DIEP 2013

Hey, Americans, if you are interested, there is a lymphedema treatment act going before Congress. It is to enact a law to require compression garments be covered by Medicare and other plans. Go to this link and they make it very easy to contact your rep with your own or their form letter. http://www.capwiz.com/lymphedematreatmentact/home/

Thanks, friends!

Awesome Bailey!

Janet, I also have had good success with the massage technique. I even had some squared off incision edges disappear with consistent deep massage. I use Aquaphor at night or "Tummy Butter" cocoa cream and a goat's milk cream in the morning.

I too have a serious reaction to tape. I've had tape pull my skin off when it was removed! I've tried soaking it, coating it with oily creams, nothing worked. I've tried every known brand. The best bet is a paper tape. Then I take the "tackiness" away by sticking it to my hand a few times to make it less sticky. But after three months of an open incision, my skin had it with all tape. I started wearing inexpensive tube tops or bandeau bras to hold pads and bandages in place. It gave my skin a chance to heal. The bra area drain holes can be very painful when rubbed, so having a large stretchy tube top helped.

Jeannie, could there still be some swelling on one side? Did they do more on one side than the other? Maybe it just needs time to settle. If not, I hope they can even you out - you deserve to feel good in your boobs!

Moderators wrote:

The Breastcancer.org Rock the Ribbon fundraiser last Thursday was an enormous success. We had a fabulous, diverse attendance and so many positive comments about our amazing community of individuals. They were clearly touched by the images,the reach, and the powerful words, and we thank you for sharing them with us!! It helped bring YOU to our evening. Thank you, thank you!!!

Hugs from the BCO Team

aw jeannie....no need to "invite"....your pockets are already full of us all! As lahela wrote....size difference could also be due to swelling, if he was rummaging around inside again! Someone with compression experience may have a better idea....does wearing compression that starts just under the boobs, make the post-op boob swelling a bit slower to resolve????? You could be more "balanced" than it looks at the moment, once the swelling goes down. (maybe????). I'm sure your hubby wants you to be happy....though I totally get the "putting him through more" emotions too. Sounds like you are liking the new tummy, though, which is WONDERFUL!!!!

I do understand the financial burden of you gals in the States in trying to get things "done" within a certain time frame.....I so wish that extra stress was not part of the journey for you. From my personal experience....I believe that sticking with the "fandango" until you have reached your personal "Done"ness....whatever that entails, is worth it. There is a long, rich life awaiting us all after this year of surgeries, hospitalization, recoveries, stages, etc....it is so worth it to be able to "move on" from a place of happiness and peace, than to carry forward in life, a sense of disappointment or feelings of being "unfinished".

Jeannie, I think I've given up trying to find my happiness with flaps. After losing one, and have more scar tissue than with a normal mastectomy and the other flap that is left has been pretty hideous from the beginning. I was a DD before surgery and asked for a reduction to a full C. The flap I have left is a misshapen "B". It's more oval than round and I know the side boobage and shape can be fixed later, but how much will actually be left after they lipo? It's been a frustrating journey for me all around.

On other forums you can see women who have surgery after surgery until they are happy. I just don't have it in me! I wish I could just go to NOLA and have a miracle done. But I know there are no easy fixes. My hats off to all the women who stick with it.

Oh, Bluebird, you have been through it! You have my compassion. I wish I could do something for you! Believe me, I am grateful that I have two new "boobs." I haven't been too concerned with what I would end up with until now. We'll see what the PS says. If he didn't fix it after the original and stage II, do I really want him to try again? I hope there is more swelling on the left than right and it will even up some, but not confident. I will go on to lead a good life, irrespective of what happens, I am confident of that.

Wow. If only it were that easy. Go to sleep. Wake up. Admire new breasts. No pain, no infections, no complications, no anesthesia risk. I guess this is why I'll never learn the Fandango. I can't dance at all and can only do the Frankenstein shuffle. But I'm lucky in many other ways and count my blessings that I'm still here.

As I said, my hats off to those who do well and end up happy with their results. It is a long road for everyone. This experience is certainly a test of resiliency. I truly admire strength and willingness to jump back up on the horse!

Bluebird, I'm so sorry. I was flippant and I apologize. Yeah, I hear you--it's certainly not that easy, and I've had my own share of "oh, crap, what's next" days.

Maybe I'm just trying to get some perspective on my own fandango. After ALL of this--lumpectomy, chemo, mastectomy, radiation, DIEP, cellulitis, more surgery--I'm hoping I'm on the home stretch, and the worst of it is behind me. One more short surgery doesn't seem a very tall hurdle at this point.

Nevertheless, my post was insensitive, and I wouldn't hurt your feelings for anything. You're right in the middle of the storm, and it's a wretched place to be. Sorry.

Some deep, heartfelt thoughts today. I love how we have found respect and acceptance for our similarities and our differences on this thread. As "common" as our bond is, we still are very much individuals. I think most of us had a similar sense of "loss" from breast mx or we wouldn't have been on the "flapper express" in the first place. But we each had different paths through dx, tx, sx, complications, timelines, and life in general. We each place different "values" on what results we ultimately need to feel "reconstructed", and where we need to "be" to be able to move on physically and emotionally. For each of us, I believe there is a point where surgical intervention yields diminishing returns in our emotional and physical health and happiness. even in our ability to "move on". But that point is different for each and everyone of us. My personal view is that pursuit of "physical perfection" is a pretty futile task, as life seems to have a way of "levelling things out" in the big picture. That doesn't mean I feel the best attitude is to "settle" (as some people term it) for results that are unsatisfactory or make us unhappy, it means we each have to figure out how connected our happiness/health is to what surgery can do for us. The best thing we can do for ourselves, is to "listen" to our inner voice, and be true to ourselves. Not sure if I'm finding the right words to say what I mean......

Good Morning -

Nihahi - Well said.

My 'enough' will be when I get dressed without having to accommodate the physical side-effects of surgery. Right now I can wear anythjng I want on top, and for that I am so grateful. I feel like me again (sans nipples). But I still have to wear jeans that fit under my 'dog ears'. So I have a wardrobe of stretchy jeans with wide waistbands and unless I'm wearing a blouse, I often wear a cardigan to disguise my spongebob square pants corners. I feel pretty shallow talking about this - but it's not about looking good, as much as it is feeling comfortable in my own skin, and not having constant reminders.

I haven't decided on my stage 2 yet, but goal is to put on my clothes and get out the door without thinking about surgery, and BC, and lymphedema. Like Bailey said - there was a time where I didn't want anyone in doctor's clothes coming anywhere near me. But now I'm feeling like 'let's get er done!' I want nipples and a waist.

Goldie -It's so interesting what you said about your friend. 'She never wants to heal and see what she looks like'. I love your insights. But luckily - I don't think any of us fall into that category. Comfort, health, and symmetry seem to be what we're all after. The very things that we were born with. Our personal goals and road maps may be different but I think most of us gals just want a full, healthy life and will know when it is 'enough'.

feeling comfortable in my own skin, and not having constant reminders.

Janet......exactly!!!!!!! 11 simple words to express perfectly how I feel!!!!! You are like our poet laureate!!!!! btw....I don't believe there is a "shallow cell" in your body....you just want to normalize as much of the surgical aftermath as possible, nothing wrong with that at all.

I actually feel sad for women (not just bc women either), who feel convinced they need to pursue "perfection" to find happiness. If I needed to be physically perfect to live my life....I never would have left the cradle. A "perfect" body has never played a part in helping me stand on a mountain top, ski along a trail, laugh with my friends or appreciate a beautiful flower.

I intend to spend today being thankful for what I have......caring for myself as best as I can......and sending love to every single one of you!

Have GREAT DAYS LADIES!!!!!!

edited to add:

bluebird....cyber crossing posts....you are probably one of the more "balanced" ladies on this thread.....I hope you do find some understanding and support here...your journey has been truly epic, and your spirit and "perspective" are serving you well for this fandango. I hope you come spend time with some of us on the Moving On thread....where the intent IS to leave the "flap talk" in the rear view mirror, and look ahead to life beyond bc and recon. ((((((X))))))

Deb.....I know it doesn't feel like it, but 10 weeks post surgery is really a "drop in the bucket" of recovery time. My recon breast has significantly changed (for the better) over these 6 months post surgery. I understand your "comparison" of the natural breast with your recon, as I am a uni also, and comparing is a normal thing. I hope you find more symmetry by the end of your recon stages. I am going to definitely go for the surgical nipple recon with tattoo.....I spent over 20 years with the single nipple look....I KNOW that for me, I want to have two again, even if the recon one isn't perfect, it'll be another "reminder" to no longer have to climb over, each time I undress.

Hi all I hope you are willing to welcome me back after all this time :-/

I would love to promise that I'll catch up on reading all of your wonderful posts but the reality is that there isn't enough time in the world  

After my thyroid cancer diagnosis in August    ( specific type is follicular carcinoma) I made the decision not to let it take over so much of my life this time. So I decided to continue with school and work etc. I had met with a couple of surgeons and was really glad I didn't settle on the first one because the second surgeon was fantastic. On September 24th I had a total thyroidectomy and they removed some lymph nodes to test as well. I recovered really well but learned the next day that the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. 

So now it's just the waiting game that we are all too familiar with right ? I have to wait 6 weeks at that point they will check my tsh levels then they will take me off my meds for 6 weeks and put me on a low iodine diet for 3 weeks and schedule a radioactive iodine scan to see if its gone anywhere else. Keeping my chin up 

Hope all is well ladies !

Debdylan....So glad you posted. I was thinking of you last night as I was drifting off to sleep. I've not been to the picture forum. I am guessing that what you are seeing there is finished product? Idk....just a guess. If so, TOTALLY not fair to compare stage one results to "stage done" results.

I have no love for my noob yet. It is way too large, it is pointing "to the left, to the left" (a la Beyonce lol), it's lumpy, bumpy, hard and painful. I hate where the worst of my stretch marks from my belly ended up. BUT.....the point, the goal,  of stage I was to move the tissue and make it live.....SCORE! We did that. So it was very successful. It was pure surgery.....no artistry. Next time I will get some artistry with the redo of my scars, tummy contouring, moving and reduction of the noob, etc. 

And what Nihahi said....10 weeks is not much time. I had burger bun on the lifted side ....it's gone now.

Faith! So happy you "checked in". You are always welcome here, for as long as you want to stay. I am sorry to hear about the nodes and the waiting. Living your life through it all is the right thing to do, imho. (((((((((((Faith)))))))))))) you remain in my prayers, sister.