DIEP 2013

Lmo45 - don't worry about buying anything, really!  Your hospital will give you something to hold the drains so they are not flopping around as they were years ago.  For my DIEP, the hospital gave me a velcro belt with 4 pouches to hold the drains. For Stage 2, I received 2 soft vests with pockets.  I alternated between the two types, no real preference.  Doctors all have their own preferences with regard to binders or compression garments.  Some use them and some don't.  Why not wait til after the surgery?  You may wake up in a compression garment or be given one before your leave.  They aren't essential, but I find them helpful.  Added support helped me in the long run, but I have a bad back.  If you don't get one in the hospital then you can make a decision.  You can order from marenagroup.com (and from others).  

Wednesday is almost here so you need to take the time to relax, enjoy your family.  Try to ease your husband's mind.  Of course he is scared.  Mine has been for both and he is my rock.  He just doesn't show it too much.  My thoughts will be with you on Wednesday.   You will be fine and laughing when you are posting from the other side.

Getting closer and closer and more nervous. Has anyone actually died on the table from this? Yes I am in full drama mode.

crs319 - I'm still six weeks away, and nervous. Can't imagine what you're going through. Holy cow.  But when I last talked to my reconstuctive surgeon, I said 'Can you promise that I'll wake up?'. And he said 'Yes, I can promise that'. And the surgery is not going into any major organs. So, from what I understand, dying on the table is absoluely not an option.

That's ironic JJWendel, you replied to another post and said you ARE JJWendel...would seem to me you can't have it both ways.

Very fast way to lose trust.

JJWendel... in this post you say you are Dr Wendel:

53 minutes ago JJWendel wrote:

I ran across this post.  This is Dr. Wendel in Nashville, Tennessee.  Yes, I perform the DIEP flap and have extensive experience with a 99% success rate for this surgery.  For anyone who is interested in DIEP flap surgery, I am happy to help.  My office and other information can be found at drjjwendel.com.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

Lmo45 I know it's scary it's a really big surgery and with little ones at home it can add a little weight on your shoulders but I assure you that as scary as it seems now when you wake up and see dh you will both be relieved and for you especially it will just be as if you took a long nap. If your hospital participates in the "Jacki" program you may get a shirt with drain pockets while your there if not don't worry there are usually safety pins attached to the drains and they can easily be pinned to the Jonny or your clothes. If your PS uses binders at any stage they will provide one I think that is standard practice and if you don't like the one they provide you can check with your PS about other compression gear that a lot of ladies here have talked about ..but that's later for now deep breaths OK because your going to do great ! Hang in there on Wednesday we will all be in your pocket rooting for you.

LMO, I was a year out from my active treatment--chemo, mx, rads--and I still had some weepy moments leading up to the DIEP.  It's such a huge step, and such an unkown.  You will be fine.  You will be great.  All you have to do is show up.  The physicians and nurses will carry you, literally, and help you every step of the way, and before you know it, you're on the other side and recovering.  

I took a bunch of stuff to the hospital I didn't need.  They provided a hospital gown, which was clean and convenient to wear (not very fetching, though!).  I enjoyed my own slippers and waffle-type robe, and some facial wipes, my own toothbrush, chapstick, and moisturizer.  Apart from that, the hospital had everything I needed.  I didn't need the professional journals I was hoping to catch up on--it was a challenge to kick my brain in gear to concentrate that hard.  No make-up, no pretty jamies, and not a stitch of jewelry.  Make it easy on yourself!

My DH and I cooked up a plan that cracked us both up no end.  I had lots of post-it notes in my bag to stick on various places on my body after the PS finished his marker art-work, before I went to the OR.  "Mountain biker tan" went on my leg, with an arrow pointing to the tan line.  "Replace this one" pointing to the old mx scar, "Remove and replace this one" pointing to the healthy breast, and "Try to get this in the center" pointing to the belly button.  I had a simple drawing of the urethra, with "This way to the bladder" pointing to it.  When the nurse came to wheel me to the OR, we were giggling like school kids about our post-it hunt.  Small pleasures.  I hope it make the OR crew smile, because they sure put in a long, long day!

Tired and going to bed!  Bless you, sisters!  Katy

i was going to say something but forgot what it was:-)



am four weeks out from stage two tomorrow. i am wearing compression and nipple gaurds now. i have no idea how they squished me into the compression garment i woke up in. it was a tight one. i can barely get it on myself



my crazy head pain continues. very annoying

sbelizabeth, love your no-nonsense approach re what to take with to hospital. I made a note of that, and that's all I will take. Maybe one magazine too, but I suspect one is too wiped out to read/comprehend much, right? DH will be there with the laptop, so maybe I can manage to squeeze out a short post or two, or maybe not. Was warned here the other day about posting immediately post-op - lol. Your post-it hunt made me giggle too. That OR staff must have really enjoyed that!

Fredntan, hope you head pain subsides. Can't be pleasant.

Movie, I like the name 'toilet squats' you gave to my newly invented exercise. Very appropriate! Your DH seems like a darling doing that so patiently for 3 weeks. For a man with no medical background that is really impressive. Must love you a lot too.

Morning ladies....hope it's a good one for all.

Think I have turned another little, but positive corner! I massaged the heck out of my hypersensitive arm yesterday, and it seems a bit better today. Didn't keep me awake last night, which is huge, as I feel like I got a fairly decent sleep too....always a plus!

Windchill here this morning of -16, so defo not going for an outdoor walk. Never made it to the gym yesterday, but feel totally up for it today. Isn't it awesome, when you recognize that you're feeling better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liefie.....I'd wait on the "support garment" purchase until after surgery. You don't know what size you might be, or what feels right until then. You may not even need one! Ditto on don't bring much to the hospital...I brought very little, (thanks to Marty's wise advice) and used even less of what I brought. Slippers, chapstick, toothbrush, facial cleanser wipes, comb, hand lotion, emery board ( always seem to break a nail at the most inconvenient times), clothes to go home in and a book. Didn't crack open the book until the last 2 days. Wore the hospital gown and robe, pinned drains to that, and never wished I had my own pj's/robe. I wanted those to be a "discharge treat" and it worked.....felt so good to put on my own stuff at home!!!!!!! I bought a couple oversized cheap cami's (Walmart) and pinned the one drain I came home with to that. I tried the drain in the pocket thing....didn't feel secure or comfortable to me....I soooooo get where you are right now, trying to plan for everything, it's a way of dealing with the wait. The biggest helps for me, were the "at home" aids I had arranged for. Being an OT, it is part of my mindset. The recliner...saved my life for the first week at home...no longer need it....it's going back. The wheeled walker....had to have to save my back....used for maybe 4 days.....already gone. The commode/raised toilet seat.....again, really helped......already gone back. The only thing I'm still using is the shower seat. I could probably do without, but I spend alot of time in the shower, doing gentle massaging on my tummy and around the incisions......and just relaxing. Don't feel I could stand comfortably long enough to do what I do. If I was just doing the hair and body wash, probably could do without it, but showers/bathrooms can be slippery, dangerous places, so better safe than sorry IMHO.

Question for the veterans.....I know it's different for all, but just wondering how long the "tight tummy" feeling lasted for you? Days......weeks.......months??????

Thinking of all the ones "waiting" and newly recovering.....thanking all the veterans. ((((x))))

Nihahi - the tight tummy will last for quite a while. Just gotta roll with it, but you will stand straight long before the tightness leaves.



I didn't have the wherewithal to stand in the shower for longer than absolutely necessary to do the essentials until all drains were out. Then it took me about a week.

woohoo!   Look out sbelizabeth....I'm coming!!! Just did 6km on the recumbent bike. Wasn't going very fast or hard, but varied the resistance throughout and OMG, IT FELT SO GOOD TO BE DOING MORE THAN LAPS AROUND THE DINING TABLE!!!!!

re: tummy tightness, I am already standing upright, unless I sit for an extended period of time. Don't really feel the incision line, but just above it, then again just below the boobs. Doable, but annoying. Thanks for the feedback. Today is SUCH a better day!!!!!! Now if it would just warm up outside!

LMO - I was in complete hysterics sometimes leading up to my surgery.  Full blown panic attacks.  Then on the morning of my surgery, I was all business.  Something just clicked.  

Having little ones at home myself - it is really hard to do cancer, chemo, surgery, recovery.  You are always thinking of them and what would they do without you.  It's only natural.  

Oh and I really wondered if I could die on the table, too.  Then my DH pointed out the facts that no major organs are being touched, the doctors can stop if I started to have trouble, and in all my internet searches, I hadn't found one mention of a DIEP death. (I hate it when he knows me too well . . .)

Today - I put on real clothes and my regular jeans were a bit loose and a button-down shirt that I never wore because I thought it made my boobs look huge - fit beautifully.   I put my makeup and wig on and went downstairs and my eldest said "Mom, you look great!"  I wanted to answer - what my bandana, your dad's old shirts, and my sweats don't cut it?  LOL

Then I pinned up those drains and went with my friend to Walmart, and the grocery store, and the pet store because my "first" baby has needs that only I understand!  We had coffee after we picked up dinner items at the grocery store, too.  I felt human again.  My friend has been taking my kids to and from school and she said "Come with me on the school run tomorrow."  I just might but I haven't missed the snarky behaviour and the fighting - in the parking lot not the playground!  Remember this ladies - there is no Christian charity in the Catholic School parking lot!

Then I came home put the bandana back on, found the old shirt and the sweats!  I also had the nurse come and remove another drain.  So only 1 more to go.  Now I am in bed resting with my cat.  I am getting real sleep again at night - what a difference that makes.  

I also committed the whole family to go to my son's hockey team's lunch this upcoming weekend.  I can manage a lunch and my boy just beamed when I told him that we all were going.  So very much worth it just to see that smile.  I haven't missed much since my diagnosis but during chemo I was pretty much banned by my husband from hockey rinks.  So I didn't get to as many games as I would have liked.  When you are 8, you kinda want your mom to be at all your games.  This will make up for some of that.  

Prayers being said for everyone at every stage of this process.  And TOWANDA!

Hi Everyone-another post op Stage 2 visit today. Incision still bleeding but the DR said that is a good sign. So far I have managed to be allergic to every type of surgical tape that they have tried to use plus the bacitracin. Barged in to the GI office and cried "Help!" for my butt problems. The bleeding had finally stopped as of last friday when they banded an internal hemmorhoid but the pain and pressure had not. They were nice enough to examine me and give me a prescription for suppositories (thanks Betsy) and lidocaine. We also discussed the possibility of a visit to the hospital to get "topped off" in the blood dept. as I am anemic from all of the rectal bleeding. The GI dr said that people usually do not react this way to surgery but it is has been my main side effect for both Stage 1 and Stage 2. Just want to let  those of you waiting to have surgery that this is my own dumb body reacting to everything and if it wasn't for these issues I would be shopping and dancing a jig at the same time right now.

To all looking for support garments - I just cruised around herroom.com.  In the shapeware section, firm, I found several great looking options.  Knowing that I have not tried any of these - Roda had a highwaisted girdle with legs and a split crotch on sale for about $40.  It might be worth it to poke around as the roda garments looked to have better support than flexees or spanx.  They also have flexees and spanx at a discount.  I am not endorsing anything or anyone, but thought I would share what I found as they might work for someone.  Lots of interesting options.