DIEP 2013

goldie4040

Oh Robyn, I am so sorry for everything you are going through. I wish there was something I could say, or do that would make it better, but only time will do that.  Right now you don't hink you could possibly go through this again, but who knows what physical and mental healing can do, miracles I hear!

We are with you all the time, and thnking about you often. 

goldie4040

kad, how are you doing? Good to hear from you.  We have a lot of gals having their recons this coming week, plus some stage 2. 

I am waiting to get a good count on the tshirt thingy, and come to an agreement on the slogan, then we can get the ball rolling on getting the graphics done.

Wish we could all be in one place for a nice long weekend.  It would be so great. 

faith729

To all our new sisters debdylan, relocatedtarheal and anyone else I missed (sorry Wilbur brain tonight) on here I have to genuinely agree with liefie ! I know its really tough and sounds easier said than done but have faith that it all works out "close your eyes and jump" liefie said it best.



Used bio oil today for the first time. It was pricey but it smells so nice and I figure I deserve it . I can not wait until this glue on my fresh stage 2 scars is gone. I would love to get together with someone in my area but I don't think anyone here lives nearby?



Gini23 your not too far maybe some weekend we could make a day of it and meet up for lunch or something. Im supposed to have my next appointment with Dr. Carty in September how about you ?



Marty so sorry to hear that your dh needs such a big surgery! Do you have a lot of support that you can count on in those first few days ? I wanted to ask you also if you knew anything about adding volume. In other words I came home from my stage 2 feeling great about the fullness of my new breasts! after the first surgery they appeared to me like so many other women here said as "hamburger buns". Two weeks out from stage 2 they seem to have lost a lot of that fullness I loved so much and deflated a lot again. I feel like your so wise with this stuff so Im curious if you know how or if that can ever fully be resolved ?

Moviemaniac

Robin.....sending (((HUGS))) to you........I totally understand your feelings......I came very close to that scenario myself.......just don't shut the door completely.....with time and distance to help you heal, you may feel differently in time......



Namaste and God Bless - Jackie

Jeannie57

Oh, Robyn, my heart goes out to you! What happened to you could have happened to any one of us. I am sending a warm hug and will continue praying for your complete healing! Thank you for checking in. We all love hearing from you.

liefie

Robin, it could have happened to any of us, but you were the unlucky one. It must be devastating, and I can fully understand that you do not have the stomach for another surgery. At this stage I know that somewhere in future there is nipple recon waiting for me, but I don't even want to go there. Hopefully there will be lots of water in your (very!) near future, and that you will heal quickly and uneventfully. Big hugs to you!

hrf

Robyn, I am new here. So sorry that the DIEP didn't work for you. I hope you heal quickly and the ps has another solution for you.

Tracy516

I woke up today at 5am . I had a dream. That the doctor was standing over me on the day of my operation and waking up. I look at him and try to feel my body. He says "don't.. We had to make adjustments to the surgery" ok... I look down... my breasts are ON MY STOMACH!!! With a bra on!!! I wake up almost fall out of bed to get to the mirror in the bathroom!! WTH!

I have been having crazy dreams for weeks but this made me scared!!ugh now I need coffee!! Anyone else?

Tracy516

((((((ROBIN))))) hugs!

Tracy516

relocatedtarheel!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!👍

Tracy kohlepp
Dx 6/28/2013, DCIS, 5cm, Stage 0Surgery 07/16/2013 Lumpectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Both) August 15, 2013

MartyJ

Faith, you have reached the end of my wisdom. I have no idea. My doc does fat grafting in stages for volume. That's why I will have 3 parts to stage two. I have heard that only about 50% takes. You were also a bit swollen. Wish I could help more.

lahela

Tracy, I've been having crazy dreams too... mostly that I wake up to someone telling me it was all a mistake, I don't have cancer, don't need surgery and offering me a cigarette! I guess our minds are just trying to deal with this as best they can. {{{hugs}}}

Jeannie57

I would love to be dreaming instead of awake!!! I've been awake since 3 AM.

Morningsun1

Hi Marty, do one needs to gain weight for fat grafting? I'm 5ft1, 115lb. How is it possible that I "don't have extra"

MartyJ

Tammy - the fat comes from lipo from hips, inner thigh, outer thigh, flanks.  While you think you may not have any, they are usually able to find something.  That is how they do a free flap procedure on a very thin patient - some of the newest procedures use upper buttocks, thigh, etc (GAP, PAP).  You are blessed to be in such great shape!

Anonymous

Those who have had stage II procedures...how long have your surgeries been and are you under general anesthesia?

dltnhm

Robin-

I am so sorry that you lost your flap. Can only imagine being where you are. And imagine everything is all too current to think about going down that road before.



But if and when you are ready to research ... Know that there have been ladies here on these threads who have lost flaps - even at least one who had everything done at NOLA. She eventually had a stacked GAP if I recall correctly.



Prayers for you as you recover.

jlbloom

Six or seven years ago my DH has had a perforated colon with emergency surgery followed by total removal of his large bowel.  That's just to let you know he knows his way around medical supplies and creative uses.  In the hospital they told us they would just have to throw away the medipore tape that was left over, so we could take it and several other things home with us.

When I take a shower, he takes a piece of the medipore tape and turns under about 1/2 an inch.  The rest of it can be taped anywhere you would like on your body.  My drains have a piece of plastic attached to them with a clip that you can clip to clothing, etc.  DH puts the medipore tape on my sides and I clip the drain to the part that is folded under.  Liefie, I ramble with or without medication!

Goldie - http://www.customink.com/ will make any t-shirts we want.  We can buy any number of them we want.  If I remember correctly the commercial said you can use your custom logo, so we should be able to have our own custom design.

kad22 - you, bailey, and I are mid-westerners.  Maybe a get together in the Chicago area could be in our future.  Any others in the vicinity, please chime in.

Robin - praying that time will help you physically and emotionally.  I think I would feel the same way.  We love you in a special way that others won't understand.

relocated - take some deep breaths.  We are all here for you and can relate to how you are feeling.

Jeannie - you were probably needing a visit from Wilbur.  Hope a nice long nap is part of your day!

Tracy - there can be some different outcomes, however, I don't think your dream was one of them.  You will be able to laugh about it in the future.

My DH says I have to quit talking to my friends and get ready.  Have a great Saturday everyone!

Janet_M

Relocated - Two days before surgery and you're scared to death - totally understandable. We've all been there and have found it unimaginable. I felt like like I was floating around in someone else's life the week before surgery and even as I was buying giant granny pants (which I never wore) I couldn't absorb that this was acutally happening to me, and not someone else. I wish there was a way of letting you, and the other new girls know, that it gets so much better. You're at that icky part of the roller coaster ride that is so close to the top, but you stil can't see what's over the top. And anticipatory anxitety is a monster. The surgery is not. And with the post surgery healing comes such an enormous sense of relief that all the pesky stuff like drains and and pain meds, seem like a breeze by comparison. 

But about the frankensurgery? I always found it helpful to think of myself as being 'rebuilt', for the better. And took comfort in that it was all me, and I was just having a bit of frontal realignment.  I had to gain belly weight for my surgery, so when I look down at my new boobs I see delicious roast chicken dinners, red wine & cambazola.

Keep busy. Breath deeply. Trust. Get a pedicure -  You can do this.

Anonymous

I am in on Chicago trip! Would love to meet up!



Was thinking our eventual International Flapper Convention needs to be held during Mardi Grad in New Orleans...show off these new puppies! Lol! (Just kidding...I would NEVER...not before bc....not after lol)



Lol....make a video....(Flapper) Girls Gone Wild! Can I get a WOOT WOOT!?!?



Big hugs ladies! I hope you find a piece of peace today! I am going to pick blueberries!

Morningsun1

Bailey, my stage II was only a little over one hour but I was under general anesthesia. Kuka, I forgot to tell that the compression piece my ps put on me post op is a Marena.

Morningsun1

WOOT WOOT!!!

Morningsun1

Pittsburgh is not that far from Chicago... I'll try to make it.

Anonymous

We need a like button....I like it Tammy T!

sherry35

Woot! Woot! I've always wanted to go to maradi GRAS! I've already been showing these puppies to anyone who will look. I'm so swollen though, it's hard to get a sense of where they will settle!

Anonymous

Sherry yes....swelling is a bit of a bear. It can be a long time (weeks) before you get a clear idea of what you actually got going on. Mine was so large it frightened small children. Ok not really, but it felt like it. 10 weeks out I still have some all the time...but it does increase with activity, decrease with rest.....and consistently less overall week to week. This too shall pass. Mine is "settling" and has become softer (except where it's hard due to some rather large spots of fat necrosis). It's too far under my arm and pointing to the left too much. These seem to be fairly common outcomes. It'll be fixed next time. The initial surgery was to move the tissue, make it live and get it to heal.....beauty comes later



Blueberry picking postponed to tomorrow ....which means housework for me....ugh.

Jeannie57

Hey, Bailey! My DD lives in Ann Arbor for three more years while her DH is in dental school. Maybe when I visit her sometime we can meet, too! How far is Rickford from Ann Arbor?

lahela

Janet, you have no idea of the image I have in my head of your roast chicken boobs! I really hope mine don't turn out looking like all the pizza I've eaten recently...

sweetpickle

Robyn- So sorry that you have had to go through so much!



I just hit eight weeks yesterday. My pain has gone down significantly and now Im just sore. Still some sunburn feeling on stomach directly under boobs and Im still swollen. Wondering if this is it or if it will shrink down more. Also have a large area under belly button that is rock hard. Its either fat necrosis or the mesh they put in.

Anonymous

Jeannie...it's a couple of hours...no big whoop for me...would LOVE it! You let me know.



Although....I may have to come incognito....I bleed green (GO STATE!)...kind of a big deal here (U of M vs. MSU) for some of us. But I love you enough to suck it up! I can pick up Cherrie on the way. She is between, I think.