April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!

Yay Dizz! Heal well, and we will be in your pocket until the path comes back clear!

Glad you're on the other side!

hi all! Checking in. I'm back at home safe and sound. I ended up staying 2 nights which was good because I was very uncomfortable and glad to have the magic button for pain relief! So she did some chest rebalancing by fat grafting, lowered my DIEP flap scar and did a scar revision. Took out ovaries and fallopian tubs and did some chin lipo. Feel like it been hit by a truck and then wrapped up like a mummy. I have compression binders on chest and tummy and compression tights. Let's just say peeing is a challenge! Pathology for ovaries and tubes were negative, so that was a relief! Onward and upward.

Hello all! Busy first week on the new job. Very rewarding to be back caring for patients. So many different types of cancers and my head is filled with patient stories and new information.

Little blue, sorry to read about layoff. I hope it is very temporary.

Dizz HOORAY that your fears can be put to sleep. I bet the PTSD hit hard and it can come out of nowhere. Accckkkkk and sorry you came during the cold, wicked weather week. This week we will be in the 50s with spring rains.

Scarlett great news!!! Heal fast!!!

Andrea glad you are feeling better! I hope travels and the grandkids are all good. Ahhhh the stress of returning to work I hope they figure it out. Keep us posted.

Nothing but learning my new job and continue studying at night this week. Only 3 weeks until my exam. So much for this old chemo brain to remember and recall.

Tutti is a beautiful girl. Every time you post a pic I just want to snuggle her!

Dizz, keep us posted on the cyst. That is a long time to wait!!! My PS said I had a lot of scar tissue and large stitch knots under my DIEP. (Different PS did the original DIEP). I betting that they will find a benign cyst!! Our body likes to do strange things in response to trauma

Scarlett and Dizz...heal well, rest easy, and see if others will pull in their weight to help you. Sending lots of light and healing your way.

Ksusan..tutti looks pretty smug. Great that Katy and you got together. I was thinking of you daily list of gratefulness this morning and realised how much I am grateful for.

thanks Positive! Feeling like I may have overcommitted on the plastic surgery revision. I had the big reveal today, so much bruising and swelling brought back some bad memories. Pain is much less though than the first time and I gained a nipple, lost some hip and thigh fat and revised the DIEP flap scar. Still, it's a big toll on my body and my family. Hoping for the next 2-3 weeks to speed by

It's great news. The trouble making lump was pathologically identified as a cyst. Evidently, there were some skin cells embeded in the diep flap that had formed into a cyst after transfer. It should be an isolated occurance and shouldn't grow back. Very relieved. Now, I just wish I could get past the pain from surgery and the overwhelming fear that the joint pain is a symptom of something more worrisome. Off to bother pcp about that rheumatology referral.

Thanks so much to all of you who kept me company on the lump rollercoaster.

Scarlett, I feel like I could have written your post. Although not as uncomfortable as the initial surgery, I feel like I completely misjudged the significance of this part of the process. My fat grafting areas encompass my upper and lower abdomen, flanks, and outer/back thigh. The bruising and soreness seems to have peaked, so I hope it turns a corner any minute now. My scar revisions aren't nearly as bothersome, however the edges of my dog ear revisions have started to ache a bit. I suppose the nerves in that area weren't as damaged during diep and can actually feel the wound. Psychologically, it feels like I'm going through another round of treatment versus recovering from a surgery. I can't wait for my mind to shake that feeling. I really hope the next 2-3 weeks will speed by for both of us.

Great news!

Great news Dizz! Keep on compressing!! :-)

You guys, I just need to whine. This time last year I had just had my breasts cut off. I really want to forget this horrible time, but my parents sent me an orchid and my husband won't get out of bed today. I guess the best way to describe it is I'm having feelings but can't really describe them or how to fix them. I also got prosthesis yesterday, but so far refuse to wear them. Looking at them or thinking about them makes me feel sick. Next week I start visiting recon surgeons. Just talked to my insurance, and I can't even figure out their pricing structure. Well anyway. Sorry. Just having feelings, like I said. Thanks for listening.

Thanks Katy! Yeesh. I should probably go outside rather than sitting in my office wishing my computer would hurry up. Clearly I'm not gonna be any good to anyone until this cloud passes....