DIEP 2013
Comments
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Goodie, it took me a week to recover from stage 2. But I had a lot done and was in surgery for 5 hours! I would say that the worst part was the lowering of the tummy incision. It was like starting from zero again. The rest was a piece of cake and was fine from the first day.
You won't need the recliner after stage 2. There's no restrictions about how to lay down. -
sweetpickle....try putting a little bit of heat (be careful if your "hip areas" aren't fully sensitive) on your hips first thing in the morning, and certainly before doing stretching. Moist heat works the best, just DON'T OVERDO IT AND BURN YOURSELF!!!!!! After you've done specific exercises, put a little bit of ice/cold on the same area (DON'T OVERDO IT)! Might help the hips.....Starting the day with a good long shower might help too.....Hopefully you now have hot water???
kuka....still chuckling....The new boob is my "old" little menopouch.....another joy of being ancient! I too was told "gain weight".....couldn't do it....not in my metabolism! PS told me he would take as much as he possibly could from the tummy, and both before and after surgery, he told me I would be pulled really tight...(he wasn't kidding!). But a big boob was NEVER my goal...and I'm hoping he'll reduce the new boob a bit when he does his tweaking. I've never had big ones, never wanted big ones....too active, and they just would get in the way. I think I'm probably going to finally end up a 34c....perfect for me. Fits my "bones!" fyi....I'm not THAT thin, just ask Movie.
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Goldie, I've primarily been wearing sports bras but just wore one of my pre BMX bras yesterday and it fit fine. :-) Initially I was bigger because of swelling but I think I'm about the same or maybe a little smaller now. I'm about a 34B but after stage 2 I'm going to be officially fitted. I was 121 lbs and 5'6" going in. Now I'm about 117 lbs. My waist is about 3 inches smaller. NOLA used my stomach fat and love handles to create my 2 breasts. I was pretty amazed that they were able to pull it off! I had actually lost about 10 lbs from initial cancer diagnosis to BMX.
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Shelly--my personal rodeo with BC has been quite the ride. At first, the ultrasound and needle biopsy demonstrated a 0.8 cm lump, like a tic-tac, and we all thought "no problem, it's tiny." So I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy, and during surgery, they found the node was positive for malignancy. So my BS did an axillary dissection at that time. To EVERYONE'S surprise, four nodes ultimately tested positive, with two more demonstrating isolated tumor cells. Lousy news.
A month or so later, my MO wanted the red spot on the skin of my breast that had been directly above the lump, removed and biopsied. So during the surgery to implant my port, they did a "lumpectomy" of the two-inch red spot, and THAT proved to be positive for malignancy as well. More bad news! Based on that, it was decided that after the chemo, a mastectomy would be the safest option. Since we knew I'd need radiation, I had a umx and left the non-cancer side alone until months and months after the umx, when I could have DIEP of both sides. The original BC sneaked up on me so hard and fast (I'd had a normal mammogram 3 months prior to my diagnosis), I didn't want the non-cancer side getting any ideas from lefty.
Nihahi, love love love the goats! Don't you just want to cuddle one? And there's a baby in one of the photos!
I have the same complaint about sleeping on my back. I really dislike it, and it took pain meds and ambien to let me sleep after surgery. But based on the fact that it's better for avoiding facial wrinkles, I'd love to be able to get used to it. After the DIEP, I put two pillows under my head, a fat one under my knees, a thin one on my lap to rest my hands, and two long "body pillows," on on each side of me, which supported my elbows and let me move my legs into different positions. Good thing we have a California King bed, or the hubster would have needed to sleep on the floor.
It's Thursday! Just a week left until Stage II!
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Thanks for the tips Nihahi, and no hit water yet. Landlord is here now working on it but I think its a lost cause and he needs to just admitt defeat and install an electric hot water heater (the one installed now is a tankless gas hot water heater). Saturday will be two weeks without a hot shower and Im starting to turn into a troll....lol
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I am having a bilateral mastectomy with a DIEP reconstruction next Wednesday. Is there anything special I should buy for this surgery? I have made a list based upon what I've read in the surgery forum. But most of those women got mastectomies with out recon or a different type of recon. I know I will have a line of stitches across my stomach and that I will be in a lot of pain. How hard is it to get around? When do things stop hurting? Thanks
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Hi 2 timer, there is a list earlier in this thread of things that were helpful, I didnt need half the stuff I brought to the hospital. Some things I can think of now are, chapstick, button down tops or pjs. Some ladies opted to go without panties as their drains were low, mine were not so I got super soft bikini ones that stayed under my tummy scar. The pain isnt as bad as you think its going to be, it an be hard at first but they will send you home with pain meds. Its a good idea to have someone with you the first couple of weeks until you can get around.
Healing is very individual and some ladies bounce back quickly and some take a while. You will be so happy when you get to the other side and see your fantastic new foobs! -
Wow, Klanders
Double congrats. Sounds like they did you some favors while you were there. You are too skinny! But, I guess you have heard that before. I am 5'3 and 125 and they are all over me to gain weight for me diep. They will have to make 2 breasts for me as well. I don't carry much weight in my tummy. My pouch is more relaxed muscle from my c-section that it is extra fat, so there might be an issue with me getting a good size B cup for each side. I don't have to travel all the way to NOLA to get a good diep doc, there are several to chose from here, and I have been flip flopping for a while now. I am waiting for expanders to stretch to me normal size, that way I can have "almost immediate like" diep appearance. i have seen examples of it done like that, and it looks pretty much like an immediate recon. A few months of torture for less scars, and hopefully less surgeries down the line.
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Hi girls, out of surgery and Wilbur did his job keeping me calm. Lost one of my transplanted flaps. Despite all the nurses telling me I was fine and that I was past the stage of danger. (five weeks out) There is still some tunneled flap left and he debrided and closed up wound. Fingers crossed, knock on wood and circle Wilbur three times that it holds.
Back on the road to wellness after riding on the curb for awhile. Off to sleep, will catch up soon with everyone's posts.
Kristine
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We just adore the photos! Thanks for sharing.
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Sorry to hear that you lost a foob Christine, hoping for speedy recovery and rest well!
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shechirple - I feel your pain. I feel like I basically lost all of 2012 to cancer treatments and surgeries. Gave up a big chunk of summer 2013 for reconstruction. Cancer is an evil time-stealer... it makes me so mad sometimes. I have to keep reminding myself that it all will come to pass... summer 2014 will be that much sweeter for you I am sure.
bluebird - good luck today!!!
Anne - September 5 is not far away! How exciting! Yes I think 6 weeks will be plenty, although of course that depends on many factors: how healthy you are otherwise, what you do for work, and a little bit of luck too. DIEP is hard to recover from but it does get easier every day.
hrf - oh sleeping has been so hard. I am normally a side sleeper. The easiest place I found to sleep was on the couch with my head resting on pillows on the arm of the couch. I would be able to position myself so I was tipped a little on my side at least. Weird, right? I did the recliner a couple of nights, with pillows behind me, and that was okay too. I have spent most nights though in bed. I just stacked a few pillows under my head so I was really propped up, like I would do if my sinuses were very congested. In the beginning my husband had to give me a hand getting up from laying in bed though otherwise it would have been tough. And yes as suggested above, always a pain pill before bed, plus I take melatonin as well. Having said all that, the nights where I've gotten a solid, really good and restful night of sleep have been far and few between. Naps are our friend!
klanders - hello! And tell your husband to quit talking smack about Oreos! lol
nihahi - love the goats! We have goats, not mountain goats though, just Boer mixes mostly. They are so cute and fun to watch!
sweetpickle - wow, two weeks without a shower! You poor thing! Yes, time for landlord to do what needs to be done.
FINALLY got a decent night's sleep last night. I slept from about 10:45am to 10am this morning, and probably woke up 4-5 times but never for more than 10 minutes. My head feels so good now! Also picked up a few new bras at JCPenney's yesterday after my appointment with PS and they fit wonderful, much better than what I bought before surgery, not knowing what to expect. I got a few Bali's, they are very soft, no wire, and they came in size S-M-L-XL so I think that is why they fit my mismatched breasts so well.
PS encouraged me yesterday to switch from walking to to speedwalking for exercise. So before it gets any hotter I think I am going to put on my sneakers and head out, and give it a try.
Oh and I wanted to ask: My PS says in about two months she wants to lipo my foob and also my hip areas a bit. It seems like everyone goes back after their DIEP and needs different things done. Does lipo hurt very much? Will I be fine the next day or will I need to take more time off from work?
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Bluebird...well...So sorry to hear you lost a flap in your surgery today. Hopefully that is what has been making you feel so horrible, though. If it wasn't thriving by this time it was certainly just making you sicker and sicker. You should be able to rest and recover more easily now. Concentrate on that and you can worry over "what next" later. We are all right with you, sister. Sleep well. Hugs.
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2timer, here's a list I sent to someone else who was preparing for her DIEP:
Here's what you definitely need to bring to the hospital:
chapstick, brush/comb, facial moisturizer, toothbrush/paste, slippers, double-walled tall beverage container (for ice water, which will be your best friend for a while), small bottle of your own shampoo (in case they let you shower or wash your hair in a sink--the stuff my hospital provides is worthless)
Here's what you MIGHT want to bring. The hospital will supply it if you don't want to use your own:
nightgown or jamies (button-up is best), robe, facial cleansing wipes (you can always use a hospital washcloth)
Here's what you SHOULD NOT bring to the hospital:
jewelry (anything at all), wallet, credit cards, purse, anything you'd be heartbroken if it went missing, make-up, stacks of books or magazines (you won't feel like reading them)
Also, anything you bring to the hospital should be thoroughly washed or wiped down when you bring it home--like the bottoms of your slippers, if they're not machine-washable. Hospitals are crammed full of nasty bacteria.
Blessings and good luck!
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Christina, no you will not be ok to work the next day. I don't think it really hurts. You will be bruised everywhere they lipo and it will hurt like any other bruise. You will have to wear compression for 6-8 weeks and you will be under general anesthesia, which takes a couple if days for your body to get rid of.
Bluebird, I'm very sorry that happened to you. I guess he left done of the flap in? I'm not understanding that part very good. Maybe once you're feeling better you can go more into detail. -
SBE: don't think I ever read your whole bc story before. Girl, the hits kept coming. I give you a lot of credit for how you withstood all that, and are now such an inspiration to the rest of us.
Sweet, no hot water is a big no no, and you should be getting a big rebate on your rent!!! Weird about the tankless not working. That is the new way to go, I hear. It's suppose to give you hot water on demand, be much more efficient, and less likely to break down. Thank goodness it is summer, but no hot shower's would put me over the edge.
Nihani, those goats seem like big guys to me. I would have been scared to death. I am too much of a city girl. You guys did great, and I have looked at the pics several times. I think all us 50 somethings and over need to kick Kuka's butt...lol. What does she expect women over 50 ish to look like. Wrinkled up old trolls? Only kidding, Kuka. I am teasing you. You too, my dear girl can look fabulous at any age if you take care of yourself.
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Bluebird, I am so sorry this happened to you. Hang in there. Get some rest. Heal, and then you can decide how to proceed. Sending healing wishes your way.
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2nd timer,
I beg to differ on SBE list. She got everything right except, if you like a little lipstick, or mascara bring it with you. It will make you feel better by day three, or four, and especially for the ride home. By day three I asked my hubby to bring my little make up bag from my purse. I looked so God awful, I thought anything could be better than this.
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Oh Bluebird! I am SO sorry.........you KNEW something wasn't quite right........now you can heal, and like Bailey says...plenty of time to worry about "What next?" later......
I am sending you ((((hugs))))...... We will walk through this with you.........XO
Kuka! I will have you know that my avatar pic is from the very lake I was standing in front of in Nihahi's pics....AFTER I had taken a SWIM in the 34* water! Anyone is going to look like s*%t after doing that....I was just grateful my heart was STILL beating!!!!
I DO appreciate you thinking I looked better in this year's pics......that means a lot to me, b/c avatar is PRE B/C, and these are POST B/C......proof that life can return to "normal",whatever that is for each of us.
I was not a back-sleeper, EVER......but DIEP has changed that......I can sleep on my back, now, and my face loves me for it!
For inquiring minds......Nihahi is THAT skinny, and she looks damn good! Hard to keep up with while hiking! (Unless she's taking photos along the trail.)
To those of you who want to talk about a meet up next year.....August is better than September, because the bears go into hyper-eating mode in Sept......and they get cranky. I do NOT want to share the path with them......
. I would be totally willing to help organize this, but we can't leave it til last minute, otherwise lodging is VERY hard to find. (Ask Nihahi!). We ALL need to make a hadj to Mt. Wilbur........ (and if we are very lucky, we MAY see moose up there, too!)
To those of you going in next week, either stage1 or2 or ??, you will be in my thoughts and prayers.......I will be joining you on Sept. 3rd......have final appt. today with PS before surgery........
Love to all-have good days (as Nihahi would say)....
Namaste and God Bless - Jackie -
Katy! Forgot to tell you how ADORABLE little AUBREY looks as a strawberry! Give her a big, sloppy kiss from THIS GMa of 5! XO
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Sweetpickle
Here is a yoga move that might help your hips. I have a bad lower back, and when it affects my hips this always works for me. It is a youtube video, and the girl who explains the move it a little annoying, but she does explain it very well. Remember, never push beyond what feels comfortable for you, and yoga should never hurt. So, here is the link. I hope it works, and it helps you. You can do it several times a day.
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2nd timer - sbelizabeth and goldie seem to have a pretty excellent list but I'm going to add my favorite thing - a hairband. My dirty hair drove me nuts, so I liked to push it off my face with a sertchy hairband, or a bandana. That, and lipbalm, were my secret weapons to make me feel human.
And a pedicure, of course.
I had the same surgery you're having - BMX/recon and the stomach pain wasn't too bad. The drugs (yum) mananaged it well, and the moments of greatest discomfort were navigating myself in and out of bed. The twisting motion was the tricky part. But when I was lying still I was comfortable. Mostly I was jus tired. The short walks down the hospital corridors tuckered me out.
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Well, thanks, Goldie. Although I wouldn't apply the word "lucky" to this journey, the way I found the cancer was very providential. I got out of the shower one early morning and happened to look at myself in the big bathroom mirror while I was still hot and steaming. The red spot on my breast was very clear. It scared the socks off of me, and I consulted my GYN the next day. By that time, the red spot had faded (hot shower effects were gone) and she couldn't really see anything, but said, "You saw something, we'll follow it up."
Had either she or I just blown it off, I probably would have been presenting months later with full-on inflammatory breast cancer. As it was, although there was dermal lymphatic invasion, it wasn't extensive and couldn't be clinically classified as IBC. Thank you, God!
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OK, a couple of make-up items and a headband or bandana would have been nice to have with me for the DIEP. I concede. I really looked awful, and this stuff would have helped!
Janet, I try to never have anything surgical done without a fresh, wonderful pedicure, including burgundy polish. It's just so sexy and cheerful to lie there and look at my pretty toes. I already have an appointment at my favorite spa for next Wednesday evening. The hubster will get a massage, too. He deserves it.
Let's plan our Mount Wilbur pilgrimage for next summer! I'm all for it! Looking back over the last two years, all my days off from work were spent doing crapalactic BC stuff, not fun vacay stuff. Let's go look at the nice bears.
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I'm with you on the pedicures. No surgery is complete with out them! I go for a bright red, which didn't go unnoticed by my lovely nurses. And if I was feeling pouty, the sight of my little toes sticking out from the sheets always cheered me up.
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Goldie- I normally would demand a reduced rent or something but this guy redid the whole house and let us move in before the water heater was fully functioning so that I could register the kids for school. Also, I was done done done being at MIL house, lol. I thought no worries, it will just be a couple of days, boy was I wrong. However he is installing the eletric one right now so hopefully tonight we will have some hot water. The tankless would have been so nice but Id rather just have the problem solved.
Do you know of some beginner videos for yoga that I could do? That pose looked like it would give my back a good stretch and I plan to try it. Now that I have my oriental rug down in the living room, I can get on the floor and stretch. :-) Thanks! -
I am very interested in a mid- August adventure. I am a beginner though and have never hiked in mountains. sounds awesome. You will have to protect me from those bears. I like the idea of the goats carrying our stuff. My hubby will be with me or sitting at the bar in the lodge. Ha ha. I will be going on to Seattle from there to visit my son. Would we be doing day hikes from a lodge? How long of a hike? I will need to start my training. 😳😳 We can do this Jeannie.
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Okay, this is for all you gals what have rad damage. I just finished watching a piece about injecting your own fat cells under the damaged skin rejuvenates it. The discovered this when they started using fat in women's faces for wrinkles and plumping. It soon became apparent that not only were lines plumped up, but the skin was looking much younger, and pliable. Then this doc decided it would use it in breasts instead of implant for augmentation. Another success. Now, this fat isn't just sucked out, and then re injected. It is sucked out and goes through a process which makes it much more successful, and there is very little reabsorbing. Then, of course they moved on to how it is helping women with bc. Some women have their whole breasts done this way, some just have their dieps, and implants tweaked with it, but it is the wave of the future, and it is being done in some places already. One of these docs is actually taking fat from women who want it gone now, and freezing it for them for later use.
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Yes, Sweetpicke
There are so many great DVD's you can get. If you like, PM your address and I will send you a copy of a DVD I am sharing with another person on this forum. It is extremely easy moves for the back. I think you just need some stretching out after being in bed too much.
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Goldie, I have a really nasty, stuck-down, radiation burn scar just behind my arm. It's fairly large, and is probably responsible for some of my shoulder issues. My PS is pioneering the fat/stem cell grafting, and although my insurance won't cover it because it's investigational, he will enroll me in a clinical trial and treat the scar.
This is the same technique Suzanne Sommers used to restore her breast. In fact, my PS was involved in that procedure, and is convinced it's the wave of the future for breast reconstruction.
http://pinkribbonandwheels.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/nasty-chihuahua-and-the-well-fed-calf/ Here is the blog post where I have photos of the healing burn. It took FOREVER to close over, and it was a miserable time for me.
The things we go through...just to save our lives!
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