DIEP 2014

nihahi - I'm waiting for authorization to view the picture forum

Lahela - Good luck tomorrow!  Excited for you and hope it all goes well.

Well, I finally feel like I might be starting to feel better.  Good thing because I am starting back to work tomorrow!   Still very tired, but luckily I work from home, so if I need to rest I can.

best of luck tomorrow Lahela

Thanks Janet, Lahela and Jeannie for your words of support. I think you are right and that patience is the key right now.  That and just recovering.

Lemon, I went home with 4 drains, hubby emptied them for me twice a day. They are a nuisance but manageable. I ordered a drain belt from the TLC site which I did use. Had mine removed twelve days after surgery, but who's counting and everyone is different. 

Good luck with your return to work Beebop.

Thanks for the well wishes, ladies. I've decided I won't get the sideboob lipo because it's virtually gone now (I think it must have been persistent swelling from the abscess) so it will just be crop circle revision under local - no biggie. Then nips in June and tatts after that! It feels good to have a solid plan!

I think Wilbur was in charge of the music in the OR today - he played loads of my favourites and gave me and the PS something to talk about!   It took two hours and I'm bandaged up until dressing change on Friday. Back to the bathroom sink bathing routine. PS still wanted to do the lipo and said "but there's 20 grams difference in volume" but I pointed out that my originals were 200 grams different so she let it go    And I discovered just how much feeling I still have when they were doing the local... a lot! Ouch!

jmb.....hmmm that doesn't sound like plain old post surgery swelly belly. Could you actually see a shift in where the swelling is, in a short span of time? If you tap on the swollen area, can you see ripples, like water moving??? It could be you have a seroma. That would mean either aspirating it, or constant pressure for a length of time, and hoping it resolves. When did your surgeon last check your swelling????

Lahela....woohoo.....so happy for you. I hear you on the "sensation thing" too....a wee bit of OUCH anticipated!!!!Just got off the phone with my PS office. I have an office appt booked for April 2, possible nip date April 21....sooooooo ready to be done!!!!

nihahi,  I have my nip date for 4/24.  So excited!  I am even booking my tattoo date too - just like to plan ahead.  I was told for best results to wait 4-5 mos for the tattoo, even though my ps said 1 mos was fine. I am booking with vinnie for sept.  

hi all, they sayi am doing great and may be discharged tomorrow (only 3 nights in the hospital)!  I am going to have to try acting unwell so they let me stay longer!  V. Slow and sore but improving hourly.  Having some joy buzzer sensations in reconstructed breast!  Bizarre!

Concerned and anxious about DIEP scheduled for March 18. Several  issues...1.  I've seen pictures and realize that everyone is different, but I don't want to continue looking like the bride of Frankenstein. I know to expect swelling, scars, drains, and temporary pain but just hope to eventually have a more "normal" figure like I had before (tho smaller and more uplifted!). It will be better looking than now with expanders, right?   2. Due to cording on right side, it has been a challenge gaining flexibility and strength that will be gone for a while again. Dr. said "there are too many moving parts" during the DIEP and I will need a third surgery, not just a "fine tuning."  An issue that my pacemaker monitor picked up is making everyone move to a conservative stance. I am concerned that the cording could get worse. My dr and his staff have been great about answering all my questions, but they haven't been through this and right now I value viewpoints of those who have personally been down the road, not led the guided tour! 

For those of you that are curious where "Wilbur" came from, here is the original posting by Jeannie after her surgery.  It left us all scratching our heads, and of course, a good case of the giggles.  Ever since then he has been the Patron Saint of this group.  Below is the original post hours after her stage 1 surgery.  It speaks for itself.

Jul 19, 2013 10:46pm Jeannie57 wrote:

I am officially a flapper! Everyone says my doc did a fantastic have been jnnt fit the block. I can't dibs both Wilbur grgvsimecgungrt

Rosebud & Debwarrior- hope you are feeling ok and continue healing well

lahela- glad to hear your step 2 went well today

jmb5 -hope the fluid dissipates soon, can the dr. remove excess fluid?

annajo - glad you are doing well, hope they let you stay another night

nihahi and Donna - hope you both continue to do well too, waiting to hear about your nip experience  (hope they are fantastic when done) who and where is Vinnie the tattoo artist you mentioned?

bebop - thinking about you as you return to work today

Janet_M and Sbe - thanks for explaining Wilbur ( I was wondering too)

Goldie thanks for sharing Jeannie's Wilbur post, it did make me laugh

I have my initial appt with the PS on 3/11 and will find out if I can be scheduled for bmx with immediate diep - I have been trying to gain a bit of weight (which isn't a hard thing to do, just wish there was a way to direct it all to my stomach only I am not skinny, but would like enough tummy for 2 breasts!)

nihani, I did not have rads, close call, but no. Hoped to avoid rads due to heart issues and fortunately it has worked out. I had had foot surgery a week before that awful phone call. Two surgeries in less than two months were a challenge but thankfully my cardio and other drs are working closely. I feel stronger going into DIEP than cancerectomy and I can walk now, so recovery should be a lot smoother. 

sunone,  vinnie is a little northwest of Baltimore, MD.  I hear he is good and he is only about a 2 hour drive for me, so I plan on using him.  If you go on the reconstruction forum, there are threads for vinnie.

Teacher64,  everyone is different & has different experiences, but I am very pleased in how I look!  I think I have (or will have) a better body than before this whole mess.  My stomach is flat & my breasts look great.  A lot of it is genetics, but my ps does not think my skin will scar very much.  I am now using silicone strips to reduce the scarring even further.  I have straight ones cut to go around the incision on my diep breast, a lollipop shaped one for my lifted natural breast, a very long one for my abdominal scar, a small square for my belly button & another for my chemo port scar.  It is a "process" each day - taking them off & washing them, drying them and then reapplying all of them in the correct spot.  I will do it every day for 12 weeks.  Actually, I think the thing that looks the worst for me is I have "spider veins" above the flap, where my radiated skin is.  However, my ps said not to worry - after stage 2 she will have a laser doc get rid of them.  

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with the drains. I think like some of you my hubby will enjoy feeling like he is helping. He is already nervous! Waiting so long I know will be hard on him. I got confirmation today I am now officially scheduled for May 5th! I am so excited but now its seems so real. I am scared of the long time being under. I continue to be so amazed at how brave you all are, and so jealous I haven't already done this.

Wilbur- when I read what Jeannie had written I laughed out loud. What a great thing to think about while going under, makes me feel like I wont be so alone. I just watch some videos my BS sent me, discussing all the risks... wish I didn't know now.

jmb- As you know I am following in your foot steps here in Cleve. I hope you feel better soon and get this swelling ( or fluid) looked at.

Here is my question of the day- The swelling I understand can last a long time. I had a total abdominal hysterectomy in Sept. I was swollen for at least 8-10 weeks maybe longer. Are your pants not fitting due to the change in body shape or the swelling? I have looked at hundreds of picture of this surgery and some of them are a drastic transformation in the belly. I am not thin, really about 20 lbs overweight but I do have enough for C's. I currently have D's. I am fine with that. Were all of you thin or in shape before the surgery? If not how flat is your stomach? Okay so I am asking multiple questions now.