Exchange City

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  • MBJ
    MBJ Member Posts: 4,352
    edited June 2010

    Coolbreeze:  I can't imagine being put through that.  I hope they get it figured out fast.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2010

    Coolbreeze (Ann)- That is totally unacceptable.  Don't they realize how much you prepare yourself mentally for each surgery?  I am so sorry that happened to you!  I think your PS owes you a HUGE apology!

    Boromom- Loved your story!  I wonder, though, if you put a hidden camera on the security area if they people who are "randomly" selected for the full body scan are predominately hot women with nice ta-tas?  And who is doing the random selecting?  (The cute guy that flagged you?  Hmmm?)  (Note they didn't get your DH or son!)  I would be interesting research!  Maybe I should suggest it to Dateline or 20/20?  :)

    MBJ- Loved the UNIBOOBER!!! LOL!!!! 

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    Melissa (Boromom) -- what a great story!  I too laughed and then got a tear in my eye (the son who is sure you are doing this deliberately to humiliate him -- HA! -- and the security guard wishing you well ... so touching).

    Jerusha -- don't assume you have no say... when you DO get to talk to your doctor really express to him your concerns.  That said, although I'm still a small D I'm considerably smaller than I was and I am VERY happy to be smaller.  I already have purchased and worn a top I could not ever wear prior to this (tight top bodice that requires the boob to fit into it's small area... prior to this the cut off line that was suppose to land on IMF landed halfway down my boob :)   Anyway it sounds like you are going back and forth between wanting smaller and wanting something closer to what you had... I know that feeling.  I was worried prior to this last surgery that I would end up too small and be disappointed.  I think having a reduction breast prevented that (there was only so much she could remove!) - but I did go to my PS and say "bigger is better" in the end... and I had identified the largest possible Medium Height 410... so I knew exactly what that size was.  She told me she would do her best, but that the cavity might not allow it.  As it turned out, she was able to give me the one I wanted.  As for why they overexpand so much -- I honestly don't know!  I thought it was to get ptosis but I haven't got much of that so it can't be that.  I am thinking it's to give them as much room as possible to do what needs doing... and to make sure the final implant isn't tight (mine does not feel tight).

    Artsy -- thanks for posting and WTG on 17 years survival! Wow!  And what was it that made you decide to reconstruct after all these years?  (WTG on that as well :)

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  • FACECRAFTER
    FACECRAFTER Member Posts: 1,092
    edited June 2010

     Thanks everyone for all your good thoughts and for the Mazel Tovs on my new grandbaby!

    I saw the PS today and he said I'm done.  I used up all my chits !! 

    Seriously though, he said all looks good, he did revise my scar  (ugly from the necrosis- not so ugly now)  and he put my new drain all the way around my implant.. He removed my other drain (left from the previous surgery- YAY.)    So all is going well...HALLELUYAH.  JUDY

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    Waaahoooo Judy!!

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  • artsy
    artsy Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2010

    Lilah - Why I decided after 17 yrs -  I kept putting it off....kids involved in sports, college, weddings, grandkids...so now I thought of myself.   Tired of the prosthesis - especially in a swimsuit.  So sorry I waited so long and so far no problems.  I know they won't match exactly but as long as I look normal in clothes and feel better about myself, that is my main goal.

    Hope all are doing well today.  It's finally raining here in PA so I think I will go shopping and check out some bras!

    Pat

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    Woo hoo Pat!  I am looking forward to bra shopping but still a tad too swollen on reduction side.  Oh and I want to say: be patient with your augmentation side... swelling IS a bigger issue where there is still breast tissue left to swell up... you'll probably end up with much better symmetry than you have now.

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  • cs7777
    cs7777 Member Posts: 570
    edited June 2010

    artsy - thanks so much for sharing your story.  I know you're at the ~same place as the rest of us in recon, but its so nice to hear from LONG-TIME BC women who're living life well.  tx again.

    jerusha, man you are the night owl!  i think anesthesia must knock me out, or just sheer relief after getting through a surgery, because I'm usually up till midnight but these 3 wks post surg I've been going to bed by 9:30 or so about half the nights.  And I just get exhausted by long social interactions. Same thing went on for several months after my MX. If you're not on the pic forum you should PM timtam to get access and then peruse pictures there looking for different sizes and women sort of "like you".  That might be helpful in imagining bigger/smaller for yourself.

    coolbreeze - so sorry you had to go through that.  i hope it all works out soon, and you get the recon that you want. 

    mstar - no need to worry about cabin pressure.  Your TEs shouldn't have air in them and yes its the air in drinks that expands and contracts.  The change in pressure you're speaking of will have very little effect on the vol of water/salinie (chemistry 101, revisited).  :)

    boromom - what a funny & lovely story - thanks for sharing.

    judy - woohoo!  used up your chits indeed!  if only it worked that way!!

    Have a great Wed. everyone!

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  • vmudrow
    vmudrow Member Posts: 846
    edited June 2010

    So if there is no air in the expanders - how can I hear mine sloshing around?  Should I worry about it?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2010

    m-star- I flew several times with my TE's and I most definitely experienced discomfort with the cabin pressure changes, so maybe everybody's different.  It would be like me to be the weird one.  It seemed to be worse the last time I flew when my TE's were full, which I guess makes sense....no extra space for the fluid to expand, so it just exerts pressure....it wasn't horrible, by any means, just a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes.....it's the take-off and landing period when it happend for me.....seemed to be worse on a smaller plane, too.....

    Katey-  I can't tell you what to do about the nips, but my ps said absolutely no pool til the sutures came out, which was two weeks post-op.....no sweating, either, which is nearly impossible here in Texas.....I was still a bit "oozy" then, so he added another week of no pool/sweat just to be careful.  He said definitely no ocean swimming for at least 4 weeks.  Luckily, even though we went to the beach last week, the water was WAY to cold to get in deeper than my ankles, so I didn't have to worry about that.  Just some food for thought.....

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  • Sandy3170
    Sandy3170 Member Posts: 30
    edited June 2010

    Dear friends, i have my exchange tomorrow. 

    Just want to thank everyone of you wise woman for all your post and advises.  I read everynight this site and it has helped me so much.  God bless eachone of you.

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    Sandy best of luck to you!  Post when you can and let us know how it goes.

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  • cs7777
    cs7777 Member Posts: 570
    edited June 2010

    Sandy3170 - Good luck on your surgery tomorrow!!! 

    vmudrow - well, maybe i'm wrong and there is some air.  That or you have loose enough skin & only partially filled TEs that can still slosh (think of a balloon that's really stretchy but is only partly filled - even w/o air you could slosh the water from side to side in it, if you know what I mean). 

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  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited June 2010

    Judy, congratulations on using up all your chits ;)

    Sandy, all the best on your surgery tomorrow!

    Coolbreeze...what a nightmare...so sorry you had to go through all of that :(  Hope your back in soon with smooth sailing :)

    Val, I agree with you .... I have no desire to be hiding Madonna cones under my summer t-shirts ;) I'll wait until the fall and cover my nip surgery under more clothing ;)

    Best to all, strength and healing,

    Laura2 

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  • vmudrow
    vmudrow Member Posts: 846
    edited June 2010

    cs7777 - Well my TEs are only partially filled 230 ccs, but the skin is tight and they fill hard as a rock - so not sure why I'm sloshing, maybe it will stop as I get more fills.

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  • rebetata
    rebetata Member Posts: 539
    edited June 2010

     Good Luck tomorrow Sandy.

    Laura2 you made me laugh about the Madonna cones. I will probably not be able to think about nips till Christmas anyway.

    I hope everyone is having a good day.

    Rebecca

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  • artsy
    artsy Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2010

    Lilah,  yes I am still a bit swollen on the augmented side which actually is more tender than the mx side.  I know I have to be patient.  I went to Kohls...had a 30% off coupon so thought I would check out the bras.....etc.  I think I will wait until after my next appt with PS.  I did buy some baby stuff for grandson due in July.

    Sandy,  Good luck tomorrow.

    Pat 

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  • 2new1s
    2new1s Member Posts: 1,995
    edited June 2010

    Hi ladies.  This Friday, 6/11/10 I'm having my 3rd revision surgery from my original exchange.  I have my implants along w/ AlloDerm.  The AlloDerm seems to be the problem, or maybe my previous PS was the problem.  I have just switched PS's this week.

    So I am just hoping this time the AlloDerm holds up!  :)

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    Good luck 2new1s!

    Artsy/Pat -- I've been to Khol's and while they always SEEM to have a great selection (a lot of stuff anyway) I have never found a good bra there.  Try Bloomingdale's (they always seem to have a much better selection) or Nordstrom's, which a lot of the women here say has great and helpful fitters.

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  • Luna5
    Luna5 Member Posts: 738
    edited June 2010

    Wow Judy...a drain all the way around...how will they pull it out without moving the TE?

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  • FACECRAFTER
    FACECRAFTER Member Posts: 1,092
    edited June 2010

    The TE is buried in a LD falp recon.  And the pulling out is really not a problem, it offers little resistance to the pulling out.  JUDY

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  • Delilahbear
    Delilahbear Member Posts: 466
    edited June 2010

    Hi everyone and hope that all exchanges, etc. this week have gone well and for those looking forward, best of luck to you too.

    Judy - so glad that all is seemingly going well for you at this time. You have certainly have had a difficult road. Best wishes for smooth  sailing from here on out. Congrats on the new Grandbaby.

    I hope I don't get caught by the scanner in Tampa tomorrow. DH and I are headed to cooler weather in Nova Scotia for a Niece's wedding. Taking some time for ourselves as well. First since the breast issues have taken over the past year of our lives. I am taking my cards they gave me with the Mentor saline implants so there should be documentation if they question anything. Did  fly several months ago with the implants with no difficulties, but it was only a 2 hour flight.

    Had appt. with PS last week and  he is not happy with what is happening with my Rt. breast. Thinks it is trying to explant. My skin is so thin that the implant rubs against my ribs and it is uncomfortable. Will be having a reconstruction on it at end of August with Alloderm sling to support implant and strengthen skin. He asked if I wanted to go bigger and I looked at him and said thought I had largest implant Mentor makes. He said yes, but we could always go custom. As it is the skin/muscle doesn't want to support what I have, and to go Bigger??? He is out of his mind. I said NO! I am happy with what I have and just fix the right one.

    Best get finished with the packing to get to airport early am tomorrow.

    Nancy 

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    LOL Nancy -- having seen your lovely foobage, I have to raise an eyebrow on that one.  I guess he just wanted to be sure you were happy :)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2010

    Sandy3170- Just wanted to say good luck with your exchange tomorrow.  Another member of the "Yippee Squishy Club"!  

    (I'm getting THAT on a t-shirt, too!)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2010

    2new1s- You are a patient women!  3 revisions- Yikes!  You poor thing.  Hope your surgery goes off without a hitch and you are a happy member of Y.S. Club, too!

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  • artsy
    artsy Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2010

    Lilah,  Yes, thanks, I do remember reading about Bloomingdales and Nordstroms being the place to go.  I guess I will just be patient and wait a few more weeks yet.

    2new1s.....good luck...hope this one is a success.

    Pat

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  • CoolBreeze
    CoolBreeze Member Posts: 4,668
    edited June 2010

    I was going to take this week off, but since my boobs are now on the missing persons list, I went back to work.

    Several people told me that it was meant to be, and everything happens for a reason.

    I'm not normally one to get bugged about the things people say to me in response to my cancer or my treatment - it's a new situation for most people and they just can't know.   But, that statement really bothered me.  What possible REASON could there be for me to maybe have to wait a few more weeks to get my exhange surgery?  More weeks of sleepless nights, more weeks of looking funny in clothes, more weeks of trying to camaflauge this expander, more weeks of it rubbing against my skin when I move, having to go through the summer months wearing high necked shirts with scarves?  Possibly having the next school year impacted?  Ruining the five weeks of summer I have and had planned to use to catch up with all the things I couldn't do durring chemo?

    I'll never understand why people attribute reasoning to something that is random, as if that's supposed to make me feel better.  Do they think my boobs got lost in the fed ex truck because something was going to go wrong in surgery and I escaped?  That's pretty strange magical thinking, if you ask me.

    Anyway, I'm a bit grouchy about it.  I guess I have my next blog post though.  :/

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    You have a right to be grouchy.  Personally I think most of the things people say like that is not to make YOU feel better, but them; it gives them something to say and dismisses your feelings, all in one handy meaningless statement, and spares them further discomfort with the fact that you are upset and have every right to be. 

    Do you know yet when they will reschedule or why on earth they DIDN'T get your implants delivered in time?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2010

    Next time just slug them, say, "Sorry, it was meant to be." and then walk away.  Morons!  It wasn't meant to be?  No, someone f****d up!  You have a right to be grouchy.  I'd be postal at this point.  

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited June 2010

    LOL Kate

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