Charleston Bound, part 2

Catie - if he just told you about the damage, I wonder who has stayed there since you went home. It has been a while. I would def leave a bad review wherever, but I don't know who you would complain to.



Spoleto is an international arts festival that begins the Friday of Memorial Day weekend and lasts just under 3 weeks. Spoleto events tend to be sold out and expensive, but the city sponsored Piccolo Spoleto is more reasonable. It can be quite crowded and parking can be a challenge. I wouldn't do any of it after a Stage 1. But stage 2b and beyond, probably.



I am doing 4,000 of D3. 1000 of C as ascorbic acid. 15 mg of Zinc ( which I will stop a few days before surgery as it effects the antibiotics). Also, Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega. 400 of Magnesium Citrate. Dr. Marga has me off of Turmeric Force and Green Tea Extract for a while.

Cascader - Dr Massey asked me to stop only the herbals.  Not sure why, but am going with her preference.  She had me stop them at 4 weeks.  I asked about arnica during our consult and she indicated that she preferred to leave it out of the mix until after Stage 2, if then.  Microsurgeons are very cautious individuals about what may cause bleeding.  I have some arnica pills and gel just in case she gives me permission to use after.

Thanks! I did not know that about tumeric. I too abide by my docs wishes and stop everything, cant remember if it is 2 or 4 weeks out. Happy Sunday!

Beth, so sorry about your failed flap.

Catie, definitely leave the guy a bad review on VRBO and stay on him. Unfortunately, in SC, you will have to go to a magistrate to file & send a certified letter which has to be followed up with magistrate's court. You may want to go ahead and send the certified letter & then have a magistrate lined up for when you return. My bet is that he knows all this and just is not returning your deposit knowing that you are out of state and thinks you probably will not be back to follow up. I'd let him know differently. (I have some rental homes and had to go through this process with a bad renter. Luckily, I had photos to back up my refusal of deposit.) Another thing I would ask him for if you go the certifed route & let him know you are coming back and going to magistrate's court is a receipt where he had to replace or repair the bed. As a property owner, he would not be fixing anything himself due to tax write-offs & even if he did, it weakens his case & I'd also ask for photographic proof.

Panda, the imagining place is on 17 right in front of the Marriott Courtyard. I agree with not locking in dates. I wound up in hospital 2 more days because of my small vessel. Dr K really did not want me to leave the hospital then but he knew I was close by with my mother watching me like a hawk! I did fine once I got in the condo.

My flap is still alive & I guess we are past the point of it failing. They told me 4 days usually. My right side feels more like it is part of me still, but I seem to have some hard spots on my right flap, then my left one where Dr K expected the fat necrosis is about half hard. I am doing everything I was told but the fat is dying and it seems like a lot to me. I have plenty more to replace it with though! The hard spots on the left and down my sternum still tighten up. I can't take the valium, so just put up with it. I'm still not 100% after 5 weeks. Luckily, I closed my business and just buy back textbooks in roadside kiosks at semesters' end, so I shuold be in much better shape by the end of April.

Take care Beth.  I am glad you are home safely and again I am sorry about your flap.  You certainly have a great attitude and that is what will get you through all of this.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.  God Bless

Catie,



Sorry to hear how unreasonable the condo owner is being. I called him to inquire about the condo availability when I was here and he said it was booked. Sounds like he is a real (fill in the blank).



I would go online to Trip Advisor and warn others. The only thing is I would specifically mention his unit number because Dunescape complex as a whole isn't the prob. Just Google -- Trip Advisor, Dunscape, Isle of Palms. And report away.



Hope you get this resolved without having to go to court.

Deidre, I never had problems per se, but I know I was very limited in my mobility per the Dr. However, now, almost a year, if I lift anything heavy or pull anything (like the heavy towels or rugs) out of the dryer in the 'wrong way' I feel it. It goes away, but still little twinges - I'm thinking it's muscle that wasn't being used now being used. What kind of trouble??



I didn't sleep well last night, couldn't get that condo owner out of my mind! It would be one thing if he was RIGHT!!! I would have admitted it, tried to make it right before I even left as we had rental condos at Hilton Head in the past, and I wouldn't want his upcoming tenant to have to deal with it!!! Luckily I brought people in to see the condo, not sure if they would have noticed that side of the bed not being used, but at no time was anything broken!



I am giving him a few days to respond to my email, then will certainly do the VRBO thing and everywhere else including trip advisor that I can - I think that will hurt him the most. But, I'm hoping that he comes to his senses. I may also follow up with some very stern words. Not sure the magistrate thing is cost effective, though. While I'm glad it's an option - I'm not sure how to serve him (he lives in Charlotte NC) from GA to go to a SC court!!! And will the cost of the travel for me to go to court be more $$$$. Will have to think about it. He did have pictures, Ketch. But I didn't do the damage, again, wouldn't dream of lying about it. I think his cleaning crew did it or they are old photos, but will ask him for receipts and copies of emails to/from his cleaning crew regarding the break and the fix.



Mysteriously he left his job (hmmmmm) so wondering if it's a money issue for him - good grief just tell me if it is but don't accuse me of something I didn't do! I told him a lady with her second bout of breast cancer is not going to give up her soul for $250.00!!!!!!!



Thanks for the advice,



Hugs

Davy ,



It is a range of motion issue. I am trying exercises where I stand in front of a door facing or wall and try to slide my extended arms as far up as they will go. This has helped some, but I am (for example) having a hard time putting on a winter coat and reaching up to the microwave, even though I can bend down and pick up a fairly heavy backpack.



I just wondered if anyone had been given exercises to do. Local people hate to provide advice because they're scared (even now) they'll advise me to do something that ends up hurting me! And I don't have a lot of time because I leave on Easter for 3.5 weeks on a very strenuous overseas business trip, with lots of flights and lugging of a suitcase and backpack through train stations ...



Thanks in advance for any advice.



Deidre

I agree with Jeskachi that it sounds like frozen shoulder.  I had that happen after my first MX.  You should get to a PT ASAP (before France) as they can give you special stretches that will help in addition to therapy.  The wall walking did nothing for me.  

Oh Catie... Phew!!!

Thanks, and I did put in the email about being a part of a large group of tight knit people who would be in need of the Charleston area for our Drs., thanks Deidre! But, that was in my reply to him after he sent the email this afternoon.



But, yes, WHEW!!!! Now to get the check. However, the hardest part was thinking either he was a scammer (can't help thinking that kind of stuff these days) or that he thought I was scamming him!!!



I would love to solve his problem in why did it happen, but I just have no clue how it could have happened and so very glad it didn't happen when I was in it!



I think we all have a very healthy respect for what our Docs tell us and not wanting to either damage the flaps or the donor site (not to mention the hurt - or the drains!!! Yikes)



Thanks for letting me vent!!!



Does the hospital or the Drs give out bras for stage 2? I know they will give us 2 of the torture devices (compression garments) but not sure if I need to pack my bras from stage 1a and 1b or to bring normal bras.

Catie, I went home after stage 2 with just a compression girdle on and no bra. Dr. K did not want me in one, but I asked for one to take home so they gave me one bra, and one camisole. I am a size S/M and was given a size XL camisole. If anyone would like this let me know, I think maybe I tried wearing it once in the hotel but that is it, so like new. I was not given an extra compression garment but brought along my spanx to wear while doing laundry at hotel. Later when I got home I ordered a Marena. Next time I will ask for two bras, not pretty but handy to have.

Also, I just saw this new product to hold drains. Good to know there are options out there. I just used safety  pins and was fine with that, but this does look like it would be really great for air travel.

www.flowerpotz.com

Just wanted to share a little upbeat note. I received my Old Navy package in the  mail today, I had ordered a couple sleeveless button down tops and a wrap around dress in preparation for my next surgery. For fun I also ordered a bathing suit top, and if I do say so myself,  my boobs look great! This is the FIRST TIME I have felt this way about my recon since it started, always a bit critical of myself.  No hollow chest, no extra pads, and there was even the appearance of symmetry. A little vain, yes I know, but it gave me a positive boost for sure. And we ALL need those once in awhile Seeing light at the end of the tunnel........Thank you Dr. Kline!

Yeah Cascader!  A well deserved boost to your self image!

Hi all,

The weather still cold today, but at least got some sunshine and drove to my appointment today with sunroof open.  Trying to make the most of it.  Back home in Indiana there is 9 inches of snow, so glad to be here and not there!  Mostly going out to eat and having a drink every night, but with surgery two days away -- no more wine.  Tonight it's Gatorade spiked with miralax.  Yum.

I had my pre op with Dr. Kline and Chris today.  I kind of liked having it two days before surgery.  They are both so very easy going and I didn't feel one bit nervous.  We just talked about everything we've been emailing back and forth about since last surgery, plus things he added seeing me in person.

I don't have any markings this time.  Dr. K just examined and pushed around and had Chris write down everything.  He is going to work on a neuroma I have but no promises on that.  He is also going to work on the evil axillary cording that has been a beast to me ever since my lymph nodes were dissected.  There's no guarantee but I'm tired of the pain and pulling of the cord growing out of my arm pit, and willing to take the risk.  Another PS tried a year ago, but made it worse.  Dr. Kline is taking a different surgical approach.  The LE therapist will wrap my arm before I go into the OR on Thursday morning at 9 am.  Have to be there by 7 am. 

I told him my butt/SGAP incisions have been flaring off and on since surgery in August, but they haven't been infected.  I thought the last few weeks one side itched and was rough, and he looked and said I had a fungal infection and gave me an Rx (nystatin) that I filled today. 

Now for the fun part!  My right radiated breast is getting major revision.  I expected this as he did not want to do anything to it last surgery because of doing LNT surgery at same time during Stage 2a.  The good news is I have had ZERO fat necrosis from my bilateral SGAP breast recon.  But my right breast has been difficult because of rads and the alloderm (that was supposed to be supporting the stupid implant I used to have) had come loose or something and was bunched up in my fold and then radiation basically melted it into my chest wall of course at the spot where one of the tumors was in fold mashed against chest wall that breast surgeon worked for hours to get out. 

So my favorite doctor said he still has more of that fun Alloderm to clean out on that outer fold of right breast which is what the hard spot is -- not necrosis from flap.  So quite a bit work there on rightie, but only that side will be the only drain and he said that it wouldn't be in long at all.

Leftie is only an A cup, so has some catching up with rightie that is a B cup.  So lots and lots of fat grafting which will primarily come from my belly, which is where the 10 lbs of fried chicken I gained landed.   He said, like we've all heard, that it will take more than one fat grafting session to achieve symmetry - at least for me.  He also told me before that I wouldn't need compression since I am so thin, but now decided I should for a week or two.  He also said if any skin should hang in belly after lipo>>fat grafting, that NEXT TIME he would do a skin tuck to keep belly smooth and flat.  NEXT TIME?  I expected a Stage 2c and 2d to just be fat grafting.  Whatever, when the time comes...  

Also, Dr. K said he would start with my belly for lipo to see what he could get for adding volume to left breast.  Then he said he would go to my inner and outer thighs.  Then I kind of whined about that, so then he said he would go for my knees.  I didn't know I had fat in my knees! - I thought that was just 50+ old skin hanging there on inside of knees.  So because of my whiney mouth, I'm now going to wake up in a compression garment that goes below my knees!  I jokingly asked if they had it in black so that it might pass for black leggings under a long tunic type top, but they just have the ugly beige.  Oh well, at least it will match the beige wrapping on my right arm . . .  

Cascader, I am so happy for you and your excitement and feeling good about the results of your natural breast reconstruction.  You are NOT vain.  Thanks for sharing --it really helps me find more patience and hope.

Catie, so glad you are getting your deposit back!!  My friend and I went to IOP yesterday to eat dinner (Banana Cabana), and it was sunny but a very blustery day and hair in a pony tail a must.  I did walk down to see where Dunescape was and looked very nice especially having the oceanfront large private balcony and steps from your door straight down to beach.

Tomorrow my friend will be gone from 10 am to 10 pm, so on my last day of freedom and feeling good, I am bundling up and heading to Folly Beach.  This time I am going to do beach walks down by the lighthouse.  Then shop around a little, then go to a restaurant/bar on water to toast the sunset with a soda & miralax.   

iPhone, charger, AND extension cord are going with me to East Cooper hospital, so will post again after this Stage 2b surgery on Thursday evening or Friday.  Take care to everyone, too!