DIEP 2013
Comments
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9/19/13 Cherrie (Stage 2C) Dr. Massey, Chicago
Looks like just Cherrie this week, according to the list. Hope all goes well for you Cherrie....you are getting so close now to being done! Also hope it is a week of gentle and successful healing for all.
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Bailey, beautiful words!
Nihahi, beautiful photos!
Take care of yourselves, everyone. -
Christina, I was in recovery about an hour at most getting the pain level down from a 5 to a 1, enjoying ice chips & apple juice, & successfully using the spirometer. Went back to the pre-surgical area, took vitals, used the bathroom, & got instructions to go home. It was an easy stage 2b. I cannot believe tattooing is all that is left in my future. You will do fine! The lipo area was not causing the discomfort - just the new incision for abdominal scar revision & incision on outer side of lifted/reduced breast to remove dog ear stung a little.
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Goldie, you can share the links with whomever might be interested. Even for me, it's hard to look at that particular photo. I wasn't even aware the photographer was present. It was hardest on Jerry, I think--the poor man had to break the bad news more than once as I drifted in and out of anesthesia-land and asked again and again, hoping I'd dreamed what he'd already told me. I think I look like an elderly, distressed turtle.
Nihahi...the photos are just breathtaking. You live in paradise. I'll take some photos of our crispy, brown hills and post, just as a contrast. But come see us in February, when the hills are green velvet and spring is blooming!
Sharon, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting so bright you'll need shades pretty soon. Good for you.
Happy Sunday, sisters! Katy
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deb....{{{{{{{{X}}}}}}}} You're gonna get through this! And you are special to us!!!!!
sbe....thinking of you as you put together your presentation (sans baby!). I don't know what your "topic focus" is, but if anyone can get across the message that bc isn't just about "awareness" (re: Pinktober), it's about the bottomless fear when you get the dx, it's about the worries and fears and tears for you and your family, it's about the "well-meaning" but painful/intrusive comments by people who "don't get it", it's about the wounds both physical and emotional that take too long to heal, it's about the courage to "step into the light and move on", and it's about the elephant in the room, that never, ever completely leaves. Cannot wait to "read/hear" your talk.
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posts crossed in cyberspace sbe.....looking forward to your photos! While you'll be having velvet green hills in Feb, I'll likely be shoulder deep in snow!!!!!
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Nihahi your pics are beautiful. I can't even imagine. Our Great Lakes are a wonderful site, but it is not in my backyard. My hubby and I will be in Seattle for Thanksgiving. (10 days) we will come again next August/September of next year. Hope to visit glacier at that time.
I am a little overwhelmed and on the fast track to surgery in Chicago this week. I am starting the Colace and Miralax tomorrow as Marty told me to do. It really helped last time. Sent pics in to my surgeon today and now it is in her hands. There isn't much to do. A little fat grafting to finalize symmetry. I told my doc this is it. I cannot handle one more. I think 4 surgeries in one year is enough.
Katy, I shared links with my husband. It brought back a lot of memories for him too.
Take care all and have a wonderful week. -
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...I just spent 1.5 hours going through 15 pages of posts. I am trying to past what I typed into here, any ideas how? It gives me a message saying copy/paste is not available in firefox/mozilla?
Michele
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I am only about 15 pages behind.LOL
My 60KM walk was hard, Saturday it rained ALL DAY...got soaked down to my underwear and got the chills. Needless to say I ended up with a wicked cold which I have been fighting all week!
My final fundraising total for the Weekend to End Women's Cancers was $2,945.00...AMAZING:) I have signed up for next year because cancer doesnt take a break so NEITHER am I. The experience of the weekend was amazing, aside from the rain...it was so heartwarming to see
so many families along the route with signs saying Thank you. One in particular made me cry, it was a little boy of about 5 years old who had written a very colourful sign that said "Thank you for saving my Mom". He was handing out chocolate candy kisses and said only one each. His Mom was standing on the other side of the street, she was at most in her early 30's. Made me feel good and is all the reason in the world to continue onward until I cant anymore!
Feeling a bit better today but still pretty run down. Slept alot this weekend, had a 3 hour nap yesterday and still slept last night, I NEVER do that.Still waiting on my confirmed surgery date in November (now it will be late November) but come on sheesh...dont keep me in suspense!
Gwenny - welcome, I too am having the double mast+DIEP due to high risk family history and having had the disease once already.
My surgery is late November 2013, still awaiting confirmed date..sigh.
Gotcha - dont try to be a martyr, hotflashes are the pits and when they interrupt your sleep..its not good. I took 75mg of Effexor for 2.5 years and then once I finished Armidex, decided to wean off. Still have the flashes but not nearly as bad.
HRF - Hoping you get some answers on your left foob tomorrow.. Sorry to hear of the tragic death of your friend's husband.
Cstrong - how are you doing? Nice to get an update from your darling daughter.
Sherry - keep up that fighting spirit! Hope things get better for you soon and you can ditch your F*** vac! (made me laugh out loud) Hang in there!
Kaita - did your PS mention cutting a small section of rib on either side to access the chest vessel, this may be the source of your pain...just a thought?
Marieann102 - congrats for being on the other side!
Bailey - great picture of you and your hubby:) LOL@ the glass pictures, made my day!
Sharon - hope you are recovering okay. WOW stage II and a hysterectomy at the same time...you are brave!
Zoemom - I like the saying "you dont have to brave you just have to show up"...I will try and remember that when my turn comes in the next 2 months:( You sound good!
Tracy - awesome, did you loose the weight because you were trying or just not hungry?
Sbe - both my Mom and sister are diabetics and take metaformin daily,no s/e's. That is an interesting trial, I had heard about it...how long is it for? Any new advances in this nasty disease would be more than welcome! Love your little grand daughter, want to pinch her cheeks off!
Christina - hope the laser works on your new foob . It kinda reminds me of all the lighter hairs that show up on your face after chemo. I think that your body gets use to the over the counter drugs for sleep, havent had much luck with melatonin. I occassionally use over
the counter Unisom gel caps - they are not bad. I refuse to fall into the prescription sleeping pill trap again:( I had a terrible time getting off them, its been 2 years since I took one.
Sweetpickle - WOW, having a 9 year old daughter that knows what she wants out of life already is pretty amazing...
Penny - welcome, I am in the Toronto area too...live about 1 hour west. I am having my surgery at Hamilton General in late November (still awaiting a date).
Bluebird - happy to hear that you are in a better frame of mind and rethinking your options. You deserve to be whole again!
CJ - Welcome, this group has welcomed me with open arms. Good for you for giving up the smokes, its gotta be hard..
Debby - quitting smoking has got to be one of the hardest things, its an addiction that is both physical and mental.
Nihahi - love your pictures.
Kathy - your post makes me sad and angry that you have been misled and not told the facts about how involved this surgery really is. I am sorry that your PS is such an a*** and has the bedside manner of a cardboard box.
WHEW, I think I am finished reading...its only taken me 1.5 hours to go through all the posts.LOL
Have a super week ahead ladies and to those ladies facing surgery this week..may all go smoothly!
Michele -
Curlylocks ...thank you for taking the time to make personal comments to so many....that was so kind
And THANK YOU for your LOOOOOOONGGGG walk and your excellent fund raising effort and your commitment to do it again. Very proud of you, sista!
Cherrie thinking of you! I hope your surgery goes well! -
Happy Sunday Flappers......
Nihahi, thank you for thinking about me today....the photos were STUNNING!........birthdays have been pretty stressful since I turned 29(just kidding)...... But this year has been so different for me....at this time last year, I was within days of getting the dreaded phone call telling me the mammo results were suspicious and they wanted another go-round.......I remember hanging up the phone and getting this feeling that this time, it wouldn't turn out alright......this time it WOULD be different, and definitely NOT in a good way......I did a repeat mammo, and then they did an US.......which did not please them either, and I was asked to return in two days for wire-guided biopsy.......which turned out to be suspicious and prompted the decision by my BS to go for a lumpectomy.......which I had on Halloween. In a feeble attempt to lighten up the mood-and my own feelings (which I didn't share with anyone, even DH) that I was going to be dealing with a DX of breast cancer.....I bought a pair of those HUGE fake boobs you can find on Halloween costume sites, and put them under the sheets to freak out my BS.....which I did, lol. I was a small A/B.......everyone, including myself had a laugh. That was the last time, for a very long time.....eight days later, on my DH's birthday, I went alone to BS 's office, and I got my DX back.....and was the only one NOT surprised. By then, I KNEW that my choice would be TOTAL ERADICATION of my breasts.....if they were trying to kill me, they were GONE. BS said there was no need to take Righty, as she was in the clear, but that she (BS) would support my choice, which remained the same....they BOTH had to go....I told BS no recon, and she said that I had to know ALL my options......DCIS was hiding in Righty, and Dx'd at BMX......confirming that my feelings (once again) had been spot on......and here I am.....
So grateful for a skilled BS, and a PS who had the knowledge, skill, patience, and temerity to never give up on a woman whose vascular system was just a tad better than inadequate for DIEP......my surgery was 18 hours, and it was hard on me, but the most important thing was that I was able to keep both of my flaps, because Dr. Stubborn-As-A-Mule did not give up on me, and at the 10 hour mark, re-opened me to retrieve a vein that would allow Lefty to survive............
So, here I sit....almost 2weeks out from Stage 2........ A whole year later,celebrating my 59th birthday. I have had had an interesting year, and have acquired some special gifts over this period, which I acknowledge and celebrate today.......
*Two still-a-work-in-progress DIEP flaps that are more "me" every single day.....
*a greater appreciation of life....the good, the bad, AND the ugly(many times facing me in the mirror.....)
*and best of all.....Flapper sisters who share the ups and downs of our unique adventure together in this BC "fandango ", as Sbe calls it......
Love you ladies more than I can express in words.......thank you for all you do, for me, and each other, to help ease the burdens we all carry........XO
Namaste and God Bless-Jackie -
Curly!!!!!! Lol
I lost some weight because I joined a gym in February (a month before I found my lump) and the rest I must admit was I am off food;( trying to eat healthy though!!
I keep waking up in the am with my upper half (chest and arms) tingling and stinging? So I get up and go lay on couch! I JUST WANT MY BODY BACK!!! I don't care about the nipples or smile but I hate the feeling of my body right now:( I just want it to stop!!
I want to have more energy! i know I shouldn't complain! My surgery was good with no complications! I have no issues! Boo I suck!
Anyway hubby brought home chocolate cake. Maybe I'll eat it!!!! -
Quick update on Cstrong,
Thursday and Friday were not because her hemoglobin levels were low and required her to have multiple blood infusions. This meant that they needed to use the port that had been delivering her pain meds to transmit the blood, so only oral meds were an option. There was about 10 hours total where the pain was, according to her, a 6 out of 10. By Saturday the dosage of the oral meds had been figured out and she was much more comfortable. As expected most of the discomfort is from the pressure/tightness of the abdominal incision. Today she was actually able to get out of the bed and walk a few feet and back. This is quite a feat with all her "accessories" pinned to her (5 drains plus others). Tomorrow should be a good day in that she will have a few ports removed so there will be less tubes and things to maneuver around. Slowly but surely. She not be home until Tuesday now, tentatively.Sasha
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Curlylocks, that is so amazing that you were able to send so many of us a personal message. Thank you. And good going on the weekend walk but sorry you caught a cold.
Sasha, thanks for the update on your mom. Please let her know that so many of us are rooting for her. And thanks for being such a supportive daughter.
I found Manuka Honey at my local health food store. Now I just have to figure out how to use it. -
Sasha,
Thanks for the update on your Mom, slow baby steps...
Tracy - good for you for loosing the weight...you can still treat yourself every once in awhile.
Movie - your post was beautifully written, hugs it does get better as you get further out of diagnosis.
Michele -
Curlylocks, thanks for walking for all of us! The little boy with the sign would have had me sobbing! Now it's time to soak your feet and sleep a little more.
Cherrie, blessings for your surgery! And I hear you, girl...I've seen the ceilings of too many operating rooms lately...
Here's a "huh?" thing for all of us--my husband was arranging for us to get long-term care insurance, after speaking at length with the broker, who had told us that my BC wouldn't stop me from being underwritten. As is turns out, I can't get it until a year has past from my last breast surgery, INCLUDING reconstruction. Wouldn't you think it woud be from the end of active treatment? But nope...
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Happy birthday, Movie!!!
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Happy Birthday, movie!
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Movie, happy, happy birthday!! Thanks for your heartfelt post.
Cherrie, praying for great results and quick recovery!
Nihahi, those photos were inspirational. We didn't get to the mts. here this summer, darn. Maybe this fall. The Olympics are a couple ferry rides from here; the Cascades are much closer.
Time for the Seahawks game! They're trying to set a Guinness World record for sound decibels tonight! -
Happy bday, Movie. It's interesting how many of us are around the same age. I will be 59 in Nov.
Finally, tomorrow is my pre-appt for the bronchoscopy I have been waiting to have for over a month. Once the "suspicious" nodules on my trachea are rules out I can maybe relax...lol.
SBE, I forget what your son calls all the mystery findings on these CAT scans, but I wish they would stop finding them on me. If they find something else on this bronchoscopy I give up!!!
Nihani, great pics! Looks like a place a person could only dream about.
Tracy, sounds like you have reached that "down" period everybody talks about. You are healing, but it exhausts you, plus the cabin fever gets to you. You will snap out of it soon. You are doing great.
Sasha, sounds like mom is having a bit of a tough time. She is lucky to have you with her. You are a special person. Can we clone you, and each one of us can have you with us after surgery?
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Goldie, I'm praying, rooting, cheering, thinking positive thoughts, & anything else I can come up with for you tomorrow! Please let us know how it goes!
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Goldie, I'm with Sharon! It's about time! Practice your breathing....love and (((hugs))))!
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Janet M - I took a note that you are returning to work tomorrow. As nihahi called it "the courage to step into the light and move on" while referring to selizabeth's portrayal of BC, I wish for you all the courage you need to see that light shining and step into it with dignity and grace no matter how scared you may be. Hugs to you for a wonderful day tomorrow
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Hi girls,
I wanted to pop on and tell you that I use a manuka therapy cream. Made by Thorne Organics. It is estrogenic and gluten free and contains manuka beeswax and oil. I've been using for awhile and love the smell and feel of it. -
Goldie, we're all in your pocket tomorrow for your pre-appt! And no more "incidentalomas"!
Janet, blessings as you pick up your shovel again tomorrow morning. For me, the anticipation of going back to work was worse than the event itself. Don't try to get everything done your first day back. It can all take its time.
Happy dreams, gloobsters!
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Goldie- Thinking about you today and that you get an all clear!
Movie- I loved your post! BC is such a long hard road and here you are on the other side with it all in your rear view! So happy for you and hope everything is healing nicely.
My PS is going to have to reopen my tummy scar to clear out some fat necrosis during stage 2. Will it hurt afterward like the original surgery did? -
Goldie, hope all goes well today.
Happy birthday, movie
Wishing everyone a good Monday. I'm off to see PS again this morning -
Goldie and hrf, all goes well for both of you today.
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Sweetpickle, my tummy scar revision last Friday was nothing compared to original surgery. I think it is because it was just a superficial incision. Hope it is the same for you.
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Thanks everybody. Off I go! Ugh!
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