DIEP 2013

christina0001

Sherry, I am sorry you are so unhappy with how your foobs look.  My foob is certainly shaped differently than the original, and the foob and the lifted breast have surgical lines all over them, but I am so happy to not need a prosthetic anymore, and to have cleavage again. My expectations were probably a little low to be honest, that might be why I am not upset about how they look. I am hopeful that as swelling subsides and as they heal, they will look more natural. I don't expect them to ever look like what I had though. This is going to sound ridiculously vain, but I always felt like I had very beautiful breasts. Now I am just looking forward to having breasts I can wear a pretty bra over, although right now they are so sore, I can't imagine comfortably wearing a normal bra again... It's bad enough to have had cancer, I guess we have to give up part of what makes us feel womanly and beautiful too... I'd better stop now before I put myself in a bad mood...

I am definitely worried about infection. I check both breasts carefully twice a day when I change my drain bandages, and if anything looks questionable, I squirt the antibacterial ointment on it. 

sbelizabeth, I can't believe the lab tech tried to talk you into letting you use your other arm! That is shocking and very disappointing! I would have been a little upset I think. Welcome home!

Jeannie57

Welcome home, sbe! It must feel so good to be home.



Welcome, Collette64! I had delayed double DIEP on July 18th. I have had my own version of complications, but haven't experienced what you have. My BMX with node dissection was almost sixteen months ago so I don't have that to deal with in addition to DIEP. Someone will speak to your issues, I am sure! This is a very active and loving thread!

Gini23

Do they make pretty bracelets to warn of not using one (or both!) arms? My friend (a survivor) and I were discussing this the other day. God forbid we were in an accident and unconscious - not able to tell them or write on ourselves!



My hair also came in uber-curly. It's been growing a year and grows more up & out than down! I was always curly - often straightened it. But now I have a fro!



Colette - give yourself lots of time. There is no magic number, but 3 weeks is still early, especially doing everything at once as you did. And we often speak of the 3 week slump... After which things seemed to turn around for most of us. For some reason many women feel worse either physically or emotionally at that point. Perhaps for the simple reason that we expect we should be feeling better, and are frustrated at not being able to do the things we want to do. Take time to rest and heal.



On the subject of accepting help… a close friend of mine started up a "lots of helping hands" website for me. You are able to create a calendar to have people sign up for meals, rides, etc and I was able to send out updates as frequently or infrequently as I like, which helped to keep everybody in the loop. I was very open and public about what I was going through, with the exception of explaining my surgeries in detail. So I had friends, family, colleagues, administrators from work, and even students' parents signed up. It was really very wonderful and I felt very cared for. It gave as much information as I wanted to give, and helped people to understand what I was willing to talk about.

goldie4040

Jeannie, Wilbur is your creation.  If you see him a certain way then try really hard to give me something the graphic guy can work with.  I know he must be cute, or he wouldn't have caught you attention.....lol

Jeannie57

Goldie, I think Wilbur should be goofy, not an actual animal. I don't care more than that.

goldie4040

Goofy, but now an actual animal.  Gee, Jeannie, why don't you make it easy on us...lmaoooo.  Now I am envisioning a cartoonish type of male, cute, goofy, kind, loving, sympathetic, protective, funny, ...gee, the perfect guy.  I wish the artist was going to be a woman.  She could see Wilbur much better.  Well, let's see how it goes.

Tracy516

Lol I see Wilbur as a little man .. Like the dwarfs in Snow White.. (Not PC I know) with a sack of meds.. Hi ho!!!



I giving myself 5 weeks recovery!!!!!;) I better be done by then because I got things to do!!! Lol

sweetpickle

Goldie- My dh is from Long Island so I totally understand about saying things out loud and getting funny looks, he does it all the time...lol



Collette- I was feeling pretty rough at three weeks, Im ten weeks today and still sore as heck. I had extra stuff done though like plication and a mesh.



Sbe- congrats on being home!



Im moving tomorrow girls and cable/internet wont be turned on until Monday so I will be offline for a couple of days. I may try and check in via my mobile so I dont get twenty pages behind. Also, I see Wilber like one of those little minion guys from Despicable Me.

mtpeteacher

Hi, Gini23: I searched online and was able to find a beaded medical alert bracelet for about $40. They even engraved whatever medical message you needed. I get lots of compliments on my bracelet...I, too, worry about being unconscious and unable to protect myself from needles in my arm.

sweetpickle

Oh and to ROM, it killed me today trying to reach a higher shelf in the cabinet. Just when you think its all good, bam tight pain. Ack..lol

sherry35

Christine- don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful to have breasts and cleavage. I totally agree with the beautiful bra thing and know I'm going to look smoking in clothes. I just wondered if anyone else had problems with dealing with them until they heal? I'm just taken aback by the colours, blisters, oozing, skin coming off, tired, sore body. I thought I was stronger. Sometimes I still get dizzy going to the washroom, getting a drink and letting my dog out to pee. I try not to nap, but rest a lot!

Oh well, I guess I've just been so independantly for so long that it's hard to believe I still need someone to help take care of me! It's hard!

sherry35

Sbe- glad you are home!

Sweet pickle- good luck with the move! I'm a few weeks behind you!

Maybe Wilbur could have those big ole eyes of a pug or Boston terrier! Just wanting to love you!

jlbloom

Bailey, clinical trial S1007 is for postmenopausal women with 1-3 positive nodes and an oncotypeDX score of 25 or less.  They randomize participants into one of two arms of the trial.  It is all standard of care treatment, but one arm will receive chemo and hormone therapy.  The other arm is hormone therapy only. 

I was randomized into the hormone therapy only arm.  I had 2 positive nodes and an oncotypeDX score of 20.  My first MO said based on the limited findings with postmenopausal women, it would only improve my chance of not having a recurrance by 2-3% to have chemo.  I asked about a clinical trial and he said that was a good way to get a second opinion.

I told the MO with the clinical trial that I believe God could influence the randomizing and would go with that.  I will be monitored for up to 15 years.  It should help women in my same situation make the chemo or no chemo decision based on more statistics.  ...Julie

jlbloom

Michele, I guess I wasn't thinking that menopause can come at any age.  Mine was a natural menopause and wasn't really all that severe.  I have been taking Effexor for almost seven years, and I believe it can minimize some of the symptoms.  Like Bailey said, I can live with it because it improves the odds of no recurrence.  My hair is stick straight so I would love some of those curly locks!  ...Julie

jlbloom

It is Femara that I am on.  Thanks for the feedback ladies.

To those that are concerned about recovery time, my BMX was on May 23, 2013.  My DIEP was on July 18, 2013.  I was just feeling like I was pretty much back to normal the week of the DIEP.  I haven't been wearing a bra since the DIEP.  I did wear one a couple of times, but was not instructed to.  It was far more uncomfortable when I had the BMX than it is now.  The standard of care for the DIEP couldn't be more different from on PS to another!

I hope all of you will have a restful night.  Mine is starting in about 2 minutes. ...Julie

hrf

Curlylocks, yes I am in Toronto and will be having my DIEP at Sunnybrook. I am part of a research project so got randomized into the branch that gets imaging. Yesterday I had the CT.



Jeannie, thanks for the information re sleeves etc. I have those bright pink bracelets which I will wear and I will also mark my arm. I'll have to get someone to help me put on the sleeve and gauntlet following surgery.



Sbe, good to hear you are home. Always feels better to be home.



I am also worried about how the foobs will look. But I am excited that I will have them.

goldie4040

mtpetteacher

Can you post the link for the medic alert braclet website you got your braclet?

Gini23

Mtpeteacher - thanks I will look them up. But then - if they are too pretty will they just be ignored as jewelry.....??? Hmmmmmm?????

goldie4040

jbloom, why did the wait a few weeks between your two procedures? Just curious.

goldie4040

Sherry, I was worried you were going to feel like this even before you had the surgery.  When you are use to be so independant, and then need to have help it makes you feel vulnerable.  You are doing great for such a short time after surgery, and if people want to help, let them.  You will be around to pay to forward when this is all done.  I know that is one of the promised I made to myself.  I will  pay it forward when I am done with this c..p.  I might just go up to the Oncology office with fresh baked cookied while people sit having chemo. I might visit people in the hospital who don't have a lot of family, and might need an ear, or some help.  I will find some way to give back.  I will sign up to drive people to appts through a church, or support group.  There is always something we can do. 

goldie4040

Sweet, where on Long Island is you dh from?  The Long Island people have a special kind of attitude from the rest of us.  When I first moved to Texas and had to go to the DMV for the first time I got my attitude on because I thought is would be a horrible frustrating experience like it was in NY.  Well, I got put in my place very quickly with that phony sweet Texas attitude that tells you there is no reason to behave that way...lmaoooo.  My husband was so embarrassed. 

When a Texas woman says, " well bless your heart/their heart/ whoever's heart," they mean go f..k yourself.  I learned that a long time ago. 

sweetpickle

Goldie- lol my dh is from Farmingdale. If I had a nickel for everytime the f word cwme out of his mouth, Id have a condo in bermuda by now.....lol People down here are scared of him but he is an absolute sweetheart.

goldie4040

I know Farmingdale pretty well.  My husband went to college out there for a year, or two.  Oh, the f word around here is part of the English language, and my father was an English/History professor, and my mom was an attorney.  It's just part of life.  My son also has a potty mouth, but what's so funny is we have to be good around his kids...lol.  Where are you from Sweet?

goldie4040

SBE,  I have been known to make grown "blood techs" cry while I was in the hospital.  A day, or two after my bmx the nurse came in and asked what I had said, or done to the blood tech.  I just told her she had one chance to get my blood, and then she was done.  She promised she would get it the second time, but if I tell you I have small rolling veins, and you need to be prepared to deal with  it, and you can't then you are out of here.  I know it can be done right, because it is done right everytime I go my MO's office. I am a b...h when it comes to blood draws.  My husband doesn't understand how I can let them stick needles in my foobs to blow them up, get botox ever now, and then, am thinking about a tattoo over my tummy scar, if I ever get one, but just don't try to draw my blood

Anonymous

Good morning...thinking of Lahela this morning....I hope you are doing well!

Tracy516

((Deb)) glad you feel we'll and in good spirits!!!

jlbloom

Goldie, they found two positive nodes when they did the SNB.  Mine was done during the BMX.  PS struggled with whether or not to go ahead with the DIEP.  After meeting with the RO and getting the results from the oncotypeDX, I decided not to have radiation.  Then I was able to get rescheduled for the DIEP.  Someone cancelled their appointment and was move up from my November date to July.

jlbloom

Okay ladies, I have a sharp pain about an inch above my abdomen incision on the left side where my last drain remains.  It is dependent on which way I move.  It feels like a stitch is pulling somewhere inside.  It has been on and off for about three days.  Please remind me what all of you have been told about this feeling. 

Happy Saturday!  ...Julie

jlbloom

DebDylan, so great to hear you are doing well!

Janet_M

DebDylan - Congratulations!  Sounds like you made it through with flying colours! That's so great - rest well.