DIEP 2013

sbelizabeth

Introducing Aubrey Rose! 

Jeannie57

So pretty!!!

liefie

Awwww, Sbe, what a precious little princess, and the hair is too cute! There is just nothing as pure and innocent as a newborn . . . enjoy!

Moviemaniac

Katy-she is exquisite (and perfect!). Just want to kiss those fat little cheeks!



XO

Anonymous

Katy - God is so good....what a doll baby....congratulations again....and again and again!

ssla01

Congratulations Katy! Beautiful!

Morningsun1

Beautiful! Congratulations, Gram!

Morningsun1

LIKE Kuka's t-shirt ideas.

kuka21174923

Sbe, I can see why you wanted to go back Jim's so badly. She's precious!

jlbloom

Lahela, no nodes is great!  Hope your recovery starts to smooth out for you.

Jeannie, Movie, and Goldie I will be 58 next month!  Jeannie, I think it may have been when I had my hair cut (and colored).  May have leaned back a little too far at the shampoo bowl.  Also realized I needed to get out and walk to loosen things up.  Feeling much better today.  I remembered someone saying bend at the hips so I did that all day yesterday.  You are so right about the constipation.  My newest nurse told me to try Senokot S.  The drug store brand seems to be working better than other things I've tried.  With Effexor, it is a way of life. 

Sbe, so happy to hear you are able to hold that grand baby again.  She is BEAUtiful!

Marty, I hope you and your DH recover quickly.  I can't imagine trying to take care of someone else right now.

Kuka, that patience thing is so hard isn't it.  I am a really slow learner myself.  If we could only catch a glimpse of how things look from God's perspective.

Sherry, I think you have a winner!  Maybe the back of the shirt with the pink ribbon can be optional.  I really like "A journey only a survivor could understand" on the back.

Sitting here watching a hummingbird at the feeder.  Love it!

Have a great day, everyone!  ...Julie

MartyJ

SBE that baby is the most adorable little girl. Her grandma is going to be sure she is spoiled.



We slept last night. The new med is doing its thing. Today we are taking some short walks and a shower is a requirement for DH! I may ask my BIL to supervise.



Kuka my boobs are bruised and yellow where they were messed with but it seems to be fading quickly. My doc is using a closing that has a thin tape over the glue to support it better. It takes three weeks before the tape comes off. I have dropped the fluid pounds from the surgery, just waiting on the next step to avoid Jeannie's example. This morning I added mag citrate liquid. Fingers crossed.

Gini23

Hellllooooo Aubrey Rose!



So much to comment and send hugs for this morning, but I'll never get my workout in if I try going back to remember them all....! So if you are celebrating I am celebrating with you, if you need a hug I am sending one!



Couple thoughts on the t-shirt.... I like "flappers" better than DIEP, cuz I am also not one to advertise my surgery choice and also so that we include all of our fabulous flapper sisters! No one will know what it means unless we choose to tell them. Tank top or short cap sleeves (girlie!) and another slogan thought.... I believe this is a Bailey-ism:

I have seen the end of the world, and this is not it!



Just my two cents.



Now I have a date with Jillian Michaels!



Have a glorious Sunday ladies - rest & heal if that's where you are, get up & move if you are prepping or recovered!!!



Hugs,

Gini

Jeannie57

I vote for a simple Wilburism on the front and Towanda! on the back. That is "us." "Only a survivor would understand" is too exclusive and in your face to me. I want people to understand as much as they can about my journey which is why I have a CaringBridge journal. True, we are in an exclusive club and others can't understand unless they've been there, but some people really want to know what we're going through and they sympathize as best they can. I hope they never join our club. Just my thoughts, others are entitled to their opinions!

It's funny how many 58 year olds are on this thread, not to sound exclusive or anything!

Love you guys.

Janet_M

Good Morning! What a gorgeous baby. Aubrey Wilbur Rose is such a beautiful name!

I love hearing all the feedback on the T-shirts. I'm not a pink ribbon kind of gal but I thought I'd throw in my two cents. No matter what the slogan is, it will require explanation, so I would keep it simple. I also love the V-neck idea, might as well show of some cleavage since we've all got it! (Mine's little, but cute). How about 'Where there's a WilBur there's a way' - and the B is made to look like an open bra. Or breasts?

Don't judge too harshly, I haven't yet had my coffee.

Hope that DebDylan and Lehala are resting well.

Marty - So happy you both slept. It makes such a difference, doesn't it?

Off to the farmers market with the basset hound. Have a lovely morning everyone

christina0001

mommalou - I have thought myself about the cost of my new breast and at this point I am skeptical of whether it is worth it - I am more skeptical of whether it is worth all the pain I am experiencing right now. But as kuka pointed out, this requires a lot of patience... I am not good at patience either...

jlbloom, my DH filled my feeders this morning so I have been enjoying watching the birds too. I have a hummingbird feeder and a seed feeder at each door (front and back). They make me smile.

Rough night last night until I left the bedroom and eventually fell asleep on the couch. Why is it easier for me to sleep on the couch?!? DH is going to change my pillow configuration on the bed tonight so hopefully I can sleep in the bed with him. He is thinking I am propping myself up on the bed too high.

Drinking my morning cup of tea. When I'm done, I'll be going out for my daily walk up and down the driveway 2x. I don't really feel like it but I figure the little bit of exercise has to be doing me some good.

Jeannie57

Janet, I've been thinking all along that a "w" looks like breasts, especially if its a curvy "w!" Not suggesting anything. In my dreams I would wear a shirt that just said FBC. It's how I feel.

Janet_M

DebDylan, Hi there - I've been reading on this thread that day day four can be a Crash day. The euphoria of making it through surgery subsides, and as you said, things start to wear thin. But the good news is, everyone seems to turn a corner after that. Please don't get disouraged, you've been through a lot.

I laughed when you said 'No major complaints'. You've been through so much, and handling even 1/10 of  what you go through each day would put some people flat on their ass. We sure change our standards after a diognosis don't we? Such a strong bunch.

nihahi

Dashing out the door.....got to comment on Aubrey....sbe...she is absolutely beautiful!!!! Congrats, please hold her closely, rock her gently, for me....what a gift!!!!

Later ladies....have great days!

Anonymous

Good morning flapper friends. I slept for 12 hours last night....belly full of pizza, no doubt. Now I am all behind on my plans....but well rested! I hate how much active time bc and all it entails has stolen from me and my family.



Anyway, was catching up here and thinking about trams and gaps and paps and dieps and sieas.



We all want a breast, or two. We all get them, one way or another...it doesn't really matter from whence it came, does it? Would we look at a friend and say they were less than, or their result well less than? I hope not, I think not.



Think of it as birthing babies. You want a baby in the end. And you make certain plans as to how that baby is going to make the exit from your body into the world. And then your body or your baby gets in the way of those plans....and you end up using pain meds, or an epi, or have a c-section. In the end...you reach goal anyway, bc you get the baby. Nobody should feel less than bc they got a c-section. Both my kids were breach. I had no choice, if I wanted them and me to live, but to let them cut me open. It wasn't my plan either time, but it's what had to happen. No big whoop.



I think in my Wilbur haze I jumped on here and reported that I had gotten the "Cadillac" of flaps....because that's how it was explained to me. I apologize if I hurt anyone. I didn't intend to. When I had my wits about me I looked it up and all it means is they found a vessel lower in my abdomen than a diep vessel. It makes no difference....I have same scars, same pains, same worries as anyone else.



So I like Flapper Girls to describe us the best. I think that's most inclusive.....no matter from whence it came.



I do think the suggestion of DIEP 2013 just came from the thread name and was not intended to exclude.



Maybe next year's thread should be called Flap Reconstruction 2014?



Hugs to ALL and have a good day. I am going to try my best to catch up on the part of the day I've slept through!

Anonymous

Debdylan....you are doing fine. Ask about your belly button concerns....it is probably temporary but ask. None of us can see it, so it makes it hard to comment.



This surgery definitely comes with it's regretful moments or days or even weeks as you heal. And at those times it is hard to see anything else or feel anything else. But I assure you it does not have to be permanent. You will feel differently as you heal. You will feel relieved and grateful again as you move forward. "Time" feels like our enemy before surgery as we wait. Think of it as your friend as you heal....you just need time and your body will do it's work, my friend.

Gini23

Give your BB time, Deb. mine was covered in black gooey surgical glue and dried blood for weeks. PS cleared it out one day and it was cute but very red. It is still a little pink - 5 months later. But I like it! And it looks better every day. I had major side boobage after stage 1. Some was swelling that eventually went down, some he took care of in stage 2. Of course, there was swelling again, and now it looks much better and I have a concave armpit again - lol. It still needs some tweaking, IMO, and it's likely I'll be going for a 2B at some point.



Jeannie, I also did an online journal - through LotsaHelpingHands, which also sent out emails with my entries to registered users (and allowed sign ups for help). I used it a lot thru chemo, and going into my first surgery (BMX). But I never really explained fully exactly what I had done for surgery. I discuss it pretty openly with friends and if someone is bold enough to ask, but with colleagues, parents, and administrators on the list, it felt a little too personal. I work in a large school - I didn't want to feel all eyes on my chest! IMO it is great to share the experience so others will understand what we're going thru (as much as they can) and also to pave the way for those unfortunate enough to travel the path a few steps behind us.

Gini23

Well said, Bailey! (As usual!)

hrf

I guess I never really thought about after surgery except for getting out of pain and getting energy back. I didn't realize how difficult it can be in the few weeks following. Yikes! Am I doing the right thing?

Anonymous

Thanks, Gini, you too! I did a carepage blog during tx and mx and still occasionally update it. It was for the "outer circle". The people who cared and prayed and wanted to know how I was doing and my family was doing....but they didn't need TMI (including my parents and kids). Then there was the "inner circle" blog....by invitation only....for my thirteen closest people....they are spread all over the country....they are my bffs from high school, bffs from college and then some bffs from now....three guys and ten girls. ...two bc survivors in there, too. They heard it all...kind of like here. They didn't always get it, but they listened because they love me and I love them. It started because I wanted to "spend" as much time with them as I could....not knowing how long I had, how sick I would be or what the future held. It was where I went to vent, to scream, to cry, to make horrible, negative comments, to rant and to rave....but most and best of all where I went to be loved and to share love and to LAUGH. It was irreverent and silly and totally serious all at the same time and I loved it and their support. I tried some threads here and there, but never found anything like my own with my people....until now. Y'all have become part of that inner circle.

Ok SERIOUSLY....i am not talking to you guys until LATER!

Anonymous

Hrf....yes you are. You are going to be fine. It is totally doable.

hrf

Thanks, bailey. I may ask a few more times until Thursday.

mccrimmon324

Ok ladies, I'm freaking out a bit. I have an appt tomorroe with my ps but the skin on my right breast looks like it rotting away or opening up. I had radiation two years ago and its all that skin not the flaps has this happened to anyone?

Jeannie57

hrf, I completely understand your feelings but this surgery was less painful than I thought it would be and it feels good to have boobs again. The hassles are worth it and are only temporary!

sherry35

Sorry guys, DIEPERS 2013 totally came fro the thread name. I did not mean to exclude anyone!

So I haven't seen my PS since I left hospital. Im 13 days out. I see her Wednesday. My problem is I don't know where I should be. I'm having a tough day. I keep getting really hot and then crashing. I think i might be having anxiety attacks. I'm feeling frustrated because every time I try to do anything I get tired. So many of you were doing so much more at this point and I'm starting to get a little scared that I'm not healing properly.

Jeannie57

Did anyone have an abdominal seroma? I am more swollen on one side and it's tender. I am wearing compression.