Mastectomy Sept 2011
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diana and chefmom . . . what else can I say? I wish you both the very best for uncomplicated surgeries, no pain, and then speedy recoveries . . . . we'll be thinking of you tomorrow! come back and let us know how you are when you can.
Sarah
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olga - so glad you're not in too much pain! and I have to say, your new profile pic w/your dog is just adorable. s/he is VERY cute - probably a welcome distraction from all of this! I had a very affectionate cat my first time around and he would cuddle w/me after surgeries, love me up after chemo infusions, etc. It was the best therapy EVER.
Sarah
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Diana123 and Chefmom- you both will be in my thoughts tomorrow. Will be looking for updates that you both are recovering well! And Caryn, will be thinking of you Wed. and wondering where you're at in your process as I'm in mine!
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Diana123 and chefmom- Thinking of you both tonight. Will be praying for both of you tomorrow.
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Stjude10, we'll have to compare notes. I'm hoping that by some time on Thurs. or Fri. I'll feel up to checking this forum and will have my iPad with me. What time is your surgery? I have to be at the hospital at 6:30am, surgery at 8:00. I am going to work tomorrow just to make sure my sub is comfortable with everything (she is great!) and to see my little munchkins one more time before the big day. -Caryn
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Olga, glad to hear that you're doing well. Best of luck to all the women having surgery this week.
I haven't checked the forum for awhile. While it's always inspiring to hear other people's stories, sometimes I just need to space out for awhile and go about my life as if I don't have breast cancer. I was so freaked out in the beginning when I realized that I would be having a BMX. Now I seem to have sequed into denial and numbness. Has anyone else gone through that? It's like I can't even tell what I feel (and that's a VERY odd thing for me).Maybe it's because I've had a relatively long lead up to my surgery date of 9/22.
Love the humor and kindness here on this board. It does make it easier to hear what others are going through and how you're handling it all. Thank you all, September ladies!
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Hi All
Sorry I have been off the site for the weekend. Labor day weekend was our 22 wedding anniversary so I spent the weekend with the DH.
Hey If I have missed anyone's surgery dates please private message me and I will get them added.
olgah34 -- I have just completed 3 months of chemo and it wasn't as bad as I had feared. My best advise is go into it with a positive attitude. I found that helped me.
good luck today to diana123 and chefmon - you will be in my thoughts and prayers.
good luck tomorrow to exbrnxgrl, stjude10 and babycakess - you wll be in my thoughts and prayers.
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exbrnxgrl- I have to be there at 6, surgery around 11. I am having both injections prior to surgery for SNB. I'm also going into office to get stuff done. Gonna try to clean house and get laundry caught up, since I didn't do much this weekend. Hope your anxiety has eased a bit
Therese9- I also had surgery scheduled a while after DX. I just had that "out of sight, out of mind" thing going on.
babycakes-sorry I missed you on the list. Best wishes tomorrow and now I have another surgery sister!
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Therese9 and Lisa, I also have a strong sense of denial. Having surgery date set in October seems to be unreal, but I know the time will fly by, and I have so much to get organized beforehand, and it just seems overwhelming, so I feel like I am kind of stuck in some kind of time warp. I still have to see the PS and RO, still don't know if SNL is needed, etc., lots of unanswered questions here, and I have my appointment with my BS on a Friday before the Monday surgery date, thinking I should probably see her sooner to get all my questions answered and final plans made before I end up not signing a permit at the last minute due to some misunderstanding.
Have any of you considered NOT doing reconstruction???? I have such a small frame and not a whole lot of boob to begin with, just wondering if it is worth it.
diana123, chefmom, Caryn, Lori, and babycakes, wishing you the best this week. Olgah, hoping you are doing well.
Linda
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Linda -- I am small breasted and DH and I talked about reconstruction and I decided for me I wanted to have the immediate reconstructions. It does add months to the process with the TE, exchange surgery, nipple reconstruct, etc, but as we talked I am only 49 and would rather have the extra surgeries. As for meeting with BS mine is also the Fri before my surgery, but they did offer an addition meeting before that if I wanted it. I have a meeting with PS next Mon and since I am having immediate reconstruction he will be responsible for my post up care. Most of my questions right now are more post op and next step which I will be able to address with PS on Mon. If I come out of that meeting with questions for my BS I will request a meeting prior to the Fri before surgery.
Margie
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Hi Ladies -Found out about this group from SAOlsenberg - and glad to find it !
My Surgery is scheduled for 9/20/11 - day after Sarah's.I have to say I am not up-to-speed on all the abbreviations yet - but I am getting there.
Just wanted to say hi - and know that my sisters helped carry me through this journey the first time - and know that they will be here for me again - - and I am here for you!
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Sarah, I would love my dog Scotty to be affectionate like your cat...
U nfortunally he is West HilandWhite Terrier, or Westie for short. They have a lot of attitude ( westitude) problems...But we love him very much, he is very cute , smart boy, 6 y.o. We also have yellow lab Rocky. Of course, Scotty bosses Rocky, he has to be in charge...They both like to be with me now...
I overworked myself on computer yesterday and it hurted afterwards, so I had to take a pill again...They are going to take drains off tomorrow...
Margie, thank you. I have already been to cancer center in August, scared me a lot.I was crying and crying...They did not know yet they had to do BMX back in, so they prepared me for chemo and inserted a port a month ago...I hope I will be better now.I always think that I am not the first or the last who go through ALL THAT , and if they could do it, I can do it too...
But support helps a lot..thanks everyone!
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BEST OF LUCK to everyone who's about to have surgery this week. Still waiting on my surg date and am very frustrated....
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Therese9,
I totally understand where you are coming from. Looks like we were diagnosed about the same time and here we are coming up on the big day... Funny how it really didn't seem real until the hospital called to pre-register me.... That said, this site has really helped and I now feel ready for the road ahead. I didn't hesitate with reconstruction decision since I just turned forty and would be ridiculously obvious going from a D to A.
Have my pre-op appointment with the PS tomorrow and will get my tests done. Guess the countdown begins.
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olgah34 -- you have done so well with surgery I bet you do just as good with chemo. The biggest issue with chemo I had was the constipation and diarrhea from the anti nausea drugs but it is better to get the anti nausea drugs then not - so you want to stay on top of that and get lots of rest and it isn't too bad.. The port is a pain, but better to have it too. I did my first 3 chemo sessions prior to getting the port. My vain started to fail and I was getting chemo burns on my wrist and arm (chemo drugs actually can burn you from the inside out). you have a great attitude and according to my Dr's attitude is key to getting through all this.
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Caryn, Lori & Babycakes - if the night gets away from me and I don't get on here to wish you three well tomorrow, I'm doing it now. I'll be thinking of you 3 and hoping that things go smoothly for you all. Fingers crossed you'll be back at it in no-time - we'll miss you on the board while you're gone!
Sarah
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Linda - I've had my 9/19 surgery date set since early July and it's just now getting unbearable - that long lead time has definite plusses and definite minuses. Like anything in this process, right? I seriously considered NO reconstruction - not thrilled w/any of my choices - but decided to for two reasons: 1) my husband said he'd feel uncomfortable if I didn't (looks-wise) and 2) for convenience-sake I'd like to just have my foobs attached to my body instead of always having to slip a silicone cutlet in everything. I do think I'd miss having breasts when it comes to wearing clothes - I love wearing nice things and it's hard to find things that fit properly when you have no breasts (I have a friend who chose no reconstruction and who does not wear prosthetics either). So I think I'd be always wearing those cutlets, anyway. But it's a completely personal decision. And a hard one. I too am petite (5'3" and just a B cup) and never cared much about my breasts per se - they've always been placeholders for me - although I will tell you I'm VERY bummed to have to have them removed!
Sarah
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Tina! Glad you're here, too.
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I just found out my BMx will be next Thurs, 9/15. That's coming up so fast...
"never cared much about my breasts per se - they've always been placeholders for me - although I will tell you I'm VERY bummed to have to have them removed!" SAOlsenberg - I could have written that same line!
olga - I also had chemo pre-surg and you'll find that there's a certain cycle to it. For example, I was on AC for 4 Tx and then Taxotere for 4 Tx all at 3 week intervals and lived and managed my life in 3 week intervals since there was some similarities re: when I might feel cruddier or better, when my white blood counts might be lower, etc. You will get through this and don't hesitate to ask questions. I found amazing support from a chemo thread that started my same month (for me it was the March Chemo Lounge). Look for a thread on here and if there isn't one for your start month, start one. That, more than anything else, got me through the whole chemo experience. Best wishes.
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welcome Silia... our little group continues to grow which is sad I hate to have others have to go through this too.
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I have my pre op with BS today, and hospital tomorrow morning. I DON'T want to go!!!!
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Positive thoughts for you.
I saw a good quote today for you: when going thru Hell- keep moving forward.
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Oh, Tracie! I can hear you!!!! Be brave, my friend, it will be OK. Lots of gentle hugs coming your way tonight and tomorrow.
SAOlsenberg, I competely agree, placeholders, but a bummer to lose them. I keep remembering the old Girl Scout song about "do your boobs hang low, do they wobble to and fro...." Can't get the stupid song out of my head now!
So I am keeping an open mind, seeing the PS on Thursday.
Olga and any others doing chemo, the best thing for support is to be on a thread here. There are also some older threads that might be helpful just reading some of the hints. I did T/C x 3, then A/C x 1 because I couldn't tolerate the taxotere. I only did 4 treatments as the MO said 4 were as good as 6 according to the studies, and for many that is probably true. I had clear scan in January, but recurrence this month, so go figure. Hopefully the more aggressive surgery this time will get rid of this for good!
Linda
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Let's all get a cheer goin "DONT WANNA DONT WANNA DONT WANNA"
Love to all my sisters - prayers for strong spirits !!
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Gonna miss the ole placeholders even it they do get in the way more often than not...lol Luckily my new ones will be "new & improved".
Best of luck exbrngirl, stjude10 & babycakes! Gentle hugs to all....
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I am 44 years old and am scheduled for a BMX with immediate reconstruction (TEs) on Sept. 29. I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments here, and I can certainly relate to those wishing it were six months from now. I wish I could say I'm not scared, but I am. I've heard different stories about the recovery process, and it's hard to not know how mine is going to be. Or if I'm going to need chemo (based on Oncotype DX testing). I'm definitely a Type A personality, and I like to plan -- all of a sudden, I don't have a plan, and it's unnerving!
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groovygirls - LOVE that quote! I always say "powering thru is what I do best" - now to think of myself powering thru Hell, well, that's quite an image . . . .
Tracie - tomorrow? Glad you're here now, anyway. Sending you all the best vibes for successful surgery and an "easy" recovery.
Joanna - I am SO type A and cancer doesn't play that way. Makes it so much harder.
Odie16 & Linda - mine hang a little low, so "new and improved" is a great thing. perkier breasts is about the only good thing I can find out of this process. oh, well, and no cancer.
Chemo girls: back in the day, I had 4 cycles of A/C and while I would definitely put it in the "sucking badly" category, it was not the B-movie chemo you might imagine. It is different for everyone, and now the protocols are different, but the anti-nausea drugs worked great for me. I was pooped by the end (although I worked out thru treatment, by the end of chemo I could not walk up 3 flights of stairs in our house w/o getting winded and tired), and I definitely had good days and not-so-good days (you'll figure out your cycles, as someone said). But you get thru, somehow, like you have with all these other cancer challenges. And there is so much support around, it'll pump you up when you think you're at your lowest point.
Hugs all around!
Sarah
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I am 2 weeks post BMX today. Spent the day at MD anderson In Orlando today. So tired now. Got the protocol in hand now and will probably get treatment locally here in Melbourne instead of the hour and a half drive every three weeks. I am healing well from the surgery...no complications at all. Drains came out 2 on day 8 and other 2 on day 10. No recon yet..gonna wait til after chemo and radiation ends. Today I wore my mastectomy cami with "boob" inserts but they were pressing on my incision so I took them out to come home. We ended up at Chilis for chips n salsa--and a margarita--yumm and It was the first time I have gone out without my foobies. Felt strange so I know I want new ones when this is done. Hope all upcoming surgeries go well as mine has so far. Wishing you all the best.
Maggie
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Hi all,
First of all, thank you all for good thoughts and prayers. I will keep them close to my heart tomorrow. I had the injections of the radioactive trace,for SNB,this afternoon. EMLA was great and I didn't feel a thing. Will post agin when I can and my thoughts are with those who are following me in the next few days. -Caryn0 -
Wow, there are 3 of us with surgery tomorrow! I am praying for everyone to have a quick recovery and no complications. Thank you everyone for the support and prayers. God is Good!
Allison
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