DIEP 2014

WOWZER lahela......"laughed at your concerns"!!!!!! I would not only never let that Onc have one more second of my care, I would try to tell her how absolutely offensive and unacceptable her behavior was. AN ONC.....!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!

I agree that "mammo trauma" to the vascular connections is a non-issue, a year out from surgery, but why have the unnecessary radiation to tissue that isn't breast tissue!

aemcat, do you have prominent hip bones that hold your pants up.  I think that is probably the difference between women having the pants on the ground problem, and those that don't. I will probably be pulling mine up all the time, since I seem to do that already...ugh. I always admire women with beautiful hip to waist ratio. It makes slacks look so attractive.

Thanks, Nihani. Lately, with this weight they have me gaining I feel like a little flubby. 

Okay ladies, new bra to try.  It's a comfy bra, but it has a lower front to show a little cleavage.http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1728850/barely-there-bra-customflex-fit-reversible-pullover-wireless-5602.jsp

other side. Feeling good. Out of it last night. More aware today. Thanks for good wishes. Naptime

teacher - welcome to the other side!

so glad to hear you are on the other side Teacher. Now time to rest and heal

Auburngirl8, I had immediate reconstruction so it was harder on me than I think it would be on you.  Personally I am having more trouble from the SLNB site and armpit pain than the reconstruction process.  I am 2.5 weeks out.  The hospital wanted to release me after 3 days but I asked for an extra day.  I am taking it easy but I can do most normal daily things.  If you go with DIEP I think you will be glad you did.  A few weeks of recovery vs. the nuisance (in my very humble and uninformed opinion, everything has its drawbacks) of implants over a much longer time.

Thanks for the information Sunone and Zenful.  Maybe I could have the procedure after all.  Right now my implants are rock hard and really not very comfortable.  Thanks again.

Congrats Teacher!! So glad to see your post.

K79Miller- You will be in my thoughts, have a good sleep tomorrow!

Alright friends I need to vent.

Went to see my PS this morning for my one week followup.  I had my DIEP last Monday  scheduled for two sides he was only able to complete 1 side due to bad veins.  Luckily, he was able to do my radiated side and it is looking very healthy and he was ecstatic with the looks today.  Wants me to continue healing and will see me in 2 weeks.   He turns to leave the room and looks at my husband and says I have a great plan for an implant for the right side that will look terrific.  We can discuss at the next visit.

The problem is I have been adamant no implant from day 1.  Tuesday morning last week he was talking about doing lat flaps but at the time he thought the radiated side was going to fail.  Now that the non-radiated side is the last one to fix he immediately defaulted to implant.  I couldn't say anything I was speechless.  I am busy preparing my wish list all over again.  He is an excellent surgeon and I know I cannot live with an implant and will need to research any other options I might have.  I am so impressed with my warm mound of tissue that is my new left breast and want one for my left side.  I am absolutely positive I hate my TE even more now than before.nm

My husband will support my decision but he even said maybe we need to take the easy route at least you have your life.

I know you can understand the emotional aspect of this.  Am I being illogical in not wanting to consider an implant?  

jbdayton- Glad you are home and healing. Also glad to hear you love your new breast and it didn't fail. I am sorry to hear they couldn't do the other. Sounds like your husband just wants you no matter what is on the other side, good man. If you don't want an implant then I think the BS needs to explain to you your options. If the veins in the tummy were no good I wouldn't think that would mean that the veins are bad elsewhere. When they do the CAT scan before hand isn't that to look for the good veins? I hope that your doc just wants you to rest and heal now and that in 2 weeks when you see him again he will have all of your options. I am sure you will be letting him know what YOU want!

Take care of yourself, I wish you the best.

k79miller..  Good luck tomorrow.  I'm one week behind you with PRMA.  Do you live here in San Antonio?  Who is your doctor.    I'm anxious to hear about your experience with them.  I'm going to NC Baptist, how about you?

Hey Sisters!  I am home now from San Antonio!!  Everything went smoothly at PRMA.  I have to do saline wet/dry under right side.  Kim, you are in great hands and care!!  I sent you a PM.

We have no water.  We think it is the pump not frozen pipes.  But I have my own bed after a month of Comfort Suites.  Off to bed for me, been up since 4a.m. central time.  Kat

jbdayton.....I agree, your hubby wants you well and "with him", he sounds both concerned and loving, a wonderful combination. 

I do think it was very wrong of your PS to direct that parting comment to your husband, and not directly to you. I'd like to think he was trying to offer "hope"....however.... This is NOT a decision to be discussed and made between your husband and your PS. Despite how close and supportive your husband is, this is YOUR body, YOUR wishes, and YOUR emotions and physical feelings. Recon should (imo) NEVER be done to please someone else, so why should the choice of type of recon be up to someone else either? Unless, there is a significant medical/physical reason why you cannot have the recon you want. 

It is wonderful that the flap has done well on your radiated side. That speaks to your PS's skills....but that does not mean his options for you are the only option. 

 I will not/cannot tell you what to do, but I will share my experience. 

I have had an implant and a uni-natural breast, and I now have a flap recon and a uni-natural breast. For me, the flap recon is a close as can possibly be achieved, to having two natural feeling, looking and emotionally acceptable breasts. Not once, in over 20 years, did my implant feel, look or emotionally register as a breast to me. I truly do not believe it was because of the PS who put it in (2 different PS, actually), but just the inherent nature of implants and my desire to "have back what had been taken away". 

Granted....implants have changed and improved since my time. I know that there are many women who are happy with implant recon, and many of them are on the bco site. I don't believe there are many of them who are 10 to 15 years out with an implant, and that is something you need to make clear to your husband....implants are rarely a "one and done" fix, they are not designed to be "forever", and they can and do have complications of their own.

There are other flap options out there for you, if that remains your wish. There truly are women for whom 2 tummy flap recon breasts are not possible, like in your case, but that does not automatically rule out other acceptable types of flaps. I hope you take some more time to heal, and do not rush into a decision based on pressure from either your PS or your hubby. I hope whatever path you take, leaves you feeling whole and complete and confident you made the right decision for YOU.

hi auburngirl, I had a left mastectomy and DIEP flap done 1 week ago at Beth Israel in Boston. Everything went well and they took very good care of me there. I am lucky to have lots of support here at home too. The belly incision is higher than I'd like but I think there was too much scar tissue lower from my c- section surgeries years before to go lower. Although I don't have any experience with implants, I can see the value in having real tissue instead of a saline implant. It feels like a part of me. Right now I'm very swollen so it's difficult to tell how it will look in the end but I have confidence that this was worth the huge effort. And really the pain meds work wonders. Good luck, I agonized over this for 3 long months and made myself crazy. It feels so good to be on the other side. Or maybe the pain meds just kicked in