Charleston Bound, part 2

Finally on my way to Charleston!



Made a stop here in Cincinnati to visit brother, and will arrive CHS on Thursday.

Plan to go to Party at the Point on Friday night. A friend who travels every week for her job gave me three nights rewards for hotel at beginning of stay by IOP. Then going to Summerville to stay with another friend til end of month. She had relatives last minute come in this week.



Still unemployed and money a big issue, but I'm determined to have surgery since all out of pocket met months ago.



Got an email from Dr Kline office that they were informed that it was doubtful there would be openings at Hope Lodge next week. So I cannot stay near you all (Catie and Sewanee), and will discharge to Summerville which is 45 minutes away.



Sewanee, I will still meet you for lunch on pre-op day.



Catie, I will see you in hospital.



I'm supposed to only stay one night at East Cooper Hospital, but all three previous surgeries I've had to stay an extra day. Hoping to break that trend!



Save journeys!

Wow, it is that time already ladies. Pink, everything happens for a reason and this is the time to concentrate on you and to take care of yourself. When you are healed and feeling strong again the job offers will appear and you will be ready to take something new on. Maybe something completely different?? Safe travels and just take it one day at a time.

Catie, thanks for the laugh, loved a tuck without the nip ! So, about nipples, I too was on the fence and wasn't really feeling strongly about it either way, just figured I would complete what I started. I am VERY happy that I had it done, amazing really how it completes the look and now I am excited about my tattoo. Dr. K gave me the ok to set it free and I no longer wear any protection but am still worried about it flattening. It has shrunk alot and yesterday I wore a tight fitting yoga top to class without a bra and it flattened considerably. It has popped back up but just hope it does not get any smaller. I actually like the size of it better than my natural  and only worry about it getting smaller because of the other one. I talked to Dr K about what could be done if I decided I wanted to enlarge it and it involves adding an additional wing to replace the one that didn't survive or possibly using a skin graft. Don't want to do this so leaving it alone. In your case, having both sides done at the same time symmetry would not be a problem. Anyways...just my experience and two cents. I am starting to get anxious to get my tattoo, really would like to see Vinnie as I want no regrets, but the whole travel thing makes it difficult. My DD is leaving DC to go to grad school so don't think I would go to Maryland anymore and now thinking a fun weekend with my DH in NOLA. IF I go there I kind of feel like I am cheating.......:) I know they are booked out for months, so may give them a call today to see what I am dealing with.

slh_tn , How are you doing?

Pink, Catie and Sewannee, Can hardly believe it is that time again, I am thinking of you all....."love the area" !

Pink, I did not do it either , but I also wanted to avoid paying my deductible up front. But sure enough, they came up to the pre-op area with a portable credit card machine.....oh well, was going to have to pay eventually. 

Just got off the phone with Nola regarding Vinnie....The first appointment they have avail is in December, so I will be looking at plan B. Do not want to be travelling in December, I have a call into his shop in Maryland to see what they say and will let you all know. So, my advice if you are going this route...plan ahead!

Cascader, I know that if I want to use Vinnie I will need to plan well ahead and think it will most likely be next year - can't see there being enough time to get the nipple done and to have it all ready for Vinnie without it being next year?! My November 15 appointment with Dr. K may be the nipple - who knows!?



I had a VERY weird dream last night. Mostly haven't been dreaming that I can remember lately and that is not normal for me, but the one last night showed me two very pretty nipples - not my original ones, but two very nice ones and they were on me. The dream also had me sitting at a dinner table with an aquaintance from high school (was at a reunion last week) that I usually probably wouldn't be eating in a nice restaurant with. He was a gentleman though and didn't mention my WHITE MUSTACHE that was so long it reached from below my nose to my upper lip. That and the fact that I had two - not one but two - wigs on! One a blonde and one a redhead wig, but when you looked at my face there was a white mustache!!!! GOOD GRIEF!!! That after NOT eating anything before I went to sleep!!! Made a great blackberry crisp for dinner - fresh blackberries, but nothing before bed!!



So when waking and remembering my dream, all of which freaked me out except the nipples, I'm having second and third thoughts about them. Cascader, truly looking to you for your experience with them as well, so thanks!



CRS - at first mine seemed flat too, different part of my body for donor site, but as they drop they find a pretty good shape to them. The PAP is better in my opinion than the SGAP one, shape size, but the SGAP side is bigger - so they both are my favorite new girls!!! Praying for you, lady! It will be all right and peace for you!



Very wet and rainy here. Hoping CHS is NOT all rain next week and the week after!



Happy 4th!!!

Hi ladies...joining this group now. Having stage 2 with DR M on Aug 21. I had bilat diep in nola last Nov, a failed leftie and gap to redo in March. Just had lymph transfer in May in Chicago. Cannot wait to get these girls lookin better. Still dealing with complications from May surgery where she had to fix a pseudo bursa in my behind that was a complication from the March surgery and it just does not seem to want to heal...gheesh that is even hard to follow when I write it. Anyway happy to be here now and looking forward instead of backward!



Maggie

Welcome to Charleston Mags! You will love it here -- so beautiful and easy to get around.



I will be in Charleston at least until end of July but will miss you. I come back in November so maybe then.



You've been through so much crap, but love your spirit on moving forward again and again.



Good luck in August!

Thanks for the welcome. Had a painful day today but DR M says to be expected.

Yes Marty we got a place. We went with a hotel as in laws are not coming. It is The Palms right on ocean...got a good deal and comes with breakfast. Not a 5star but tgat's ok funds for all this travel are dwindling quickly. At least you get to take it off taxes.



Maggie

CRS,



Thanks! Definitely in good hands with Dr Kline. On surgery #4 with him, but I still find myself getting surgery jitters. Will need to do some beachwalking to help calm them.



I just was able to start wearing my Genie bra again without pain and in one week have surgery and back to braless and dark or printed tops. Will also be wearing my black capri bike shorts to hide lipo bruising on thighs.

Y'all make me jealous! I wanted to do stage 2 in July,but it's Sept. for me. Update on my bp & high sugar. High sugar reading was a fluke. I've kept up with it and it's been in normal limits. The bp mystery has been solved as I found out the arimidex can affect bp. I'd just switched to that. I'm back totaking bp meds though. The arimidex is awful compared to the tamoxifen, at least for me! I ache all thetimeand feel rotten on it. Plan totalk to onco about this. He is an oustanding doctor,but is the type that is just concerned about keeping cancer away at any costs....says his job is to keep me alive and he has a great record of doing so, but he is not concerned about the side effects. I've picked up some tips on the board & I'm hoping they will help.

Arrived today at noon, and went straight to the beach at Isle of Palms for a refreshing swim/ riding the waves in the ocean and a walk. Beautiful weather!!!!

Lots more cars and people during summer and holiday week though.



Checked in at the ComfortSuites at IOP connector, which is 5 minutes from beach. I definitely got a steal with rate of only $63 per night during high season and holiday weekend. I booked it months ago and an old friend who also former boss has been so kind paying half my hotel bill. She tried to use reward points but didnt work. I think the hotel manager was having a bit of a tiz over my super cheap rate and someone screwed up giving me such a low rate.



Just while I was checking in several people came in asking for rooms but they were booked. I bet I could have scalped my hotel room key card for some big bucks!



I took a shower, went to grocery, then went for a late evening walk on the beach.



Then I decided I better get some ice cream because I burned off too much fat beachwalking and poor Dr Kline has to hunt in every nook and cranny on my bod to find fat to graft.



I'm going to go for a sunrise walk, too. Followed by BIG breakfast.



MartyJ and wavewhisperer,



Where can I get good crab and shrimp? Don't want a dive but not too fancy either. Don't like my seafood fried although love crabcakes as long as mostly crab and little filler. Would like to have one good dinner before surgery while I have an appetite and not feeling pukey.

Martyj,



Is The Crab House the same as Charleston Crab House?



I like Boathouse for appetizers and sunsets. Too expensive for me to have dinner there now. Will check out Morgon Creek. Thanks!

Pink, I had one of the best shrimp cocktails at AwwwShucks downtown CHS by the market

Oh boy , thinking I want to be done with this restaurant biz, but how bout a flap hotel? Big house right on the beach, nurse on staff, recovery at its finest . What could we call it?

When Dr K answered, how big of implant is he saying?



I see that Dr D on NOLA thread Ask The Doc, got a question about BRAVA. He obviously against the use of it from sounds of his answer.



Interesting how opins differ with docs in same specialty.