DIEP 2014

Loved the Easter egg kitties, started my day with a smile.

jmb....so sorry for the loss of your niece...such a tragedy to lose her at a young age, for such a crappy reason. ((((X)))) to you.

Future gals....you're going to do fine. I don't think pain was at the top of the list for many of us 2013 gals. There are always exceptions, but it is mainly a skin/fat procedure, and surgical pain just wasn't a big part of the picture. Back pain, yep, but that quickly resolves as you spend more time in normal postures. Goldie....we're all hoping your PS is right, and you finally get resolution with your implant pain. Stay positive..you're almost there.

jmb, I am sorry about your niece.  What a waste.  Drug overdoses always upset me because of how preventable the death could have been, but I know now from hearing stories of people close to me, drug addiction is no joke, and is very hard to overcome.  I am very sorry for your families loss.

Thanks Zen and Nihani.  You guys have been here through my whole long journey, and I thank you with all my heart for you support and patience.  It is appreciated more than I can say.  

Curly, let us know how you feel when that stent comes out.  I hope a lot better. How do they know if you passed the pieces of the stone.  Are they having you strain your urine.  Just curious.  They did that with my dad years ago.  

Georgie, I still wish there was a "like" button on here.  Your kitties are cute.  I just hope it was done with photoshop and nobody really dyed any kittens easter colors...lol

my stage 2 is in 1 week!  I have barely given it much thought and sometimes even "forget" that I have to go next Thursday!  I guess after stage 1, this will be a piece of cake!  I was sooo nervous with stage 1, this is so different....  Almost comparing it to going to the dentist for a routine checkup! 

Ridley,

I'll check them out. I found a few at JCP and got my regular size. There looks like extra room available if I do swell. Have some yoga pants and got some slip on flip flops (the kind that doesn't go between your toes) plus the Jammie's from Target so I think I'm set for the few weeks after surgery. I already have a wedge pillow so I'm trying to figure out how to jam it into my suitcase! The thought of two weeks in a hotel without it kinda freaks me out so I wanna take it with. It was super helpful after my first mx. Other than basic bathroom stuff, anything else I should be packing? I do need to order another Lymphedema sleeve. Damn dog ate mine!!

Kim.. I didn't have Dr Piasano as my surgeon, I had Dr Ochoa and Dr C.  I really like Dr Ochoa and have had a very easy recovery.  Still trying to take Sandra's advice about not overdoing.  Are you still having to wear the binders?  I'm curious about what comes next.

I get my last drain out tomorrow...exactly 3 weeks since surgery.  YAY😊  Those things have been the worst part of this so far.  

Hope everyone is doing well....

I am in my 7th week out and PRMA has given me two options: a high-waisted type spandex or keep wearing the binder.  I decided to wear the binder as I am short waited and everything rolls.  I think they said to wear for 8 weeks with the last 4 weeks during the day.  I couldn't see spending money on something that I would not wear afterwards.

They also said that under-wires help keep shaping the new flaps but with my open wounds underneath the flaps, I have the under-wire bra but I took the under-wires out and it still separates the mounds.  Oh-hum just to get to the other side once more.  I have be referred to a wound clinic up here now.  I feel like it is three months of recovering instead of 7 weeks. 

BeeBop- I am so happy to hear you say you are feeling great! Thanks such good news.

JMB- I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I keep hearing about heroin and its so scary. A 20 yr old who worked with my son was found in his truck back in Jan. They thought he had froze but last week announced it was a heroin overdose. I have never even see heroin but it seems to be a popular drug for this generation. I will pray for some peace for your family.

GeorgieGirl- I saw my PS last week, I love him. He made me feel confident and brave.. don't feel that way now. I am watching the calendar and getting very nervous. I have pre-op testing on Monday, starts at 10:30 am and goes till 4:00 PM! Its going to be a long day. And then the countdown begins. I just don't know where the time goes. I am also excited I go back and forth. Right now I am freaking out a bit, with Easter and then Monday and work, kids, etc.. a bit crazy, meaning I feel a bit crazy!

It's amazing the differences in PS requirements. No bra at all for me, especially underwire. I'm kind of small anyway. The binder is still to be worn but at night only. After my check up May 1, the binder will be gone but I don't know if anything will take its place.

For those with upcoming dates, concentration is overrated. I would read and then reread pages and zone out while watching tv. The three nights prior to surgery, I don't think I slept more than a couple hours a night. I was exhausted the morning of surgery. It was a good thing I got to "catch up" on sleep that day! I still have trouble sleeping but think it's just because I can't sleep on my side yet and I've never been a propped up back sleeper.

I feel fortunate that I get to be retired so I can be selective about activities, never accept an early appointment because I refuse to do rush hour traffic, and smile because I will officially be a senior citizen when I get my tattoos. 

jmb, loving thoughts and prayers to you and your family for such a tragic loss. Thinking of you a lot lately. 

Teacher....being retired does make some of this easier I think.  I feel bad for all of you having to worry about work, scheduling etc.  That would make it just that much harder.

Just got my last drain out.  SO SO Happy!  

Jmb5... I am sorry for your family.  My sister was on drugs many, many years ago.  Thankfully she got past that but was diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder and her life has been very difficult always. I ended up raising her kids.  Got them when she was on drugs. It still amazes me the impact that has on the entire family.  It is just so hard.  It is tragic but also infuriating.  You just want to shake some sense into them.

Lemon...Hang in there.  The anticipation is the worst part.  

Wynne -- congratulations on being drain free!  That day felt like such a big step to me in the recovery process.  And kudos to you for stepping up to raise your sister's children -- I expect they are ever so grateful that you were there for them.

Jmb -- so sorry about your niece and the little one left behind -- addiction can be such a powerful opponent.

Have a great Easter weekend everyone!

JMB- I am so sorry about the tragic loss of your niece. She was so incredibly young. My son is the same age and I can't imagine. My thoughts are with you and your family as you deal with this. 

catching up on the good and the bad...  Jmb, so sorry.

I've stopped wearing compression and my tummy feels more numb now and is more rounded, I guess this is just my guts settling after being squashed into Spanx 24/7 for 6 weeks?  How long do our tummies stay numb?