Been brave today and drove my car for first time since op.Didn’t go far just to shops and back again but felt so good to be out driving again.
The op has really made me feel so much more positive about the cancer. I really feel it has been beaten now i have my boob back and to everyone it looks as though i have never had bc.It is the most fantastic feeling in the world to wake up and see a boob.
Lenny. I still get sad days when i think of all that has happened. We are entitled to. We have been through so much to be able to join this club.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. The op is scary and stressful before it but oh my god is it worth every second of doubt of fear.
Still little uncomfortable round chest, went to get dressings and wound checked at hospital yesterday they are pleased with progress.They were amazed i am doing as much as i am less then 2 weeks since op. Life is now about doors opening rather then closing and i feel more confident and assertive then ever.
Sarah, where are you? Wish you would let us all know how op went and that you are ok?
Hope you all have a good weekend and the weather is kind to you. My son is coming to stay for a week from Newcastle and can’t wait to see him again.
Only sadness is fact i no longer have a job to look forward to returning to but hopefully i wll get another and will be even happier then i was before.
Hi there everyone, Hope you all have a lovely weekend. Dont know the Sarahs but hope all is ok! Lets pray for some sunshine fed up of the rain!! Take care all Helen2XX
You are amazing how fast you have picked up and are motoring Christina…but be careful not to burn yourself out as well…lots of rest in between!!! go girl!!
Hi everyone else…have a great weekend…too right it has to shine now Helen…we deserve some healing ‘rays’…
Hi all, Hope weekend has been kind to you all. Weather here in Leicester has been fantastic today, had another lovely long walk.
Wore bra for first time today. Bought sports bra yesterday and it felt so great to wear a normal bra again instead of the hammocks you wear with your prostesis. Couldn’t stop looking down and seeing a cleavage again. How good does that feel.
Can’t wait to see ps again and give him big soppy kiss to say thank you for giving me my life back again. They really are genius’s and i will never begrudge one penny i pay in taxes to train these brilliant people. Do you think they realise the magic they perform they on us psychologically and phsyically.
Who’d think 2 weeks ago i was sitting here terrified of my op.
Hi girls - I’m back !
I came home on Friday lunchtime after 9 days in hospital - a bit longer than planned. I had a couple of blips while I was in there. Had my surgery on Wed 13th, back in recovery by 4 and ward by 7. By 9.30 the nurse said the flap had changed colour, doctor was called and by 11 I was back in surgery having 2 blocked veins fixed.
Sat out in the chair for 15 mins on Saturday then on Sun was walked into the bathroom to sit on a chair for a wash. Had just started when the next thing I knew I was the wrong way round on my bed with 6 faces looking down at me - I had fainted in the bathroom due to low blood pressure and blood count. The next day I had a blood transfusion which raised my BP and I started feeling better !
I felt like I lost 2 days of my recovery.
The day I came home I put on a crop top and it was amazing to look down and see a cleavage.
Tummy is sore, keep dosed up on paracetemol.
Despite everything I must say it is still worth it.
Can’t believe Christina walked for 2 hours - I can only manage 10 minutes before I have to sit down. The difference between LD and tummy TRAM !
Oh wow Sarah…what a trial you’ve been through! We wondered where you were and hoped all was fine…which for the first few days it obviously wasn’t!!! Going in for this op is a bit of a trial but, you seem to have had over and above your share. Glad that things seem to be ok now though. Goodness me…I didn’t start feeling like I could up and do somethings until week 3/4. And this last week is when I’ve done a couple of walks. And each time I do…my hips and thighs ache. But I still feel like I’m moving forward, although at a sedate pace!! So don’t worry about how you are feeling this early on Sarah…its tiny baby steps to begin with. I still feel shattered quite easily…but I’m starting to push myself a bit now. It may be weeks before you feel your energy levels getting there…so don’t worry…listen to your body, sleep when you have to, rest when you have to and take it day by day!!! You’ve done it and come through with a satisfying outcome…yeh another boob!!!
take it easy Sarah
Catch ya later
Helenxx
Hope you all had a good bankholiday. Unfortunately I caught my son’s cold who caught it off my husband, so our house was like a drs surgery this weekend - just glad I didn’t cop this a few weeks ago, coughing is not nice on that tummy!
So glad to hear you’re ok Sarah, bit of a rough trot to begin with by the sounds of it, but now you’re home, chill out and enjoy everyone else looking after you for a change - the cleavage is so brilliant isn’t it!! I actually wrote a letter to my PS saying what a difference to my life he had made in just these few weeks, felt a bit stupid doing it, but he said he was pleased to receive it and Christina, I just couldn’t go for the big soppy kiss - poor bloke would have run a mile!
Hope you enjoyed the seaside Helen, and Lenny I hope you’re feeling better, it really will be worth it all in the end.
Get this cold over with then I must start getting my head around my daughter’s wedding in August - eek, nothing to wear yet!
Sarah, So good to have you back. We have all been so worried about you.
You have been through it and you are so much braver then me coping with all that life threw at you whilst still recovering from major surgery.I don’t think we all realise sometimes what we have been through as it’s not life saving as the mx is so i know i have been guilty of looking at it as trivial in comparison.
I am still very very sore where the expander port is and boob looks very bruised. Is that normal?
Due to go to hospital this thursady for wound check then have to wait 4 weeks after to see ps again to decide when inflations start.Does that hurt? As you all know i am a real coward when it comes to pain.
Wore bra again yesterday but think its too soon yet as still tender under boob.
Enjoy your cleavage Sarah it is great feeling to look down and see a cleavage looking back at you again. Just hope all pain and sleepless nights will be worth it in the end.
Hello everyone! Im the Sarah booked some way back now on 23rd April - it was since changed to the 29th. I am having real problems - I used my real name for my user name and the administrator advised me against this. I can’t now see to access my account so bear with me.
Anyway, I am nearly 4 four weeks post op - bilateral diep flap! Progress is slow but good and I think that is due to the fact that I am very impatient! Does anyone get more swelling in their tummy as the day goes on. I can’t get any of my pre-op jeans/leggings etc on because my tummy feels so tight! Is this normal! Its doing my head in because I thought, tummy tuck and all, that I would be slimmer even with swelling! Was in theatre for 11 hours which they said was good for both sides and 15 hours in critical care. The scars are looking good and both surgeons and nurses are impressed with how neat everything is - courtesy Paul Harris, Royal Marsden! Anyway, if I go quiet it is because I can’t log in -
To everyone out there - keep smiling - whatever gets thrown at you and its so lovely to have someone to chat to without the staring sympathetic eyes of friends and family who I always seem to want to reassure!
Hi girls …had a great time with my sister and hubby at the seaside. Found I still didn’t walk far before feeling quite stiff and achey, actually wondering if the hormone treatment is kicking in. Weather was great and we had a few laughs, walked on the beach and a picnic…just what the doctor ordered!!!
Not had expander in Christina so can’t help you there. Not gone into a bra yet either…still more comfy in a crop top!!
Anne what a great time to have your daughters wedding, you will be able to go into overdrive with trying on different ‘low tops or dresses’.
Anne have you had any swelling below your breast…I appear to have some as well as my tummy still. Might ring the bcn later this week!
Helen is it next week when you have your op?
Continue to enjoy the weather and relax everyone.
catch ya later
Helenxx
Glad you enjoyed your trip to the seaside. I think just seeing the sea makes you relax and feel better. Won’t be long before you are parading on the beach in your bikini.
Think i am trying to walk before i run as i am so tired tonight and would love to sleep on my left side again but due to expander i am unable to. Just too sore.
Has anyone else had expander in? Is it normal to feel so sore?
Lenny not long now are you excited at prospect of waking up to a cleavage again?
Hi there Sarah great to see you up, about and doing ok. Sounds like you had a tough time…I had lots of fluid drained from me 2weeks ago, by a syringe. I started getting fluid again the following day, I have also got some below my breast…so I might ring the bcn. You could probably do the same if you’re uncomfortable. It feels like you are about to ‘pop’ out of your skin, so tight not a nice feeling.
Hi all, glad to hear the sarahs are on the mend, It certainly sounds like a very difficult recovery!
Hope you have all enjoyed your weekend and anne your feeling abit better now.
Christina, the expansion isnt painful just feels very tight, i had very small amounts put in over a number of weeks (3 months)so its a very slow process but maybe they will do yours quicker every ps is different.
Anne, glad you have had a nice weekend. Its next week that i go in been getting silly panic attacks dont know why i feel so anxious as its only a tiny little op. Cant wait to get it over with now. Love to all Helen2XX
i cant believe it is 5 days since i posted, i did start last night but fell asleep while writing! i had a lovely weekend, there is nothing like being with old friends, on monday we went punting on the river, eating strawberries and m & s sandwiches in the sun - bliss! so now it is back to reality… 2 weeks today is my op, i’ve so much to do to be organised. i am really scared by the proceedure and coming round in particular, thats why it is so good to read everything you all write as it not only informs me but helps me to realise it is worth it… a cleavage and 2 boobs!
hello to both sarahs, nice to meet you i joined while you were away i do hope your recovery goes better from now on and other sarah that you manage to get on here when you want to. christina you are an inspiration there’s no stopping you is there? just be kind to yourself.i know what you mean about the 2 different ops and i think everyone around us thinks it is the easy one, my friend asked me if i would be having my op as day surgery!! anne so sorry about your cold nothing worse look after yourself and let others do the same. helen2 tiny or not it is an op and you are entitled to worry about it! helen i had loads of fluid after my mx even had to have it drained on my holiday, hope it sorts itself out soon.
well rambled on as usual, hope you all have a good day, it is raining here perhaps that will inspire me to get some work done!
Morning girls…Helen you’ve only a week to go, I found keeping busy made time fly a bit more, but just think…in 8/9 days it’ll all be over. What day do you have it done…was it wed?
Hi Lenny great to see you back posting.Two more weeks for you…remind me again which op you are having. Its quite normal to be nervous, but once you’re asleep…thats it, you wake up with a nice new boob!! Thanks for the info on fluid Lenny.
Christina, I have just started lying on my left side, gently though…it is a nice feeling to be able to have the options of how you can sleep!!
Hi Anne hows it going with you.
Take it easy both Sarahs…chill and watch all that ‘luverrly’…not, daytime TV. hehehehe
Hello there everyone, Hope your all ok. Anne hope the cold is bit better. Helen i go in next thursday all ive done is clean the house none stop to keep busy so it will come quicker but ive run out of things to clean now!! Hope your still recovering well.
Lenny you are the week after me so not long now and i can assure you you will be happy with the outcome.
Christina hope your feeling bit better and the pain has eased.
Love to all Helen2XX
i’ve just been reading a thread i have saved and realised sarah (esskayef) i posted on a thread of yours before you went for your op… you were asking if there was anyone who had had your op in the same place as you… i answered as i’m having my op with the same surgeon as you in 2 weeks time… how amazing that we are posting on the same thread. i would love to talk more about your op and anything i should know about my stay in hosp etc…
really hope your recovery goes better from now on,
Hi all…Lenny its great that you and Sarah are being operated on in the same hospital…you can really swap notes.
Helen you must have the cleanest house around!!! lol Will it stop that way while you are in hospital though mmmmmmmmm who cares…right!!!
Hi Anne how are the walks coming along…do you still get tired easy and do you ache? I have some fluid under my breast now …only a couple of inches of swelling nothing major. I must do my excercises regularly…cos I have a real pull/tightness down the side of my body from my breast downwards, up to my armpit. My reach with this arm is about 4/5 inches shorter!!!
Hi Sarahs and Christina…hope your recoveries are coming along nicely…take it easy!
Hi Girls
Good to hear how everyone is getting on. I admit I lose track as to who has had LD op and who has had DIEP/TRAM op.
Helen - you said you have started sleeping on your side (were you tummy op ?). How many weeks down the line are you now ? I was wondering how long I needed to stay sleeping on my back with pillows under my knees.
Lenny - I will send you a message about Mr Birch and then you can ask me anything you like.
Today is the first day that I didn’t go for a sleep in the afternoon as my mum and aunt came to visit me from London. It was the first time they had seen me since the op (mum not strong enough to visit in hosp) and they were both really surprised that I looked so well. I felt quite pleased with myself - I shall probably start wilting soon !
One week home tomorrow and I have an appointment with the dressings clinic on Monday. One part of the tape covering boob under arm has got rather smelly - do you think I am ok to hang on until Monday. Did anyone else have this problem ?
Hi Sarah…I had a mastectomy with immediate recon…which was a DIEP free flap…so had fatty tissue taken from tummy to mould into my new breast. …so it was out with the old and in with the new lol ;-). I also found it hard to sleep on either side to begin with, and needed to prop myself up with several pillows on my back.
But given time you should be able to rest on your side…I still have to adjust myself before I can get a comfortable position. My tummy wound sometimes is uncomfortable on the other side. But mostly can get a decent nights sleep now.
I couldn’t wait to have a bath or shower…but couldn’t for 4 weeks, when the dressings were taken off. So had to make do with strip washing. You don’t appreciate things till you can’t have them!!!
Tough decision Sarah about the dressings. Only 3 days till Monday…
Glad to see you are recovering steadily. Get all the sleep you need love its what your body orders!!
Will it stop that way while you are in hospital though mmmmmmmmm who cares…right!!!