DIEP 2013

Janet_M · October 2013

mrtw43 - It's never too much info! I'm going to have extended incisions too, when they get rid of my dog ears. It didn't occur to me that my scar would get longer, but I'm getting used to the idea. (I just found out yesterday). It'll end up being a grand total of 22".

I also have a general question about massaging the scar. My PS said I should be massaging five times a day, for five minutes at time, using Vaseline. What do other girls do?

nihahi · October 2013

mrt....That's great news about stage 2 being just the nipple recon...must mean, like you wrote, that your results from your first surgery are very good, and you are happy with the results! This is "happy dance" time, girl!!!!! You will be putting all this journey behind you in record time!

janet...you can't massage a scar too much, really, but 5 times a day, when you are back to work and stuff is asking for a lot of commitment on your part. At this stage, I don't think I have a 5 hour "awareness" cycle of what the past few months have been all about....I go hours, I'm sure, just living a normal life. I massage twice a day for sure, and try to sneak in another if I can. If I'm out and about around mid-day, and need a bathroom break, I'll take a little extra time and do a bit of massage, but not a full session. Other days, I feel I'm good to go with just the usual morning and night. Vaseline is going to be pretty "ucky" on your clothes......true..it will hold moisture "in" your skin, but there are more "doable" products. Get yourself a jar of Dermabase cream or Glaxal Base cream (not lotions). They massage in great, are unscented, don't stain clothes and keep your skin moisturized for hours and hours.

jeannie....hope it was a better sleep for you last night????

Have good days, ladies....I'm hiking today so have to get moving. (no, I will not be found standing behind a tree in 5 hours, with my pants down, rubbing my tummy and boobs...I think I'd frighten the wildlife into a stampede or die of frostbite!)

Ridley · October 2013

Jeannie, Goldie and Curly -- thanks for your feedback. In thinking it over, I don't think it would be a good idea to potentially have to have more surgery that soon after DIEP surgery. I have a new breast surgeon (because I had to change hospitals), and he wants to do another MRI and ultrasound, so we can figure out how anything has changed, and if necessary do some biopsies first. Then we can decide.

No date yet -- but I know it won't be before December.

Thanks again,

Ridley

Jeannie57 · October 2013

I slept great! Still working on the constipation issue...I don't know what else I can do....

butterfleyez · October 2013

hey everyone. Just checking in to say that surgery went well. Ended up being 13hrs do the family was exhausted. Def been having Wilbur sightings and working through the road to recovery. I feel very prepared because of our good discussions and not as helpless bc I know it's part of the process. Hopefully home by Sunday

Anonymous · October 2013

Butterfleyez and Wilbur......hello! Welcome to this side, honey! So glad you are feeling like you know what's happening Sleep now.....we are in your pockets all the way

Jeannie57 · October 2013

Yay for you, Butterfleyez! You sound good with a great attitude.

I am hurting. Stage I wasn't as painful as this. I'm taking your collective advice and just laying around, for the most part. It's the liposuctioned abdomen that hurts so if you don't have any of that done, you will sail through stage II. DH is taking good care of me. My "leaks" are easing up although they could come back, PS says. I am doing well, considering. My boobs look good (they aren't in compression), though the left one looks bigger than rightie. Who cares, at this point??? Not me.

Dyvgrl · October 2013

Jeannie,

On the constipation issue, I'd give magnesium citrate a shot, or an enema worst case. Don't let that get ahead of you! The mag citrate is just a drink if you haven't ever used it before. Tastes pretty sugary / sour but it works. It will clean the pipes like nobodies business so stay close to the bathroom! Wish you well, I have major issues after anesthesia so I know it well. Take care!

LucyV · October 2013

glad you are on the way to healing butterfleyez!

Sorry you are hurting Jeannie. Rest rest rest

Got my biotene mouth spray today and two snap front scrub tops. Keep going back and forth about the recliner so will call today on prices.

goldie4040 · October 2013

Wow, Jeannie. Lipo hurts more than than Stage 1? I am so sorry. From what I have he

rd though once the pain starts to subside it goes away fairly quickly, I guess you can't see if you have a lot of bruising. Hang in there.

Ridley, I have seen quite a few women who have the nodes surgery before the mx, and your's seems to be the other way around. I often see in people's bio's node biopsy, and then a week later they have mx, or bmx.

Yeah, Butterfleyze...way to go!!!! You will be home, and recuperating comfortably before you know it.

Anonymous · October 2013

Jeannie....So sorry you are in pain! Any relief? Mental hugs!

kimdy · October 2013

How long are you guys massaging at a time? And is that total time for abdomen and breasts or so many minutes per site - abdomen and then each breast?

Thanks!

Jeannie57 · October 2013

dyvgirl, I had to go to emergency in an ambulance after my DIEP so I am well-acquainted with constipation! I just talked to PS's nurse about it. Thanks for your encouragement.

Ridley · October 2013

Hi Goldie -- we did talk about looking at the nodes on the new MRI and ultrasound and then if necessary doing a fine needle aspiration biopsy if there is any evidence of disease in the nodes. The issue is if something unexpected crops up from the mastectomy on the prophylatic side, would I regret not doing a sentinel node biopsy on that side. I did have a sentinel node biopsy on the cancer side when I had my lumpectomy.

Thanks for helping me think through this decision -- never seems to be an end to them!

Jeannie57 · October 2013

Bailey, I will probably start taking the pain meds in the dosage recommended. I haven't been doing that, just half. I am trying to hold Wilbur back. I was also trying to keep constipation away. Hopefully I can go to straight Tylenol only, soon.

Thanks for the kind wishes and prayers.

Goldie, I can only see my boobs because they are not "compressurized." They look great, no bruising right now. PS warned me that my belly would be very sore. He was right!

Dyvgrl · October 2013

Jeannie,

OY! I feel for you girl! Well hopefully that never happens again. Hope you have an easier recovery this time!

LucyV · October 2013

Jeannie....I googled FUPA....ok I get it now haha. Hmmm so for stage two will they lipo anything you ask? Arms?..under the neck?..thighs? Hope things start running smoothly for you!

Jeannie57 · October 2013

LucyV, I think my PS would have happily lipo'd anything I wanted! I would have loved to have my arms done but that is a terrible idea for lymphedema (LE).

Ridley, in my case, neither the many US biopsies nor the MRI biopsies showed any sign of cancer in the nodes. The docs and techs were so excited about that. Actual removal and pathology of the nodes showed BIG cancer in three of them. I know it's overwhelming trying to make the best decisions for yourself. You can do it!

ladypirate13 · October 2013

who the hell is Wilbur?

MartyJ · October 2013

Wilbur is Jeannie's friend who only comes to play with her when she is taking painkillers. He makes her do funny things. He likes to get around and may come visit you after your surgery.

Dyvgrl · October 2013

Ladies - if you go to this link - use "Survivor" as the coupon today only - you can get a free necklace - you only have to pay $4.99 for shipping. http://www.stampthemoment.com/hand-stamped/necklaces/survivor.html

I thought it was cute so thought I'd pass it on!

Much love to the warriors!

nihahi · October 2013

Back in touch......jeannie, glad you slept....so sorry you are sore and "blocked up". It is tricky to balance the pain meds with the "blockade" issues, and being inactive doesn't help either, but you need to be to let the lipo SE's settle down. It is always harder to manage pain if you are playing "catch up" as opposed to staying on top of it. I hope you find the magic combination soon. Did your PS have any suggestions for you???

butterfleye....so good to hear from you....you sound wonderful, hope things continue to go well for you. Getting home will help lots with catching up on some much needed rest!

kimdy...massage isn't something to stress about, or keep exact track of. You'll probably find that the more you do it, in the early days, the better your skin/scars feel, and possibly the better you can stay on top of some (but likely not all) of the swelling. You will likely find that some areas seem to need more moisturizing and massage than others, so those areas you should try to target more often, or spend more time on. Do what you can, as long as you do some each day..you're helping yourself.

Wilbur is also our "mascot/patron protector".....we have jeannie to thank for his arrival, but he means alot to many of us!!!

Jeannie57 · October 2013

Nihahi, I talked to 2 nurses today. I am doing everything they suggest and more. I am just trying to avoid the problem, don't think it's a problem yet. I'm looking forward to a shower tomorrow!

Jeannie57 · October 2013

Nihahi, hiking photos????

nihahi · October 2013

jeannie...I know you are doing EVERYTHING within your power to get things balanced and manageable.......hoping for a more "comfortable" transition from this stage towards feeling better really soon.

Didn't take photos with the "usual camera" today (done this hike a zillion times)....just used my phone....trying to post some of those photos.

nihahi · October 2013

It's not liking the phone photos very much, and I still can't seem to post from my phone. You get the idea though!!!!!

lahela · October 2013

Butterfleyez, so good to hear from you and that things are going well.

Jeannie, I wish I could wave a wand and make the pain go away {{{hugs}}}

Nihahi, beautiful photos! You're on top of the world in that last one!

I'm very excited because hubby is home today from a six day trip to the US for a conference. I have hated doing my abscess dressings by myself this week - it's really gross! He has a stomach of steel so he is usually my nurse, so it will be a relief to have him home.

I'm also trying to make a decision about stage 2. I will see my new PS on Monday and if she thinks everything is healing well and I won't lose too much more noob bulk from abscess/swelling etc, then I've more or less decided I'm not going to have any more surgeries. I've still got ovaries to deal with and that's enough. I might get nipple tattoos some time down the road, still undecided, but I think I'm going to just learn to live with the body I have. Maybe I'm just being surgery shy. What do you ladies think? Did it make a big difference to you, emotionally, to go those extra hard yards?

Cherrie · October 2013

Lahela- There is no right answer here. You have to listen to yourself and do what feels right for you. Also, you don't need to make that decision right away. Many girls wait a long time until they know if they want something done or not.

christina0001 · October 2013

Jeannie thanks for sharing your stage 2 story. I'm not looking forward to the pain from the lipo (ugh) but I am looking forward to the end result, that's for sure! Good grief, take your pain meds... constipation does suck though. Mental note for me: stock up on fruits/veggies for post-surgery days! I too will be getting lipo around my hip/abdomen area in addition to my noob.

mrtw thanks for sharing too, about your stage 2 plan. I am so happy that there is a group of us getting ready to do this at the same time. Reading other women's experiences helps me feel prepared. I'm not getting a new nipple at my stage 2 but my PS did talk to me about that a while back and I think what she does is pretty similar to what your PS is going to do. I'm a little worried about how long the new nipple will take to heal and what has to be done to care for it while it's healing.

Janet and kimdy, I probably massage my scar tissue 2x a day, with cocoa butter, for just a minute or so. Now I feel lazy reading what Janet's PS is recommending! But the scar tissue in my new breast is much improved from how it was so even my lazy routine is helping some at least.

butterflyeyez - so glad to hear surgery went well! Take it easy and take care of yourself right now. The next few weeks will probably be a bit of a trial for you.

nihahi - the photos are beautiful! But please keep your snow, I'm not ready for it down here.

lahela - stage 2 - you do whatever feels right to you. Before DIEP and immediately after, I did not think that I wanted to have stage 2 anytime soon. Now that I am feeling well, I am ready to move on to stage 2. Do what feels right to you, and you just feel free to change your mind at any time!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend, and those that are recovering from surgery are comfortable and healing well. I'm looking forward to my stage 2 pre-op consult this coming Wednesday. Can't wait! And I'm still shopping like crazy. I'm going to cry when my Dillard's credit card bill comes in. A co-worker commented to me that I've been looking really nice lately and asked, "You got a new man?" and I said, "No, I have a new breast!" LOL

Jeannie57 · October 2013

Lahela, whatever you decide to do, you have our support. My abdomen hurts because PS wanted to create contours there. You should have seen the pen drawings! I asked him to take a picture of me like that. Anyway, if I had said no to him re:contouring, I would be feeling much better. I don't regret anything, though. I am looking forward to a shower today! I will wear my bloody garment in the shower and then quickly switch it with the new one afterwards. If it has side zippers, it shouldn't be too hard to get it off and on, right?

Nihahi, did you just wear hiking boots in that snow? Brrrr. It is beautiful fall weather here after the fog burns off every morning.

Happy weekend, everyone!

DIEP 2013

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