Charleston Bound, part 2

Thanks everyone.  I have an appointment with the endocrinologist tomorrow.  My onc is working with the team at Moffitt.  They are trying to arrange as much testing locally as possible. Hopefully I will know more soon.

Sherry thanks for the update. Please keep us posted and know that you are lifted up in prayer.



Jeskachi thanks for the link and description. That is the one I was looking at yesterday as well. The inside leg seams shouldn't be an issue as my real sensitive area is my outer thighs and hips. Looks like Marena is just miles from me so shipping should be very quick!



Linda, I am taller at 5'6 but all my height is in my legs. If I tried to zip and fasten my ompression garment all the way up it would smother my new girls so I have to keep the back up and fold down the front by leaving the last four inches or so unfastened. This is a primary reason for moving to a non zip garment or me with a lower waist or a waist I can more easily adjust. Let me tell you how difficult it is to look nice with all this garment buldge and a drain! Lol, I can't wait to get rid of this last drain AND change into a non zip compression.



Hope Kim and Tina are doing okay!

Darn!  I just wrote this big long post and then I lost my wifi connection when I tried to submit and lost it all - grrrr!  All went pretty well for me and everyone here is just the best!  I know Tina was a couple doors down, but by the time I felt up to a visit and thought she might be, too, she was gone.  I have to stick around for another procedure in the morning.  I had extra skin that Dr. M allowed for swelling, so tomorrow she's going to trim that and finish stitching me up.  I'd like to go home tomorrow night but I think it will be Saturday.  I miss my little boy so much!  Hope everyone else is doing well - I'm a little too foggy to remember what else I said before!

Kim:  So glad to hear all went well!  You are so fortunate that you live in Charleston and don't have to spend any additional days away from your little boy!  He will be so happy to see his mom!

Hey, ladies! I made it to the flip side! Dr. Massey was great. My husband thought she was wonderful, too. When I met her for the first time the night before surgery, all she did was walk into the room and introduce herself, and I burst into tears. I was overcome with emotion from all the stress to get insurance approval and all the other logistics just to get here. She said it was perfectly normal to feel that way.



After she saw me in person and I showed her exactly where my LE is the worst, she didn't think she should make really large incisions that went around to the side of my chest in order to get rid of all the excess skin. The scarring could disrupt the path of LE flow that I use for manual lymphatic drainage exercises. So, she suggested she make 2" incisions and let the skin shrink back
on it's own. If there was too much puckering, then she could remove more skin later and still have a much smaller scar and not effect my LE. I was disappointed at first because I didn't want to have another surgery and hoped I'd be finished. She reminded me I had come here to get the best proactive LE care, and this was part of that. I had to agree, so that's what she did. She was really pleased with the results and said she didn't think I'd need a second surgery. It's hard to predict how it will look later, but I know it was the best choice. And if she seems confident that my skin will shrink back and look nice, then I'm going to sit tight and see what happens.



However, the best part of this surgery, is that I felt so much better Immediately after the implants were out. Still sore from the surgery but I can tell the difference. There's some swelling on the side of my chest, but it doesn't feel like the LE swelling I know so well. Also, she put the drains under my breast area so they wouldn't interfere with the drainage path.

Tina,  so glad to here from you too and know that you are pleased so far with the outcome.  Dr. Massey is the best.  She loves and cares for each and everyone of her ladies and we all love her back.  She is a highly acclaimed LE and flap doctor.  You are in the best hands.

Joni, sorry you had to cancel for June.  Hope all is OK and you will get back on the schedule soon. 

Best to you all,

Linda 

Kimber and Tina, how much pain are you in now?  Is it bearable?  Are you happy with the way your breasts look now?  Were you shocked to see it/tem the first time?

I know, I am bombarding you with questions!

Susan

Tina, so good to hear from you and that you are now on the healing side! I know what you mean about no more implant pain. It's a wonderful feeling! Don't stress about the scar / skin issue and give yourself time to heal. If there is a little bit she needs to revise you can do it when you are ready- if ever. Do you plan on reconstruction in the future? Hope your LE session goes well today and you feel better afterwards.

Tina - Hearing now how tired you were, I'm glad I didn't stop and knock on your closed door during one of my walks.  I would have loved to meet you in person, but I'm sure you needed the peace and quiet.  As wonderful as the nurses are, it's still exhausting to see them every couple of hours all night long!

I went in and got my port removed and the rest of that flap closed up first thing this morning.  I just went into the twilight this time versus full anesthesia so it felt like a breeze compared to Monday.

Susan - The pain was a bit more than I had anticipated, to be honest, but controllable with drugs and now 4 days out I'm feeling pretty good.  It's just hard to move without using your stomach muscles!  My breast area feels fine - almost no pain at all and it looks amazing!  My husband and I were both just blown away.  All of the awful rads scars are gone and under my arm looks perfect, as does my new breast.  There are scars of course, but those will fade.  It's exactly what I was hoping for - Dr. Massey is just wonderful in every way!

Brenda - I'd love to tell you all about it a little later this weekend.  I should get to go home tomorrow morning and it will be way more comfy to type on my laptop there.

So, Tina, I hope you're feeling better and I'll talk with you all later!

Glad to hear for both Tina and Kimber!  Hope you both continue to do well!  Kimber...I know you are glad to be home with your precious son!  It is so difficult being away from your children!  Tina...How are your drains doing?  Do you know how long you will be keeping them?  Hopefully not too long!  I know you just feel so much better with those implants gone...now just heal!

Sandy

OK ladies...I need some answers, some advice, some help!  I am having horrible itching deep in my DIEP breast where my fat neurosis was (there is still a small area), along with phantom itching along my scar line on the breast.  Of course, I have no feeling, so this is driving me insane!!!!  It was so bad last night, I took a benadryl!  Has anyone else had this happen????  Is there anything that will help with this???  I am losing my mind!!!! 

Sandy

 Sandy, I can't help with that one. I've had some itching on the surface of the skin before, usually under my bra beneath my breasts. But like you, can't feel myself scratch it. Did the Benadryl help it? I would definitely call Dr. M if it continues. Maybe AnneW will have some advice.

Sandy, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner--I've spent a weekend out in the snow in rustic yurts with a bunch of crazy friends. So good to get back to my own bed, though. Slept like a baby last night.

Sounds like you have a nerve regenerating. You know how when you have numbing from dental work, and your lip itches deep when it's wearing off, and no amount of rubbing can touch it? Hopefully yours won't/didn't last long. I can't think of a thing that would help that awful sensation!!

Glad your post-op gals are recovering. Take it slowly, ladies. Take pain meds liberally!!

Hi Jeskachi~Please put me on the list for upcoming surgery in Charleston.  I had my meetings this last week with Drs. Klein and Baron and was very impressed.  Surgery is schedule at East Cooper in Charleston for May 25th for a bilateral DIEP.  If anyone is going to be around Charleston at that time for surgery, let's get in touch.  I'm sooo neeerrrvous!! (Brenda)

Can anyone tell me what it feels like to have the nipple tatoo?  Seems like it would hurt.  How do they do it?~Brenda~