June 2010 Mastectomy

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited January 2011

    Getty!  Your girls are beautiful and it's not hard to see where they got it, you look amazing:)  Your picture made me smile.

    Jeanne- I totally understand wanting to live in denial for awhile, we are always here for you when you find you need us.  I for one have been thinking about you and wondering how it was going.  I just had my exchange a couple of weeks ago and I agree with Getty, the implants feel so much better.  I went just over 6 months from BMX to exchange and it is a much easier surgery, well worth it.

    What the hell ever happened to Ducki?

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  • speech529
    speech529 Member Posts: 337
    edited January 2011
    I have been off the boards for a little while....trying to catch up with everyone. I love the photos!

    Joy---your daughter Vida is so beautiful! What a blessing!!! I hope you are doing well and getting through chemo as best as anyone can.

    Getty, your daughters are lovely. Thanks for sharing.

    Laurie such a beautiful photo!

    I am going to try to post a photo of me from my hike in the Grand Canyon.  I go each year with a bunch of ladies...this was my 6th time to do it. We stay at Phantom Ranch for two nights.  It's a wonderful experience and being in the Canyon is a reminder of our place in this world...we are small yet we can leave a huge impact!!

    IMG_6214

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited January 2011

    Great picture, speech! You look wonderful!! And the setting ... WOW! The Grand Canyon is on my list of must-see places. Maybe next year.

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited January 2011

    Speech I love the picture, you look so great!  I think it is inspiring that you have done this hike 6 years in a row.  Beautiful!

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  • joystars
    joystars Member Posts: 95
    edited January 2011
    Getty! What a beautiful picture, you look gorgeous and your girls have your sweet smile :)
    Thank you so much for sharing!

    Laurie, your little boy is super cute. Love his eyes.

    Speech, is really nice to finally put a face to those words coming from a very tough woman. The Grand Canyon... amazing! Hopefully one day we will get to visit it.

    Today was really cold here in Oslo, we were -10°C but with the wind chill felt like -15°C. Too cold to be out there with Vida Sofia, we stayed at hoem all day.... perfect to nap with my baby on my chest, to call friends I haven't call in a while and to be girly. Got a new hair band for my wig, you girls let me know what you think about it.
    Big hugs everyone!
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  • joystars
    joystars Member Posts: 95
    edited January 2011
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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited January 2011

    Joy, I love it, and I'm being totally honest.  You can not tell that you are wearing a wig AT ALL.  My mother lost her hair through chemo, she always had beautiful striking white hair and got a lot of compliments.  The wig made no difference!  One day we were out shopping together and a woman stopped her and told her how beautiful her hair was- and it was her wig.  She smiled and thanked the lady, we were both cracking up after because she said she "got that all the time".  She said she wished she was braver because she wanted to pull it off her head and say, "yha they did a good job huh?"  Just to see the look on their face, she never did it but I agree, it would have been awesome!

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  • speech529
    speech529 Member Posts: 337
    edited January 2011

    Joy

    You are gorgeous!  I love your wig and the hairband is a nice touch!  

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited January 2011

    I agree with Laurie. There's no way to tell that you're wearing a wig. Amazing! I love the hairband, too. Very nice detail. (Being from Florida, I can't even imagine how cold -10 degrees is, Fahrenheit or Celsius. Brrrrrr!

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  • jblcsw10
    jblcsw10 Member Posts: 174
    edited January 2011

    Hello dear ladies! I literally almost forgot about Breastcancer.org. Really. Life actually took over and I got back to the land of the living. I was doing some research on implants and suddenly remember! Must be some brainfog left over from all we've been through! It's good to know life does go on though. I loved catching up, and seeing all the pictures. I am going to try the facebook thing to get a pic here, I am not very computer savvy, and have very few pictures of myself, but I'll give it a try in a minute.

    Laurie - congratulations on your exchange! You made it! Your picture of your son is adorable. What a reason to focus forward.

    Getty - OMG your daughters are beautiful and look just like you. As you'll see when I finally post a pic, my daughter doesn't look a thing like meLaughing

    Joy - As always, you are so inspiring. Vida is precious. And I love the wig, like Getty I would never have even known if I wasn't reading this thread....

    If you can believe it, I am still healing from the extensive necrosis I had. Next week I see the PS and he is going to schedule some minor surgery to "fix up" what is still not healed so we can move forward. Finally!!! Once that heals we will finally start the fills. I have learned so much patience through this journey. I have a huge scar but the weird thing is I have learned to love that scar. It is evidence of the incredible healing power of the body.

    Okay I'm off to try to figure out how to do a picture.

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  • jblcsw10
    jblcsw10 Member Posts: 174
    edited January 2011
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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited January 2011

    Jane great to see you on our June thread again!  Is that your daughter and husband with you?  You make a beautiful family!  I hope you continue to heal and get ready for those fills:)

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited January 2011

    Jane: She may not look like you, but the three of you make a lovely family. It's nice to see our old June crew popping in. It's even nicer to see that life does indeed go on and that we can forget about bc.org (and even bc itself) for days ... weeks ... months on end. Good luck with your surgery and your fills. I hope it's all smooth sailing for you from here on out.

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  • joystars
    joystars Member Posts: 95
    edited January 2011
    Jane- I agree with what the girls already said, you have a lovely family!
    And I'm very happy you came around again to say hi and to let us know that yeah, in the end life goes on. Show must continue! :) Big hug!

    Getty and Laurie- aaaahh thank you! You girls rock! this is all new for me, I need to get used to this wig thing and sometimes ain't easy.
    Laurie, so nice that people didn't notice your mom was wearing a wig. I'm sure it could have been a very funny experience to let them know it was not her hair... the faces!  Oh well, thank you so much for sharing those memories of your lovely mom with me :)

    On Friday got on the mailbox a package from GAILA.org. Yep, they sent me a free hat! :) Was very nice to be considered even tho I'm not living in the USoA. That defo made my day!
    Sometimes are exactly those little things the ones that can make a BIG, a HUGE difference in my everyday fight against cancer. Like the day I had a "hat party", when my friends (6 of them) came over for a visit to met Vida Sofia and all of them were wearing a hat so I wouldn't feel TOO different and uncomfortable. Was simple, was nothing.... but oh gosh felt amazing to see that love demostration!

    Hope you all had a very nice weekend! My 3rd round of chemo is on Tuesday and also my CT scan... will see how it all goes.

    Joy

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited January 2011

    Joy- you are so right, sometimes it is the little things in the day that make it so much better!!  I hope you are still feeling well despite the chemo.

    Getty- How long did you wear your "daisy" after nipple surgery?  Was it a sponge type thing with a hole cut out for the nipple to poke through?  My lovely Madonna cones are giving me trouble.  It is rubbing on one side of my breast and creating a sore that has decided to start oozing, lovely huh?  My PS was in surgery all day today but I am going to go see him tomorrow.  His assistant agrees that we need to come up with a new idea to try to protect the nipple without creating a problem to my breast skin.  It's on the left outer side and I think it is from me carrying my youngest on my hip, he leans into me and I think it makes it rub just enough that the hard plastic is rubbing on the incision sight and opening it up...again I know- lovely.  On the up side I don't feel a thing, lol!!  I am gong to go to the picture forum and find your pics in case you don't see this post before tomorrow morning.  I also posted it as a new thread- but don't have a lot of hopes that I will get many replies...

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited February 2011

    Joy: Your friends sound like awesome ladies! What a great gesture. Sometimes, love is shown best through those small things.

    Laurie: I do have some pictures of my daisy over on the other site. It was a sponge and it was sewn on over the nipple/areola for 7 days after surgery. After the PS removed that, I didn't have to wear anything over the NAC except a simple gauze, and that was only to protect my bra from the polysporin that I had to apply twice a day to the area for three weeks after surgery. I think your PS and mine are polar opposites in the nipple protection department. lol 

    Tomorrow I go for my mammogram on my natural breast. It's the second one I've had post-mastectomy. I hate that I'm nervous about it. Exactly one year ago tomorrow, I went in for my routine mammogram. I didn't give it a second thought beforehand. It was just something that I did every year. I never dreamed that this past year could have possibly happened to me. I wish I could go into tomorrow's mammogram with that same innocent certainty. :-/ 

    Getty 

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    Getty- I read your post about the mammogram and it made me sigh...I hate that you are nervous and understand why you are.  Your comments through the whole last paragraph hit home for me too.  The last year has just been mind blowing.  Somehow we have made it through and even laughed quite a bit along the way.  But none of this is"ok".  Do you get immediate results or do they call you?  What time is your appt?  I'll send you some strength.  A huge hug to you tonight, and a glass of wine to help you sleep ;)

    Funny, I always thought I would get BC, it was just a matter of when.  So when I was diagnosed and it was DCIS, I thought thank God I caught the bastard.  I even told my husband when he proposed to me back in 2000...you know at some point I'll have BC, can you handle that?  He said he could (and he has beautifully though I am sure at the time he thought I had a screw loose)  but what person says that?

    May we all find some of the innocence we have lost, we deserve it.

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited February 2011

    I love your husband, Laurie! Is that weird to say? Because I love my husband, too. What a guy to tell you right of the bat that he would stand with you through BC! The husbands related to this thread have been so wonderful and supportive through this whole thing. Sometimes it's easy for me to forget that my DH is actually going through this, too. The past year hasn't been easy for him, either. <Sigh> I think I'll give him an extra squeeze tonight.

    My appointment is at 10:00 AM. I'm leaving in the next couple of minutes. It's a diagnostic, so I get my results right away.

    Thanks for the hug. I need it!

    Getty 

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    Thinking of you Getty♥

    My appt with the PS went well, he took out all the stiches and told me to leave the cones off for the day to let them" get some air".  He also gave me a thick squishey fowm pad to put between the cone and my breast to allow the skin to breath better and create a buffer so it won't rub.  Fingers crossed that it works!

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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited February 2011

    The mammogram was clear! I don't need to think about that again for six months. Yay!

    Laurie: I'm glad your PS appointment went well and that you get to "air 'em out". I hope the foam pads work! How much longer do you have to wear the cones? 

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    Getty- I have to wear them for 5 more weeks.  My husband and I were laughing at the contraption I have taped to me tonight.  The foam looks like an areola and the cones nipples- so try to imagine GIANT nipples, lol!!

    SO glad all went well with your mammo today.  You will sleep so much better tonight with that out of your mind.  Does taking the Tamoxifen make you feel safer?  Are you still feeling good despite taking it?   I hope so.

    We got 6 inches of snow today and they are syaing another 12-16 inches tomorrow.  I picked up some stuff for my 3 year old to make Valentines tomorrow.  He is very excited to do it, I think it's the glitter I bought:)

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  • joystars
    joystars Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011
    Girls, 3rd rounf of FEC done!
    Got to see my oncologist, he asked about SE, my mood, etc.. He didn't notice the wig as he asked me how was the hair doing. He is a bald man so my answer was "I think we have the same cool non hair" he stared at me once more and then laughed. He thinks I'm doing wonderful.

    Chemo is taking my energy, this time I felt completely useless after it all I wanted was to sleep, sleep, sleep. Came back home and slept the rest of the day before going out again in the evening to have my MRI, results will be done within a week and hopefully there will be no bad news.

    Getty, I'm super happy for your results. Now try and forget this bc thing and its horrible shadows.
    How is it going with the Tamoxifen? Feeling good?

    Laurie, just like Getty said... I love your husband too, bless him.. and Getty's one and mine! I really believe we all married good men with the strenght, the courage, intelligence and love (so much love) to be by our side and handle marvelously all this bc thing. Good luck with the Valentines, kids love art and crafts! Oh and send some snow over... Oslo is the biggest capital with black ice :/ horrible to walk out there. I want snow!

    Last nite, my DH even went inside the MRI with me and squeezed my toes so I didn't feel alone. He and my mum look after Vida the whole day and night, but yet she needs and misses mamma's arms... she was crying a bit and the moment my mum put her close to me, Vida turned her head towards me and then the whole body. We slept together for 4 hours... she is my angel.... she is in my arms right now taking a nap so I apologise for any mistyping here.



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  • almagetty
    almagetty Member Posts: 316
    edited February 2011

    Joy:  Yay! Another treatment behind you! Take care of yourself and get the rest you that you need. Cuddling with Vida is great therapy, I think. :)

    Laurie: I laughed out loud (really!) trying to picture your giant areolas & nipples. What ridiculous things we've all had to endure through this beating of the bc! It's like you said, it's not really funny at all, but ... really?!? LOL

    Tamoxifen is going good. So far, no side effects at all, which includes no weight loss. Oh well! I take the pill in the morning along with my vitamin and omega-3 and then don't even give it a second thought at all.

    Our husbands are amazing! We are lucky ladies!! 

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    Getty- I couldn't agree more, we are so lucky that we have great men standing by us.  It seems I often turn to my husband and say sorry for things, and he's sweet enough to look at me like "sorry for what?"  Like when that sore was developing and every day I would say "hey, come look at this in the light and tell me what you think."  And the poor guy would.  I'm sure it's just what he wanted to do, lol!  But if we can't laugh at  ourselves through this where would we be?

    I am so glad that you aren't having the side effects of the Tamoxifen and if you were going to have them they should have showed up by now right?  Do you take a D supplement?  Just curious, since diagnosis I take 2000 of D3.

    I'm hoping I have time to post new pics on the picture forum tomorrow.  I'll include some of my giant home made nipples for you ;)

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  • Bexter3
    Bexter3 Member Posts: 61
    edited February 2011

    Everyone seems to be doing so well. Remember me, had bmx no reconstruction? Been fighting seromas, have had 4 resections, 3 sclerothrapies all since October. I am in hell. Been on bed rest since November 30. Had drains from last sclerotherapy (chemically burn skin flap and chest wall) on Jan 12. And it's failing. Again. Anyone have diep surgery w/o muscle involvement. Four experts swear it will solve problem.

    Please I am in he'll and should be living my life by now...... Beckey

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  • speech529
    speech529 Member Posts: 337
    edited February 2011

    Gettinpast...I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering even more.  Sclerotherapy is used to treat seromas...but yours is not working.  How would more surgery help?  I would think that you have to heal completely first.

    A friend of mine developed a huge seroma after a unilateral mx.  They used a wound vac on her incision to evacuate the seroma.  She had to do this for a few weeks and it helped although her surgical site is still healing.  Her mx was in December.  She is diabetic so healing is slow.  She had to go into a hyperbaric chamber several times prior to and after surgery to help with healing.  

    You've really suffered...I hope you find relief soon!

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    Gettingpastthis-I am so sorry you are still having to endure so much.  It sounds really rough.  Please come back and talk to us when ever you need to.  You need as much support as you can get.  I hope things start to improve for you soon.

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011

    I thought I'de post a couple pic's- one is of "boob donuts" a friend made for me to celebrate being done with recon surgery...she's a funny gal.  The others are a couple of winter pics of all the snow we have!

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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011
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  • Laurie08
    Laurie08 Member Posts: 2,891
    edited February 2011
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