If you had your DIEP at NOLA, I have questions for you

mustlovepoodles

I'm planning to have my DIEP at NOLA sometime in the next couple months. They have assigned me to Dr. M.Whitten Wise.  I can't find any posts on BCO that give any information about him. Just Dr.Dellacroce and Dr. Sullivan.  I do see good rating on Healthgrades and Vitals.

I guess my main concern is does he do a good job?   Were you satisfied with the result?  Is he concerned and kind?  Did you have any complications and how were they treated?

It is my understanding that two surgeons work together on all their DIEPs. Would this be THEIR surgeons, or do they use residents or other doctors alongside?  

If Dr M.Whitten Wise did your DIEP, I'd love to hear from you. If you didn't have Dr. Wise, who did you have?

I'm nervous about all this.

MAPBB

Hello MustlovePoodles,

I'm just back from my surgery there. As I recall, you were originally scheduled to be there around the same time I was there. I did not choose a surgeon in advance, just called and was given Dr Trahan. i was very nervous also, but had done LOTS of research before determining that the facility in NOLA is one of the best in the country. And, I can say that they did not let me down. EVERYONE was knowledgable, professional and kind from the doctors to nurses to staff. You are in very good hands at the hospital there. The recovery and hospital was amazing. They do this surgery every day and really have it down. I'm really picky and hard on doctors and can't think of anything negative to say. I think you can be comfortable with any of their doctors.

mustlovepoodles

Thank you so much! Yes, I was scheduled for Feb 7, but then my mother went into end-stage kidney failure in Jan and nearly died, so I cancelled. I figured that wasn't the time for a major elective surgery.  However, Mom has stabilized and has, in fact, surpassed her doctors predictions by refusing to die, LOL. She's an old RN and she is WILLING herself to live.  She's still very sick, but doing fairly well with help from us girls and home health.  I consulted with my sisters about rescheduling--if I'm not available to help out, it will fall on their shoulders entirely--and they have given me their blessing. The only one I'm not telling is my mother. She is vehemently opposed to me having reconstruction until I'm 5 years NED. As if!  She says she knew someone that had BC, had recon, and 9 months later SHE DIED (and that's just how she says it.)  She has told me this story at least 10 times. I finally told her that her friend's cancer must have been much more aggressive than mine, if she died in 9 months! Mother had no idea that breast cancer is a different condition in every person (well, I can't say anything--I didn't know much about it either, until I got it.)

mustlovepoodles

Just wanted to let you know I HAVE AN APPT IN NOLA FOR MY DIEP!!

I decided to just go ahead with it and I feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't realize how much it was weighing on me. I guess my 23yo DD put it best--"Mom, you shouldn't wait around 'just in case' something happens to Granny. Any of us could be hit by a bus or have a heart attack tomorrow and your sisters would just have to deal with it. You need to just have your surgery and get some closure on this." Wise words, I think.

My date is April 20. DH & I will go down on the 17th so we can hang out for a couple days before our lives turn upside down. Nothing like some authentic gumbo, jambalaya, and bread pudding to put you in a NOLA state of mind.

FLBuckeye93

How did it go with Dr. Wise? He will be my ps for an SGAP should I decide to go ahead with the surgery.

mustlovepoodles

I had to postpone again. Mother took a severe turn for the worse in late March. She managed to pull through, but we've had to move her to an assisted living now. Her prognosis is not good. Shemale has stage 4 liver cancer and Stage 5 kidney failure.

About five weeks ago my left knee took a turn for the worse. I have nursed this knee along for 5 years and had hoped to have knee replacement in the fall, but it turned out it needs to be done now. So here I sit boobless in a hospital 36 hours after knee replacement.

mustlovepoodles

I had to postpone again. Mother took a severe turn for the worse in late March. She managed to pull through, but we've had to move her to an assisted living now. Her prognosis is not good. She has stage 4 liver cancer and Stage 5 kidney failure.

About five weeks ago my left knee took a turn for the worse. I have nursed this knee along for 5 years and had hoped to have knee replacement in the fall, but it turned out it needs to be done now. So here I sit boobless in a hospital 36 hours after knee replacement.

ChiSandy

Poodles, I feel your pain. No, actually, I’ve felt your pain, twice. It will be very rough for awhile (if your PTs are doing their jobs), but trust me—it will get better. One day you will realize that you have forgotten you have artificial knees. It will literally change your life. I don’t know how I could have handled breast cancer (and gotten on with life after treatment) with OA at the same time.

Are you going to inpatient rehab, or will you rehab at home? The advantage of the former is that you won’t have to travel to outpatient PT (yet)—it’ll be right there, and your needs will be attended to. This was important to me, because I have 7 stairs to climb just to get to my front door. The advantage of home rehab is that you are in familiar surroundings, with no “house rules” to follow, and you are in charge of your own meds schedule. (It’s frustrating being at the mercy of a shortage of RNs—some facilities have only a single one on night duty—and a computerized pill-dispensing system that resets and locks at midnight).

You might find yourself more able to eat sweets and such without cravings or eating out of control for awhile, because the opioids you’re doubtless taking are occupying the dopamine receptors that sugary treats (or other little pleasures) do. My rehab center (the second time) had its own ice cream parlor, but a single-scoop cone satisfied me as much as a sundae used to. Once I got home, I boasted to my visiting PT that I could walk to the corner frozen-custard joint and enjoy a kids’-size portion every day or two—and he warned me the carb cravings and lack of self-control could return once I was weaned off the opioids. I didn’t believe him. But he was right.

There is a site I used to consult, Bonesmart.org, when I had my two knee replacements (and later, overuse injuries that made me fear I was headed for hip replacements). I first met one of our BCO sisters, Brithael, there before either of us were diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s a great resource. The forums are run by a British orthopedic surgery nurse who can be a bit opinionated (she doesn’t believe in any PT), but her viewpoints are definitely in the minority.