DIEP 2013

goldie4040

Cherrie, I wouldn't be surprised if that poof above your incision wasn't just some left over swelling.  Hang in there.

Your whey protein powder should work for the shake recipe.  The protein powder I use (one in the pic) is chocolate, and has stevia in it for natural sweetening. I do not usually like stevia, but I like it in this shake.

Jeannie57

Nihahi, you'll LOVE this! For several summers we have had garter snakes hatch under our deck by our back door! They do try to come in! I have three brothers so I had no choice but to accept snakes....hsssssssssss. As for bears, my parents lived in the Sierra Nevada mts. for many years, near BEAR Valley Ski Resort, so we had to get used to them, too! Not Grizzlies, though!



Nihahi and Goldie, hope that you get the BEST results!



I have a hard, tender area above my boob. I figure it is fat necrosis but don't know. There was always tissue there but it turned hard after a few weeks. There is always something o worry bout with DIEP, it seems, for most of us.



Movie, I love your tender heart, worried about everyone. It is so hard to hear about the suffering here. Many prayers are being said! I hope, Movie, you get drains out tomorrow and like what you see!



DebDylan, I hope the nutritional advice lights a fire under you. Yogurt, cheese, natural lunchmeat, peanut butter, almond butter are what I concentrated on, as well as smoothies. I have slacked off but am inspired again. I have my new knee ouchie to take care of, not to mention the huge bruise on my butt!



There are other things to respond to but they are so many pages back, I can't remember what they are!

Jeannie57

Oops, sorry, I meant Liefie and Goldie!

Goodie

I'm home. Not too bad but super sore. Thank goodness for pain meds and sleep. It hurts to move.



Sbe - they didn't use my compression garment so hopefully I can send it back. PS said I should use spanx sine she only used abdomen for fat grafting. They did wrap me in something from hips to foobs in something.



Wilbur is trying hard to talk too in this post. LOL. Didn't realize how hard it is to think and type after surgery.

Jeannie57

Good to hear from you, Goodie! That Wilbur....

Jeannie57

Nihahi, that goat photo is perfect.

liefie

Hi Goodie! You sound wonderful - now rest and heal, okay?

Nihahi, I would also run as fast as I can to get away from a reptile like the one you posted the photo of! Never seen a white one with horns and a black tongue like that - SCARY!!!

Movie . . . I'm speechless. Surgery yesterday, and walking 25 minutes today - don't overdo it, girl! Hope the big reveal is all you want it to be, eh?

Jeannie, thank you so much! I think your 's' story may finally have pushed Nihahi over the edge - hope we hear from her again soon. LOL.

Goldie, that shake sounds delish. Will try it.

Moviemaniac

Goodie-let's have a cyber "it hurts to move" party, and let Wilbur send out the invites......he's been invading my posts as well.....glad you are home, and made it through!

klanders

Surgery at 9am. Hospital room by 1pm. Awake, bored, and eating an apple and kettle chips. Steak dinner will be here shortly. I have so many diet restriction (dairy free, gluten free, egg free, etc) that I'm limited in what I can eat. Surgery went well, I think. I have a compression binder on and bra with nipple guards. Feeling good - using dilaudid. Had a nice call from my daughter. :-) food is here so gotta go. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Stage 2 is so much better than stage 1. And no drains for me! Yippee! Kristin

Jeannie57

Kristin, where is Wilbur?? He has left you so soon! He LOVES Dilaudid. Seriously, I'm glad you are doing so well!

liefie

Welcome back, klanders! Hope you heal well. Rest lots!

Moviemaniac

Liefie, am afraid big reveal will just show puncture wounds, new stitching where PS is showing off his sewing skills, and bruising! I just hope the girls are alright, and that they're the same height, and that height better not be just below chin!

liefie

Movie, fortunately you are an experienced DIEP flapper, and know that it takes time for wounds to heal, swelling to go down, and for settling to happen. It is a tightrope that these surgeons are walking re: where breasts end up. Under chin will not be good, but on tummy won't be either - LOL. Hopefully yours will be somewhere in the middle? You will be fine, I'm sure.

sbelizabeth

Nihahi, I laughed so hard my abdominal wound is aching.  Thanks a lot.  A goat with a 'tude.  That's totally GREAT.

I remember being little squeaker and browsing through the World Book Encyclopedia.  When I'd come across a photo of something icky I couldn't even touch the photo.  Fortunately I've matured past that stage.  I'm just sayin'. 

Cherrie, when I saw my PS yesterday, he looked at the swelly pouch above my abdominal incision and said, "That's all fluid.  On the operating table, you were flat as a pancake."  So I guess it's compression and time for the abdominal water balloon to fade away.

Just got back from the bookstore, when I bought "Grandma Loves You Stories to Share" and "Curious George Bedtime Stories."  I don't care if Aubrey never looks at a video game.  She's going to have BOOKS.  We read to the boys every night, and occasionally Jerry would dress up and act out the story for them.  David and Goliath was a gas. 

sbelizabeth

Jeannie (and others with boo-boos), we always have a tube of antiseptic ointment called "Brave Soldier" around the house.  There's just nothing better for healing up road rash.  In fact, when George Bush crash his mountain bike and was sporting abrasions on his face, I wrote him that he should give it a try. 

I tried putting the link here, but for some reason, it's not connecting.  Just google "brave soldier healing ointment" and you'll find it.

It's a little greasy so it works best under a dressing or clothing that you don't care gets slightly smeared. 

klanders

Jeannie - I kicked Wilbur out - only room in my life for my husband! ;-) just took one dilaudid - want to stay ahead of the game on pain. Haven't tried to get out of bed yet. Steak was a bit too much - but enjoyed my fruit and potato.

sbelizabeth

Klanders, welcome to the land of the slightly medicated but awake!  Glad your surgery went well.  I can barely look at a steak even when I'm not post-op but it's good protein.  Recover well!

Jeannie57

Sbelizabeth, can you tell me what the ingredients are in "Brave Soldier?" I am allergic to every antibiotic ointment I know of.....gonna have to ask my PCP about that when I see him next week. With LE, I need something for every little finger nick.

goldie4040

Deb, I just thought of another cheap and quick source of protein. Tuna!!!  Make a tuna sandwich on wheat bread, and if you have tomato on it the vitamin C will help you absorb the protein. 

You let us know if we get annoying with all the eating advice...lol.

Tracy516

Get to know me:

Tracy

Age-41

Married-18 years

2 kids son/6 daughter/14

Dog yellow lab

Job-Stay at home/childcare in my home

Home-New Jersey

I'm short at 5 3' and bra size was 38 D. (And may still be)

Fun fact: I can raise my eyebrow and wiggle it.



I married my neighbor across the street at 22. He has stayed which is amazing! Lol my daughter was a preemie and has mild cerebral palsy. My son came 8 years later and he has ASD autistic spectrum disorder. Cancer doesn't run in my family. I love to read paranormal and historical romance. I love road trips but not mountain climbing or camping without a log cabin!! I want to be here for my children who need me. When they are grown my hubby and I have place to travel. Tracy

Goodie

Klanders - glad you are doing well too!  

Nihani - I don't do well in any scary movies either but especially Harry Potter.  When that snake comes crashing out from the screen and all those spiders.  My kids were quite embarrassed by me!  Thanks for the food list for after surgery.  Love the goat with tude too!

Oh and no drains for me!  So happy!

sbe - I think books are the best gifts for babies/children too.  My kids loved Good Night Moon, The Hungry Caterpillar and Mr. Brown Can Moo.  I could go and on.  

Speaking of reading.  I will have to catch up tomorrow.  Wilbur won't let me type or remember what I'm reading to even think.

LindaG47

Thanks Jeannie for the welcome.  I don't get on the threads much anymore, but I will be stopping by from time to time.  

LindaG47

Kristen, so glad you are doing well.  Nipples might mean you are nearing the end......and that's a good thing.

marieann1020

Dear Janet,

thank you so much for your reply, I read it, re-read it, and I re-read it again...

you answered all my question... and addressed all my fears

taking a xanax and closing my eyes, need to be up early for a 5am surgery ( we live 45min from NY )

hugs

Anne

nihahi

sbe....I have NEVER claimed to be "mature"....so there! Robert Munsch....great children's author!!!!

Movie....seriously....25 minute walk the day after.....did you forget how to get home???? That is truly amazing girl!

klanders, goodie..gee you two sound spectacular....STEAK DINNER a few hours after surgery....what is going on today!

marieann...you're so close to being "on the other side"....you can do it!

Hope you all have good nights.....which in normal "speak" means EVERYBODY GO TO SLEEP TONIGHT!

christina0001

DebDylan I too had a poor appetite in the beginning. Someone here said it might have been from the antibiotics I was taking. All we can do is the best we can to eat as well as we can. I tried to hit all four food groups every day and make each thing I ate, something nutritious for the most part. Did not succeed every day but I just did the best I could. The Boost is a great idea. I lost 6 lbs the first four weeks after surgery (which was fine, I needed to lose weight).

Tracy I would think the walking would be a good thing. Is the leg falling asleep when you are laying or sitting a certain way? Or is it random?

nihahi I love the goat! lol

Goodie, congrats on getting through surgery! Hooray! Rest as much as you can right now, just take it easy.

klanders - wow sounds like you are doing great!

Had a good 5-week check-up with PS today. She wants me to start using cocoa butter on my dry skin, and massage the top of my foob or roll a tennis ball on it. I forget why though. I asked her about the small hard area under my foob and she said it is just scar tissue. I still have a seroma under my belly incision. She thought about draining it but I dissuaded her (sounds scary to me). So she told me I must wear my binder as much as possible. I have been slacking on that lately. I asked her about laser hair removal on the foob and she said go for it. There's an aestetisian (not sure I spelled that right!) at the hospital that will do it free for breast cancer patients and their foobs! But it is too far for me to take advantage of. It takes me about 2.5 hours to get there from home or work. I'm going to try tweezing them out first as suggested here, but if they grow back I will get them lasered off locally. My stage II is scheduled for Friday, November 1st! Holy cow that seems fast! She doesn't have much to do, just lipo my foob and hips I think. I will have general and local anesthesia and I think she said it would take about 3.5 hours. They said I will be sore afterwards, but should feel well enough to return to work the following Tuesday with no restrictions. Can't believe stage II is so soon! Is it possible this will be over someday? Nah, I doubt it, I just can't believe it ever ends! 

And I bought two new pairs of shoes on the way home! 

marieann1020

Dear Jeannie,

thank you for recommending the laxative, but i could not take it today...( it was my pre-op )

I took something as soon as I read your post.

going to try to sleep-- need to be at the hosp at 5am tomorrow

hugs to all

Anne

Moviemaniac

Goodlucktomorrow, Anne.......may the force of Wilbur be with you!



As you can all see, Wilbur is sticking to me like glue.......that 25 mi ute walk was just because I couldn't walk very fast.....not distance! I am now paying for my foolishness...I hurt like hell.......in the short run, the mesh would have been easier on me.......ouch!



Going to take my OxyContin and try and sleep.........I think I will count goats I stead of seep................gñige

Jeannie57

Oh-oh, looks like Wilbur is bugging Movie! I hope you feel better tomorrow. No hikes!



Tracy, nice to know you! Looks like you have your hands full with two blessings!



Sbel, we have a box full of books that we read to our granddaughter on FaceTime. They are books our girls used to read. Granddaughter is on to chapter books now and finally loves reading! She also texts us....but I don't mind any communication with her! Have fun with your sweet Aubrey.

rtnyc

 I just read your posts about cording.  What doctor do you go to regarding this BS, PS or just a physical therapist? Do you need a referreal? What do they do to get rid of it. I am actually 16 month out from the first surgery/node biop's had the cording it went away and now it's back so bad it hurts to type, can't straighten my arm all the way and lost most of the strength.  Any info would be great I want to call someone this week to make the appointment Was gong to start with BS...thanks in advance for the info!