Charleston Bound, part 2

Thanks, Beth and Catie. Catie - also glad to confirm you're really you, since I suddenly noticed the name change!



So glad to be home. My mom flew back to Nashville today so it's just us at home and looks like I won't go back to Dr for check-up until Tues the 19th. Beth - I was there at West Ashley from 1-3 but was so focused I obviously paid no attention to anyone else.



Path report showed I had I undiagnosed AHL so my actual risk was 62.2% rather than 41% ... Knowing I've had the surgery was the best birthday present ever. Also, small miracles along the way like total strangers who gave my mom and me a ride to see Dr Kline on Super Bowl Sunday night during my bleeding emergency - only to learn on the way that my driver had lost his first wife to BC 3 years ago. He knew I needed to get to my doctor when he offered the ride but not the reason ... It clearly touched him to "pay it forward" ... And I was so very grateful to be the beneficiary. I don't even know his name.



Hugs, peace and healing to all.

Hi all! Like Jaime, we have been out in the Atlantic on a family cruise. A group of 50 with 23 related. So glad you are all doing well and are tucked safely in your own beds. We are heading home from Jax to a rainy Charleston, but home to Charleston. See you soon. Talk sooner.

Beth,



Hope your recovery is going well!

I took Dr Kline's consult advice to heart about needing protein before and after surgery. My Charleston friend was amazed at how much protein I carried around with me and bought at Publix and ordered in restaurants.



Some of my favs:

Luna bars, soynuts, almonds, hard boil eggs, bottled Carnation Breakfast, greek yogurt, hummus, peanut butter, cheese, tuna, chicken, salmon, shrimp.



I also had to eat high calorie foods to gain weight. Still working on that. Not always good at eating healthy calories!



You may want to see a nutritionist for educated advice. During radiation I had to see rad onc and nutritionist every week. Rads made me sick with pain and lost more weight from it. Went home from appts with sack full of Boost samples every week.



I also had friend bring me my food and drinks (gotta have my canada dry brand ginger ale) to hospital because Im so picky Also not a fan of sausage and gravy being brought to me.

Especially with the blue barf bag waiting just in case and sitting on my bed indicating how I was feeling .....



I wish you lot and lots of good healing as you get ready for your next surgery!

i actually have 3 blue b*** bags (can't stand to even spell it) that I didn't have to use, but had them anyway. Each trip one to use and one for the road!



Pink, wow, what a line up of protein! I try as much as possible, but really not possible to eat the required grams of protein, so I get close although I'm allergic to milk and have to watch soy (thyroid issues) - so lots of peanut butter, chicken, turkey, beef, and easy on the eggs because of an egg allergy. Dr. K hasn't steered me wrong so far, so I pretty much take it to heart and do my best. Good thing they had that info re protein in their booklet to reinforce the need for so much protein. I did find there was protein in popcorn as well - my snack of choice.



Marty, hope your cruise was a fun one! Less than 2 months until your stage 2?

Catie - Cruise was fun, but ate too much food that I don't eat.  Wheat!  Yikes, why did I not just say no.  Oh well.  Yes, Becky just emailed me with the schedule for surgery and pre-op.  Yep, a bit over 7 weeks to go.  Gotta start cleaning house and getting it ready.

To add to the protein snack list to bump up the levels:  herring in wine sauce (5 pieces = 8 gm); trader joes nova salmon pieces (4 oz - 26 gm); turkey jerky (1 oz = 11 gm).  I try to eat protein at mid morning and mid afternoon in addition to b, l & d.  I, too, try to avoid soy and dairy. 

Cascader's popcorn is much like my fav except I use clarified butter and haven't tried the soy sauce (gotta do that some time), though I have been off grains so do popcorn infrequently.

bethcw, Thanks for sharing those links. The Juven looks like it would be a good product for everyone to take after surgery, wish I had known about it earlier, especially during radiation.

Good luck this week!

Marty- I haven't gotten any schedule for surgery or pre-op and my surgery is next Friday. I wonder why that is. The hospital called me though.

Beth,

Good luck tomorrow!

Please let us know your surgery date. My next surgery is March 28. I'll be hanging around town March 21 thru April 18.

Blessings!

Beth, the nutritionists also gave me the Juven, I can't do the one with aspartame though so the fruit punch is the only one I can do. Although I came to a point that I don't think the Dr was impressed with me continuing. Wish the EAS wasn't driven by whey - sounds like it should be super beneficial if you can do the whey.



Cherrie, hoping all goes well for you on upcoming surgery next Friday. The time seems to fly by in that last week, so much to do.



Ketch, hoping smooth sailing on your surgery and swift healing.



Pink, if you are there that long, I should be able to see you at some point!

Cherrie... I had 14 months between 2 and 2b but that was because the doctor wanted to make sure all swelling had gone away and he'd know exactly what he was dealing with. He asked for 9 months.. I think its a good approach.

I had a funny dream the other night, it was so vivid and real. I went in for my last surgery to get nipples and there were tens of thousands of people in the pre-op area , all waiting for nipples.I was put in a gown and just told to wait my turn. I waited for what seemed like days, so was wandering around talking to others and outside they had a rock concert going on to keep us entertained while we were waiting, people were wildly dancing. There was also a really nice park with a big fountain where there were hundreds of other women in gowns waiting their turn. I was getting upset and trying to find someone to tell them that my gown was wet(?) and I needed a clean one but all I found was my primary care doctor from home  upstairs in a closet trying on snow pants! The End.

Now I am going to have visions of butt flashes as the women danced wildly in their hospital gowns.  I wonder if that was the fountain of youth?

Slh, Thanks, I like that interpretation.Very true. I also remember trying to tell everyone that this couldn't be East Cooper and I had previously experienced Such great compassionate individualized care.

I have been fretting about this next surgery and whether to get a nipple or not, just go the 3D route. Thought I might take a break from all of this , but another side of me just wants to be done.

Maybe I just want to be dancing at a concert? Anyways, I will see Dr K this weekend at the conference inSeattle, so will talk to him then.

Oh, I have been taking melatonin to help sleep, increases dreams

Kim,  Great!  I'm glad you would like it.  PM me your name and address and I will put it in Monday's mail  Oops, I think that is President's day, so I guess it will be Tuesday.  Good luck in NOLA!  Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.  Who's your dr?

Kim.. Just looked at the other thread... You have Dr D? They will send you home with whatever you need... so you don't need to acquire anything prior... And if you get home and need a different size, they will send that to you overnight. They give you the Veronique, and it will have zippers.. and you will need the zippers for the duration you have drains.. and with GAP flap that can be many weeks (I had drains for 8.5 weeks).