Trip to see Vinnie

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  • Downey30
    Downey30 Member Posts: 337
    edited February 2014

    Pinkheart,  I don't have the paddles but do have visible scarring.  The tattoos really take your eyes away from the other things.  Hope this helps. I'm still adjusting when I walk by a mirror to the shower....such a fabulous improvement.

    Cascader,  We stayed at the Blue Door B&B. I believe it is on the Trip Advisor list. The sweetest lady named Michelle runs it.  They have wonderful bed linens and robes.  I even ordered two of them for us before I left.  She is also wonderful at recommending restaurants.  We had dinner at SALT and it was great and only about three or four blocks away.  You would want to make reservations.  You can walk to things from this location if you are willing.  Cabs wouldn't be very expensive either.  Driving shouldn't be a problem after the procedure.  I had a lot of feeling on the left side and some on the right.  By the time you leave it feels a little stingy and sore.  It sure didn't keep me from enjoying Baltimore.

    Catie,  It has not been as long a journey for me as it was for you.  I am at five years and four months but who's counting?  It's not how fast you reach the goal.......just gotta get there!  Hugs to all, Jamie

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  • Hildy910
    Hildy910 Member Posts: 319
    edited March 2014

    So I'm at the airport, with nips! (The aureolar type, not the tiny booze bottle type.)

    They look great. I had no idea how much better they'd make me feel, but I almost got teary at the reveal (hey maybe this should be a new cable show--'Say Yep to the Nip?' )

    What a nice, nice experience that was, although it stung more than I thought it would. (I thought that I'd lost more nerve endings than I had, apparently.)

    But Mr. And Mrs. Viinnie could not have been nicer or more professional, and Vinnie even colored over my rads tats, which I greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

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  • cascader
    cascader Member Posts: 599
    edited March 2014

    I too now have an  areola, got mine yesterday . Great experience, so easy, and I didn't feel a thing! Thank you Vinnie for helping me close this chapter and move  on with life.  

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  • Shellshine
    Shellshine Member Posts: 1,039
    edited March 2014

    Thank you to all of you for starting and contributing to this thread. It's been 10 months since my exchange surgery and am looking forward to scheduling the last procedure with Vinnie. Kaiser Hawaii does tattoos here, but judging from the quality of my scars I'm not too eager to work with the PS staff here. I'm not going to envy those who had supportive PS's who helped them through the process the way mine didn't, cause I'm cancer free.  I'm treating myself to the best this time, and looking forward to being able to undress in a public shower / changing area  without getting surreptitious looks!

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited March 2014

    cascader... so glad I could help... this thing I do is so wonderful but is in some ways so hard to deal with. I am always in some kind of state of flux...between helping and wishing I could do more!  Guess I just have to keep on keeping on with the tattooing thing... Hope your trip home was easy... it was fun talking with you... hope my never-ending stories didn't bother you... I tend to run on at the mouth...lol... best wishes... V

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  • PinkHeart
    PinkHeart Member Posts: 1,193
    edited March 2014

    Cascader,

    So happy for you to be so happy with results and be done!  So glad I got to meet you last year in Charleston and that you so kindly and openly shared your journey. Can't wait to see your pics!

    💗

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited March 2014

    Hildy910...

    was awesome tattooing you today... a shining light in my day... hope your flight was good... I hate flying. It is so nice to talk to someone that I can help and spend an hour or so each day that really helps them get to where they want to be... you have no idea how it helps me feel better about life... and I hope makes you feel the same! This is the end of your journey... and I am honored to be a part of it... the last step! What a place to be for me... and you... ! Live long and strong!    sorry it stung... welcome to the tattoo world...lol!     V

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  • Not-Me
    Not-Me Member Posts: 198
    edited March 2014

    My trip to see Vinnie next week, was canceled due to my implant difficulties.  Ugh.  I have to have another surgery and will not be able to do this for another six months.  The "bad" side is being very very bad right now.  Sad. 

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited April 2014

    Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie... What to say... AWESOME. Thank you so much for the perfect tattoos. And I LOVED all of your stories.

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  • Hildy910
    Hildy910 Member Posts: 319
    edited April 2014

    Circling back to add that my PT, who specializes in BC survivors (Lymphedema, surgical scarring, etc.) was absolutely blown away by the Vinnie tats. She's been doing this for 30 years and was so impressed that she made a before-and-after slide to use in her next few conference presentations. 

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  • penguin1
    penguin1 Member Posts: 91
    edited April 2014

    I just came back from a most lovely visit with Vinnie in MD!  I was a little nervous as some women said it was more painful than they had thought...but no!  One big benefit to that full mastectomy...no feeling AT ALL!  Vinnie was so professional and his stories were a welcome distraction.  The tattoos look amazing...thank you, Vinnie!

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  • mistyb
    mistyb Member Posts: 12
    edited April 2014

    I just booked my appointment to see Vinnie in MD in October ..had hoped for NOLA since it is closer, but this will be an adventure! I can't wait to see the finished results! I am hoping that it will bring some closure to this last year!  Very nervous but excited!!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2014

    mistyb, welcome to Breastcancer.org, and to one of the threads here where we can count on reading happy tales of good experiences!

    • The Mods

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  • penguin1
    penguin1 Member Posts: 91
    edited April 2014

    Congrats, mistyb!  He really knows his stuff!  I was nervous too, but his stories put you at ease.

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2014

    Bdavis.... It was so fun... when Dr. D was in the room talking about his thoughts and ideas on a possible slight revision I was in amazement ... I am so lucky to be a part of the team no one will ever know how lucky I am to be there and working with them and YOU!! I am the luckiest guy in the world to be a part of it all!! It is simply amazing! Your Mom was really cool too... sorry if I dropped a couple cuss words... just my tattoo nature I guess... kinda hard to shake...lol. 

    Hildy910... thank you for your kind words.... it is always fun to hear that some doc somewhere is thinking what I do is cool..... seems weird that a tattooer can make a PS say WOW.... makes me laugh.... but it is so fun and amazing!

    V

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2014

    Penguin1... glad you felt no pain.... as I always say... "no pain ... no pain"...lol. I wish my chest tattoos didn't hurt..... damn ...because they did... but after all you have been through you deserve a painless tattoo!!! Glad you had fun... I sure did! I know my stories get a bit long winded but it keeps your mind off of the tattooing... at least I keep telling myself that as an excuse.

    Mistyb.... will not be long and the little needle will make a pretty nipple.... October is right around the corner... and all will be finished! What a feeling it must be.... not the tattoo feeling but the end of the journey! lol.... can't guarantee the tattoo will not be feeling free but... well it will be the end of the journey.  I'm just being a tattoo artist .... I have to make it seem like it is bigger and more painful than it is.... thats what I do........... but it will be easy... ask Betsy...lol

    V

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  • AnnBR
    AnnBR Member Posts: 853
    edited April 2014

    Vinnie, you are the talk of my cooking club (which is really just an excuse for a group of ladies to get together and drink wine :) I've been showing them your work on your website and we are all amazed. My DIEP is scheduled for April 30 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Stage II has not been scheduled of course, BUT, I know I want you to do my 3D tats and I'd like that to be done in NOLA. My fun loving group plans to fly with me and we'll spend a few extra days touring around. Just want to let you know how excited we are even though it's a ways off.

    Thanks for all you do!

    Ann

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2014

    AnnBR,

     Sounds like fun... kinda tough getting in at NOLA... but getting tatts there is way better than Finksburg Md. NOLA is really fun and the food... OMG ... the food!!!Good luck and best wishes with the upcoming DIEP... will not be long and the tatts will be finishing up the new boobs!....

    V

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  • Downey30
    Downey30 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2014

    Hi Ladies,  I have three pairs of press on nipples that I ordered from Amazon that have not been used.  I would be happy to pass each along if you PM me your address.  They certainly don't look like the ones that Vinnie did on me.  I've become a flasher of sorts since my appt.  Everyone,  including my Internist is just amazed at how great they look.  So thankful for Vinnies artistry.

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  • placid44
    placid44 Member Posts: 497
    edited April 2014

    Hi Vinnie,

    I called last week to get in at NOLA, but i know you are booked for a while. I will call again in July to get an appt for late 2014/early 2015. Really looking forward to it! Don't go anywhere!

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  • Marcie47
    Marcie47 Member Posts: 248
    edited April 2014

    vinnie,

    I have a funny story to share with you...

    I am the girl who had a tattoo on my behind flap that didn't make a complete transfer to my new breast, so instead of having it touched up, I went for my first laser treatment .... I asked the nurse to not get too close to my "new tattoo'd nipple" and she  was amazed that it was a tattoo, she thought it was mine :))))

    Like I said before...Thank you for sharing your gift!!!

    Have a great weekend:))

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  • vinniemyers
    vinniemyers Member Posts: 95
    edited April 2014

    Thanks all for your kind words... sorry for the backup in NOLA ... maybe I need more days there to help with the backlog!? Finksburg is NO WAY as good as NOLA .... unless you like looking at cows and such...lol. 

    Hope to see you all soon!    V

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  • MartyJ
    MartyJ Member Posts: 1,859
    edited April 2014

    vinnie - that beautiful rolling countryside. Fields meadows seasons. I can't wait to come see you in Finksburg. Nips in August, tats in December. Though that will be a bit chilly in your neck of the woods. 

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  • Catie2013
    Catie2013 Member Posts: 1,023
    edited April 2014

    Cascader, I go in on the 6th of May at 2:00 for mine!  Wow, you did it, girl!  

    I'm going to be staying with my son and family and have told my little granddaughter that I'm coming to get my cupcakes frosted!  She now thinks we are having a cupcake party!  So excited and thankful for all the input all have made on here to help calm my nerves!

    My son wanted to plan something to do after, thinking I'd be in at 2:00 and out roughly an hour or so after and driving back to Hanover PA after, any suggestions?

    Also has anyone ever had their grown son sit in on the tatooing?  

    He was the one who offered when I had my first go round of breast cancer in the 90's to "don't worry mom, if you ever have a date and want to have nipples, I'll draw them on for you" - needless to say didn't have a mx then, but now that I have, I want these "cupcakes" to have the best frosting ever, but have thought I might have him sit in when it's happening, just don't know.

    Hugs

    Catie

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  • Catie2013
    Catie2013 Member Posts: 1,023
    edited April 2014

    Downey - I have several of my medical team in GA wanting to see the results as well, I've been talking up a storm on my soon to be "frosted cupcakes" and sure I'll be a flasher too!  LOL

    Catie

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited April 2014

    Catie... Not me. My breasts look like the real thing, so that would be super awkward.

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  • cascader
    cascader Member Posts: 599
    edited May 2014

    Wondering if anyone else has had their Vinnie tattoos fade? I had mine done in March and will need a touch up. I do agree that lighter is better than darker, so don't mind that so much, but I have an area of the aerola tatt that has  wiped away, and also on the nip bump as well. Vinnie says an easy fix , but Vinnie, I need you to fly to the beautiful Pacific Northwest....what do ya think?  Nice vacay for the fam?? Tax write off too :)

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited May 2014

    I had some stretch mark scars in the nip area and the coverage on those is a little less. Originally I was thinking about a touch up, but my PS said no way would she touch it up, so I'm not going to. Now I've decided it adds dimension. Though I have to say the Pacific Northwest sounds great! Twofer?? Just kidding!

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited May 2014

    Cascader... I expect it to fade... that's what Vinnie said would happen naturally... at what point did some of it wipe away? Vinnie said that tattooing the natural areola is tougher than just regular skin. When he did mine, he had an extra challenge cause it was breast skin, tummy skin and areola skin. He did a fabulous job.

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  • cascader
    cascader Member Posts: 599
    edited May 2014

    Betsy, yes I expected it to fade a bit also and knew being a uni that I would not match exactly. Looked good leaving his office. I had mine done March 17 so I guess it was a few weeks after that a small area sort of wiped away. It was butt skin, not the original areola that was tattooed. I know it will be an easy fix, just no plans to be on the east coast for awhile.  

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