DIEP 2014

For the new ladies looking at timelines for surgery - My mascetomy +DIEP was 7 hours as my PS works with a full team of doctors. He was the first DIEP PS to do this surgery in Ontario, originally when he first started out the surgery was at 11 hours.

Goldie - you asked on the other thread, my range of motion is very good now.  The odd time my right arm will get sore if it is positioned wrong when I am sleeping.

Did I mention how happy I am to be on the other side of this?

Just not a very "patient" patient....

Kuka - nice to hear that life has gotten back to normal for you:)

Michele

For those with surgeries upcoming, I just saw a power recliner at Costco.  I didn't catch the price, but if you're considering renting one it might be worth it to just purchase it.  I didn't use a recliner during my recovery, but there are lots of ladies who do, and like the comfort and ease of the power feature.  

I just came home with eggs, avocadoes, and apples.  And some underwear for Thing One (mine, not Bailey's!).

I absolutely loved the power recliner for the first couple weeks at home. But.....I also know I didn't want it hanging around for years as a reminder of those days, which was a big factor in my choice to rent. It's just another difference, eh!

Am I going to have a problem getting in and out of my regular recliner?  I love it, and I can sleep in it all night if I have to.  I really don't want to buy, or rent another one.  What should I do?  Am I going to be able to pull the lever to sit myself up?

I never needed a recliner either. Done pillows on the bed did just fine!

You know how in old movies when somebody is in the hospital with a badly broken leg, etc. they have these  hanging handles over the beds so you can pull yourself up.  I want one of those. 

Will having one husband home one week with me be enough? 

goldie....it isn't necessarily that you "can't" pull or push, etc. but what you SHOULDN'T do. There are restrictions to what you are allowed to do, in order to protect the vascular connection sites. That is why operating the lever on a recliner might not be recommended. But, you don't HAVE to have a recliner, as many others have found. You have lots of time pre-surgery to try different scenarios. Can you get in/out of your recliner without using your arms? Would you be better off propped on pillows? Practice getting in and out of bed, chairs, etc. without using your arms. Things like that aren't exactly the same scenario, but can give you some ideas of what you might need/want. 

LOL, Nihani.  I have spent the last 10 minutes playing with my recliner, and pretending I couldn't use my arms, or my tummy.  I might rent one with a motor for a couple of weeks, and move my beloved chair to the guest room.  Sniff. 

I have other issues.  I need my recliner for my back, and since it's going to be stressed anyway I really wanted to stay in my recliner because it hit's me in all the right spots. 

Now that I have been given the green light to go back to a work out routine I will concentrate on squats, like Bailey suggested, and the Yoga bridge I found was a really important one to have perfected before my bmx, and I didn't even realize how often I would use it in the hospital.  I will do lots of planks, also.  Do you do any upper body work? I am still finding it hard to do any kind of weights with my upper body.  My PS said go for it, but my pecs are not agreeing at all.  I can't wait to get these implants out from under them, and put them back where they belong. 

You said get an idea or what I need, or want.  I want a big and strong round the clock assistant that will do anything I ask without complaining, and is good company only when I want it.  Fantasy, I know.

Nihani,

I don't think stage 2 will mess with your arms at all.  I know it's not exactly the same, but when I had the exchange surgery my arms were not over my head nearly as long as bmx, and I didn't even think about my shoulder when I woke up from anesthesia, because it didn't hurt.  My range of motion has not been compromised as far as I can tell.  The only thing holding me back is the pec pain.  I really think you will be fine.  They are doing what,  reshaping a bit, and nipple?

BTW. you can have Jose for your recuperation, but then he is mine.!!!!!

Goldie. In the hospital I had a recliner with a lever. All the hospital rooms in Nola have these. I had no problem pulling the lever to recline. If you love your recliner then it is probably fine. When home I actually slept in my bed with a wedge and lots of pillows. I preferred it over the recliner. We have a recliner with a lever here and it was fine but I like beds. 

Codeine cough syrup!  Also known as never-poop-again-juice!  Be sure to eat your prunes or something, Movie.  This message has been brought to you by The Constipationator, and no consultant fee will be forthcoming.  

Hope you feel better.  Did you first catch the flu and it went into pneumonia?  

Nihahi, it'll all be over soon.  We're all SO in your pockets, girlfriend.  

Except for it's constipating properties, Codeine, to me anyway, is a great drug.  It stops what hurts, it makes me a nicer person when I take it, and it quiets a cough, but......

I just got back in from running some errands.  It is cold outside!!!!  For Texas this is a big deal.  I like it, but most people don't even own a good warm coat down here. I was just at the post office and everybody was layered up.  But, really...Superman pajama bottoms to the post office?  This was a grown woman!!! Hmmm, there it is, my old crotchety side coming out.  My husband always tells me to observe, but keep my mouth shut....lol. 

jmb, if you have time Google "diep on thin woman."  There are so incredible pics of awesome results.  You are going to do great. 

Betsy, I am going to make due with the recliner I have, and I also have a wedge pillow for the bed.  I don't know if I would want to own a lift recliner.  It is sooooo slow, and great when you need it, but the rest of the time I would be climbing out of the thing before it was done lifting me up.  

SBE,  So, I will have T-rex arms even though I am having a delayed diep?   I was hoping it wouldn't be as bad as bmx when I couldn't even pump soap into my hand.  

Well, whatever it's going to be, bring it on!!!!

It does look like my date is going to be pushed back a month, or so.  My husband can't get the week off (spring break) that we originally were given for surgery, so now we are figuring out the next best time.  I am considering enjoying the two nicest months in Texas (April and May), since I missed them last year, and have the surgery in June when it's too hot out for a human to survive outside. It's our winter in reverse. It all came up today and we are tossing around every scenario. It's nice not be told you need to move right now because you have cancer.  Now it's my choice, and on my time.  That feels good. 

Goldie, do you think you can stand the implant pain until June?

I sent back my power recliner and used the plain recliner I had at home. I tried wedges, but it just didn't work for me. I spent 8 weeks in my recliner at night. I was so scared if I used the bed I would roll on my flaps. It is nice you have both so you can do what works for you.