DIEP 2014

Goldie I know your surgery is beyond what some get for stage 2, will be praying for you today that it goes wonderfully.  Good tip about posture, we all need to remind ourselves about it.

JMB, you are beautiful and don't let the tummy thing get to you.  So much is probably temporary, you had some fat sucked away from the sides which may make your tummy seem larger to you, also no doubt a lot is swelling still.  What I would pay to weigh 147, that is actually close to my goal weight.  I know, it is all relative....((Hugs))

Georgie girl, you look lovely in your picture.  Since you are a Cinco girl, is your stage 2 coming up soon too?

Speaking of the Cincos, how are you doing, Lemon?

As far as surgery waiting room, my son and husband went all over Philly during my surgery at my urging.  They had DH cell phone to call if they needed him, and they had a great time and were back when I woke up.  My son is a foodie and had a blast telling me about what pigs they were hahahaha.  They are both thin as rails so it cracks me up.  

Off today, using a vacation day and will just do stuff I want to do, having friends over for dessert this evening over a campfire.  Hope you all have a great day.

Cindy

Good luck today, Goldie and Enjoy! ! I'll be thinking of you both!

Kb33, looks like we'll be surgery sisters. Our surgeries are on the same day!

Good luck Goldie!! Wishing you well today!

I have my Stage 2 tentatively set for end of September. I am having more revisions than I thought I would: Dog ears excised (both sides); lipo to ab incision where it is bulging out; "tucks" on the sides of both breasts to give more projection and a lift to the left breast to match righty better. (Lefty looks pretty darn cute and righty is kind of ugly so I am really hoping they both look better and not worse after this! Argh.)

 Dr. Levine said he is doing so much to the breasts that he will have to decide during the surgery if he should make the nipples then or if I need a 3rd procedure for nipples. I was nervous to think about all that I still need done but he told me it would be a piece of cake, I would be in the surgical suite not the OR, it would be a short time in surgery and outpatient, and I would expect to need less than a week to recover. He always makes me feel calm and confident...hope it is actually all going to happen that way!!

An amazing thing happened at the appointment - when Dr. L was pinching the breasts a little on the side to show me how they would look with the tucks, I could actually feel it! I have been so numb across my right side and in the middle of my chest I wasn't sure if I would ever regain feeling. But it is coming back! So cool.

Goldie - wishing you the best for today!

enjoy - I hope you have a great vacation. You deserve it.

jmb5 - I don't exercise much outside of my PT exercises (which have been terrific, cording is almost gone). However, I do walk every day...2 or 3 miles, sometimes more...and I feel great. I have had minimal fatigue through rads with only 6 left. I started walking to get ahead of the rads fatigue and now I just enjoy doing it. I was pulled really tight so everything is still pretty flat but I do get the swelling below my incision when I overdo it. I tell my husband that sometimes it looks like I swallowed one of my kids mini basketballs.

jersey - glad your visit went well and that you are so happy with your PS. I feel the same way when I see mine.

lili-ri - hope you are healing well

I am getting the greatest gift to celebrate my last day of rads, which is the 18th. My brother just let us know that he is coming to visit on the 18th. He lives in Texas and we haven't seen him or my niece in 4 years. I'm so excited!

I never had any swelling except for the "Ken doll"  effect.  That is very annoying on its own.  It gets bigger as the day goes on and is gone again by morning.  My stomach has regained most of its feeling now.  My breasts are slowly coming around too.

I was told in pre-op that my radiated skin was in such good shape both breasts would be skin saving and nipple saving.  It had been 6 years since rads and I tolerated it well. I woke up to a huge flap on that side and no nipple.  First they told me that when they tattoo me,  they will do both sides so they matched but now they will tattoo only the left side.  Personally if I had been given a choice I would have let both nips go.  

hope all goes well goldie. I told my husband just drop me off at the hospital doors and go to work. No sense in sitting there half the day. Pre-registered today. Check in time 5:30 am Monday. 

Can someone explain what the monitors and monitor wires are?

MsW - I did not have any wires. My pulses were checked with a hand held Doppler. I have heard it done both ways. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Oh, optimi!  I'm saying prayers for you, that they find the last of this beast, so you can slay it for good.

Tina

Andrea,

The Ken doll effect is swelling in the pubic area.  Hence the name.    Mine gets worse the more I am on my feet and as the day progresses.  Nobody warned me about that!

iowagirl, thanks for the explanation. The swelling and firmness from top to bottom seems to change throughout the day. I'm eager to see how it all turns out in the end. It was kind of funny, I had my DD get me some big mens boxer briefs, then just a few days later they were too big.

Goldie, I hope you feel better soon. Get your rest and keep us posted as you are able. Gentle hugs.

I received the best news today since long...PETscan was clean and cancer hasn't spread!! Wohoo!! I am so relieved and finally feel like I can breathe again! I very much believe in the power of prayers and want to thank you ladies for your prayers.

I am thinking of all of you who just had their stage 1and 2 surgeries. Sounds like everybody is doing well. Continued healing thoughts and prayers to all of you!

for those that only did one breast.... Do they lift the second breast in stage one or stage 2?   I remember the ps saying that he wanted to lift my other but I guess I didn't really pay attention to when that would be done or what that would involve...   I'm assuming I will have some scars on that breast also from the lift?   Did anyone who had NS also have the nipple moved?   I was also told that after the DIEP... My nipple may be too low... Imagine that.... And he might raise it on one or both breasts...  So I am wondering just how many scars I will be having...lol

kb33 - the lift won't be done till Stage 2. The PS has to wait for things to settle down from Stage 1 to be able to achieve symmetry. I still don't know if I will get the lift. My symmetry looks pretty good. They never matched before my DIEP so I'm okay with a little asymmetry. 

Optimi - I am so happy for your news!