Charleston Bound, part 2

Gma-remember I am in Charleston if you need anything, talk, directions, etc.

Hugs!

Pink, I woke up this morning thinking about your post and how after so many surgeries people might think its about perfect breasts. Good grief, I am so sorry you've had that experience and I hope it gets better.



I don't know if any of you have had a flap fail. But I did. No ones fault, my veins didn't support it, so hoping the HBOT helped. But, the point of this thought is I have one flap on the right and have experienced a flat no flap left side for 8 months. That being said, it's not pleasant other than the fact that its flat, it hurts if ANYTHING bumps against it. Bone on bone and even if bumped ever so lightly it hurts. Even wearing a prosthesis in a bra made for it, it hurts when worn for a whole day.



We were made to have padding of some sort on our chest and if the Federal Gov saw fit to write the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 that should be proof positive, people should understand that all we want is to be whole again. And, whole again in the manner in which we believe will most likely make us 'feel' as whole as we can, if that is possible. We may or may not carry a niggling thought every now and then that we heard the BC dx, but we need our bodies to be somewhat as close as possible to before BC.

GMA~

Loved Dr. Baron.  Gave me a big hug after pre-op appt with him.  Came to see me next morning before surgery and gave me another.  He was only in my surgery doing his part for lymph node transfer for about 15 minutes.  Did not need to see him post op.  I did get to meet Dr. Craigie this time when he did rounds and removed one of my drains.  He and Dr. Kline make a great team - love them both.

Got an email yesterday from Dr. Kline answering a question for me.  He mentioned he just got done going to Festival of Lights with his little ones and had fun "stuffing ducks."    I told him I enjoyed going to the Festival on James Island too, but didn't stuff any ducks as my daughter already has 3 or 4 Build-A-Bears she still won't part with at age 17.  Did you meet his kids?  He brought them in on rounds one morning during my Stage 1.

So happy for you getting a condo on Isle of Palms.  Sure you got a great deal in January.  Even though it was obviously too cold to swim in the ocean, I enjoyed beachwalking four times while there.  I did go in ocean up to my knees though.  Love to just walk and people and dog watch.  Fun watching the surfers, and paddle board surfers too. 

Take care and Happy New Year!

Dr Baron actually did my mastectomies as well, and he is so warm and friendly and his credentials are fantastic. I saw him in April and then in September when I went into Dr. Kline's for a check on my seromas. I tried to get into him on the 2nd but he is in surgery so may see him sometime while I'm in Charleston in January or Feb. I would highly recommend him to anyone without hesitation.



Dr. Kline did bring his daughter and son with him on a couple of mornings (different times I was in the hospital in April and May) they were so cute. Funny about the stuffing ducks. They just seem so real to me. Dr. Baron, Dr Kline, Dr Craigie - Chris, Kim, Gail, Leigh, Erica, all seem like they really care. I had many a local Plastic Surgeon who didn't give that caring feeling but more of a number or dollar sign. I think that is why the drive and expense to go back to Charleston doesn't seem that far fetched, we want to be human, not just a dx.



Now, if my hubby can only fit into the car all the stuff I've got packed!!! Not stuff for the hospital, I know I used very little of what I brought last time, but this stuff is for staying in the condo for 38 days. Creature comforts, extra towels, extra sheets, etc. Couldn't do it if I was flying though.



Happy New Year all!



Hugs



Catie

Marty,

Yes, good idea. I had planned on taking my two boomerang pillows and forgot about how they would fit into the car! This will be a photo op for sure. Luckily some of the stuff is consumable (my stash of pads, and first aid stuff that I used in April) and food ( staple sort of stuff for my daughter to prepare meals for us).



But pillows are my friend so will make sure to stuff available space with pillows.



I think the closer the surgery date gets the more I'm on this site. Feels good to be able to chat with people who have been there and understand the quirks involved.





Thanks much Marty. Will drive carefully, or should say hubby will. He will drive us, stay for surgery and getting me out of the hospital and then leave after my daughter arrives. He will fly home on a buddy pass if he can get on and leave the car just in case it's too difficult to get into my daughters car for doctor check ups, etc. then he'll fly back and drive me home. Or at least that is the plan at this point.



I cannot believe how fast the time is going right now!



Hugs



Catie

Thanks Marty! I couldn't say it better. Happy New Year everyone.

Catie--



I'll be thinking of you for your surgery on Thursday and praying for great success and easy recovery.



All -- I made benne wafers today -- a Charleston treat that are a thin sesame seed cookie. Love them!



Happy New Year to all BC sisters and to many years of survivorship and good life.

Sending a very HAPPY and HEALTHY new year to ALL my "BREAST FRIENDS."   

We will TRANSCEND!

((((HUGS)))) to all.  

Happy New Year to all the wonderful Charleston Ladies!  

Sandi

Happy new year! Double fun for me and hubby as it is our anniversary as well. Spent it driving to Charleston. Rained all the way until we got close, then the sun came up and shined our way to Isle of Palms.



The condo is my Christmas and Anniversary present. Marty, it's beautiful here, all decorated for Christmas on the Palm trees, absolutely happy looking! Too bad its not just for a vacation! Funny thing is the person renting the condo to us had to work with me re the amount of time I'm spending here. He knew it was for reconstruction and then staying in town recouping - but wrote " have a nice vacation" on an email. Cute!



Go for MRA and the the usual Dr stuff tomorrow. Helps doing another stage 1 having gone through it already though. And knowing Dr K and group will take excellent care of me! Thanks Pink, will appreciate the prayers.



Again, Happy New Year!



Catie

Gma10- thinking of you. Sounds like you have a great place to stay and recover.

Gma10 - Welcome!  Will be thinking of you tomorrow and sending healing thoughts.  In a way this is a vacation - you get great doctors, wonderful nurses who treat you as if you were at a spa, food served to you, your DH and daughter taking care of everything when you get back to the condo and you get to enjoy your walks in paradise.  Hmmm, could be a worse recovery location.

gma, Thinking of you and sending good thoughts to both you and your surgical team. Sooo happy that your HBOT helped, I am not certain it made much of a difference for me. My skin from the outside looked better at the time, but it is back to being red again most likely from the additional trauma of my stage 2  three wks ago. I guess I wont know for certain until we determine if the fat grafting took, Dr. K says to wait about 3 months. Either way, HBOT is a good thing for blood supply and certainly does not hurt. Well, except for the time commitment

You are in the best of hands, good luck tomorrow! 

Gma10/Catie,

Prayers for you, docs, nurses, all tomorrow! Keep us posted when you're feeling better.

Dr. Kline also said HBOT made difference. I could tell on one area externally but he also said internal healing tissue much improved. Still, they found more Alloderm garbage in another area near axilla and had to do clean up work again but no need for more hbot.

Take care.

gma10-I will be thinking of you tomorrow and hoping everything goes smoothly! 

I don't post a lot but have done a lot of lurking and soaking in knowledge from everyone.  My name isn't on the list at the top, but I am scheduled for stage 1 bilateral s-gap next Friday, the 11th with Drs. Craige and Kline.  I have been researching and thinking about this for so long now, I can't believe I am on the final countdown!