Great saying about depression

Didel - how terrible! Know today will be difficult, so thinking of the family and of you and all you have been through.

Rowen - So glad the surgery went well.

Kate - hope you had fun!

 Barb - wow, lots and lots of options - always good.

Well I have been off this topic for a long while and just caught up, wow.  I know a few of you are on other topics with me and are up today sort of.  So I am back here because I need assurance.  Recap;  Had BMX in May 2010 with recon (TE).  Had bad infection 10 day after surgery in right side (tumor side) and had TE removed, continued with treatment chemo.  Then in Nov. attempted surgery again to replace TE and had problems so had it removed again.  Did rads in Jan. 11 (on right side).  During rads I decided not to continue with recon.  I still had TE in left side and made a decision to remove it but had to wait due to work issues.  On June 23 I had the TE removed with excess skin.  Or so I thought.  I now am in a deep funk because I do not feel he took enough skin.  I have a followup appointment with PS on the 13.  I called last Friday angry and talked to the nurse.  She called back and tried to reassure me.  PS said the skin will contract and tighten up. I do not know if this is a bunch of hooey. I know the TE has been in over a year and has stretched the skin but still.  I thought this would be over.  I guess I am asking too much for immediate results and need to have patience that it will work out. I wanted both sides to be even, I know the left side will not be the same as the right due to the two surgeries and rad but. I am just not happy about this whole recon experience.  A co worker asked me how it was going, she did not know about the cancer. She told me about her friend who went through BMX and had recon, about how wonderful it turned out. I just wanted to cry. I have decided now to talk to a therapist about all of this. It is all so frustrating.

Miller, you can do this!!! He may have misjudged your skin elasticity OR you may have delveloped slight LE. I demanded that my surgeon make me totally flat as I was NOT going for recon and didn't want him to leave me excess skin 'in case I changed my mind'. I was ADAMENT!!!!

After the surgery, I was very pleased with my right (non-cancer) side but the left was too 'droopy' if you know what I mean. I went in for an excision revision (sounds like Dr. Seus was doing it!) and had excess skin taken away. When I went back for the post op, he was stunned! He said he took a huge chunk out but it was still a bit puffy. Not so bad and I could live with it. He sent me to a PS but thank God I saw my onc in between. She said I had mild truncal LE. The PS would have made it soooo much worse if I'd had yet another surgery!!!

So, when you see the doc, make sure you don't have a seroma (fluid) built up where you think there's excess tissue. (I had a very bad one after MX and figure that's why I got the LE.) Then have him do an incision revision. He'll learn that you meant NO recon, when he has to clean up his work! It can be done, rememeber he had to guess how well your skin would react. That's why one side is okay.

Barbe - how long after your first surgery did you have the revision.

mjbmiller- So sorry for all you've been through.  This whole BC "journey" can be one long damn car ride, huh?  Something no one tells you about.  I agree with barbe that you should tell your PS you do not want to wait.  You want things fixed now so you can move on with your life.  If they won't help you I'd schedule a consult with someone else.  Since you originally tried the TE's I'm assuming, though, that no recon was not your first choice.  Like MBJ said, I'd encourage you to check out the Dr. Khouri at the Miami Breast Center.  (miamibreastcenter.com)  Since you already have too much loose skin you would probably be an excellent candidate for fat grafting.  They would lipo it from somewhere else and   use that space and fill it in with the fat.  How big you get depends on how many rounds of fat grafting you do but even with one surgery you would have a small mound.  The surgery is not too bad.  It's about a 5 day recovery at most.  Just wanted to let you know you have options.  You can also find more info at fatgraftpatients.com.  I just had a revision with Dr. K in May so feel free to PM me anytime.  (((hugs)))

barbe- LOL on Dr. Seuss, too!

Last night was great fun!  My DH bailed after taking our DS to the water park all day but some of the gang went to hear the band and dance.  Felt great to get up and move!!! 

Thanks for the thoughts. I am not considering other options as one side now has loose skin and the other side I flat and firm. I will be taking to the PS for revisions and if I am not happy about his answer off we go.

Bubbies, you're smart to move up your appointment. I am ER+ too, and it is a slow growing cancer, so we don't have to worry UNTIL the 5-year mark!!! I pray it is yet another scare and not cancer returning......

annettek- Wow!  What a great idea!  I've never heard of a doctor doing that but they should with everyone.  Very cool!  I might have to ask about the US, too.  Thanks!

Kate:  San Clemente is gorgeous!!!  I get a mamo on my rt side and a US on my lt side. 

Annettek:  Every dr should have that in their office

3jays- OH, HUGS, HUGS and MORE HUGS!  Tests suck and waiting for results sucks even more.  Sending positive vibes your way that it all turns out o.k. and that you just have a chocolate deficiency or something!  (Hmm, wish I had that!)  Did they tell you when you should expect the results back?

MBJ- Love, love, love San Clemente.  My MIL has a condo walking distance to the beach.  Of course, that means I have to visit my MIL to use it so it's a trade off!  How far are you from there?  We get out there occasionally. 

Hi all! Thank you all for all your support and thoughts I truly appreciate everyone of you ladies!! 

 I'm a late night stalker tonight...my niece is with me and my sister stayed the weekend since Natalie (niece) was at field hockey camp near my house. The funeral Saturday was beyond heartbreaking. The man who passed Fergy, was the youngest in a very Italian family. His parents, GOD bless them were inconsolable. They are Italian and both parents were whaling sobbing the entire time (3 hrs service) and both were practically carried in and out of the church. The whole family was just so broken up it was hard to see. Fergy coached his sons soccer team and they all showed up in their uniforms. They're probably 10 years old. They were crying their little eyes out the entire service as well, actually everyone was. I will say what a loved man he was the church was so packed people were standing. There mustve been over 400 people. There was a lot of great stories told as well that made you laugh or smile. His brother told a story of how the fourth of July (the day before he died) was not what it was supposed to be, how his plans had changed all day, he saw his kids at the pool even though it wasn't his weekend, he had dinner at his parents with his girlfriend despite their previous reservations, he sent an email to a friend apologizing for a fight they had, and he told his brother how amazing the fireworks on the 4th were and how it was the best day of his life. I think all these things helped his family have a little peace that they spent that last day with him and made memories that will last. I still just can't believe he is gone. Ok new topic...

Kate your quick wit cracks me up...I love your response to the drs office ...I get a mammo every 6 months on lefty and an MRI once a year. I go over these results with my BS who does a very thorough feel up and US.. I asked him to if he could not be so rough and he said ...this isn't a social visit...he uses that line all the time.

mjbmiller Sorry you have had such a hard time with the recon. I will tell you my skin for sure tighten up and I had my TE in for 9 months at 800ccs then implant at exchange is 600. I would definitely get another opinion Im not sure if your situation would take more time or like you said another procedure.

3Jays sending more positve vibes your way for B9 results!! waiting SUCKS

My bs scheduled me for an u/s  of the area around my breasts/foobs  for a year after  my DM.  She did a manuel exam at three months and said she would repeat that after the u/s.

I too, got a note in the mail last month for my yearly mammogram and my husband asked me if I was going to go.  Guess, since DH has never wanted to know any of the nitty-gritty of what's been going on, doesn't get it. 

Kate - your answer to the mammogram notice  was too funny!!!

I think if I don't laugh then I'll cry..........

Kate: never been to San Clemente but I've heard it's beautiful with moderate weather.  I would love to move back to Kauai but my husband won't budge and this is the only home my son knows  plus I get Medicare here.  With Medicare and our private health insurance coverage, it makes all these surgeries not so costly but I could of had one h... of a vacation if I took all the money I have spent on medical bills this last year and one-half.....very expensive foobies.

justagirl- My DH and I were dreaming of a return trip to Italy but spent it on out of pocket costs.  So depressing when I think of all the wine I could have consumed instead!

rowan- Going under general anesthesia can really do a number on us and afterwards I always feel a little off for months.  My doctor told me for every hour under it takes your body a month to fully recover.   With 5 surgeries I'm think I'm still in the red!  Research shows that going under can cause short term memory loss and trouble with concentration which would definitely make you feel out of sorts.  The older you are the longer it supposedly lasts.  (Hope I'm done having surgeries or I'm screwed!  LOL!)  Anyway, I'm sure you'll be feeling like yourself soon!  (((hugs)))

Well I will be going to my BS yearly for exams, no mammos for me. So I will alternate with my GYN. One in the spring and one in the fall. Both are females for personal stuff. Had a bad experience with a male GYN never go back to another one. My PCP is male though.



D - prayers for the family.



We prayed for a couple at church. They were hit head on. Wife was 8 mo pregnant, baby did not make it and lost the ability to conceve. So not only do the have physical healing but emotional as well. I count my many blessings each day.



3jays pray that your results are b9 as well.