Charleston Bound, part 2

Downey30-I would call back and send an email before they go home for Christmas. Call Becky directly. I wouldn't let that go on.

Had 3 drains for stage 2 bilat SGAP and LNT last Friday Dec 14 for 7 hour surgery with Dr Kline and two day hospital stay.



Dr Craigie removed drain #1 at discharge. It was drain for recipient site of Lymph Node Transfer in right axilla.



No laughin' all you RN's out there, but i'm so excited I REMOVED DRAIN #2 ALL BY MYSELF TODAY! 😊



It was in my left breast that had major flap repositioning. Could see the tubing through my skin and it was pinchy so good riddance. Dr C showed me how and I had sterile suture kit to take home.



Drain #3 is in my left groin which was the donor site for my LNT. Should come out in next day or two. Doc has me waiting until 10cc for two days this time.



Also gave myself Lovenox shots. Actually prefer drain removal and that sense of relief/freedom.



This was just my experience. Please check with your own doc regarding your individualized care.

Pink - way to go with the drain. I could never do it. Sounds like things are coming together for you.

I agree, not sure I could pull my own drain either. Pink, sorry to hear your stomach is messed up, I guess it all just takes time. I am 2 weeks and one day past stage 2 sgap and seem to be healing well. I had a cpl of small holes open up where suture knots were but I think they are ok. My lipo bruising and discomfort has faded. However I am still soooo tired all the time. I guess I went into this surgery on the tail end of the flu so that doesn't help . My 22 yr old daughter is coming home today with her Swiss boyfriend whom I have never met, hoping that I have some energy to get me thru the holidays. We have LOTS of snow here, about 3ft and it is still coming down. I will sadly miss out on some skiing this year as I continue healing.

After my shower today I noticed that my recon breast has shrunk a bit. Not sure if it is just reduced swelling or that the fat grafting did not take and has reabsorbed but I am a little disappointed as I was so happy with my immediate results. Has anyone else experienced this so early? And doesn't it make sense that to try again in 6months the same thing would happen? I can always reduce my natural breast a little to make them match, the challenge with us uni's. Curious to hear what others have experienced regarding fat reabsorption.

Cherrie, I have not spoken with her yet and this situation is starting to worry me.  It's to bad I didn't call Becky too.  I am going to make sure of what I should do tomorrow. Thanks for asking. I felt like I was in such a fog that I wasn't processing things very well.  Hope that isn't permanent. HA

Downey- please call or email Dr.M personally. Let her know your situation again, and that you are worried. I know I couldn't wait on this for 4 more days. You will feel relieved if you hear from here.

Downey...do you have a helper Dr? Dr. M insisted I have one at home and she handled so many issues for me...consulting with Dr. M all along the way. Hope you get some attention soon.

I am so glad you and Dr. M connected. You must feel much better. Happy Holidays. Let us know how you are doing!

Gma10,

Hoping you the very best in your upcoming surgery with DrKline. He has been super busy and doing Saturday surgeries. Kim, the PA, just had her baby so Chris is def busy.



I understand that Dr Allen is back in Charleston now and his name is on plate outside Dr K and Dr C remodeled office with their names though I dont think he is truly part of their practice. Dont take my word. Nonetheless, you have quite the highest expertise of docs helping you so what a Godsend for you and all bc recon patients.



Dr k decided i didnt need more hbot. Did he decide same for you?



They did more work on repositioning left breast flap and then Lymph Node Transfer that I think 7 hour surgery was enough this time so i will have major fat grafting at stage 2b when breasts have another chance to settle.



So maybe at your next stage who knows if we may meet.

Happy Holidays to you and all.

Hey Miss Sherry Flynn,  You are up tomorrow.  Don't know if you get on the boards much, but want to wish you much success and a fast road to recovery.  Heal well and take care.  

Linda

DOWNEY-



I went drain-free today, too.

Still taking pain meds though. And told to take antibiotic for couple days after last drain pulled. Good thing I'm doing my own drains because between holidays and blizzards in Indy it would have been a PITA getting into a doctor office. My oncology appt today was cancelled from our blizzard here that is probably just a dusting of snow for CASCADER.



I have same questions as you about fat grafting. I swear when i go to post op appts i am half brain dead from no sleep in hospital and being on oxycodone that i miss every other sentence my surgeon says to me.



Next week when the fog clears i will send dr k an email with questions along with post op pics.



GMA10- one question i will be asking is about the hbot and if they visually saw improvements on chest wall and tissues. I do know that the little bit of fat grafting done was not for breast enhancement but for repair around pec muscle near axilla. They still found more of that Alloderm crap adhered to chest wall over by axilla and removed it. He removed a ton of it in my stage one excavation.



DOWNEY-

Did you have drains for just extensive fat grafting or did you have flap revisions too? Supposedly (we all know to use that word loosely), i will only have extensive fat grafting at stage 2b, and wonder if i will have drains as well as the rule of no baths or swimming in pools or ocean for six weeks post op. If i schedule surgery for June, I hate to miss out on summer number three from all this BC on and on and on.

Pink and Downey

I think the mind fog was the reason most of my questions weere in the form of an email to Dr K or Chris after I got back home. That way I could read their answer and then re-read their answers after a day or so, the pain meds did a number on my thinking!



I realized this week that after being diagnosed in Feb of 2012 for the second time, I reacted differently and natural breast recon is probably the reason and the focus. Before when I was diagnosed in 1994 I was afraid that cancer was going to get me. I was single and a mother of 4. Their dad died 4 years earlier. I did the chemo and rads and mostly did it without taking time off from work. Helped to work with Drs.



Almost 18 years later boom, cancer dx in opposite breast. Caught it early and on a mamogram, but after the initial decision to do a double mx my focus and thoughts have all been on the reconstruction and the mastectomies. Since my stage 1a, my focus has been on healing and how and when to do the left re-do. I have not thought much about the cancer. Has this happened to anyone? After the recon is all taken care of (I still have the stage 2 to plan) does the C word creep back or is it just a vague threat/memory?



I'm hoping its the latter but just dawned on me. I want to get back to the old but better improved me without having all the stuff going on in my head.



Just thought I'd throw that out there, sorry if it's not appropriate. I have a wonderful new (16 years) Hubby who doesn't really get it. I bring it up and he just says: It will be okay. He said that before I got dx too. I don't want to talk about it with my daughter - she could be facing the same thing some day and I won't want to sway how she thinks.



Maybe its just that in one week I go in for 1b and ramblings that go in my brain.



Hugs



Catie

Catie--

I understand what you feel about talking to your daughter. I worry too about my own daughter now 17. I think she doesnt want to know anything about what Ive been going through as she is afraid of it all. My sister acts the same way too. Doesnt want to know what Im going through. And because she wont listen to me she thinks all my reconstruction surgeries are to get the best boob job possible not knowing the physical, emotional, and financial nightmare ive been through.



DH was supportive at beginning of Dx and initial surgery. Now he says absolutely nothing. My breasts are still in ugly phase and no where near final nipple stage, so he is not seeing the light at the end like Im trying to. He just sees $$$ and cant believe I will going on surgery #7 two years after diagnosis.



So ditto on not thinking about recurrence because in too much pain dealing with recon surgeries.



So when recon all over I hope to be able to put it all past and that recurrence thoughts dont come in place of my life/time being focused on recon surgeries, surgery recovery, lymphedema, PT-CLT appointments, HBOT appointments, etc. etc.



>

Floraform-

Thank you for your thoughts. I had BRCA genetic testing which was negative. The genetic consultant at Mayo said mine more difficult to determine because I have a very small family tree. Maternal grandmother did have BC. My sister was not happy I did genetic testing and I didnt tell her until after.



I'm surprised that my daughter doesnt want to know more. She plans to pursue a PhD in Biochemistry with interest in neuro-oncology. She does need more time to mature. She did agree to feel one of the tumors that was easily palpable in my fold that my gyno even missed. I know I go a little overboard having worked in health outcomes research and will probably ease up once I get past all this.



We all hope our daughters dont get BC, but at least we know they will be better informed on recon options as we all have been fortunate to have found some of the best microsurgeons in the U.S.!

Marty, Thank you, I like that thought, and will guard my mind to be more positive. Sometimes it's a battle. I have had a very good run in the last 18 years and mostly the last 10 not thinking too much of cancer. Did the best to get rid of it and thought it was for good. This is a blip, maybe getting me back to smelling the roses instead of just walking past them?



But thanks!!!