Any October 2011 Surgeries out there want to wait together?
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Oops posted too soon - final word - it is all about moving forward and the TE is just a temp solution ...... Hope rest of this week's surgeries have gone well ....... Thanks so much for the well wishes!
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Rachelvk - I know what you mean on seeing ps limited times ... I met mine once before surgery so I don't think your experience is too odd ..... Also only met bs once though we talked multiple times and she has been very patient oriented and supportive ...... And no regrets on my ps He was very human thru rthis part of the journey and he and I aren't finished with each other yet!
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kelleyod... it is good to "see" you! That 3 hour wait must have been torture. I hate waiting! My bs says the initial path report is 90% reliable... Let's hope we are in the 90%.... I am glad to hear your first look was not horrid... I hope your pain eases quickly... Mine is steadily improving, but not quickly. I get tired easily, too. That is also steadily improving, but not quickly. Here is to a smooth recovery...(lifts glass of juice)...
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wow, so many posts since I left Sunday for JH ... I had 2 appts this week, Monday with BS, today with PS ... I received the news I've been anxiously awaiting for yesterday ... the final path report states that all my nodes were "negative" ... and, my BS told me he took some "extra" chest wall muscle (he actually had a term for it I can't remember) because the tumor was close to my chest wall and it was "negative" as well ... the tumor was 3.5 cm and very aggressive, so I feel extremely blessed that it stayed contained, and didn't spread into my lymph nodes ... very relieved ... I actually cried tears of joy ...
And, it's a Stage lla ... sooo relieved to have heard that also ...
Today I see my PS, and hopefully, I'll have the remaining 3 drains removed ... lol
I'll catch up with everyone soon ... so much has happened since I left home ...
Hope all is going well for this week's surgery gals ... keeping you in my thoughts and prayers!
Love~Peace~Joy
Trinity
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Judy67, I feel the same way you do. I still have one ovary and I'm really considering having it removed. Like you, every little ache and pain I think it is cancer showing it's ugly head in a different place. I had chemo first and BMX with immediate recon scheduled for October 28. Therefore, I have really worried knowing that the cancer was still in my body. I'm really anxious to get it out. Although, I'm so worried about the drains. I don't know why that is freaking me out so bad, but it really is.
The board has been good for me.
denise
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trinity...YEEAAAHHHHHH!!! I am so happy for you that your path report was so good!!!
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Denise - drains aren't so bad, they're just kind of a nuisance. I'm a side sleeper and those make it less comfortable when I try to lay on my side. Also, now that I'm flat chested my belly already looks bigger and the drains just add mass. I only have two drains and the camisole with pockets holds them really well. We've been out to the store, dinner, etc... even with the drains. I'm just wearing big, baggy shirts. I didn't really get impatient with them until these last 3 days, getting mine out tomorrow. Yay!!
Emptying them hasn't really been any big deal, it's not that gross. Looks kind of like red lemonade. DH did it for me in the beginning and was meticulous in keeping measurements and a running 24 hour tally. He's still keeping the record but I'm emptying them myself now.
Plan on asking ob/gyn about removing last ovary after/if I have chemo. If pathology today shows cancer was definitely not in my lymph nodes and there were no other surprises, then I'm going to ask Oncotype DX be done to get an Onco score before deciding on chemo.
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Ugh, just got a call from BS office and she was called into emergency surgery today and can't see me until Monday. They won't release pathology report to me without her signature. So frustrating after waiting all week for this appt. Not to mention all the calls I'm going to get from family who knew I would get results today.
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I'm reading when I can, but haven't reported post-op (now 6 days) unless I just forgot that I did while on drugs.
The BMX went well, and TEs are in, but not filled at all! I lost enough skin on the formerly cancerous skin side (even though it tested negative at surgery) that my PS didn't want to strain the new incision with any significant fill. I'll see him tomorrow for my first fill, although I don't know how much it will be. I'm on a countdown for rads in 5-6 weeks, so all the fill I get up until then is ALL I get. I had been hoping for B-cup size, but don't know if we'll get there. The thing that is bugging me now, besides dealing with the 3 drains, is the deep crease where the AND was done. I thought the BS said she could access the nodes from the mastectomy incision, but it looks like the AND has its own incision and is quite deep and sore. I'll see my BS Friday to discuss it and get the pain pump removed. The pain pump has been a good thing, keeping the chest numb, but it doesn't reach the AND. I'm still in shock at the appearance of my chest, but thankful the tumor is gone now. I may get my pathology report on Friday -- that would be the earliest.
Thinking of all of you in surgery this week with sincerest prayers for a smooth experience!
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gamegirl, please add me to your list: 10/17 Lumpectomy with SNB.
New to this forum and need to catch up on all the info! Great to find so much support here.
Would like to add this note for anyone concerned about drains:
I had major abdominal surgery 2 years ago. I came home with 2 drains, one on each end of the lateral incision just above pubic bone. The drains were each 1' long and the bulbs at the end were the size of a hand grenade (more or less) - so I felt like I was lugging around bull balls! LOL They are definitely an annoyance, especially when you want to go out in public and need to keep them tucked in and hidden as best you can.
Have to get back to work now. Thank you, everyone, for sharing your journey with us, as I will share mine.
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Trinity - what wonderful news!!!
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Judy - To avoid all those calls from family/friends, you should set up an email or text group and then just send brief updates when there is news. "Pathology reports delayed until Monday. Will update as soon as there is news" or something along those lines. I did that for about 15 of mrs Clams close girlfriends and our relatives for the 5 days that she was in the hospital. Mrs Clams wanted no part of keeping in touch while in the hospital, and it was easy for me to send the texts from my blackberry to the group. I just sent 1 or 2 messages a day and it pretty much eliminated all the well-meaning calls and emails. We kept everyone informed and it made things much easier for us.0
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Good idea Mr Clams.
Hey Trinity, glad to hear your doing well girl. Great news on final path.
Feeling better myself today, guess I'm starting to get my game face back on. Acceptance can be a bitch you know.
Hope everyone is doing well today and wishing everyone speedy recoveries, Praying for each and everyone of you.
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That is a good idea Mr. Clams. I do have a caringbridge site but have a few non-computer friends and family members. Fortunately the nurse called me back and gave me a very quick synopsis of my report. Good news I think, no lymph node involvement and the cancer site had clear margins so they think they got it all. With that much info at least, I can wait more easily until Monday for anything else.
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Today Shannon is more responsive but still in a tremendous amount of pain. They have requested pain doctors to come in this evening and will discuss options on pain management medication. She will also likely start receiving muscle relaxers to help with the pressure on her chest. We still have no word on the pathology reports but we are praying constantly for positive reports.
This morning Shannon received a welcome visit from a breast cancer survivor. They are part of a volunteer group that visit current patients in the the hospital who are battling breast cancer. How ironic that she was diagnosed when she was 36 years of age, 19 years ago, just as Shannon is today. She was very helpful and was able to give Shannon support and she let here know that things do get better. She gave us information on support groups for her and me. Most husbands, she stated, do not want to face the fact that their wives are going through this terrible situation and most just disconnet. This husband will not be one of those men. We are going to fight this together and do so aggressively. They also had a great conversation about the issues with the in the heaviness in their chest after the operation. Shannon describes it as an elephant stitched to her chest.
Each day Shannon is taking small steps toward recovery. I look at her as a child just learning to walk. Today she seems more impacted by the hole experience psychologically. She wants it all to just go away and has described it as just a bad dream. But, she is strong and is now part of a sorority that does not take volunteers. Her family of sisters has just grown by the millions.
Jerry G.
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One more post - THANK YOU! To all of you that have posted on belalf of my wife Shannon. It brings me hope to know that the world we live in, that is full of terror, hate and violence - is still filled with hope and love. My wife is dear to me, she is the pillar that keeps this family stable. I refuse to believe that this will take her away from us. Someday, somewhere, we can all meet and say together that in the face of adversity we stood our ground, fought the good fight and came out victorious even when we were out numbered. May the grace of God be with all of you!
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Jerry - prayers for you and Shannon. Your post touched me so. Yes, we are all sisters here for her as well as for you. Praying her pain begins to ease and that she feels the love and support from all of us here. <hugs>
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Jerry...thank you for the very moving post. Wishing Shannon (and you) every bit of strength and fortitude and luck...
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awwww...Jerry Garcia is making my eyes leak today. Everything is making my eyes leak today!! I got to work and my coworkers ALL had on pink breast cancer ribbons, had signed a really nice card and even had a pink MUM on my desk waiting for me. All the hugs, and kind words put me over the top. I started to cry at work and have now been weepy all day.
Tomorrow is the big day. We are going to the Hope House tonight to stay since we live 70 miles from the hospital. My hubby and daughters will stay there while I am in the hospital.
I am not really nervous about the surgery, but I am just scared about the anesthesia. The waking up part mostly...(or should I say the NOT waking up part....)
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Kcobb, iLUV2knit, kim137.... Best of luck and strength tomorrow...
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Lots to share tonight, but first I want to thank you all for for being so willing to share your experiences throughout this entire life-changing ordeal we're rockin' at the moment. I've learned so much from all who have gone before me. Seeing the strength and courage that each and every one of you has demonstrated just makes me realize HOW strong we really are.
October 13 Sisters~ KCobb, ILUV2Knit, and Kim 137: I grew an extra hand just so that you'd each have one to hold tomorrow
Here's hoping that you the three of you get some sleep tonight and wake up with a killer fighting attitude! You got this, Ladies!slgarcia05/Mr.G!~ My thoughts and prayers are being sent for some very quick pain relief. Please update us after you meet with the pain docs. Also, VERY COOL re: the visit from the BC survivor today. I think every hospital should have a program like this in place.
Judy~ I was so disappointed to hear about your delayed appointment---- but YAY for the great preliminary news! Try to rest easy tonight.
Clams~ Thanks for passing on the helpful hint re: email updates. I'm delegating this responsibility to DH too-- and hoping that he'll agree post here for me too if I can't myself. His updates will surely be brief and to the point- he's my polar opposite when it comes to writing!
Sal Specht~ Welcome Girl. Had to laugh at "Bull Balls." Do you have a preliminary dx?
Ann Alive~ The AND soreness sounds terrible
I hope relief will be coming soon. And I'll be praying that you don't have to wait any longer than Friday for your final path results. trinity927~ So happy to hear the node negative news. Did you have any drains removed at your PS appointment today?
CLC~ Hey my WNB hahahaha. How have you been feeling this afternoon? How's the fatigue going? I'll be wishing you a solid night of sleep (is that REALLY too much to ask for?!?)
Kelleyod~ Wow on the 480cc at your initial fill. After my PS pre-op appointment today, it doesn't appear that will be my case...but time will tell. So sorry you had so much nausea. I've never had an adverse reaction to anesthesia but I know better than to never say never!
ILUV2Knit~ What beautiful support you had at work today
You are going to do wonderfully tomorrow. BTW, I just read your bio and it touched me so... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can officially say that my DH is WAYYYYYY more nervous for this upcoming surgery than I am. He went to my PS pre-op appointment with me this afternoon and I was quite sure that he was just seconds away from needing medical attention himself when the nurse explained the drainage protocol. Ummmm.... I think I'll be stripping my own drains since that will be easier than delivering CPR when he faints trying to help me! Other than that, it was a very informative appointment. I even got my antibiotic/pain scripts written in advance. We meet with my BS in the morning to sign waivers and such...
It's really starting to feel like "BBIBB" is approaching quickly now (Bye-Bye-Itty-Bitty-Boobies) who have caused me nothing but pain,stress and anxiety for way too many years. I may be in the minority, but I'm currently feeling NO physical or emotional attachment to these useless appendages on my body. Good Riddance Cancer Bags!
Love ya all!
AJ
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October gals,
Best of luck to all of you who are recovering or getting ready for surgery. I am having some additional surgery tomorrow (see Sept. Group for explanation) and port placement. Will not need to stay overnight but still a bit nervous. Did have fun wig shopping today. Time to wind down now. Healing to you all. Caryn0 -
Kcobb, iLUV2knit, kim137 - thinking of you guys and praying for smooth surgery and recovery. Hope you're able to get some good sleep tonight.
Jerry - Thanks for your updates, what a supportive husband you are. That will help so much in Shannon's recovery. Hope the pathology reports are good and the pain gets better. I don't know if this will help with the Elephant on your chest feeling, but when I start feeling extremely tight chested I use that breathing thing they make you blow into in the hospital to help clear your lungs and it helps ease the tightness after exercising with it for a few minutes.
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Hi ladies ......
Hoping those with surgery tomorrow are resting and at peace ..... You will get thru this.... One step at a time .......
I am now winding down day 2 post op ..... Still in pain and tiring easily.... To be expected I think ...... My pain is more TE related I believe then UMX .... I must say that I can't imagine what you bmx ladies are experiencing!!!!! Unreal .... Unfortunately I do have to ask for pain meds so I need to stay on top of that instead of catching up! Took an awesome shower today ..... and for better or worse that included a big, long, look ....... Very sad..... But DH reminded me - you are alive...
Jerry Garcia - awesome updates ..... Sent you quick Q on garcias email ...... Give her my hug! Great idea on breathing tube - totally agree with judy!
Trinity - great news! Nice to see the word FINAL with path report ....
Ann alive - sore! Yes I understand! Meds helping any? Here's to rest And recuperation.........
Dukes/aj - I think your attitude is right on ..... I felt a similar detachment by the time I went into surgery .....though I did make my bs hold my hand as I fell asleep ..... We have to move forward period (thank you survivor dawn for teaching me that....)
Last night in hospital tonigt
Caryn - hope survey goes well and you are back in action soon .....0 -
Ok I am obviously out of it ....
Last night in hospital is tonight .... Home tomorrow and first glance kids will have at new normal for mom........ Eeeek....... Hopefully that goes well .....
Many more personals but head is drugged ...... More o n the middle of the night run .... Hope y'all are doing good......0 -
I luv2 knit - if you think anesthesia may make you sick, that phenergan was amazing !!!!! You will be fine ........ Big hug for you!
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Good luck to all the ladies up to bat tom. Prayers to all.
Wonderful to hear how everyone is progressing, moving forward is a wonderful thing.
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For those worried about post-op nausea and vomiting - be sure to tell your anesthesiologist about it in pre-op. Breast surgeries have a higher incidence of PONV. They can give you meds like Zofran so that you won't be sick post. So worth it!!!
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Kcobb, iLUV2knit, kim137- Hope you can feel us all holding you up as you get through surgery. We are there for you and can't wait to "see" you back here posting.
Kelleyod-wow that is quite a first fill. I think that is close to what I have for my final amount.
iLuv2knit- I had a "leaky eyes" kind of day too! I teach preschool but today 3 of my former students who are now in Junior high came down to give me some gifts they had made me for breast cancer awareness month. A small keychain made from embroidery thread with the word "hope" stitched into it, a small poster with a breast cancer ribbon made out of curled ribbon and a tiny cake all decorated with pink ribbons. I was so touched by their efforts. Good luck tomorrow!
Dukes_Up- Does your husband have someone to wait with him while you are in surgery? My good friend stayed with mine because the waiting alone is just so hard. The nurse in the hospital showed my husband how to strip the drains and he really surprised me with how well he handled it till I could do it on my own.
Thanks to the husbands for their updates. Your wives are lucky to have you!
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Thank you all for the well wishes. I'm tucked away in a hotel in Nashville, ready to report to Vanderbilt at 5:30; scheduled for surgery at 7:30; and, expecting it to be about 10 hours.
ILUV2knit and kim137 I hope everything goes well for both of you and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Please pray for travel safety for my family (2 1/2 hr drive from home) and for all of our medical teams. I know you're praying for me -- I can feel it.
Many thanks and God bless.0
