Mastectomy Sept 2011
Comments
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Margie, I had a friend who finally completed herceptin, had decreased ejection fraction, but it came back to nearly baseline in a fairly short time (well, short in terms of months, not years), so I hope yours will also. Praying for patience for you as you play the waiting game.
Layla, the short answer is "yes, PS can make you look BETTER" but it will never be what you looked like before, and it will not feel like what you felt like before. That can get better with time - it took me nearly 2 months before I could actually even look at myself in the mirror. I was supposed to use vitamin E cream and do some scar massage so they would heal better, but couldn't even touch my chest to do that. I did not have reconstruction, and now at 5 months out, I am able to do both those things. There are several ladies here who HAVE had reconstruction of various types, so they can share information on PS, choosing a PS, etc. I am gald you are seeing a psychologist. I saw my PCP today and she said the new standards include referring a cancer patient to palliative care (which includes mental health!) AT TIME OF DIAGNOSIS, not just wait until symptoms become unbearable. So take good care of yourself, be kind to yourself. You are not a different woman, just have a few "warrior wounds" to deal with. You have fought a tremendous battle, and we know there are always casualties when you do battle, and you are winning the war each day you enjoy life with loved ones.
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Layla - I had a BMX in Oct with tissue expanders. My exchange was Jan. The implants are not the same as my orginal floobs and you have to know that you will never look exactly the same. My BMX scars have gotten a little wide and dark, but my PS promises he can clean that up when he does my nipple. What I recommend is ask your PS to show you pictures of his work and ask to talk to his patients. Mine did that and it really helped me to have realisitc expectation of what the reconstruction is like. Plus there is a private picture forum you can gain access to by private messaging whippitmom --I found it extremely helpful too. The hardest thing to remember but is import is that your are still you just as Linda said a few extra "warrior wounds".
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Ladies, I have big problems... ( as usual).After 3 expandings, ny breast started looking like a conus tipe and had weird yellow skin underneath. It was dying sking because of low blood supplies. Unfortunally, he could not extending it anymore. He thinks it can open wound and I end up with emergency operation. We don't know yet, but I have to decide to remove everything and go flat, or do FLAP on the left, which is huge opertion and it is very painful too.
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Oh olgah, I am so sorry. I wish you strength and insight to help you with deciding how to proceed. You have had so many complications - it just isn't fair. Hang tough as best you can and big hugs to you!!!
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Olgah, I am so sorry and totally agree with DT that it just isn't fair....Sending gentle hugs & puppy kisses. May you find peace in whatever decision you make.
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Olgah - I am so sorry to hear of your complications. I am sending you hugs and prayers.
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Olgah, am so sorry you are still having pain and problems. It ISN'T fair! Sending you lots and lots of loving thoughts - offering you a cyber-shoulder to cry on. When you have sobbed your heart out, rest a while and remember there is healing, but it will take time - sometimes a lot of time. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Thank you, ladies...
I am in a better mood now, wait till Friday...made 2 opinion appt next week..I still want to keep the right one, which is good...about left one... I don't make any desicion now... 0 -
Olga,
My apologies for taking so long to wish you healing and strength. I am sorry that your recon process has turned into such an ordeal. Second opinions are good. Take excellent care of yourself.
Everyone else, I' m on grand baby countdown . DD is due today so we are all on pins and needles. I've finished 23 of 26 parent teacher conferences and have been working like crazy to have everything in order for a sub as soon as I hear my dd is admitted to the hospital so I can head up to her ASAP.
Oh, the waiting ! Have a good weekend all.
Caryn0 -
Oh Olgah- You have had quite the difficulties. I wish there was something I could do or say to make things easier for you
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Ladies, I have another operation tomorrow...My PS and I decided to remove this left TE, before it got worse. I am on antibiotics since Friday. I was leaking again, so he closed it with glue. Then I will wait till it heals it self probably, till January...I need to move on with my life, I need to go back to work, see eye doctor,etc. The right expander, which is OK, stays. I just don't understand why did he rush to put another expander, after first was renmoved, it always was red,,,
Thank you for all good wishes. I opened Knitting blog in this Forum and happy about it.
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Hi all, wishing the Sept ladies, happy 6 month anniversary. I'm happy to be alive & am getting used to being boob-less. Tamoxifen isn't much fun but I know it will help in the long run.
I hope all of you are doing well. I'm sorry done of you are having issues and I'll keep you in my prayers.
Hugs to all!
Deborah0 -
Olgah- thoughts and prayers today
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Olgah - best wishes on your surgery. Here's hoping to a very speedy recovery!!! I so hear ya on needing to return to your normal life!
And all...guess what...6 months post surgery (4.5 months with delayed diagnosis of a HER2+ tiny tumor)...consult at MD Anderson Monday = chemo recommended to prevent recurrence. Someday, someday, this will all be over for me - right? Feeling sorry for myself this morning. Oh and BTW finished rads last Friday - did very well with that.
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Thinking of you, Olga. I hope this brings you the relief you deserve and a much needed break from pain.
Caryn0 -
Thank you... Dance, how did they foind out they missed it?what margins, you mean, lft skin? how did they find out?
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The pathologist missed it in their review of my mastectomy slides. Then I had several opinions about whether to get radiation or not, and each time the pathologists missed it. It was not until a tumor board was run at one facility that one of the pathologists caught it. Surgery was in September, so it was removed then. However not seen in my slides until 4th path review in January. It was tiny, guess that's why so many missed it. However, according the MD Anderson, my risk is too high (since it is HER2+ and I'm young) to forego chemo/Herceptin.
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I think, with HER2 chemo/ herceptin is out of question- I am 53...What do you mean slides? you mean the tissue of the breast they removed 9/ 20, and nobody noticed till... when? January? So it was removed with breast tissue , right? why did you do radiation then?
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Yes, slides made of my tissue in September. No one saw the IDC until January. Had to do radiation b/c I had close margins of DCIS after mastectomy.
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Dancetreance- are you doing tamoxifen as well?
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Yes, after chemo. Tamox was not recommended until I was diagnosed with the IDC in late January. This was b/c I was supposedly DCIS only and had had a BMX. In January I was told to delay it while on rads and also b/c they needed to do some other tests on me that Tamox would interfere with. And now of course you wait until after chemo to start it. So yeah...6 months without any systemic protection. Scary, hopefully this isn't going to come back to bite me. Nothing I can do about it, except be pissed, of course!
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Hi friends - been too long since I checked in and I'm so bummed to see that some of you are having such a rough time of it. Olga - thinking of you, wondering how the surgery went - this is too much. Hopefully *this* will be the end of complications and you can move forward. And DT - you have a right to be pissed, and you should throw yourself a big ol' pity party if it'll make you feel better. This is nuts. You are like a bulldog after this thing - I think 6 mos. is fine - likelihood of invasion seems to be small for you, and point is, you're pulling out all the stops to minimize chances of distant recurrence. Keep your eyes on the prize - but yeah, this, in a word, really sucks.
Sigh. On the happy side - Caryn? Baby??????? Can you post a pic to cheer us all up? Nothin' better for cancer-woes than babies, I think!
Big hugs to you all, and I'm keeping you in my thoughts, as always.
Sarah
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Sarah.. I was thinking about you...don't disappear, please..and alsoI need your healthy food recipies. Now I am knitting a lot, I opened thread on breastcancer.org in moving beyond cancer, it is saving my life!
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Thank you Sarah for your empathy and encouraging words!
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Frances Leigh was born this evening 8lbs. 3ozs. Beautiful and healthy. Mother and baby are doing very well. This new grandmother is exhausted!
Caryn0 -
Congratulations, Caryn! I am a grandmother tooo... still waiting for the little girl, though
( 2 sons, 2 grandsons,) again, congratulations to you and all your family! 0 -
Congratulations Caryn!!!!!
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Caryn, congrats! Sarah, glad to see you back here. Olgah, DT, Margie, newfmama, Odie,groovygirls, and everyone else - hoping you are all doing well.
I am still using the 24 hour rule as I seem to have chronic pain in the ALND arm that the PT says has "restrictions" similar to cording, as well as hypersensitivity due to nerve damage from the surgery (BS never told me that could be a complication). I was expecting numbness, but not pain, and certainly not at 6 months out. The biggest complaint I have about it is that it keeps me from driving more than about an hour at a time, so my solo road trips that I had planned may not be possible, and THAT just TICKS ME OFF! Lots of other things I cannot do because of it, so am trying to pay attention to the things I CAN do - and finding there are a lot of options! One of them is going out to lunch with friends every week, something I have not done during my working-my-way-to-the-top decades, and today was so wonderful, good food, good friends, good conversation, lots of love. Truly moments of grace for me today, and I am grateful.
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Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Thinking of you all, hoping those of you on chemo are done or nearly done and feeling good.
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Is it just me or is it amazing to anyone else that we ladies are now 6 months out? I still remember the emotions like it was yesterday yet it seems like an eternity ago. Am starting to find my new normal and hope everyone is doing well.
Olgah & DT - I continue to pray for easier paths ahead for you.
Everyone - I can't thank you enough for being there during one of my most difficult life events. I think of each of you often and wish the best for every one of you.
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