DIEP 2011

Papaya is very good for you to but I just don't know if I like the taste. I bought a book about 3 months ago it is called 500 tips for health eating or something like that and it has a section for different heath aliments. OF COURSE it  had a chapter on cancer and how to eat after. OMG basically organic fruit and veggies. I have said for months that after DIEP I want to become vegetarian. Hasn't happen yet not sure how to switch over. I do go without eating meat morning and noon then dinner rolls around and MMMM I love to grill lol. Any tips.

Work is fine been doing about 5 hrs. Not exalsted. I do sit in the recliner the majority of the evening watching tv. I am able to come home for an hour lunch break and today I sat in the sun soaking up the rays, one of my fav. things to do fetl to good, for me the sun heals my soul.

Nowords, so you are wearing some kind of bra now but the DOM is for later?  I have been trying to figure out if that thing would hurt over you ab incision.  I know when I had my mastectomy a foob just about killed me on my incision line. You are doing great!

Kathy, you are a hoot.  I was laughing so hard my husband asked what the heck I was reading.  I told him briefly about all the posts and he said you girls are brilliant.  I should absolutely follow your advice.  He is such a MAN!!!!

Sue, hooray for you.  I am cutting back in the meat department too but Dr. Kline actually recommends a lot of protein pre and post surgery.  I am going to have to find a way to supplement my protein intake because I am not willing to up the amount of meat I eat.

Susan

@nowords Good to hear from you. It seems like you are definitely on the mend. TY for the comparison to labor pains - now I can compare the upcoming potential pain to something I can relate to. I have been in labor twice, once without an epidural, and while that was no walk in the park, it was do-able. So much so that I did "it" ( gave birth to another child) again. But I did have the epi that time.  

I don't plan on naming my soon-to-be NOOBS - perhaps I will just refer to them as "the twins". I sure hope they'll be twins - in the symmetry dept., that is. I hope to wake from surgery sometime Monday evening and be rocking some awesome cleavage! Knowing me and how I have had moments of emotion lately, I'll probably cry when I see them. Tears of joy if they look "HOT", tears of despair if they look awful. I certainly hope for the former.

4 days to go, and I'm still pretty calm, cool, and collected. I think it's because I am looking at this surgery/reconstruction as my first major step in becoming "whole" again - if that makes any sense. Six years of having one breast is looooong enough. I am SO DONE with wearing a prosthesis just to fake normalcy in clothes. I'm not even wearing it to the hospital when DH and I drive to Boston on Monday. What's the point I say? I certainly won't be wearing it home, HA HA. One less item for DH to bring home, or for me to bring home once I am dc'd. It's too nice (and expensive) to throw away, and I I just had it made 5 months ago. Then again, what purpose will it have once I no longer need to wear it? I wish it was recyclable or something. It has all these tiny holes on the underside that makes it ultra-lightweight. Perhaps I could sprinkle some grass seed into the holes, add water, and make it into a whole new version of a chia pet. "Chia BOOB", I can call it!  Too bad I couldn't compost it and then bury it in my garden. Kind of like a funeral for it! LMAO

So I have 2 days "off" = tomorrow and Friday, and a ton of chores to do in those 2 days. Both dogs have vet check-ups, haircuts for DH and DS, tidying up the house (so I ..hopefully...will not come home to a bomb explosion of a mess), catching up on the (ever present) laundry, purchasing some prunes for my post-op days - prune juice makes me gag, dried prunes I can stomach if I wash them down with water. And getting some mindless magazines to bring. I may bring my IPOD, but most likely not my Kindle. I LOVE that Kindle, but may not be in the mood to read that much while I am confined. I'll save all my reading for my weeks off once I am home again. Two more days of work = Saturday and Sunday, and then I am off for 11 weeks !!!

The final stretch is on....

~Lori

@ladyM13 TYSM for your well wishes . We are definitely good to go! While I know there is never a guarantee in life, nor in medicine, I truly feel positive that my outcome with this bilat. is going to be a good one. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the bending over and making sure my shirt doesn't show too much of "nothing but a prosthetic boob" on the right side. I SO tired of wearing a falsie. As far as the *S*E*X goes, I also tend to wear something on top, whether a cami, t-shirt, or just a night shirt, when DH and I manage to find the time to go horizontal (or vertical, whatever, HA HA). My DH is super and has NEVER made me feel less than I am for having one breast, and he'll welcome any sex, pretty much anytime - shirt or no shirt. It's me who thinks my chest looks like it belongs starring at a circus side-show, not my guy. I look forward to getting physical once again with 2 noobs - even Barbie-looking noobs without nips will be better than one lonely boob. And after Stage 2, with nips, areolas, and tats...look out world! HA 

Susan - on the protein issue, I use something called "Pure Protein."  I get it at the grocery store, and it's 100% whey protein; 23 grams per serving.  The vanilla is good mixed in with juice and frozen fruit for a fruit smoothie.  The chocolate rocks if you mix it with milk, instant coffee and ice (like a frozen mocha).  It's a great mid-afternoon snack or immediately after working out.

Sandy

Protien - you should try the Tera'swhey products. They are all organic with no sugar (Stevie is used for a sweetener). My fav is the fair trade dark chocolate blended with frozen cherries, Greek yogurt and almond milk. There is also blueberry flavored and bourbon vanilla. It's my breakfast staple every AM. I ge t it at our local health food store.

@SAMayoFL I wouldn't mind donating my foobs at all - I have 3 right now. Two of them are custom made (Radiant Impressions), so I'm not sure if those two would do any good to anyone as they were made to fit my chest wall. The other one is an Amoena brand that I used in my bathing suits. The custom ones are made with hundreds of holes in the back of them and when they are washed, take almost a week to dry - not good for using in the pool, or ocean. If you can find the link to the gal you mentioned, I'll send her a PM. My wigs went to my daughter who wore them with Halloween costumes and when her friends are over and they all decide to dress like weirdos (think Lady Gaga) and make goofy music videos of themselves. The wigs are like rats nests at this point. No one has my number but we can work something out if you'd like.

That's great news about Brenda. I also hope to be off major pain-killers and onto Motrin or Tylenol by the second week. I also hope that my driving restrictions are not too lengthy so I can at least drive the kids and pick them up from school for the few weeks that they have left to this school year.

Keep up the good work on the walking. I was walking pretty much every day until this past week when I had to get my yard beautified and mulched so I can enjoy the fruits of my labor when I get home from the hospital. Now if I can only get DH or DD12 to remember to water the hanging plants while I'm away.....*sigh*.  I may have to bribe my DD with $$ - that's usually a decent incentive for a tween.

Off to buy prunes and Bio Oil (the latter for the scars)

 ~Lori

Hi girls!  I had my Pre-op appt with my PS today.  Went well, had all my questions answered.  He said no binder but wants me in spanks after 2 weeks.  I will 4 DRAINS (UUUUGGGG) but hope the "Pink pockets" work well.  The MX is skin sparing and yes l will have a new belly button hole (WHAT!!?)....all l said after was ok Doc, make sure you get to bed early on June 9th...his response "l just did a bilat diep yesterday, yours will be a walk in park"...lm like for you maybe..lol  but l guess his confidence put at ease.  A week and a day to go!

Beautiful day out here in Philly...l think l'll do a picnic for dinner.

Well misszed, you are on your way also. Yes I have a new belly button. It is so facinating to my friends when I show it to them. They ask me what happened to the old one? Well my stomach was pulled so tight until it ended up who knows where.I ended up with 4 drains 2 for breast and 2 for stomach. 1 was pulled before I left the hospital.

My B Button is slightly off center too, although I wonder if it will look more on center after stage 2; I'm pretty boobs are very asymmetrical at this point. They used super glue on my B button! It was kind of gross looking until the glue came off.

Thinking of everyone with surgery dates quickly approaching! Sounds like everyone is well prepared and ready to go!

Misszed: loved your comment that your DH was 'stocking' up! Good idea!

Notafraid: We've been through a lot and done our best to be good troopers all the way through . .  I think we are entitled to our roller coaster days; it was throwing me for a loop until I started to accept it rather than feel like I should buck up & do better. For a few weeks I didn't feel like doing much of anything, lots of tv, computer, reading & laying low, almost no housework or forward progress on anything. I have just started to feel like my regular self. Man oh man, there is a LOT to get caught up!

misszed: I am so excited for all of the June DIEPers. I just know  that as long as we keep each other up in prayer, everything is going to be allright. I am taking it easy. I am not doing anything that I do not have to do. My Dr. said no, bending. pushing, pulling or lifting anything over 5 lbs,and I have one of those sunday school bells that is rung when class is dismissed, and I use it faithfully. My DH will return to work tomorrow, but my teenage GD will be here. I have been praticing  with her,because when she has her headphones on and is on the computer at the same time, it is something serious to get her attention. I have been going up and down the stairs and have cooked a couple of light meals, something that doesn't require me to stand and stir or flip the whole time.I told my DH that I was not just going to lay in bed all day and melt-away. I have to build up my strenght a little bit at a time. I am looking so forward to walking. My weight is gain and loose. Everyone says that I look so much thinner. I think that it is a lot of inches melting away.I weighed 224 lbs. when I came home from the hospital,now I am down to 210 lbs. Tomorrow I may be back up to 214lbs. But it is all good.

got the call - i'm back on the schedule.  now it is june 27.  i can live with that.  so excited for those next up - the ps answered my questions, and not having nightmares anymore.  just trying to wrap my mind about the reality of something 'there' in a few weeks. 

grateful to all of you out there sharing your experience.  thank you

mscal - You made me laugh with your comment about "faithfully using your bell" LOL  Im not doing a thing l don't have to do...lm going to concentrate on getting my strength back  with exercise as soon as l can, l started juicing so lm hope to loose some more weight after the surgery..DH is so spoilt, l think this will be an opportunity for him to see what it takes to be manage a household with school age kids!  And tell me about the computer plus headphones!!! DD is the same way, it's an event to call her attention, so frustrating, earlier this year she broke them and we took our sweet time getting them replaced...but we knew sooner or later she would get them herself on one her outings with her friends..lol

Yes, our God is an awesome God!! (Love that song too)

I have a question...I'm taking ONLINE classes for my Phd while I am not working...Do you believe is possible for make to take one class that starts AUGUST 27TH... MY SURGERY IS AUGUST 17...

Lisa, it's so wonderful to hear from ladies who are months out from their surgery and are happy.  Was your bi-lateral immediate or delayed?  There are several of us girls coming up that have one immediate and one delayed so we always want to know how does your delayed side look, if any were delayed.

I am sorry I can't help you with the hair issue as my stage 1 is in August.  I can empathize, however, in that I am two months post chemo and have started using Rogaine.  I have some hair popping out in weird places!  I have white hairs on my face and my eyebrows and eyelashes are coming in completely white.  GOOD GRIEF!!!!

Also, I am curious why you are not able to wear an underwire bra.  Some women have said that their DIEP breasts are round and flat, like half risen bread, rather than Hersey Kiss shaped with projection.  Is that what you have experienced or is it something else?  Also, how much has your body changed in terms of dress size?

I hope you don't mind being bombarded with so many questions and so few answers!

Susan