DIEP 2013

liefie

Thanks for the good wishes, girls. Bone scan will probably be in the next two weeks or so. If nothing is found on there, will get MRI. I'm beginning to think it may be nerves regenerating after the surgery because there is no lump there, just a sensitive, sore area, but the scans will be a good baseline to have for future reference. On the X-ray the rows of internal sutures in the DIEP breast can clearly be seen - interesting.

Nihahi, you have a good point re: TE. I don't have much flesh on my ribs, and the TE was sitting almost directly on bone for 15 months. Was pretty uncomfortable in the beginning, but got much better, or I just got used to it - lol. Bone scan will tell the story I guess.

Jubby, you have my full sympathy with that gallbladder issue. Had 3 of those attacks spread over a few months before it was removed, and each was excruciatingly painful, worse than childbirth, I thought. With the last episode three weeks before surgery it started around 3 in the afternoon, and went on till midnight, 9 hours of hell. Not even pain-relieving injections did anything to make it better. The surgery was really no big deal at all, so you don't have to stress about that. After what you've been through already, this will be a minor, I promise.

goldie4040

Liefie,

You are no different than the rest of us.  Every ache and pain is scary.  I am glad your blood and chest xray are clean.  I know you won't rest till the MRI and Bone Scan are too, but with us, and Wilbur in your pocket I know you are going to be fine.  I still am waiting for my bronchoscopy, and it torture.  Sister's in waiting.  We will both be fine!  

Tracy516

My right leg keeps falling asleep and my ankle feels tight not swollen but now I scared about blood clots .. I am working it and walking.. Maybe I shouldn't? Ugh

lahela

Liefie - all the best for your tests!

Deb - after reading the list, I don't think many people could manage to eat everything they suggest in a day! Just try to have something a few imes a day, evn if it's just a piece of toast with PB. It'll get better *hugs*

nihahi

back on a REAL computer, not phone.

Deb....can you talk to a nutritionist??? There are ways to help you eat better, without it being yet another stress. Big hugs going out to you.

goldie....sorry, don't remember the reason for the bronchoscopy????

goldie4040

Tracy, have you ever had sciatica?  That's what I feel like when mine acts up, and it usually acts up during periods of inactivity, but I also have some pain, which you didn't mention.

If in doubt, call you doc. 

sbelizabeth

Liefie, I had a tender spot and a bit of a bump above my foob.  I think it was right next to where they scavenged about under the rib to find the blood supply for the flaps.  It wasn't there immediately after surgery; it popped up weeks later.  It's gone now.  I'm so sorry you're struggling through this period of the "mouse in the corner" becoming a wart hog and slamming around the room! 

Great article, Nihahi.  Thanks for posting.  I have foolishly been using my down time to back off on the calories, but no more--the new girls need the nutritional support!

Sleep is such an issue for so many of us.  I blame my cancer on my insomnia, in fact.  As I entered menopause, my only symptom was intractable sleeplessness.  No kidding, I would lay awake, alert and pissed off, all night long.  When I talked to my gyno about it, she didn't want me hooked on sleeping meds (neither did I) so she suggested a low dose of hormone replacement.  It helped, but thirteen months later, BAM, I'm Stage III estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer.  No one can tell me that the hormone patches weren't the gasoline I unknowingly poured onto the faintly glowing coals of breast cancer cells.

Happy healing, Goodie, and everyone else who is pre or post op, and those dealing with wound care or flap loss issues.  I pray for you every day!  Katy

liefie

Goldie, you are so right. That pesky little voice, eh? Hang in there, girl! We will indeed be fine.

Sbe and Lahela, thanks. The warthog has shrunk to a rat today, will hopefully be a mouse tomorrow - lol. Sbe, I'm with you on the HRT being the cause of my ER/PR+ bc. Foolishly used it for 6 years . . . I somehow got over blaming myself, it is what it is, and we have to slay the dragon whenever it rears its ugly head. Not worth wasting energy on what ifs.

DebDylan, personally I feel that you will need more than OJ and Boost to heal properly from this major surgery. Maybe read Nihahi's post again about what nutrition is necessary for healing. Please, you are sabotaging yourself by not eating properly. Try to find tasty ways (read 'Internet'), and get inspired to prepare eggs, meat and fish, and eat lots of joghurt and cheese - no preparation necessary there. Fruit and veggies are essential too. Let us know how you are doing, eh? I feel like coming over, and cooking and feeding you some healthy dishes -wish I could! What about a soup made with lots of colourful veggies and/or beans? So delicious, and so good for you with a slice of fresh bread. As a matter of fact, I've now talked myself into making soup - will do so right away!

goldie4040

Nihani, when they did the second CAT of my liver they threw in Cat of chest too, and found a nodule on my trachea.  So, now bronchoscopy...lol.  It never ends.  I use to smoke, so they are all over this, but I was also told my chest, and lungs are clear, and trachea is hardly ever primary source of ca, so it should be nothing.  I am glowing in the dark now, and they will keep going till they can put me in orbit and I can be a satellite. 

sbelizabeth

Goldie, my son, the radiology resident, calls such things as the nodule on your trachea "incidentalomas."  They're incidental findings on an image that's meant to look at something else, and according to him, they're a pain in the arse.  You're obligated to do more testing to assure they're not a problem and most of the time they're just anatomical variances.  Wilbur votes for your trachea nodule to be an anatomical variance. 

Off to make eggs for breakfast.  Yogurt later.  NOW I'm hungry!

nihahi

having some chuckles from your recent posts!

goldie...glowing in the dark....so true, but it sounds like you've found a way to smile about it finally....just "keep on swimming"!!!!!!

lahela....seriously, if we ever have a Wilbur's warriors get together, I'm not gonna be able to sit near you at mealtime....hard to eat that much in a day?????....soooooo not the slightest problemo for me! Bring on the food!!!!!

sbelizabeth

Nihahi...LOL...a demented garter reptile, 98 feet long, fangs, chasing you?  I come across garter reptiles a lot, they're always smiling shyly at me and asking if I want to share the grasshopper they're having for lunch.  They usually scoot voluntarily (unlike the buzzy kind) but if they don't, I chase them off the trail so they don't get run over by the next cyclist. 

Let's look into some desensitivity training for you, it works pretty well...love you, girlfriend!

nihahi

sbe....you should have been with me at the Harry Potter movies.....There are large portions of those that I never saw....I was there, sitting in the theatre.....hands over eyes...trying hard not to "hear" what was on screen. The last movie....friends told me...."don't even go....you'll never have your eyes open for more than 5 minutes!"...I'm a hopeless case. You can bike with your "buzzy buddies"....I'll stick to hiking with my bears. Even trade off in my book!

goldie4040

Thanks, SBE...that is very reassuring.  I like your son's take on the incidentalomas...lol.

Liefie, you are just like me. I want to feed everybody healthy food.  I am always putting out the fruit and veggie plate when the grandkids are around, and my heart leaps with happiness when one of them pics up something from it, and eats without much thought to the fact they did something good for their body. I also make a dip out of greek yogart that it is very close to ranch dip. hehehe....evil grandma.

Okay Deb, get out your blender. I have this every morning.  It is delicious, easy and very good for you. 

Two scoops of the protein powder I tagged above

8 oz unsweet almond milk (I like the Silk brand)

heaping cup of mixed frozen berries

heaping handful of spinanch, or kale

1 banana

8 oz ice

Blend till smooth and drink.  Yummy, and so good for you.  I use it as a breakfast, or lunch.  Sometimes a snack.

liefie

Sbe, Nihahi's desensitivity training starts right now. I'll go first. We have lots of friendly garters too. I get so upset when people kill them, because they eat these fat, ugly, naked slugs we have in such abundance here in BC, and which can destroy a plant overnight. If I see a garter, I try to shoo it towards a slug - lol. A friend of mine picks them up by the tail, and carries them to where the slug is . . . sorry, Nihahi. You have probaby fled by now - LOL.

nihahi

OMG.......I'm outta here....yikes!!!!!!!!!!

liefie

HAHAHAAA!!!

nihahi

ps...PFFT to you!!!!!!

Tracy516

I couldn't eat the first 2 days out of surgery and they sent a nutritionalist to me. She gave me a list and choose some meals off the hospital menu for me. Yogurts, eggs, milk, fish, chicken, peanut butter, fruit and veggies! ***I did eat a burger this weekend though!!!

nihahi

pfft...trying to post a pfft photo...not working, so I'll give up.

I couldn't eat either, and a whole lot longer than for two days. For at least the first month at home, post surgery, I ate really small portions, compared to my normal intake. Partly cause I just didn't have an appetite, partly because it felt very uncomfortable in the tummy if I ate too much at once. So, I ate little bits, as often as I could, but tried to make what I ate as "healthy" for me as possible. Now....bring on the food.

liefie

Nihahi, that photo you've been trying to post, is it a photo of that 98 ft chaser reptile that you talked about earlier? I would love to see that.

Sun just came out, so I'm going for a walk with my dog, peanut butter sandwich in hand.

ssla01

Nihahi, I call any leg less reptiles "the dreaded, copper-headed water rattler". I despise them. I'll take bears any day!

nihahi

AAAAAAAAACCKKKKKKKKKK! YOU'RE ALL HEARTLESS!

When the photo thing gets sorted out....you just watch out! (hehehehe)

liefie

So nice to tease you, Nihahi! Waiting for that photo . . . you are way better than me there. I don't even try to post a photo - lol.

ssla01

Liefie, hoping all your tests turn out well!

nihahi

pffft.....

Cherrie

Goldie thanks for the recipe. I am going to try that. I have whey protein at home. Can that be used for the protein powder?



I can't seem to get enough food lately. I am worried what this will do to my flat tummy. The area above my scar is poofy! It went from my belly to up there. Oh well. I am not expecting perfection.



I'm scared of snakes and bears!!!!!

Moviemaniac

How in the world did I lose track on here?????? I must be on drugs......wait......I AM on drugs! Well, at least I have something other than my Swiss cheese brain to blame missing this whole last page! : /



Nihahi, I LOVE the goat! What a picture! Makes me happy........



Went out for a twenty five minute walk this morning....now feeling rather stiff AND sore....drain output is way down, though. (Yay!). Have appt. with PS tomorrow, so I will get unwrapped then, I hope....no showers until then.... I will walk again this afternoon, after I drink my Mama Chia laced with Miralax.....gotta keep things moving!



Wilbur is my constant companion, which explains my crazy post.....drugs are great (for a few days!) XO

nihahi

omg.....the "s" word again!

goldie4040

Nihani...hahahahahahahaha

Nothing like an old goat to really scare the pants off of somebody.