Thanks for the update, Talktoyoulater. It's reassuring to know that you are still happy with your decision seven years after surgery. I'm six months out now and thrilled with my results. For me, going two years with no breasts, has really made me appreciate having them again.

@Jeanee- Hi! That's a really good question. I am feeling great, and just this morning I was thinking about how happy I am that I decided to do this surgery. I did just book my six month check-up with my surgeon, so we will discuss if he wants to make any "adjustments". I see him next week. I am going to ask him about one area that sorta bulges out. I think he should be able to smooth it easily. It is a minor adjustment, and actually I would be fine with not doing anything.
Physically I do feel mostly normal. My abdomen still feels a bit tight, especially after I have been sitting down for awhile. My abdominal muscles are slightly tender, so I will be asking my surgeon if this is normal for recovery. I have been back to the gym, and although I don't feel like I am 100% back to my pre-surgery fitness level, I feel like I can tackle working out with enthusiasm (as much enthusiasm as a 50 year old, plumpish mom can muster!).
The really great thing is that most days I don't even think about breast cancer or surgery. I'm just living life!
Are you feeling well, after finishing chemo? Has your new oncologist recommended radiation? I'm glad you found a doctor that you like. And I hope you are content with the prosthesis. I wore them for two years, but found myself going out without them more and more until I hardly wore them. I had a bi-lateral mastectomy though, so I wasn't lopsided, just flat!
Reconstruction is such a personal decision. I had to think about it for a long time. And my surgeon told me that even if I decided against it, I could change my mind at any time, even ten years from now. That helped put my mind at rest and allow me to really mull over my options.

Hi, ladies...I had the DIEP procedure 7 1/2 years ago at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix...Dr. Alanna Rebecca...outstanding! I've never regretted it...14 hour surgery...all went well, until I got staph infection...scars from that were worse than others! All of trips for fixes from a PS were done back in Nebraska and insurance covered everything after deductible. Do your research..that's very important. Yes, there are a few failures, but after listening to a lot of horror stories about implants, I'm glad to have gone the route I did...and now, if you do immediate reconstruction (which I did do) they can do nipple sparing and some nerve sparring...that would have been nice, but not available as yet a few years ago. I wore a bra after about 3 weeks...and have always worn an underwire, but have found that the Victoria Secret bras seem to do the best for the way my foobs are shaped...I'm also not as big as I used to be, but that's ok. Please, continue to ask questions...someone on this great blog will respond! I recommend the DIEP flap fully...and I'm also glad I did the immediate reconstruction...plus having a flatter lower abdomen is a bonus!! Now my upper abdomen is fatter than the lower!! LOL!!

Hi Jill,
I'm almost five weeks out now and I'm feeling pretty good. I've been walking and I went close to a mile today. I'm driving and getting out almost daily, to run simple errands. I have two small pillows that I use to protect the incisions from the seatbelt.
I am still taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Everything still feels tight, but that is easing. I do have a couple small spots, along the incisions on my new breasts, that are slow to heal. I was told this very commonly happens so I am trying to be patient. My skin is still tender, but I know that will ease. I do have to be careful about following the rule to not lift anything heavier than five pounds (for eight weeks). If I try to do too much I can feel a "pulling".
I do wish I had asked more about when to wear a bra and what type to get. I should call one of the nurses to ask about that. I am wearing a camisole now, the kind with a shelf in it for support. I can tuck pieces of gauze in it for those areas that are slow to heal. I put A & D ointment on the tender spots.
I recommend getting a foam pillow wedge, to raise your upper body in bed. I found mine on Amazon for less than $40. I bought the bigger one. I think it's twelve inches high. That was essential for me. I have graduated to a smaller one, about five or six inches tall, that I borrowed. I also borrowed a shower chair so I could sit in the shower, and a walker which I could not have managed without. You only need these items for a few weeks, so put out the word with your friends. If you can't find a shower chair, a plastic patio chair should work in a pinch.
Make sure you have someone with you for at least a week, but a little longer would be best. I needed help getting in and out of bed, getting dressed etc. Be sure to have button-up shirts and loose, comfy pants.
I admit that I was frightened as my surgery date approached, Jill, so I don't envy you the next month. But be reassured, the pain is quite manageable and after a month you'll be amazed how far you've come. Plan for your recuperation by clearing your schedule, and allow yourself time. We so rarely take time to do absolutely nothing, that I found it interesting to sit here quietly, enjoying watching Autumn unfold.
Feel free to ask any specific questions!

@MizzV-please make certain that you get a surgeon that is very experienced with this procedure-it involves micro-vascular work which means that tiny blood vessels need to be reattached in other places than where they originate. When interviewing a surgeon, ask how many of these complicated procedures he/she has done. Ask infection rate, bleeding, and overall failure rate of the procedure. Infection rate of a hospital is so important and the rates can be found on the CMS's Hospital Compare website. When considering this procedure, only agree to someone that is very experienced in the specialty. Even though I did not choose the DIEP flap for reconstruction, my plastic surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon that has completed two fellowships in microvascular surgery. The DIEP flap is one of his specialties at The Mayo Clinic. He did not pressure me to do this procedure, however, he said that I could do it a later date if I am not satisfied with the silicone implant with reconstruction......for now, I am good. Please- Look for more than one opinion to know all your options.