DIEP 2013

nihahi

forgot to add....typewriterjenny....I found the belleruth cd's very helpful, especially pre-surgery.

sbelizabeth

Has no one else helped whelp puppies?  Mounds of shredded newspapers are required.  Akin to "boil some water!" in the movies.  Just in case our DD and DDIL would feel comfortable digging about a bit, doing the nesting thing.  You never know.

She may be poised on the edge of labor, but no real contractions yet.  It could be days yet.  Oy...

relocatedtarheel

Thank you all so much! I don't really have anyone to talk to about this that's experienced it and frankly telling the people I've had to tell exhausts me and makes me feel like a whining self-centered drama queen...and terms like 'oozing drains' aren't images I want in my sweet husbands head...this group will be my secret superpower and U am so grateful that you all come here and offer encouragement and advice. I look forward to getting through the surgery Aug 5 and being able to hopefully offer some hope to someone else.

ssla01

Damiana, we have all had to do things on this journey that we thought we could not do. I believe in you. You are strong enough.



Relocated, it is sad, but many of us have found that some of our "friends" just can't handle this. The drains aren't oozy. It is just watery and pours right out. Plus, you get to wear surgical gloves - it doesn't have to touch your skin.



Nihahi, I really don't want to be the board insomniac tonight. Trying to think sleepy thoughts.......

mammalou

Baily... What was your wound closing technique? I might just try it.

Anonymous

Jeannie - are you home yet??? Hope so!

Anonymous

Mammalou - sent you a PM...but basically keeping it DRY...as much as possible. Was the protocol given to me by wound care specialist in the past.

faith729

Dyvgrl I went for an ultrasound and they found multiple nodules the largest one was 2.9 cm so I go to visit with the endocrinologist tomorrow to discuss a bunch I suppose since the receptionist told me it was a 40 minute appointment.



Damiana geish what a crazy day for you.. hang in there your strong you can do this.



SBE it's go time ! This is going to be the luckiest baby for sure. With everyone waiting so anxiously no way that baby won't be spoiled sending thoughts your way for a healthy little bundle of joy and an easy delivery for your dil

faith729

Movie looking forward to your next post and praying that your daughters surgery went smoothly. ((Hugs))

goldie4040

Damiana, I am so sorry. I wish I was there to help you pack your wound.  You can do it!!!!  Especially since the boobs are perfect and you don't want anything to happen to it. Hang in there sweetie.  

Movie, hope your daughter is okay after surgery. Will keep her in my prayers.

I am jealous of everybody getting their surgeries done.  I just want to get through all this nonsense.  I am also feeling fat now because he made me gain all the weight for surgery, and now I feel gross. My husband noticed  I cut back on my eating, and told me, 'Oh no, you keep that weight on. This surgery is going to happen!"

BTW...anybody with back problems out there who had the diep?  Did it make you back a lot worse? I have cronic lower back issues since an accident years ago.

faith729

Mammalou I had two tiny openings in my ab incision and was instructed to stop using the bacitracin and to keep it dry and covered with gauze. My ps said sometimes keeping it moist can prolong closure. I hope you don't have to deal with this much longer !

nihahi

goldie....I went into surgery with a "fragile, tempermental lower back"....the first week or two of walking was tough on it, but once I could straighten past a certain "tipping" point...things were fine. Regular tylenol with an occasional flexerill (muscle relaxant) really helped. You are NOT fat, you are growing a gloob!

faith....will be sending positive vibes to you for tomorrow's appt. Hope all turns out well.

relocated....lets get things straight...on this thread, we do "get it"!....and, we are all "queens with superpowers"......

TOWANDA!!!!!!

sbe....sorry...to me, still sounds like you're prepping for a gerbil ...Liefie wants her to wait until Friday, to share a birthday!

ssla.....I dozed off on the coach....now I'm worried....I DO NOT WANT TO BE THE INSOMNIAC OF THE NIGHT EITHER!

kuka21174923

Damiana I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. But you don't want the hole close if there's a chance of infection.

Sbe, baby is coming soon! Maybe tonight?

The cookies were good, but I paid for it at the gym. My whole body hurts. Some friends started to ask me what am I training for because they always see me going to the gym and trying to be healthy. I told them I'm training for surgery;)

kuka21174923

Goldie, I think I've told you before I have a fracture on my back. The L1 is fracture and the vertebrates above and bellow L1 are compressed. I had pain back the first two weeks because I was so hantched over. After I could stem up straight I was fine.

goldie4040

Nihahi, I know I am growing my new gloobs, but now that I am on hold for a while I hate the way I feel.

Good to know about the back. The radiologist even made conclusion comments on my CAT scan results about my lower back problem.  It's always so depressing to see it in writing. 

nihahi

curlylocks....sorry, didn't mean to "pass over" you! Yes, the wait times in Canada are much longer for recon than in the states...MUCH LONGER....but..we also don't have the financial worries that truly can add a whole new level of "stress and trauma". No perfect system. Hope you get things sorted out soon.

Moviemaniac

Hi all.....has been a vey exhausting and emotional day here...DD's SX lasted @2 hours....



Good news.....Dr found very little new Endo since SX 1 and 1/2 yrs ago. Bad news....not much new endo.....where is debilitating pain coming from? Only poss. Source that he could give any thought to was the right sacral-uteral ligament, and interstitial cystitis.......he DID find scarring and adhesions on the u.s. ligament, and also on bladder....so ended up excising about 1/2 to 2/3 of it. Of course, since DD has been in constant pain for past 6 months, she has been treated at a pain clinic.....so naturally she requires MORE anesthesia, and MORE pain medication in order to stay in front of post-op pain, and there is the "red-head factor"...she is being "observed" for 24 hours in the hospital.....although COBRA is retroactive (she has been on medical leave from her medical research job) her HR rep didn't get her the info until last Friday.....if she is admitted, there is a good chance that her ins. Would deny the claim......as if her situation isn't stressful enough on its' own! We were talking to ins. Right up until she went under for SX! Going on 4 days of little sleep...running on fumes.....



Wasn't going to post anything but an update, b/c so many of you have been so kind and concerned about her.....but have to respond to Damiana....



Damiana, I know exactly what you are feeling! At 2 1/2 weeks my middle 7-8" of abdominal incision blew out due to infection (I think I told you this) I packed it with wet to dry saline-soaked gauze twice daily.....it was a hideous,gaping hole.....but by the end of the almost 3 weeks I had it, I was FINALLY at the point I could have done it myself......then he re-sutured.......you CAN do this! And I know I am not the only one who has been through this....hang in there......they WILL heal.....((((hugs)))



Again, thank you ALL for your concern and support......tomorrow is another day, right?



Love to all......



Namaste and God Bless - Jackie

nihahi

Movie.....so glad to hear from you...such a postive/negative post op for daughter, though, you just break my heart. Endo is such a horrible disease....I'm hoping what the surgeon was able to do, will be enough to break the pain cycle for her. I am amazed at your thoughtfulness at sending "help" to damiana....you are my hero! Insurance in the states.......nightmare at the worst times, it seems. Sending prayers out to you and family. Hope there is some rest on the horizon for you soon. ((((((((((X))))))))))))

Night ladies, sleep well.

Morningsun1

Movie, hoping for smooth going forward for your dd from here on. Re: helping others, you are my hero! damiana, like movie, I had a 7-inch ab-incision opening about two weeks post DIEP. It looked like the Grand Canyon on my tummy. My ps instructed me to do the "wet to dry" packing twice a day. I had a home care nurse come to teach/help me do it everyday for a few weeks (insurance paid for). It healed (rather slowly, in my opinion) from inside out without resuturing. Whenever I had any concern about the wound, I would email a picture to the ps. He replied to each one promptly, so I had no worry the entire time. Ask for a home care nurse and for ps's email address. You CAN do it on your own, but if help is available, you deserve to have it. For me, having a nurse keep an eye on the wound and knowing ps is on top of it has kept my and my entire famly's minds at ease. Take care.

damiana9

Goldie- I am glad your hubby told you that this surgery will happen! I have lower back problems and of course while I was hunched over it hurt pretty bad. I would occasionally put that little heart shape pillow they give us after surgery behind my back and sit back to sort of stretch it a bit and that really helped. Nowadays it has been feeling like it's going to spasm once in a while- I think it is from not being able to move around much when I sleep and that makes my back really unhappy. It has been manageable though.



Sbelizabeth-that baby will hopefully be just as chilled out when he comes out as he is in there- he isn't in any hurry



Thanks to everyone for your support last night. My husband ended up doing the dressing change last night and it didn't bother him at all (or at least he didn't let on). Usually I can handle really gross stuff, even on my own body but this whole thing just freaked me out! I guess because it is my new boob and I really hate seeing a hole there- kind of scary when you just want everything to work out and part of it is dying (I know this will still be okay soon though) Anyway- I am going to try really hard to do this myself this morning, and if I can't I will go across the street to my neighbors husband- he can deal with gross stuff really well (and I don't really care who sees my Toob! LOL)

goldie4040

Today was supposed to be my surgery.  Instead, I woke up with a cold!  What do you think that means?  In the summer, out of no where? My throat is on fire.  Ugh!!!  Oh well.  There was something planned to annoy me today, and here it is.  

Movie, hope you daughter is doing well this morning.

Damaina, how you doing with the wound packing?  

Jeannie, are you home?

damiana9

Goldie- well, thank goodness your surgery got postponed- you wouldn't want to have a nasty cough during recovery. Instead you will go into surgery VERY soon with an even stronger immune system. Any idea when any of your tests are going to be? Soon, I hope!

nihahi

Overslept a bit this morning and gotta dasy....just a quick check in here. 

hmmm...looks like EVERYBODY got some sleep last night???? hurrah!!! Movie....hope that means you too 

sbe...where the heck is that puppy...oops, meant BABY!!!!

love to all, have good days.

goldie4040

Damiana, thanks.

Now, I am worried about you.  You can pack that wound yourself.  I promise.  Think about it like this, you are immune to any germs in your house, you don't know what's lingering around in your neighbors house.  I think you should just leave the wound stuff to your husband, and yourself. Of course there should be tons of hand washing, and sanitizing gel being used before anything is touched. 

There was somebody on here that swore her visiting nurse brought infection to her house, and that's how her wound got messed up.  Which makes sense when you think about how many people they see in a day.  

I pick up my films this Friday from UTSW and then I need to bring them to my MO office so her radiologist can look at them before my appt with her next Thursday, and then I take it from there.  Don't think it's going to be a very quick process.

liefie

Just a quick good morning to you all.

Movie, glad to hear you are still surviving, and best wishes to DD. She has a tough one to handle, poor girl.

Damiana, big hugs to you!

Sbe, hope that baby comes tomorrow on my birthday.

Goldie, hang in there, eh?

Nihahi, enjoy your volunteering today - you are a hero in my eyes.

Have to get ready for work. Off to Vancouver with DH later today to celebrate my birthday. Weather glorious here, so lots of walking planned around the city. I'm reading here, but not posting much - too busy. Best wishes to each and everybody!

Morningsun1

I am really glad that I did not hear about the visiting nurse bring infection to one's house before hand . I'd be scared of using one if I had. Luckily my wound was never infected.

By the way, thanks for the birthday wishes. DH (very loving and caring) has had a tough time remember it in the past, so my MIL (sometimes myself) had to remind him. Now that the royal baby shares the same date, hopefully he will remember it for the next 3 years.

kuka21174923

Goldie, agree with damiana. You don't want to go into surgery if you're having isues with your throat.

Damiana, when are you changing the dressing? Have you done it already? Hope it's not too hard;)

Sbe, where's that baby? We want details. Weight, length, etc....

damiana9

Phew- I changed the dressing! I didn't pass out or throw up! It was pretty gross to look at but I made myself take a good look. It should be easier next time. It kind of throbs after packing it, and I hope that doesnt last long- it was like that after my hubby changed it last night too and this morning it felt fine.

goldie4040

Yeah, Damiana!   I knew you could do it.  Sure it will hurt for a bit, but it will stop.  You will be surprised how quick you heal.  Eat that protein, lots of it.  Have eggs for breakfast, greek yogart for lunch, steak for dinner, or fish.  When I was having a healing problem I ate a lot of tuna because it was cheap and fast.  My nurse at my PS office said 70 grams protein a day.

Happy bday, Liefie.  Enjoy the day, and the nice weather.

Kuka, I wouldn't have surgery while I am sick, I just think its ironic that the day I should have been having my surgery I wake up with a cold.  I never get a cold.  It must be all the stress.

damiana9

I will try to add more protein to my diet- I have some protein powder I can add to my smoothies. I don't eat eggs, dairy, or steak though LOL! You are right about the stress- that probably brought on that cold