Mastectomy Sept 2011
Comments
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Jeanne- so you've no doubt seen the great variety in experiences and instructions on what to do or not to do during recovery. I dutifully kept a record of my drain output and it dipped below 20 cc's quickly and was below 10 by my appointment 10 days after surgery. I only had one drain on each side and didn't feel a thing when they were pulled. I was told that I could start light exercise, treadmill and recumbent bike for short periods of time after the drains came out. No arms or chest, of course. Went to pt class about 18 days out and have been doing range of motion exercises 2x daily since. Did you have reconstruction? I have heard that the recovery period is shorter if you don't.
Sarah- I imagine that you are chomping at the bit to work out. Can you take walks? White beans must be all the rage. Someone made me a white bean, carrot and kale casserole with lots of delicious savory herbs.
I have had so much food brought over that my freezer was almost full. Older DD and SIL came over yesterday and did a lot of work around my house. I fed them a hearty dinner out of my stockpile and gave them some to take home. An Indonesian mom of one of my students is sending dinner over tonight, yum!
I know we have a certain level of anonymity on this forum but I must give an enormous thank you to the Alta Vista Elementary School community for their love, support and food! It has helped me and my family more than they will ever know. My bc absolutely stinks but I am beyond blessed with support and love from everyone in my world and that includes all of you fabulous women. Caryn0 -
I had a double mastectomy on 9/811.
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I had a double mastectomy on 9/8/11. I had drains in for 14 days and have had fluid removed twice since then. Has anyone else had this problem? How long can this go on for?
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Topless, I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV (sorry, bad joke), but from everything I've read there seems to be a wide range of drainage output. I don't know why some women are "juicier" than others. Anyone? Caryn
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Topless,
Not sure if misery really loves company but I guess I am one of the "juicer" ones like you. I will be 3 weeks post surgery on Tuesday and still have two of the original four draiins (one on each side) which are putting out about 20 cc each still. Looks like I will have them another week unless something drastically changes. Not sure how long this can last but I am seriously ready to be done with them myself.
Sarah - I am sorry you were "blessed" today and had a bit of a funk. I am glad you are feeling better now and thank you for understanding my funk the other day. Just seems some days really are harder then others.
Linda - Best of luck tomorrow, we will be praying for you and await your return.
Hope - All I can say is OMG!!! I can't believe you had to go thru all that after surgery and hope you are feeling better and mending well now that you are home.
Amazing how much we miss our own beds and how little rest one gets in the hospital. I don't take naps but am quite lazy these days. Went grocery shopping with DH today and just the trip to Wally World really wiped me out. Good thing I have tomorrow to rest up before my next outing to lunch with the girls on Tuesday.
Hope everyone has a peaceful restful night. Hugs to all......
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Oh! And one more thing,
Margie C -
Thank you for starting this thread and I appreciate the reassurance with chemo. The pacman theory is a great way to look at it. I hope seeing your September sisters thru surgery has helped to qwell some concerns for you. We will be thinking of you Tuesday.....
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topless - as others have said, some of us are "juicier" than others, but also, my breast surgeon said that activity will up your fluid output . . . so don't know if that's a factor for you, but this was said in connection w/her and my PS's mandate for me to lay very low in the coming weeks - my drains are out, don't want a seroma/hematoma!
off to attempt to assist in getting my daughter ready for school - this a.m. have done more than ever on that front, but not being able to open the fridge is a real issue for getting breakfast ready, etc. pain in my butt.
Sarah
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Linda-Good luck!! Hope you are back soon!!
Love the term "jucier"!!
Now I am hungry for white beans!! Hope somebody brings me some...or I may be tempted to make some myself! My friend planned 14 days of consecutive meals, but that overwhelmed us, so we are now at everyother day. What a blessing.
One of my drains is giving me less than 10 cc per day, but the other one is at about 60. I am 4 days post surgery. Crazy how we are all so different. My dr mentioned that he sometimes even takes them out before patients go home! But I am laying very low, with just short walks around the house, so perhaps that is helping with low output.
I unwrapped myself today and had a look. Not as scary as I had thought. I was getting so darn itchy. Things look good-healing nicely. Because I was a very small AA before, once I am dressed in tight sports braw, cami with drain pockets, new strechy tank and zip up sweat shirt (gifts from my childhood friends), I don't really appear that much different. It must be harder for bigger busted women, I imagine. More of a shock.
I am doing reconstruction later so my recovery must be easier than with immediate reconstruction.
I do have an appointment for some kind of mug scan (??) tomorrow at 9 am so that will be interesting getting up and out of the house early!
Here's to a great week!
Jeanne
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We must have all been craving the same thing this weekend. Hubby made an amazing sausage and kale soup! Used organic chicken sausage and extra kale....huge pot so I can have the leftovers for lunch
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Praying for Linda today and Margie tomorrow -
Quick recovery and healing.
So - today went for my 2nd post-op - almost 2 weeks post surgery - and PS pulled all THREE remaining drains.
NO MORE BACK DRAIN - can I get an AMEN!!!
My life will be changed drastically without those little baby hang grenades sitting in my front pockets.
I can wear normal shirts. I can lean back somewhat more normally in a chair.
I am so very thankful.
3 weeks away from my first Pump Session with the TEs... Haven't really touched my boobs - not sure I want to - the dr pressed on the left one and I felt it in my arm pit - that was FREAKY.
But each day a little better - right girlssss???
So grateful for you all.
Hope everyone is having a good day!
TIna
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Thinking of you today Linda, and hoping you have a speedy recovery
Margie- it's finally your turn. I can't imagine how slowly September must have felt for you. At least you had lots of time to prepare yourself. Thank you for starting this forum and for hanging with us all month. Will be thinking of you tomorrow!!!0 -
AMEN Chonikel!!!! Soooooo happy for you to get those stinkin' drains out! Are you able to sleep any better now?
Margie - definitely have been thinking about you and wish you all the best for your surgery tomorrow!!! Thank you for starting this thread and keeping the surgeries updated!
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Hooray for all those who got drains out! Until you've had those little buggers you can't appreciate how great it is not to have them. Hope everyone is doing well. Looks like we might have our first rain of the season today. Went to the gym this morning, then a few errands. Will be taking a shower soon and then looking forward to spending the rainy afternoon in cozy pj's.
Jeanne- yes, I understand that recovery without reconstruction is much quicker.
Rest easy, all. Caryn0 -
Had a double mastectomy with TE's placed on Friday. Feeling pretty good overall. Hate not having my arms to use as usual, forget my limits and fell the pull! Hope all are doing as well. Slow and easy but I will take it!! Best of luck to all in the September club!
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Hey Christine - great to see you back - glad it sounds like all went well . . . it is SO hard to remember the limits - just wait 'til you're a couple weeks out, get cocky, and all of a sudden - wham-o, flattened by fatigue. All part of the process, right?
Tina - YES!!!!!!!!!!
Groovygirls - we're on a white bean roll. I have found soups to be my favorite things lately b/c they keep so well and actually get better left over. I haven't cooked a thing since being in the hospital - lifting restrictions + fatigue make it impossible right now, but once I'm cleared, my from-scratch cooking will fire up again . . . cannot wait.
Margie. What can I say? You're up, girl. You've made a HUGE difference in my life by starting this thread. I will literally never forget it. Not just saying that, trust me. One never forgets the women that get her through something like this - believe me. I wish you all the best tomorrow - we'll be anxiously awaiting your return and report. I hope that it is uncomplicated for you and that you get some rest tonight.
xo to all,
Sarah
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One of my errands today was stopping by the ps office. As I was leaving, I was handed a little goody bag with pink breast cancer items, such as a pen, Emory board, calendar, pen etc. I know there is a thread where some women discuss how they feel about this but I was wondering how all of you felt. Some posters are very angry and bitter about"pinktober". Do you think that since many of us are early in our journey, it bothers us less? Personally, I don't care one way or the other although I think some of the pink items are silly and I don't think much of the money from the sale of these items goes to research. There was a pink wrapped after dinner mint in the bag. The wrapper said it was a "commit-mint to get checked every year" . I enjoyed it regardless of the wrapper!
Caryn0 -
Caryn, this is one of my hot-button issues. Being further along in my BC journey than many of you (I think, actually, I may be the most senior member as I pre-date Tina and I think we're the only two-timers here, right?), I've suffered thru many Pinktobers. At first I didn't really understand the outrage and hostility, and while I wouldn't say I am hostile, I'm outraged and NOT a supporter.
You are correct that not much money goes to research - things are slightly better than they were 10 years ago, in large part b/c of the outrage, but there is still SO MUCH MONEY being made on the backs of women with breast cancer. I am offended by this and by the efforts to "pretty up" the disease by coloring it pink. It's scary, it's ugly and it kills women. I love that I have survived it twice, but it's not b/c I did anything special, have a great attitude, or colored myself pink: it's because I was lucky in how it was caught, when it was treated, and how my personal biology has worked out. For now.
If any of you want to read up more on this stuff, I urge you to start somewhere like Breast Cancer Action, in SFO: http://bcaction.org/ and their "Think Before You Pink" campaign.
Stepping off my soapbox now . . .
Sarah
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That was a good soapbox, Sarah. Clearly this is an issue that I gave little thought to prior to this year. A fellow teacher and survivor warned me that I would receive lots of pink gifts and she was right! Two different towns in my general vicinity have already "wanted" me as one of their survivors for their 2012 Relay for Life which is ACS in general, not bc specific. I honestly don't know if I'm ready to be a poster girl, now or ever. I will check out the link you posted.
Caryn0 -
Tina - AMEN!!!
Caryn - I agree with you that the Pinktober stuff really doesn't bother me either and seems a bit silly. I do wish more of the proceeds went to searching for a cure but figure if it saves one person then it is worth it. I get the impression some people feel the pink puts a "pretty" spin on an ugly disease or see it as a reminder of their condition. Personally I just wish no other women would ever have to go thru this as the number of us just floor me. l am very grateful to have been able to have such an amazing group of women to share the journey with as it made it a whole lot less scary. For that, I thank all of you.
Hope everyone has a great day...
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Diana123 - Hoping your appt tomorrow goes well and am here for you every step of the dang way! Will be my turn next Monday to learn my treatment direction. Hang in there....
HUGS ALL!
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Thanks Odie, Wow girl!!!!
Very impressed with your memory, been reading up on the chemo threads and it makes it a little less scary. or im just becoming more accepting.
I'll be thinking of you on Monday also!!
I'm up in the air over pinktober ,,I do think I look at it differently now then I use to. But I am grateful that there is so much awareness. Yesterday there was I huge "run for the cure" in my area and it was on the news. It made me cry when they interviewed some of the participants. They were stating who they were running for and they were so emotional. They raised a lot of money for breast cancer research. I certainly can find no fault in that, as long as it's going into research.....0 -
Diana - whether you're starting chemo tomorrow or just learning more, you'll be in my thoughts.Hope all goes well. Odie, you'll have to keep us posted . . . another big step on the road to being cancer free, ladies!
Sarah
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To add insult to injury I spent 4 days last week in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction. It had nothing to do with breast cancer or my mastectomy surgery. But geeez, I was just starting to feel a little perkier after surgery and WHAM I get hit with one of the most painful ordeals I've ever gone through. I am more prone to SBO because I have an ileostomy and have had a lot of abdominal surgeries and probably have a lot of adhesions. This bout made me decide to get a port done because I had no veins and they had to put a PIC line in (it's still in). Even though I'm not doing chemo I do get a monthly Tysabri infusion for MS and have lab drawn often. It will be a relief to not dread multiple sticks before someone hits "oil".
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I have mixed feelings about Pinktober. I don't like that some companies clearly use it to gain themselves a good image and $ without effectively contributing to the cause. And I wish more $ went to research. However, I think it is great that there is so much awareness - I do think women need reminders to get their mammo's. I know my friends now take them much more seriously since I've been diagnosed. And screening mammo's do catch many cancers early, which is always good. Oh and also I just read about a lympedema clinic that provides tx pro bono for those who are uninsured - all from a grant received from Race for the Cure.
Yeah, mixed feelings - wish more of the money went to research. I definitely think it is smart to "Think Before You Go Pink." However I don't want to turn my back on something that obviously does do a lot of good. Where would we be if Susan Komen hadn't started the movement many moons ago?
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topless - how awful! I have a good friend (a BRCA2 woman) who went in for her hysterectomy and had a bowel obstruction and it was a horrendous ordeal. sorry you had to go thru that! sounds like the port will be good for you - never what you want, but I have bad veins after chemo and I dread the multiple sticks - you have a lot going on, health-wise - gotta make it as easy on yourself as possible. hang in there!
Sarah
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dancetrancer - all good points. I think there was a definite need for awareness way back when Komen started things up years ago . . . and there is definitely a need for care for uninsured and underinsured women, without a doubt. That does make this all so complicated - b/c so many of the orgs. that I have issues with do do some good things, too. And, I have good friends who're involved w/them and who've found their involvement to be very instrumental in their BC treatment and recovery.
So, as in all things, my attitude is "to each her own," just 'cause I get all riled up about it doesn't mean I'll begrudge someone her pink mint or walk/run . . . just want everyone to be aware what s/he's getting into . . . .
Sarah
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Sarah I agree! I'm glad for the awareness that people have brought to what is NOT being done right by these organizations. I knew nothing about the negative side of the pink campaign until I was diagnosed and ended up on this board. I definitely have a new way of looking at these things now...with some healthy skepticism!
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Margie - hope all goes well for you tomorrow!
I tried to be a little more active today keeping up with my son and cut back on pain meds. I'm paying for that tonight. My chest feels so tight. But, at least there is progress!
Hope all had a good day!
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Hi everyone! Linda, hope your surgery went well and that you are starting to feel better with each passing day. Margie, best wishes for you tomorrow as you move from this side of the equation to the other. May your surgery go well and may you quickly recover! I join in the chorus of thanks here for this forum you set up for the September (and early October!) women having mastectomies. It's been a god send.
Hope, sorry to here what a rough time you had at first in the hospital. Geez, two horrid nurses-- that just doesn't seem fair at all. Hope you're feeling much better. Topless, sorry that you had to suffer an SBO after a MX. Enough is enough, I mean really. Now that some time has passed, I trust that you are feeling stronger and not having any more issues like that.
I'm feeling much better about the pathology report I received with the atypical ductal hyperplasia in both breasts. My bs did a study with 100 women who had this and tracked them over five years; none of them had the atypical hyerplasia develop into cancer (Hmm, I'm having a feeling of deja vu, hoping I didn't already tell you this. I swear, my mind is shot since the surgery.) I also spoke with my sister in law, who used to be an oncology nurse who worked with breast cancer patients. Like my surgeon, she felt I didn't need to have my nipples removed, but rather that I could watch it very carefully and act later if it became an issue. Sarah, were you saying that you had your nipples removed ten years ago because of this issue? I wasn't clear. And Caryn, what decision have you reached?
I've been in more pain for the past few days, building since I had my drains removed last Wednesday. My breasts are really hard and for the first time I feel some swelling and tenderness in my underarms. I'm anxious to see my ps on Wednesday. He's in LA, almost two hours away and he's surgery tomororow; otherwise, I'd go see him tomorrow. Is anyone else having this problem post drain removal (geez, I am spacy-- I originally typed "post brain removal"!!
. Hugs to everyone. Thanks for sharing your ongoing journeys. We all get so much comfort from each other's stories and from everyone's courage. xoxo, Therese
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thanks to everyone for thoughts and prayers. I had my surgery 9/29 bilateral mastectomy. One night overnight and I was ready to come home! Two drains, one on either side and the itching from the tegrader bandages are driving me INSANE
Feeling glad the surgery is over. Sad that my boobs are gone. i could not do reconstruct now because radiation doc was concerned about implants and radiation,that implants would impare my body's ability to recieve this treatment.
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