DIEP 2013

Marty, what is the name of the phone app? I am at 3 weeks and as soon as my hip drain is removed,I would like to start doing some other exercises, I have been walking, but that is the extent to my exercises at this point.

Good luck to all the girls going in this week and we look forward to hearing from you soon )

Hi, ladies!  I just dropped my sister off at the airport and I'm missing her already.  We had a wonderful visit.  She had her double mx last fall and STILL hadn't found the right bra/foobie arrangement, so I took her to my fitter and got her all set up.  She looks lovely with her new "girls," but is looking forward to her own DIEP early next year.  Besides that, we went to the movies, to the beach, got world-class pedicures, ate shrimp every day...what a nice way to recover.  

She was in the bathroom this morning watching me blow-dry my hair and said "You have a bald spot!"  It was where I woke up from surgery and had a hard, painful bump on the back of my head.  I'm thinking it's from the pressure of lying in one place for 12 hours.  Fortunately, my hair covers it and it shows signs of growing back in, but wow.

Kuka, about blisters--in the hospital one of my new girls developed a fluid-filled blister about the size of a quarter.  The PS opened it and it drained, and he was a little concerned about the healing of the skin underneath.  I've been dressing it with silvadene and a 4x4 gauze pad twice a day, and it's healing exactly like a deep road-rash type of abrasion would heal.  The drainage on the old dressing is a little gross--greenish and gooey--but again, it's just like a bike crash abrasion has healed, and there's fresh skin coming in from the bottom, and my PS is pleased.  

Pinkheart, I'm delighted you have enjoyed my blog.  It's certainly been a cathartic outlet for me to write about this whole BC fandango.  No article yet.  I'll be sure to share it when it comes out.  

Gosh, I miss my sister.  I need to go console myself with a bike ride.  Katy

hiya everyone, 

I have posted here before but a while ago now. I am scheduled to have a right diep flap later in the year and I am meeting with my ps in July for the 1st round of talks.

I keep seeing people on this thread constantly referring to 'dog ears'. I cannot identify any area post-mx where they might be.

Could someone please help and tell me what/where these are!! - Thanks   

Wintersocks - the dog ears are at each end of the DIEP abdominal incision where the drains come out of the skin. They are kind of pointy and dog ear is the nickname.  My PS fixed them at Stage 2 by making the incision a bit longer and having the drain come out about a 1/2" beyond the end of the suture line.

CRS - So good to hear from you.  Glad you are home and taking short walks - they are so good for you.  Soon your chest won't hurt and you will be reaching for things.  It is amazing how quickly we forget the tough stuff.

Marty J -

Very interesting description.

My drains did not 'exit' on the ends of the abdominal incision. They came out below my abdominal incision in the pubic area. My surgeon incorporated my 21+ year c-section scar also, so that scar is low.

dltnhm...my drains also came out below my incision, I don't think I will have a dog ear issue either....Bassett ears....too funny!

Bdavis, 8.5 weeks of drains?!!!! Wow! You're my hero! I had one for a week and it was hard enough!

Crs, I love your description about the arm movement. I feel the same way. Tonight I went to my kids with my arms up and told them to run because T-Rex was coming to get them. They all took off running and screaming, lol. Good times!

We will be here til sat or sun. I'm not hunched over at all just hate feeling like a turle on my back. I look forward to getting to know all of you better. How long before you can actually wash your hair?! I put make up on yesterday and like I ran a mile. I'm hoping to return to work in five more weeks. Sound doable?

MartyJ thank you I think I'm getting impatient because going from running pre surgery to walking is like breaking down on the highway. I'll try to be less bored with the walking and just do what I'm supposed to do.



I have to agree 100% with Lauren on getting that cardio workout in often before surgery. I also think it really helped make recovery easier along with the squats and lunges for the quads.



Crs so glad your doing well now and that the complication didn't result in the loss of a flap that must have been frightening !

Good morning. I have a question regarding post-surgery travel. My surgery is June 13, and I'd like to get on a plane early August. I'm feeling so inspired by the T-Rex super-healers on this board that I'd like to plan a trip. Nothing ambitious, just a three hour plane ride to the east coast to visit family. Is that doable?

Janet

Good Morning Ladies,

crs....you do sound good. It is said often, but hard to believe until it happens for you.....you will be amazed at how you improve in all categories, from day to day. In the early days when I got a bit discouraged, all it took was a look back at what I could do just a day or two in the past, and it reinforced how far I had come. Clean hair does such wonders, I completely understand your anticipation of that feeling! I considered going to a beauty shop, but I already struggle tolerating the position they put you in to wash your hair, and couldn't imagine it when my tummy was so "fresh". Marty's advice of tucking your head down and getting those elbows/hands into action worked for me. The first time, though, I sat on a shower bench and hubby did it for me. Not everyone needs it, but I found a bench, stool, plastic chair...whatever you have, to be both an energy saver and a safety factor in the shower. Keep up the awesome healing you're doing!

Faith...boy, I get the "I could do....before" frustration. I was running, hiking, showshoeing, etc. You'll get there!!!! I think, again, it was Marty, in the past, who "reminded" us that even though we look well along the road of healing outside, there is lots of internal healing to do. The activity and cardio pre-surgery don't just help with the recovery, it also makes a huge difference on how our bodies deal with the surgery and anesthesia itself. 

Janet...don't see any reason why you shouldn't plan and ENJOY a trip that far out from your surgery. Sounds like a wonderful "reward"! Are you headed to the maritimes????

To all of you who think I am inspirational - I am feeling like a fraud today.  I just did some light grocery shopping and now need to take a nap.  But it gets worse and I am almost worried to tell you all this.  

Now that everything is done and I can do no more treatment, I have way too much time on my hands and I am becoming a freak.  I am completely terrified that the cancer is coming back.  I'm triple negative - but Stage 2, node negative and with clear scans before chemo began.  I have a very good prognosis which my husband recounts for me whenever I get weird but in my current state of mind it means nothing.  

I know a lot of people get depressed after major surgery and I think I am one of them.  However, I've got some weird symptoms going on which I finally confessed to my husband (the poor guy is at work and I'm telling him I've gone mental).  Everywhere I look - I see cancer.  I have lost 18lbs since my diagnosis.  Since my DIEP - I've decided I have to change my lifestyle and how I eat immediately.  Yeah, I can't buy 6 items at the store without wanting to take a nap.  Today at the grocery store, all I saw was cancer in every aisle.  Even the poor produce section was under heightend scrutiny.  Organic or not?  Blah blah blah.  This morning before I took the kids to school - I actually stood in front of our toaster with a piece of white bread and thought "will this kill me?"  I keep thinking (irrationally) that if I just figure out how I got cancer - I can just stop that and it will be OK.  I've already given up alcohol and red meat pretty much; added more and more fruits and vegetables; and started taking supplements.  I want to try to start some light walking now the weather is better, too.  

This is new to me.  I am typically a push-on-through kind of woman.  Face the fear and move on.  Last night I kept waking up and the first thought on my mind was recurrance.  THis is no way to live.  

I am really angry with myself right now.  I should be better than this.  I did the DIEP so I could eliminate one pathway for the triple negative to return.  I went through chemo as an insurance policy and was told before I began to consider myself "cancer-free".  One of my best friends told me last night I've been to hell and back in 6 months and I need to cut myself some slack.  

Has anyone experienced anything like this and if yes, does it pass enough that you can get back to living?

Sorry for the craziness,

Robin 

Robin

It's like looking at a painting with your nose against the canvas. All you can see is the cancer. But daily or weekly or maybe even longer you will slowly get further and further away from the canvas and see a little more and more of the good stuff that's called life until at sometime you will have a distance that what you see is life with the distant memory of the cancer.



You did the right things to make yourself cancer free - trust that!

CRS, I haven't welcomed you back, and doing it now. So glad your PS could save the flap, and that you are well on your way to healing.

HHCats, Nihahi and Catie are so right about these feelings after everything is over, the dust has settled, and our minds begin to wander to dark places. Catie gave us an excellent perspective with the nose-against-the-canvas analogy! I'm going to remember that. There are no guarrantees, but we are here today, healthy now, and should just make the best of that. Hugs to you!

Going for pre-op bloodwork this morning. Then I'm all set for May21. I'm even getting a little excited now about the new boob, and (hopefully!) flat tummy.

A question for those of you who had TE's removed during DIEP. Was there a marked difference the moment you woke up from surgery, and realized that thing was gone from your chest? I have pretty good ROM with the TE in place, but the TE arm cannot go as far back over my head as my other arm in the yoga class, and I can feel the pulling in my chest where the TE has been sown in place. Does you arm ever go back to 100% full ROM like before all this surgery happened?