DIEP 2013

goldie4040

Sbelizabeth, don't you love the looking, but not looking at your chest thing?  It cracks me up. Don't you wish you could have flashed the guys too?  Lmaooo  I just keep telling people, no boobs, just a sports bra filled with fluffy fakes. I can't wait till the real ones are there.  Although, those fluffy fakes are pretty comfortable.

I am glad Robyn seems better.  I hope she knows this set back is not forever, and there are other things that can be done, but I can't imagine. Well, I can imagine, because four months ago I woke up with nothing, but I had hope.  I pray she still finds the strength to go on to another option, because there are so many out there for her, even if we have to take up a fund raiser to send her to NOLA. They seem to work miracles there.

Elizabeth, you rock those heels tomorrow girl!!!!  Good legs, and good boobs.  Can't ask for much more, except good health.

Jeannie57

Goldie, yes I've had nodes removed from both sides and have LE in both sides.

I'm just putting myself in my skilled team's hands as well as in my loving Father's hands. We will do great, you're RIGHT!

ssla01

We are in your pocket Faith! Prayers for a good sleep.

sbelizabeth

No, Nihahi, the DIL is still great with child.  In July.  In California.  She texted me today and I about jumped out of my skin.  Alas, it was "I left your tupperware and the packing blankets in the house."  If it were me, I would push my recliner into a walk-in refrigerator and camp out until my water broke.  

Just got back from the pool.  It's amazing what swimming does for my shoulder, and my LE therapist said pool work is good for pushing lymphatic fluid back into the venous sytem.  So put on those cute new bikinis, gloober flappers, and go bob around.  

The lipstick red stilettos or the brown braided leather platforms?  

ssla01

Red heels!

goldie4040

elizabeth, the red heels for sure!

goldie4040

Jeannie, maybe you will have the same phenomenon as Damiana, her lymphedema disappeared after surgery. 

Yes, we are now in the hands of fate and good surgeons.

Jeannie57

I wish I had access to a pool!

liefie

Wow! I turn my back for a day, and this thread explodes - what a social bunch we are!



It is late, and I am tired after my trip to see the ob/ gyn today. Got the all clear there - no lumps in healthy boob, and nether regions all well - phew! After a ca diagnosis every routine dr visit is not so routine any more.



I must be one of the lucky ones. Even with the few pounds I put on after surgery, my pants all fit, and are a bit looser in the front. So far the only exercise I have done is walking, and whenI hear of swelling with harder exercise, I am tempted to stick to the gentle stuff for a while. Will have to start running eventually, but will take a slower approach, I think. I've got the rest of my life to do this. Ob/ gyn was intrigued by my DIEP breast, and thinks it looks very good. He is the one who found the lump in my left breast 18 months ago, and I will forever be grateful to him.



You ladies in waiting, the anticipation is much worse than the actual surgery. Don't stress so much; it is not necessary. Stay calm, breathe deep. For these drs it's just another day at work . . . Lol!

Moviemaniac

Hi FLAPPERS.....just popping in to say "hi" and wish all going to surgery speedy healing after smooth sailing.......in the OR.

Tuesday is "Toothday" for me.....a re-root canal ........can you believe it? And breast cancer too! I'm such a lucky girl!!

Jeannie-come down and swim in mine.....we call it "The Swamp"....... But on a hot day....nothing's better!

I too have swelly-belly........(((((sigh)))))))



Love you all!



Namaste and God Bless - Jaxkie

SheChirple

I don't have time to read all the posts!!!!

When I do, here's a tip:  open another window with Word, type in your replies to each post as you read, then add and subtract as you go. Cut and paste into your reply!! tee hee hee

bailey: I do want to say, we are close in time in surgery.  My tummy still feels very swollen about a 6"-10" circle around my belly button.  Heavy, swollen, achy.  When I sit for a long time, it hurts when I stand. When I stand for a long time it feels very heavy.  Can't win.  I guess it's just more time.

OH, and my pants FIT!!! Woo hoo.................but, they are not comfortable and I'll still wear the summer dresses, even to work.

Still no swimming............grrrrrr

nihahi

Hope it's not too late to cast my "shoe" vote???? Red, shiny ones for sure!!! We need a photo posted of them too, sbelizabeth!!!! Are you stretching out those hip flexors after your bike rides??? That would help your back big time!!!

I'm gonna ask my physio this morning about swimming....I'm not a strong swimmer, but can keep myself from drowning...so maybe!!! Of course it'll mean a shopping expedition for a new suit....hmm. 

Jeannie...sourcing out a pool can be a recovery time project for you!!! 

shechirple...my pants fit too, and my new "swelly spot" is in the same spot as your's, but a smaller plate size. 

Bailey....work day #2....maybe a little harder to get out of bed this morning??? Hope it goes well!

Faith....thinking of you....

OK, ladies....has anyone had their chats with ps about fipples? I feel much less educated than I was about the whole flap recon, and I'll likely be having that chat tomorrow with my guy. I'd love to get some feedback on what to ask, what to expect, etc. I've been on the nipple recon thread, but, it just isn't the same "tone" as us. Just can't "bond" with them.

Have good days....thinking of you too, jeannie and jlbloom. And of course, Robin. (((X)))

FierceBluebird

Movie…Hope your root canal goes well! After the big C diagnosis, it’s all small potatoes. I mashed my toe the other day, pretty sure it’s broke. So I’m already limping around before surgery. We have all the luck.

I’ve only ever been able to dream about lipstick red stilettos! Go get’em girl!

Liefi, love the “it’s just another day of work for these doctors” line.  Helps me to remember that many before me and many after will all go through this so I’m not alone.

Broke down and bought a lift recliner. Thought it might be better to have just in case. I’ll be on my own after the first week and might need a little help to get up.  Rent a Center wanted $130 for a month and I’d be worried about leaking drains or something.  A discount warehouse near us had a coupon for 25% off one item, so I picked up a nice one for $299

It comes with a battery backup in case the electricity goes out.   Need to avoid that possible future 911 call…. “Help, I’m reclined and I can’t get up!”   lol…

sbelizabeth

OK, so it's the red heels.  With a navy and white print dress.  Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Gini23

HA! Love the ideas of the signs, ladies!  So far I only felt like one friend was sneaking peeks - and she is a great friend so I would never call her out on it.  If we'd been in a private location (not the candy line at the movie theater) I would've done as you did Sb and pulled her aside to flash her!  So - which shoes did you choose?

Bailey - glad work went well for you!  Pace yourself, for sure.  I was lucky to be working part time this year as I completed all my Tx and Sx.  I am going back full time in the fall - will be an adjustment!  Enjoy the Komen kick off - Have you done it before?  "Training" sounds like maybe  you are working at it?  Or training to run maybe....?  I do a big team locally here in CT with another survivor friend.  Such an amazing experience!  Past two years I walked it.  I had hoped to run this year but was still within my 3 month "no strenuous exercise" zone so I had to walk again.  Next year I am determined to do the 5K!

Thinking of Faith ~ Sweet dreams!

Gini23

Oh just crossed-posts with you sb!  Sounds glamorous!

Lol Bluebird - You've got this, girl!  You and jlbloom and Jeannie - you've totally got this and YES, Liefie said it well - just another day at work for the docs.  Trust that you are in great hands.

Morningsun1

Hi sbelizabeth, I had my toe nails painted red, white and blue for the 4th with fireworks designs on the big toes.

nihahi, I will likely drown at the deeper end of a pool, so you are a lot better swimer than me. Can't help you with the fipple thingy, for I was able to keep my originals.

movie, I had to have at least one of my tooth re-root-canaled (can't remember all ). Like Bluebird44 said, after BC+DIEP, it's small potatoes.

(((Hugs))) Robin. Don't give up, there are other areas to get another flap. I had a discussion with my ps pre-DIEP regarding backup donor site in case one of my DIEP flap does not make it. For me that was not necessary, but I was mentally prepared to keep on fighting until I get what I wanted. As I see it, all of us  here are fighters and not quiters.

Happy Tuesday, flappers!

sweetpickle

My ps did not have me use comprssion but Im wondering if I would benefit from it now, almost six weeks out. Im tired of being sore all over. What kind do you use?

Gini23

Just finished my JM video and decided to go sans compression as per Goldie's suggestion that you stop engaging your core if you get overly dependent.  So I'll try working out without it for the rest of the week and see how that goes.

I've also been using My Fitness Pal - but only to track workouts and weight.  2 years ago I did really well with a nutritional shake program that had a website that also helped track exercise, weight, food/calorie intake, and inches. I'm not sure I can go back to inputting every morsel in my mouth, but as of today I am going to track inches to see if I can keep track of the swelling...  so I added measurements for upper abs, arms, thighs and calves - both left and right sides so I can tell if there are differences.  Let's see how that goes for a bit because the never budging scale and swelly-belly are discouraging!  Usually I start to lose weight pretty quickly when I start working out and watching what I eat.  

Also learned something new last night.  My 15 yr old is at soccer camp and sent me a pic of her and her friends with their legs up against a wall to "drain the bad acid" as she said.  She's talking about lactic acid which I've heard of but did not know much about.  There is conflicting advice on the web about whether or not draining really does anything, and whether it's about the lactic acid or the venous flow.  But either way, I found it interesting when the feeling of heaviness in your legs was mentioned, because that is how I have felt since ending my treatments every time I get back into exercising.  Perhaps one of our medically-trained girls here knows more about this than I do, but I think I will try to do a little "draining" when I have time post work-outs.

Gini23

Sweetpickle - Marty J. recommends the Marena line which you can find online.  Some women buy the flexees which is by Maidenform I think and you can get at Macy's and other dept stores.  My doc gave me a surgical binder that is just a big wide elastic that velcroes around your waist.  I think it would help if you are feeling sore.  I still wear mine occasionally, 4 months out.

MartyJ

Sweetpickle - the compression might help to make you feel supported.  The hurt all over thing will go away as you begin moving more and getting out and about.  While you look at your incisions and feel that you are healed, on the inside the going is much slower.  You will feel bunches better, but it comes slowly.  Then one day you suddenly realize that you feel great and wonder when that happened.

damiana9

Jeannie- I had slight LE in my right arm and some pretty bad truncal LE, while I had my tissue expander in. Since my DIEP, I haven't had any problems at all- I really hope it stays away!



Okay- I went in to my PS this morning about the mass in my pubic area. He thinks I tore an internal stitch along the incision line, and I now have a very large hematoma. I hear those can be very painful so I am very glad that my whole area down there is still all numb from surgery! He said to maybe massage it lightly but in general there is nothing to do about it, it will resolve on it's own. He also looked at my breast- and the necrotic yucky spot I have- It does have healthy tissue underneath so he is happy about that. Since I want to wait until December for stage 2 surgery, he doesn't want to wait that long to fix my spot so he will most likely do a small revision in the office in August just to cut that spot out and stitch the good tissue together so I don't have a gross weepy hole there anymore.

Also, I complained about wearing larger sizes now than before surgery- the nurse said I will be swollen to some degree for months. I also talked to her about my hips- using Kuka's explanation of all that tissue that was up high, now being pulled down and sewn together at the hips- making me even 'hippier' than before- she said that yes, that is exactly what happened and during stage 2 he will cut all that out and make it all beautiful, and THEN I will really be smaller. Yeah- I love it when I actually remember to ask all the questions that I have!

liefie

Gini23, in yoga there is a pose called 'legs-up-the-wall' pose where you lie on your back with you legs extended  up at a 90 degree angle from your body. We always do it towards the end of the class, and it is supposed to help with drainage, so I think your DD is close to the mark here.

sbelizabeth, how long do you keep those heels on before you have to take them off? I cannot go past one hour, but maybe it has to do with the fact that I had bunion surgery on both feet in the 90's. Back in the day I taught high school on heels for 6 - 7 hours a day no problem. At DD's wedding last year I took off the heels immediately after the ceremony, and busted out pair no. 2 with much lower heels. Glory days are over . . .lol.

Gini23

Oh thanks for that explanation, liefie!

I wear heels to teach in, too - because many of my middle schoolers are taller than me!  But I have to stick to big chunky heels - can't imagine standing all day in stilettos!  

goldie4040

Liefie, I only have a minute as I have a million errands to run before my DH gets here. Just wanted to let you know that my back was really acting up the last few days, so I did my Back Yoga DVD yesterday, and the day before, and I am back to good as new (or as good as that gets...LOL).  I have been concentrating so much on the arm stretches etc, I forgot about my poor old back, and it told me so!!!! 

Whoever took off their compression garment because I said I felt better that way after my hysterectomy, please check with your doc first.  I know I was cleared to exercise without it, but please make sure you are.  I would hate anybody to hurt themselves.  I took mine of gradually, until my tummy and lower back didn't feel tired for long periods of time without it. 

Janet_M

Gini, 'Legs up the Wall' is a great exercise! I'm not one of the medical-y girls, but I know that what feels good, and it helps the blood flow. I watched TV last night lying on the floor, with my feet of a foot stool that was piled high with pillows. (Normally I'd use a wall, but I had to make modifications so I could watch my movie) . Great to flex your feet and stretch out your muscles as well.

Gini23

Goldie - that was me but no worries - I am 4 months post-DIEP and my doc wanted me in compression 3 months.  I've been continuing to wear it for back support when I exercise only, (or to bed for swelly-belly) but I like the idea of making my core do the work - if it's up to it!  I did fine today, but I promise to be cautious.  

Love it, Janet! 

liefie

Thanks for the heads-up, Goldie! I will certainly order the DVD, because I will have to do that yoga for the rest of my life if I don't want my back to act up all the time. Stretching it is all that works.

goldie4040

Phew, Gini..you made me feel better.  I am having my surgery next week, and all my spanx and flexee's come over the boobs, except one. So I bought a Maidenform Tube waist cincher.  The only problem is there will be no pulling this thing up over drains.  I hope they give me a velcro one in the hospital if they want me to wear one. 

nihahi

My we are a busy bunch today! 

Back from physio....I swear his eyes lit up when I asked if he thought swimming would be good for the shoulder...guess I'll be swimsuit shopping tomorrow!

I guess I'm one of the "medically-yoga"y"" people???? Legs up the wall is one of the "restorative" type of poses in yoga, as your head is below your feet, and in yoga, that is usually considered to be a restorative pose. It rebalances you from your normal position of head over feet. It certainly is good for venous drainage, but can be tough on the hamstrings if you can't comfortably sit on the floor with legs completely extended for any length of time. As far as lactic acid drainage.....mmm....my thoughts would be "not so much"....cause muscles don't really drain into anything. If that theory worked....wouldn't you just end up with extra lactic acid at the "ends" of your muscles??? But....just my opinion. 

Compression garments once past the initial surgery related swelling.....probably a double-edged sword, the more I think about it. Yes....would help support muscles that might have gotten a bit weak (more comfort), and certainly would make the swelling appear less as a short term benefit (woohoo). On the other side, it's hard to re-build muscle if something is "taking over the workload" (one step forward, one step back scenario=no real progress) and I'm not sure if it "re-establishes" better fluid drainage over the long term (part of normal fluid movement is muscle dependent....if you are using your muscles...you are pumping lymph fluid). I'm talking only about normal body drainage...not lymphadema, which I think is excess fluid without enough local lymph system function. NOT an expert in lymphadema, so apologies if I'm wrong there. 

The hard part for me at this stage, is the difficulty in engaging my true abs, (deep core) due to lack of sensation. I envy martyj with her knowledgeable pt/pilates person....might be putting some well trained pilates instructor in my future too. 

Anyway, sorry for the long post.....time to get busy again. Hope those shiny red shoes are still rockin!!!! Can't remember the last time I had on a pair of heels!!!!