Charleston Bound, part 2

Thanks Jacee n lbrewer! Next year at five years will be the bigger cancer-free celebration alrhough I think everyday is a celebration.

July 4th was my five years since last of several heart attacks. Praying to be done with both diseases for life!

Yes!!

Just made my appointment with Dr Dennis Schimpf for my 3D nipple consult appointment on August 12 at his Daniel Island office.

They will be scheduling 3D tattoo appointment at their offices with Renee Machinot (trained many years ago by Vinnie the great 😊).

My middle name will not be Barbie much longer as I will FINALLY be getting tats after four looong years and 12 surgeries later ... during the first week of September! 💗

Had a fat grafting surgery with Dr. Kline on July 30. It went well, but I am sore and black and blue with bruising. Let the healing begin so I can schedule tattoos!!!

Hey, Pink!

I have to wait at least 3 months. I am planning on 3D tats, but don't have them scheduled yet. Question for you, Pink--how long do the bruises from the fat grafting last?

Thanks, Pink, for generously sharing your information with me and all of us Flappers!!!! We will all celebrate the finish line with you. You give us hope that we will make it to the finish line, too!!!

Pink, it won't be long now, we started this whole thing about the same time I think,and finally the end is near for you. I am so happy for you! It truly will quickly become a thing of the past. Hard to believe I know, because while in the midst of it all, it is all consuming and takes its toll . It is a marathon!!! Good luck to you, the best is yet to come!

It has been a little over 3 years since my initial flap surgery. Yesterday I went for an ultrasound of my reconstructed Sgap breast. I have had multiple call backs, every 6 months to monitor several hard(calcified)"lumps". Of course I knew (hoped?) it was fat necrosis and finally I have been told that I am done being monitored ; they agreed that it was just that. Hooray. Another small milestone.

Also wondering if anyone out there is a few years out still get a burning sensation in their breast? No biggie, but weird when it happens periodically.

Damn I miss Charleston. Good luck to all of you just beginning or somewhere in b

Congrats, Cascader, on your all-clear! I'm also just over 3 years out from my Stage 1 SGAP. I still get the occasional zingers in my breasts but it finally seems to be tapering off. The Stage 0 lymphedema is still an issue, but as they say way too often on the Left Coast, "it is what it is." I'm waiting for a dear friend to get out of her lumpectomy right now, hoping for the clear margins that eluded me, and feeling thankful that I am not starting this nonsense right now and can actually use my experience to help a friend. Sadly, there will likely be many more. Onward and upward!

cascaded, do you mean the pic forum here? I haven't mustered the courage to have the tats done. I am so pain adverse now. I hate being poked and prodded. Had to have a cap on a tooth last week It never seems to stop. I think the lymphdema has been better since I started LIveStrong tho.

The scars are pretty visible so I often wonder if tats would make any difference.

Cascader, has anyone looked at that armpit lump? I had an angry lymph node at my recent re-do (failed SGAP) which was probably because of the necrosis. There might be some LE going on. My arm gets really achy -- it's a deep but kind of subtle pain.

I love those rub-on nipples! My husband never even notices them because they look so natural.

Just received my appointment date for 3D tattoos with Renee here in Charleston!

Thursday, September 3 !!!

great news pink! Can't wait to hear when you're down. I will prob go too Renee in JAX when I get the courage!

Congrats Pink! I can't wait to hear how it goes...and maybe see pics?? Did you ever talk to Dr. Kline about getting Renee (or Vinnie) to do tatts out of his office? I wish I could get them there.

Pink, by the time you see this you will probably be done. That is so fantastic. I can't wait to hear about your experience. I got the feeling about dr k Office doing 3d as well. But he is so upfront he siad in front of his nurse that it was probably the best choice for me!

You really deserve a lot of credit for getting all the stuff done to make this happen in charleston.

My appt is this afternoon. 😊.

Dr. Kline seemed interested in having Renee come in his office. His office manager doesn't seem on board. Disappointing to me because they are top docs and first offering microsurgical flaps as wonderful option to breast cancer mastectomy patients but not to offer the best in options for nipple tattoos for patients who want and need them to complete their awesome reconstruction talent they have received through their very caring practice.

Those still coming up with making choices on nipples/areolas ... continue to ask the docs about 3D!

You all will love Renee! Very comfortable with her and Dr. Schimpf office staff has been great. Can't wait to see how insurance pays out on actual tattooing.

I would suggest you try the rub on tats first to get an idea of where you want them positioned and size. Renee very good with that of course. She will draw them on first with a marker for you to decide then she wipes off. I had her re-draw 2-3 times because i wasnt sure where i wanted. My radiated breast doesn't quite match the other in size so positioning the tat a little different.

I took tylenol before in case i had pain. I didnt have any pain on left but radiated side i had burning type of pain underneath but i had major comps and nerve pain issues anyway so it tat device prob reaching some of that even with the slight pressure. But after a few hours that pain went away with a tall sangria!

I have to say the tats are ugly right now until they heal in 2-3 weeks. They are scabbed over in a dead gray looking color. But i know they will look great later. Renee was spot on with the color she chose and that will come through once healed.

She gives you the supplies you need for healing: non-stick bandages and sample packs of petroleum jelly. She gives you a nice printed card with instructions.

No swimming for two weeks.

Wear bandages for five days. Refresh bandages twice day. Wash gently using fingers with soap and water. Im using Dial white soap. No tape needed just put on petro jelly, put non stick square bandages over nipples and put on a bra.

Mine are draining through so def don't use your pretty bras. I got out my old damn-genie bras. LOL. I was so done with those i was getting ready to burn them and glad i didnt. But in two weeks i will!

She suggests going topless around home as much as you can to give them air.

After five days no bandages or petro jelly. For next 10 days put lots of lotion on breasts like Aveeno or something fragrance free, for sensitive skin kind of lotion.

Next month I plan to send my pics to Dr. Kline and his nurses. Along with my nightmare-ish before picture of radiated bombed and cratered failed implants chest. Renee was very impressed with Dr Kline's work and she didnt even see the mess he had to start with! I will also send pics to Renee when totally healed. She did take a before and after at our appointment.

Will figure out a way to get pics to you all that said you are interested in seeing.

Renee specializes in 3D nipple areola tattooing for breast cancer survivors enduring mastectomy with reconstruction. Her studio is in Ft. Lauderdale FL. She also does tats in plastic surgeons offices in Jacksonville, FL, Charleston, SC (MUSC, Dr. Schimpf, and Dr. O'Neill), New York City, and Baltimore, MD.
I didn't know that she does tats at Vinnie's studio, too!