Mastectomy Sept 2011
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Quick pop in- I am home! No node involvement and margins clear. Pain is manageable but the drains suck (4). I brought way to much stuff with me. The only thing I truly needed was my cell phone and pjs. I have no dressings or sutures (amazing). I ll post more later- hubby is going to wash my hair
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I had a nerve block prior to surgery. Would recommend to anyone- provides 24 hour pain control
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grooveygirls -- glad you are home and doing good. Great news about the nodes and margins.
Sarah -- I have not heard about the shot in the neck, but I am defineately going to ask about a nerve block at my pre-op appointment Monday.
Ok I need to whine a little. I went in for my muga scan today and they had to take blood and the tech told me she couldn't take it from my port unless I had gone by my onc office and had my port accessed so she had to stick me three times to get a vain. She finally got blood out of my wrist and it hurt. UGH. The good news is my mamogram showed improvement in my tumors from the chemo.
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Hey groovygirls, welcome home! Glad to hear you liked the nerve block - maybe it's just a MGH thing? No dressings/sutures? Crazy good. Which kind of reconstruction did you have done? Very happy you've got clear nodes and clean margins - didn't know you could get margin results so quickly - for me in the past they've come w/the final path report.
Margie - I think whining is A-OK. That sucks you had to have a vein used when you have the darn port right there. 1/2 the time the phlebotomist is going to be the one accessing the port anyway - you'd think they'd have a comfort level w/it. But awesome news on your tumors shrinking! Isn't it awesome to know that all the chemo was worth something?
Sarah
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Thanks Caryn for the 1 wk update and tips!!!
Yay groovy girls for the negative nodes and clear margins!!!
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Caryn - Hope the constipation dissipates soon. That's the worst! I'm hoping to try and avoid it when I start my pain meds tomorrow.
Olga - I participated on a chemo thread (March 2011 chemo lounge) which was awesome and we are staying connected there. At the same time, I'm now on THIS thread to have a group to go through my surgery with. I think you'd do well to look for a Oct 2011 chemo thread if that's when you're starting (or start one if there isn't one yet). You will get through that piece just as well as you're getting through the post-surgery stuff!
Tomorrow's my surgery. I'll post an update as soon as I'm up to it!
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Silia, I think my constipation was unusual and that I am just sensitive to opiates. People were incredulous when I told them everything that I did to avoid/cure it without luck. Cutting out the pain pills was the cure. Good thoughts and prayers for you. Caryn
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Good luck to silia and tracien tm. You will both be in my thoughts.
Olga-hope your feeling better
Congrats to the rest of you for your good results and speedy recoveries.
1 more week till my path report--tired of all the waiting!!!!0 -
silia and tracien-best wishes for tomorrow. will be thinking of you both
met w/my ps today for post op check up. got one of my drains removed. yay!
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Stjude, I am envious. I still have both drains but hope to have them out during my appointment with ps on Friday. What does it feel like when they take it out? Caryn
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I'm hoping they will take my drain out Friday also,
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Thought I'd jump back in, though I've moved over to Oct. Settled on BS/PS team, and now that I can schedule surgery, I feel much better. BMX, probably with DIEP - getting a scan Friday to see if they might have to take any muscle, at which point I reconsider a lat flap.
Caryn - Thanks for the tip about ab and leg strength. I'd been hitting the gym twice a week with a new emphasis on weights. Glad it will be worth it.
Olga - good luck on your continued recovery.
Groovy girls - glad to hear about the clear margins
Good luck to all the girls set for tomorrow and the rest of the month.
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I have been very contemplative today. Really thinking about the love and kindness that have surrounded me in this part of my bc journey. Gratitude. I am filled with gratitude. My beautiful daughters who have grown into loving, caring selfless young women. My son in law and son in law to be. Quiet unassuming men who have shown such great strength of character in supporting my daughters and me through this ordeal ( and provided some muscle for tasks around my house!). My future son in law's mother who took the day off from work to be at the hospital during my surgery. She also used her nursing skills to make me more comfortable and helped me advocate for myself. My parents, brother and sister in law. Though they live across the country, they have diligently stayed on top of my care and condition and provided love and moral support. Mom, dad, I will let go off my anger over the prune juice argument! Friends; what can I say about the value of friends? Whether near or far you all had my back. A long phone call from a friend in France was the perfect tonic today. My school community. Their only thought was, "What can we do for you?" and they did it? Can't wait for tonight's yummy dinner. And you ,all my new friends, I am grateful for you. Please know that I write these words not to brag or rub salt in the wounds of those who feel abandoned by loved ones. I write these words simply to say thank you and to hope that all of you know how very,very blessed I am. Caryn
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Hi , I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on August 26. , 2011.I am scheduled for a Masectomy on Sept 21. I was given the option of having a Masectomy and they told me that I wouldn't need any further treatments , or have a Lumpectomy and i would need 6 weeks of radiation as a precautionary measure. I chose to have the Masectomy. Two lumps were found in my breast, two were both small, one was benign and the smaller one being cancer. The size of the cancerous lump in my breast is .4mm .I found that the aniticipation of waiting for the results of the ultrasound, and biopsy was very hard on me.
As I was browsing on the internet awhile ago, I came across this little quote. It goes like this
Every tommorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or with the handle of Faith. Henry Ward Beeder I choose Faith, how about you!
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exbrnxgrl - blessings are all relative - counting them is what is important...
This is a journey - there are things that will disappoint us - and make us sad and make us mad - but through it all - we get to see amazing blessings of loved ones, of miracles, of a sisterhood that is like no other...
So You Count your blessings all you want - I am very grateful for all mine too!!!
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For those of you having drains removed - my PS made SURE to tell me when I come back to have them removed - BRING PAIN MEDS - it HURTS. He said he only made the mistake ONCE to forget to tell a patient about bringing pain meds - and he won't forget again.
Note to you ladies
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I'm a newbie to this site and to bc in my body. In June I felt a mass, which my GYN thought I should have biopsied. Had a Mammogram & ultrasound. On 7/13 biopsy showed LCIS. My surgeon was concerned and ordered an MRI which showed lots of abnormal cells taking over my left breast so he suggested mx. On my wedding anniversary, 8/23, I received a second opinion of DCIS, intermediate grade. On 9/8, I had a mx. That night my chest became abnormally swollen and my surgeon was called in. He dx hematoma and on 9/9 I was back on the table with local anesthesia and some meds to knock me out to vacuum the blood out. This caused me to stay an extra night.
I'm happy to be home now, surrounded by family members. Every now and again I get a little teary-eyed, but I try to do it alone because I don't want to worry them. They're not letting me do a thing, except strip and clear my one drain.
Yesterday, while they went out I decided to wash my hair on my own (a little difficult since I can only use my one arm). Since then I've been feeling a little more pain than usual. I hope I didn't mess anything up in there or put on my bandage too tight. Good thing I didn't really need my meds the first few days, cause I'm using them up now.
My nodes are clear and I have a follow-up with my surgeon on Friday, 9/16.
Yesterday I was feeling a little more emotional than any of the other days. I'm glad I found this forum to get things off my chest without having to bother friends and family over and over again. While I wish none of you had to go through this, I'm glad that we at least have this venue to go through it together.
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caryn- ps just clipped the stitches around the drain and pulled it out. didn't feel great, but i've felt worse. good news was she said the node drain was shorter so it won't be so bad when it comes out
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jucar and monse812- sorry to have to welcome you to the group. I'm sure you both will find the group a great bunch of gals. It is nice to be here where everyone can honestly say they know how you feel.
chonikel- wow, my ps never mentioned a pill. funny thing is that I thought about it the day before, and then forgot today.
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Welcome jucar and monse- this is a great place to be, I hope you get as much from it as I have
Caryn- thanks for sharing with us.
Tina- will be taking something just in case, don't need any more pain. Thanks0 -
Caryn...loved your post so much! I just posted on facebook how yet again, I am so thankful for all of my friends and family being there for me. And I just finished having a nice conversation with a friend about how amazing my husband has been through all of this. I feel so blessed despite this diagnosis.
Welcome Jucar. The waiting is the worst, for sure! You will have surgery the day after me.
Welcome Monse812. Sorry to hear about the complication - sounds like the docs were on top of it though. Happy to hear your nodes are clear! :-) This forum definitely is a great place to unload - we all understand. I so know what you mean about not wanting to be Debbie Downer with friends and family all of the time, LOL. Still, I really don't think they mind...they love us!
TracieN and Silia - best wishes tomorrow for your surgery - here's to a speedy recovery!
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Had my pre op consult today and am still on for Friday. It is a surreal experience and I'm assuming after Friday it will be more of a grounding than tonight. I've read most of your posting tonight, some of you tentative, some confused, some venting and many sharing their gratitude for what light has been shined on how much love and caring there really is in this world. It's always surprising and I think exciting to discover new sides of people you never fully appreciated before. It's pretty surprising to discover one's self and one's own strengths in times like these. I think we are all stronger than we thought we would or could ever be. The hands that buoy us up come from so many different directions and in so many different ways.All I can say is Thank You.
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Tomorrow is the big day. I am now very scared, nervous, and ready to get this done and start getting my life back. I am more afraid of being put to sleep then anything. I have been reading everyone's posts on here and am glad that the girls that have already had their surgeries done are doing well. I hear that since chemo is over for me the surgery will be the easier part, we shall see about that.
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jucar and monse812 -- welcome to our group sorry you have to join us.
Caryn -- you post brought tears to my eye this morning. I so feel the same way about the wonderful people I have in my life.
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amylynn1108 -- I totally sympathize with you on the general anesthesia. The first time I ever had to be put to sleep was in 2008 for a gallbladder removal. I was freaking out!! Since then I've been put to sleep 3 more times, including the mastectomy last week. By now it's the one thing that I actually look forward to because with it I don't feel or remember a thing that happened during surgery. You will be in my thoughts. I wish you all the best tomorrow.
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Ok gals, I'm on day 8 since my surgery. I am still feeling tightness and uncomfortable on the side where the te was placed. Is this normal and am I really impatient, or should I question it when I see my surgeon tomorrow. I have no idea when I should be sleeping on my side ( good god let it be soon ). Not sure if all of the tightness is from the te or because nodes were removed from that side.
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Stjude, I'm no expert, of course, but I have read that the tightness is common. What type of dressing/bandages do you have? I still have my very tight "tube top" wrapped around my chest so I always feel a tightness( but I have my permanent implants somewhere under there, not TE's). I think it is always good to call your doctor with concerns. We love you but none of us are doctors, at least that I know of! Take good care of yourself. Caryn
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I agree - check with your doc st. jude. Did they give you clearance to start any range of motion exercises for your shoulder yet?
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hi, I have my surgery scheduled on Sept 16 9 am. I'm in Hong Kong which means I'm 13 hours away to have lumpectomy. I have never had surgery in the past, so it's a very disturbing experience. I found out accidentally when i had a normal check up in early Aug, I couldn't even feel the lump. I'm lucky in that way to be able to catch it early. But last night, the doc came and told me the MRI report found two satellite lumps so she would need to make a bigger cut than originally planned.
God bless of of us on this journey.
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Like the proverbial bad penny, ha ha, I am back....two days post op and doing well. Sounds like Tracey & I had pretty much the same experience. All in all, it was way less scary than I thought. I had a nice private room, a wonderful hospital staff and limited pain. Now if the elephant siting on my chest would move....
Only had one node removed since it tested negative!!! Woohoo!! Looks like we had a good week with the nodes this week.
My only issue seems to be that if I have anything with milk, i get congested & nauseaous. So much for the all the protein rich yogurt I bought & the homemade ziti a friend was kind enough to bring by. If this is my only issue though, I will consider myself lucky....
Time to take my first post surgery shower (which yes Sarah will be the best EVAH!!! ) and maybe an afternoon walk before my nappie.
Gentle hugs to all those who have bravely gone before sending prayers & positive energy for those coming up in the next few days....Truly am glad to have you ladies helping me along. This site has been a godsend...
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