DIEP 2015

hang in there Kate. I feel for you. I know what you mean about holding it together and then the dam breaks open, I hope you feel better sometimes a good cry helps! Hope they took your drains out. My day is Wednesday - yikes

sorry for the delay mild skin aggravation from nerves acting up kept me out of it for a bit

Congrats and healing vibes and welcome to the other side!

Bair Hugger is a warming tube that encompassed my entire core to ensure increased and continuos blood flow to the newly formed/applied flaps - evil device

Good luck to you all pre and post surgery

So good to hear from everyone. :-).

I'm day 5 post op. Prayerfully heading home today after my shower. This was def. hard to do but I am so thankful I knew what to expect so that when the pain came on or I started to walk that I wasn't surprised by any of it. I got real sick to my stomach and man did that hurt but the nurses quickly got that under control. The one thing I wanted to share was how heavy my chest would feel, not because of the size of the breasts I think if I am lucky they made me to a B but the actual feeling of a weight being on my chest. I had that when I had my bmx with expanders just didn't know I could get that with the diep flap as well.

Happy healing ladies.

Much love & prayers

G

Hi everyone! I am finally a flapper and loving it.

My surgery was about 9 hours long, which was expected. I asked my surgeon why so long when I had already had my BMX and he said they still have do work there: remove the old scars, remove the remaining tissue expander, clean up scar tissue under the pectoral muscles on both sides, and remove any remaining debris from the previous surgeries.

I spent about 1.5 hours in the recovery room (they normally keep DIEPS for 2), so I must have been doing well. I was transferred to a room on their Oncology Transplant unit, so they have been great. It was nice to be in my own room right off the bat.

I took a quick peek under the covers and loved what I saw! Two beautiful, soft breast mounds that are about the size of my originals (a B?). I had cried for joy when I had gotten a fill on the one way back when that gave me hint of what was to come. I hope that those you you who are still only halfway there can see it a a firstfruits of more to come. .

The next bit of good news was that I didn't have to go to the iCU. At IU Methodist they now transfer DIEPs to the Oncology Transplant unit. The nurse are great. They see 2 DIEPs/week on average, so they know their stuff. They had to check my flaps hourly for 48 hours (my doctor is very conservative) and be NPO (nothing by mouth but ice chips) the first 24 hours. That was partly to keep nausea at bay and keep me real for emergency surgery should anything happen to the flap. I had bought some Biotin mouth moisturizing spray which worked great to keep my mouth moist.

The next day was clear liquids, but i could advance as tolerated.I just kept eating light foods for 24 hours. I had brought some Pedialyte packets to mix with the water, which kept my tummy happy. I also had the anti nausea patch from before surgery and Zofran in case I needed it, so I was in good hands.

Time passed extraordinarily slow. Somehow I lost a day during that time because when i thought Friday morning had dawned, it was really Saturday. Wilbur strikes again. I also tend to wake up from my naps talking to the people that were in my dreams, and Here is the story behind the Wilbur allusion:

On the 2014DIEP thread. One woman posted this the evening after her surgery: "I am officially a flapper! Everyone says my doc did a fantastic have been junta fit the block. I can't dibs both Wilbur grgvsimecgugrt" Wilbur is now the embodiment of anesthesia with a sense of humor--you can blame every odd thing on him!

I am too drowsy to type more right now.More later.

JILL

Bigsister: I am glad you are doing well!

Jl- memory issues have not happened to me personally. Since my diagnosis I've been through 6 surgeries with the stage one DIEP being my last one and my stage two in exactly 2 weeks. I think a lot of stress adds to "forgetting" things but not permanent. I don't want to discredit anyone's issues but just me personally I didn't have those issues.

BIGSISTER- isn't it just an amazing feeling to finally feel normal again. I felt the same way when I woke up and "peeked". I'm so glad you've had a positive outcome thus far.

Trineg- thinking of you. Can't wait to hear about everything. Hope your feeling better.

Not again- if I don't get on here again before your sx, I wish you the best. It will be an amazing journey!

I am 18 weeks out and sometimes I forget I had the surgery at all. It keeps getting better every day.

My memory is a little foggy - I think it was the narcotics. I guess I look at that as a blessing - onward and upward!

I am still too chicken to go in for phase two soooo I must remember some of it,.... hoping for inspiration in 2016!!

So glad to hear about others doing well, it's hard at first but I think this surgery is really worth it..

Quick drain question:

All 4 of the drains continue to produce very little fluid. The last 2 days 2 have been at 10 & 2 at 15 for total out put for the day. I'm up walking more so I thought they would produce more like when I had my bmx with expanders. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Thank you.

G

Thanks Julie. I'm sure I am being overly cautious after this last year of infection nightmare. I am getting into the Dr's on Friday so she can look. If the output is like a 5 tomorrow maybe she will see me tomorrow instead. I am 1 week past surgery today.

I am also watching a tiny pink spot that is the center of both of my flaps. I wonder if it's where the doppler's where placed?

Yes I am stripping them. This is my 4th set of drains from breast cancer surgeries although never had them on my hips before. I'll try and walk more tomorrow to see if the input increases. :-)

Thanks ladies.

Well, I am now 8 days out and doing well. I love my new, warm girls that jiggle when I move just like my old ones did. Although the skin is still numb, I can certainly feel them when I cup them. That works for me!

My tummy is another story. It really feels tight and sore. I thought maybe it is because I have been straightening up too much. So today I am going back to using the walker so I have to walk hunched over,and I pulled out the taller wedge to use at night.

It could just be swelly belly that doesn't look swelly because I am so tall--my pregnancies took forever to show and I could usually get away with just wearing loose clothing instead of maternity clothes at the end. It is all tolerable, but I hope my belly is healing ok. I spend most of each day propped on the couch working through the Gilmore Girls series

Bigsister- everything you're saying sounds normal, normal, normal!!! Time will straighten you up. Keep moving. I never thought I'd walk upright again

sa8-thinking of you and hoping the clindymicin does the trick. Keep us posted.

Welcome to the other side, NotAgain! So sorry it took so long to get there. My sister had a terrible time with her migraines after having her ovaries out. I hope that now you can just rest, rest, rest.

SA8, glad you got your drains out and hope that the antibiotics does its job. I am grateful that mine all seem fine. Having had infections and sepsis, infection is scary!

I have my first post op visit on Tuesday, and I hope the drains will all go then, but one of the hip drains is a little juicy yet--just over 30 cc/24 hours so I might be stuck with that one awhile.

I am 10 days out and am trying to keep taking it easy. I feel great except for my belly, which feels heavy and hard when I am walking around. It feels better whenI am just propped up on the couch. Guess I had better listen to my body!

can I ask you gals a few questions ?

We have stairs in our front porch without a Rail and I will have followup apts. My mom is coming but she is frail. And advice on getting up and down stairs?

How long until you felt confident to drive on short errands. At some point I need to drive kids to school after mom leaves.

What about loading the dishwasher etc?

Sorry to drop in uninvited but I have a abdominal surgery ans breast surgery at the same time thought you gals might have some insight