DIEP 2014

goldie4040

You know there is a reason that the 1998 Breast Reconstruction Act was passed.  They proved the women needed to feel whole, and that insurance needed to pay for it.  Now, if somebody asked me why are you putting yourself through a face lift, and all that expense I might feel silly, and not have a really good come back, but breast reconstruction is not "cosmetic surgery" in the sense that it is to make us look better, just put as back as close as we were before.  Nobody would question reconstructive surgery for a burn victim, etc.  Why question this?  There have been sooooo many times I wished somebody could walk in my shoes for a day after they said something rude, but alas, we can come here and bitch about it, and that's about all we can do  And, thank goodness for that, or we would all explode!!!!!

BellaMomma

I'm reading all your posts and wanted to let you know I'm still working on getting better. 

Four weeks Post-op and I'm still having a hard time. The incision under my new breast/flap is still gaping about 1/4 inch or more for about two inches, it still spots blood, and may have to be stiched up. 

Tomorrow I will send pictures up to my PS at Mayo, and see if he can coordinate with a hometown PS. 

Following being discharged after my DIEP I was readmitted  to hospital-(a nightmare), discharged, traveled home and now still not resolved. 

I will get through this. I will try to post some pictures tomorrow. Love you ladies, keep the faith!

victoriasecret

I have a very good friend who expressed concern over my choice to go ahead with recon...she  said it out of love for me I know .She was a part of my Chemo team (getting me to Chemo).I used this line...If you had your arm or leg amputated and there was a way to get that back would you do it ?

I am the one who looks in the mirror or fans my hand over my flat chest .I am now almost 5 years out from surgery and I have thought long and hard ...

Janet_M

Brenda - Your friend is an arse. 

Perhaps she's ready to give up at 60, but you're certainly not.  And we're not. I'm not quite there yet - but when it comes I'll be wearing french bras and lipstick, and whistling at construction workers. 

Lucky us - appreciating the joy living. It's a shame your friends world is so small.  

nihahi

bellamomma....sorry to hear of your "extended healing"....hang in there.....things WILL get sorted out for you. It can be frustrating to hear of "easy" times, when you are personally struggling...remember we are all different, and in reality....everyone has issues of some kind, but everyone will get to a place of "done" eventually, even if we take different paths to get there. 

kelleyb....haven't seen any message from you since your concerns about healing.....sending hugs, and hoping things are resolving for you.

victoria....imho....there's a difference between loving concern and judgmental opinion......I had some loving friends "gently challenge" my decision too, but in a way that helped me confirm that yes, it was the right decision for ME. I also had some "friends" of the other variety....we choose the friends to stick with and the ones to let go of.

GeorgieGirlKC

Bellamomma you are in my prayers. Janet M LOVE your post!! Goldie, so true! Update on my last post regarding insurance and stage 2 (aka revision phase) and stage 3 (tattooing). I got clarification and they ARE covered it is the "secondary revisions" that are not covered, so if they had to do something past stage 3 it is considered "cosmetic". I guess I had my panties in a bunch over nothing! LOL! Thank goodness. Glad you gals are out there. It feels good to connect with others going through the same/similar things. 

nihahi

georgiegirl....."bunched panties" is a fashion statement we are all very familiar with!!! Glad to hear your's are "smoothing out".

Teacher64

A week from today I will be four hours into becoming a new me. I'm filled with apprehension about what I will look like. I can't imagine the down-the-road finished me. I couldn't imagine that I'd look like I do now, which is pretty scary.  Looking at images has not really eased my mind because everyone is so different, but my body has to look and feel better than it does now, right? Sometimes I tell myself not to be so focused on appearance and then I see my body and cringe. I want to get past that and pray that this will help.

nihahi

teacher.....for me, it was about being "emotionally and physically" repaired. It was about getting back, something that had been taken away, and it was about going forward in life with a body that (although forever "altered"), was all "me", and not something artificial. I think my age gave me the "insight" that our bodies change with time anyway.....I left my "perfect....(yeah right)" body behind me, long before I was dx'd.......appearance of perfect breasts was never a goal for me....."restored" was my goal, and that's what I got. 

People who try to impose the mindset of "this is about appearance of perfect" do not understand the difference between "cosmetic surgery" and reconstructive surgery, in my opinion. 

Stay strong.....you are already on your way to becoming the new you, emotionally....the fact that you have not yet had your surgery is a "detail".

Jeannie57

A quick fly-by:  My tattoo date is June 6!

Sharon1942

Brenda, no, you are not crazy!  I had my uni DIEP at age 70 & love my new boob - all complete with origami nip & tattoo. I'm single & about ready to go back on match.com. Lol!

Morningsun1

GO, SHARON!

Teacher64

Nihahi, my body wasn't even close to perfect pre-dx and I don't expect that again. I like that I will be restored (good word choice) and still me. You are on target that this is as much about the emotional outcome as the physical. Living every day to the fullest after my heart function was restored has shown me that I can do this, even though this journey has been more of a challenge. Just another detail. Thanks

SouthernGirl1974

Bellamom it will get better I had an area that was not healing my plastic surgeon said he would just let it heel on it's on but since I need rads I got all stitched up today and will get stitches out in 2weeks glad my boobs was still partially numb 

lemon68

Teacher- its sounds like you have been though a lot already. And your surgery is at this time next week, that's BIG! I know you can do this, your posts show so much of yourself and I think your strong. I also think that when bad things keep happening there has to be some good at some point, I think this is your some point. A week away and I am going to be a wreck at times it doesn't seem real but all these appointments tell me different. Your already beautiful, this is just an enhancement.

Donna2012

bellamomma,  I had something similar...  I was about 3-4 weeks out and everything was healing great.  My bottom flap incision is directly under my breast (where my breast meets my chest). I was told I could wear a bra, just not underwire.  I went out an bought a bunch of wireless bras and was feeling great wearing them.  I wore them for about 2 days & noticed that the incision under my breast was irritated and opening up!  Since the area is pretty numb, I never realized that it was bothering my skin so much.  This set me back a few weeks.  The area would get oozy with spots of blood.  I went back to wearing camis and taped a non-stick pad over it.  I had a visiting nurse and this is what she told me to do.  I just had to keep it clean & dry and not put anything on it.  It seems like it took a long time - maybe 3 weeks and it is finally all healed up.  I am hesitant about going back to the bras again, and will probably wait a few more weeks before doing so.  I was told that we heal from the inside out, so you should see the opening getting more shallow before it closes up. 

Jeannie57

Sharon, woo-hoo! You are an inspiration.

jbdayton

I am up in the recliner.  That was a slow process.

I saw the PS this morning.  Unfortunately my veins were very numerous but extremely small.  He quit after doing the radiated breast. Said even a tram flap wasn't possible.  New plan, if I am doing good by Thursday he will put me back into surgery and we will be doing both boobs with a lat flap.

 He was kidding with me and said I was his first lat flap with a tummy tuck benefit.

This took me about 3 hours to type.  Wilbur must have come visiting.  I keep dozing off.  I did not sleep much at all last night because of unanswered questions.

Hope everyone else is doing well.  

melissa2013

I got to come home today!   Taking a shower and  the car ride home totally wiped me out, but so happy to be home listening to my boys play rather than the hospital noises:)

A few quick details:   I had a bilateral DIEP  last Friday (Mar 7) and it took 11 hours.   I had great nursing care and so far everything seems to be healing ok.  

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences. 

lemon68

Jeannine- Wondering about you today, so glad you have a plan in place. I hope you can get some rest and feel better by Thursday. Sorry it didn't work out as planned but sounds like you have a great doctor and with a sense of humor. Take care.

Melissa- Congratulations on coming home! Thank you for sharing.

Zenful

jb, good to hear you are up and about and nice to hear that Wilbur is still around. 

I know some of you ladies have experienced cording, but do any of you have it running vertically under your breast and over your ribs?  It looks like a protruding vein when I stretch my arm overhead. I sent pics to my PS and they said it is probably cording. I have suspected that I might have some cording under my arm on the SNB side,too, so it looks like I need to find a PT. Does it need to be a lymphedema specialist?  I am reading that they could be related.  Sure don't want that!  

brendarj

Nihahi -I think restored is an absolutely wonderful word and it will be a great day to when I to get to say I am finally emotionally and physically restored

Sharon1942 - Thanks for sharing and good luck with match.com

Sharon1942

jb, you can't knock getting the tummy tuck as a trade-off bonus. Gotta look at the positive!  Lemonade out of lemons!  But sorry for your disappointment with the reconstruction delay. 

aemcat313

Jb,

What a shock it must have been to wake up and find they couldn't complete the surgery, my heart goes out to you. But im So glad to hear you have a new plan already and was surprised but glad to hear it can be done so soon. Good luck with your next surgery, I'll be thinking about you and sending good wishes.

Anonymous

Zen - it's been my experience that the medical people who handle lymphedema and axillary web syndrome (cording) come in different packages....just depends on who's available in your area. We have a lymphedema clinic here that is staffed with md, np and several pt's. There is an OT who works for the hospital therapy group who works in the same suite as the program, but technically not for the lymphedema program. Anyway, it's the OT who has dealt with my cording and scar adhesions and shoulder issues. So I think it just depends on who has the training and experience in your area.

What you describe sounds like cording to me. I had one that ran in a similar area. She broke it up a few times and it's not returned.

Your BS should be able to recommend someone. If not try here http://www.lymphnet.org/find-treatment

Hugs!

Edited to add: here is a page right here on bc.org on cording...good info here http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects/aws

JB....hugs for you.....so sorry you have to go to plan B.....very happy you have a plan B already, though!

lahela

JB, right there in your pockets for the whole of this wild ride! {{{hugs}}}

Zenful

Thanks, Bailey. That is good information. It doesn't look like we have a lymphedema specialist in our city, but there may be one in the city in which I work. I travel 50 miles to work every day so it might make sense to try and find PT/OT there. I will make some calls. Thanks for the great links, too. I always get the best and fastest information from my flapper sisters!

jbdayton

thank you everyone for the kind thoughts and words.  Plans are changing again.  It looks like the DIEPLeft breast is going to make it.  Signals are real weak but he thinks it will make it.  So I think now we will wait and see then plan another surgery later for the right side in the future.  So I am up in the recliner and unhooked from most machines will remove catheter shortly.  Constant changes are hard to wrap your emotions around but I am adjusting ok.  The next surgery will only involve one breast hopefully so should be easier.

Sharon1942

jb, good news!  Happy for you!

Dyvgrl

is anyone on here getting their recon and treatment at MD Anderson? Just wondering how the care is there. Do they have an integrative medicine option available?