DIEP 2013

bailey - good luck. Sending prayers and hugs your way. I am hopeful I will be doing phase 2 this time next year. :0)

Janet - I have crop circles too. Love that visual. Looks like they cut was large circle around the aeriola, unscrewed it (like a jar lid), scooped me out with an ice cream scoop, then filled me up again. Funny thing is my flaps from my abdomen have stretch marks on them going horizontal. Ha ha. 

Damiana- great grades! Congrats. I was going full time for my undergrad before all this mess started. I am very thankful my professors worked with me on finishing the semester even though I missed several finals. I still may make the Deans List though. I am very excited. 

Go to PS tomorrow to see if I'm healing well enough to start chemo on the 30th. I'm not optimistic though. The faux belly button is oozing and looks like it is opening up. The "road rash " they gave me at the hospital isn't healed either. The PS was supposed to contact my MO to discuss my case. So we should have a verdict tomorrow. 

good morning ladies!

Was wondering if anyone here had done proton therapy vs. regular rads? There is a proton machine in Seattle and a trial I'm trying to get into for Stage III patients. Interesting stuff. Not sure if I'm a candidate yet, waiting to hear back from the doc. Also, am trying to get hold of the surgeons to schedule prophy mx and bilateral DIEP. My ps here seems to think its a good idea but he said he couldn't do it so I'd need to travel. I'm excited and scared at the same time. The thought of getting on a plane so soon after surgery to come home freaks me out. So does trying to recover in a hotel room. I know other ladies here travel for care. How do you handle the logistics? Weird that bothers me more than the surgery lol. There is also a doc that can do lymph surgery to reduce / eliminate Lymphedema so I'm going to look into that as well. I've realized I have no options up here but it makes me feel better knowing I have choices a 3.5 hr flight away. And SCCA seems to have a lot of new up and coming choices that excite me. *hopeful!

Jeannie,

Haven't heard about Nelligan, just looked online and I believe Dr. Fang is conducting the study. I spoke to a care coordinator and she took down my info and said she'd have the doc give me a call. We'll see. My PS recommended Calhoun and Colohan for surgery. Who did you go with? Is it possible to do the lymph surgery post recon?

dvygrl, Nelligan is the PS lymph guy, not the proton guy.

You got it, Deb.

talked to Dr. Fang, she seemed to think that there would be no extra benefit in Proton Therapy over standard radiation in my case but said I could do it either way. But... My recon would be affected either way. Sigh. Hate it when things like this take the wind out of my sails. Wish I could just leave the emotion at the door til all this was over!!

Deb. good luck with your tests. 

Bailey and Sharon. Good luck tomorrow.

Jeannie. I am hoping for the best for you for vision and your husband's new job (once it presents itself).

I am two drains lighter and feeling good, but a bit guilty right now as I can't be that big a help to my Mom.  My cousin, who is at the end of her battle with brain cancer fell at home, and there is no one there with her, so my Mom left to go to her, but didn't want to leave me.  I was her power of attorney until recently, but we had to change it to my Dad with my surgery, and he happens to be at a docs  follow up appointment for back surgery he had in the spring (a scan for which coincidentally found a malignant tumour on one of his kidneys that he had removed before he could have back surgery).  My Mom is such a good person, and doesn't need all of this stress (her youngest sister, my aunt, is also going through treatment for breast cancer right now).   I know our family is blessed in so many ways, but we could really use a break on the health front!!!

Sorry for the vent. 

Ridley

Ridley, good grief! Your family is really facing the hard parts of life. Praying you get a break!

well Deb, hang on to your "reality" and be prepared to have a laugh........I have just received a letter from the IRS (I'm a dual citizen) that unfortunately they have frozen my tax account and cannot process my 2012 return......are you ready......are you sitting down...................hang on........

BECAUSE THEIR RECORDS SHOW THAT I BECAME DECEASED PRIOR TO 2012...........YUP.....according to Uncle Sam, I died at some point before 2012, yet am still trying to pay taxes.....!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made it through this very rough surgery..hated the morphine pain pump. .they took me off it this morning. It was making me very sick. .couldn't even hold jello down without being sick.   They switched me to tylenol 3 with codeine. .seems to be holding pain at bay.   I LOVE my new girls. .got a lift and tuck on both as ps made them smaller. .I wanted them smaller.   The nurse said they look like model boobs. . just smiled. ..Not much of an appetite. .just ate small bowl of cherrios, tiny muffin..a yogurt for lunch and a pudding for dinner. .instant weight loss for sure. Lol

Curlylocks, your experience with the pain pump sounds the same as mine.  How awful to have medication induced nausea to deal with on top of our surgery.  Oh well, done is done and now that you are on the pain pills instead you will feel way better in short order.  

Just had a 1.5 hour visit with a home care nurse to change my dressings.  Everything looks great, just a bit of seepage from the drain site.  They want me me to got to the clinic to get drains out and staples removed Friday.  Seems soon but ??

Doing pretty good today.  Burning pain at incision sites but manageable. 

Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday.

Curly, sounds like you are doing great!!!  So happy for you.  Looks like we have had some very successful surgeries in the last few days.  Hope you get home soon and in your own PJ's, like Ocean.

Deb, you know how relieved I am

Nihani, that is an awful deal with the IRS. Try not to let it tie you up in knots.  I know it would me.  I do have a question though, if you live and work in Canada, why do you have to pay taxes in U.S?  Doesn't seem fair.  

oceanwarrior.....you had staples??? The timing is about right though....you don't want those in longer than necessary. I had steristrips covering all my incisions, and my PS took them off when he took my last drain out, which was at 10 days post op.

goldie.....no matter where you live, as a US citizen, you have to file a tax return. I have a small amount of money left to me by my parents, that I am required to withdraw from each year. Because the money is US based, I have to pay US tax on it, but then I get credited for the tax paid in the US, on my Canadian taxes.....very confusing....especially to a dead person.

Bailey, thinking of you, and wishing you all the best for your Stage 2......(((hugs)))

Deb-glad it "looks" like nothing....now go and enjoy your holidays......I will keep sticking pins into your ex's voodoo doll......

Curly, happy to hear from you......sounds like Wilbur wasn't much use to you....he's such a fickle....whatever......hope you continue to improve, and that your healing will be uneventful.

Ridley, I am so sorry you are dealing with so much....definitely NOT fair....I hope you continue to do well in recovery, even with all the issues your family is facing right now....keeping you and yours in my prayers for sure.

Nihahi.......will run your situation by my "CPA".......maybe "he" will have some ideas.......the IRS is ridiculous, the left hand NEVER knows what the right hand is doing, and visa versa.  Customer service is non-existent, because every time you call on a particular problem, you get someone entirely new........idiotic, for sure........

Jeannie.....thinking of you......(((hugs)))

Love to ALL........

Ocean - so glad you are home! Sounds like you really went through the wringer, hope you are feeling better soon.

goldie I am sure they still make those padded toilet seats.

Wow Bailey, that's a lot of work to be done but it will be all worth it in the end. Hey let us know how Anchorman 2 is. I thought the first one was just okay; the commercials for this new one look really good though.

Damiana, congrats on the As! Very impressive, especially after all you've been through.

Deb, so relieved that you got good results on the mammo and US. *phew*

curlylocks - welcome to the other side! You did it! Hope the nausea is getting better.

nihahi, I am so sorry to hear of your death. I have to say though, I am very impressed that you were willing to facilitate this thread from the afterlife.

lol @ Jeannie... you're a trip!