Moving 1100 miles 3 weeks post-mastectomy????

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Lorih555
Lorih555 Member Posts: 18
edited July 2018 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Yep, I always have to make things more difficult for myself. My surgery is scheduled Aug 7 and I just sold my house and I'm closing Aug. 31 and moving from Pa to Fla (Clearwater Tampa St. Pete area). Part of my phase three 20-year plan. I thought dr was just swapping out breast for implant...turns out it's way more involved and it's expanders and appts and saline injections and is a six-month process - a timeline not shared with me at my appt. I'm wondering if this is doable. To those of you who have had this surgery, do you think I can move 1100 miles three weeks post-op? Can I drive a big truck if need be? I'm super depressed, trying to work, 24yo kid just moved out, newish boyfriend trying to support but making me more tense. Shd I just hire movers? Or if it's okay, should I just put it off? Thoughts please?!? I'm freaking out.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited July 2018

    I've not had the reconstruction done yet, but i had my BMX in 2016. There is NO WAY that i could have managed to drive a big truck from PA to FL only 3 weeks post-op. Heck, i still had two drains in. There are lifting restrictions after the BMX, too, so unless you are going to have a LOT of muscly help, I'd say its a big fat NO.

    This is a MAJOR surgery. Most of the time things go smoothly. In my case, everything went wrong. I ended up having to see my surgeon every 2-3 days for WEEKS for wound debridement. I was under her care for a total of 16 weeks until it finally healed up.

    I strongly suggest that you postpone this surgery until after you settle into your new home. There is just so much at stake. You don't want to risk having complications 1000 miles away from your surgeon.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited July 2018

    I agree. Three weeks is not enough time. Now if all you had to do was sit in the car and do nothing and let someone else handle it -maybe. Beyond the physical there is a lot of emotional stuff that comes up. Make sure you have a support system near you. Otherwise all types of healing can take much, much longer.

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  • DATNY
    DATNY Member Posts: 358
    edited July 2018

    Not a good idea. I suggest to wait and schedule the moving once you have your drains out and the wound is closed for sure. I my case, the last drain came out three weeks after the surgery, so after three weeks I still had some open area (where the drain was). It would make me nervous to travel for so long and in such heat with an open wound.

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  • Luckynumber47
    Luckynumber47 Member Posts: 397
    edited July 2018

    Can you move before surgery? You don't need to physically be there for closing. Everything can be done electronically, through fedex or a mobile notary. If you are buying in FL maybe they will let you rent for the few weeks before you close there. If you are just renting somewhere then it should be no problem to arrive early.

    Getting packed up before surgery will certainly give you plenty to do to keep your mind off your worries and it would be nice to be all settled in your new place for your recovery.


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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited July 2018

    sounds like you were expecting direct to implant (IMO that’s the way to go if you aren’t doing natural tissue recon). There are several talented docs in and around the Tampa area who can do direct to implant. I would wait and do it in FL.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited July 2018

    I posted on your other thread, but I would advise that if you want to set up surgery here in FL for shortly after arrival, traveling to the Tampa Bay area for preliminary consults and scheduling now would be advisable. The most sought after docs here are booked up well in advance. If you wait until after you arrive to check out docsyour surgery will be delayed.

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  • bachelorette
    bachelorette Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2018

    Depends a lot if you are going to have any lymph nodes removed from your axilla. If you are having double mastectomy and have expanders placed, some other plastic surgeon will have to follow up and do your expansion after your scars are healed.

    I had double mastectomy on 5/21/2018, no axilla a lymph nodes needed to be removed. On 5/29 I was able to drive, was not on pain killers and even worked BUT that was only that day. Our body after major surgery is in catabolic state, in other words ALL energy is used for healing. SO don't steal that energy do drive a truck. Have someone else drive and you lay down and plan the plastic surgeon in St Pete area and you will be fine. Find help, ask for it. I had problem with asking but it turned out that I was surprised after I asked who wanted to help and I am thankful to those people. Good luck.

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  • Peacetoallcuzweneedit
    Peacetoallcuzweneedit Member Posts: 233
    edited July 2018

    Hi there - I would not recommend moving and/or doing any of the work yourself that soon after surgery. You will have drains, and you do not know how long you will have them...complications can arise....your movement will be limited....you will have weight restrictions...and I had a driving restriction I think for 10days or was it two weeks???? Ok I dont remember, but healing took time...and giving yourself the time to heal is really important. I would delay the move OR move and then have your surgery. BUT both require setting up care wherever you are headed in FLA. Tissue expanders require fills typically every week, and then your exchange will happen...For me, my BMX was June 1st, had fills until August when one of my expanders failed...had it replaced and then let the skin continue to prepare for the implants until November. The timeline was my PS recommendations...not mine...he said basically "ok you are ready - let's switch these out to implants." I saw him weekly for fills and then when I was filled to max, 30days after. What I am saying is... going through reconstruction is a long process that requires ongoing appointments....so consider that. There are other options for reconstruction as well that do not involve this kind of a timeline, hopefully you will have the time and feel good enough to research it all...

    I remember when my BS explained the timeline for reconstruction to me for the first time...I was under the impression I would be over and done in two weeks.....so not the case at all and my heart sank...

    I am hoping you get it all worked out...Peace

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited July 2018

    Peace, I think that's the biggest misconception about reconstruction. Well, after the whole "getting a boob job" belief. *insert eye roll here* When they talk about reconstruction, what the doctors don't tell you is that this is not a one & done deal. Here's what they should be saying: It will take months to heal, complications are common, and often it takes more than 1 surgery to perfect. I know of some who have had surgery over 5 times to fix or improve problems with their recon.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited July 2018

    I had one breast removed with no reconstruction whatsoever. At 3 weeks out, it was difficult for me

    to just get in a car and be driven 60 miles to see my surgeon. I still had drains at 3 weeks also.

    Complications can and do happen.

    You would be asking for more than trouble to even attempt this. And the difficult part is if you would

    have a complication, you are driving across country with no idea what kind of medical help you could get.



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  • Lorih555
    Lorih555 Member Posts: 18
    edited July 2018

    I cannot say thank you enough to you all. You've been contributing factors in my decision. I'm happy to say that I'm flying to Tampa Sunday to see nationally recognized surgeon Susan Hoover on Monday morning and plastic surgeon Karen Wells in the afternoon at Moffitt Cancer Center. I was treated with 100 times more respect by the Moffitt scheduling woman than I've been by all four drs I've seen up here. It sounds to me like scheduling surgery won't be as far out as I originally thought. In fact, by Monday evening, I'm hoping to have a plan in place and surgery scheduled or at least soon to be scheduled. I can't be unable to move myself. I'm fiercely independent and I got sick thinking about all my idiot male friends packing and moving my things for me. Made me have anxiety. I need to be able to at least clean and move stuff, so I decided to just wait until I'm down there, but also planned this trip to get started and consult with the doctors there. I've worked my ass off all my life to provide a good life for my son (single mom) but now it's my turn and cancer or no cancer, I'm doing what I want to do. I'll keep you posted. Thank you for taking time out of your day/schedule to tell me your valuable thoughts. We all need each other.

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  • Runrcrb
    Runrcrb Member Posts: 577
    edited July 2018

    good woman- put yourself first for the next several years.

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