DIEP 2013

Zoemom, all the best for tomorrow!

I'm going to complain again... got an appt with the onco-gyn next Tuesday, then last night got a period for the first time in 4 months! Accompanied by severe stabbing pains in the ovary region (the one with the big cyst) which kept me awake all night. I want all this stuff out!!! Now!!!

But that's not all, no siree, there's a free set of steak knives too, because I have a severe pain where they made the incision in my noob to drain the abscess!!!!!!!!! I can't wear my Bali, I can't lie on my left side, it feels like a fresh incision! So a call will go in to the PS office as soon as they open...

And now I'll stop complaining and try not to start crying (again). I am so totally over all this.

We are making our travel plans for my January 8 surgery. Can someone recommend some hotels near the surgery center?

oh lahela.....I'm at a loss for words, except to say, I'd be crying too....hugs, hugs, hugs....you have EVERY reason to be "over this".....you're now being blasted with hugs and prayers.{{{{{{{{X}}}}}}}}.

movie and goldie....hope today is a bit easier for you. You know we're thinking of you.

Marty....hope your doc was able to reassure you on resolving the painful bits too? Even though the "finish line" has been moved, sounds like you'll be happier with the end result.

kat-ski....not nearly fast enough, but it does sound like things are moving in the right direction! Hope the drain gets moving, instead of a bigger one, though! But, whatever it takes...right?!

butterfleyez.....my cording is completely gone. At it's worst, I was "banded" from my chest to mid forearm. You could have strummed the cords like guitar strings. I'm pretty sure it was a combination of physio, home exercise, and post-surgical time. My whole shoulder/axilla/chest was one big complicated mess, going into surgery, so I wasn't surprised it rebelled afterwards. But it's doing well now. I think I'll always have some pain in the joint itself, but, it only really affects a few specific things, which I can find my way around. I hope you get the same relief.

debdylan....you should be now finished with chemo..right??? You may not feel like it at the moment...but HAPPY DANCE, GIRL, YOU DID IT!!

keep those colds to yourselves, ladies.....NOT INTERESTED!!!!!!

Hi ladies....checking in for my "whine in the morning"........

I need some encouragement.......I honestly think that the lipo is the most painful part of the Recon Rodeo (at least for me). I look like Goldie described her surgery, as being hit repeatedly by baseball bats (or did I dream that?). Black and blue all over....and Tylenol alone not working......this is the first procedure that I am actually counting the minutes until my next dose of OxyCodone.....weird ! PS said this could be the most difficult (pain-wise) ...... And he was right. I will say as long as I don't move, I feel great.....LOL. I know we all heal at different rates, but could some of you "old-timers" tell me how long before your torso lipo felt better? I am sure part of my issue is that any move I make at night wakes me right up....so sleep is in short supply right now, which is bound to affect how I am feeling, pain-wise.....

PS said I could shower after 48 hours....but I can't get the nipple/ areole area wet AT ALL......he suggested tegaderm to keep it dry, and says I will be able to take it off after......doesn't sound good to me.....maybe I just won't shower for the next two weeks! :P

I had some fat necrosis broken up, and fat grafting to the upper breast, and of course the dog ears are completely gone.......

One thing I have noticed is that because of the heavy-duty compression, I am really suffering from heartburn! Lots of tums!

Okay, am feeling pretty sleepy......more later (maybe).

Love you ladies lots! XO

Good luck to the rest of this week's surgeries......and Sbe , you got this!

movie- ok that sounds terrible! I'm not even close to getting my stage two but I would say...don't move! Rest rest rest and set the alarm for the pain meds. I hope it gets better real fast for you. And it doesn't seem worth the stress to take a shower. Sponge bath sounds easier. Again hope each day gets better.

How are you doing Goldie?

Movie - you should be feeling a whole lot better by Saturday. The horrible pain is only for a few days. It really does go away. So do the bruises. You should not have to load up on tums to counteract heartburn from the compression. Eat small meals - protein, complex carbs, veggie - several times a day. Don't push it too much. Drink lots of fluids - they will help push through the fluid injected with the lipo.

Lucy - there is always risk of fat necrosis. I currently have some on the upper chest wall on one side that is painful (though necrosis is not always painful), it is a lump. Because of the work she will be doing to reposition the scars she won't be able to remove that necrosis this time as she doesn't want to lift the skin and cause another scaring issue. I have had fat grafting twice, but I have no idea how they do it other than they use lipo then process the fat and reinject it. I also had some necrosis from my stage 1 that was broken up during Stage 2a. I also had the abdominal scar lowered. It wasn't bad. She did it when she smoothed the dog ears and gave me 2 drains for a few days.

Janet, the marathon analogy is so inspirational! I am going to keep those words in my head for my Stage 2 after hearing from Movie and the others about the lipo pain.

Seems I have what we think is a seroma on my left hip. I thought of Betsy. Hopefully we can get it taken care of before it turns into anything uglier. Ultrasound and aspiration tomorrow before flying out to see my terminally ill brother. So sad to think it will probably be our last visit together.

Movie, I am right there with you girl!! I cannot believe how painful this is, and I really hate taking the hydrocodone, but I have been. I tried just Tylenol this morning after a piece of toast, and I did sleep for several hours. Now, I am awake and in a lot of pain again. The NP told me I would feel a lot better today. She lied!!!!!!

I think the worst part is going potty. It hurts to sit on the toilet, and I can't hover that long because I always get sleepy bladder after anesthesia.

Tammy - katy mentioned the injections. I have seen them done for keloids and my understanding is that they can be quite painful. Some PS will do them, but others send you to a dermatologist.

Debdylan - they won't do a fat transfer to the face. I think that something different is needed for faces (don't know why). Otherwise I would be begging for some improvements.

Lipo girls - I had flanks done at Stage 2a and inner thigh at 2b. Both were painful, flanks more so. It takes 3 - 5 days before you are relatively pain free. Keeping the compression on for several weeks helps the tunnels created during the lipo adhere properly so you don't get lumpy. I actually felt better with it on than off for quite a while (3 - 4 months). 2c is when she will attack the outer thigh and droopy bottom. That is what I am dreading. Ah, the price we pay for cute, perky boobs! Just remember, take the pills. This too shall pass! Really.

Well said Janet! That does explain my fear of marathons though. lol...

Katski, Zoemom, lahela, wishing you speedy resolution of your pains and drains!

Movie, put out a search warrant for Wilbur!

lahela, ((((((((HUGS)))))))))

RHGSR, I'm sure you're in some shock right now. Your story has similarities to mine. I am looking back at ILC, a BMX, six months of chemo and 5 weeks of rads, then recon. I am IIb, also. I tell you this to encourage you!! I'm sorry about the breast infection and will be praying about that. You can do this and you have lots of support.

I think Deb, it's because the flaps are not composed of breast tissue....hence, recurrence of breast cancer isn't likely. If bc does metastasize, it goes to bones and organs, not fat tissue. If someone had skin sparing mx with flap recon, there maybe a slight chance of recurrence under the "skin of the breast", as well as why your doc mentioned the chest wall.....it is virtually impossible to remove every cell of breast tissue.

Please note, I am not trying to pass myself off as an expert.....the above is just my understanding of what I have been told by my doc.

kelleyb.....everyone is welcome on this thread, and there are some NOLA ladies here, but you might find a faster, wider response to your question on the NOLA in September thread, as that is specific to Nola, so everyone on that thread has been down a similar "planning" road as you are doing now. Hope you also stay with us, lots of great info, support and experience here too!

RHG -- Sorry to hear of the potential infection -- I hope it clears up without more surgery and you aren't in much pain from it.  I appreciate the shock from the pathology -- I went in thinking I had two areas of IDC and came out with 4 areas of IDC, 2 areas of ILC, extensive DCIS and LCIS. 

Janet_M -- I've been thinking about Torontogirl multiple times today as well -- from the other side of course (for others, I'm at the same hospital and same surgeon at Janet_M and Torontogirl -- one week from today).  I'm hoping she is almost to today's finish line and everything went splendidly.

Movie -- google www.surgicalshield.net -- might work for you.

Nihali -- just walked to a client meeting and back -- its downright balmy here -- 12 celcius (54 farenheit for friends south of the border) -- will be short lived though -- going down to below freezing tonight.  Still don't want your snow

Hi to everyone else  -- sending good wishes to those in pain and hoping the pain dissipates.

Ridley