MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Sandee - It is well worth it. Kept me entertained.
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....and that is what a movie is meant to do! (among other things like thinking but I think I prefer entertainment at the moment!)....
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Sandee - The next movie on my list is Paul - that looks like it will be pretty funny. I could always use a good laugh.
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Recently diagnosed. I am having a right side mastectomy on March 28. I would appreciate any advice as to what to expect postoperatively. Thank you!
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Babsbling- so sorry you have joined us for that reason. I have not had a masectomy but many of he gals on this and other threads have. You will get lots of support and answers here!
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Babsbling--In the surgery section of the boards is a thread on getting ready for surgery with a LOT of great tips, I recommend you check it out! What to expect--much less pain that you would think for having had surgery. Tightness in the armpit and shoulder area, you should get exercises to do starting right after surgery, be sure to do them so you don't wind up with a frozen shoulder. You will probably be in the hospital overnight. Stock up on loose, button up the front blouses to wear home and during recover, reaching up with that arm will be hard. Also, there will be a lot of swelling in that arm and in your chest, although without the breast it's hard to tell at first. You will go home with at least one drain, it will come out under your armpit or where the bottom of your breast is now. The worst pain that comes with a mastectomy is the pain you get when the area where the drain comes out of the skin is touched or rubbed, or when the tubing get pulled on. Some women pin the driain to the inside of the blouse to keep it under control. The drain will be quite long, to give you room to empty the bulb as needed--you'll be taught how to do that and keep track of the amount, its not hard. I was able to put the drain bulb in my pants pocket and wear loose tops over it and was quite comfortable that way. You can purchase drain pouches and belts, but a safety pin and rubber band is just as effective and a lot cheaper. Before surgery, get a supply of tape you can put on your skin, if the drain tubing gets pulled on or wiggles it will be sore at the point where it goes through the skin, taping the tubing to your skin near that spot minimizes that discomfort. Also get a box of inexepensive qauze pads, 4 x 4 inch works well, to have to put over the drain site when the drain is pulled out. That spot will drain some for a day or two before is seals over. Be sure to wear a blouse you don't care about getting stained the day the drain comes out and the couple days after. You may not have any drainage or bleeding, but it can happen, is normal but messy. Before you have the surgery move everything you use frequently to waist high surfaces--move things down from upper shelves to counter tops or tables. Reaching up will be uncomfortable for a few weeks. You will also probably be limited in how much you can lift for a few weeks. For me it was 5 pounds for a month after the mastectomy. Find out from your doc if you will be allowed to shower with the drain in, some surgeons say yes, some no. If you can shower you will want to have ready a length of ribbon or string that you can slip through the holder on the drain bulb and hang aound your neck while you shower, so it doesn't pull and you have your hands free. Start with your back to the shower head, let the water run gently over your shoulders over the front. Your chest where the breast was will be numb, the water will feel very odd at first, and I found it seemed hotter or colder there than anywhere else, my BS said that's not unusual. Even though you won't feel any where near as much pain as you expect, if you are given pain meds be sure to use them regularly for the first 48 hours. Take stool softeners, too. You may find that you will sleep better in a recliner than in bed for a few nights, or you may want extra pillows for propping up with in bed. If a home health nurse is offered, take it. They're a great help and often have just what you may need with them or can help you get it quickly, not to mention the reassurance of having an RN assess you frequently. Oh, yes, a thermometer--checking your temperature daily is a good way to catch an infection before it gets a strong hold on things and antibiotics will knock it down quickly.
I know that seems like an awful lot, but having a mastectomy really isn't as bad as it first sounds, at least physically. If you are having reconstruction at the same time, then you should be getting a lot of this kind of info from the plastic surgeon before surgery day.
Good luck and let us know how you do!
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Babsbling - Welcome to the group but sorry you have to be here with us. The middies are a great bunch and as you can already see, you will get lots of information and support. I can not help you much in answering your question - I had lumpectomy.
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Hi all. Just back from Jamaica and have a great time, only wish I felt better so that I could have enjoyed and would have been able to have done a bit more. However, sitting on a beach with a flavorful rum drink relaxing was not the worst time in my life, trust me. Arrived home to a fresh covering of windswept snow! SHEESH!!!
Teklya
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we are here for you babsling and sounds like a great place to have been Teklya!
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Welcome babsling! {{{TEK}}}} Good for you! A beach and an umbrella drink are the prescription for relaxation! Sorry you returned to snow. Not to rub it in but today it will be 78 degrees F.
Eph, so sorry to see the CA beach towns get slammed. Please let us know how they fared.
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Babsling - sorry you are having to go through this but we are here for you. I had bi lateral mastectomy and NM is right the drain site is where you have the most discomfort. I had recon so I did not shower until the PS released me to do so. If you cannot shower, use mild soap like Dove or baby wash and a qtip to clean the drain area. I hope you have some help at home for the first week and you will not be able to pick anything up and to help with sponge bathing if you cannot shower. The surgeon put me in what is close to a tub top that Velcro's in the front so I was able to safety pin the drains to the top. Button tops. I was not on this site for my surgery so you are getting wealth of knowledge here.
After reminding people on Friday to turn the clocks forward, I forgot and was 30min late for church.
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ah miller, the best of intentions! When I was growing up, we were all smarty pants, so one daylight savings change we all thought we were pretty clever on our own, to remember to change the stove clock. The last person realized they were about to put us 4 hours ahead!!
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Too funny, barbe. Do you have your newest grandson yet?
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Hi ladies Not posted lately my daughter computer not working she was using mine so I am stuck with the big one. Had my port put in it went well senital node biopsy done to. Call them and see what the outcome is. I start my Chemo on Wednesday. Hope everyone is good..
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Let us know what the outcome of your node biopsy is Lynniea.
No new grandson yet...... (due yesterday)
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Sure will praying for good news
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This week is starting off with WAITING. lynniea, hope you get that good news. barbe, hang in there, he's just wanting to make a dramatic entrance.
Babsbling, I'm glad you have gotten a warm welcome and some helpful info. already. Keep us updated. We are happy to give help and support if we can, but NativeMainer is right about reading thru' some of the other threads too because there is a ton of info. out there.
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Well, since I hate the daylight savings time change sooooooo much & becuz I needed to "rest" from the trauma of seeing DD off to Italy (Not-no trauma involved!) I took today off from work. Meeting a friend for an early lunch. Will come home & take a nap & then go to the movies to see "Unknown". Tried to see it yesterday but we had a humungous windstorm that took out the power all over the valley. Yes, I could get used to the empty nest (I know, I know it's all bravado--check with me in a few more days! I'll be as bad as her cat who has been crying since yesterday!)
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Eph, it might be shameful to some but I loved every minute of my empty nesting LOL and of course now that she is 30 something I love the time I spend with her and of course my grandson too! Barbe- hope all goes smoothly for daughter and baby!
Right now I am waiting for my BS to call me back with biopsy results. I have a bad feeling and wish I knew the outcome right now. Of course you all know that waiting is hell!
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OG56 - Hope you get B9 results on the biopsy. Remember 80% come back malignant.
Keep us posted, please.
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Jo, You mean 80% come back B9, don't you?
Waiting right along with you OG56. I feel bad that you had to go through another biopsy. Truthfully, I feel that way when any of our Sisters even have to have the biopsies ('cause I can't stand those core needle leather-punch procedures!!!)
Gimme a B. Gimme a 9. What's that spell? B9...B9...B9! Cheering for you. Let us know.
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LOL Jo, I am so glad someone else say's things ass backwards! E- it was an MRI guided biopsy and it hurt like hell, the last one I had didn't really hurt but they squeezed it so tight I got to actually laughing because the old saying " now you've really got your t.. in a wringer" kept going through my head, I needed more Ativan
Nothing is better than boringly B9Linda
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elimar - Oops! Had a brain fart - that is what I meant to say. Thanks for the correction.
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LOL, Jo! I do that ALL the time - and at the worst times! You should see my son roll his eyes!
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OG-when are you expecting that phone call?
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Joni, had the biopsy on Friday so anytime, the speciman went to the lab @ noon on Fri. They say up to 5 days but Sloan seems to have a quick turn around time. I wish I didn't have that sick feeling in my stomach
I let them talk me out of the BMX with DIEP two years ago and if I have a new primary bc I will be having major regrets...and I will be pissed off too. Thanks for listening. 0 -
OG - praying for boringly B9! Try to ignore your tummy, they can get confused, too. I hope you hear something soon! Waiting is so hard, I think I would need an Ativan a day...
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Well all its finally over for the most part. Its Monday evening, yahoo!!!!!!! Time to put up the recliner and enjoy the night. I ended up spendin Friday night to Sunday afternoon in the hospital, UGH. I ended up with nuetropena. I had to have a few rounds of antibiotics and wait for my wb cell count to go up. I ended up going to work today so now its time to recline the rest of the time, whew!!!!
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Paula, sorry you had such a rough weekend, but like a true warrior off to work you went, relax and have a nice evening,
Linda
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Geez, Paula66, I hope your work is not too demanding. Can't believe you put a full day in. After a whole weekend in the hospital, I would think you deserve a day at home just to relax and rest/sleep (something that is usually not too easy to do in a hospital, what with all the monitoring.) I don't always remember what I read, and I'm too lazy to hunt thru' the back pages, but don't you have 3 AC down, 1 to go?0
