Mastectomy Sept 2011
Comments
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Praying for those having surgery tomorrow. Happy thoughts, restful night and no complications.
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Okay pre op with BS wasn't bad. I am so relieved he does the sentinal node dye injection after I am asleep... whew. That was one of my big fears. One down many to go.
Thank you for your encouragment.
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Trace, Glad it wasn't too bad. I always think the anticipation is the worst. I did not have a dye injection but rather a radioactive tracer. Either or sometimes both are used. For those who are not at this point yet, insist on EMLA if your surgery is very early and your surgeon wants to have the injection done the day before surgery. I didn't feel a thing and it took less than 5 minutes. -Caryn
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All best to those of who are having surgery tomorrow. Strength and hope to all of us on this path.
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Linda, waiting for surgery in October? That is a long time! But then I suspect you'll get there and it will still seem too fast (or at least that's how it would be for me). I thought for a nano second about not doing reconstruction, but then I put that notion aside. I didn't have boobs the first time around (they were so small they were more of an afterthought--so I figure this is my chance to finally have them!)
Lori, glad to know I'm not the only one who did "out of sight, out of mind" as a coping strategy. Wishing the best of luck tomorrow!
Odie16 Yes, we do have similar dates for our diagnoses and surgeries! The call from the hospital would make it seem real alright. This site has really helped me too. Good luck with the tests tomorrow.
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I haven't checked in here for a while, and see that 3 of you are now post op and three are due for surgery tomorrow. I am thinking of you all and wishing you well!
I had my pre-op appts last week. My BS found a lump, so I went for a new round of mammos and ultra sounds. The radiologist says the lump looks benign on the images, but I can have a SNB if I want one. Not sure what to do!
Olgah, Great that you are able to sleep without pain meds 5 days out from surgery! Are you completely painfree at night?
diana, chefmom-- Hope you are feeling okay and are able to go home soon.
babycakes, stjude10, and exbrnxgrl-- Hope your surgery goes well tomorrow.
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Hello, everyone!
No, Kathe, I am not painfree...It comes and goes...I almost did not sleep last night, was too much coffee and some problems ..So today I feel worce.I would call it uncomfortable feeling.But physically I am stronger and better tnan before. The best thing is in the beginning, after operation, to take all the medicine they prescribed every 4-6 hours like they said and try not to fight it...it really helps...
I even took it in the middle of the night with crackers, not on empty stomach. But the most important thing- IT WILL MAKE US CANCER FREE!
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TracieN --- I know what you mean. I dont want to go. I got my call yesterday to schedule my pre op appointments. I just wish surgery was tomorrow to get it over with. I hate waiting.
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Hoping all 3 of you scheduled for today are doing well. My thoughts are with you.
I talked with the nurse at the breast center today, and she was so very helpful and encouraging. She basically talked me through the whole plan that the BS had written in my chart - I just couldn't remember everything she said last Friday - think I was just still stunned. Basically, there is NO OPTION for conservation, I was just hoping to "bargain" my way out of it. And SNL with ALND if positive nodes found. She uses both radioactive tracer pre-op and dye during surgery. I am finally accepting this is the path, and yes, October seems like a long time from now, but boy do I have a lot to get done to hand off my classes to my colleagues, and I have a conference to attend the week of Sept. 20-27 (I got cheated out of this conference last year due to chemo, and am NOT going to get cheated out of it again!!!).
She also told me that I would have drains out and be mostly functional in 2 weeks if I don't have reconstruction, and I would have drains out and be mostly functional in 2 weeks if I DO have reconstruction - no difference. I already have all my appointments scheduled, just scheduling the rest of my life around them, but don't have the exact surgery date/time - assuming it is Oct. 3 unless something changes in the next week or so. So I will be bringing up the rear, but you have all been so wonderful about sharing here, and I am so much more encouraged and less fearful/anxious. Thanks a million!
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Hi all-
Thinking of those in surgery today.
I had the last of my pre op appointments today. Last day of work before surgery tomorrow. Friday we head to Oregon for the weekend, and when we get home I will tie all the loose ends and by the end of next week I will be cancer FREE!!!
Good luck to all, hoping to keep myself as busy as possible between now and next Thursday. 0 -
I made a deal with the surgical nurses that they could keep my breasts only if they kept my cancer too. I better not find out they did not keep up their end of the bargain
Having first pet scan on Friday...kinda nervous about those results--but keeping the chin up til I know! May everyone heal well and keep up the fight with as little pain and discomfort as possible!Maggie
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Mags20487-Praying for good results. I have DCIS, but am terrified to get my path reports back after surgery. I am scared that it has changed. You know when you have a gut feeling??? I hate that.0
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I am seeing my PCP tomorrow for antianxiety medication and ambien. I have been in denial about needing this but I feel having these in my pocket will help (I probably won't take but know they are there) I am sick of of the 2:30 wake ups!
I have been letting my patients know I will be out for a month. Male or female- everyone gets a mammogram!
Friday is my last day
I love my job and co-workers. Up until today no one made arrangements for my coverage- I do primary care and I am the only provider in the clinic- what the f..k was I supposed to do? I have been worried sick about my patients
I am sick of all this- I don't have time for this....Lets not start on my other groovy girls (my daughters)
Anyone else want to join my pity party...
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Olga, Sorry you are in pain after all. You are right: take the meds, they should help you sleep.
I do sympathize with you; I cannot sleep either. I am very anxious about my surgery.
Today the assisting surgeon's office manager called to tell me that he does not contract with my insurance company. So I need to pay an extra $4700? Is anyone else paying for DIEP?
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Laundry done, check, grocery shopping, check, pj's & comfy clothes moved to eye level, check, pre-op tests & visits, check......Guess I am ready to get this over next week.... Cancer free in one week, I hope.
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Groovygirls, I have been very lucky to have a department chair that is truly supportive and has always a contingency plan, much like I did when I was department chair. Things can go wrong at the last minute, and a good leader/manager has solutions before the problems ever hit. My courses are covered for as long as needed (hopefully not more than 2 weeks) but it is a smooth plan. I am very grateful for that, even though I have trouble letting go of my work to let others do it, but I know my students will be taken care of.
Odie I like your attitude: cancer-free in a week! (I hope to be cancer-free in a few weeks myself).
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Groovygirls, ativan and ambien were really helpful for me throughout treatment. Sleep is so important for healing; just go for it. I hope you can get help with your clinic, too.
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Hi all-
I had surgery on the 6th and have been doing well. Since I wasn't getting recon at the same time I was released that night. (which was horrible) Been doing a lot of napping. Still taking my meds and the drain is a pain. I'm hoping to be able to shower tomorrow. I'm camped out on a recliner with a lot of pillows so it's been comfortable.
I had the radioactive dye in the morning before surgery with no meds and it wasn't to bad at all.
My best to those that went in today..0 -
Diana 123, I am happy for you... B e careful with shower, I still did not shower, just wash myself wiyh wet cloth. They did not allow me swower yet! I hate drains too and still have them, yesterday we did go there to remove drains, and I laid on the table, my son hold my hand , and then nurses called the doctor, and he decided to wait, because of too much liquid!
MY family( my son , daughter-in-law and 3 years old grandson) stay with us till saturday, we will have a baptizm ( or christening?) so I hope to be drain-free and wear something nice in the church...
Thinking of all of you in surgery and recovery... Good luck!!!
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Diana glad to hear from you - can't believe they released you that same night...uggh! Glad to hear you are doing well overall and that your SNB injections weren't tooo bad.
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Diana --- wow sent home same day I hope you did ok last night. Thanks for sharing your experience with the SNB injection.
I hope all of our trailbrazers (first to have surgery) are doing well and not experiencing too much discomfort.
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Hi all - got sucked under with the first day of school yesterday. Mayhem and paperwork. So great to check in and see all the activity here!
Diana - that is CRAZY they sent you home same day. I hope you're hanging in there and that each day gets better. Seriously though, I thought there was legislation that said you had to be kept overnight after a mastectomy??
groovygirls - I hate taking any meds, always been that way. When I was first dx'd 10 years ago, a friend who'd gone thru childhood cancer (and who was fighting a recurrence then) told me "don't be a hero, they'll offer you meds and you should take them." We were both litigators - prided ourselves on being tough ball-busters. So I had my first taste of Ativan and it was THE FIRST thing I asked for when I was told I had to have my biopsies this time around! You're tough to have gone this long - but give it up girl, and get some rest. I hope the work stuff works itself out OK . . . just another thing to worry about, right? Grrrr.
Maggie - will send B9 vibes your way for the scan tomorrow. More anxiety! We're here for you!
Odie16 - your ducks are in a row. Go get that cancer taken care of!
Olga - maybe tomorrow you can get your drains out? Hoping for that for you - would be so nice to be free of them for Sunday. I dressed more nicely today b/c I know that in just over a week, it's going to be schlump-city for a while.
Question for everyone - what did your docs say about nailpolish for surgery? My pre-surg stuff doesn't mention anything but I seem to remember from last time that I was not supposed to have any on . . . can call my surgeon but feel a little stupid - on the other hand, if I'm allowed, would get a mani/pedi before I go in so at least my NAILS will look good while I'm dragging in the first 2 weeks.
Sarah
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Sarah- they generally send you home the same day here unless you start reconstruction. It is common practice. Other then being kind of dizzy and out of it , it was nice being home. Saw the home care nurse today and was told I can shower. YEAH. Feeling much better today and almost feel normal.
It really is much easier than you can imagine. At least it was for me. Think in my mind I prepared for the worst and was so worried so now it didnt seem as bad as I thought.
You are all in my thoughts and I know it is so hard but you will get through it !!!!!!
Also told no nail polish on fingers or toes as they can tell by your nails if you get oxygen deprived. No deodorant either.0 -
Just chimming in for encouragement. BLMX done on 9/23/2010 and exchange on 6/9/2011. I am still here and wearing tank tops and maxi dresses. At first it was difficult but as time went on it got easier....
Blessings to you all!!!
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Thanks for the encouragement fighter-it's always good to here
Olga-hope it works out with your drains but make sure it's not too soon. Have read about people having to get drains put back in or the nurse said today that if they come out too soon the fluid will build up and they would use a needle to asperate it out.0 -
Thanks for the encouragement fighter-it's always good to here
Olga-hope it works out with your drains but make sure it's not too soon. Have read about people having to get drains put back in or the nurse said today that if they come out too soon the fluid will build up and they would use a needle to asperate it out.0 -
diana - that is so great you feel "almost normal!" Happy that it's working out so well for you! It's so funny you say that re nail polish - just came back from the hairdresser and we decided that I should just not risk it (and I don't want to bother my surgeon's secretary w/this - I mean really) and then have a friend take me for a mani/pedi once I feel better. Ha! So funny to talk about this with HIM. This is the hairdresser I had 10 years ago when I had to have chemo - have pics of him shaving my head and then he cut my wig so it looked very natural and not so "wiggy" (thick and weird around my face). Gotta love getting surgery advice from your hairdresser!
Fighter_34 - thanks for the pep talk - we need one around here . . . tough month for all of us, but we will get through this, right ladies??!
Sarah
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Sarah, I think I wikk be natural after treatment...I always liked make-up, skin care, SPA , fragranses, u mean it...I have been working with fragrances for 10 years..Recently I read about PARABENS
which are in most fase creams and hair products. Parabens mimic estrogen in the body, estrogen feeds cancer as fuel...My cancer is aggressive, I am still perimenopausal and I don't need any estrogen at all, They are going to block it with hormonal terapy anyway. So I don't use anything I loved so much before, even deodorant. I did a lot of research about it. I will go brunette now using only plants to color my hair ( after it grows back) henn and basma. It is what I decided.
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Met with the PS today, didn't learn anything from him I didn't already know.... am still not sure about reconstruction as I am just absolutely sick of being a patient and he said I would see him every week to get more volume into the TEs... but he also said it could be done later and I can take my time on this decision. Seems like I have had to make so many decisions over the past year, and just can't make this one right now. *sigh*
Olga, you are a great trailblazer for us, and I hope your drains are out soon, but as above, not too soon so you don't get more fluid accumulating.
Glad to hear the post-op course is going well for most of you - you have really been an encouragement to me! Thanks much!
Linda
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I hope all is well with everyone who's had surgery so far, and best of luck to those up next.
It looks like I may be moving to the October group. Had my third opinion today (mainly to check out a new location; I'm set on a BMX with reconstruction) and the PS I saw there doesn't see an opening for surgery for another month. That will put me at about 3 months after finding the lump. Should I be concerned? Also, my dad, a retired ob/gyn, is really frustrated that they haven't done any scans for liver/lung mets in the meantime, but two of the BS I saw said insurance almost never approves before surgery. Anyone hear different opinions? If I'm waiting around for three months until surgery, I'm worried about that one adventurous cell striking out to see the world...
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