I feel so loved!!!!!!    I promise not to be so inconsiderate again!

I admit I had a major meltdown....with working so many hrs, being a single mom recovering from surgery, dh not sending us enough money to eat on, housework, loneliness, desperate need for s**.  (shhh....)  It all got to be too much for me and I took a dive.  I am just now able to come out of my shell and get back in the swing of it.  Surgery put me over the top of being able to handle it all. 

Thanks for the hugs and squishes Hanna!

Closet reader

I have spent a lot of time in Italy. My gradparents were born there, grandma - Venice. As Venice is becoming it's own nation, we may relocate there rather than Tuscany, as we had planned. I must improve my Venetian prior to our move, as that is the offical language not Italian. I will be working in Rome this summer and wish I coudl hold off until then for the surgery but of course, I cannot wait that long. I need these things out NOW, or I will have a stroke. My BP is remaining close to 200.

In regards to Italian medical care, Yes, I've had excellant care. I was seen by the ER doctor in less than 2 minutes!  There is no charge for Italian citizens.  My dh was involved in a motorcyle acccident shortly before we left and had to wait 4 hours to be seen at UCLA's ER....bleeding.

We have discussed Italian care with two of my physicians. (not my PS) They agree - it's far better than American. and the docotrs are THE best. Only issue is with regards to my PM. I can use a phone to read my PM, but as the phones in Italy are slightly differnt, my doctors office cannot read the PM. I will have to have it read by a doctor in Italy. (The ring sound in Italy sounds like a busy signal and throws off the US reader here.) 

As for the implants, no they will not use silicone. I cannot have MRIs and therefore there is no way to check on leaks or damage to the implantother than opening me up. That's why I am so upset about my PS. It has been ONLY sailne from the start and now days before my surgery, he wants to put something in my body that may kill me and there's no way to check. These, "gummy bears" must be followed for 10 years and require yearly or bi-yearly MRIs. How will, or could, they follow-up on me?  I had a long discussion on this subject with my PCP Friday night.

Jani - I would imagine that if you are uneven, your insurance would still have to pay for a "re-do". We are suppose to be reconstructed, not messed up. That's why Ia m having an issue now. I told my PS, no more surgeries. I do not want him leaving a bunch of extra skin for later nipples as I really don't think I want to go thru more surgery....and not a FLAP, the last words when I was leaving the office.  

Hi Ladies - I am currently waiting for exchange surgery.  I am scheduled to see my PS in April.   Had expander placed in November and  finished expansion last month - 960 cc's.  My question - after being exchanged with silcone, do you feel more normal.  I know the silicone is much softer than the saline expander, but do you still feel the edges.  I feel like I have something foreign just sitting on my chest; sometimes feel as though I could remove it like when I wore a prothesis.  If I turn a certain way or bend down to pick something up off the floor, I can feel the edges digging in.  Also, I don't feel like I can get a deep breath.  Is the implant significantly better than the expander.  I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision with this reconstruction.  I had mast 5/06 and thought long and hard before makiing appt with PS.  Hate to think I made the wrong decision.  I appreciate your help. - Sandy

Hey, take a look at this article. Notice the last 2 paragraphs.

Science & technology

Stem cell technique helps women grow their own implants

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Women have grown their own breast implants through pioneering stem cell treatment, it emerged yesterday.

Scientists harvested the stem cells from the women's own fat and encouraged them to form breast tissue.

They say the result gives a more natural look than many of the synthetic implants used by showbusiness stars like Pamela Anderson.

The Japanese teams have carried out trials on dozens of women and say they have had no problems.

They say the treatment will be routinely available from plastic surgeons within five years.

British surgeons said yesterday they were convinced by the technique and found it "appealing".

Stem cells can turn into different tissues in the body and this technique involves taking them from fat.

Dr Kotaro Yoshimura of the University of Tokyo and his team then mix these with general fat cells and inject them back into patients' breasts.

The hope is the stem cells will lead to the formation of new fat cells and coax blood vessels to grow into new breast tissue and nurture it.

The technique was first used in 2004 and since another 38 women have been treated without any major side effects.

The long-term effectiveness has not yet been demonstrated fully, however, and further tests are needed.

To date the technique can boost breast size by only half as much as existing synthetic implants, and slender patients may not have enough fat to spare.

However Dr Yoshimura believes the effect is more natural-looking and should avoid any problems such as the leaking which occurred with older silicone implants.

Doctors can already use fat to create "natural implants", but they can shrink over time because of a lack of blood supply.

The new technique aims to overcome this problem.

Dr Yoshimura said: "I believe that within five years my procedure will be available as plastic surgery and that it will prove very popular."

Similar work is being carried out in the U.S. Dr Jeremy Mao told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Washington in 2005 that using stem cells could eliminate the need for extra surgery and produce long-lasting and more shapely implants.

In his tests, scientists at the University of Illinois turned stem cells into fatproducing, or adipose, cells which were put into plastic moulds to create different shapes and sizes of implants.

These were grown in the laboratory and then placed under the skin of laboratory mice.

They were removed four weeks later and found to be still the same shape and size.

Some British plastic surgeons have expressed an interest in using the new technique.

Venkat Ramakrishnan, a specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust said: "I'm newly convinced.

"A lot more people have to use it and prove it, but it does seem to have something to it."

Eva Weller-Mithoff, a consultant at Canniesburn Hospital in Glasgow, said the technique could be particularly beneficial to cancer patients who have a mastectomy.

"The most distressing effect of radiotherapy is that the blood vessels shrivel up," she said. "Stem cells can differentiate into new blood vessels which could mean that more fat cells will survive."

Oh Hanna, how you can brighten a day, even when the clouds are out!!! So are you psychic today because of the liquid in your glass (you said not to tell, so I'm not:)) or is this an on going side job? As for Kate, she and I are in the same boat, and that was the before and after look for me. So I guess I should just be happy that I really haven't changed much since bc, except for all the lovely scars that seem never to fade. As for phychic ability, let me try for you....I picture you about 5'5". I say this because your a horse women, and you said that you would have to spread those legs of yours if you get the HFL that may be in foal. Me, I'm 5'8" (Julia's height and hair from pretty women!!!) and when I ride my Draft, he's wide but rideable (is that a word??) for me. I would also picture you in your mid of late 50's, so I would also assume that you love the great 70's music, like BTO, Queen, Stix, Dan Folgerberg, Doobie Brothers, should I go on.....but you also love a good solo on the piano from the "Piano Man" Billy Joel. I would say that you are still a knock out, even with the expando's in B-Flat mode but love a good camp fire as well as a candle light dinner with your someone special on the other side of the table. As for hair and eyes, something tells me you had a darker shade of hair, maybe brown, but not blonde, you don't seem to have that humor, maybe even a hint of red in those locks or yours. You can tell from your writting that you love people and you love to help and make them laugh and you would go out of your way to talk to the stranger in the grocery line to pass the time as well as help a friend in need without them even asking first. (God I wish you lived in Michigan!!!!! We could be neighbor's and ride together, I would even let you bring your duck!!!!!) As for eye color, something in me would say, blue or hazel. So my new friend, now it's your turn to play the game. So how close am I???? How about after we describe each other we post our pictures and see who's closer..

Take Care My Friend,

Sharon

Sharon!!!  OMG.      I am without words.     This is a first.

You have totally 100% described me.    Ohh...this is spoooooky.

How did you do that?      

The amazing thing is I used to be 5'6'', but I have shrunk down to 5'5"!   Gosh, you would not believe how many typos I've been making here trying to write this!!!   You have me shook up girl!!

OK, now I know there are others besides me out there.  And here I thought I was all alone with my psychicness.  You know, I never wanted or asked for this and I can't predict when it's going to just show up.  But it does.  Now I will probably lose all credibility with everyone out there in cyberland, but....I will say this.  When I call someone and tell them not to do something because I just got "one of my feelings", it's to the point where they get quiet and say "OK".   Then I tell them when it's ok again. I don't want to get way into it. 

Why do we have this?   Do you like having it?  Anybody else here have it too?  

Oh the stuff I could tell you all.  OK, right now I'm going to go pour myself some of my 'side-job'. 

BRB......hanna      

Hanna,

I too have it and wrote you on the side to ask you about it!  It seems mine has bee "on hold" for the past couple months due to emotional stress but I like mine very much and inherited from my mother who could give such great detail it was almost scary!

Jean how did you know about the b/c?  How was it presented to you?

Ladies, I think we are all here because we must have sensed this in each other.  I'm so glad to be with you all I can't even say how much!
Sharon, you got me.  You got it all right - my eyes are green but hazel is pretty darn close for remote viewing!   You got my hair right too.  Height is amazing because I have shrunk from 5ft6 to around 5ft5 over the past 10 years or so. 

Now for me, I can't just command myself to know something or else it amounts to mostly guessing.  The honest stuff typically just comes to me for whatever reason.  Some things are pretty insignificant and others are important.  It's weird isn't it?  My daughter has it too.   Why does this run in families? Do you think it has to do with someone who has passed giving us the scenes we see or the senses?  Wow, we have totally hijacked this thread!  I'll PM you later, cause I've got to leave for a couple hours.  

Oh girls, we need to share some experiences.   

Wow. 

hanna  

Jean,

I am so sorry you are having all these problems.  Tell me what is PM?  I am not sure what you are referring to.  My PS told me that the Silicone Implants would look better than the Saline since it is going behind the muscle in the chest.  So I had the Silicone implants. 

Sharon,

I believe none of us will ever be the same size we were prior to all of this because it has to do with projection.  If you are not happy you can ask your PS to re-do.

Good luck to everyone going through this, I just had mine done on the 8th of Feb.

Okay Terri, I'll play with you, lets see, now remember this could be off because I never want to take this too seriously....

I would guess that your 44 give or take a year. Even though you show your picture, I would say that you are a natural brown instead of blond. I picture that you may have had a few perms or your hair has a natural wave, that you may not like at times. You probably were married the first time to a man that was more of the "bad boy" than good and you married maybe at the age of 18 or 19. Maybe because of a little package that helped the marriage take place??? I picture you more of a "city girl" as apposed to me. You like concerts, and maybe even the night life, but may feel you grew up too quick, and because of marriage, missed out on a few things. As for college, I somehow think that you may have taken a few classes, but due to children you never finished. I think you should go back..never regret the woulda, coulda, shoulda's in life. For music, I picture you more of the AC/DC, or Van Halen groups. Well, that's the start.....how did I do????

Talk to ya soon....hope it wasn't to personal..

Hanna, have you re-grouped yet?

LOL Sharon

Hi Ladies,
I had a bilateral mastectomies on Jan 25 with tissue expanders with 200cc in each. I found this site due to tissue expander pain and am sure glad that I found it or I would have given up. Had my first fill on Jan 31 with 60cc, then had a seroma (fluid pocket) drained by PS on Feb 5 with another 50cc fill to each side, then had seroma drained again on Feb 11 with another 50cc fill to each side, and then had to increase to better pain pills on Feb 14 and by Feb 19 I was in agony and had to have 25cc drained off of each side. Since then I have been not too bad, but do still feel tight. Am now taking Ibuprofen for pain and over the counter muscle relaxants as needed. Just felt like I could get back to the land of the living this week. Have another appointment this Thursday and I cannot go for a big fill. Can only do maybe 25cc this time. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be and I have a pretty good pain tolerance. Have been reading this thread for about 2 weeks but just felt too crappy to join in, but it sure did help me along during many uncomfortable nights. You girls have all been through sooo much. Talk about strong Women. WOW!!!!!! You gave me strength when my friends could not understand what I was going through and it sure helped for me to hang in there. Thanks a lot.

Was reading today and had to smile because I too have some funny ability to see or feel something immediately before it is going to happen. I will see it in my head and before I can even speak it, it has happened.  Strange!!!

For lvtwoqult, what size and kind of implants did you have? I was a 38B and am hoping to stay a B, if I make it. This whole sizing thing has me confused. Also it seems like every PS has their own preferred way of doing things. I would like to stay a B cup and hope that it is possible.

I found all your suggestions helpful to relieve the pain.I think that I was at about 360cc each side at about 2 weeks and 3 days post op. Felt like an elephant was on my chest. Now I think that I am about 335cc each side and they sit up higher than the real thing. I call it my puffy chest. All my old bras do not fit and are too small, so I wear tank tops from Old Navy under my shirts and tops to keep me warm and not have my puffy chest rubbing on my shirt or top. Have noticed that I am the coldest one in the room and always turning up the heat. Wish that these puppies had a thermostat attached to them to turn up the heat when it is cold outside and to do the opposite in the warm weather. Wouldn't that be nice?

Thanx a lot Ladies,

Kerry

Hi,

I'm in too!  After you do Jade, you can do me...

I'm currently expanding from my bilateral mastectomy I had in October.  It's going slowly and I'm currently at 550cc...  The goal is about 800cc, so I hope I can make it that far.  The last three fills have been brutal.

I also have seen things happen before they happen (only I didn't know what they were)--some were big, BIG things that I'd see on the news a week or two later and then know... I started telling DH or my mom about them years ago because I was sure I was just imagining it all.  Now I have proof.

I also knew I'd have a bilateral and used to ask DH (waaay back when we were first married over 25 years ago) if he'd still love me if I didn't have my breasts. Of course, he'd say yea, and then not want to think about it.

About a month or so before my diagnosis I told my mom that I had this weird feeling like I wasn't going to be alive much longer or something like that was wrong with me--and I just had to tell someone... I sure wish I'd have been wrong about that feeling.

I also knew each of my babies would be boy then girl... and I knew that the number 11 was significant for me--and since I was in grade school I'd liked 11 because the letter K was the 11th letter of the alphabet and my name started with K.  I also always made a wish when the clock said 11:11... It was not a 'kid' favorite number but something deeper... and wasn't I just blown away when my only daughter was born on 11/11???  I knew then WHY that meant so much to me... and it really didn't dawn on me until after she was born and I saw it on her birth certificate...

Anyway, we can probably all relate to some of this 'sixth sense'.  I believe everyone can find this to a degree and some people just seem to be more aware than others or at least pay more attention to it.

I go in for a fill tomorrow and I just get so nervous because so far, each one has been different in how I end up feeling.

Wish me luck!

Hi Katie,

I had a double mastecomty on Dec. 5, with tissue expanders put in the day of surgery. My doctor started filling the next week, I only had 4 fills, when I came down with an infection and my right expander flip and the doctor could no longer do any fills. The last few days I have notice that I am very warm around the fills again, so I made another doctors appointment. I left my last job, so I can deal with all that is going on, I am suppose to start a new job next week, but I still have to have the implants put in, but the doctor wants to wait until the end of April. I am really thinking about him extending my disability until after I have the implants put in, this is just really stressfull and very discomforting. My right expander keeps falling into my right armpit and I have to keep moving it. I have a really had time sleeping at night, I can only sleep on my back. I did not have a lot of pain, just discomfort, but if you are in still pain, I would still stay off work. Only, you know your body and how it feels. This is a very emotional surgery to have. Take care, Sue  

Hi Shelia,

I am not sure what kind of expanders he used, I was only filled up to 500cc, when he had to stop. I have been off work before the surgery, I am not sure if he will keep me off work until he puts the implants in. Can I ask how long you were off of work? I just wish my right side look as good as my left side, they had to do more surgery on my right side. The last time I seen the doctor on Feb. 15, he stated he had not seen anything like this since his residency as a doctor.

Thanks

Sue 

Shelia,

What a great compliment, I love the saying "fight like a girl",and your response "my real ones were tried to kill me"  the waitress must of been a bit shock when you told her.

I just wait to be balance also, I do not want to be big and not small, but I am sure everything will work for me. I am happy with my plastic surgeon and his staff, if I have any questions or concerns they answer right away (usually the same day) and if I have problems they differently get me an appointment the next day.