DIEP 2013

kuka21174923

Goldie, I feel horrible foe what's happening to you! I hope they are able to so something soon!! Please keep us updated!

kuka21174923

Goldie, I feel horrible foe what's happening to you! I hope they are able to so something soon!! Please keep us updated!

5andcounting

Goldie, I had a similar experience. The NP told me all scans were clear. When I got a copy for my records, there was mention of a small lesion. MRI showed clearly it was a benign cyst. Will be praying same for you.

damiana9

Goldie- Oh no! I was scheduled for an MRI a few months ago and nobody caught the whole 'no MRI because you have TE's' thing until I was actually AT my MRI appt. There are other scans they can do for you- good luck!



Kuka- I am sorry your mom has had to go through so much. I have been very lucky to have never really dealt with any family or friends with cancer until myself.



Bailey- no, I haven't gotten ahold of the doctor yet- but I will call today. I don't have tape on the flap or near the hole- it is on the old skin.

kuka21174923

Goldie, I feel horrible foe what's happening to you! I hope they are able to so something soon!! Please keep us updated!

Anonymous

Sbelizabeth - my radiated area is basically a rectangle six or so inches tall and goes from just left of midline chest across where breast was, under arm and back around to my back maybe 3 inches. It has been 18 months since last rads and it was still dark reddish/brown (I am very fair skinned). I had the recurring seroma underneath and the truncal lymphedema. The mx scar and skin was adhered after rads and then I had a massive infection in the seroma which left a lot of scar tissue. And a little aws for good measure lol. I had lots of therapy, kinesio taping and nightly massage by my DH and we got it looking pretty good by the time of diep. I really think the diep helped some, but the benefits seem to be fading (or I was numb?). The color of the remaining radiated tissue is better (which surprises me) but it is starting to feel taut and painful to move and touch again. I was wondering if the stem cell transfer would help.

Anonymous

Movie- prayers for your DD....sorry for her troubles.



We seem to be full of bad news here today Prayers for everybody!

damiana9

Called my PS, and I go in tomorrow afternoon so they can look at it and show me how to care for the boob hole.

sweetpickle

Oh my goodness, I know I shouldnt laugh at this but boob hole just sent me spinning! LOL I needed a good chuckle today. So sorry you have to deal with that Damiana.

Jeannie57

Yes, Movie, prayers for your DD. I hope the surgery gives the relief she needs.



Goldie. my heart goes out to you! I am praying those lesions are benign and just a small bump on the road. We're here for you.



I am still in the hospital. My oxygen has been low but it's getting better as I get up out of this bed. I also have a blister under the tagaderm and one in the breast crease. One of the drains has never held suction. Today plastics took off the bulb, cut the cord and put a plastic bag on that that was then taped to me. Don't know how to drain it. They said the fluid could could just reabsorb into my body which would cause my belly to swell. NO!



My mind is still squirrelly. A friend called today and mentioned that we had a nice long phone call yesterday. I have absolutely no memory of that. Nor do I remember flapping my arms in ICU and asking if our church use some of that equipment. Then there is something about crows....

sbelizabeth

Oh, Goldie...praying for you right now.  Please try to not panic--but we all know how hard it is NOT go there!  We're in your pocket with a big hug.

damiana9

Jeannie- oh, your stories are all so funny! I wish I was a fly on the wall in your room! haha!



Sweetpickle- glad I could make you laugh If you can't laugh at this crazy stuff you will go crazy so you may as well laugh, right? The thing that I feel is even more crazy is that when I told them I had a boob hole and could see inside of my boob the nurse knew exactly what I was talking about. Yikes! Realistically, I am certain that this happens occasionally and so of course they have seen it but still.

RobinY

Well Hi everyone.    Thanks for all your prayers and emotional support.  Its been a much harder road than even my ps thought but I'm still putting one foot in front of the other and going down it.

Tues of last week they took out 3 of the last four drains.  Friday the forth drain literally fell out of my groin.  (The suture had pulled loose some days before).  Last night I started noticing lots of draining coming from my belly button, and then this morning I sprung a leak from it.  Called the ps office and they told me that because of the other drain falling out that it would be normal for this to happen (so many normal things that are not at all normal to me....) and they want me to see my ps tomorrow am.  In the meantime I'm putting paper towels under my binder and over my belly button, changing about every hour.....

I do finally have my brain back and yesterday we found out that my sugar was dropping too much so I get to have a butterscotch drop every now and then which has helped EVER so much.  As of now I've lost 22lbs since the date of surgery which is scary and impressive.  Not that I didn't need to lose it, but there are better ways to go about it.

I haven't read back any of the pages, but know that those who are about to go though this are in my prayers, those who have gone before have my respect and all of you have my love and appreciation.

kuka21174923

Robyn, is so good to hear from you! Hopefully the draining won't be something too serious. I'm glad you're feeling better and know that we're all here to support you!

Big hugs!!

Marcie47

Robin,

I have thought of you often and sent love and prayers your way.

You sound like you are doing better, continue to put one foot in front of the other.

Hope today is better than yesterday and tomorrow gets even better )

nihahi

Robin....so wonderful to hear from you....so tough to hear what you have/are going through. I usually believe that nobody gets "a medal" for being brave on this journey, but in your case, I think we all would make an exception!!!! Hope all the prayers, cyberhugs and good wishes that have been sent your way were felt. Keep healing, stay in touch, towanda!!!!!

ssla01

Oh Robin, it is so good to "hear" from you. We are all sorry for your troubles. I still have drains, but a nurse friend told me that maxi pads are great for leaky areas if they happen.

(((Hugs)))

nihahi

Jeannie.....you are one funny lady on drugs!!!!!

goldie....wild ride for you today.....hope things get sorted out soon, and in a good way.

damiana...sheesh, what can we say! boob hole!!!

kuka...how's the killer training going?

faith729

Goldie the same thing happened to me. My PS called to tell me they were scheduling me for an MRI because in theother scan to see the vessels "they didn't see as much as they wanted" immediately I knew they weren't telling me everything. I went for the MRI and asked the girl a question about them viewing my vessels and she said "what no we're looking at your liver" I panicked. When I visited the PS days later he told me of the findings similar to yours and I panicked more. He said that he and my bs had to discuss before going forward with surgery. Luckily my mother works at DFCI in Boston and she was able to get others to view my scans and that put my mind at ease knowing they all eventually felt it was harmless. I am praying for you and hope that you get great news fast ((hugs))

faith729

Robin so glad to hear from you..my gosh your DIEP journey has been tough..your one strong lady . Hang in there I hope its a distant memory for you in no time



Movie prayers for your daughter ! Gosh so young.



Damiana hope that blister heals fast they are a huge nuisance ! I think Kuka would agree.

goldie4040

Thank you all for your concern and good thoughts.  I spent most of the day making calls, and appointments, and changing many arrangements made for surgery date.  Will not be seeing MO till Aug 1! Part of the delay is getting all the films together in one place and evaluated first. 

Jeannie, so happy to hear you sound so good.  Get up, get moving.  It's the best thing for you.  You tell us everything we need to know except HOW DO YOU FOOBS LOOK?  When do they think you will go home?

Damiana, another long ride to Dallas.  Ugh.  I hope that hole is no big deal.  

Robyn, so good to hear from you.  You are always in our thoughts.  Hope that belly button stops being so picky. I would send somebody out to get you some sterile gauze for the belly button.  The paper towel could leave lint.,just sayin.  This will all be a bad dream soon.  I promise. 

I think I need to watch Fried Green Tomato's tonight.  

BTW...I am seriously thinking of changing my PS when I get through this mess. Kuka, you tell Habash I am probably not far walking through his door again.

Anonymous

RobinY!! Woot woot! So happy to see you here! Sounds like you are coming along....and sounds like you have been through a lot these last few weeks. Just know we've been thinking of and praying for you every day



Jeannie....just shaking my head lol! You are a hoot and a half. Crows, indeed! Do tell us what you were on!



Sharon - how are those everlasting drains? Slowing down I hope! Prayers for less "jucieness"!

christina0001

Goldie, I am sorry about your CT result. I too hope that it turns out to be nothing. The fear and the stress from waiting to know what is going on, is brutal.

sherry35

Wow, you ladies have been busy!

Goldie- thinking of you. Sorry you are having to go through this. Hopefully just a small bump in the road.

Damianna- I too laughed at boob hole! I'm glad PS understands and will be helping you out quickly.

Robin- so nice to hear from you! So sorry this has happened to you! Know that we are here to support you whenever you need support.

Movie-sorry your DD is having trouble, good luck with everything!

Sbe-good luck on the grand baby front!

Jeannie- glad you are doing well! Sorry that I had a laugh at your expense! Lol

One week from now it will all be over but recovery! Yay! My house is closing September 3 so I have packed up 90% of my house and had a huge garage sale last weekend! Some family members came to visit for the weekend and I'm on an impromptu vacation until Sunday! Good way to keep my brain occupied!

Cheers everyone.

Sherry

sweetpickle

Robyn- Yay, so glad to hear from you and you are superwoman in my book to go through so much.

Anonymous

Bluebird and jbloom....thinking of you two just now...hoping you are resting comfortably and just "draining" away.



Sherry sounds like you are good to go! I think a vacation should go on the list of things a girl needs to get before DIEP! Good for you.



Movie - hope everything went well with DD today...tell her your flapper friends are thinking of her.



Liefie - you are quiet! Is this the week you are filling in at the office?

Jeannie57

Robyn, my thoughts have been with you so often. It's so good to hear from you here.



I was hoping to come home tomorrow. I passed every test except the all-important lung test. The chest xRay and exam wasn't clear enough so I am doubling my deep breaths and blowing into the deep breathing machine and taking walks. It's frustrating because I have already been working so hard at it. I can't imagine coughing with these incisions! As some of you know, after finishing chemo on Feb. 1, I got a bad case of pneumonia and was very sick for the month of March. I could use some courage.

nihahi

aww jeannie......hang in there. The O2 sat/lung expansion thing was my hurdle too in getting out of hospital. I am typically an upper lobe, shallow breather. You can do this, blow the balls off that inspirometer thingy, walk, breathe from the bottom of your lungs, push your ribs outward.....you've already got all the courage you need. Hoping for a discharge tomorrow for you, but if it doesn't happen, just keep "swimming"!

sherry....sounds like things are moving all in the positive direction of putting alot of "crap" behind you! Enjoy your "vacation" the next few days!

goldie4040

Faith, thank you.  That makes me feel better, but at least your PS actually read your CAT scan and did something about it.  My husband and I had to bring it to his attention.  Anyway, I can't have an MRI with the expanders in, so I don't know how they will proceed.  

Jeannie, I hated the stupid blower thingy.  I have been doing deep breathng exercises and they help. They were for my surgery. Oh well! Okay, are you shy? Do you like your new foobs, or have you not looked yet?

kuka21174923

Goldie, I will let habash know as soon as I see him! What test did they say you can have done with your TE's in place?

Nihahi, today was the last day with my trainer. I will continue going to the gym 5 days a week. I already have a routine done. I started out being 144 when I had DIEP and tonight I was 136! It doesn't look like much, but I've been building muscle as well. Now I just hope I can do it without my trainer. My goal is to be at 130 before my stage 2. Do you think it is too unrealistic? I have a little less than a month to do it!

Damiana, good luck tomorrow with your hole.

Jeannie, start taking care of those blisters right away!! The wet to dry gauze with saline was what really did the trick for me! Do no use any type of tape on your breast to hold the gauze in place. Use your bra for that!! Anytime I tried to put paper tape or a bandaid on, it would try to start a blister. Apparently the skin there is very sensitive! I couldn't even do silicone strips over the scars! I know they're a pain, and it takes TIME to heal.