Some advice for you. And can you help me?

DEBY
DEBY Member Posts: 19
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Dear friends,
First off Im 4yrs. cancer free!! I had the works a double mastectomy by chose. chemo and all. So I was doing great and decided to put the babies to rest and put this nightmare some what behind me. I got the toppings on the cake. My very own nipples. My advise to any of you Dont play around with any radiation side. This procedure did not take on the side that was radiated. I lost my Implant. This was devastating. So from Sept. on I keep getting fluid build up this turned into a wild infection that almost killed me 105.1 fever. I have 3 small children very close in age. When going through this they where 1,2 and 5. So I just got out of hospital last week after 13 days in. I was besides myself with everything. I even had fluid in my left lung and couldn't breath. This is all cleared up Thank God. But Im left with a hole in my site and i pack it everyday. They want to do a transflap so my blood vessels and mussel from belly will fight off any infection or infection will hopefully never come back due to blood supply. I just hope this is not to painful as this would be very difficult due to life's demands. I have a WONERFUL husband that wants me here so what ever it takes. He was so supportive and we had many of laughs, and plenty of crying. Does anyone know anything about what Im going through? And as I said from the beginning please ladies don't play around with your skin if its radiated your looking for trouble. but as we all know where not all the same. Best wishes to you all. Thanks for listening. Debbie

Comments

  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #2
    I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. I do not have any experience about this situation as I refused radiation and have not thought about reconstruction yet. But what I do know and I mentioned it to another survivor that wrote in about abscesses is that the silver impregnated wound dressings are naturally antimicrobal and are used alot for diabetic ulcers that are difficult to heal. My husband used these dressings when his illeostomy reversal site was healing from the inside out. I couldn't believe they were going to leave a gaping hole that big. But you know it healed up really nice and with no infections. The stuff is expensive but good and might be an alternative to more surgery. Any doc or pharmacist would know about it.
    Hope this helps.
    jan
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #3
    Deb
    I'm so sorry that you've had to go through all this. Thanks for sharing your story. I just finished all my tx in August. I haven't had reconcstruction yet-I still have to wait several months due to the radiation. I've had two plastics tell me they won't do simple inmplants because of the RT damage, so I think I'm looking at the Latisimus Dorsi Flap (double). I've had a friend who had a Lat flap on one side and a Tram flap on the other with her second br cancer(she thought she would get the tummy tuck that went with the TRAM flap). She is much happier with the LAT flap. Have you asked about it? I'm also thinking about going down to Mayo to check out the new Micro surgery, but my surgeon told me that while it has the best cosmetic outcome, if the vascular part goes wrong, it really goes wrong...
    I hope this new year is better for you.
    She
  • DEBY
    DEBY Member Posts: 19
    #4
    3cbrca said:

    Deb
    I'm so sorry that you've had to go through all this. Thanks for sharing your story. I just finished all my tx in August. I haven't had reconcstruction yet-I still have to wait several months due to the radiation. I've had two plastics tell me they won't do simple inmplants because of the RT damage, so I think I'm looking at the Latisimus Dorsi Flap (double). I've had a friend who had a Lat flap on one side and a Tram flap on the other with her second br cancer(she thought she would get the tummy tuck that went with the TRAM flap). She is much happier with the LAT flap. Have you asked about it? I'm also thinking about going down to Mayo to check out the new Micro surgery, but my surgeon told me that while it has the best cosmetic outcome, if the vascular part goes wrong, it really goes wrong...
    I hope this new year is better for you.
    She

    Thanks for all your time. I go to the dr. Jan. 2nd. Im just praying that all this goes ok. I just want blood supply to correct anything up and coming. Lets all pray for a better new year. No one should have to go through any of this!!! Thanks again Debbie
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #5
    I am sorry to say that I have no help for you, though it sounds like the silver impregnated dressings may be good. I have heard of other people having success with them too. I had double mastectomy Dec. 21 and am recuperating well at home. I intend to have reconstruction. The plan has been radiation, but I have had reservations about it from the beginning. The Pathology report showed that the only cancer left in the tissue that was removed was one lymph node and some residue from the original tumor. I am thinking: If the purpose of radiation is to get rid of remaining cancer cells in the remaining tissue, but there is no evidence that there is any cancer left and the tissue is gone, why put that much more poison into the breast to get rid of what's not there? I have appointments with the Drs. in the next 2 weeks to discuss the next step, I hope it will not include radiation.

    Thanks for sharing your story. I hope everything turns around for you from now on. And I hope you and your husband have a support system to help out at home. I'm sure you have heard it before, but if folks offer to help, take them up on it and tell them what they can do...take the kids to the park for an hour, do your laundry for you, make a grocery run, vacuum and mop...whatever. My girls are old enough to do alot of the daily chores themselves, but if they were younger I would surely be asking someone to help. Sometimes the little things mean a lot.

    best wishes seof
  • rescuerabbit
    rescuerabbit Member Posts: 6
    #6
    Hi Deby--I am so sorry you have to go through all of this--looks like we both have had a little bad luck so far. After discovering that Mayo does Diep flaps right in my back yard (I can almost walk there) I feel so much more encouraged. I like the idea that it is my tissue, not using my muscle,and I get my tummy flattened to boot--God knows I have plenty of tummy. My consult is 1/23, and I will be asking a lot of questions. You probably know about the training required, the usual rejection rate, and that infection is higher in this surgery. I will be asking about these rates at Mayo from this doc. My boobs hurt really badly right now because I did a mild exercise last Thursday. I need to get this decided and done as soon as possible and get on with my life. I just wish I could talk with several who had this done--both pro and con---to hear their experiences. Keep me posted on what you are learning. Yes, I have been to Diep Sisters and the websites my good internist has referred me to. I sure do like the looks of those on those websites that have had this procedure. Keep me posted on how you are doing. pat

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