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Radiation recovery

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Comments

  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 373
    edited December 2011

    Kate, hope today isn't too painful and you are on the mend!  Rest!

  • stephN
    stephN Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2011

    Kate, so glad to hear you are home and doing well.  Hope your recovery is quick and pain-free!

    Granuaile (Kate), welcome and so happy that you are through with radiation.  I found that the next two weeks or so after radiation, the fatigue and skin issues continued, but after that, my energy began to come back really quickly.

    My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow (have to be at the hosp at 5:30 a.m.).  I'm a little nervous too, which is weird--I didn't think I would be.  I'll be in the hospital overnight but will check in with y'all when I can.  I will be so happy when it's over and I can chill on the couch and look at the lights on my tree in a drug induced haze.  ;o)   

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474
    edited December 2011

    Kate.....hope you are feeling well today.  Just rest and take it easy.

    Granuaile...welcome to the group!  What a relief to be finished with rads.  Your energy will come back, just give it time.  I finished rads early October and am feeling great now.

    Steph.....I know you are nervous about your surgery.  I'll be right there in your pocket Sweetie.  Are you having a total hysterectomy?  Pardon me if I don't remember!  I breezed through mine 15 years ago.  I'll be waiting to hear how you do.....and sending lots of healing hugs to you!

  • stephN
    stephN Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2011

    I am having a total hysterectomy.  They're using the DaVinci, so hopefully I'll be home on Saturday and feeling pretty good. The hugs are much appreciated!

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited December 2011

    stephN, I hope everything will go well with your surgery.  Sending hugs to you and wishing you a speedy recovery.

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Thank you Elizabeth, SAB, Merilee, Mamav, Steph n and Janis. I did sleep well last night. Today I feel a little sore, but not bad at all. All I am requiring for the pain is extra strength tylenol. Ladies I can't thank you enough for the support it means everything to me. I was an only child, but now I have a bunch of great sisters. Love you all!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Steph N good luck with your surgery tomorrow. I will be thinking positive thoughts for you, and praying for your speedy recovery.

  • lrw333
    lrw333 Member Posts: 142
    edited December 2011

    Kate so glad your doing well. Try and take it easy. Hugs

    Steph Hugs and Prayers. I hope things go well for you. Drug induced haze? hehe I hope you enjoy it... For all we have gone through you need a drug induced haze every now and then  Smile 

  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 734
    edited December 2011

    Steph, we will be thinking of you. Let us know when you are home.

    Hugs

    Merilee

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Thank you irw. I am pretty sore, but I will be ok. I was a small B and now I am a large C, so it will take getting used to, especially since I am very swollen now. My surgeon said it will take 3 weeks for the swelling to go down. Even though I think I am a little too large, my surgeon said when the swelling goes down I will be fine. The best part are the breast lifts. I have the breasts of a 30 year old now. I want to find Mr. right so I need all the help that I can get.lol

    StephN I have positive thoughts for you and I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery. Hugs!

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474
    edited December 2011

    Glad the recovery is going well Kate.

    Steph...thinking of you and hope you are recovering well!!!!  Laughing

  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 373
    edited December 2011

    Ditto - janis

  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 373
    edited December 2011

    Ditto - janis

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Thank you Janis and Mamav. I am going to my surgeon this afternoon. I need to find out how long the swelling lasts. I am not sure if she takes out the stitches today.

    Stephn I am thinking about you, and hoping for your speedy recovery.

  • Beaglesgirl
    Beaglesgirl Member Posts: 25
    edited December 2011

    Hello everyone! My last rads tx was this morning. I did it! all these months waiting for this "last" day and I felt strangely unemotional about it. Infact I cried all the way to the hospital this morning in anticipation of more pain. 

    I had a total hysterectomy/oopherectomy one week ago today and am just able to wear pants with a zipper today. I had a tough time with pain. I was sent home with lovenox shots for 13 days as a precaution- and due to my new ptsd surrounding pain I have a total meltdown when my DH injects me in the AM.

    I have a lot of healing to do- and my breast is only part of it. Ugh. I don't make much of a first impression- but really I am a fun happy person I just have to look for that part of me, I seemed to have miss placed it.

    ~Laura 

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited December 2011

    Laura, I am glad you are done with rads.  Welcome to our Radiation Recovery group!  Please do not worry about whatever impression you make.  We are free to be ourselves here and vent and complain as much as we need.  I hope you will feel better soon.

  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 734
    edited December 2011

    Laura, Hugs to you my dear. We have all had melt downs both here and privately. This is a safe place. So glad you are done, you made it girl.

    Hugs

    Merilee

  • lrw333
    lrw333 Member Posts: 142
    edited December 2011

    Welcome Laura and Congratulations!!!   So glad your through with RADS. My whole last week of Rads was a meltdown. LOL  We all know your pain. Try and rest.I hope you heal quickly. This too shall pass. Come and vent as often as you need to. We are all here to listen and help when we can. 

    Kate, Steph and Granuaile still thinking of you and hope all is well.  Hoping we all have a wonderful weekend.... Hugs, Lisa

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474
    edited December 2011

    Laura you came to the right place!  I am sorry for your ongoing pain and hope that it gets much easier for you very soon.  I know how hard it is.

    Melt down all you need!  Even the strongest people have to have some relief.  It is normal.  Never feel you need to apologize for merely being human. 

    Kate good luck at the surgeon today.

    I hope everyone else is doing great.  Hugs to all my sistas! 

  • Beaglesgirl
    Beaglesgirl Member Posts: 25
    edited December 2011

    thank you so much for the warm welcome and support!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Congrats Laura, I am glad you are done with rads. I went to the surgeon today. I am concerned because I am a little bigger than I wanted to be, but she said 30% is swelling. I wanted to be a small 32 c cup and I look like a large 34 c cup/ She said it takes about a month for the swelling to go down. She said in a month if I don't like the size we can operate again 6 weeks after the original surgery and put in smaller implants. So, I will have to see, but I am not looking forward to surgery again. This year I have been under anesthesia 4 times. A colonoscopy, 2 lumpectomies and this operation. If I need surgery again it will make 4 surgeries in 6 months, plus the colonoscopy. Thank you irw and Janis for thinking of me.

  • gigil
    gigil Member Posts: 918
    edited December 2011

    Merilee,  I am so relieved for you.  Thank God your medical professionals were so responsive once they got you in there.  I had a hard spot under my incision that I was worrying about too.  I had a follow up with my surgeon and she said it was just scar tissue that will eventually dissolve.  It is so hard not to freak out when we feel changes in our breasts now.  Glad you have the all clear.

     Kate, how are you doing?  I will go back and see if you have posted any updates.  Hoping things went well for you.

  • gigil
    gigil Member Posts: 918
    edited December 2011

    Kate, I see you are doing quite well.  So glad to read that!  I must not have been on the last page, when I posted.  I think your swelling should go down and you will be the size you want to be.  My daughter in law went through a double MX this past summer right after my surgery with reconstruction and she looks absolutely perfect.  I understand your procedure is a little different, but it would seem there is swelling in both cases at first.  In any case, I will bet you will come out of it looking great!

    Steph, hope you are recovering nicely and feeling better by the hour.  Sending healing energy your way.

    Welcome to the new ladies.  So glad you are done with the rads.  It takes awhile afterward to begin to feel normal.  I remember wondering if my breast was ever going to heal.  My last treatment was September 1, and I still have a very dark breast, with some very strange swelling now and then, and an occasional shooting twinge, but mostly just doing great.  My surgeon told me at my 6 month check to lotion, lotion, lotion - even at this point.  Moist healing is the best healing. 

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,981
    edited December 2011

    Hi Ladies,
    I am in the middle of rads but have a question for those of you who have finished.
    I finish rads about January 10th, but in stead of celebrating, I have to go right away for a cardiac catheterization.  I should be home the same day, unless they find something to fix. 
    I am just wondering, will I be able to get through this considering the possible effect of the rads? 

    I am concerned that (worst case scenario) if I had to do cardiac surgery then would my skin hold up (having L. breast radiation which includes the medial area above sternum).
    I know it is a question that probably doesn't have an answer, but I keep thinking about it and wondering if I'll be able to handle it all.
    I look forward to being in rads recovery soon!
    Joan

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Hi Gigil,

    Thank you so much for your encouragement, GigiI am a little depressed tonight, because I think I will need to get another surgery in 6 weeks. Yes, I am 20-30% swollen, but I think after the swelling goes down that I will be bigger than I want to be. When I saw the size 275cc silicone gel implants in a bra on me I thought it looked good, but now they look too big. I wanted a more natural, conservative look, but unfortunately I didn't convey that to my surgeon. So, if after the swelling goes down, and if I think I look too big, my surgeon suggested 225cc silicone gel implants, and I think that will be the right size for me. The swelling should be down around December 28, and if I need another surgery it will be around January 18.

    StephN I am thinking about you, and hope you are recovering nicely from your surgery. Hugs!!!

  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 734
    edited December 2011

    Hi Joan

    Sorry to hear that you have other complications while dealing with all of this. One suggestion would be to make sure your blood counts are good before you agree to the procedure. Rads really took a toll on mine and I did not expect that. Still not where I want them and I finished in Sept. You need to be very careful about the possibilities of infection, the last thing you need or want.

    Hugs to you my dear, sounds like  you have alot to think about.

  • stephN
    stephN Member Posts: 133
    edited December 2011

    Hi ladies,

    Thanks so, so much for your wonderful thoughts and prayers for my surgery.  Everything went well.  I got home late yesterday afternoon, but went right to sleep and slept until now.  I didn't get much sleep in the hospital...they kept waking me up!

    I have five small incisions.  It's a little hard getting around, but over all, it hasn't been horrible.  I have a bad headache that keeps coming and going, mostly coming.  And I've had really low blood pressure which is totally unlike me!  

    Laura, it's great to see you here.  So glad you are through with rads.  You have really been through it, having your TLH/BSO during rads!  Hope you are able to relax a little and begin to heal emotionally and physically.  

    Thanks again for all the encouraging words.  It totally made my day to come here and read them!

    Steph 

  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 734
    edited December 2011

    Steph! You are up and around, hooray!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited December 2011

    Hi StephN, I am so glad that you are doing ok. I am hoping that you get rid of that headache soon. Rest, Rest and get more rest. Hugs!!!

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited December 2011

    StephN, Just adding my wishes for a speedy recovery.  Get all the rest you need.  I know what you mean about not being able to sleep in hospitals.

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