May 2016 Surgeries

Hi ladies! So sorry to have abandoned you all over the past couple of months! As you know, breast cancer not only affects us as we go through it, but also our family members who go on the journey with us. My DH requested that I start the New Year by cleaning out all of the hospital items, the old surgical bras, filing away the cards and gifts I had received, etc. and to walk away from BC.org for a while. We both wanted to say goodbye to a rotten 2016 and hello to better year ahead. More living, less worrying! Moving forward! But know that I've been thinking of you all, miss you terribly, and miss hearing your updates. Praying everyone is doing well!

I've been able to keep the infections away and am doing just fine with the implants. PS appt this afternoon to talk out a left side revision in the future. I'm taking my diet and exercise seriously and have lost about 23 pounds since the middle of November. I started a second part time job for fun money and a new challenge. I've turned off the tv and cranked up the music to keep myself moving. I'm trying to say yes to invitations for coffee, ladies lunches, cabin weekends, etc. I'm intentional about being more tuned in to my DH and HIS life. And I'm spending the anniversary of my diagnosis with some girlfriends on an out-of-state girls' trip in a couple of weeks. Life is so much different than a year ago when the sadness, fear and doubt were creeping in. As you know, we're forever changed by what we've gone through, but that doesn't mean we can't find our new normal to be ok, too.

Hugs, hugs, hugs!

So glad you've got your TE date, Raven...my infection sister! Sending good juju your way!

Raven, good luck tomorrow with your surgery. I am really excited for you to finally come to this day .Will be thinking about you tomorrow.

Grandma, I hope you will be happy with the results and you got your answer about the right support. Is the pain as much as others witnessed after FG?

Toy Story, glad to see you are doing well; thank you for sharing. Papillon, nice to hear from you.

How is evryone doing? Thinking often about you all

Greykat, Valstim, how is your therapy going?

Raven - sending some healing mojo your way! Thanks for answering my question about the bra!

Midwest - the pain after FG is about what I expected. It hurts to stand up after sitting for a while but the pain goes away once I'm up and moving around. I hope to be back to work on Monday. The FG got rid of the ripples on my right side and filled in some flat places, so I'm happy with the results. I may lose a lot of it, of course, and will need to wait several months to see the final result.

Raven - good to hear you are doing well.

I'm all black and blue from the FG on Wed. but feeling ok. I'll go back to work tomorrow. I was able to shower on Fri. and noticed a band of material radiating from the edge of my implant toward my arm pit. It's squishy but not soft like the rest of the fat they injected. I thought at first it might be fat necrosis but now worry that they may have punctured my implant and the silicone is leaking out.Is that possible? How would I tell the difference?

I hate that you ladies have to be here in the first place, but love that you all are here still supporting each other.

Hi, ladies. Have had you all on my mind so much lately so thought I'd pop in just to see how everyone is doing. Val, how did the 6 mo. checkup go? Hope you're still on the "no new is good news" train.

April 15th was the one year anniversary of my original BMX. I can't believe I'm still going through the shit storm of reconstruction at this point. But things are going OK and I hope to be finished soon. Had right TE reinserted on 3/17 and aside from one potential infection scare - which, thank God, turned out to be nothing - I'm doing pretty well. Just praying for the patience to get through it all.

Hope you're all doing well. I think of you all often.

That's all good news, Val! Glad to hear it!

Hi, MoreShoes. It's great to hear from you but sorry to hear about the fibrosis. Are you getting any relief from the PT for it?

I'm still trying to finish recon after more than a year after BMX, which really sucks. Had TE reinserted on right on 3/17. Had an infection scare for which two different cultures came back negative (thank God) but it looks horrible and is very sore. I'm at 550 ccs on the way to 750 to match the left and the right side is not even close to approximating the left wrt size and shape. I just don't see how another 200 ccs is going to get me where I need to be, plus the right side has a much higher profile. The PS assures me that it will all match and look good in the end but, frankly, I don't believe him one bit. As long as I look good in clothes I'll be happy but right now I don't see how even that is going to happen with the right side so high and the left so low. Until I'm completely through exchange I won't really feel like I'm out of the woods on any of this. It's just so disappointing to still be going through all this. I just get tired of looking mutilated after so long, you know?

Hi, Angtee15. I don't blame you one bit for not wanting anymore surgery. My final implant will be the 7th surgery since my original bmx. I'm not doing another damn thing if I can avoid it. Good luck with the tattoo tomorrow!

Very interesting about the vaccine trial. I hadn't heard of that. Where do you go in Detroit for the injection? Wherever it is, it won't be that far from me!

As for the redness, the PS seems to think it's "red breast syndrome" but I'm not sure I buy that. I'm quite sure the pain is not from any kind of infection - I've had it all along since the first TE was removed. It's not constant and tends to come and go; honestly, I'm not even sure I ever mentioned it to the PS, to be quite honest with you. I'm more worried about the redness. It looks terrible.

Hi ladies,

Hard to believe it's been a year since we found each other here.  I had my year follow up with surgeon today and everything looks good and no new lumps.  I will see her one last time in another year, otherwise I'm being followed by MO while on tamoxifen for 10 years.

Angtree15- glad things are going well for you. Good luck on your tattoo tomorrow

Raven-I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. Keeping you in good thoughts that your final implant goes smoothly.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Hello May sisters. I'm back to work full-time and still in weekly PT for arm, trunk, and breast Lymphedema.

Today is a good day... Not too much swelling. I'm looking forward to having more good days than bad! I need to have another surgery to clean up the extra messy skin in my chest that is allowing the fluid to pool, but DAMN... I don't want another surgery!!

Looking forward to.my first grandchild in June so no surgery until after she's here and I get my weight down!

Hugs to you all. You each helped more than you'll ever know.

Traci

Hello my fellow May 2016 sisters. Best to those doing rivision or other recon procedures. I'm doing reasonably well. Had some setbacks with radiation and neuropathy., but doing well now. Trying to put some distance in my rear view mirror of my diagnosis. I hope we all continue to update. This thread was my life line a year ago.

tsoebbin I an in the lymph-edema boat with you. I have it in my left arm, upper leg and trunk le. Therapy seems to be working on my arm. Slow on my trunk .

Raven4mi I hope your RBS gets resovled or you get relief. Please keep us posted.

Hugs

Val

Revision surgery seemed to have gone well on Thursday! No showering or removing any bandages until my follow-up appt on Tuesday, so I'm just going to have to wait for the reveal. PS chose my outer thighs as the donor site for the fat grafting, and I'm in a compression garment from high waist to ankles. Also have a compression bandage under my foobs and a tight surgical bra, so everything is just being held tight right now. Decided to stay with the same size implant (650 cc) despite my weight loss to simplify things. Have only taken Tylenol since the surgery, although my thighs are feeling pretty sore and stiff today.

Taking it easy for a couple of days, per Dr orders, but feeling the best I've felt out of my 5 surgeries!

Thinking of you all!!

Good to hear that things went well MyToyStory!

Hard to believe a year has passed since we all joined this group. I hope you are all doing well. Has anyone heard from from GreyKat? I worry that she is still battling the neurological effects of her surgery and not getting the help she needs