DIEP 2014

I am sorry to hear that!  I hope it is not too long before they reschedule you!  I can't imagine the emotional upheaval of that! 

pzercher- We all know the emotional " planning" for this surgery. Mine was canceled the night before. I am so sorry this happened to you. Take deep breaths and retook at that calendar. Think of your insurance deductible and co- pays too! I had stage 1 in November (2nd date) and stage 2 in February. I had to start all over with my deductible. Ouch!!

thinkpink - It is strange how the PSs all have different directions.  Mine had me in no bra for two weeks, then only sport bras until I was comfortable, but no wires, that was the big instruction.  No surgical bra needed.  But, he was big on binding, whereas others aren't.  It just feels nice to be in a normal bra, even if the fit isn't 100%!

Pzercher- I am sooo sorry you have to go through this!! I can only imagine how you must be feeling so close to putting the surgery and all the anxiety associated with it behind you. But it is certainly for the best. You definitely do not want to risk a flap failing. Better safe than sorry. I hope your surgeon will have a new date for you very soon!!

After posting my issues here my legs are feeling so much better! All you wonderful ladies on this board, your words and suggestions are truly healing

pzercher, I'm so sorry your surgery was cancelled at the last moment. I think I would have cried! I'm sure this is for the best since the last thing you want is an infection. Sending hugs your way!

Pzercher - I'm hoping you have your date next week, like I did for my foot.

Cherrie - that was me, too. December and March. I want to get approval to get cataracts taken care of this year to avoid another deductible next year.

Lemon -my bra drawer is overflowing, too. My stage 2 is July 30, but had nothing to do with TX heat. I had to wait longer than 3 months due to strip of muscle being taken and my cardiologist wanted me to have more time to heal because of two long surgeries in three months. It's getting closer now, so I'm thankful for good AC.

Andrea, yes that's our Kate. I sent you the info in a PM.

Teacher, I am so jealous!! I have to be in Chicago for work the last 2 weeks of August, just when I was hoping to have mine done. I am hoping maybe he can squeeze me in the beginning of August but not sure if its too soon. I called today to ask questions but he was in surgery so hoping for more info tomorrow. I want to make sure if I need a Stage 3 I don't have to start over with deductible. 3 months seems like what I had heard on time to wait. He had told me by end of July everything would have settled so we will see.

Three weeks out from surgery today. Life is resuming normalcy, doing all the usual stuff except mucking stalls. We are going RVing next week to one of our favorite campgrounds. Won't have the sailboat, but we can kayak and, most importantly, will be on/near the water. It simply isn't summer without it! Start PT on Thursday. I don't post here often, but wanted to show that recovery *can* be straight-forward and uneventful. I will schedule Stage 2 in Nov, after some important events that I manage are behind me and I have available recovery time. Hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer as best you can. 

PS..just learned that my breast surgeon was the creator of the Cancer Gene test. Thought that was pretty cool, and he is such a self-effacing guy.

HeidiToo, it's great to hear your recovery has gone so smoothly! It sounds like you've got a fun, busy summer ahead of you. I hope you have a wonderful time!

pzercher - I am so sorry that happened to you. I hope you can get a new date scheduled quickly.

optimi - I'm glad your legs are feeling better.

I knew my recovery was too good to be true. I have been chugging along without any issues and feeling great. Last week I started feeling some pain under my arm. I assumed it was from the SNB. The pain began to travel down my inner arm. I hoped it would resolve itself but it actually started getting worse. It hurts just to touch my inner arm and is very painful when I stretch my arm. I went to see my BS today and she confirmed...cording. I can actually feel a "cord" in me armpit but not down my arm. She said it would resolve itself on its own but would send me to PT if I wanted. I think PT will help me feel better all around. I have been out of work since March. I am very active and somewhat physical at work and since I have been out I just feel all around, blah. I know this too shall pass but with rads starting Thursday I would have liked for my surgery recovery to continue to be uneventful.

Hope everyone had a terrific holiday weekend.

Andrea, I had rads before my DIEP.  Because of my diagnosis, they radiated the heck out of me, and my RO insisted on no expander--he was worried it would throw off the targeting of the radiation, which was very close to my heart and lung and other gizzards.  I had to wait for 9 months for the effects of the radiation to settle down, but the DIEP surgery was very successful.  Apart from the fact that the incisions are more obvious with the kind of delayed DIEP I had on that side, the flap healed very well and looks great.

Since I had a complete axillary dissection on the left, though, and I had whopping doses of chemo that probably squashed my immune system, I've had several bouts of cellulitis in the skin of my chest.  It always responds to antibiotics but I've been hospitalized three times for IV bug-killers, and since I still have at least one more revision procedure to go, we're trying to figure out how to prevent bacteria from invading. 

Probably TMI!  Good luck with your own speed bump!

Polyanna it is very depressing to see and hear how the disease seems to be 'spreading'. The number of women affected by BC is drastically increasing, and it seems to be more of an epidemic by now. During my chemo sessions there were 6 chairs in the treatment room which were mostly occupied by ladies in their 30s. Well, the positive (this is not the right term really) side to this is that there is more focus on BC research  so hopefully treatment continues to improve and maybe one day in the near future there will be good alternatives to nasty chemo or radiation.

Heidi, so happy your recovery is going so well. Enjoy your RV trip!

Aff, I am so sorry that you are experiencing cording!! I hope your radiation treatment will not get affected by this. Here is to a fast resolution of the cording!! I have been out of work since Dec and know what you mean. I am also looking forward to PT that will start in a couple of weeks to get out of this blah feeling.

rads side is smaller, as it was prior to surgery, but I am expecting Stage2 to even things out

Sbelizabeth good to hear from you!

Heiditoo, glad your recovery is humming along!  

Pollyanna, I know what you mean.  Brings you face to face with your own mortality as well.   

Goldie, know a lady who swears that coconut oil is helpful but my dentist said it is not legit.  That being said, I guess it wouldn't harm you.  

Lemon, I called my PS office to see if I could get in sooner, if there was a cancellation.  They said to call each week and they will see.  Worth a try.  I am holding off on more bra buying until stage 2, but it does take will power.  I found a nice bra to hold me over at Walmart, just the right amount of padding and actually fits things well, also I splurged on a Soma that so far continues to fit and is probably the most comfortable. 

Optimi, getting your legs feeling better must be a real encouragement.  Yay, you!

Aff, teacher had that as she posted, she is a great resource for that and PT helped a lot.  Hope yours goes away soon!

Pzercher, sorry to hear of your delay.  That stinks and I hope you get a date soon.

Have any of you had Zometa?  Let me know if any tips.  I know it is supposed to be nothing compared to chemo but I have to work the next day so wanted to do all I can to reduce side effects.  I have heard to drink lots of water.    I read that it causes reduced appetite, so that is a silver lining.  I am not losing weight and PCP is checking thyroid again.  Pffft.  

Have a great day, everyone!  

My rads side is the same size as the other, but it's a slightly different shape.  This is reasonable, since the rads side breast is almost completely abdominal skin an fat--a manufactured breast--and the other side is my breast skin and shape, just filled with abdominal fat.  It's crazy to me that the faint stretch marks on my "breast" are from stretching my abdominal skin with a twin pregnancy!

Andrea, I don't live in Santa Barbara but I wind up there a lot for work--meetings and stuff.  I live in Simi Valley and work in Oxnard, which are both in Ventura County.  Wow...working for a health club...now there's no excuse for not getting in a workout.