lovinglife

Hello, I'm from Greencastle, too. I was diagnosed in January, surgery in February and did radiation in Avon. Now on a pill for the next five years. Message me back and maybe we can find out who we really are.

You asked about my tram flap experience and it has been great. They did a matching procedure on my good breast and they look better than before the surgery!

The only thing I didn't realize was that it took a few surgeries to get it just right. I am having one more touch up on the 16th and then I should be done. The other thing is with the nipple reconstruction. The nipple loses projection after a while and I have had to have it redone. My plastic surgeon said that he is building up scar tissue on the nipple and after awhile it will be the right size and won't lose the projection of a natural nipple.

I am sorry that your Diep flap did not work out. I would be happy to answer any questions you have about my experience!

Hi there! You posted that you had a diep that "failed" I'm a long ways yet from reconstruction (chemo- just started, then dbl mastectomy, then rad, THEN reconstruction) but was giving SERIOUS thought to same sort of reconstruction. when you say "failed" you mean blood flow not established or ?? If you don't mind me asking what do you mean "failed"?

Congratulations! Hope all is well.

hi lovinglife, i "LOVE" your name. your story inspires me. i am in the midst of waiting for my final diagnosis and finding out info... i am clinically stage 1 but mri shows other spots and nodes that look suspicious. double mast on 2.15. sucks!

So glad you have not had a recurrence either. We are so blessed. Stay strong.
Best always, Jaimebrie

Hi Lovinglife, I ended up having the doctor stop giving me the benadyl while getting the Taxol, I was getting so sick, so now I take a Claritin before I go for treatments, which I have 7 more to go should be finished by Feb. 18th. Will be getting a double masectomy, then on to radiation for 6 weeks then reconstruction. If you need to talk please feel free, anytime...

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Greg P
3x Survivor
Team WhatNext
Community Mgr.

First, I'm sorry to hear your transplant did not take. That is a lot of surgery and pain to go through for a negative result. However, it is not uncommon (so you're not alone), and you do have other choices. On the positive front, you now have a sassy tummy. It's been one before, reconstruction on radiated tissue. I'm sure you don't wish to go through the pain of it not working again, so look/ discuss alternatives with your surgeon (or one that will listen). I read about a reconstruction where the woman's back skin was expanded to use to reconstruct her breast in front, as her skin was bad due to radiation. So you'd have some scar in the back from that resected skin, but it's worth it as a woman to have something that resembles breasts. I can't tell you how much more positive I feel since my reconstruction (although it's far from perfect).
I had a successful latissimus reconstruction. However, I was not a smoker, didn't have radiation, and still some tissue almost went necrotic (my plastic surgeon blamed this on the mastectomy surgeon). All the best, let me know how your chat with your plastic surgeon goes.

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