Removing the dressings to find....

[Jobey68]

That's great news Maria, always lovely to hear 😊 I've just finished Rads and had no problems with it, best of luck xx Jo

[Maria_B]

Thank you Jill. Appreciate that. Especially as the rads weren't so good for you xx

[lavendersblue]

Great news Maria , am thrilled for you . Good luck with the rads .... and the tatts !!!

Hugs,
Jill x

[Maria_B]

Good news. All DCIS out, clear margins. Off to oncology for radiotherapy at some point soon, and appointment booked to discuss nipple reconstruction in 6 months time. The BCN mentioned about the nipple tattooes. Apparently it is done by some nurses in the plastic surgery team, and they each have their own portfolio of pictures....

[lavendersblue]

Ooh Fizz , love the Magic Faraway Tree , my favourite childhood book . LOL .

I have just had a second mastectomy , and waiting for results to see next step . No recons as may need chest muscle removed next .Won't know for another week or so .... Actually am looking forward to being FLAT !!!
Yeh ..... but far too chicken for a tattoo . LOL .
Hugs,
Jill x

[vic55]

Fizz sounds ace!! I think they are a bit more forward on this in Usa, but I emailed a couple of tattooist to see if they have covered scar lines and found a fab girl near me. I also, and I didn't know if this makes sense would prefer to have experienced tattoo artist work on me regardless! BCN fab, surgeons lovely, but they can sort the medical crap, I'm going to an artist for the decoration 😊

[FizzB]

Vic, I'm thinking exactly the same. Have bilateral mx & LD recon. Am pretty ok about it all & the scarring but can't really see what nipples would bring to the party now (my PS referred to them as the cherry on top!!). Current thought are for something to cover it all ... promoting much hilarious discussion in the office!! Headlamps & winking eyes were but two of the suggestions!! I'm thinking maybe of a tree ... running up my side with branches over my new boobs. Actually, the way my imagination runs away with me it'll turn into a full won land scene or the Magic Faraway Tree....

[Maria_B]

Vic55, I'm liking your thinking x

[vic55]

Good luck for next stage, hmm ok current thought process on the tattoo thing is to get something completely different, so just not bother with reconstruction. 

my thoughts were, it is never ever going to look or feel the same, ive got scars i want to cover, and it might be quite fun / life affirming to pick something pretty to put on it. Am facing chemo and rads first, so not doing anything for ages yet!! I have a few tattoos on my back so might get something to come round, to cover the SNB scar and the charming circle where my nipple should be. I do look like a spot the diff puzzle.....circle whats missing!!!! So picking something bonkers / fun and decorative might be a good way to mark the end of this crap!! 

[Maria_B]

Hi Vic55. Thanks for your post. That's good to know that it got better. I haven't removed the steristrips yet, but it looks like it's quite puckered at one end. Maybe it will flatter out, or maybe it's the steristrips pulling it like that.

I have been joking about the nipple tattoo thing, but I'm actually not sure. I've moved into accepting that at present I'm here, and I will cross each bridge as i come to it. So right now I've mentally gone through the possible outcomes of my 2nd WLE and they range from
- clear margins off you go to oncology,
- not clear, but no invasive (yet found), go to Mastectomy/SNB ,
- clear but some invasive so back in for SNB
Only another 2 weeks to wait to find out the next stop on the journey.

Are you getting tattooed? Any tips on the best place to go? I think the breast care nurse does it, but I might be imagining that conversation....

[vic55]

Maria hi, I had WLE and nipple off end of march, and surgeon warned me it would be squared off at end...and she was right, felt so odd when done, but 2 mths later it doesn't feel as square. Feel it settled a bit. And yup with bra on, no problems! Are you having nipple tattoo done?

[jillybee]

Lavenderblue.....how sweet of you to remember....well,still there,some 10 months after DIEP ,had 2 lots of surgery,last one using blue dye and cauterising the leaks,there were many apparently.Tummy has gone down a bit,and seroma is lower,so more manageable .....still wearing a binder though😢.On 17th having drain and steroid injection.....My surgeon has been in contact with the plastics team where I had my DIEP...they had one lady with this problem,so extemely unusual......
I have had 11ops in 20 months .....however,the BC team are just so fabulous and caring.
Love to all,this forum gives me great strength......x

[Fuffs123]

Or🍰🍰

[Maria_B]

Cherries! Now there's an option for my "nipple" tattoo 🍒

[lavendersblue]

How is the seroma healing Jillybee ? Hope you are on the mend now after your surgery . My haemotoma had filled again after draining and is back to being uncomfortable , but unfortunately biopsies last week showed my angiosarcoma has returned into my scar tissue , AND my other breast !! Will have a second mastectomy either this Thursday or next !! So both my nipples will be in the jar too ...somewhere LOL . Love iced buns with cherries on the top..what a great idea , must remember that one .
Hugs,
Jill xx

[Fuffs123]

Did you spot the very apt typo!! I meant treat not test! Laughing like a mad person now 😀😀

[Fuffs123]

Ooh I love those iced buns with the cherry on top. I shall think of you when I next teat myself to some and my soon to be gone nipple. I reckon they will go the same place that all the odd socks disappear to and those things you put down and the next minute you can't find them! Xx

[jillybee]

I haven't any nipples at present,reckon mine are in a jar,along with my boobs and my old hips,have 2 hip replacements.....After a mastectomy a few years ago,I had a nipple then developed Pagets,so had to have it removed.Took into work,some iced buns with cherries on them,then this time round,took iced tarts in to the clinic,with icing and a cherry on top.
We do have a sense of humour.....take care,and you will get through it.I have had not the best time,with losing implants in the end....and ending up with a DIEP...tummy tuck with reconstruction.....
Take care ,gentle hugs.....

[jillybee]

Maria B....first read you were telling someone to get a grip,as in telling them to pull their socks up and get in with it....then realised....made me 😄.

[Fuffs123]

You're welcome! X

[Maria_B]

And to get a grip here, with bra on, it looks same as always... Thanks Fuffs x

[Fuffs123]

Hi Maria

Sorry you've had a bad day. I've also had 2 WLEs and unfortunately they discovered more DCIS 2nd time. My surgeon thinks I should now go for a mx as I also had Grade 3 invasive but I'm wondering whether to go for a
3rd WLE. Added unknown is that I'm waiting
for the result of the BRCA gene test, as there's a family history, so it could be a double mx. Got to wait 6 weeks for that result, hate the waiting. My boob also looks very odd now I still have my nipple etc but it looks a strange square shape. Just to inject s bit of humour, my OH asked where they put the nipple if you had a mx. I think he thought that they'd stick it on your back or something! He hadn't thought it just went with everything else, poor chap, lol. Stay strong and take one day at a time, that's all we can do really. Xx
Nd

[Maria_B]

Today was a bit bad. Removed dressings after my 2nd WLE.

After the first one, despite waiting 2 days past the time they advised I was really pleased. All looked normal-ish. Boob still boob shaped, nipple had discreet scar round the bottom of the areola.

This time, had a bit of a melt down. The big plaster was keeping everything together and the shape looked okay. Without it... Yes. I have no nipple. Just a scar with puckering at one end. And weird cubic breast.

Surgeon did say that he was trying to save skin in case I need a mastectomy after all (if no clear margins) and did say he could "tidy it up later". I'm probably being a bit pathetic. It's not the final thing. It will heal, scar inside,and the radiotherapy will affect it. Or I'll be back for a mastectomy anyway.... Just feeling sad for my lost nipple. And wondering where it is? Recycled? Incinerated? Lying in a bag of clinical waste somewhere....