DIEP 2013

Janet and others with surgeries coming soon - It is very overwhelming to think about this surgery especially the last two weeks and then for me the last day before my surgery I had a peace come over me.  I've always known this is the reconstruction for me.  Yes, it hurts but they have wonderful pain meds for that.  Also, remember that it gets better each day after for the most part after your surgery.  

It's good to hear some of the horror stories too because then you realize it can happen and then you're thankful for how your experience was.  I had wonderful, wonderful nurses and staff for my Diep.  I asked my PS to make sure I'm on that floor and wing if I have to stay overnight for my stage 2 because they were great!  

I also had my friends stay with me during the day while my DH went home to get a shower and check on work and the kids.  They pretty much just hung out and read a magazine while I slept but it was wonderful to have them there.  They helped me stay on track and get the right pain meds!  I highly recommend having someone at all times in your room with you if you can.  

I would love to vacuum my dog because she sheds so much but she would totally freak out if I came near her with the vacuum!  LOL  

Movie is MIA, guys! I'm beginning to get worried now . . . lol.

Sheri47, welcome to this board! You will find lots of info here, and ask anything you want to know. Somebody will answer.

Janet M, I had DIEP surgery 16 days ago, and have not had a single complication or significant pain during or after. Everything went like clockwork, and all drains were out after one week. PS, OR and hospital staff were all pretty amazing, and I received excellent care. I am recovering well, and the only problem now is that I feel like a caged tiger. My PS has strict instructions as to exercise, and walking is all that is allowed at the moment. Won't be doing any leglifts soon - lol.

Nihahi, the bear scat in my driveway has turned into bear sightings now -  was at a party last night where  somebody told me that the bear has been seen by people in the neighbourhood, and that it did not seem too scared of people. . . Marty, I see mall walking in my future - sigh.

I have a neat elliptical piece of tummy skin sutured onto/into my new boob. It looks good, but feels so weird to touch because of the lack of feeling there. Even though the area had been radiated last June, there is no real difference between the colour of the flap and the boob. The new boob is bigger and higher than the other one, and I don't think it is really swollen much any more. Think I'll end up a 34 B, which is what we aimed for. Healthy side is defo an inch or two lower, as well as visibly smaller than DIEP side. Will need some work still.

Mammalou, google "La Cera" and see if there's a dress appropriate for the wedding.  They have beautiful, floaty stuff, and lots would be loose and comfortable for the wedding. 

When I was a few days post drain removal, I could wear my regular clothes, but in an hour or two they'd start to feel pinchy and uncomfortable.

Happy Saturday, everyone!  Katy

No rain this morning so I'm out on my bike. Sun is shining, birds are singing, deer are grazing, ducks are paddling, muskrats are swimming, geese are honking, heron is still refusing to pose for a photo, lilacs and crabapple trees are blooming, eyes are dripping, nose is running......dang, forgot my allergy pills. Oh well, it's a BEAUTIFUL DAY!

oops, meant to add....I'm sending this message because 7 weeks ago, I was one day post op...thinking OMG what did I let them do to me, I'm so uncomfortable, I'm sick as a dog, I'm absolutely exhausted.... And they expect me to get up and walk to the chair!!!!!!!

LOL Kuka on letting the 'girls' out😉

Goldie - yes the iron bra does go away.  A few weeks after surgery, I suddenly noticed that I hadn't had "that" feeling.  What a relief!

Janet - keep that reflexologist in your back pocket.  It is great to have someone who will work only on the hands and feet especially after DIEP when you can't lay on your tummy.

Ok whichever one of you darlings is hoping to go to wedding on day 10 post DIEP. ....today is my day 10. I am two years post dx, 18 mos post chemo and mx, 14 mos post rads, 47 years old and pretty fit. And have the flap the size of a honey dew (sitting next to my nice little lifted b cup.....it's kind of funny actually.... like I belong on the island of misfit toys!!!!)



Anyway, I digress. My sister lost her husband four years ago. Today she and her son and deceased husband's family were dedicating and beginning work on a Habitat for Humanity house in his memory and honor. I have been convinced I would have to miss the dedication ceremony. But I woke up this morning and decided I was going....So I went. 30 minute drive to and from (DH did the driving). Walked around the construction site (holding a hand of course) and signed a stud (like a 2 x 4 stud) with a message for the new family. Then met my parents for late lunch for their 50th wedding anniversary. Gone from home about 4 hours. Doing well! A bit stiff and tired but so happy I went.



I will pray you too have a day 10 that allows you to be a part of your special family event!



Hang in there flapper girls!

Go Bailey!  That is great.  You are going to sleep good tonight, and you probably should be extra good to yourself tomorrow too, but I am so glad you got to go to such a special family event.

Bailey: that is so great. I went out yesterday with hubby to run errands.  About a 30 minute drive to first appt to drop of disability paperwork, 20 minutes to a lunch stop (decided to eat in the car/no shower for a week), 2 minutes to my office to pick up my paycheck, bank drive through to deposit, then home.  All in all we were out about 3 hrs.  I was tired, but a good tired.

A wedding would be do-able if you can stay cool, rest when needed and don't be afraid to cut our and go home.

goldie: glad I could help.  Sometimes you hear just what you need, just when you need it.  While I never really had iron bra, there were times I wanted to rip open my chest and pull them out!  I never really got used to them.

I have on my post op binder around my waiste and it's kind of like that, like I just want to take it off for 5 minutes to adjust, then 'I promise I'll put it back on'.

Today I attended a luncheon with friends and survivors after a Susan Komen run/walk in Hartford. I did not walk, but had a great time meeting women and socializing.



We all had a chance to talk about our own situations and it reminded me of this thread of terrific women of how we all help one another.



Janet - I had a week and a half notice of my DIEP surgery and it was 26 days post diagnosis. My diagnosis was 3 weeks from the time I felt my lump. I understand how scary of a time this is for you and how anxious you are feeling.



I was fortunate and didn't have any complications. Because my nurses were so skilled, there was no need for me to go to ICU after recovery. The first night was tough to sleep because of the Doppler and the nurses having to check you every hour. The next day by noon, my catheter was out and I was able to take small walks on the floor. The morphine drip was also removed. My nurses were so attentive that it was excessive, but understandable. The second evening they had to check me every two hours, so sleeping was still difficult, but at that point I was getting up by myself to go to the bathroom and feeling pretty well. My biggest pain was a caffeine headache. My PS was set to release me after the third night and that was my best night sleep because they only had to check me every 4 hours. The morning I was released my PS gave me a cup of coffee and my headache was gone in ten minutes!! I felt great at home resting and got my drains pulled and stitches removed within one week of my surgery. and it wasn't until I was fitted for a compression bra 10 days post op that my breast pain started. It lasted for 20 days and is finally bearable today. Everyone is different as you can read on this thread. Oh, I was also driving 10 days after surgery provided I wasn't taking Vicodin. I think a wedding would've been doable for me, but I had no complications like some of these other brave women who have shared their stories. What amazed me the most is that I never had belly pain and my scar is hip to hip. I was told that some muscle was cut on the left side because I had very small vessels on the right side, but again, no pain and it wasn't like I had a great stomach like I do now!!!!



Just trust your team and remember that when it comes to the nurses, you are the client and you deserve everything you ask for, so don't be shy about anything! My nurses were so great that I brought the floor cookies when I had to come back to the boutique for the compression bra. Now if I could just get to the 30+ thank you notes that await me from all the flowers, food and gifts that i received, I'll be good. I'm back to work, not full time and am back in regular clothes. I have to say that for the first 3-4 weeks, I lived in workout yoga pants with high waists and comfortable cotton shirts, oh and the damn compression bra.



Sorry to be so long winded, but you'll be on the other side of this soon!!!! Lauren

I never stopped my tamoxifen.

Lauren - Thanks for sharing your success story. Quite amazing how you went from lump to diagnoisis to Deip in less than two months. Your recovery is inspiring.

I remember reading in your previous posts about the caffeine headache. I think it was you.  - but it prompted me to cut down drastically on my coffee intake. I'm down to half a cup in the morning, and by next week I hope to give it up completely. Harder than I though! I love my morning coffee - I've been relying on it for at least 30 years.

Mammalou - I just know you're going to make it to your sisters' wedding. 

Mammalou, I was also driving and going shopping 10 days after surgery. My breasts only looked like melons for the first couple of days after surgery, after that the swelling went down and I've been wearing the same size clothes I did prior to surgery. If anything, right after surgery my clothes were looser because I couldn't eat as much for the first couple weeks. I wish I still had that feeling😞.

Today I went with DH and our son to watch you see me now. What a great movie!! After that we went to academy and I bought some work out outfits. I figured maybe I'll work out more if I look good, and if not, well, I'll just look fat in a cute workout outfit;). I got some ankle weights and went jogging when I got home and then did 5 minutes in the elliptical. Man, I'm whooped!!

You're getting there jakig, hang tough!!!

My tummy is definitely flatter, and I'm loving it!!!!! I have also found that I have to eat smaller portions, or I get a very uncomfortable "stuffed" feeling. Not a bad thing as it makes me eat better.

re: scars.....Scars "form and mature" differently on each person. It is important to realize that scars go through many stages before they are considered "mature". Once the initial healing is done (ie. blood spots are gone, open spots are closed, etc.) most scars are very, very fine lines. After that, they may start to look darker, "tighter", more raised and/or thicker. This is when the collagen formation is most active, and when moisturizing, massage and compression are the most effective. What these things do, is to encourage the collagen fibers to lay "in layers" as opposed to "knotting up". The collagen "knots" are what make scars feel thick, hard and look raised or lumpy. Over time, with or without compression, etc. all scars eventually fade to light pink or even whitish, and they will all soften and flatten to some degree. (But my burn therapist experience feels compression, massage and moisturizing will both speed up this process, and leave a better final result). To be effective for scar control, compression needs to be pretty much 24/7. Some scars mature in 3 to 6 months, some take 12 months or longer. That is the normal progression of scars, but there are other variations. The lighter complexion you have, typically means less active scarring, but not always. 

Some studies have shown that medical grade silicone helps reduce scarring. Many people feel Vitamin E helps, but during my therapy days, this was never proven in studies. It is more effective to compress scars over bony areas, so how effective compression is over areas like tummies and breasts is debatable.

Compression for scar control is not the same reason as compression for swelling/lymphatic drainage management, but they certainly compliment each other.