November 2014 Surgery Sisters

Awest and AlexaP - glad you are both moving ahead and it sounds positive! Awest, do you still look smaller than you thought for a small C? Just wondering as my plastic surgeon had chosen 4 different implants to "try" during surgery but all were moderate profile and I'm worried that I will not be very happy. He says that is all my breast tissue will accommodate, but I think the expanders now at 550 and 650 project more than the projection with moderates.

I'll have plenty of time to ponder on such things as my surgeon just told me he is cancelling my planned surgery in June and won't attempt surgery until at least 6 weeks after my clinical trial ends. That will be June of 2016 and I will have had these misaligned expanders in for a total of 18 months before exchange. I'm pretty bummed about it.

Just stopping by to let my November sisters know that I finally had my exchange surgery yesterday along with right capsulorrhapy. Since I didn't know my labs would be OK 2 days after my last infusion, I wasn't certain about until the night before. A huge blessing since it doesn't leave any time to worry...haha.

Feeling great today although the right pocket had to be repositioned 2 1/2" toward the center and ribs there feel like I've been in a bar room brawl.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Mom, so glad to hear the good news! I haven't been on the boards for a while and randomly decided to check in just now... To such happy news! Welcome to the squishy side lol.

I cannot believe how much better I feel. My exchange was only in April and it just feels like a million years ago. My implant is very large so I have to wear a bra pretty much 24/7 but I just came back from vacation where I was able to walk (one day my Fitbit said 20,000+ steps!) swim, snorkel, water aerobics - totally forgot about the implant and even rocked a tankini! The new side droops much like my natural Breast did so I could do more surgery to try to mess with them but for now I'm just happy it's done and don't know if I will bother.

Awest & Mommacat, how is it going for you? Hope all is well!🍷 cheers to November (and all) sisters

mom2threeboys, congratulations on your exchange. I hope now that it's been a week you are able to move around more freely. I bet that first show after surgery was wonderful. Are you satisfied with how they look and feel?

AlexaP, great news about your vacation and tankini. I can't wait.... I am glad you had fun.

Well. I had to start radiation a week later than planned because my breast surgeon added 100cc to my TE to help prevent some shrinkage. In doing so it made the markers off by just enough that they had to re-measure me and come up with a whole new plan. I started reds this past Tuesday. So far I am doing good. I put coconut oil on my skin last night. The dr said coconut oil will work perfectly. But he also said if for some reason I need something else he recommended eucerin.

I can't get my exchange until at least 6 months after radiation. My surgeon was very strict on that. Which will put it in February 2016. Which means my TE'S will be in for a total of 15 months.

Hello November sisters, MamaDarrling, Awest, AlexaP, mom2threeboys and anyone else,

How is everyone doing? I am looking for an update from all of you.

I am still going through radiation until the end of July. However, new things have come up. I had a well woman check (long overdue) and my pap came back abnormal. Never have I had an abnormal pap but it has been several years since my last woman check and I had just finished chemo a month and a half ago.

They also did an abdominal ultrasound. The results of that came back with my endometrium wall being thicker than it is supposed to be. (it is supposed to be less than 5mm, mine is 9.8 mm). I personally am scared to death that it is uterine cancer but it could be something else. I don't know yet. I have a biopsy scheduled for later this month. I will keep you updated when I get the results of the biopsy.

Have a great day everyone.

Hi Ladies, I am having my 3 month post exchange follow up tomorrow. Implant has quite a bit of ptosis even though I wear a sports bra almost 24/7 but in clothes it looks good and I feel great. Had a nice family camping trip up in the Poconos and swam and went tubing (no water skiing this year) and had no issues. I'm pretty sure he's going to want to nip tuck and fat graft but it will have to wait until November. Too much going on and cosmetically I'm not so sure I care. Maybe one more round of surgery but since the implant is so heavy I think I'll always has ptosis... And I really don't care all that much. But fipples would be nice!

Hope you are all doing well. Mommacat I hope things turn out benign for you. Please keep us posted! xo

Mommacat, I wish there was something I could say to help, but can't imagine how you are feeling after learning about this. It seems that sometimes just when we think we've handled our breast cancer and think our lives are returning to some version of "normal" that we are dealt a surprise.

Keep us posted and know you will remain in my prayers here. I hope all of your questions soon have answers and you can move forward.

Hugs!

Cherie

mom2threeboys and Awest, thank you for your love and support. I really need some love from you ladies. You all know the emotional state that a person goes through. My family don't understand especially DH. I feel like he is becoming more disconnected. It seems as though his idea of taking care of the family is just to bring home the bacon. The emotions just aren't there with him. Yes it is a financial struggle with me not working and I completely understand that but that shouldn't stop him from giving me an unprovoked hug. Or from him noticing something I have done for him specifically. I will get off my soap box now.

Again, thank you for your love and prayers

Mom2threeboys, you really are a wonderful person. I am so grateful for you and all the ladies here. You completely understand how I feel and you lift me up. I wish I can repay the favor.

I have young adult children and teenage children. My one and only son is 14 so naturally his life revolves around video games. He does help me out a lot when I ask him and when I give him step by step instructions.

DH is in his 90 day probation period of just being hired at his job that he was a temporary employee for 2 years. Yes it's great that he was hired because it's a good job. He told supervisors about my breast cancer and mastectomy last year. I now have endometrial cancer. He told me he can not take time off for my hysterectomy surgery because of the probation period. I told him I think they will let him take one night off without penalty under the circumstances. I even asked him to see if he can switch one night off with another employee. Well, I lost that discussion. He is at work and I am in the hospital right now recovering from the hysterectomy. He doesn't understand that I need his emotional support. I don't know what to do about this. I have talked with him but he still doesn't get it. Ok. I am sorry mom2threeboys for depressing you and anyone else I have depressed. Thank you for being here for me. Good night. Take care.

mommacat14,

No apologies needed on this site, it's all safe. I thought of you several times today and hope you are feeling as good as is possible - or better. Things are not perfect on your end, darn life gets all in the way. I hope this is the last of your surgeries and things start looking up, you deserve it. You've sure been a trooper!

Hello Awest, unfortunately this isn't the last of my surgeries. I still have my tissue expanders in. However it won't be until probably February or March before I have the exchange done because my surgeon won't touch me until 6 months after radiation is over. Radiation was over in July.