here!  

Sbelizabeth, I'm with you.....I want my weight loss to be slow and steady.....(that way, I can sneak an occasional TimTam or two!)

I am continuing to walk (a LOT) every day. and I can see a difference.....will probably keep on doing this......I had to give up on running, and my knees have just begun to forgive me for it!

Janet-keep a close eye on the red spot......I am speaking as the voice of authority........believe me you dont want to go down that road!

Last night I actually slept on my gloob...and didn't wake up!  Doesnt sound like much, I'm sure, but to me it was a milestone......it tells me my gloobs are integrated into my body, and I forget that they are not the originals.....(except when I see they have no nipples!)

Lately I have had friends (who are aware of my situation) tell me that they cannot believe that my gloobs aren't real......my PS did such an amazing job that there will be very little for him to do with them at Stage 2....I thank God every day for him, and all others who can work miracles for us.....

I hope we can keep a thread going for a while.......it has been so helpful to learn from others, and I want to pay it forward to women who will follow.....

To my US friends:  Happy 4th of July tomorrow-enjoy the holiday!

To everyone else....happy days! 

Namaste and God Bless - Jackie

nihahi

Lots of exercise post surgery talk today....just had a thought...I wonder if the ladies who were told strictly "no" exercise post recon, tend to be ones who are veterans of rads??? I'm thinking the remaining rad skin, and the connected vessels, might be a little more fragile, thus needing a more conservative management until healing is a little more progressed????

Kuka....I don't know girl....does this new trainer realize you don't eat veggies:)! If I tried to lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks, I'd be a basketcase for months!!!!!

mammalou

Delete

sweetpickle

Oh no mamalou, so sorry.



I didnt have rads but my PS didnt want me doing anything.

goldie4040

i have been looking into renting a treadmill for after surgery since that seems to be all we are allowed to do for a while.  It is just too hot in Texas to do it outside, unless I went about 5 am, and it still could be 90 degrees.  I am really not a fan of indoor aerobic activities, but I have no choice.  I hope I can find a place that rents them.  I would rather do that than go to a germy gym right after surgery, and I am sure a gym membership would cost me more than the treadmill rental.

Movie, that is great about forgetting about your fake boob and sleeping on it.  I can tell my ROM is coming back because I find myself watching TV with my arm up and behind my head.  I couldn't do that without pain a few weeks ago. 

I had my CAT scan last Friday.  If there was something wrong they probably would have called me by now, right?

Anonymous

Having been through several surgeries and recoveries in the last two years and I am strong advocate for any strengthening and flexibility exercises, deep breathing exercises and massage you can do beforehand. I always get a massage the night before surgery and as soon as I can afterward. Impossible to test my theories since I can't (AND WON'T) go back and do it all again a different way, but I truly believe it all makes me feel better.



My OT tells me I get better results in the end (from my medical tx) because I am willing to do and actually do what most people won't do. She knows if she gives me home exercises or scar massage i will do them and will see results. She calls me her compliant patient....Lol....most of the time (shhhh). I think all of the ladies here are the same way. Everyone sounds like you want optimal results and are willing to do the hard stuff to get there.



I had the same concerns about the flap being compromised because it was being put in the rads area that was damaged and fragile and prone to seroma. But, as I 've said before, the hope was it would make all that better in the long run. I've got to tell you I think I hit the jackpot. The rads skin that is left even looks better than it did, which I didn't expect at all. Anybody else experience the same or I am lucky (or crazy lol....always a possibility)?



My PS's decided not to do any vein scans presurgery and I had SIEA vein available once they got in there. Goldie-did they say when they would let you know results? Have you had prior abdominal surgery?



Damiana I was reading the board while at my mom's today...burst out laughing at your leg hairs being longer than your head hair.....I remember having the same complaint. I never felt comfortable having DH do it for me though. Good luck with that!



I hope y'all have a happy and safe 4th of July! ( I know it's just a normal day for y'all in UK and Canada but have a good day anyway

kad22

Damiana- just realized we had surgery on the same date. I tried shorts on too and they didn't fit uggg.. aldo weighed myself and didn't see a difference. Do you have drains in yet?



Yesterday I had 3 of the 4 pulled. Of course today the last one Is filling up constantly!

Jeannie57

I'm sure this has been covered before, but what was the most comfortable way to deal with drains? I'll have four and was told only a loose cami or shirt on top. I can see pinning the bottom 2 to waistbands, but what did you do with the top 2? Does that work for the top 2, too? I wore pocket camis with bmx but can't imagine getting those on with T -Rex arms.



Thanks. Also, my feet have recovered quickly from yesterday's pokes and I don't need any other belly studies pre-surgery. I'm about 50% excited/50% anxious, which is progress!

ssla01

Goldie, my arm was wrapped prior to surgery. It was huge and bulky. I also got Heparin in the hospital and was sent home with Lovenox shots ... My husband did them



Jeannie, I have two drains of four left. The top two are out. I've just been wearing a huge shirt over mine. I can slip it over my head and it is so big the t-Rex arms go right in. The lower two drains are covered by the compression garment.

Anonymous

Jeannie my top drains had long enough tubing on them that I could just attach them to my waistband along with hip drains.

goldie4040

Bailey, I don't know when they will let me know scan result, but I have an expander fill on Friday, so I will ask then. I had a c-section, and a laproscopic hysterectomy, but they don't think that will be an issue.  BTW, when my doc let me look at his before and after pics there were some pics of women who never had reconstruction (their before pics) and their skin was absolutely smooth across their chests.  The nurse told me that is what rads do, smooth out the scars!!!! 

Ssla, that is very interesting.  I wonder how many other docs take that precaution? 

Jeannie, my husband took two hospital gowns when we left the hospital, and they were the easiest and most comfortable after my bmx, and you can pin the drains right to them.  Don't ever make the mistake of pinning the drains to your pants and forget, then go potty and pull them down quickly.  Ouch! You only do it once...hehehehehehe.  Finally, my doc gave me a velcro belt that had loops that held the drains.  Best invention ever!!!!!!!  Although, this time that might bother my bellybutton, just thought of that.  Jeannie, you are going to be fine, and we are all going to celebrate you coming out the other side.

sbelizabeth

Jeannie, I put all four of my drains in a small fanny pack (sorry, those from the UK; I understand the word "fanny" is vulgar there!) that I wore loosely around my waist.  For showers, I tied a long ribbon into a circle, slipped it around my neck, and pinned the drains to it.  There's just no one great way of managing drains.  It's an uncomfortable, cobbled-together relationship that ends soon.  

I'm with Bailey.  Strengthening and aerobic conditioning go a long, long way to a fast recovery.  And my mx scar area, which had been radiated into scorched submission, looks (relatively speaking) great.  I'll probably always have the two-tone effect--dark, radiated chest skin that bumps into the trout-belly white "breast" skin (that started life as abdominal skin), but who cares?

Happy Independence Day, everyone!  I, for one, am sleeping in!

Judy_63

I had my four drains in what is called a kangaroo pouch that the hospital gave me. It's just a pouch that has two pockets on the front, two drains can go in each pocket, then it's just strapped around your waist. For showers I threaded my drains thru a elastic strap and tied around my neck. I just wore a big loose shirt over the drains.

Anonymous

Wow Goldie- radiation helped the appearance of their scars??? Guess I was just unlucky. Radiation just messed my skin and scar up even more (oh, and saved my life...should probably give it some credit instead of just bitching about it all the time!)...maybe because I had chemo first, then mx and then started rads only a month later...dunno...I can only speak to my experience. But regardless.....I am here to tell the tale and DIEP seems to be turning a lot of those problems out!

MartyJ

I think that we all tend to over-prepare and over-think the whole recovery thing.  It is how we deal with the fear.

Jeannie - I have had both the drain belt (around waist, never bothered my navel) and drain vests.  I ended up using a small cross-body purse for the breast drains and pinned the hips.  Your arm mobility is restricted, but not so much that you won't be able to slip into a cami/vest.  I bought a couple of button front shirts at TJ Maxx that i thought would work - they did for the most part, but I didn't wear them much.  

Goldie - IMHO, you really won't feel like using a treadmill after surgery.  Not for several weeks.  For most of us it takes time to get steady and used to the slightly hunched over position and arm restrictions.  I am not sure it would be the safest thing if you do not walk on one regularly.  You won't really want to use your arms to catch yourself.  Have you an indoor mall in town?  Mall walking takes you out of the heat.

Gini23

Goldie - DH and I have been using chia seed in smoothies and on salads.  A friend bought me all the makings for some green smoothies when I came home after DIEP, including the chia.  Her mom had DIEP not long ago!  At the time she was the only other person I knew who had done it.  For smoothies we put flax meal, chia, hulled hemp, and lecithin in the blender with a little water first and run for a minute, and then start to add all the other stuff.

Kad - totally grossed out by the cat and drain story!  Glad you were able to patch it up quickly.

Do not remove your drains too early!  I hate them,too, but I'm starting to think maybe I'd be less swollen if we had left them in longer.  Or not - maybe it's just fat...

Sherry- IMHO - do it.  You will be on the other side and healing before you know it and ready to really move forward with your new life.  Like Goldie said, us on the other side are thrilled.  Goldie - that iron bra will be gone forever once you get past the DIEP!  I have soft warm breasts that are all mine.  The TEs are the worst part of the experience for sure for me.

Heather - I defintely have side-boobage on one side.  After Stage 2 - in which PS was supposed to fix it - he is saying there is still swelling there to go down and my skin may snap back.  But I'm not sure - may still need to go back in and excise some skin there.  We'll see... I'm going to be patient and just tuck it into my bra/bathing suit as much as possible!

I had some border-line necrotic skin - black and icky, he snipped a little out and left a big hole for awhile - after my BMX and the silvadine cream took care of it.  Patience and follow drs orders!

Katy I need to keep reading to see if you updated us on that twin/pregnant wife story!  So happy you can enjoy swimming again!

Shechirple - eek!  I would've totally freaked waking up soaked!  Glad you have handled it so well.

mckinley1

Hi everyone! Just found you all this morning when I was brooding and couldn't sleep.  I have mostlly been reading your messages nihahi as I am from Saskatchewan and you were the closest.  I am currently waiting for a date for my diep - been waiting 20 months!  Found a little of the old fight in me last week and made some phone calls to higher ups and got my family physician involved to see what the hold up is but not sure it's going to help.  When I signed up for this surgery I could see the light at the end of the tunnel for this whole bc chapter of my life to be over or at least behind me.  Today it just seems never ending.  Trying to fight this feeling of hopelessness.  My family and especially my husband have been so good listening to my rants about all this but maybe it would help to chat with others in the same boat.  I was wandering how long everyone else had to wait?  Was it worth it?

nihahi

Happy 4th of July! I'm a dual citizen, having been born and raised in the States. Hope everyone has a wonderful day, (shhh...don't wake up sbelizabeth yet!)

Marty....I think part of the overprepare is in our mindset as women. Kind of like how you can pull out a diaper, a change of clothes, snacks and favorite toy out of your purse when your kids are young, and usually all your husband can manage is to find his car keys!

I agree 100% about the treadmill thing though. Mall walking sounds better physically and mentally! goldie.....I couldn't get outside for walks in the early days either, because of the weather (icey sidewalks and too cold here). Even though I got back to being active relatively quickly, and was very active/used to treadmills before surgery, I can't imagine using one during those days. Your stamina likely won't make it a reasonable thing to bring into the house just for a short time, your balance may be less than reliable too (for a short time). 

Bailey...totally spot on with being active and caring for yourself pre-surgery. Muscle memory, mobility issues aside, it helps your "head" deal with the stress and helps your body deal with the drugs, fluid, etc. 

Jeannie...glad to hear the tootsies are better! Your %'s sound right where most of us were pre-surgery....You're doing great!

Kuka....how are those muscles today???? 

damiana9

Kind of frustrated today. My drains were removed tuesday and where the fangs were, it is still draining a lot! I guess that is a good thing that the drainage is still coming out but I am really sick of changing bandages so frequently. Also- part of my boob incision had some sort of blood blister and started bleeding yesterday and OMG- it kept bleeding and bleeding! Not tons of blood but just a steady ooze. I am kind of worried about the skin not healing and attaching well to the radiated skin. I don't know why this had to wait to happen until AFTERmy appointment! ugh!

On a more positive note, I went to the grocery store with my hubby yesterday. I really had to psych myself up for it and I had a plan to go back to the car and wait for him to finish if I couldn't deal. I went through the WHOLE store! I was so proud of myself. Had to come home and rest for a bit and then I even helped get dinner ready- it felt great to do normal things, and I didn't really feel like I was pushing myself too hard, I just took frequent brakes. My hubby was very thankful to have some help getting dinner ready! LOL!



Kad22- yes, we share DIEP days! I got all 3 drains out on Tuesday It feels so freeing!

nihahi

mckinley1, Welcome....we must have had cyber-crossing of our posts. Glad you have found us....I bet many of us found their way here in the "wee hours"......!

The waits in Canada, are definitely much, much longer than in the States..different systems...different issues. Are you having your surgery in Sask??? Your timeline (brutal as it is) sounds pretty similar to most Canadians. I was fast-tracked into my ps's schedule for the first appt, (long story), then was told the earliest surgery date would be at least a year out. I told his office, I would take any cancellation that may come up, and got a call that same day, so ended up having my recon done about 3 months later. Rattle any cage you can to move your date closer. Try to use the "waiting" to get as healthy and fit as possible. 

Many of us have wonderful, tolerant, compassionate family and friends......but no one "gets it" like another person on the the same journey. There are a few night owls among us too, so could be you'll find some late night companions on "those nights".

Janet_M

Jeannie - 

No waistbands! It's better to pin your drains to a piece of clothing that doesn't move, like your gown, or a cammi. In a happy morphine haze it's easy to forget about the drains when you have to pee. 

I had big plans for my drains. I ordered a 'Jacki' and never used it. I ended up just pinning them to my gown in the hospital, and once home, I pinned them to an undershirt. I wore loose pants at home, and just made sure all the tubing was under my clothes. I was  worried the tubes would get caught on a door knob, or that my pets would use them as a toy (Kad - Good work on the patch job!).

Martyj - I agree with what you said about overthinking. I fall into that category, for sure. And it's exhausting . I was most definately over-prepared but it made me feel in control and that I'd done everything possible. However, this week has been spent doing a whole lot of returns. And my rental shower chair sits wrapped in the basement. 

I admit that I was a bit neurotic with the planning, but that's okay. It's easier for me to go with it than to resist the impulse.  

nihahi

damiana....this too shall pass! Have you been more active since the fang drains came out? That might be why the leaking.....but, better fluid out than in!!!!  Sounds like other stuff is coming together for you. Those early days of doing a little bit of "normal" are so great, aren't they....but also glad to hear you put some rest times in to balance it all out. 

mckinley1...TOTALLY WORTH IT FOR ME!!!!!!

sbelizabeth

Damiana, feminine hygiene products are useful in places OTHER than lady parts.  When my fang drains came out, I put a long peri-pad over the new crotch eyes and it stayed in place with the compression panties I was wearing.  If your open blister is leaking a bunch, you can gently tape one over the wound.  They absorb so much better than a hunk of gauze.  

Try to not worry too much about the blister.  Many of us had them, changed dressings twice daily, and they healed up well.  If you PS didn't see it, you might call tomorrow to update him/her and get a script for silvadene cream; my PS wanted me to cover the blister with it before the dressing went on.

So my lovely, pregnant DIL stormed into the restaurant where my son (her husband's twin brother) and his new date were having dinner. She whacked him on the shoulder and was scripted to screech, "What are you doing here?  You were supposed to buy diapers and wipies and be home for dinner!  And who is SHE?"  But...she got as far as "What are you doing..." and busted out laughing.  Still, it was fun.  

Long, lovely sleep, thanks for tiptoeing around!  Now my DH is hopping around, waiting for me to finish my coffee, so we can celebrate Independence Day with a bike ride.  For you Brits across the pond...thanks for the hearty, brave pioneers who suffered through the process of establishing our beautiful country!

Jeannie57

Thanks for all the advice about the drains! I love this thread.

goldie4040

Bailey, I was surprised when she said that too.  The pics I was looking at were of women who had a straight mx with no expander's, etc.  and their chest almost looked like a young child, except there were no nipples, of course.  So, when I remarked about it, that is when she told me the radiation smoothes out the scars.  I think I am going to look that up now that it is back in my head, and see if it's true.

Marty, the irony of all this is I sold my treadmill last year, and now I am sorry.  Since I am not having mx with my reconstruction I think I will be okay with the treadmill.  I am sure I will barely stroll on it at the beginning, but even if I can get on it for 5 minutes at a time the first few weeks is better than nothing.  I have a stepper that I used about a week after my bmx starting with 2 minute sessions, but it is to hard on the tummy.

nihahi

goldie.....recovery post flap, is very different than recovery post mx...you are going to have postural changes, you'll likely be more easily fatigued and in the first few weeks, will probably want to keep the "energy" you do have, for the day to day things. For the first few weeks, just 5 minutes of walking around the house, on top of showers, drain management, etc., might be enough of a challenge to keep you "occupied". You may be someone who hops out of the hospital and on to a 5k run, but I STRONGLY suggest you wait on the treadmill thing until you are post surgery and truly know what you can handle. You can certainly investigate the option of rental, and not take it to the next step yet.  I do recognize, though, that likely some of your "planning" is the presurgery mindset of getting absolutely everything on the planet organized, been there, done that......like marty often says......such much of our preplanning, prepacking turns out to be so unneeded! Hang in there! Have you ok'd with your surgeon about what you plan to do post surgery????

Even though we obviously have many different scenarios of surgeons's protocols, it might be good to remember that  many of them might base their rules on how they actually do their surgeries...might be connected to closure techniques, compression, drain placement, etc. It's great to share the info we have, and to bring the questions and ideas to our docs, but I am uncomfortable in the idea that following someone else's post-surgical guidelines without getting the ok from our own surgeon is a wise move.

Robin.....thinking of you, hoping things are going well.

mammalou

Goldie... Radiation pretty much eliminated my scars. I could barely see them and they were totally flat after rads. Of course, I had redness and spider veins from rads.



How much was everyone walking on day 8 post DEIP?

sweetpickle

Mamlou- I was only walking to the bathroom and back in my bedroom on day eight. Sometime during the second week out I was able to walk to the front of the house and back but it was a challenge. I had to use a wheelchair to go to my doctor appointments that week.



Has anyone else noticed their incision scar getting deeper? Until the past couple of days my scar was shallow and on the surface of my skin. Now its healing nicely but seems deep in spots, mostly around my hips toward the end of the incision. Does this get better?

Janet_M

Sweetpickle - Me too. I feel like I'm wearing a very small thin belt. Maybe it's just the skin tightening as it heals? I've got a follow up appointment tomorrow, and I'm gong to ask if this is normal. 

Also my sides are puffy. I'm missing my curves!

goldie4040

Okay okay, I will rethink the treadmill.  The only reason I was thinking about is that they PS said the only exercise I will be allowed will be walking,  and he wants me to start walking a little everyday as soon as I feel up to it.  I thought I could get on the thing for a few minutes here, and there at the beginning, and work my way up.  I really dont want to use the little energy I am going to have driving to the mall, and make it across the parking lot and realize that's all  the energy I've got.  Waste of time. I wish it wasn't so freaking hot here.