Charleston Bound, part 2

GTC- my thoughts and prayers are with you tonight, as I just checked into the board for the first time in a while. Rest up, and heal for now. The next step will be apparent in time. {{{{{hugs}}}}}

How are you going, GTC?

Hi, does anyone have a remedy for insane  incision inchiness?

My friend and I are at Isle of Palms. My first beachwalk 10 days post surgery. 

Can't bend over to pick things up yet. Thank God for my caregiver friend. 

Really.Itches.Bad.  And tight.

Pinkheart. 

I had the itching too. It actually turned into a rash over my abdomen. The office told me to try Benadryl and cortisone cream at first. Which mildly helped. The rash grew and then I had to go on a course of steroids with steroid Cream. That worked super fast. I seriously wanted to rip my skin off it itched so badly! Hope your itching goes away soon! 

Thanks for your info!  I have some Zyrtec so maybe that may help. It flares up and is a rash that feels hot and, like you all said, I feel like tearing my skin off. Will contact office tomorrow.

I don't remember having this two years ago for my stage 1 SGAP incisions. My breast incisions have never itched. Maybe because this is such a big incision and has more pulling on it since is donor site. 

MartyJ,

Enjoy your pre op with Dr Massey and her  magic Sharpie!  Your surgery came up fast. Missed it on date list at top of thread. 

Enjoy the beach walk to relax for tomorrow's final surgery and keep us posted how you're doing when you are up to it. 

MartyJ- Make sure you give our doc a big hug from me. You are in good hands tomorrow and I will be thinking of you. Heal fast my DIEP buddy.

Hi Marty, just wanted you to know I will be thinking of you. You will have beautiful nips by tomorrow night. Look forward to seeing you next week. Sweet dreams. Jamie

so Roper called today so it is on!!  Cannot believe it has creeped up on me.  Leaving in one week

carolina..hang in there girl.  You will have that replacement soon enough!

Maggie

lbrewer - laser for scars I know, not sure about doing the whole flap.  I think that the tush flap will begin to blend more as time goes by.  I did laser my previous recon scars and it helped flatten them.  They faded to blend with skin.  Dr. m is going to work on the most raised scar area tomorrow, but I know that I will be doing some laser work.  My plan is to give scars two years.  

Mags - glad you heard from Roper.  Expect one more call - a quickly to reconfirm.  Kind of odd, but this was the first time they called me 2 weeks out.  Usually it is just a couple days before.  It will be great.  The nurses on 3HVT lobe Dr. M and go out of their way to help.  I actually had one go to recovery a couple of hours after I got to the floor to get a barf bag that I preferred to the tray.  It was neater and they have never been able to get the nausea under control.  Maybe the 5th time will be the charm. 

I asked the EC nurse to bring me the blue barf bag instead of the tub, too. It's easier to keep within reach on bed -- just in case. 

My last three I didn't get sick. Huge for me with recovery. This time I asked the anesthesiologist to please give me whatever he did past two surgeries because I wasn't sick as usual. He was so nice. 

He even started my IV in my hand in pre op room, and I barely felt it and did not have any bruise on my hand after two nights in hospital. 

Another interesting was I have ZERO bruising on my belly which is where Dr Kline did all the lipo of my hard earned fat.   He was excited about how much he got to fat graft to my radiated breast. I have the fat sticks around!!

 I had two prior surgeries with fat grafting and I was very beat up looking with solid pitch black n blue, swelling, and pain. 

I pulled up pics on my cell phone to remind him how bad past times were and asked what he did different to have no bruises.  He said lower doses of Lovenox and then something else which I forgot. 

I am going to see Dr K for another follow up this week, and then decide when I can leave and drive myself back north. 

Must say that my butt scar looks scary. 

But my breasts look great!  Leftie is perfect. Radiated Rightie looking good, too. 

When I look back at how grotesque my breasts looked after various complications, and the pain, I am so amazed and thankful for what these special docs can do for breast cancer patients. 

Marty, thanks for the input. It is so hard to keep waiting. It seems like this goes on forever. I can't decide about nipples. Dr k didn't seem to enthusiastic. He said he would reshape my boobs somewhat. With the scars and the skin difference not sure what direction to take....3d or new ones. Or maybe just the Barbie look!   

lbrewer,

I bought the rub on nipple tattoos, too.  It helped me feel optimistic and for making a decision. 

I also sent pictures of my breasts with the rub on nipples to Dr. Kline. I asked if he could make my round skin paddle smaller so it will not show when I get my 3D tattoos. 

In my surgery on Aug 7th, he made skin paddle perfect size and did awesome job reshaping. Of course now I have to wait for scars to fade -- again. 😉

I personally want 3D because I would like to go braless as much as possible (except when wearing white/ light colors), and not have nipples protruding through tops. 

Vinnie please come to Charleston!

calling all Dr Kline and Craigie "flappers" - fall seems to be right around the corner and maybe time to start thinking about our first "flapper CHS" reunion of the dynamic duo, Drs Kline and Craigie.

I was told by both Dr Barons office and Dr Kline's office that they may want to partake in our get together in some way or another and I'd like to get an idea of how many would be available or interested in going to our new favorite city CHS.  I'm thinking November but open to trying for October if that works for most?  When I have an idea of how many I can pursue lodging info.

So please let me know if you are interested!

Hugs

Catie

I would love to do October but have to wait on decision. My DH company has closed the contract so he has to find a new job.  I never thought about asking if he could make the paddle area smaller.  Does he have to make the boob smaller too?  He made my other match this surgery. Sometimes I think I am too old to care anymore!