DIEP 2013

Bluebird, what  did I miss? You have had more surgery? What did you have done?

Niknak, welcome. I hope we can all be of some help to you. 

I went to see my current PS today, because my new one is not my surgeon till I have surgery...lol.  I guess.  Anyway, he knows the implants are tight and don't look that great, and asked me what I wanted to do, and he knew the pain management people couldn't help me unless I stayed on pain meds, for the rest of my life.  He know these things have to come out.  I told him I needed at break.  Which I do.  I don't know how to break up with my surgeon.

how are you today Zoemom?

Glad the cough is better Lahela...that's good news. Oh and I'm a wimp !

Goldie- breaking up is hard. If you never called him again would he call you?

Hope everyone is doing well.

Zenful -I was told I only needed 1 or 2 days off of wrk for my stage 2 with very few recovery details. My new job (working from home at a desk) allowed me to only take 2 days...one for surgery one for drugged up sleepinf Lol. My issue was swellinf and pressure on my side from sitting and bending. All my issues are on the Ab Side of things,,,, the breast stuff seems to be easy.

LOL, Damiana...glad I am not the only one.

Lucy, eventually I think he would call me.

Christiana, like Damiana, I need him until I have my diep.  I am not my new surgeons patient until I have the surgery, so I need my old surgeon for anything that might go wrong with these implants while I am waiting to have my surgery.  I feel like I am using him, but I did tell him today that he didn't do my any favors by not warning me about how aggressive my breast surgeon was, and wish somebody would have been more up front with me.  The nurse was shaking her head like I was right, but the surgeon said it would not have been ethical to steer me in any particular direction.  I don't believe that.  When you tell a PS you want immediate recon, and you have your dx in front of you, he should be able to say this is who he works best with, and if this is what you want then this is who you should see. Then he went on to say, "but she took every bit of breast tissue and your chance of recurrence is practically zero." Oh, and then he said that women who have beautiful recon with implants always have too much fat tissue left behind for aesthetics sake, and have a higher rate of recurrence.  Hmmm.  I am having a pissy night.  Sorry.

Hi Niknak! I had my DIEP a little more than a month after my last chemo and I think that is why I had a harder time than most. I would still have done it that way thoug because I wanted the affected tissue out of me asap.

Thanks Bailey! Took a little picking but once I got the corner started as you suggested the Tegaderm came right off. I am thrilled with how I look! He did such a wonderful job with the incision and got rid of all the mass of scar tissue.. Already looks fantastic and only have 200 cc's in. Goodbye Mrs. Frankenstein!

Thanks Tammy!

chú jiù bù xīn    Replace the old with the new!  

Gong Hay Fat Choy! 

Blue I cried with joy to read your post . There are no words to express how happy I am for you....how happy all of us are for you

And Debdylan....you are right....you will get there. Hugs, honey. You can do this....keep going. 

If the mess on my chest can be fixed, I'm sure yours can too Deb. We just had to take the long, slow route. Hang in there.

i saw my PS today. I had a seroma AND a hematoma. He did an aspiration in his office (ooooouch).  He was VERY surprised I had spontaneous bleeding again (first time after my diep in Sept) and now after my emergency surgery.  He as never seen a case like me before. I seem to be prone to complications.  If the redness/ bruise doesn't go away I go back to NYU for another ultra sound and possible aspiration.  

Lucy - thank you for asking about me.   All my complications are becoming comical - really. I'll be so happy when they are behind me. 

bluebird - I am very happy for you. I recall reading your posts a few months ago.

Debdylan - you may want to consider seeing my PS in NYC he is very experienced and I'm very happy with my foob. I was not an easy case. Don't let my abdominal complications deter you from considering him. I'm the exception. 

Bluebird, I'm so, so, so happy for you! After the road you've had to walk, it is so good to hear that you're happy!

Deb, I'd try and see as many PS as I could, if I were you. It sucks that there are financial and work complication to consider, but you'll get there and we'll be here supporting you all the way!

Zoemom, you have been through so much! Your body needs to give you a break!!! Healing thoughts flying your way.

Ladies,

Sorry this photo is so huge!  I'm inserting lots of space so hopefully it doesn't jump out at anyone.

This is what my tummy incision looks like.  I'm hoping our flight to NOLA tomorrow works out and Dr. Sullivan can do something for me on Friday as planned.

Did anyone's tummy look like this after DIEP?  I have some black areas almost immediately after surgery but obviously it's gotten much worse.  My MO gave me some antibiotics last night, she says it looks infected, as well as an area under my left arm along the incision line.

Eeek! Kelley, that looks far from normal... but I've never looked at anyone else's incisions so I'm no expert. Best of luck with the visit to the surgeon.

Nihahi - I'm convinced that it's the scar tissue. If I press with the lightest pressure on that 1" wide bit of scar where I had my slow healing spot, it hurts. It didn't use to. It's not as flat as was, either, so I suspect it got torn internally with the coughing. PS never mentioned my scar when talking stage 2, so I guess I'll have to make an appointment and discuss scar revision with her, because it's clearly not right.

WOW, that looks nasty Kelly.  No, my tummy didnt look like that.  It looks like necrosis (dead tissue), from poor blood supply?  I hope you are able to get this looked at right away!

Let us know how things go...

Bluebird - so happy for you!

Michele

Zoeman, sending healing prayers your way, and I hope you get to see a doc asap.  If you can't get to NOLA, get someplace where a doc can see you, and Dr. Sullivan can talk to them.  

I have a problem looking at open wounds, so I didn't take a good look, but that needs attention.  Much love coming your way.

Deb, I have no choice. I can't live like this.  I feel I am doing my homework.  I am changing surgeons, taking my time. talking to people who are a similar size to me and had the same surgery with the same surgeon.  I just talked to a women who is 5'4 and 125 pounds and she got two pretty boobs out of her surgery with the same surgeon last Thursday.  I know, she might carry more fat in her tummy than I do, but he assured me he can do it.  She sent me before and after, and I believe she and I are very similar. I have seen what he did for Kuka, and a few others and I am impressed.  I can only try to be positive this time.  I have no choice. Implants are not going to work for me.