DIEP 2013

so it seems like a lift is just an extra perk but you could get yourself out of a regular recliner?

Krista. I had vision changes. Didnt known if it was my pain killers or antibiotics. I couldn't drive for a long while after even though I got different meds. My antibiotic was Minocycline.

Drive by tonight...had a good visit with Mom, she is still in the hospital. I guess they want to make sure everything is okay before they release her. I took the wheelchair and got her outside for some fresh air, she loved it! We had a good time. Tiring driving down to hospital and home after work...2+ hours of driving.

I got told my surgery date is being changed to Nov 25 (following Monday). It creates a problem with having someone home to help me out for the first week after I am released. My sister who lives about 5 hours away had booked a week off,cancelled a connection for an existing flight she had as her and hubby are going south on November 30/13....sucks that she only did this morning and I found out a few hours later the date was moved. My PS's assistant apologized saying that when they gave me the other date it was tentative and possibly may be changed. She said when they give a date an earlier than 6 weeks prior to surgery, things often go sideways. The new date seems more solid, she said she is working on my pre-op appt date and would most likely call me tomorrow with that.

Anyways...we have something called Unpaid Emergency Leave Days here in Ontario Canada where your Employer cannot deny you the time off...up to 10 days with notice. So hubby is going to take the day of surgery and following day plus that first weekend and the following week. He said no question about it, he is not going to be at work while I am having surgery as he wants to see me when I wake up and the following day. What a peach I have for a hubby:) Love my guy...we have been together since he was 24 and I was 25 (he is 48 and I am 49 now).

Gotta get some sleep, tired....

Love to all you wonderful ladies!

Michele

Butterfleye - There's no such thing as overkill! The most important thing is that your comfortable, rested, and healing. If you don't like the chair you can send it back. I didn't rent a chair - but - I did test them out and had one lined up in case I needed it delivered. If I had a bigger house I may have gone for it - but I got what I needed from an big pile of pillows.

Curlylocks - I'm rooting for your mom, and hope she's home soon. So glad that your hubby is such a rock during all these challenges.

Sweetpickle - Grrrrrrr. Getting passed around in the hospital system, without results, is the worst. I can't believe your PS sent you back to your primary care doctor! Can't anyone take responsibility? How frustrating. I agree - 11 pounds in two weeks is a lot. Good things that DH speaks the lingo. I'm sure he's the right man for the job - but I still think emergency is a good option. Nobody will neglect the heart attack patients, and you might find a doctor who is actually interested in your health. By the way - do they have an 'on call' intern that you can all. That's who I go to when I have questions. They're usually pretty eager, expecially late at night when they're bored.

Curly, so glad your mom is doing better.

I couldn't have lived without my recliner after my bmx, and I didn't know it till I sat in it for a little bit while my husband was changing the sheets. I didn't get out of it for weeks. I even bought a new one recently...yeah!

Minocycline can do weird things to your vision. I remember when my son was taking it for acne he had to switch to something else. Google it. I think you might find your answer about the vision thing.

I got a call back from my MO nurse and she will get me in withthe lymph clinic and I should hear back from her tomorrow morning. She also said my MO may want to see me because of it. I was thinking about asking for Cymbalta as it seems to be good for chronic pain and anxiety which I have both. Has anyone else here taken cymbalta?

Thanks ladies!

Recliner-I bought a motorized one-love it; could not get myself out of a regular recliner after the DIEP. Nights I could not get comfy post-op, I could push a button and raise up or down a little bit...allowed me to move in little increments...

Problem-I had the Stage 2 revisions - I'm 3 weeks + post-op and the breasts just are not near the same size. I posted this earlier and received encouragement; thank you. However, a friend from out-of-state is visiting me and she is a surgical nurse. She said, "That is a horrible job. I can't believe he didn't do a better job than that. You will have to have more surgery. I'm really concerned for you." I thought I was just imagining the differences, and that time will heal the differences and scarring. I'm going to wait and focus on good health and balance and wait until I see the PS again Dec. 4. But I'm beginning to wonder if I chose the best surgeon available, you know? I guess I haven't shown friends my scars and current body because it is so far from normal. But if anyone has already finished their Stage 2, could you please post or pm me your own experiences? I know I'm still swollen, that's the biggest hurdle right now, but again, just trying to get more reassurance that time will heal what is not symmetrical at this time.

mofof5 - so sorry that you will not get the surgery you want. At least the new PS and her assistant sound like they are going to try to do the best that they can for you. Wishing you all the very best on this journey and hoping you get an outcome you are really happy with {{{{{hugs}}}}}



sweetpickle - oh, no! You are getting such a runaround!!! And it is has been dragging on for you so long - you must be exhausted. I wish there was something we could do to help {{{{{hugs}}}}} Hopefully your MO is a different breed to your PS and will help you get answers!



Zenful - I am in awe of what those doctors do there - so glad you had a great outcome!



Curlylocks - wonderful to hear your mum is doing well!!! You must be so thrilled! And it sounds like your hubby is one of the god ones



cpop - welcome to the thread and to flapperland. I felt awful the first few weeks when I ate or drank but I think it's just because all your innards get rearranged and packed in tight with the surgery, it takes a while for everything to settle into its new home. It will get there.

Mom - there are 3 practices that I am familiar with that excel at stacked procedures. Look into them before you decide to go with an implant (I had implants for many years and had serious problems). Surgeons at all three will do telephone consults with you (they can see all they need from photographs) and their staff will discuss insurance issues. It may be more costly to travel for the procedure, but these are the gold standard. Look into: Center for Restorative Breast Surgery (fondly referred to as NOLA); Dr. Marga (she's my surgeon); or Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction (Charleston, SC). All of these practices have been doing free flap exclusively for more than 10 years.

Curly - so glad you are there for your mom. Mine was diagnosed with type II diabetes which they wanted her to manage through diet alone. Two years later she had 12% kidney function and ended up on dialysis (peritoneal first, then hemodialysis) for 10 years until she told the doctor she wasn't doing dialysis anymore. I think we had a harder time convincing the doctor that it was okay. She knew what would happen if she stopped and clearly stated that she did not want to die, but did not want dialysis either. I am so glad that your mom is off dialysis and they can further manage her diabetes with injections.

Hi ladies,

Thank you for all gave me advice on the flap procedures. Unfortunately, I don't think I can get to Charleston or NOLA even if doing stacked flaps is an option. The sad fact is that the cost of flying back and forth, hotels, my DH time away from the office, my time away from work for consults and second surgeries (not covered under STD), pose a big issue. And then there are my kids; I have no one to watch them and get them off to school. Johns Hopkins was ideal for a flap due to the proximity to my home.

I really don't have a choice...it makes me mad, and sad. Since I already have implants I guess I will let this PS see what she can do and swap them out with something else and do some fat grafting - maybe it will work and look and feel better. If I win the lottery, maybe I can do the flaps LOL.

I am now 11 months out and get swelling most evenings in my upper abdomen. I have no pain. I have no idea why this happens.

I'm so close to 6 months out, I can "taste it". I would have said a few weeks ago, that I have no swelling anymore, and hadn't for quite sometime, because I didn't. When I got a bad cold, and spent more time than usual, sitting around, I noticed a little bit of swelling sneaking back, above my tummy incision. Now that I am back to my usual lifestyle, it has disappeared again. My thinking is: sitting more, made it harder for my body to naturally move fluid around, especially past a flexed hip/tummy area. I still massage my skin, from hips to above the boobs, 2x everyday while moisturizing, and I stay active.

The other "factor" I think for people like you (cherrie, sbe....) is that you are not that "length of time" out from all surgery, just the initial one. You both have had more surgeries since, and I think it's not unreasonable to find, that with more/new surgeries, the body might move closer to the "refined look", on the outside, but takes a temporary step or two back in the internal "healing/recovery" thing. (imho). Doesn't mean you won't get there, you've just taken a bit of a "side trip" in the process.

I wish I had some answers to the "xx" months post surgery and still having pain.....but I don't. Is it nerve pain, muscle pain,????? We all sense pain differently too. Doesn't mean some are braver than others, it is just a different awareness or impact on us physically, just like we react differently to, or need different meds.

Aspinner, that is great news. Love you pic, BTW. Thanks for sharing. Always nice to put a face with a name. Keep us posted on San Antonio. I live in Texas. San Antonio is a lovely town.

yay ASpinner! It will happen.

Thanks Katy and Nihahi. Time is the healer of all things. Fluid build up. Never thought of that. I was thinking that be cause I have no tummy my fat shifted up there and I have been bummed. Hmmmmm!