Neenie
No need to apologise, get it all off your chest!!! Maybe a good gallop would do you more good than jumping while you are stroppy. LOL
Why don’t you post a thread asking for anyone in your area who has had recon to get in touch with you and perhaps meet up. I was put in touch with a local lady and although we only chatted over the phone, it helped me make the decision to go ahead with the recon. I have met with a lady in your situation and showed her my new boob and she was pleasantly surprised. I was only 4 weeks post op!!!
You could also look at the Maidstone Breast Clinic website, there are some excellent pictures on there. Just put any of those words in your search engine and it should come up. If not send me a private message.
I am off to my first Point to Point meet of the year (watching I hasten to add) tomorrow. Hoping for sunshine.
Good luck in your decision.
Jackie xxx
Hi Jackie
Technically it wasn’t a success because there wasn’t enough of me and also because my tissue was like concrete on my sternum and a very difficult operation. When I had the expanders removed, dreadful things, there were other improvements to be made and the concrete tissue prevented this so I have the silicon implants too far away from one another and not quite sitting at the same height. On one side (the LD side) the back muscle is pulling very hard back to the point where I feel I will burst and I am told this will not improve.
Over and above all that, due to omission (neglect?) at the hospital with regards to physiotherapy after the op, I now have a frozen shoulder which could have been avoided and which has now disabled me to some extent until I get a Manipulation Under Anaesthetic, having tried plain physio and it not having worked. I know you could argue I’ve been unlucky, esp wrt the frozen shoulder but the LD flap has its limits but seems to be the only options for more slender ladies.
Anyway, glad yours has worked out.
Reg.
Hi Reg
Thanks for getting back to me. I am sorry it has gone so wrong for you. I suppose the big difference between us is, my op was done using ‘healthy’ tissue that has not had previous surgery.
Is there a chance of surgery for you to correct the position of your implants, or even have the whole thing reversed, if you chose to do so?
One thing we do have in common is the apparent lack of physio, or even just advice on the subject. I have gleaned far more information on this forum regarding pain, movement, what bra to wear and when… the list goes on! LD recon was certainly the only choice made available to me.
I hope you soon find a big improvement. I have suffered with a frozen shoulder in the past and I know how debilitating it can be.
Bye for now.
Jackie.
Hi to all the horsey girls!
I came home after the last drains were removed on Tuesday, 11 days after left mast/immediate DIEP recon, and am ashamed to say that so far, I’ve only looked at ours from the window. My real discomfort is the underarm - the recon breast, and ‘tucked’ tummy, are slightly sore but quite numb. I’m letting my daughters do everything - 21 year old does mornings, 16 year old does evenings. The elder is away for a couple of days at the end of next week so it would help if I can do something useful by then, will keep doing the stretching exercises but I’m not progressing as quickly as I’d hoped with reaching up high. Daughter will have to turn out and bring in, and perhaps as I’m right-handed I can at least do rugs!
Lyn xx
Hi Lyn
Glad you are back home, hope you were well looked after in hospital.
Do not be ashamed to say you have only looked out the window. Please take things easy, I wouldn’t attempt rugs so soon. I know everyone is different, but I left it quite a few weeks before I did anything around the yard. If you are there you will be tempted to try things and you may regret it. I have found it doesn’t hurt at the time, but you will feel it the next day if you have overdone it.
My 18 year old has been bringing in, turning out all 5 horses on our yard. Give yourself time.
Jackie.
Thanks Jackie, I am really trying not to feel guilty but I’m sure my daughters interpret my self-preservation as lack of commitment! I did turn the outside tap on today to refill the field water but didn’t get close enough to be head-butted over the fence! We have three coming in at night and one out 24/7 so doing them doesn’t really take too long. The girls aren’t great at forward thinking, so are inclined to announce we’ve run out of something rather than working out there isn’t enough to last until the weekend, eldest isn’t home in time to get to the feed shop and as I can’t drive yet I need a bit of notice to organise delivery, or for someone else to go.
Not so long ago - before all this - I was ranting about talking to brick walls, something must have been done sloppily or not at all, and straight-faced, my youngest memorably said, “We don’t need to think, you do that”, and I snapped that they should jolly well grow up and start thinking as I wouldn’t always be around to do it. How prophetic…
Hi Lyn
Hopefully your self preservation will make them realise and appreciate how much you usually do. Stick to your guns!!!
I am 8 weeks post op now and this weekend my daughter competed and I played groom. It was the most cold and wet day I have known. I think I possibly overdid things and now feel very tight and achey. My implant feels like it weighs a ton! I spoke to the BCN today and she wants me to see her in clinic tomorrow which is an 80 mile trip. So serves me right really!
How are you feeling today?
This is 2 1/2 weeks post-op and I should get results and treatment plan tomorrow pm - I’m a bit uptight and fidgety, already fed up with the sore and stiff left arm, the big knickers and corset supporting the tummy scar and the high-impact sports bra supporting the mutilated chest… just generally fed up and hostile to the idea of ANY treatment.
It takes a while for overdoing it to show, doesn’t it? I did some arm exercises yesterday pm, lying flat and trying to lift a stick held in both hands above my head - couldn’t get it right up but was quite pleased with myself for trying, then in the evening my tum felt as if I was having mild contractions as if in labour, which has continued every time I go from sitting to standing. The heaviest thing I’ve lifted on that side is the phone so I’m sure it’s the exercises that did it. Lucky you getting out to a show, my youngest will be missing everything during the Easter hols (so she’ll just have to revise for her GCSEs instead). Good luck with the BCN, what a long journey - mine’s 20 minutes by car and that’s far enough.
Hi again Lyn
You sound like you just want to be left alone. No more questioning, prodding and all the rest. I am guessing you do not feel like sleep either?
It must be catching, I have had a really sill row with my OH tonight, over nowt!
Its great how the horses keep you going and can lift your spirits. It is a shame your daughter is missing out this Easter, I’m sure she understands.
Thinking of you tomorrow, please let us know how you get on.
Goodnight x
Hi Jackie, did you see your BCN today? What does she think has happened - and what are you advised to do? Rest more, or exercise more gently? How’s it feeling today?
I got an outline of the recommended treatment plan, to include chemo, rads and tamoxifen, meeting the oncologist on Saturday for him to ‘sell’ the idea. I’m reeling, not at all convinced I want to play this game any more.
Eldest has gone away until Sat eve and I’ve just reminded youngest she has to be up an hour earlier to do the ponies before school - eldest usually does mornings - as I’m as much use as a chocolate teapot just now. How not to score Brownie points! Lyn xx
Four weeks post-surgery and today I went for a ride with my eldest! My ‘golden boy’ is a quiet lad, happy just to walk up to the next village and back, a couple of miles each way. He lined up for me to mount from the stile outside the barn, as usual, but was a bit confused that I had to get off the same way - my daughter held him still so I could step off him. I didn’t feel up to trotting, a few steps to go into single file for a car to pass us was more than enough. Bliss being on him again, fat and moulting beastie. I had thought I’d have to do evening stables for the first time yesterday, luckily my daughter got home in daylight and did everything, but looking round the barn today I felt a bout of ‘tidy-itis’ coming on, so she ushered me indoors. The poor girls have had to take on a lot of extra work with me out of action. Light evenings now so we’ll go out when she’s home from work tomorrow… make the most of it before chemo kicks in! Hope you are ok Jackie and your implant isn’t troubling you any more. Lyn xxx
Hi Lyn
I have just posted a reply to you on the other thread.
My BCN and surgeon were quite happy when I saw them and said nothing was untoward with my implant. I feared it had somehow ‘come away’ because thats how it felt. I have been prescribed Pregablin for nerve pain, but they zonk me out so only take them if I really have to. I wasnt particularly given any advice whether to do more/less exercise.
Well done you going for a ride, I havn’t been brave enough yet, although I dont have anything quiet to ride, and some horrible roads around us.
Whe do you start your chemo? How do you feel about it?
Bye for now.
Jackie x
Hi Jackie, I’m pleased there wasn’t anything wrong when you saw your BCN. When do you have the other side done?
Walking the old lad out was wonderful, he is a saint, sparkles when asked and plods when needed, though he’s been known to buck beginners off! My daughter’s Welsh D would rather trot everywhere, having been driven for years before being broken to ride, but even she walked quietly today. They all had their tails washed, though they’ll look as bad tomorrow. I start Epi on 11 April, a week Friday, absolutely dreading it and keep wanting to opt out, but can’t justify declining it to my kids and the rest of my family. I’m scared of the continuing inability to function, as much as I am of the side effects. 16 year old is really sulking about having more than usual to do, so much that I can’t trust her to do anything properly, and it’s getting worse during these holidays as the elder, who works full time, expects youngest to do more. Mediating between sisters is not what I want to be doing, so if I can ride out a bit it’ll help keep me sane!