Hello and Help

See if you can get in to see you doctor this week Casandra before you re-locate & see what's up with the drain. Let us know!!

Linda

I went to my doctor a week and a half ago, and he wasn't worried, just said to keep the drain in until it stopped.

I am moving to Charlottesville, VA, where the University of VA is...they have a good medical center.  I have just emailed the vice-chair of plastic surgery down there telling him my story, and asking if he would be willing to do my follow-up care down there, or if he could recommend someone who could.  I am kind of scared at what he may respond, ha ha!

Oh, I also emalied Dr. S....told him I was getting more and more worried because the drain wasn't slowing down at all (it keeps fooling me into thinking it is going down, and then will go back up!!).

I will see what he says also!

Why on earth you would try to stop a drain from draining is beyond me, you want that stuff out of you believe me.  Put them in yourbra with some extra bandages so if they leak they will be fine, they can drain up so its not a problem as you know drains work by suction.  The quicker it all comes out the quicker they can come out.

Good Luck
Heidi

It was never really about making the drain stop, it was always more about how to get the body to do what it's supposed to do.  I spoke with my surgeon last night, and the drain has now been removed.  It had stayed still at draining for the last 3 weeks, no steady decrease, and he was thinking the drain was a part of the issue.  We'll keep in contact and he has asked me to notify him of ANY change in my body at all.

By the way, it was a leg drain, can't really stick those in your bra. :)

Hey Cassandra, Glad to hear you lost that darn drain!  Will be keeping my fingers crossed for you.  Did you hear back from the PS you emailed?  Just curious how one would react to follow up care from another surgeon.  I can't wait to see your 6 week pictures.  I know youv'e got alot going on right now but thanks for sharing your experience we are so much better off knowing what you all have been through so we can be looking out for these things.  Good luck on your new job and lack of leakage!! Toni

Thanks!  I actually did hear back from two, and neither one would see me.  One is the UVA Plastic Surgery center, I thought for sure they would because they are a teaching hospital!!

Cassandra, what if you show up in their emergency ward?  Wouldn't someone from plastics have to see you?

Just a thought.  How's it going without the drain?

Lisa Mc
 

 That's exactly what one said to do if I needed, go to the emergency room or an urgent care center.

I did hear back from another plastic surgeon today who said he would see me, but he doesn't take my insurance.  $300 first visit and $280 after that or something, ouch!

it might be worth the money just for your peace of mind.  I would think if you saw a PS you'd feel better with your situation.  Would it cost the same to return to Monterrey?  Or close to the same?  I just got the bill for my seroma check - it was $160.00 my insurance covered $49.00 of that and the rest if mine to pay.  I feel so bad for you.  I know how it is to worry about our bodies.  I'll be waiting to hear your responses.  I think Lisa is right, if you just show up in the ER they will have to see you, however, an ER visit if not covered by your insurance could be extremely expensive.  I mean an ER visit could be as much as $14,000.00  that is what I paid for my daughter when she had a kidney stone. She was in the Hall because there were not beds at 3pm on a Tuesday afternoon - she had a CT scan and an IV of pain meds and the bills started coming in to a total of $!4K. 
Good Luck Dear!