DIEP 2013

hhcats so glad it went well!!!

Another thing to look out for with a gurgly, crampy, gassy tummy - artificial sweeteners. Sucralose does it to me. Check yogurt ingredients. I ended up with a colonoscopy before realizing I was having shakes & bars with sucralose (aka Splenda) every day. As soon as I stopped - all symptoms gone.



Just did a quick read to catch up after a busy weekend. Sending hugs to all!



Jeannie

Cherrie, thank you so much. I don't think I'm a hero since I did this not having BC. For the women that do this coming out if chemo, they're real heroes to me! I can't imagine doing this when you're not 100%! But it feels good when somebody tells me I'm brave. I think I'm a big chicken and I feel all I've done here is complain. So sorry about that. From now on I'll try to stay positive and erase the negative!

I was hoping my DH was going to pull one of my drains tonight, but I guess I'll have to wait one more day. He did reaped the one that was bothering me and it feels much better, so that's the positive. They're putting out much less and the fluid is getting lighter which makes me think we're getting closed😄

I have a question for the moms with young kids. Have you let them see your breasts before you got nipple reconstruction? I haven let them see me naked yet. But I always take baths with them

Oh and many thanks for the private messages. Has helped give me confidence!

Towanda, for those who don't remember the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, is what Kathy Bates' character was yelling when she was repeatedly ramming the car of the arrogantly young and beautiful girls who had sniped her parking space.  It has become our expression of overcoming and strength.  Towanda!

Hairy chested is the term heavenschild came up with to describe a woman who approaches recovery with knuckle-dragging, snarling, "don't tell me I can't do it" resolve.  Although in my humble opinion, any DH who can snip the stitch and extract the drain-snake for his wife should also be handed a hairy chested award.  

My PS told me I might be getting blood transfusions during surgery, depending on how things went.  I didn't require any, although my blood counts dropped a  little into the anemic range.  Now I'm taking iron supplements twice a day and will be back up there within a few weeks.  If you need blood, though, it will seriously help with recovery and help you feel less wimped-out and exhausted.  

I'd heard that too, Janet.  I wonder if she had an implant recon or what?

About donating your own blood for transfusions. I looked into this and didn't do it cause there is a window of opportunity that's within a month of surgery. Doctors felt that would not be good for me post chemo for one thing. Second, if I did it 30 days in advance that might be ok. But it was going to cost me $800 per unit to have it sent to my doctor. In the end I found someone else to donate who was close to my hospital. Then I didn't need blood. But when I had surgery a month later I did need blood and my donation had been released to the general population.

I am thinking that about my bellybutton, but I'm hoping when my swelling goes down it will look more centered.

Nihahi, thank you. I've been trying not to look at myself too much anymore. My bellybottom looks center, but swollen. My DH has been doing the cleaning of scars and drains. I just can't bring myself to do it and get sick to my stomach!

He's a nurse, so he knows how to do it just fine. Although sometimes that comes back and bites me in the ass. I was begging him last night to pull one of my drains but he said it just wasn't ready yet and to wait till morning. This morning he told me to wait and see how it does today. Are these things ever coming out??!! If he wasn't a nurse I could just tell him whatever and he would believe me and do it. They're barely putting anything out, so I'm going to be positive that they'll come out tonight.

My new sleeping medication didn't work last night, bummer! But tonight I'm trying Valium to relax my muscles with my ambien. I'm a little scare to use Valium, but DH said it would be fine. I'm also stopping my stool softeners today. I keep having to go potty, so I don't think I need them anymore. Actually I'm going to eat a couple of bananas today to try to stop my vowels a little. Still doing good on just Tylenol, which I'm amazed of. When I have kidney stones I need to be on harder stuff!

For all the new girls out there waiting on this surgery all I can say is that is not as bad as one thinks. I've barely been in any pain, considering. Just make sure you are prepared to see your body change. It is a big one, for some might be for the better and for some might not been so good. My breasts were in very good, so it's been a little hard on me. Now I'm just looking at it as cosmetic and know one day my body will be hot!!

Since I am one day ahead of Kuka - I thought I would chime in on how the "new girls" look to me.  Day 1 after surgery, I looked and thought "wow, no freak out - so I think I am going to be OK."  Day 2 after surgery, I thought "wow, they look like real breasts, how do they do that?"  Day 3 - I greeted my DH with "I HAVE CLEAVAGE!"  

So last night, I had a shower and thought I would see where I thought we all were . . .first, I thought - they are going to look really good if they look this good (and they are battered, bruised, scarred and strange looking) right now and then it hit me - THEY AREN'T BREAST TISSUE.  

A striking moment of clarity . . .they looked freaking awesome all of a sudden . . .

It was the first time in almost 7 months where I didn't hate my breasts and I finally found a little bit of distance from the diagnosis.  I took my first step away from being a cancer patient and allowed myself to walk a step right back to the old me.  

I slept in peace for hours last night.  

If you are doubting having this surgery - private message me.  I am ONE WEEK out and it was the best thing I ever did.  Ultimately who knows what will happen to any of us (there could be buses with all our names on them for all I know) - but this surgery has given me "me" back.  I looked at the hair covering my head today and didn't think "Ugh, I look like a chemo patient."  I thought "Well, it's a pretty damn good start."  

To paraphrase Mary Tyler Moore - I'm gonna make it afterall!  {Bandana tossed into air}

:-)

I feel the same way about this choice, I only had a Uni, but am actually smiling and seeing pieces of my old self here and there!!! What a great feeling, wish I had done this as my first step, it was a long journey, marty,can't imagine waiting 28 years, but i bet worth the wait to get it done right )

I am getting around and I think my last drain will come out either today or tomorrow. Whoo hooo, I will really feel like myself then )))))) hope everybody has a great week

Wow! This thread is moving forward at lightning speed!

HHCats, you are an inspiration to me. One week out, and so upbeat and positive!. But then the rest of you are pretty much the same, and so happy with your decision to do DIEP. I am getting so many useful tips here, and learn so much that drs don't think to tell us, or which they don't even know. How marvellous to have all this info at my fingertips!

Had the mastectomy, TE placement and SNB last February, and I guess the recovery for the DIEP breast part is not very different from that recovery. It's the tummy part that I'm a little apprehensive about. Good to know that one can pass out when showering, so will be very careful. Fortunately I have a little built-in bench in the shower, so can sit down if I feel dizzy.

Kuka, you have all my sympathy with those drains, and I hope you can lose them today. That was the worst part for me after MX - had it in for 17 days. Surely hope this time around it won't be that long.

Nihahi, what is 'betsy's'? PJ's? Sounds so good. There is a Target store not far from me, so maybe I should invest in those? What exactly did you buy from WalMart? I have back issues, and should probably arm myself.

Still exercising hard, and upping it for the last three weeks before DIEP. Had a vigorous strength training session in the gym this morning, and will take the dog for a long walk later. Then I've invented a new exercise for those waiting to do DIEP: Sit on your closed toilet. Stand up, sit down. Repeat 15 times. Do three times daily. No help from hands, just the thigh muscles doing all the work. LOL.

sbelizabeth, last year I saw firsthand that it certainly pays to be fit and strong before surgery. After MX I bounced back really quickly, and was able to easily sit up, get up, and move around, all just because I was fit and strong going in. Don't know how you do it otherwise - must be much harder. Thanks for your input!

MartyJ - 28 years, girl!  Good for you.  And I am sure you are already "hot"! I have always wanted to mention this to you but always forget - you give excellent advice and I am taking it.  I am resting, taking it easy, and being careful.  I figure I went through all of this and I don't want to mess it up.  

Also here in Ontario - we only get one operation on the province - any further Stages are on our dime (not that the taxes we pay aren't!).  My surgeon is a real perfectionist and he really wants to get it right the first time because basically that is what most people are only going to get.  I am amazed with what he did and those that have seen them are shocked at how good they already look.  Not sure what cup size I really am - I was a solid C/D going into this but they look like nice sized Bs right now.  I'm wearing a C/D comfy front closure bra per my PS instructions right now but I am still pretty banged up.  

Liefie - good abs will be your saving grace.  The nurses were amazed at how I could roll over onto one side while they adjusted my binder and washed my back in the hospital on the second night.  The one nurse even told me that I really didn't need her help.  They worked in teams of two because they figured you would need the help.  So other than a few "I feel like a turtle on its shell" moments - when I really had to think about how to get up out of bed - I've been just fine.  It does't feel great all the time but today I noticed that it feels a little bit less uncomfortable than it did yesterday.  

sbelizabeth - I can't believe you are already on your bike. A tip of my beret to you!  However, I have a sister-in-law diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year who is now running about half of her normal mileage a day for the ultramarathons she used to do.  We girls be tough, that's for sure.  

MartyJ, why do you always have to be right? Lol. I think one of the drains will come off today though. It's only been putting 10cc every 10 hours. I was never put on antibiotics though. You are such a string woman waiting all these years for this surgery. My mom is 62 and even though she would love to have this surgery there's no way she could go through it. I admire you!

HHcats, I'm so glad you like your new girls. That's awesome!! I'm hoping one day I can feel the same way you do. I had very high expectations right away and am not patient at all. So this is teaching me patience.

I know a lot of women said they really wish they had a back scratcher after surgery. I had one but didn't really use it. Because they have you with oxygen for so long, it dries up your sinuses, so plan for nasal spray and chop stick. My lips were so dry!!!! Lotion and deodorant was something I was really glad to have. Maybe I looked like crap but I sure smelled good😄

Liefie, the Betsy's from target are awesome! And if you're hit nature like me they also have them in shorts. They have the same shorts at Walmart but different brand, but they're a little cheaper a d also comfy. I also bought short sleeve botton down pjs from Walmart. They're navy blue with white pockadots. I highly recommend them!! They're soft, easy to put on and very comfy.

I ordered two marena bras but they were too small. So my husband went to Walmart and bought fruit of the loom sports bra that clip in the front. They're microfiber and had to send DH back to Walmart today to buy me a couple more. And they're only $8.99 each!! Awesome!!!!

If I can think of something else I will post later. Have a wonderful evening!!