Anyone DIEPing In December??

Hi Yorkshire_defector

Good luck with the op , I had mine a year ago in December - not sure what you have bought but the best thing I had was a pregnancy pillow , and a great tip from a physio was to tense your pelvic floor when standing up. I had mine done on the 10th December and on the 31st did a long flat walk , back at work after six weeks but the first week or so you really need to rest but keep moving if that makes sense? 

Jo x

Oooo ta for the top tip jowoomot, need to start practicing my log rolls to get out of bed.  Good news that the pelvic floor will benefit as well at stomach and chest area!  I've got 2 V pillows that were really useful post mx & ANC that am sure will come in very handy again and a wedge pillow too, if I get any more pillows I'll not be able to fit in my bed...

How do you feel nearly a year down the line? Able to do sit-ups, still lacking sensation?

Sam X

Hi Yorkshire_defector not sure if you remember my diep was cancelled due to COVID, next appointment with surgeon is not until February where I’m hoping they may discuss this again. After 8 months down the line from my mastectomy I’m a bit unsure about going for diep, even though I was so enthusiastic about it all at the outset. Would be great if you could come back afterwards and tell us your thoughts?

Best of luck with the op and sending virtual hugs. X

Hi Yorkshire_defector

You have just made me out loud and I haven’t done much of that in the last few weeks!

I will follow your progress with interest, please let me know how it goes.

Saw the recon nurse last Thursday, Mx with immediate DIEP seems my only option but Covid may affect that I’m told.

Thanks again for making me laugh 

Susie x

Hi Bramble22

I know I'm really lucky to have private insurance, otherwise I'd be in the same situation playing a annoying/terrible waiting game.  I'm really looking forward to another adventure ...are you sure you want my daftly optimistic take on DIEP??  Of course I will do, can't stop me babbling on , especially as I've have bog all else to do for a number of weeks (will so miss my cycling!).

Ta for the hugs, so long since I had some real ones (even the daft boyfriend is staying distant whilst I'm safe isolating) and don't think its right or appropriate to launch myself at the Waitrose delivery driver...plus I'd never get any more deliveries!

Watch this space...

Hugs right back atcha! X

Hi Ricecrispie

Always happy to bring joy to others!  Its my my mission in life (much to the annoyance of most people).

And, as an aside, I suspect that DIEP cannot be as blummin' challenging as sugar soaping, masking taping lots of glass kitchen doors and applying umpteen coats of undercoat.....time will tell, I guess.

Right back to work on my 'project"...

Sam X

Hi Sam,

You sound like my kind of girl! I’ve just tiled a friend’s kitchen to keep my mind off all that is going on around me!

Good luck with the kitchen doors, it’s always good to have a project on the go, I’m just starting a bit of upholstery, never done it before but YouTube is a great teacher

On a serious note though, I’m really struggling with the whole concept of Mx and reconstruction, my rational head knows I have to have it done (otherwise it will ultimately kill me according to my consultant) but the other side of my brain continues to question why, it all seems so extreme, I only went for a routine mammogram. I know it DCIS, 110mm (11cm) and all high grade but there’s so much conflicting information. I think my problem is that I want clear cut answers and there are none. I think I’d feel completely differently if it was invasive, it would be a no brainier! I’m due to have a virtual session with the psychologist but not until 15 December so hopefully that might shed some light on my confused brain  

How did you get your head around it all? Did you have any doubts?

Susie x

Hi Yorkshire Defector.  I had my mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction last year in August and it wasn’t long before I was able to get in and out of bed okay, plus stand upright again.  Trouble is, after the op, the cancer was found to be worse than at first thought, so I had chemotherapy which hadnt been on the cards earlier.  That knocked me for six and one year on, I’m still suffering the after effects, but am having Herceptin injections all this year, every three weeks.  Just noticed today, big toenails are going black!!  Horrendous, thought I’d got away without losing them earlier, so why now?  Will ask when I go to the hospital next week for what I hope, is my last Herceptin injection.  Can’t abide smells now and new tennant in flat below us smokes, it comes up into our flat and is horrible, so today, I’ve bought an air purifier for just under £30 and hoping this will help diminish the smell!  If you feel sticky after the op, try peppermint essential oils.  I put a few drops on a padded cloth heart hanging on my wardrobe door and that works well.  Hope all goes well with your op, remember, the first night is dreadful, but after that, it’s all back uphill from then on, good luck.

I had mine December 2017 - would you believe on my husband's birthday of all days!!!! It was a Christmas I will never forget!!!!!

Hi Ricecrispie aka Susie!

I'm really lucky in that my brain only works in black & white - there's very little grey (and grey matter!) so got my head around it very speedily.  I don't have kids and am much more interested in quality of life vs longevity so was quite happy just to get on with dealing with the cancer.  Its odd I know, and am grateful to have had quite minor side effects compared to some, but I generally enjoyed the treatment...saw friends more often (they came down from Yorks to accompany me to chemo), met some lovely people undergoing treatment, had a lot of fun ( still do) with the mad nurses on the chemo ward and used it as an opportunity to eat well and exercise again (lost 6 stone since July 2019...when I put my mind to something...).

So never had any doubts really, I did challenge back a fair amount re what I was advised & told but really to maintain my quaility of life.  It was and still is a great opportunity for me to dispel myths re cancer in my circle of friends and they're less afraid now as have seen that being diagnosed and undergoing treatment is all very doable.  I also took it as a chance to put things in my life into perspective and see how unimportant annoying things were, cancer is a great leveller in that way I find.

So I look on the cancer as quite a positive in the scheme of things, not that I'd invite it in to my life but am very accepting of it once its there.  We all have our own ways of looking at the world and dealing with it I guess, you'll find your way...it may take a while though.  Being a great optimist and having a very bad sense of humour also benefits greatly.

Hope you get some answers 15th Dec.  Good luck.

Sam X