TE TROUBLE
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Mama, I just try to get through it. My getting hysterical doesnt help anyone. besides my warped sense of humor pops out without effort.
I like a quote fron winston Churchill " when you are going through hell, KEEP GOING!!" Kinda says it all.0 -
Moon, there is a country song with the same line. "Don't look back and you might just get through before the devil knows you are there." I hope they are giving you the strong stuff, especially since they were just in there messing around. Is it IV? I'm a firm believer in the strength of that.
Mom....a long while back, I think a bunch of us took a poll on how many surgeries/ bouts with anesthesia we had over the course of a year or so. Some of us had 8 or 9 if you counted the biopsies. It was crazy.0 -
I had 5 surgeries in a 3 month span, not counting the biopsy - then I took a break (for chemo, lol!) and had 3 in the following 17 months.
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Yep certified member of the surgery of the month club. Oh, also hospitalization of the month club. Whee.
Fluff I am not on any abx YET. gotta wait for the C&S to be completed. When they figure what kills ill get it. But dont know oral or iv yet either.0 -
fluff-It has been a crazy year, and it's not even over! Never knew what it really meant when I heard those words "you have breast cancer". I did have my share of bxs as well, sterotactic x2 and MRI directed biopsy(1.5 hrs in MRI machine). Wasn't even thinking about those. I think my last surgery for 8 hrs (bmx/LD flap recon) really left me with PTSD for surgery. I battled incisional infections, skin necrosis and seromas after for most of my recovery. Still have some swelling in underarm and back (almost 6 months out). Just feel like I got the incisions healed and now we have to open them up again! If these TEs didn't hurt so bad all the time I would put it off even longer, but here we go again! I can do this, yes I can! Thanks ladies, with your encouragement I will make it through it all!
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Why does this silicone breast ache,no signs of reness, just tender, it seem to have fallen and fluff.the incision line burn. I don't know what I did, it has been 3months. The silicone is soft to touch, but I hurt.i don't think it has anything to do with sleeping.Help! I don't want to panic....why me? Any suggestions on bra's..I am wearing an AHHH Bra...no support
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Psalms I am sure someone will help. I have yet to get to that point.
Mama good luck, you'll be great.
Ok. I am on cephalexin. Hope it works. But crazy that I Still have NO symptoms. Ill take it however. Because I still have my TE.
3TTC,3TTC, 3rd Times The Charm..... LOL. Much love.0 -
Moon, when they finally figured out I had pseudomonas, I had been on all kinds of antibiotics while I was getting chemo (hope it didn't affect the strength). The first time nothing cultured, then he cultured it again a month later. Made them keep growing it. It took a week before they showed up.
Then PS and ONC freaked, saying I should have been feeling really bad. Onc said he was going to watch me more carefully in case I might have something else without symptoms. Other than the red spot, I didn't have much either. I did run a half degree fever for a couple hours now and then, but we thought that was herceptin/chemo driven.0 -
Oh Boy...So, The Great News Is The Iv Antibiotics Are Keeping My Infection at Bay. The Bad News Is My Arm Is So Swollen And Traumatized From All Of The Needles, IVs And 2 Picc Lines That My Antibiotics Run Out Of The Picc Line At Insertion Site. Picc Line Removed This Morning And Have No Choice But To Get A Hickman Line In My NECK On Monday. At Least I Will Be Sedated. Has Anyone Had A Line In Their Neck? I Am A Little Freaked Out And Would Love To Hear From Anyone Who Had One! Hugs To All And Thanks Again For Letting Me Lean On You.
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Lesly the weekends are kind of slow. Someone with that experience will be on soon I hope. Hugs.
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Thanks, Moon. Hope You Are Hanging In There!
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Lesley, Im so sorry, but glad antibiotics are keeping it at bay. I had a port which we ran everything through, so I can't help much there. Doesn't look like fun. hopefully it won't last long.
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My sisters ... Hang in there ..... We can do this ... I also have a port so everything was ran through my port.... Been out of rads for a 3 weeks feeling bit tired.... My PS said will monitor my skin to see how it heals..... And will have to fill in VERY slowly ... At this point I'm not even in a rush just ... Still recovering
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patriciahurtado - glad you are done with rads, that hurdle is done - congrats! We handled my skin like I was filling after rads - slow and steady, also less discomfort that way.
lesley - sorry, I have no experience to offer, hopefully someone who has had this will chime in.
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Getting ready to bid farewell to the dreaded TE'S! After an accident my origional PS will not be able to do my exchange. I will go to may next monday meet the new PS and have surgery the following day-Whoa! Jr Jacobsen at mayo rochester-ive heard many good thingsa about him. I am so ready to get it done and get back to somewhat normal activities. Hope the exchange,fat transfer,alloderm,left reduction wont hold me down too long. The BMX was hell, so this has to be better-right? Ive endured the TE pain since feb so hang in there everyone and focus on the good stuff.
Nancy
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GreenCowGirl- we share the same ps. I have been very impressed with Dr. Jacobsen. Had right prophylactic mastectomy and left revision (original mastectomy 10 yrs ago with different ps) three weeks ago and so far very pleased with results. He talked me into a two step procedure with expanders (last time one step flap) and I am so glad we went this route. Best of luck with your surgery.
Ps. I am also an Iowa girl!0 -
What! Where in Iowa? I am glad to hear all these nice things about Dr Jacobsen. Its a little nerve wracking to have your PS changed and going into a major surgery with a new one. I think it will work out great. Happy for you and your results!
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GCG, Heres hoping surgery is going well. Heal fast!
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Thank you Moonflwr912 im ready to do this!
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Ladies,
I had a double mastectomy with TE's put in, cheom and then Radiation. It's been 3 months since my last radiation, and I have noticed that the radiated breast has a purple look to it...almost like it is bruised. It turned red from radiation, but now it is purple. I talked to my PS and she gave me some antibiotics, but it's been a few weeks and it doesn't look any different. She didn't do any blood tests though. Has anyone else had this happen?
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TBerg, I don't have any experience with this, but hopefully some of the other rads ladies will see your question.
Greencowgirl, let us know when your surgery date is!
patriciahurtado, moonflwr912, lesley0417, psalms91, how are you all feeling?
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Tberg, maybe call the rad nurse? They usually will know if its normal or if you need to pursue it further.
I am feeling great. My TE is still in. Scar is looking good. Big D is still there. (Well nothing is perfect! LOL) I see PE tomorrow probably get a fill. I think after this fill on left, he might even start my right TE too. Then I will know if the darn thing is still good after laying there since 12-11. LOL WE SHALL SEE!0 -
moon - glad things are progressing - sorry about the Big D, but I know you know how to deal with that. My right TE loitered for the better part of a year prior to getting its first post-surgical fill and all went well - I also had to get the left one caught up since my PS did not put much saline in it when it was replaced. All went smashingly from there - hoping the same for you!
tberg - I wonder if it is increased vascularization? I have a bit of that on my left side due to so much surgery over the face of the breast - it is def a different color than the right side, and I did not have rads.
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Oops I see PE on Thurs. I usually see him on Tues. So just got mixed up. I will need blood test that same day for Magnesium but of course they are in different buildings. LOL. Much love to all. Happy healing.
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Moon, Glad Things Are Looking Up! REnnasus, I Am Trying To Hang Tough. Going To PS For Fill On Thursday And Hoping She Will Have Diep Rescheduled Sooner Than 11/22. Still On Iv Antibiotics Until 10/7. They May Prolong Them, So I Can Make It To Diep. CT Scan Results Show Diffuse Fatty Liver Changes And Last 7 Glucose Blood Levels Flagged As High. I Am Only 44...Geez. Waiting For Appt. With Primary Doc For Further Discussion On Those Results. My Fmla Has Been Denied Because I Was 43 Hours Short OF The 1250. When My Sick Days Run Out In One More Month, I Will Lose Salary And Medical Insurance. Pretty Devastating. I Know Others Must Have Faced This...Especially Those Who Have Had So Many Surgeries And Hospitalizations. Where Can We Go For Help? Praying For Everyone and Thrilled For ThoseWho Are Recovering Well. Hugs To All!
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lesley - I ran out of FMLA because I had so many unforseen surgeries prior to chemo - thought it would just be one, but it was five. I burned through my PTO and short term disability (I self-elected this benefit) concurrently with the FMLA. I had not even started chemo yet, but my company also had long term disability (company paid benefit) available. The problem with the long term disability was that because I had no FMLA to support it they needed to administrate a reason for me to still be off work - they had just closed another lab so they had extra people who were waiting for the new lab construction in another hospital to be completed. All of those extra people all needed to learn about my job so they had them cover me. The admin fix was an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accomodation. Is there any possibility your company could do this for you? That way even if you are not being paid your benefits would remain intact. There are some grants available through BC organizations, you should have COBRA extension of your health insurance, and there is also state disability.
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SpecialK,
The issue with state dissability is that not all states have it. I live in Colorado and ths state does not have a state disability plan and my employer did not offer one through a third party,which really sucks!!!!! I was out for 6 weeks after my initial bmx surgery and was without pay 4 of those weeks and then another 2 weeks after I returned due to the pay period. And as I am the family income, it was really difficult. There needs to be a better way!!!!
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I think one of the hardest things about surgery/treatment for BC is that none of us think there will be unforseen issues - I had the option of also having AFLAC insurance through my employer - but I would have had to pay the premium. It is fairly expensive insurance and I didn't think I would need it so I declined it, but in hindsight would have been worth every penny. I ended up being off work from 11/1/10 until 7/1/11 due to so much surgery and because my workplace (a blood banking lab) exposed me to biohazards that were not a good idea with a compromised immune system. If I had been the sole breadwinner I would have been in some trouble, but I was fortunate enough to have 60% of my income during that time from the private, employer sponsored, disab insurance I was fortunate to have. I returned to work 30 days after my last chemo - way too early, and ended up resigning after three weeks because I needed more SURGERY, lol! I think it is so hard in advance of a health crisis to factor in the need for financial protection in a situation where state and/or employer assistance is unavailable. You are right, there has to be a better way!
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Lesly I wish I could help but I used up all my FMLA and was terminated before i even finished chemo. My MO didnt even think about releasing me for work for another 7 months. I was lucky that my husbands job carried the insurance for me and that he is working. I was able yo get disability but it was for my knees not just chemo. I cant walk without a cane because I need replacements and cant get them for a couple of medical reasons. So, I hope you can find something that works for you. Call your cancer center and ask to speak with the social worker. They maybe have access to info you wouldnt know about. Good luck and much love.
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SpecialK, you are so nice to help answer so many difficult problems people are having. Thank you for that.
I read about the vascularization you have on one of your breasts. I have quite a few broken blood vessels along my incision line on one breast, and the PS told me he will laser's those off. I don't know if that's the same issue you are having, but if it is, it can be fixed evidently.
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