January Mastectomy

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  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited July 2011

    Popping through to see how everyone is doing.

    Laura I'm especially wondering how you are doing?

    Gina, you too? How are you holding up these days??

    I've just finished one of my 'marathons' -- in that I have just this minute completed 14 Library Family Concerts in under a week. This is a circuit that I've done numerous times in the past. Silly me, I must be getting a tad bit older a decade later.

    My husband did all the driving and hauling in & out.... all I had to do were the 'performances.' Glad to have them in the rear view mirrow. We are headed north to our summer place up in northern WI. We hope to get to Chicago tonight, yet. A mere 6 hours down the road. LOL.

    Then I'll have an entire week to laze about before leaving for VEGAS for a national conference of Kindergarten teachers. Another marathon of sorts.

    Eager to hear a few lines from everyone. Hope that everyone gets to have a delightful holiday weekend, whether you're celebrating for Canada tomorrow or the States on Monday. Here's to fireworks for all!!

    xx00xx00xx00xx00xx

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited July 2011

    Donna,

    I will keep your friend in my prayers.

    May everyone have a safe and healthy holiday! 

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    Happy Canada Day and Happy 4th of July.

    Laura how are you doing? Hopefully you are healing well. 

    Faith enjoy your time off  between marathons! you sound like a little R & R is well deserved and needed.

    My tattoos just now seem to be settling down quite nicely and for the first time things are starting to look "somewhat" normal. At least these boobs don't look like a face without a nose anymore. That is the best way I could describe it to someone else. I have an appointment to go back to Toronto for nipples in August and then I should be done yahoo!!

    Enjoy the weekend.

    Take Care

    Cathy

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited July 2011

    Hi January Friends,

    So....here's what happened next....I got sick on the Bactrim....super nausea...so he switched me to amoxicillin....staying with the diflucan chaser :)  BUT I ended up getting even sicker...woke up with 102 fever...felt like every joint in my body was locked up...dizzy...sick...and my boob had gotten worse...very hot very swollen =(  So my ps had me begin a 5 day series of vancomycin ivs...with benedryl and tylenol as a pre-med. The fever broke and after 3 days the swelling in my breast began to go away.  Just when I was feeling better....after day 5 of iv....are you ready....I got FOOD POISONING!!!!!  I spent hours over the bowl....vomiting and other unpleasantries......lets just say I needed to sit on the toilet and vomit into a bucket =p  After dry heaving for a few hours I was finally able to go to sleep (4lbs. lighter)  

    So now I'm doing ok...I think the general infection in my breast is cleared...no more fevers or swelling...been off iv's for 6 days.  The one nip looks great....but..as Kim says "it is always on" the other nip from the breast that became infected got a bit stretched out of shape and is not as compact in size.  It is still weaping...I wish it would finally scab over and begin healing.  I'll talk to my ps about it on Tuesday. I'm on my third oral antibiotic...they all seem to make me sick in one way or another =P I'm so sick of this....so sick of being sick...but I realize even with this bump in the road I have had it sooo much easier than so many.

    My ps says that once I'm all healed.....maybe in the fall he can tweek the nipple that has become a bit stretched out...he wants to wait to see how everything settles in....I'm fine with that :)

    Gina sorry your still feeling so badly....I hope you feel better and stronger with each day....so sorry your having such a long recovery. 

    Kim I hope you get a tatt touch up that makes you happy....even your husband is being weird =\

    Kat thanks so much for your encouragement and kind words :) 

    It is so nice to have you all to talk too.....

    xox

    Laura 

  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited July 2011

    Laura. Laura. Laura.

    I am so glad that you are finally on the mend. Goodness.

    Hope that everyone is having a glorious weekend.

    xx00xx00xx00xx

  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited July 2011

    Oh, Laura.....when it rains, it pours....and in your case, you just got it all....bless your heart.  I'm so sorry you've been through such a rough time.....

    hope you can take it easy for awhile....blessings....robin

  • grdnslve
    grdnslve Member Posts: 310
    edited July 2011

    just checking in.  home from the diep & love my new breast.  except for no nipple, i look down my shirt & there is my old friend!!!  warm & soft ....  it's a miracle.  no pain there either.  now the relocated belly button & tightened up tummy are another story.  bit of an owch there.  but soooo worth it.

    sorry to hear of the continueing struggles.  hugs to you laura.

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited July 2011

    Laura,  I hope you recover quickly!

    gdnslve,  glad you are happy with your new look and don't have pain!  How great! 

  • neversurrender
    neversurrender Member Posts: 508
    edited July 2011

    Lola, I am so glad your diep went well.  I was totally amazed after mine also..so very much like the original.  :)   I have my nipples, but have not went to get my tats yet.  Not sure why, but am dragging my feet a bit on that part.

    {{{Laura}}} &  {{{Gina}}}  I hope you are feeling better.

    Kat, I hope your DH is doing well.

    Kim - did you redo the tats? 

    Hugs Team January !

    Never Surrender !

  • bookart
    bookart Member Posts: 564
    edited July 2011

    Hanging in there - lurking a bit and not posting much.  Good to hear about everyone - sorry for pain and vomiting, Laura!  That's miserable.  Hope the results make you forget it, soon.

    Finally through with PT, back in the gym when I'm not working my tail off getting ready for three new group shows, plus my day job and family matters, etc.

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited July 2011

    On Tuesday of this week I went in to my ps because my nipple...although not infected continued to weep and weep and weep....it would not close =(  So my ps said my body was trying to reject the Allomax that had been placed in the nipple to give it some shape...the reaction probably was a result of the infection...ah well....  The other breast healed over beautifully. He did not want to take any risk of further infection or compromising the implants so he took out the alloderm bump and and restitched the nipple opening. So now I have one nip and one flat tire ;)  But I'm ok and I'm feeling better.  He says once by boob is completely healed and happy he will revisit the nipple on that breast. 

    Today I go in to have the stitches checked and make sure everything is finally healing :)

    So I'll post photos soon.....once the bandage has been removed.

    Thanks so much for all the kind wishes ♥ 

    Good luck with your group shows bookart!  

    Congratulations grdnslve on your new friend....hope your tummy feels better soon...as you say...."all worth it" =)

    Kat hope your husband is doing well and enjoying his new lifestyle =) 

    xox

    Laura 

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited July 2011

    Our dear friend faithie is in need of prayers because of many family issues.  Please keep her in your thoughts.

    I hope everyone else is doing ok and has a great weekend.  I had follow-up appts this week with BS and PS and "passed" until next year with both of them.  Do they ever let you stop going to the doctor?

  • ReginaR
    ReginaR Member Posts: 287
    edited July 2011

    Hey Team Jan ! Wanted to check in with My Team!

     Debbie ( Fathandfiffty) Is needing our Love ,support & Prayers. Her Brother was  Burn in a fire in his house , She posted on FB !

    Debbie Hope you know we all here for you & Prayers to Your Brother Dan & Family!

    Laura, so Glad your feeling better! Take it easy & rest. I know the Infection worn me out! Keep us posted!

     Sending {{{{hugs}}}} to all "Team Jan"

    Have a great weekend!  Love ya , Gina

  • neversurrender
    neversurrender Member Posts: 508
    edited July 2011

    {{{{Debbie}}}} I am sending prayers for your family.

    Laura, I have a similar issue with my nipples due to my infection earlier this year. One nipple is perfect, the other was flattened (not completely) by the swelling and infection.  My PS said he could fix it down the road sometime.  We'll see.  It doesnt bother me, so dont know if I will have another 'procedure' .

    Hugs Team January !

  • burley
    burley Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2011

    Big hugs to Debbie, Laura, and everyone else.  The trials and tribulations never seem to stop!  You're all in my thoughts.

    Went back for my nipple tatt check up and she was literally so THRILLED with the results, I didn't say anything about the one being slightly smaller.  She even brought in her other two techs to show them.  Oh well.  She videotaped me talking about them and I started crying like a dork.  Just so happy to be done with all of that.

    My nipples continue to shrink a little bit, but I definitely have to wear a bra all the time.  I wonder if they will ever go "off" so I can wear a tank top with minimal padding.

    My son came home from 6 weeks working at a Boy Scout camp, and announced that he wanted to look into joining the Navy.  He's 16.  Ugh.  I guess some of the other counselors were in the military and had a good experience.  I just would have never pictured him wanting to join the military.  He's so quiet and sweet.

    Then the day before that, my 11 year old announced she was ready to start shaving her legs.  That night.  Wow.  We sat on the edge of the tub and I showed her how on one leg, and she wanted me to leave so she could do the other leg on her own.  What a weekend I had.

    And today I discovered that my debit card information was stolen somehow, and I had 7 fraudulent charges on my checking account.  I apparently joined Match.com yesterday.  I wonder what the hubby will think about that!  Lol.  So I now have a whopping $7 in that account, and won't get a refund for 2-3 days.  Damn hackers.

    I'm glad to see some of us are still checking in-it's nice to hear from you.  Take care everyone!

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited July 2011

    Wow Kim,

    You certainly have had your plate full!  I can't say anything about tats since I have my own and didn't have to do that.  I can tell you though even with odd shaped boobs right now (since I'm a uni and did nothing on my non-bc side) with this heat and no air conditioning I sometimes just don't care and don't wear one.  Even to work!  At work I will hear a big shirt over my tank so everyone can't see my nips.  I figure after all this....who really cares? 

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited July 2011

    Prayers for Debbie's brother...hope he heals quickly and completely.

    Kim......geez what a day....so funny about Match.com =)

    Sally who knew nips could be so troublesome.....

    My "boob" went from bad to worse......I got a huge infection (pseudomonas) and the implant had to be removed last week =(  When the infection put me in the hospital my ps said the infection had gone way too far and iv's weren't going to cut it.  He took the implant out the next morning. We assume the pseudomonas was a hospital born infection picked up during the nipple surgery...geez! So I went on Levoquin and then had a new implant put in yesterday (one week later).  So here I am again......hurting like a son of a b**tch....he wanted to get the implant back in as soon as possible so we didn't not have to go through expanders.....  So now I just pray that I do not get any more infections!!!!! :) 

    So last week I had a flat tire (very weird) and now I have on swollen tender booby.....hope this is the end of it for a while.  He will deal with a nipple on that side in a few months.  The nip on the right side looks really good.....I just can't believe I was almost done with it all and got smacked back =(

    Looking forward to feeling better soon :)

    Best to all,

    Laura 

  • KatRNagain92
    KatRNagain92 Member Posts: 522
    edited July 2011

    Prayers for your speedy recovery Sweet Laura!  I'm sorry you're going through this!  I can't imagine having the implants pulled and yours were doing so well!  Crap!

    My PS wants to take 3 inches of skin from each side...mastopexy.  Not mess with the implant or the capsule...leave the volume just as it is.  But, he thinks if he trims all the excess skin, and creates a new nipple for me (since my first ones are flush with the skin now) I will have no (read zero) rippling.  I'm skeptical.  I scheduled my date for November 17 because I'm all full blown into selling CAbi and I won't be able to carry loads of clothes to houses if I'm mobility impaired yet again.  So, we shall see if I go through with it!  The idea of course is to do it before year end...with hubby having that heart attack and all (he's doing so much better now!) the deductible has still been met so I have only a small window to decide what to do.

    Hope you are feeling well Becky and you too Gina!  Debbie, I continue to pray for your brother daily...send us an update! 

    Love to all Team January!
    Kat

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited July 2011

    Gosh, sometimes I think those PS are surgery crazy!  Since I'm a uni-he and my BS keep trying to get me to do something witih my non-bc side so I'm "even".  I personally don't care and neither does DH.  I at least have somthing to let me know what I should look like right now.

    Hang in there!

  • bookart
    bookart Member Posts: 564
    edited July 2011

    Laura - sorry you've had trouble with infection - that's just awful.  And Kim! getting hacked sucks - thank goodness you get the money back, eventually.  Tough times for lots of us!

    Take care,

    Elaine

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited July 2011

    I'm doing ok....still bruised....still swollen but so far infection free =)  I'm still a little worried...the last infection didn't show up for more than one week post op.  I'm going to be very hopeful that this last bit did the trick :)  Stitches come out in about 10 more days.

    Kat sorry your having to possibly face some more surgery.  I think the one thing I don't seem to have in my final result is ripples....I think it's because my implants are pretty snug....  You sound like your busy and happy with CAbi :)  I hope your husband is doing well and feeling better and better each day :) 

    BC I agree that sometimes these docs can be a bit obsessive....thankfully my doc tries to keep me off the table as much as possible....if only my body would cooperate! ;)

    Hi Elaine....hope you doing well and your art is thriving :)  I planned a whole summer of working on my own pieces and now I have to accept August as time for my pieces.....

    Wishing everyone strength and continued healing,

    Laura 

      

  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited July 2011

    Thanks for all the prayers for my brother and family. To say that it's been a bizarre month is an understatement. After Dan was rescued by way of a barking doggie, he was in ICU for about 10 days and kept in a coma for the first week. He's been in a step-down unit for the rest of this month and having a variety of tests done.

    He was just released at the end of the day yesterday and has barely begun to scratch the surface of thinking about rebuilding his life.

    He will benefit from prayers for some time to come. He was hospitalized for a total of 23 days and as you imagine is worn out with the simplest of efforts.

    Thank you again.

    Our family converges as this week unfolds for wedding festivities with my neice. We head to Milwaukee tomorrow to fly out at dawn on Thurs.

    On a brighter note. Here are some unbelievabl

    shots from a sunset at the end of last week, up here in the great north.

    I took these at our marina, a block from our little place.

     You know how I LOVE color!!

    Hope that everyone continues on the road of reclaiming their best selves -- as we venture forward into our futures.

    xx00xx00xx00xx

    Strength and courage.

    Strength and courage.

    Strength and courage.

  • jizogarden
    jizogarden Member Posts: 375
    edited July 2011

    Debbie, I had no idea your brother has been going through so much....I missed the whole original story.  I hope his recovery continues to build each day bringing him much healing and strength.

    Thanks for the beautiful photos! :)

    xox

    Laura 

  • neversurrender
    neversurrender Member Posts: 508
    edited July 2011

    Debbie,  I am glad to hear your brother has been released.  I will continue to send prayers his way for a full recovery.

    Laura, Goodness !   I am so sorry about the implant, but glad to hear he had a new one placed so quickly.  I will send many prayers to you for a complete recovery from this mess.

    Hugs Team January !

  • KatRNagain92
    KatRNagain92 Member Posts: 522
    edited July 2011

    Wish me luck Team January!  Today is my very first CAbi fashion preview show!  I hope I can make a go of this or it's back to the salt mines.  "Keep Kat out of the Nursing Home" is our mantra so I'm very motivated to make this work!  The new Fall collection can be view at http://www.katturner.cabionline.com  Free Shipping too! 

    Enjoy your weekend Ladies!
    Kat

  • neversurrender
    neversurrender Member Posts: 508
    edited July 2011

    Good luck Kat !

  • ReginaR
    ReginaR Member Posts: 287
    edited July 2011

    "Team Jan" Hope all is well with all my Pink Sisters!

    Been thinking & Praying for all of you!

    I am recovery well from my surgery,much better than last mastectomy. No Infection this time! Back to work "light duty" if there is such a thing!LOL

    Have a Blessed weekend! Love ya, Gina

  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited August 2011
  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited August 2011

    Laura!  Goodness, dear friend....praying for you now!!!

    So many of you have had so many set-backs.....Gina, Sally, Laura.....goodness.When does it end?  Or does it????  

    Good luck, Kat!!!  Let's keep you OUT of the nursing home Cool

    Craziness prevails here.....was all set to teach 4th grade at a new school.  Have met my co-workers and we get along great!  However, we dont' have enough 4th graders now to keep all of us, and I will likely have to be shipped out and moved on.  But, I interviewed today for a 5th grade position at another school in the same district.....not sure how soon they'll let me know, but it has to be SOON.  Teachers report for duty in NINE days and kids start school on Aug. 15.  Most of my stuff has already been moved to the first school, so I will have to pack up and move again!  Daughter is getting ready to head off to college as a freshman.....youngest son just enrolled today as a freshman at a new high school .....all new experiences for all of us!  Oldest son will be attending local campus of Indiana University, but this is new for him, too.....

    Wish I were old enough (and rich enough) to retire...ha!

    blessings to all.....robin

  • pbebow
    pbebow Member Posts: 575
    edited August 2011

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