DIEP 2013

Great to hear from you Holli! I hope those shoes are doing their job! {{{hugs}}}

Jeannie, my mom cancelled a vacation because of my cancer! I didn't ask her to come stay with me, 5 states away, or visit or anything else. I don't even know my treatment plan or schedule.She wants me to return to my home state for treatment, and my aunt even emailed with the same request. I don't want to leave my house, long-term boyfriend, pets, etc, for months, let alone all the insurance nightmares and doctor changes that would go along with such a decision I m angry that I am in the position of feeling pressured and guilty. I do better by myself or with one rare person near me to help when I really need it. I wont call her because I WILL hang up and it will cause trouble for years. And I HATE being the subject of her work "conversations" (gossip).....

End of rant. Thank you for your attention.

Lol  Rhgsr....I wanted to burn lots of carp too, but DH said there was too much plastic and other man made materials in my pile....he thought the fumes would likely give me cancer.

I've been really busy lately but still reading and mentally sending out prayers and hugs as necessary

ridley.....sounds like you had a great appt! Good to hear that no "plot twists" have popped up on you.

sweet....I think you're doing awesome...you've had a tough go on many fronts. Hope your sister is made of the same strong stuff that you are. 

RHG...so great to hear from you too! 3 down, one to go.......those shoes are getting you down the road!

kat..glad to hear things went well at the pre-op, except for the "plan b" scenario. Hopefully you questioned them in detail about the whats, whys, etc. Although a ld flap isn't a "desired" alternative, an implant in conjunction with a flap, is a very different scenario from a tissue expander/permanent implant situation. If for some reason that is your outcome, it's possible you wouldn't be as reactive to the implant this time. Hopefully things will go Plan A all the way.

oops, Teacher is on the 2014 thread. Aaaaaargh!

Hi guys

Hope everybody is doing pretty good today. 

I have a question.  For those of you that had any nodes removed, do you all wear a compression sleeve when flying?  I hear flying is the worst.

Thanks, Janet.  So, if I understand you correctly you wear your sleeve all the time, even when flying?  I like the "wine" elevation technique.  Works for me.

Thanks, Janet.  Unfortunately, not fun. My BIL had a stroke, and they are planning on putting in a nursing home because his kids can't care for him at home. It's all so sad.  He was too young for this to happen to him.  Anyway, my husband and I want to go see him soon.  Probably when the "polar vortex" leaves us all alone. LOL. 

I am sorry you have issues with lymphedema. Did It happen immediately after surgery, or come on later?  I have been doing some reading on it, and am learning more than I knew before, like the flying and compression.

And I am so sorry to hear about your BIL. Prayers for you and your family.

Anyone had Keloids or Hypertrophic Scars treated? I am having mine tummy scar revised on Tuesday and PS talked about having steroids injection after surgery as aggressive way to treat it. Anyone had experience with that?

I just received my pre-op packet which lists my protein requirements pre surgery. By my calculations, they want me to be eating 145 grams of protein daily. I weigh 155 lbs. can that possibly be right?  Maybe I'm calculating wrong? Did you receive the same instruction? 

Tammy....cortisone is sometimes injected into significant keloid scars as a means of reducing them. Keloids are a very different type of scar formation than normal or even hypertrophic scars. 

As some of you know, I have bilateral lymphedema (in both arms). I was seeing an LE specialist for education on it before it showed up. She started measuring my arms and they were getting a little bigger each time. My rad onc wrote the rx to see her but my MO said she would write one anytime. I was told from the get-go by my bs to always wear a sleeve/sleeves when flying. We weren't too worried about the non-cancerous side that had 5 SNB removed but it swelled first after I had a skin lesion removed. Any injury, even a hangnail, can cause swelling because the lymph nodes are missing  to filter the lymph fluid/bacteria and the lymph fluid is protein rich and ripe for infections like cellulitis. LE is nothing to fool around with. There is no proven cure, it is a lifelong condition and if you've had any lymph nodes removed you have a lifetime risk. I know of a bco girl who got LE after ONE node was removed. There are several LE threads on bco. In my experience, many doctors and nurses are uneducated on lymphedema. Deb, I would put your MO in that category. I remember a group of nurses approached me after my DIEP surgery to ask a lot of questions about it. They knew nothing and this is a well-regarded university/cancer research hospital.  I'm glad they asked but it frustrated me that they didn't know anything! Getting BP/blood draws/IVs is a source of great anxiety for me. I have to have blood draws in my feet which some people just can't do. Ouch. IVs have been done in my neck which only doctors can do. I have to make sure there is someone who can do those things before any appt. requiring them.  BP is taken on my leg. It is all a BIG hassle. I wear sleeves/gauntlets every day, all day. You can buy them OTC yourself but if you have an LE fitter order them, they can bill your insurance. Lymphedivas, for example, doesn't bill insurance. My LE gal  goes through a store that sells/orders compression and they bill insurance. I also have heavy-duty custom-fitted sleeves/gauntlets that I wear when flying or if I notice my arms are swelling. We measure my arms at home about once a month. The compression garments are very $$$$ and I have to order new ones every 4-6 months! They aren't covered by Medicare yet but I hope they will be by the time I am enrolled. Whew! That's a lot of info! My advice, don't play with fire. Be proactive, get educated, learn lymph drainage massage.

Hey BosumBlues  glad to see you here!

Sharon, everything I read says you should never let them cut your cuticles.  It's a very small sacrifice.  I have only been having pedicures since my surgery.  I am too scared of the manicures.  JMO.  If you trust your salon, and you are sure it is clean then go for it.  I might do everything myself a home, like soaking, pushing back cuticle, etc. and then let them shape my nails and but the polish on, since they do a much better job then me.