DIEP 2013

Moviemaniac

Goldie-please inform me of the way to find the FB DIEP thread.....I have no idea where to look!

Dyvgrl

thanks ladies. I can go, I do about 10 times a day, it's just that it feels like I'm all cramped up and have to force my muscles to relax. Like I've been holding it entirely too long and just don't know it til I get up to go then it's like instant crampage. Ugh! I think I'm gonna take the binder off when I'm camped out in the recliner, hopefully that will help. This stuff always takes me at least a week to get everything relaxed and functioning again. It's definitely the worst part of surgery for me!

goldie4040

dvy,

My gyno told me at my pre op apt to go to Target or Walmart and buy some cheap "spanx" type camisoles a size too big and to wear them for comfort, not for anything medical. She was right.  I was much more comfortable with the slight compression for the first month after the surgery.  Later I found that a little tighter compression helped with the swelly belly that sometimes comes with hysterectomy. Don't know what to say about your bladder, except it probably got pushed around and irritated during surgery, and just needs to rest, like you.

Curlylocks

Movie/Goldie - I am in the DIEP Flap Private (Closed) support group on FB.  Just type in DIEP Flap Support Group and it will come up, you need to be invited by email, look on the right hand side of page.

Michele

Morningsun1

Thanks for the info, Curley.

christina0001

Oh happy day!!! PS's office called, they had a cancellation tomorrow, and now it's all mine, so I can get my nipple done!!! Woo hoo, so happy!!!

Kat-ski

Ladies, a question:  Did NOLA and Charleston really help with planning travel, hotel and getting you back and forth?  Or did you have to do it yourself with the offices to get it done?  It seems like PRMA is not helping much in that area.  By choice, I am staying a month but I was told there would be some help and it seems not.  Just wondering.  Maybe they don't have a lot of out-of-state ladies coming in.  Perhaps this is something so little in the grand scheme of things, no one talks about.  PRMA does one transportation and it can be whatever but just once.  I was told it would be asked from billing if we can get picked up and dropped off at airport.  Input or am I offbase to what I am thinking.

I have my new queen adjustable bed now.  Hopefully, I will get better sleep now.

maggie85

Kat - 

I was at NOLA, and they handled everything for me - I stayed at Hope Lodge (SA doesn't have one, if I remember correctly) and it was free of charge for me and one caregiver.  My sister couldn't stay the entire 10 days, and the Dr office got her to the airport and picked up my second caregiver.  I had a slight emergency three days after discharge from the hospital and they had a car sent for me so I could see the doctor, waited for me and drove me back to Hope Lodge.  They use a car/limo service, and the drivers are very friendly.  

Judy_63

I agree with Maggie, the center at NOLA, handles transportation to and from the airport and to all your doctors appointments.  If you want and are able to go sightseeing you would have to find your own transportation for that.  They also handled the arrangement for the hotels or for the Hope Lodge.

goldie4040

Christina, I know the written word can sometimes be misinterpreted.  I am getting the feeling you are not thrilled about doing nipples tomorrow?  Am I wrong? You were so excited about getting them done.

goldie4040

Nope, read it again and I think you are happy.  Congradulations Christina. 

nihahi

That's wonderful news christina.  Gotta love those "cancellations", eh! I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.

I lucked out big time that way myself, but struggled a bit to get over the concern of what might have happened in the life of the woman who's turn I got. When I voiced that sentiment to my PS, he reassured me she was "in good hands"....never did ask what that meant. 

goldie4040

Nihani, I love your new picture.  How cute are you?!  Love it. 

lahela

Happy for you, Christina!

christina0001

deb from what I have read here, time off for nipple surgery seems to really vary, depending on how they do it. My PS said I should be fine going to work the next day. She's going to cut into the new breast, pull out some tissue, and wrap skin around it. Or at least that's what i think she said. lol She said it's easy peasy. From the nipple recon thread, it seems like if the PS is going to do skin grafting to make the nipple, you might need a few days or up to a week off of work. Some of those gals have skin taken from some sensitive parts of their body! We'll see how I actually feel tomorrow... I really don't want to miss work tomorrow, Fridays are a big deal for my job. I do hope no one hugs me tomorrow... lol

I ended up quite stressed last night, mentally unprepared for nipple recon today... I always get that rush of unhappiness/nerves/irritability with all this before any surgery or appointment... even though today is a positive thing, it's still more cancer-related crap to deal with.

nihahi - yes, love the new profile pic! I did wonder briefly what might have happened to the person whose appointment I got. It is supposed to be bitter cold (low teens) and sometimes some people don't want to travel in weather like that. Not me - especially since my sweet DH took the day off of work to drive me. The big question: after my procedure, will I be able to talk DH into stopping at the shoe store on the way home???

LucyV

thinking of you Christina! Totally normal to be stressed a bit. Hope everything goes well!

Hi nihahi! Cute pic! 

Janet_M

Christine - 

I'm so thrilled for the cancellation. As a nippled wanna-be, I'm so excited for you.

nihahi

christine.....it's going to be a good day for nipples and shoe shopping. Sending hugs, girl......you can see the finish line now!!!!!

Sharon1942

Facebook DIEP groups for those interested: (Hope these links work.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/diepsupport/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/35171285936/

RHGSR

thinking about you Christina !!

Heading home from second AC infusion. Praying for minimal SEs. 

Curlylocks

Way to go Christina, happy that you got in much quicker than you thought! Hope all goes well today...

Sharon - the first link works well, it's the private FB group that I belong to...lots of good questions and information and support too.  If you click the link it will ask you to sign into your FB page and then bring you directly to the link.

RHGSR - Hope all goes well with this infusion, I hated a/c!

Michele

RHGSR

the infusion nurse was much nicer this time around. I think she was put off by my nervousness over round 1... But who isn't nervous and your doctors office should be the one place where you can be safe to express those fears and concerns. She lectured me again about attitude being everything. I think I've had a pretty good attitude throughout all this. So since she was nicer, I'm trying not to be overly sensitive. She even pushed the decade on much slower this time. Last time she pushed it so fast it felt like hot coals being shoved up my urethra. I had minimal burnin this time. 

Dyvgrl

hi everyone. Been at home recovering from my hyster/ooph. So far been minimally painful, just the usual post op hurts when I poop / pee lol. I'm just glad I can do both painful as it is. I had one dose of Dilaudid which immediately made me vomit, so I skipped the pain meds. Had an Ibuprofen the next day and that was it. I'm surprised at how mild the pain is and thankful, from this surgery. My lower back has not been happy about sitting around, so I started using this http://www.heliosheater.com/lower-back-heating-pa...

Best thing ever! Holds the heater on my back and provides abdominal support. Hope everyone is doing well. Been quiet or have I just been napping a lot? Lol

nihahi

Hope things get even better very soon for you dyv!

Dyvgrl

Thx Nihahi, even more good news. Got my pathology back and no cancer! Yay me! I had loads of other issues, so I'm super glad I had it done when I did. Just seems in Cancerland we all can't wait for that damned report! 

RHGSR, thinking about you - chemo just sucks soooo bad. You are in my thoughts and prayers. 

Looking forward to my Feb consult in Seattle for my recon. Cannot wait to have surgery behind me. I just hate recovery!!

christina0001

RHGSR - glad that this time around wasn't quite so bad. The fortunate/unfortunate thing with chemo is, as soon as you get a routine down, you know what to expect, you know your nurses well... you're finished!

dyvgrl - amazing that you are getting by with just ibuprofen and a hot pad! Don't be too shy to ask for something else prescription-strength if you need it. I agree, it has been quiet here lately.

Well it turned out to be a bad day for shoe shopping but a good day for nipple surgery! The procedure itself took about 40 minutes. PS said she did a "keyhole" incision. I did not watch, blood and guts make me sick! She gave me lots of local anesthesia but I did not even feel the injections. At the end she encouraged me to look, so she could show me how to re-bandage it on Saturday. I was shocked - it looked like a nipple! The color was much lighter of course, but it looked amazing! She said it would probably shrink 30% - 50%, which would be perfect; my natural nipple on my other side is not very large. I asked her if it were likely to go flat at some point and she did not think so, she said I have "perfect skin" for this procedure. How's that for a compliment? lol I feel totally fine; she said I could take Tylenol or advil if I felt sore, but the only part of me is sore is my upper back/neck/shoulders from keeping my head twisted as far to the left as possible so I would not accidentally catch a glimpse of any blood. I also had a brief consult with the gal who does the tattooing; we will have our official consult on March 13th and she'll do the coloring about two weeks after that, assuming I am well-healed. I am so happy!

nihahi

AWESOME.....such great news today, dyvgirl and christina!!!!!!! So happy for you both!!!!!

goldie4040

Hey guys.  Better day for everybody.  RHG....glad the nurse was nicer to you. She might have been having a bad day the last time you were there, you never know.  Being in the medical profession has got to be so hard, especially when you are working with people who have cancer, and they are scared, and needy.  It has be hard to be kind and giving to everybody all day, and then if they are having a bad day it can't possibly be as bad as yours, etc.  I noticed that with my PS nurse. Usually, she is really sweet and nice,  but every once in a while you can tell she is forcing herself to be attentive and kind.  I can see it in her eyes. One time I asked her if she was okay, and she burst into tears. It was something about her husband, and the kids and the holidays, but she was really upset.   So, you never know.

Christina.  sounds like it couldn't have gone better.  I know how happy you are.

dvy, I couldn't get your heating pad link to work.  I might try copy and pasting it.  Glad you are doing well to.

Rosebud14

Thank you for starting a DIEP forum, Nihahi. Tomorrow I see a plastic surgeon and I am hoping to be a good candidate for DIEP. If anyone has suggestions of questions I should be asking the surgeon please let me know...my appt is late afternoon. I will be getting a bilateral mastectomy and at least start reconstruction. Thanks.

Moviemaniac

Roco, by all means scroll through the 2013 thread, but there is also a 2014 thread started, with ladies who are just going through the process.......hope it all works out for you!