need some advice

[Guest guest]

hi all

i hope this finds everyone in good spirits.

in spite of my trying to weasel out of it the mastectomy is happening.

doesn't seem real somwhow. cancer? who, me?

anyway i hope to have reconstruction at the same time. help me out

here...implant? tram flap? diep flap? if i have a flap i'm definitely

going for tissue from the abdomen. if i havae to do t his, might as

well get a bit of a tummy tuck.

i've done a lot of research but i can't meet with a plastic surgeon for

2 weeks. i know someone out there has had reconstruction. would you be

willing to share your experience?

in love and acceptance reggie

[Guest guest]

Hi reggie,

I had the TRAM flap reconstruction... If you want info on that .. I'd be more

than happy to share it with you... I am happy with my decision and pleased.

Michele

reggie0054 reggie0054@...> wrote:

hi all

i hope this finds everyone in good spirits.

in spite of my trying to weasel out of it the mastectomy is happening.

doesn't seem real somwhow. cancer? who, me?

anyway i hope to have reconstruction at the same time. help me out

here...implant? tram flap? diep flap? if i have a flap i'm definitely

going for tissue from the abdomen. if i havae to do t his, might as

well get a bit of a tummy tuck.

i've done a lot of research but i can't meet with a plastic surgeon for

2 weeks. i know someone out there has had reconstruction. would you be

willing to share your experience?

in love and acceptance reggie

[Guest guest]

Reggie I don't think you will be unhappy with the mastectomy. I opted for no

recostruction. I was 44 at the time but my husband and I talked it over and he

said he loved me for what was inside and not my breasts so that made me feel

good.

I am sure some of the ladies will get back with you. I will keep you in my

prayers.

Hugs

nne

Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html

BreastCancerStories.com

http://www.breastcancerstories.com/content/view/433/161/

Angel Feather Loomer

www.angelfeatherloomer.blogspot.com

Check out my other ornaments at

www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html

Lots of info and gifts at:

www.cancerclub.com

need some advice

hi all

i hope this finds everyone in good spirits.

in spite of my trying to weasel out of it the mastectomy is happening.

doesn't seem real somwhow. cancer? who, me?

anyway i hope to have reconstruction at the same time. help me out

here...implant? tram flap? diep flap? if i have a flap i'm definitely

going for tissue from the abdomen. if i havae to do t his, might as

well get a bit of a tummy tuck.

i've done a lot of research but i can't meet with a plastic surgeon for

2 weeks. i know someone out there has had reconstruction. would you be

willing to share your experience?

in love and acceptance reggie

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.1.412 / Virus Database: 268.18.2/692 - Release Date: 2/18/2007

[Guest guest]

We are all different. That is what makes the world go round. Some

are happy with mastectomy, some are not. Some are happy with,

reconstruction, (LoL if you go that route make sure you have some of

the yellow construction tape to corden off the area) some are not. It

all depends on you individually and what will work for you. Don't be

rushed into any thing! Act in haste, and regret in leasure. I really

wish some one had warned me about the constant reminder the pulling on

the scars would be. Jeese, sometimes they even pull when I breath.

Oh and that swelling feeling from the numbness, sometimes drives me

crazy. I really think mastectomy education classes are in order

before the deed is done so we really, really know what to expect

afterwards. I spoke with my surgeon, last week and asked why the

possibility of seeding of cancer cells, into the rest of the system,

from surgery is not in the informed concent? He told me they can't

include every little thing. Well they could and did inform me of the

possibility of death due to lung heart and kidney issues in the

informed concent seems to me that the possibility of seeding cells is

of equal importance. Jeese, the medical community, I am sooooo

disillusioned! Oh here is anothe good one. I discovered a small lump

in the opposite breast. Was not too concerned as Ifigured it was one

we have been watching for years, had just shifted due to an implant

for semmitry. The surgeon examined me and said he felt it was a

fibrocystic change caused by hormones. Good grief I have been post

menopausal for 8 years!!!! I don't have enough hormones to do that

any more. Besides, as I recall, those changes caused sore breasts.

Ruth

>

> Reggie I don't think you will be unhappy with the mastectomy. I

opted for no recostruction. I was 44 at the time but my husband and I

talked it over and he said he loved me for what was inside and not my

breasts so that made me feel good.

>

> I am sure some of the ladies will get back with you. I will keep you

in my prayers.

> Hugs

> nne

> Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life

> http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html

> BreastCancerStories.com

> http://www.breastcancerstories.com/content/view/433/161/

> Angel Feather Loomer

> www.angelfeatherloomer.blogspot.com

> Check out my other ornaments at

> www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html

> Lots of info and gifts at:

> www.cancerclub.com

> need some advice

>

>

> hi all

> i hope this finds everyone in good spirits.

> in spite of my trying to weasel out of it the mastectomy is

happening.

> doesn't seem real somwhow. cancer? who, me?

> anyway i hope to have reconstruction at the same time. help me out

> here...implant? tram flap? diep flap? if i have a flap i'm definitely

> going for tissue from the abdomen. if i havae to do t his, might as

> well get a bit of a tummy tuck.

> i've done a lot of research but i can't meet with a plastic

surgeon for

> 2 weeks. i know someone out there has had reconstruction. would

you be

> willing to share your experience?

>

> in love and acceptance reggie

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>

> No virus found in this incoming message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.1.412 / Virus Database: 268.18.2/692 - Release Date:

2/18/2007

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. Don't post too often but I know where you are in this decision making

process!

I had a bilateral mastectomy in Nov. Glad I did....no chemo/radiation!

Anyway thats my story on that part. I opted for expanders with implants. I

just had the implants placed on January 30th. They are a combination of

silicone/saline. The doctor can pump them if I'm not happy with the size.

Crazy huh? Well, I'm going for one pump next week.

I really thought the tram flap was perfect choice at first. Tummy tuck ...new

boobs!!! My

doctor told me that it wouldn't be a good option for me because i smoke. The

healing process would be alot longer. So my decision was made fairly easily.

I'm 53 and still opted for reconstruction. Just feels better for me! After

nursing three kids this is quite a nice change...perky ones!!!

research all the options on the internet. There are amazing sites that take

you step by step on all of the options out there.

If you have any more questions...all the ladies are here! They helped me

quite a bit during the last 6 months. Its a great group!!!

Diane - Pa

---------------------------------

Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

[Guest guest]

Reggie:

I hope your surgery goes well.

I have consulted two different plastic surgeons about reconstruction of

different sorts. If you e-mail me I can give you that information that I

received from them. Also there are websites through the American Family

Association of Plastic Surgeons, (I think) that will give you a lot of

information about reconstruction.

Take your time and gather information so that when you see the plastic surgeon

you can ask lots of questions. Generally in my area of the country I find

reconstruction " specialists " to have huge egos, and generally prefer one kind of

reconstruction over another.

E-mail me and I can tell you more. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Jan K

Michele Gately tinkkerbelle2002@...> wrote:

Hi reggie,

I had the TRAM flap reconstruction... If you want info on that .. I'd be more

than happy to share it with you... I am happy with my decision and pleased.

Michele

reggie0054 reggie0054@...> wrote:

hi all

i hope this finds everyone in good spirits.

in spite of my trying to weasel out of it the mastectomy is happening.

doesn't seem real somwhow. cancer? who, me?

anyway i hope to have reconstruction at the same time. help me out

here...implant? tram flap? diep flap? if i have a flap i'm definitely

going for tissue from the abdomen. if i havae to do t his, might as

well get a bit of a tummy tuck.

i've done a lot of research but i can't meet with a plastic surgeon for

2 weeks. i know someone out there has had reconstruction. would you be

willing to share your experience?

in love and acceptance reggie

[Guest guest]

reggie this is for you

I read your post on the BC forum site tonight I have not been on in a week

so please forgive the lateness in answering.. I also had a mastectomy... double

in June 2006 for a very very small tumor .08 cm.. but 2 in the same breast..

double because I also have 2 sisters with Breast Cancer.. they are survivors

too...I had expanders placed immediately following the surgery because we

were going with implants for reconstruction..and I was promised they would be

easier to make look the same...HHMM some promises can't be kept I found out..

My expander experience has not been good.. I am in pain most of the time..

they certainly do not look the same.. and I ended up having radiation because

we did not get clean margins.. so radiation and implants are not good

together..even though my radiologist did not burn me one bit.. the muscle

right now

is clamping down so hard on the expander that I cannot turn from side to

side without pain.. I can feel the tightness every time I take a breath..it

feels still and I am 7 months out from surgery like I am wearing a bra that is 5

sizes too small and I cannot adjust it ever.. luckily I have good pain meds..

but everyone thinks I should not have to still be taking them at this time..

every one does not have my breasts so they can think what they want right..

I do what I need to to get through to the next surgery..

I have begun researching a doctor in Los Angeles who does Diep.. My PS does

not do this he only does Tram and implants.. My PS notebook of pictures did

not have any pictures of what I look like right now and he had some pretty

good looking pictures..(That is sad because I think they should have said

before hand that there might be something like one breast would be a 40 DD and

one

would be a C and sitting up next to my collar bone)....I am NOW 7 months

out from surgery and just now beginning to discuss reconstruction..UCLA told me

to look at more like 12 months from the end of radiation..

If you do immediate ask if there is radiation expected.. the Diep does

pretty well with it I was told because it is your own tissue.... but there might

be some shrinkage after because of the tissue getting damaged a little.. the

implants do not do very well and then some do pretty nice.. and there seems

to be more capsular contracture..even with an exchange I have been told that

45% go on to have contracture again in the future.. Implants seem to require

future surgery no matter what.. So I to am torn between letting the PS just

swap them out and cross my fingers or do my own tissue and maybe even get some

feeling back in the breast area.. that would be a miracle I could live with

for sure..

I am glad that you are asking questions knowledge is power... I only wish I

had done more homework before my surgery and I thought I had done a lot of

research....but I never did any with regards to what would happen if I chose

not to do a mastectomy.. I was made to feel that that was not an option I

could even consider.. I was made to feel that I needed to do the surgery " right

away " and now I find that I did have more time to learn and research my

options.. I do not regret the decision I made at the time.. but now that I know

more I may have made some changes.. like immediate mastectomy with diep flap so

that these expanders would not be here.. they are heavy and I can feel them

through the thin skin.. they are so tight.. SO I cannot wait to be 'soft again "

.. everyone that I read on the other sites say that their implants are

soft.. so I keep my fingers crossed.. but I am still researching Diep at this

time.. I think I want mine to be warm and soft and my own tissue that grows old

with me.. and that is what comes with Diep or Siea or if you are too thin

Sgap..

there is a website for young women.. but I have found it to be very helpful

I am 53 this year.. they all talk about their surgeries and all of them have

great stories.. They are posting their 'BEFORE AND AFTER " pictures which

makes it easier to see what I have to look forward too.. I have contacted a few

of them and I get a response right away..

We are all in this together and it seems that we are OUR best and sometimes

OUR ONLY support.. the doctors do not volunteer information unless we ask

the right questions..I asked why mine were so sifferent when we were going for

symmetry and I was told by his assistant that " I was not taking this to well,

and maybe I needed some anti depressants " ??... I did not get them and I am

doing ok right now.. because I keep talking to other women who have been in

the same place as I have... so keep looking .. this website is good.. the

other one I found is called facing your risk empowered..

_FORCE Community: Message board_

(http://www.facingourrisk.org/FORCE_community/message_board.html)

_www.youngsurvival.org_ (http://www.youngsurvival.org/)

the other one has a great forum.. and you can look at pictures of surgery at

different stages.. it really helped me to see that my uneven breasts at this

time might turn out ok..

they offer links to doctors and websites that do Diep, Siea, Sgap, and Tram

as well as implants.. you just need to sign up and start talking..

Hope this helps.. and I hope I am not putting my nose where it does not

belong..

It is probably going to be a longer journey than you might imagine, but you

will get through it and you do have love and support with all of us..

Cheryl

************************************** AOL now offers free

email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at

http://www.aol.com.