Hello Carole, Julie, Lizzie and all of you who had the LD flap and have been following Lisa’s progress.
Last night we had to go and see surgeon because Lisa had a very small area on underneath side of her flap(nipple area) that was like a permanent scab … very tiny but felt lumpy and it had originally been weeping but tiny scab formed and she was afraid to knock it off when washing. Anyway surgeon discovered that it was the very tip if the internal stitch that was just poking through and stopping the area healing properly and becoming smooth. He nipped the area and the stitch and we assume poked it back in! She has been told to keep the dressing on for a couple of days before changing it. It was only a very tiny area and only took minutes and was totally painless as the end of her boob is numb. He says that it should now heal smoothly. It was no big deal but Lisa didn’t like this small, unsmooth, area on underneath of the nipple area. Just thought you would all like to know incase it happens to you. Surgeon says that he does a running stitch when attaching flap and this was where he had finished the stitch off. Hope this makes sense!
Tomorrow morning we go for radiotherapy planning meeting for radiotherapy on a secondary back lump which was removed at same time as mastectomy. Will probably have radio. to collar bone too as a precaution. will let you know.
Thinking about you all
Love Sue & Lisa xx
Hi Sue and Lisa,
That must have been a worry, as its in such a central area too, especially with the rest healing so well.Sounds like its sorted now, good.
My flat nipple area has healed well, Im really pleased with my new boob, its not so round and hard now, the massaging I do is certainly helping it to soften up, and its dropping into place a bit more now, it was looking about half an inch higher than normal boob. My leg is still giving a bit of jip, with gently excersize its coming along, still havent driven. My first chemo was this week ok a bit nauseous , taking all the meds .
good luck with rads, we are getting there… Im going back to work next wek , short days 4-5.5 hrs daily. Has lisa gone back yet?
love Julie xxx
Hi Julie
No Lisa isn’t back at work yet … will now wait until rads is over. They are really good where she works … she had 6 months full pay but is now on 65% … she has told them that she will be back by Easter. She got a puppy when first dx in May and so has had plenty to keep her occupied along with the chemo and then the op. She has just started doing gentle step aerobics at home … no holding her back! … as she wants to lose some weight before going back to work. Mind you she wasn’t big in the first place. She is pleased that if anything her new boob is very slightly smaller than her other one and will allow her to lose a bit of weight and still keep even. She put on quite a bit during chemo … about a stone or more … but she looked well on it and the medics kept telling her that she needed the weight on her back for the op. The nipple area that she had cut the other night now looks really good and is healing well. We went to planning meeting for rads this morning and had quite a large area on her back marked … where secondary back lump was removed … and her rads start next Weds for 3 weeks.
As you said you are all getting there. Pleased that your first chemo is over … you can count them down now. Lisa found they went quite quickly once started. Hope you get no more than a little nauseous. I must admit that Lisa was more than pleasantly surprised how well she went through it.
Let us know how you go on.
Lots of love Sue & Lisa xx
Hi everyone xxx
Good to hear that this problematic stitch of Lisa’s has been sorted out now, also that the rads seems to be moving in the right direction now, thanks for keeping us all up to date. It really does sound like there is no holding Lisa back, well done and good health to you Lisa. My nipple area has healed really well, just a wee dent at the bottom of it which is almost gone now where my stitch had been finished off. I am finding the aquous cream invaluable in softening the scars. Boots sell a large tub at £3.99 very greasy and goes a long way. My back scar is diagonal and has wings at each end which BCN told me to massage and they should go down, hope so as they look a bit strange. Went to M & S to get a new swim cossie yesterday, not much choice but got one that I can take the straps up on with a little padding so I will be well covered for my first swim on Monday. Looking forward to that for sure, my dad is going with me and thinks I have guts to bare myself so early on in public. He had 4 heart attacks 2 years ago and had stents put in, he now bruises very easily and gets embarassed to go to the pool due to the bruises. Like I said to him, I have always been looked at when I go to the pool due to my scars on my legs so as long as people don’t also look at my chest and see only one cold nip then I will be fine. Nerve pain is a little better which is great as I am getting more sleep now.
Julie, back to work next week, I wish you well with that, don’t overdo things tho, sounds very early to me for what you have had done with the leg being involved also. What is it that you do if you don;t mind me asking? Make sure you look after yourself xxx.
I am jobless now, had my own business which was very stressful I was in advertising sales for a specialised area and decided when I was dx that I needed to get the stress out of my life and live it to the full doing more enjoyable work. I will take a fair bit of time out and spend that doing all the things that I never had time for before. The main one being decluttering, I moved in with my long term boyfriend just over a year ago, 2 houses into 1 just does not go. Garage, our loft and my sisters loft are all bulging so I am going to use EBay to get rid of a lot of it hopefully and what remains when I am well enough I will do a car boot sale and put money towards 2 local cancer charities. Also I will get time to see more of friends and family. I am cooking an easy Italian meal for one of our lovely couples friends tonight and can’t wait to be doing that more in the future. Ladies, hope you all have a lovely weekend, have fun.
luvnhugsCarolexxx