Diep 2012

BTW.. I recommend a probiotic, like Align. I can't guarantee it helps, but I think it does. Certainly doesn;t hurt.

Galsal, if you go to Marena.com, I ordered FBS. I had lipo at upper trunk and hips so it's very high waisted.

Shells, thanks!  I might not be the one to talk with though.  My diep procedure was aborted during the surgery due to unusual complications.  For me, it turns out there was a hereditary issue that caused the complication.

Oh no, GalSal, I'm sorry! I didn't know. What is going on? SO can I sit between you (hee hee) so that I can get both sides? What is a Marena? I guess I need to do more research.

OK Girls..this is no joke...Tom and I were at Cheesecake Factory last weekend!!!  Where were you all???  I could've talked diep all night.  Thanks to all again, for your love, concern and support!  I do still love my new toobs..am sad that now they have to share space with a port..darn.  My tummy still has the same bulge, which a little lipo improved, but I think bdavis is right...it seems when I'm more active, there's less swelling so maybe the exercise thing helps.  It's just hard when you're just recovering from stage 1 or 2, to get good exercise.  The Marena is so amazing!!!  Glad yours is coming Beckers and the veronique found a home!!!  

An fyi on my "chemistry"...I am BRCA negative.  I lost 4 aunts to bc and another is a survivor (the youngest aunt...who is now 76).  Cancer is prevalent on both sides of my family (12 kids in both parents families!).  That's why my center felt it was important for me to be tested with my first diagnosis.  With the 2nd diagnosis, they said they're sure I probably have a bc gene...it's just not identified as yet.  They've encouraged me to bank my blood, so that when other genes are identified, my blood can be tested...for all future generations, if desired. 

I also wanted to let you know that I was given the report that my brain and bones are clear!!!  Prayers answered!!!  Now it's total concentration on healing my liver...and I look forward to that

Happiest New Year wishes to all my diep sisters...XOXO

Hi Ronnie!!! My Marena should be here tomorrow and I'm very excited. I'm also happy for you to be able to just focus on the liver! Good news that brain and bones are clear! You hang in there. Hope you got some r & r.



I am just trying to bounce back from stage 2. I drove today and just taking Tylenol in daytime. Everything looks good. Just big bruise where I had fat grafting and minor bruising at lipo sites. I'm supposed to go to work finally at the end of his month. Need to keep working on this energy level!



Hope everyone planning or recovering from DIEP is doing well!

Ronniekay, so glad you had some good news. We are all thinking of you and appreciate your humor, kindness, and strength every time you post.



Beckers happy healing to you too!



I am 10 wks out and just spent 30 mins on the treadmill! I feel pretty darn good. Looking back it's amazing how much healing has occurred since surgery. Now I just have some brief stinging sensations I think from stitches in ab muscles. For those of you still early, I am amazed at how my dog ears have shrunk and breasts are very soft and natural (despite numbness on skin). I won't have stage 2 until spring but appreciate hearing about everyone's progress.



Wishing you all health and happiness in 2013!

RonnieKay-what wonderful news for you. What an emotional high you must be on right now after the news you first had. Now, focus on that liver healing. You have amazing strength and you will do great. Is there a plan for treatment for this?

I second Linda's recommendation for PT! After suffering with arm pain that was much worse than any of the surgery pain....and not getting any relief from the surgical team ...."give it time"....I finally got my PHCP to refer me to PT which has given me great relief! Today I was given other home instructions and won't be back unless needed. I walked 5 miles yesterday, and today rode my bike to and from the gym (about two miles round trip) ...and got a reduced workout at the gym. (Don't want to over do it !)



I'll get my stage 2 somewhere around May...so I intend to get back in shape before then!

Me too!! I'm a big cheerleader for PT. And I have learned that the more it hurts, the more difference it makes. I just do the "lamaze breathing" that I never had to use thanks to ending up with a C Section. It's only pain and it's over soon. :-)

She's now nagging me to make sure I do core strengthening and not just running/walking, because running without strong core puts more stress on lower back, already stressed by the leaning forward that our short front side produces. I was doing endurance on the treadmill (an hour or more) at 2 weeks post DIEP and it was great for me mentally and physically, but my core was weak and I paid for it in shoulders and hips. I'm catching up on the core strength now and I feel it making an impact.

The PT time is also my "me" time for when I still feel a little bit of leftover need for someone to there-there me and make it all better. I think she does more for me in 20 minutes than the psychologist can do in an hour (as much as that's worth it too). That's why I don't think it's a bad thing that I am a year out now and still doing PT. It's covered by my benefit plan, and it's such a plus for me that I will take it as long as I can have it.

Glad others are having benefit from PT also, and that people seem to be doing pretty well. 

I had this same conversation with my sister yesterday!

She has a torn rotator cuff and can't have surgery (it is too torn-up so nothing to sew together with chance of success) so she is going on a year now of PT -- and slowly seeing success.

Her first PT was LAZY and just watched as my sis worked the machines as she was shown. My sis got bored with it and fired the PT.

She found her second PT through her chiropractor/cranial sacral guy and her acupuncturist... and the new PT has NEVER put her on machines -- spends the entire session massaging etc.

After hearing what my PT does, Sis was all excited that I have a good one.

So -- here is what my PT does (so far -- but I have only had two sessions): She massages me or bends my arm impossible directions for the full hour. Next time she wants me to come for 90 minutes -- and I see her every 2 weeks because I live so far away. She spent about 10 minutes massaging the pectoral scar of the right breast (non-cancer side) this time -- after I actually asked her to! Then it hurt more than I liked and she laughed -- reminded me I had asked for it!

She also worked a lot this last time on my left hand and lower arm, where I still am experiencing the cording pangs (the entire 'knot' in my elbow and cording up inside of lower arm and from knot to the armpit seems completely gone since my first appointment with her -- at which time she also massaged those areas deeply, then put my hand in her armpit (I was laying face-up, and she stood next to the table) and she jumped up and down for about 5-6 minutes -- the bizarity of it was pretty funny and took my mind off how much it hurt!

To begin and end every session she does the lymph massage, redirecting the lypmph fluid from my (13-nodes-removed) left side over towards the right arm pit.

She also asked what other body issues I have (swollen ankles after hiking) and showed me self-massage for that... and then she worked for at least ten minutes on old repetitive-motion-disease I have in my left hand/lower arm -- which she said although a pre-existing-condition all ties into the new cording and tightness.

Very whole-istic thinking... and I feel super lucky to have a PT who doesn't seem hung up on sticking strictly to what the doc sent me there for.

This last time she also worked on the left shoulder -- bending my arm way up and backwards, while she held the shoulder blade in place... It hurt! But she is funny -- I love her personality, and she keeps reminding me that this is what she is paid for!

Probably if she wasn't PT -- she could have found work as a domimatrix!

My vote would be to see if you can't get some reccommendations from other outside sources, then ask your onc or surgeon for a new prescription. You were PRMA -- right? My nurse there was Amy (Dr Nastala) -- and Amy has been super helpful post surgery ... I bet your nurse would be, too -- and they are willing to write the prescription, but if you are outside of San Antonio, you kind of have to find your own PT to hand the prescription to...

Good Luck!

Linda

Good luck! Sounds perfect!

The other great thing for me is that because I live waaaaaaaay out in the country (40 miles to the nearest tiny town) this PT is a great reason to go into the 'big city' (Santa Fe) every 2 weeks. I have realized that I must spend the night - it is 3.5 hours to get there, and no way I will get the most from my treatment if I climb back into driver's seat for another 3.5 hrs home in the dark on mountain roads.

MUCH better to get my nails done -- then visit Trader Joes and Whole Foods to stock up on organice food -- and even have a chance for a good restaurant dinner and maybe even see a movie -- then drive home in a relaxed state in the morning -- with daylight!

I absolutely LOVE my man -- but it is kind of fun to have 36 hours that is completely 'about me'

I hope the PT goes on for a long LONG time -- and am going to ask her to work on neck next time -- had a car accident about 6-7 years ago and still much scar tissue on muscles/tendons in neck/shoulders... surely exacerbated by these surgeries/awkward sleeping positions and stress. (Yes, even 'calm-old-me' does have some stress over all this!

Linda

My PT gave me home exercises, too -- but I must admit with the holidays I hadn't done them even once -- so my current state of increased range of motion is completely due to her massage/ministrations during the two one-hour sessions.

San Felipe sounds wonderful! How long are you visiting? 

Linda

I'm a super rah-rah person for pt, as I've probably typed before.  I experienced the same treatment protocol as Linda...so feel like I healed (w/range of motion, etc.) very quickly.  My pt was also the one that told me which hard spots were able to be massaged and which would be removed during stage 2, which to me was such a gift because I didn't worry as much about them being there.  She was right!  I even pointed out one she'd found that surprised the ps...so he softened it up.  Fredntan...you should get better help

Chacha..so excited you're getting back to your normal routine & San Felipe   I'm not familiar with it, but having lived in Poway, and my husband being with US Customs in San Diego there, we visited different glorious spots south of the border.  Enjoy...a perfect place to continue healing!

Beckers...hoping to hear the Marena is all we made it out to be!

Thinking of you all...next Wed is my date for treatment plan.  Hoping to keep track of my sisters for a LONG time!

Yeah -- my clinic (and PT) are also designated as "sports medicine" -- maybe this is one way of aiming towards the more active kind of PT. (?)

I had a car accident several years ago and a few weeks of PT -- he was more the "lazy" sort -- he showed me exercises and then watched as I performed them in their little gym. On the one hand, I knew how to correctly do the exercises at home -- on the other hand, I DIDN'T do them -- had a bad concussion, too, and simply couldn't concentrate on doing much of anything at that point. 

The good part was that because I saw him twice a week, I at least did the exercises while he had me under his thumb.  But he wouldn't even talk to me about other aches/pains not related to what he considered to be the car accident: neck and core strength only. I had a huge hard lump on the back of one calf (bad bruise from the accident) but he wouldn't rub it or tell me how to, either -- I STILL have that lump! Maybe I will ask the new Super-PT about it!

I sure prefer this new PT (with all her hands-on healing work).

Linda