DIEP 2014

actually beebop....I don't think I'd panic or assume infection. Of course, I can't see your bb.... 

You said it was black and now is red....did a scab come off? Some newly revealed tissue in scenarios like that can look very red and angry. If you have no fever, no drainage, and the redness isn't spreading outwards from the site....you're likely just healing. 

Lots of incisions look neat and thin and tidy in the early days, then seem to look worse as time passes, to eventually settle down again. Healing has many faces, and takes much longer than we ever imagine. Hope you find this is the case for you. {{X}}.

I agree with hubby the nurse.....lots of scabs get reddish borders, as they heal. Have a good day!!!!!!! Eat protein !

curlylocks.............TOWANDA...!!!! 

curly- get em girl!

Good luck to all the girls gking this week! What diep facebook page? 

I just had my drains removed and ahhhhhhhhhhh it feels so good! I am having some naussau and have thown up twice in the past twenty four hours but my pain is minimal now.

Good luck to all of you ladies having surgery this week. I will pray for you.

JMB5: Im especially interested in your outcome as you have DCIS Grade 2 like I did. Best of luck to you:)

Sweet, why the nausea?  From the pain meds?  Glad you got the drains pulled.  Yeh!!!!!

JMB, no freaking out!  It's all good.  You will be on the other side of this soon, and will do great.  Thanks for being such a great "record keeper."  Don't worry about us while you are in the first few weeks of recovery.  Just concentrate on healing!!!!! Adding dates to the list can wait a bit.  Of course, we will be here when you wake up, and Wilbur let's you give us updates.

Curly, so glad they got back to you. Baby steps. It such a shame that even when we are at our most stressed, and need things to run smoothly we still have to fight our way through the system. 

feeling extremely frustrated!!  I have 2 teenagers that are self absorbed & have really been uncooperative recently.  I am tired of them constantly challenging me and the arguments that ensue.  I guess I am feeling sorry for myself right now, that I should have to deal with their BS when I have my surgery on fri, that I am worried about.   I expect more compassion & help from them.  My DH is wonderful with everything, but is on a business trip this week.  Gets back late Thursday night, surgery is fri morning.  It was planned this way so now he won't need to travel for several weeks & will work from home.  

Mary, NOLA is/has been the Gold Standard in free flap procedures for years.....however, there are MANY well-qualified PS who now perform DIEP all over the US, Canada....well, the world.   I am a BMX/immediate Recon /DIEP, and my PS. is in Portland, Oregon.  You probably have access to some top DIEP surgeons in the Bay Area, no need to travel to NOLA....you can ask each of them for patients you can talk to, and ask to see photos of their work, as well.  I know there are ladies who have had theirs done in the SF area, you may want to look at the DIEP 2013 thread, at the names, and locations, and PM them, if no one answers you.  Best of luck in your recon journey.  

Donna - no matter what kind of self absorbed idiots teenagers can be, I absolutely swear they will grow out of it.  Now to your current challenge - might it be possible that they are a bit scared underneath and using that teenage bravado inappropriately?  Just don't worry about it.  Your DH will be home on Thursday and then he will be in charge of taming them before your return.  Be sure to put him in charge of that task.  Something about fathers putting the fear into them.  Only 4 more sleeps till you get new boobs!

Mary - although I had the abdominal CT it only showed the arteries.  Your doc is right, it depends on the timing of the contrast and the movement of the machine.  My doc in NOLA ended up using a portable ultrasound and quickly found exactly what she needed just before surgery.  Leaving the cost issues aside, besides seeing pictures you need to be sure that your doctor is preforming DIEP regularly (at least 10 a month and hopefully more).  You should also ask what other flap procedures they commonly preform - GAP or PAP?  If something should happen to one of the DIEP flaps (rare, but it does happen), you want to be sure that they have the skills to use fat from another part of the body to replace the lost flap (hips or thighs).  Some doctors can also preform stacked flap procedures to give you a larger cup size (stacking a diep and a gap).  Also ask about follow-up - who you will speak to if you have questions.  If something comes up, who can you send a photo to for a quick answer.  If a resident is in the room, will he/she be observing or participating.

If I remember correctly, the big daddy of microsurgery was from SF - a Dr. Buncke.  My surgeon did her fellowship through the Buncke Clinic.  They turn out wonderful surgeons so that might give you a good lead.

Blue willows.  I highly recommend Mayo also.  They are maybe 10+ miles north of I-90. Couple hours from you probably.  Worth checking out.  Good luck.

bluewillows

My mother lives in Madison WI and wanted me to check out the surgeons who do diep at UW Madison. I said no way, they are not as experienced as surgeons in NYC where I live.  However, if I were still back in Wisconsin I'd go to the Mayo Clinic - hands down. There is also a good PS surgeon who is experienced with diep procedures in Milwaukee. I don't recall the name (Dr Henri maybe).  Google diep surgeons in Milwaukee and he'll come up. Good luck sista! (I was born/raised in Madison . 

thank you so much ladies for the info. I know of a younger woman about 36 i think that had a total fail with a tram out of Madison. Not sure who the dr. was....She was going through cancer same time as i was in 2011. Ive tried several times to find out from her mother how it all turned out but never get an email back. I think ive seen the name Hijjawi on a different post here...i will check into him and the Mayo... We LOVE Greys...not sure why i didnt realize that was in MN.

OK so any ladies in my neck of the woods that have went to Mayo please pm me and let me know who gave you good results there please.

jmb, thanks for adding me. All the best for Friday and don't worry about a thing!

Donna, I wish I had something useful to say. When mine get in that defiant state, I tell myself that at least they're not stealing cars or taking drugs... doesn't really work, but it gets so tiring always having to butt heads with them! Marty, exactly when do they grow out of it? My eldest is nearly 23! LOL!

Well I was up in a chair today. I should go to a room tomorrow. Home on Thursday.  Everything is good. Surgery only took 5 hours. The worst thing was the nausea when I woke up. 

beck -  glad things went well.  Did you have a delayed uni?   Nausea does stink!  Did they give you the patch behind your ear?

Lucy - mine are twins too - 18.  I have been popping more ativan because of them.  Right now being in the hospital for 5 days, with no one arguing with me, is sounding like a vacation!