Mastectomy Sept 2011
Comments
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Margie - what an awesome dh!! Enjoy your weekend without housecleaning.
Olga - hang tough with the drains...
Linda - you are battle ready! And an inspiring leader. Keep it up!
I'm enjoying our little community. Wishing everyone a good weekend...0 -
Hi everyone, just checking in to let you know that today I'm going to be pain pill free. Going to just take something at bed time if needed. Well, try till then anyways. Just feel a lot of tightness or numbness but it's not really painful. Been told to try a heating pad on my shoulder as it's pretty sore but they think I have been keeping it very tense instead of relaxing it. (they should try having a drain tube come out of thier arm pit) I'm sure there right as every thing seems tight in my shoulder.
Have a great weekend everyone!!!0 -
Thanks for the updates on how you gals are doing. It really is helping me mentally prepare for the upcoming surgery. May you continue to heal well and have as minimal pain as possible! <gentle hugs>!
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Hi All, I'm home after 3 nights in the hospital . I had a dreadful time the first night because my body decided it could no longer tolerate morphine . Dilaudid was only slightly better and both Percoset and Norco have me slightly sick and very constipated. Have tried colace, prunes, prune juice and every type of fiber known to man but no luck yet. I'm just on motrin now and it's not too bad. Had nipple sparing bmx with one step implants and axillary node dissection . Waiting on path report. Tired now but will be back when I can. Hope all is well with others who are recovering. -Caryn
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Caryn, rest well, my friend. If you haven't tried Miralax, it might help. Sorry to hear of your problems with the pain meds.
I think the BMX with nipple sparing and one-step implants would be the way to go if possible! I met with PS and that apparently is not an option for me, oh well. Hopefully there are lots less doctor visits and no additional procedures for you!
Gentle hugs to all,
Linda
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Caryn - it's great to hear from you, but I'm so sorry the pain meds are an issue. Miralax is great, like Linda said, or Dulcolax was what I used back when I was on chemo and had issues. I have a terrible time w/that stuff when I'm on narcotics. Already dreading it! How many nodes did they take out? Will cross fingers for an uneventful pathology . . .
Diana - pain pill free - wahoo! Hope it works out well for you - one step closer to normalcy.
Lori - bored is good . . . for me that's always a great sign that I'm getting my mojo back . . . .
Olga - hope you have a wonderful day w/your family tomorrow!
Sarah
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Caryn - sorry to hear you had such difficulty with the pain meds and needed to spend extra nights in the hospital! Hope you feel better and heal quickly with less pain. <hugs>
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Yes, the meds reaction was awful and unexpected because this has never been an issue for me in the past. I didn't need to spend extra nights in the hospital as 3-5 nights is what my ps usually does with bmx/reconstruction. They just weren't very pleasant
Caryn0 -
I was diagnoised Aug 31 and will hit surgery Sept 16. Enjoy reading all the ends and outs of what I might expect. The little package deal they share with you about the procedure sounds like a walk in the park until oops!, there was this little issue. Hope all is well with everyone in the forum.
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Ah, I see! Only expecting one night in the hospital for myself, barring any complications (fingers crossed!).
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Just an overnight stay for me as well. I got out of the house last night and walked to the end of my block and back. I felt like it was a real accomplishment. My DH walked w/me, as sometimes my balance is not so great. I also got out of my recliner and slept propped up in the bed as well. I can't wait to get the drains out! Meet w/my surgeon on Fri. I hope that I will get more specific info. then. He told my family that the cancer had indeed spread into the nodes, and he cleaned them out, and chemo is likely.
Diana-tried to go pain pill free, and I couldn't do it. Rock on girl!!
Caryn-sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope now that you've been home you're doing better!
Olga-hope you had a marvelous time w/your family!
There are several surgeries scheduled for this week. I will be thinking of each and every one of you. Sending positive thoughts and energy your way!
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Welcome jazz- looks like you got scheduled quickly for surgery, best of luck to you.
Lori- welcome back, for pain everyday makes a difference. Took some last night before bed and slept great. Was pretty sore then and today I'll go without again. It's doable I only had the right side done with no recon. But you walked and that's great. I haven't even tried that although I'm moving around the house alot more now.
Caryn- welcome back also, hoping you had a pain free night.
To all of you scheduled this week, you will all be in my thoughts and hope you all have a speedy recovery. I think the days leading up to surgery can be harder then the days after. (mentally)
Wishing the best to you all0 -
Welcome Jazz. Sorry you had to join us though.
stjude10 - you are my inspiration girl! 3 days post surgery and taking short walks? I hope to do half as well....
Caryn - I sorry you're road was bumpy to start and I pray that means things will go smoothly from here out.
Olgah - I hope you had a good time with the family today and am sure you were gorgeous.
Diana123 - You are soooo right.. The days before surgery are mentally exhausting...Have my overnight bag packed and am as ready as possible, I think.....
Hope everyone is doing well; gentle hugs to all. God bless our troops & those lost 10 yrs ago today......
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Walking is the best! Started walking circuits in the hospital and walked around the block last night when family was walking the dogs. I had abdominal surgery years ago and attribute my quick recovery to walking. I have a surprising amount of mobility and range of motion in my arms. Thought this would be worse. Sarah, too late now, but nothing was said about my freshly pedicured toes! Thoughts and prayers to the 9/12 ladies. Nap
time for me. Caryn0 -
Thanks Caryn for the encouraging post! I will be walking, walking, walking!
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GroovyGirls and TML will be thinking of you guys tomorrow - fingers crossed for uncomplicated surgeries, great results and quick recoveries.
Caryn, having a low night here - but hearing of your walking perked me up - being inactive is one thing I'm dreading - and knowing you could get out so quickly is so encouraging. I'm sure you've found the same! Exercise makes me feel alive.
Hang in there everyone,
Sarah
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Groovy girls and TML - best wishes for your surgeries tomorrow!!!
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Sarah, Although I enjoy down time, I'm not a sedentary person. Yoga, workouts at the JCC and teaching first grade keep me on the go. The moment a nursing aide offered to walk with me (IV pole in drag) I was out of bed. We joked that each turn around the floor was a lap of the KP 500. I really felt much better the more I walked even if I was tired afterward. I also stayed out of bed unless I was sleeping. I had a private room that had some nice chairs so that's where I spent a lot of my time. Just got back from a walk around the block. Keep walking and avoid blood clots, pneumonia, muscle atrophy and get your digestive system moving and anesthesia out of your system. Caryn
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I appreciate all the encouragement for walking, even in the hospital. I will keep it in mind later this week. BEST WISHES to those having surgery tomorrow. Hugs all around!
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I just remembered something! I was given a subcutaneous shot of Lovenox every 12 hours to prevent deep vein thrombosis. The shot was given near my navel and didn't really hurt but I hated the thought of it. Did anyone else have this? Caryn
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Positive thoughts and prayers to my sisters today. I have been up since 4! Ativan is a lie!
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Oh no groovygirls! Even Ativan can't cut thru surgery-day jitters, I fear. Go get 'em, girl! We'll be thinking of you and checking here for your return . . . .
Sarah
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Ladies, I am not good, Yesterday I suddenly had temperature 100. 5 F. It was 7 P.M. I called doctor on call, they did not now anything but to tell me take double tylenol, which I did. Today I see surgeon and someehow I need to see PS. I still have both drains , 12 days , and left one produses much more liquid , thaan right. I wasbetween antibiotics last week I mean I had it 5 days after operation, then they had to remove drains, did not do it anf forgot about antibiotics. Finally nurse remembered on FRIDAY . I am very very scared, I did not sleep at all. Pray for me.
Olga
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P. s. I had bad time with my family, may stress cause it?
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olgah -- so sorry to hear you have a fever. I hope the Dr can give you something to kick it out. I will be praying for you today...
Caryn -- good to hear you have been up and walking. I hope I will be able to move around like you have when I have my surgery.
Groovygirls and TML good luck today - sending you a big hug.
odie16 good luck tomorrow - sending you a big hug too
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Olga, Sorry that you're under the weather. Stress certainly is not helpful when you are recovering. Is it possible that you over did things this weekend? I know that as you recover and feel better you are sometimes tempted to try to go back to normal but then your body reminds you that you are still recovering. Take it easy and let us know how it goes. Caryn
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olgah- so sorry to hear you're having some trouble. keep us posted as you will be in my thoughts. gentle hugs for you
caryn-never thought I'd be doing this well after 5 days, did you? pleasantly surprised here!
groovygirls and tml-best wishes today. hoping to hear from you both in a day or two
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Hello All.
I had a BMX with immediate reconstruction, saline implants, Sept.6, Drain are still in and hopefully coming out today. I was not dx. with BC just alot of high risk lesions ALH, ADH., though I will be getting path report today from my surgery of last week. A real must for the hospital is ear pluggs!!! and a neck pillow.(travel pillow). Try to get a private room if you can. Getting up and out of bed is key as well as keeping yourself well hydrated. Ask for stool softener/laxative while in the hospital. Get it on board as soon as possible. Fiber one bars are also helpful. Wishng you all good luck, hugs and love. We are stronger than we think. As my girlfriend wrote to me "When you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" Will post later.
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Olgah - so sorry to hear about the fever. Hoping you are not dealing with a post-op infection. Even so, if you are, it can be treated successfully! (This happened to me after my appendectomy.) Please keep us posted! <hugs and prayers!>
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Pfitz, Sounds like you are doing well. I think the stool softener is pretty standard and most docs will include it in the meds you take home. Some people's bowels are more effected by the anesthesia and narcotics than others so the hospital is happy to supply prune juice too. I had a neck pillow and it was great in the hospital as well as home. My hospital is very new and almost all of the rooms were private. I was shocked by how little noise there was! They had signs all over that said"quiet please. This is a healing zone." Are your saline implants TE's or your permanent ones? Keep having an uneventful recovery!
Stjude10, yes, I thought I would be in far worse shape. But I think I need to take it a bit easier and not overdo like I did a bit yesterday. Caryn0
