DIEP 2013

nihahi

Soooo glad to hear the GTA gals have heat, lights and all things electric again! Ridley...you've been off the grid (literally!)....hope you're not stuck again in that recliner! Curly....exhaustion was the norm for me after surgery, I bet it's going to take you a bit extra time to "re-fill" your energy tank after the added struggle you've been through. Hope hubby had a quiet, CPAP assisted night.

mammalou....I thought I was well past the swelly belly stage. When I skied for the first time....there it was again, but, it resolved much quicker than in early times. I'm thinking it was just because I was using different muscles in different ways???? I haven't skied since (dang weather), but I am curious to see if it will happen again. Has anything changed in your routine since your swelling returned?

sbe....listen to your surgeon....the time for "action" will come. Next year.....you'll be putting the star on top of the tree with "that" arm....RIGHT!!

Hope all the "banished or psdeuo-banished" ladies took the plate of Christmas cookies with them into their rooms....That'll teach those youngun's eh! 

Zoemom

Grrrr- I woke up to bleeding from my incision. Almost 3 weeks from when I had my emergency surgery. Bleeding is a pink/light red/orange color. Just left a msg for my PS.  How much bleeding is considered serious?  

sbelizabeth

Zoemom, how much bleeding, and is it all over your incision, or in one specific spot?  Your description of the blood is VERY similar to what my back incision was "leaking," and my PS said it's nothing to worry about.  It's like the drainage that would have gone into the bulb drain is now leaking out of the incision.  

It the bleeding was dark or bright actual blood, that's something else. If it's blood-tinged "juice," not pus-like, and you're not feverish, your PS will probably be OK with it.  My back incision is still leaking a bit, but it's gradually getting less and less each day.

BUT...your PS can best advise you!  Good luck!

mammalou

Deblyn...  The implant is great so far.  My breasts are very symmetrical.  The diep side is a little firmer but I was told this would probably be the case due to rads, drip, implant.   I still marvel at the feeling of thus breast that is mostly me.  I am going to wait until late Feb or March to go back to get a final consult.  I need to do the nip and I think I have a shallow spot that has developed that needs more fat.  I have to spend the first week of February teaching in the snowy mountains for 6th grade camp and I'm trying to get my body ready for hiking in the snow.  Last year I fell about 20 times hiking on ice.  I don't think I need a new nip for that!

Merry Christmas everyone!

goldie4040

Jeannie, I think you mixed my Deb's comment up with mine.  I was the one who heard about getting the port in your arm, Deb is the one who talked about her doc's not believing in the old rules about lymphedema. 

Deb, that really stinks about your veins.  I wonder if they are shot forever, or if they will get better and usable again?  I had a bad IV experience in my hand after my bmx and I had a hard nodule in the vein (showed on the top on my hand) for a long time, and I just realized as I am typing this that the nodule is gone, and the vein looks pump and healthy again. 

Zoe, hope the PS returns your call and everything is okay.  Hope you have a nice holiday

Ridley

I'm sort of back on the grid .  Power came back on Sunday night, but we still don't have cable or internet.  We got a SIM card for my Mom's iPad, so that's how I'm connecting.   Recliner is working fine, so no more climbing out events.  Still have my last two drains - they were hovering a little above 20 ml each, so we decided to leave them.  Now the left side has increased its output, so it might not go tomorrow either.  Would be nice to be rid of them, but they are not really bothering me, so if they are doing a job, they can hang around.  

Still lots of folks in the city without power, and there is a cold weather alert, so hopefully a lot of progress will be made today.  

Merry Christmas all,

Ridley 

Jeannie57

ok, Goldie. I wouldn't get the port in my arm if I'd any # of nodes removed on that side.

Ridley, good to hear you're safe, sound and reasonably comfortable.

I'm waiting for a phone call from my PS's nurse re: my fat necrosis/pink area. Not thinking it's necessary....I just need it to be seen soon and I have an appt. for that already.

goldie4040

Oh, I see what your are saying, Jeannie.  Yes, I wouldn't have either, since I had nodes taken out on each side, but I think you and I are rare birds.  This girl had it but in on her non cancer side.  

Ridley, yeah for power!!!!!   

Off to take care of grand kitty cat again.  Ugh.  Poor thing is so lonely.

Moviemaniac

Flapper sisters.....have been absent for a few days.....dear friend (and hiking buddy) suddenly lost her DH(on his 60th birthday, no less) and I have been trying to be"there" for her........

I am not going to respond to specific posts, except for the one about rotated vs. rotational flaps....both of mine were rotated at stage two, to lift the breast line, give better definition, and some cleavage.......the process did cause the girls some anxiety for a few months, and they were a little firm to the touch....but they have since relaxed, and assumed the "position" PS intended for them, so all is well.....nips were just the "cherry on top", so to speak!

I just want to say that the best Christmas present I will receive this year is the privilege of knowing all of you fantastic, wonderful, creative, funny, courageous, and beautiful women....thank you for your encouragement, knowledge, concern, wisdom....and last but not least, humor.    I love that we can laugh and cry together.....and that through all of you, I can find my strength.  

I hope you all have a wonderful, very Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays), and that the new year brings EACH of you joy, peace, and most of all.......GOOD HEALTH.......

Sending you all my love and best wishes.......XO  Jackie

Cherrie

I haven't had the time to go back and read, but wanted to say Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy your families, stay healthy, and heal fantastically. 

LucyV

so glad to hear curlylocks and Ridley have power! You guys are real troopers! 

Sbe and nihahi- my shoulder is killing me and I didn't think it had anything to do with the surgery! I keep asking myself " why would my shoulder hurt?" I think what exacerbated it more was the way I was getting out of bed....basically pushing myself up with my shoulder. I am doing the exercises on the American cancer society website and I was re reading them and basically they are all "shoulder stretches". All starting to make sense now. I think I am going to put a heating pad on it and continue with the stretches.

Jeannie- hope the pink area is nothing.

Zoemom- wth! You have been through enough. Praying it isn't anything serious.

Hope everyone is all settled in and able to relax and enjoy the holiday. I sent my girls on an emergency mission. We made onion dip but someone ate the wavy chips....dip with no chips is just not acceptable!

Cherrie

Iit is amazing to me how many of us have shoulder issues. I didn't think it was related to all of this, but is has to be. I try to do my exercises twice a day and ice also. Tylenol helps with the pain and Advil with the inflammation. Both shoulders are affected, but way worse in one. I certainly couldn't do the flapping chicken dance. Ouch!!!

goldie4040

Cherrie, mine feel like I have constant bursitis, also more in one than the other.  Ugh.  It has to be nerve damage.  I know they kept us in one position for a long time, but it would seem that the effects of that would wear off eventually. 

Merry Christmas everyone.  I hope it's a happy and healthy New Year for everyone.  For those who didn't get their nipples as requested, they are on back order, and will be in sometime in the New Year.

Zoemom

Sbelizabeth, Lucy, Goldie---thank you for your feedback / comments on my lovely xmas gift e.g. my abdominal incision bleeding. 

It turns out I have cellulitis.  CT scan picked it up. I'm back on oral antibiotics.  Either it was not completely resolved/removed as part of the emergency surgery or this is an independent occurence. The good news is I don't have a hernia. 

Merry Christmas to you all!!

nihahi

I'll have to read later.....about to get busy with Christmas Eve dinner stuff. Just wanted to wish one and all a Merry Christmas, full of light, love and happiness.

Jeannie57

Oh, Zoemom, I'm sorry about the cellulitis! At least you're not in the hospital, I guess. My PS nurse gave me the emergency number in case my pink area goes bad. I would be so shocked if it did.

We went to church, had scrumptious mac and cheese for dinner (comfort food) and are watching Home Alone with DD/DSIL. A tour of Candy Cane Lane later. 

Merry Christmas to you and your families.

lahela

Phoned the on-call PS and he said I could go in today to have the drain pulled, but asked if it could wait until tomorrow - it's Christmas day and I don't want to spend it at the hospital! Got my DH and kids doing all the cooking and I'm planning on one very small glass of bubbly later. Paracetamol is keeping the pain at a minimum and the probiotics are keeping the tummy settled.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. I am so grateful for all of you. Sending all my love.

Anonymous

Merry Christmas friends and cyber loons!

Curlylocks

Merry Christmas to everyone, hope you have a wonderful day with your family and friends!

Hubby is making a spiral ham with all the fixings, apple pie and ice cream for desert.  What is really weird is I cant eat as much as I use to otherwise my stomach feels like a bloated beach ball.  May be good as I will loose my weight than I already have the first week post op:)

Michele

christina0001

Merry Christmas to all! I hope everyone is feeling well physically and emotionally today.

sbelizabeth

Merry, Merry Christmas!  

The pecan pie is in the oven on the lowest rack.  The garlic is roasting in a rack above it, in its own little dish, so we won't have garlic-infused pecan pie.  The cinnamon bread will go in 1/2 hr before the pie is finished.  Mash the yams, peel the 'taties, probe the ham.  This Christmas cooking demands a drill sergeant for organization. 

For those of us who celebrate the first Christmas 2000 years ago...wouldn't it have been wonderful to have been a witness to the young girl gasping in labor, the cry of the wet newborn, and God entering the world.  Emmanuel.  God with us.  

Blessings for today!  

Zenful

Merry Christmas to all, and a happy, healthy New Year!

RHGSR

hi ladies! I pray everyone is enjoying this Christmas Day. I wanted to share a gift my husband surprised me with. It was his sentiment more than the gift that meant so much. He told me he was proud of me and wanted me to wear these so I can kick cancer's butt!! I'm going to wear these on Monday for my first chemo infusion. 

Merry Christmas!

Jeannie57

RHGSR, what a sweet gift! You WILL kick cancer's butt and stomp on it and we are with you all the way!

Zenful

Wear 'em proud and kick hard, RHGSR!

goldie4040

We had a quiet, but very nice xmas.  Ate too many cookies. My neighbor's daughter make the best cookies this year.  YUM!!!!

RHG....your DH is a keeper.  Wear them proud, and walk further away from cancer with every step you take.

Deb. lol...the nog has got you!!!  Love you too!!!  Merry Christmas.

nihahi

RHG......and with each kick, we're all cheering a loud TOWANDA!!! Yes, indeed, kick, stomp, destroy each and every cancer cell in your path, and then turn your back to it and leave the whole pile of "c**p" in the ditch on the side of the road, and stride away from it forever!!!!! What a lovely, supportive and positive gift from hubby.

Christmas is a time when I realize we each are given some special, important gifts in life. Not all of them are of our choosing, but, each holds the opportunity for us to share, appreciate, enjoy or sometimes, "learn something important about ourselves". The "gift" of these threads, has given me much more than I could ever explain to anyone.....but....like we say to each....."you ladies "get it"....like no one else. 

It's still the "holiday season"....hope everyone continues to find healing of all kinds.

bdavis

***LUCK***

lahela

Best of luck, Deb! In your pocket today.

I got my drain out    Hurts like heck, and I'm bandaged beyond belief (the incision is about 6cm long, a bit over 2") but life is so much easier without the drain.

So as 2013 draws to a close, I'm taking my sister-in-law's advice. She's also a BC survivor and said the thing that kept her moving forward was planning a dream vacation, so I've started planning a trip next Christmas to Iceland to see the Northern lights. The plan is to flash my finished noobs (complete with nipples and tattoos) at the sky! Still a long way to go, but I have my own finish line to aim for. Feel's good.

Ridley

Good luck Deb!

Lahela - glad to hear your drain is out.  Heading to Iceland to see the Northern Lights sounds like a great goal.  

Ridley