DIEP 2014

Marty...I want to say a big thank you too for your words of wisdom & advice.  If it wasn't for everyone on this forum I might have lost it by now.  You guys have all been a great comfort.

I'm leaving in just a few minutes to start our 9 hr drive to San Antonio.  We're going to drive to Dallas & spend the night & finish the drive in the morning.  I'm looking forward to meeting my PS for the 1st time on Tuesday morning.

Tons of posts...cant catch up!

I am doing pretty good, really tired, steriod bloat which makes me look 8 months pregnant, not sleeping the best almost 2 weeks post chemo treatment #2.  My next one is March 25th and then LAST ONE......YAH....is April 15/14.

My pants fall down too!!  Ha, ha...it was funny reading all the comments.  I bought two really nice spring tops with an elastic waist, they work great at keeping my pants up!!!

Welcome to all the new gals on board. For those new ladies on here, I would like to share a little about my experience and why I did this surgery.  I had breast cancer 8.5 years ago at age 41---at that time I chose to do a lumpectomy with the "whole kitchen sink" of treatment - 6 months of chemo, radiation, ovaries removed and on Armidex for 5 years. I had a large tumour and 3 positive nodes.  Way back then I knew nothing about breast cancer, didnt have any family members with the disease and just wanted that sucker outta my body.

Fast forward to 2010, my youngest sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42, she died in April 2012.  My older sister who was age 50 was diagnosed in July 2013.  That was all I needed to move forward with a prophylatic masectomy with DIEP reconstruction.  It was 4 months total from consultation with BS and PS to surgery in December 2013.  My surgery was a skin sparing, non nipple sparing masectomy with DIEP.  Total surgery time was 7 hours.  My PS performs this surgery with a large medical team including an assistant (she is the lovely lady that sewed up my tummy).

I was in hospital for 5 days post op.  On a morphine pain pump upon awakening...hated it, couldnt keep any food down and requested to have it removed 3 days post op.   I had 6 drains, two of which were removed by the time I left the hospital, the other 4 were removed by 10 days post op.  I never had any real pain from the surgery, just discomfort is probably the best way to describe it.  Was made to get up into a chair the third day post op, boy I wanted to curse a few swear words at those nurses but it really is for your own good.  I also managed to take a trip down the hallway later on that day with the aid of a walker, walking very, very slowly.  The 4th day I managed to walk on my own, although I felt like a weeble wobble doll...it was progress!  The 5th day I was released early afternoon.

I rented an electric hospital bed (the best money I ever spent) for the first five weeks post op.  One thing that bothered me the most about recovery was having to sleep on my side, I am a HUGE side sleeper!  I was able to climb stairs, walk around the house for a bit, needed help with taking a shower for the first week home.  I bought a shower chair, they are really cheap!  Later on I used it to help wash and dry off my legs because it was difficult to bend over.

I took regular strength tylenol every 4 hours for two weeks post op.

This is a tough surgery and tough recovery, patience is definitely the name of the game here.  For me the turning point to slowly getting better every day was around the 3-4 week mark.  Prior to that it seemed like I was in the movie "ground hog day", different day, same shit...found it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am now 3 months post op, had NO complications, that I am extremely grateful for.  I love my new soft breasts and flatter tummy.  
Speaking of the tummy, DONT get frustrated when it seems like your tummy swells - this is totally normal.  My PS told me that it could take several months post surgery for the swelling to go away.

I have no regrets about doing this surgery, did I stress and freakout the months leading up to surgery? - ABSOLUTELY!  

This surgery saved my life in that a new Breast Cancer was found...never expected to be travelling this journey again so many years later:(  I am very grateful for each day, it is an absolute gift!

Michele

Nihahi - In lieu of a 'like' button, I'm making the lion my screen saver. I love it. Thanks!

Appointment with PS tomorrow. Have a list of questions to ask before surgery Tuesday. This site has provided many answers and led me to write down questions for him. One thing I'd like to know that I should have asked his PA last week...will he likely get his sharpie out tomorrow and get "artistic" again? 

Wore jeans for the first time today 9.5 wks out.   Now I get what everyone was talking about. I experienced FDPS (falling down pants syndrome).  Oops, better invest in an invisabelt!  

FDPS has an "easy" button cure...shopping for belt or new pants.

Jeannie, hope my PS uses purple. I used to grade student papers with purple. Supposedly they didn't feel as bad seeing lots of purple but did with red. Maybe I should take an assortment of colors for PS, then I won't mind being like a coloring book. 

My ps has a whole array of sharpies and uses 3-5 colors at my marking appointments....I have a special cami I wear to marking appointments.....it's all stained from sharpies!!!

I do the whole spring cleaning when it's spring, I'm nervous/scared/angry and right before surgery. You might be hitting the Trifecta of cleaning!! Lol

Goldie, I do that when I'm nervous, for sure!

For any of you pre-surgery gals with a penchant for purging and cleaning.....you're all invited to my place....aaannnnyyyytime you want! Trifecta of cleaning....too funny....just toooooo funny!

curly....always great to hear from you. 

Joining this group. I'm scheduled to start my reconstruction on April 23 . I'll be seeing Dr. Williams at Plastic surgery Northwest in Spokane, WA. Tomorrow I have my CT. You're group is very informative thanks.

met with ps today.  I am 7 1/2 weeks post op and received the okay to resume normal activity finally!  Yippee!   In 5 weeks I will have stage 2, and all she has to do is the nipple reconstruction - everything else is good.  I won't need general anesthesia, just twilight, so I am happy about that.  I will get vinnies tattoos in oct - then, DONE!  It will have been a very difficult 2 years.  

Hello Teacher,

Yes my attention span, which was short to begin with, was completely shot prior to surgery. I think you are just trying to take it all in. Also, trying to learn as much as you can about cancer, plastic surgery, chemo, etc. I agree with the others, it does get better as time goes by. Stay strong!

I look at all the procedures that many have had and feel fortunate that I had bmx in December. It was pretty much all I could do because repeated surgeries and radiation weren't going to be optimum choice for my heart or pacemaker. Thankfully, my team is wonderful. Cardio and PM tech have coordinated to reactivate the magnetic function of my PM tomorrow and cardio function will be monitored in hospital as It is at home on Merlin(that's really the name). All is in place. Wilbur is welcome.

Teacher - Good luck tomorrow.

Curly - It is great to hear from you.  Your strength and resilience are amazing.

Kat ski -  Take it easy.  I know that it is hard to resist the little ones

I did major cleaning before DIEP because I knew it would be a long time before I could do it.  I did nothing before the Stage 2 surgery I had 4 weeks ago because I viewed it as a minor surgery with little down time.  House is now horrible.  All of you over anxious ladies with excess energy can come visit.

I gave away all of my large pants after the DIEP.  I typically kept pants in 3 sizes for winter since my weight fluctuates a lot.  I've decided not to give away any more until after the next surgery.  PS will use upper belly fat for fat grafting. Right now I am limited because some of my slacks do not have belt hoops.

Have a great evening ladies.  I must go clean snow off car. I AM SO TIRED OF SNOW,