DIEP 2013

Kimdy,  I am so sorry about the delay and the chemo damage.  Aaarrrggghhhh!  The GO that Bdavis recommended were:  Gilligan & O'Malley® Women's Fluid Knit Sleep Pant - Assorted Colors.  I found a jacket that matched in the store.  I bought in both my size and one size larger.  Really comfy!

Nihahi-do you have access to Soma in Canada? I love my Soma sleepwear , I know it's more spendy than Target, but the Cool Nights collection is very soft. I wore my pjs everywhere I went for the first 6 weeks......they were wonderful. Just a thought for a backup plan......



I feel like the Door-mouse in Alice in Wonderland...I hit a wall this afternoon, and cannot stay awake.......going to take a nap.......maybe will post later.....



Adios!

Namaste and God bless - Jackie

For the Gilligan & O'Malley® Women's Fluid Knit Sleep Pant - Assorted Colors, they also sell just-below-the-knee length as well tha i bought for my summer surgeries. I had compression to the knee and it covered it well... I also bought their nightie and  top. Its like an addiction. I don't think it matters where you live, you can order and have it shipped to your home.

Kuka... My abdominal scar is right where my bikini underwear sits... so fairly low, but my PS was limited I believe by my C-section. He wouldn't have been able to use the skin and I assume fat that was just below that scar, so I think he had to work with what was above it. If you have not had a C-section, I think the scar could be lower... No one ever said this to me, so I am spectulating. Either way, it is all under the bikini.

Yay Faith! Glad to hear of your update and that you like the results.

Kuka - I know the fear in your voice.  They are your babies and you are the mom.  What happened to me is that I just came off of 107 days of 8 dose dense rounds of chemo.  This experience matured my kids big time and I learned to just let it happen.  I am a lot more laid back now too.  You should see my house - I think the bomb squad might visit to do a safety check!   LOL.  My initial reaction was to close ranks on my kids - but we let them help because they really wanted to and needed to.  My kids are 8, 6, and 6.  I've had them showering themselves for almost a year - keep tabs on them but make them do it themselves.  They hate cleaning and tidying but I make them clean up their messes.  They pick out their own clothes, dress themselves, and get on all the damn winter gear that comes with living in Canada - and it's its own nightmare.  My oldest helps my husband do major DIY stuff around the house and he's better than his dad!!!  Because I knew I would need some time to myself this summer - I did something I never thought I would do and signed them up for full day camps.  I really had panic attacks when I did this worrying what would happen if they hated it?  If they cried?  If I cried?  But then I thought they need to spread their wings and so do I.  I am triple negative and although I was declared cancer-free after surgery, I worry that it will come back.  I want to enjoy my kids as much as possible but I feel this strange need to impart upon them NOW a sense of independence and self-reliance.  Honestly, I thought I would be doing this 5 years from now but maybe this is one of the good things  to come out of this experience.  When I was first diagnosed, I looked at my husband and said "what about the kids?" and he said "They are going to have to grow up a little bit quicker.  And that is not a bad thing."  He was right - it was a good thing.  From the sound of it, Kuka, you are a damn good mom.  I know I am one, too.  However, this is about you right now and that is not a bad thing.  Your husband and your kids want to help, I know they do.  Let them and you will all be better for it.  And let a lot of your "expectations" go - everyone will survive if the laundry doesn't get done.  But it will get done just not in the timeframe you expect.  Here is one funny thing that happened just yesterday.  I came out of my chemo world and suddenly remembered NO ONE but ME will ever clean out our fridge.  So I opened the deli drawer in the middle of our fridge.  I cleaned out at least $40+ of moldy cheese! And Geralyn can tell you cheese ain't cheap up here!  I was just about to get all high and mighty about the cheese and chew out my husband and I realized he's been making three lunches, three breakfasts, getting three kids dressed, letting me sleep in, working from home, going to my appts with me, hanging out with me when I felt tired and a bit down, etc.  I thought - I can always buy us more cheese but my husband is irreplacable!  Then my oldest twin came up to me and said "Mommy, there is a huge block of black stuff in the garbage!"  Like it was toxic waste!  Which it practically was. . . 

Geralyn - I laughed when I read all your trips around the Toronto system.  I've done Princess Margaret, Mt. Sinai for MRI and another biopsy after my MRI, Womens' College, Toronto General had my PM films, and Sunnybrooke did my pathology after my lumpectomy.  Being at Juravinski now is very good - it's all under the same roof at least and it is much more humane.  How are you finding things now?  And these pants - do we have them up here in our Targets yet?  I'm from the US orginally and I think my mom could get me some from Ohio if need be . . .

Nihahi - you sound awesome!  Good luck to you next week.  I will get a surgery date next Tuesday (April 9th) and it has to be within the next three weeks.  So I am going to be an April DIEPer!  I am working on cutting back on refined sugars and failing!  Not for healing but because triple negative cancer and I think all cancers seem to love the sugar.  I even have a script for metformin (the diabetes drug and I'm not diabetic) from my GP here because there are studies out there that say triple negative women who take metformin cut their rate of recurrance quite a bit.  However, that being said - I haven't started it yet (might wait until after surgery now) and I am coming off an Easter Bunny high right now.  So I should shut my hypocritical mouth.  I think the more sugar I get out of my diet - the better off I will be.  I am now a smoothie addict.  So I am trying to get my sugar high naturally.  I throw in some protein (not soy) powder, too.  Blueberries, bananas, raspberries, peaches.  I try them all.  I am also trying to get up to 9 servings of fruits and veggies a day and failing!  But every little step in that direction is a good one.  I also was quite the gym rat before this all began and have decided I am going to walk my way through the recovery process.  One slow step at a time.  Chemo left me with weak legs because I didn't do the elliptical or much more than strength training - but I still have a lot of upper body strength and that gives me hope for the post-op.  

And tell me what are you "pre-cooking?"  I've started with chicken noodle soup . . .I am also going to do some pulled pork and pulled chicken.  I'd love to hear what you are making . . . I'm weird like that because I love to cook.  I even made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies today - my first baking experience since I started chemo in December I think!  The kids gobbled them up.  And so did I . . .see I'm a hypocrite.  

BTW, I am loving this thread.  I feel so much better talking to you all.  You're stuck with me now.  

Kimdy...omg...your health struggles sure puts my worries in their place!!! Hope all heals well for you "heart-wise".So hard to have consequences like that, from the treatment to deal with ca, that none of us want to have in the first place!!!! ((((((X))))) to you, big time!

Kuka...so great to hear how happy you are with your PS, makes a HUGE difference doesn't it! I'm sure some of the ladies with experience will add their thoughts re: nipple sparing. 

Faith...gosh, you sound stronger with every post. Your ICU conversations must have been a hoot! Amazing what drugs and sleep deprivation do....good thing some of my nurses are people who know me, so they already are tuned in to my "crazy side"! I've already bribed them with chocolates, in case I'm a big baby post surgery! I left a note with the candy, telling them I was going to try really hard to be good, but nooooooo promises!

MartyJ....I'm going to have to check out that Fitness Pal thing, you've mentioned it before and it sure sounds interesting. 

HHcats....woohoo, another April gal....we'll be dancing around by May! Nutrition/exercise....all we can do is try. Some days are good, some days are not so good. I figure by my age, everything I've ever eaten or done has been rotated through the gauntlet of good for you, not good for you, back to good for you again. I now try to go by what makes me feel good... healthy lifestyle...feel good, slug lifestyle, not so good. So glad you've joined us....so wonderful to have another "slightly crazy" on the thread! We're not "stuck" with you....we've bonded!!!!

I did get some stuff accomplished in the kitchen. I have "half-prepped" stuff and attached instructions for hubby and daughter. I picked things that I know they like, so they'll (hopefully) take the effort to actually make the stuff, instead of choosing fast food takeout. Spaghetti sauce, pot roast, meatloaf, ribs, chicken soup, veggie soup. Got frozen veggies already stocked in the freezer too, as I doubt if they'll do fresh. It'll be enough for us all to survive on, so I'm considering that another thing "done" on my list. 

Hope all have a good night. 

Robin -- Ativan and Ambien were things I needed pre surgery .

Nihahi-- after reading your post, I'm hungry now (heh).



I got a Fitbit and it pairs with the My Fitness Pal program (I'm hoping I'm referring to the same thing you guys are). It logs my steps taken per day along with the exercise times I put in and food when I use these two things together. Very useful tools.

Is the laser treatment paid for by insurance? And how do they do it? Does it hurt?

I guess I'll have to start using the elliptical I got for Christmas tomorrow if I want to loose this weight. I don't think I'm that big, but hey, if it can get me a lower incision and better results then I should try.

My CT is on the 17th and the PS should be able to tell me where he would have to do the incision to be able to get to my blood vessels.

HHcats, you're too funny. Your comments made me laugh, and I have been too stressed out this week to laugh, so thank you😄

All this thoughts keep going through my mind, should I go through with this? Should I just wait it out for a few more years and hope I don't develop cancer? I have never been so scared in my life. I'm not so scared of the actual surgery, but of the outcome. Remember that I have never have anything done to my breasts, I'm just BRCA positive, so I'm afraid that I'm doing this to my body and I'm not going to be happy with the end result. I know I shouldn't this this way, because I'm doing it for my health, but I do. Is that wrong? One of my friends told me that I was being materialistic? But I'm sorry, that's a part of me, it's not something material! I feel like I'm having mini panic attacks and I just don't know how to calm myself.

Omg! This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make and I'm usually very indecisive, urggggg!!

The PS did say that if I'm not happy after recovery he would do lipo and inject the fat in my breast. But he did tell me that the DIEP is a walk in the park compared to lipo. He said it hurts! Is this true?

So please tell me what you would in my situation.

Thank you for listening

Nihahi - Found myself thinking about you last night in the wee hours, wondering if you'd gotten any sleep lately. Reading your post, and hearing about Faith's 'long nap' is such great news.

Ativin has saved me on a few super stressful occasions. My gp prescribed a very low dosage for me, and I've used it the night before test results, before surgeries, and very occasionally in between. I'm prefer to avoid pills - but my GP believes that the wear and tear on your body due to stress, or lack of sleep, is worse than taking a pill. There is nothing like a good nights sleep - it reawaken the inner warrior and makes life so much easier. 

Also, I think it helps the body remember. We operate with so much stress that we incorporate into our daily lives. So achieving a calm mind serves as a mental barometer, -  something that we need to come back to. (I don't mean to assume that everybody is as stressed as me - there are some ladies here who sound wonderfully balanced). 

Geralyn - I'm in the same hospital system as you, and my DIEP (date TBA) Is with Dr Zong's partner. I have heard great things about her.

I'm enjoying the great coffee debate, but I'm not enjoying the pre-op fasting debate. I haven't asked about that one yet - but the idea of going for 36 hours without eating is alarming! I don't think I've ever gone that long without food.

And thank you to those who posted about the 'Jacki'. I've contacted the company and they said that they would ship to Canada - though they don't normally do so.

And Kuka21 - Seriously?! You're friend told you that you are 'materialistic'?! Grrrrrrr. Obviously she's never been in your shoes. Vanity is not a bad word - it's part of life. And we're making a decision that will impact the rest of our lives.  And it should be a decision that you're comfortable for you in every way. I am extremely attached to my body and have been dressing it and tending it for 50 years, so damn right I'm concerned how it looks. And it doens't need to be perfect- it just needs to feel like mine. 

The desicion for me was made when I went to a 'Breast Reconstruction'  presentation. Several surgeons spoke, and then there was a room where we could go to meet women who had had this surgery. They were all topless, and wearing tiaras and inviting everyone to feel their breasts. And they were all thrilled with the results. Yes, they all had some level of scarring but nobody seemed bothered by it. There was one young girl (26) who was from Brazil and I asked her how she felt about the scar on her tummy. She said that next time she went home - she was going to wear her tiniest bikini, and show off her scar (and her perfectly flat young tummy). It was inspiring

I'm positive you'll gather lots of great information on this thread

Janet

Faith you sound terrific!! I hated that blood thinner too and by day 3 couldn't wait to get the leg compressions off. Most of my nurses were excellent. Janet M , even though it is a huge system here , we are lucky that it is an excellent system. If its dr hofer you have , he doesn't use the waist binder. I only had to stop eating after midnight the night before but dr wouldn't let me have coffee all week in hospital. HHcats yes the G Omalley pants are in our Target stores in Canada. I got a top and long pants and will certainly go back for the shorter pants. My store is within walking distance. Oh you mentioned my favourite food - Cheese. I so worry about losing my flat tummy now as I can't seem to stop the bad eating habits. I am doing quite well now feel almost normal. Odd pain here and there. I slept flat and found my back became quite sore so still sleeping with lots of pillows but can now sleep on my sides and still slightly raised. 

Faith - congrats for making it to the other side! Take care of yourself, lots of *me* time - there will be plenty of time after you fully recover to take care of others. It's your time to receive!



Ironmag - Congrats to you! Sounds like you got through the hard part and are healing wonderfully.



Re: NOLA. I finally heard from the scheduler and they are scheduling into 2014 for Stage 2 DIEPs who did not have the initial SX at NOLA. It looks like it will be a no-go for me and I am so bummed! I did find a doctor here in LA, Leif Rogers, who actually was the co-surgeon on my original SX who has a lot more experience than the main surgeon who performed my SX. I am going in for a consult with him. Truly bummed about NOLA, I had gotten my hopes up.



Hugs to all! I am working now and trying to keep up with the thread, but it takes all I have to go to work, come home and eat, and go to bed!

Heavenschild - you might want to contact Dr. Marga Massey.  She does stage 1 in NOLA, but stage 2 in Chicago, Charleston and NOLA.  She might be able to help you timewise.  She is a fantastic surgeon and a wonderful person.  

TammyT, my mom went through the samething with her ulcers and they gave her some cream also to put on them. I believe for her it was from her chemo treatment and she said they were painful, but she hasn't have them in a long time! Ask for the cream to put on the ulcers, don't remember the name, but it really helped my mom. Sorry you have to go through it and hoping you get rid if them soon!

Another good one is a mouthrinse with warm water and baking soda........if the ulcers are inside your mouth. Hope you find something that helps soon.(((x))).

Geralyn - I got the pants, too!  I had to go and buy a Target gift card for a birthday party my son is attending tomorrow and I thought I would do a little personal shopping.

Nihahi - I also believe in Ativan.  It got me through my MRI and post-lumpectomy scans.  I used one the other day at the plastic surgery appt too.  It calms me down and also does allow me to get some sleep should I take it at night.  I feel so much more like myself after a good night's sleep.  

Does anyone have any recommendations for "comfortable bra(s) without wires - preferrably that closes in the the front"?  This is directly from the post-op brochure they gave me at the surgeon's office.  I need to get started on loading up on this stuff.