DIEP 2013

It's going to be a beautiful day.....blue skies, fresh snow on the mountains, cup of coffee in my hand, my best buds on the computer....yup...gonna be a good one. 

Would you west coasters please turn off the wind???? Your rain deluge is apparently crossing the mountains as a low pressure area that is creating gale force winds for us. Hope the rain stops soon for you, though....too much rain is not a good thing.

OK, when is a good time to go to Vegas???? 

10/1/13     Debwarrior (BMX with immediate Diep) UCSF
10/2/13     Pattysmiles (BMX with Diep) NOLA

This weeks ladies.....safe surgeries and gentle healing to you both.

Have good days everyone!

I am filled with the spirit today. What a good and peaceful feeling. Wish I could hold myself still here in the happy place. I hope you all find a piece (or more) of peace today.



I often imagine, as I am reading, all if us in a comfy, beautiful place and women laughing and crying and sharing...we come and go out in and out of the room, in and out or the conversation....always supporting one another. And I am so sorry that we were all gripped by cancer in some way to end up here, but I consider you a silver lining to that dark cloud.



Y'all are a thing of beauty.



Thank you for your kind comments. I do love that picture, too, because it is triumph and love. But I also see how beat down I was...and I know how foreign my body felt to me then. I was in a strange land, indeed. But cancer free. Completely,totally, miraculously cancer free.



I will never be like I was before the fandango. But maybe I'll be better. Every tear, every prayer, every hug, every sit up and squat, every word read, every donut skipped, every drop of poison, every supplement choked down.....I say, I declare....it's all worth it on a day like today. To have spent the morning in the gym with my sister and nephew laughing; to see my DH and my boys here in this house; to see my Moses and my Bella (dogs) waiting to play with me...it is all worth it. I am glad just to be.



So, keep dancing, ladies, we'll be lords of the dance in the end

Good morning ladies! Wow, this is an active little thread! I can't believe all the posts! You are a funny group. Had me smiling when I was up at 3am.



DebDylan - no, I'm not giving up. I am too disgusted and uncomfortable for that. My PS told me I was not a candidate for DIEP because I had a tummy tuck 5 years ago after baby #5. I wish I had known the cancer was coming, could have saved myself time and money. The only other procedure she told me about was where she takes the muscle from the back, and she discouraged that. What she did not share with me were all the flap procedures that she does NOT do. Since she does implants, I was led to believe that was it for me in terms of options. She never told me how horribly tight is feel, how I'd always feel them moving under the muscle, that is need MRIs to check for leaks, etc. She was only looking to make $$ off me, not help me do what is best for me. At least that's my feeling.



Downey30 - thank you for your post! So, 4 flapper? You have two on each side? I do wonder if I have enough to make a B/C cup off my butt. I'm 5'5.5 and 125#. I am hoping at 45 they can find enough loose skin/fat to stuff a few cups . The thought of a butt lift is appealing...I feel everything has gone south this year!



I was in great shape until my BMX in February. Then there were the restrictions. Once I was off, I had exchange soon after. Then four weeks later, a laparotomy to remove a 6# tumor and my ovary. I am beyond exhausted and feel like all I want to do is sleep. I've been doing arm and leg work at home, and slowly getting back into the abs, but I feel like I have no "oomph". I told my DH he is married to a giant tree sloth lol. I'm usually so high energy, it's killing me. I'm not sure if my body is still recuperating, if it's the tamoxifen, if it's my thyroid (I have early hashimto's disease). I feel awful complaining because I didn't even have chemo. We decide the risks for me outweighed the benefit and so tamoxifen it was (though I'm only 5% ER pos).



Oh, and my sleep is horrible. I sleep maybe 4 hours, then toss and turn. I have sleeping pills, but they make me groggy for work. Melatonin used to work, not anymore.



Any suggestions on getting back to a "normal" energy level?

Momof5, when was your last anesthesia, and surgery?  I had a PA tell me once that for every hour of anesthesia you've had you need two weeks to get it out of your system.  That sounded like a lot, but I wonder if it's true? Also, I have heard tamoxifen can really zap you energy.  Liefie was just talking about that last week.  

A few days ago I was talking to a neighbor who had breast cancer a couple of years ago, and she said she just recently realized she feels like herself again.  I think when everything is all over, and you can just move on without anything but your yearly check up, and no worries to zap your energy, then you will feel 100 percent again.

Also, how old are you children? I am sure they take a huge amount of your energy. Give yourself a break. I know how you feel. I promise you this will all be in the past one day soon, and you will be whole, and happy again.  

I was thinking that as many women that get chemo, and it screws up their thyroid that it would be protocol for the thyroid levels to be checked along with all the other blood work.  Also, tamoxifen putting you into chemical menopause can screw with the thyroid too.  Why do we have to feel miserable before they say, "hmm, maybe we should get that." 

BTW, speaking of thyroid, has anybody heard from Faith?

You ladies have all brought tears to my eyes today, with your pain and progress. Coming in to this thread each day makes my heart open up so much. I wish I could hug each and every one of you as we share this journey.

I leave for 24 hours and look what happens. ( three pages behind)



I am coming to Seattle for Thanksgiving if anyone can meet. Jeannine has sent me a great list of things to do and see. We are coming in on the 25th of November to Dec. 5. Coming back in August. I miss my son so much.



Vegas- hmmm!



ASpinner-ARTPRIZE- Check out the Sleeping Bear Dune portrait made out of fabric. I hope to go back one more time.



I know this is old stuff and all docs have different opinions on everything...........for those of you who have had inner thigh lipo............how long has your doctor asked you to be in surgical compression? My doc has asked for 6months 24/7. I don't hate compression and understand it aides in swelling and healing, but yowzer, it seems like a long time. Just wondering.



Prayers for a happy, healthy, and healing week for everyone.



Cherrie

Cherrie - six months of compression, holy cow! No thank you!

Happy Sunday, gloobsters! 

Janet, dear sister, thank you for your image of me, but I want you to know how many times I’ve sobbed in Jerry’s arms, terrified.  Of chemo.  Surgery.  Radiation.  Just…CANCER.  There is no such thing as a sucky baby among women who have been through what we’ve been through.  Those women who ran past you?  Let ‘em.  The courage and strength to be out walking the basset, when you’re tired from work and a little discouraged about the hell you’ve been through, outshines all their fancy running gear.  TOWANDA!   

This has been a wonderful day.  I’m going to tell you this because it makes me so happy, and NO ONE should have a mental image of me standing on some kind of pedestal.  It’s just what we do.  Jerry brought me a cup of coffee this morning and said, “Let’s go for a ride.”  We stuffed the wound vac pump into my Camelbak and off we went.  We rode at a snail’s pace, but the sun was shining and fall was in the air.  Warm and golden in the sunshine, and cool and crisp in the shadows.  I’m convinced that keeping our bodies moving, even if it’s just a few minutes on a treadmill or a slow stroll around the block, helps keep our minds healthy and our recovery steady. 

Then we went to church, me toting the pump like a purse.  I sat next to my DIL and held Aubrey the whole time.  Sure enough…the machine farts.  My DIL gasps and reaches for Aubrey, thinking she’d just blown out her diaper.  Then we both choked with suppressed laughter.  

Jeannie, we call it “California church” for our usual attire.  Even the pastor wears flip-flops all year.  A few years ago, my son was doing some training in Alabama and he went to church there, dressing “California church.”  He called and said, “Mom, even the kids in the nursery were dressed better than I was.”  

Bailey, I loved your post.  I, too, think of our thread as a comfy room where we come and go, laughing and crying and sharing.  I’ve sure needed to reach deeper inside myself than I ever imagined I could to get through this fandango, and I would never call cancer a blessing, but I’ve grown in many unexpected ways.  

Sweetpickle…”Make your own kind of music, sing your own special song…”  Sing it, sister! 

Momof5, I loved this—“I wish I’d known cancer was coming, could have saved myself time and money.”  I’m trying to picture a PS in your past, saying, “don’t bother, dear, you’ll have cancer in a few years and we’ll take care of that tummy then.”  I hope you get your sleep issues sorted and feel better soon.  Low thyroid, low hemoglobin, sleep deprivation, stress, menopause—any of these factors can lead to fatigue. 

Inner thigh lipo…I wish!  Mine could sure use some.  My DH is a fan of inner thigh compression but it only lasts for a few minutes.  …snort… 

Vegas, baby!  Let’s go!

Sbel, thanks for the update on how church went for you this morning. So little Aubrey was used as a decoy for that farting apparatus of yours? LOL. Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to dress up for church any more? It was never about clothes at all. We are pretty relaxed here on Vancouver island too, and you go as you like, as long as you have clothes on. This morning I should have stayed home. After my sleepless night I could not stay awake for the sermon, and was scared I would fall asleep, and fall out of the pew - lol. It was a blessing when it was over and we could come home. Totally agree with you re: getting some fresh air and a  little exercise. Always picks me up - even took the dog for a walk after lunch in my zombie-like sleep-deprived state, and felt better for it.

Momof5, I am seriously suspecting Tamoxifen for just running out of steam sometimes, and for sometimes just feeling tired for no apparent reason. All my blood functions/levels were tested three weeks ago, everything is normal, so it has to be the Tamo. Lack of sleep will defo make you feel listless and fatiqued, so maybe seek help with that too.

Hi guys. It's hard to catch up when you've been away, but it is good to get out and live again. My DH and I went to Orange County to see our twin girls. We had a great time. It is so good to go have fun. I haven't done that in awhile.



My Ab wound is almost closed! It's kind of weird how excited I feel about this. Everyone I show before and after pictures to are shocked and amazed. I may even get to dump this compression this week.



I am totally addicted to my Fitbit! Talk about a motivator. It really gets you moving. If you're having trouble getting moving again, you might want to try it.

Thanks Barb. I am wearing Veronique from waist to knees. In the evening it is so tight and uncomfortable but not duri g the day. My DOM was an XL and I got a L per their measurements. I am a NOLA girl. When did you start wearing Spanx at night?



Momof5- my daughter lives in Chesapeake. Where are you?



SBEL- Your idea of compression is too funny. I laughed so hard which isn't easy in my Veronique.

Sherry35, I can already hear the closing bell.  Blessings tomorrow.  Let us know how you're doing when you're able!

Prayers are going up for Layla, too!

Sherry, when one door "closes," another one opens! Yay for moving on from all you've been through.



Deb, Patty, Layla, hope it helps to know we're pulling for you! Prayers.



Mammalou, so good to hear the happiness in your "voice!" You are Fortitude with a capital "F." And yay for possibly getting rid of compression. I hate that stuff and that is one BIG question I will be asking my PS about re: stage II on Tuesday. If he says six months I'm calling the whole thing off!



Janet, wow, that villa looks like it's for the RICH and famous! Can we pretend? It's something else and we do deserve it.