Any October 2011 Surgeries out there want to wait together?
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ps - where in MI? I went to U-M in Ann Arbor for grad school. Spent a few weeks in Holland, MI in high school, but didn't really get anywhere else in the state.
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Hi Rachel....thanks for the hug....you have NO idea how much I needed that and for someone to validate my feelings. We live in SW Michigan, almost to Indiana in a small very rural town called Marcellus. It is about 2.5 hours south of Holland. I have a strong love of all animals but have been living my dream of living on a small (25 acre) farm for the last 17 years. We have two horses (my babies) a llama that was born here, 2 miniature donkeys, one mammoth riding donkey, 3 icelandic sheep (we process the llama and sheep fiber for knitting), 4 dogs and various barn cats (all spayed--cats are not my favorite farm animal). It is alot to take care of, hence my guilt for having hubby and daughter taking up the slack. I don't deal well with mess or dog hair, so I think that has been part of my mental state the last few days. I feel tons better now that the place is cleaned and vacuumed. I am currently staying out of the barn. As long as everyone is standing on 4 legs, fed and watered, the rest will have to wait until I am feeling better.
Thank you again for the kindness. Oh, I love this forum!!
I will be here for you if you need to vent also as you start your journey with chemo. If I lived closer, I would be right there for you!! message me if you even want to talk :-)
Sue
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Iluv2knit- You need to give yourself a break. 3 weeks post BMX really is too soon to be doing the kinds of things that you are trying to do. You still need to be resting. It really is more like 6 weeks before you are ready for full strenth activity level and even then you might need some help. When the TE's are preventing good comfortable sleep it takes longer to regain strength and energy. I was not at all able to get comfortable in bed and ended up cutting back my work schedule to half time because I could not keep up. You might need to pick and choose what you do. The animals need to be fed but maybe the beds will stay unmade and the vacuuming will not get done. Be kind to yourself and ask others to help you. I wish you good luck.
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Hey ladies. . . .
The condo where my refugee family is staying has poor wifi - so I haven't been able to get online well in the past 4 days. . .I'm so behind! must catch up. . .
Here goes first attempt . . . will post multiple times since I keep losing it! Ginger - A fire! Really . . . can you believe it? I need this about 3 weeks post op because obviously I should be doing more. . .
Cookiemonster - No wrong decisions - ever. You move forward and keep working on what has been done. No wrong decisions. A BC survivor friend shared a quote with me 3 days after surgery: "Oh my friend! It's not what they take away from you - it's what you do with what you have left!" Your decisions are right by sheer nature that you made them. I'm so sorry you have to join us in MX land - but it will get you closer to clean / clear! don't let our TE chatter worry you . . .it's doable . . .and the results (at least mine) are very cool especially when you remember it's a transitional foob. Here to chat if you need . . .
Survivor Dawn - WTF? My jaw dropped . . .You are so in my prayers. I am glad the boys are home finally. . .one step closer to normal lifts us all. I've been battling thyroid issues for 30+ years - if I can help in that arena, please don't hesitate to reach out. . . You have been such an inspiration to me in this forum - keep on, my friend.
Margie - ahhhh TE life. Mine is softening a bit lately, kind of settling in. I've not had any fills outside of the mondo initial one and I don't think he will (per my PS) . . .trying to trust that.
I do seem to have a pink area show up on it every once in a while . . . not like hot / angry red but pink like maybe I over did it (hard to believe) or the poor excuse of a bra I"m wearing is irritating me . . .ever have that show up?Ann Alive - so nice to see your name. Keep warm tonight. You are jamming on these fills! Keep going! Let me know if you have any pink "spots" show up on you . . . .
DeniseDay - 9 hours - wow. Rest . . .Sending gentle hugs your way. . . I'm hoping things just continue to improve. . .
Rose - good news on the seroma! Woo hoo! Keep fighting . . .
MauiMom - nice to see your name! I'm hoping you are continuing to heal soundly! I will be cheering you on through radiation . . .
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2nd post from Kelleyod
3rd attempt - my wifi is killin' me. . . I'll try to be quick . . .
Judy67 - good luck on the dx report - keep us in the loop - how are you doing otherwise?
Eeemaa - I think of you nearly daily as I roll out of bed and my TE slightly edges toward my armpit. hahaha - you always make me smile. ice cream is very healing. Hope you are doing well.
9911 - amazing post - I feel like I was right with you - thank you so much for the very detailed information. . . hope things continue to progress and you are healing well.
maria - glad the aspiration was routine . . .routine is good isn't it? how are you feeling otherwise?
iluv2knit - you have my control sickness. Do give yourself a break. Now is the time. Relax, rest, recuperate. Try to at least. My kitchen fire has hit me upside the head with the reality that I'm just not able to do everything my guilt is whispering that I should. . .but guess what? Now is not the time to be superwoman. Now is the time to be smart woman - no matter how hard that is. and it is hard isn't it? Hugs to you my friend.
Shannon - so enjoying your caringbridge updates. . . glad your dad got good news too! You just keep taking this one step at a time . . one step at a time. Fighter that you are. Find me on caringbridge too - kelleydouglass - and yes, please call . . .would love to talk. . .do you have my cell?
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I am doing ok, kitchen fire not withstanding. Let me just say that I wish a house / property / kitchen fire on no one. Although the damage was truly minimal (one granite countertop on kitchen island will have to go) the soot / smoke was / is PERVASIVE. This is a major clean up / restoration effort. Unreal. My closed dryer had soot inside it. My bathroom vanity (furtherest point from the actual fire) had outline of my comb on it in soot. . .ugh. So in the midst of doing all that I need to do to make the restoration start happening, (DH had a biz trip) I am overdoing it. Hard to believe I know. I was sure I had a seroma building - remember drain just came out Monday. . . . but ran to cancer center (1.5 hours away!) and found out I was just overdoing it. Although they are not happy about the "pinkness" that seems to come and go. . . I am wondering if it is cheap bra irritation . . . or just literally me overdoing physical activity. Any hypothesis out there?
I'm also in a bra quandry . . .anyone else out there with a TE and a breast after their MX - I think most of you were BMX right? Jess you still around? Just curious on bra solutions for the interim until my January surgery (where I will have a new set of twins and yes, I have named them prematurely . . . .care to guess? Remember - I have a theme going!). . . .
I hope this finds you all well . . . .I have tried to log in multiple times so obviously you all have been on my mind / heart. . . . . hope you are well, healing and moving forward.
Take care . . .stay strong . . .
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Kelley- Love the smart woman vs superwoman analogy. I think we all need to be smart women right now. My sister had a fire at her house years ago and I know exactly what you mean about the soot. It was unbelievable. This is one area you need to turn over to the professional cleaners and your friends. "pinkness" in general makes me very nervous; if it goes away when you take it easy then you may have your answer. Of course you will have to take it easy to tell (lol).
I had a bmx so did not have the same experience but I lived in the sports bras with the front closure from Walmart. I think they are Hanes. They were the most comfortable with two different size TE's and they were cheap.
You get the gold award for hanging in there with that temperamental wi-fi to check in with everyone! Take care of yourself and be a smart woman.
Will the new set of "twins" be from the Weasley family?
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Iluv2knit - yes, please be easy on yourself! No way should you be doing that much at 3 wks post-op. I am 6.5 wks post-op and although I am feeling very well, exercising back to work, etc., I STILL do not feel ready to do any heavy lifting - especially on my SNB side. You need to realize if you overdo usage/lifting with the SNB side too quickly you increase your risk of developing LE. I don't say that to scare you - but more to make you feel "ok" with not pushing yourself so hard. Don't rush your recovery!
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Cookiemonster- Hello surgery sister. I was so sorry to read your update. I had a lumpectomy last april and was planning on rads until I tested BRCA2+. The drs felt strongly bmx was the way to go and I had a hard time accepting it at first but am glad I did. They found atypical precancerous tissue in both of my breasts. In the cancer breast it was outside of my clear margin area. I am so relieved now that I got rid of as much as breast tissue as I could to avoid further BC. I was also glad to take radiation out of my treatment plan. i did have a lot of discomfort with the TE's but have read so many stories of people who sailed through them. We are all different. I am now 9 days post exchange. Everything is healing well and I have minimal pain. Waiting for an ok from surgeon to do oopharectomy...hopefully by mid-December.
It looks like the "Any October 2011 Surgeries out there want to wait together?" thread may have to live on through Nov, Dec and January...
Hang in there!
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Have any of you been having TE problems and drains that are still in after 4 weeks? My PS suspects I have cellulitis over the left TE and started me on Doxycycline and Bactrim DS. The skin is pink, warm, and I run a low grade fever (which I usually attribute to Herceptin). I still have one of the three drains, and it puts out about 50 cc/day, which is way too much and so I wonder what happens next if he removes it. This is all on the left side where I also had AND, but that drain was removed last week.
It's so good to read the progress many of you are making, yet I can't keep up with commenting. Praying for those of you having issues getting over this, as I am.
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What crazy adventures everyone is having right now. Wow!!
Thanks for all the positive and supportive comments.
Ginger48 - good to hear from my surgery sister. I'm glad the exchange went well. Keep healing!
I guess I'm slowly settling into this next journey. I haven't done a ton of research yet and have yet to sent an appointment with the PS, but did finally get approval and have contacted his office. I'm hopeful for a consult and surgery schedule next week. Once I know, I tend to be a lot better off. Unknown tends to drive me nuts.
My inclination is to do the recon. using my tissue. I know that it means a longer initial recovery, but then seems to be less maintenance, so to speak. I think I'm a good candidate for it my tummy definitely has some extra fat and skin that can go.
One thing that I'm struggling with a lot is that almost universally people say to me, "Yay no chemo, yay probably no radiation, yay you're going to live a long happy life." While all of those are true, the surgery and recovery are going to suck and there's no way around it. I'm happy that I'm not going to die, but I'm still down because of what's to come and sometimes I feel like my family and friends think that I should just be happy because it could be so much worse. I've been very upbeat and positive through everything so far (3 lumpectomies - 1 w/wire loc in 2 areas, 1 w/SNB) but I'm having a difficult time keeping the all positive attitude right now. I'm scared, I'm worried and I would love to just jump to June 2012 right now. I still haven't had a good cry about any of this, and since my newest diagnosis, it seems that everytime the tears start to come, I'm in a situation where I just can't excuse myself and just let myself cry - It's usually while I'm in the class with my high school students.
I'm sorry to go on here at you guys right now and should probably take myself off to the upcoming surgery area, but I suspect that many of you understand exactly where I am, having been there yourselves. Thanks for reading this far, if you have.
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CookieMonster...I completely understand the wanting to go off and have a good cry. I, too, teach high school (biology). It was hard leading up to the surgery because there was so much to process emotionally and there was so much to do to get ready on a practical level. I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU TAKE OFF A FEW DAYS OR AN ENTIRE WEEK BEFORE THE SURGERY. I took off one day to get completely caught up on grades and other paperwork and then had two days to myself. Got a massage. Spent one day with my dh. Played with my kids. Ran with the dog. I had already taken care of all of the practical junk..so I just had some time that was free of anything external. And I cried. I laughed. I did Sudoku. It was very good to do. I should have had another day. If I ever have to have a mx on the other side, I will take 4 days off.
It has been very hard coming back to work. Everyone there (students included) know that I have (or is it had?) breast cancer and know that I went through some kind of surgery. I have been bombarded with well-wishes. It is exhausting just getting in the door. I am glad that they know, because everyone is cutting me the slack that I need. However, I have had to set limits. Fortunately, they have been understanding when I do.
I am sorry that you have this new hurdle to overcome. I hope that you find the space and time to cry. Or that you just make the space and time. You deserve it...and it will help...
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CookieMonster...I should add that, I, too, don't have to have chemo or rads and feel lucky...but that doesn't make it easy for either one of us. I think we are justified in feeling that this is very difficult...it downright sucks... And we have every right to be pissed, sad, angry, frustrated and scared. Well, that's my opinion, anyway. Someone on bc.org, quoting someone else who was stage IV, said that the worst thing that has ever happened to you is the worst thing that has ever happened to you. There is no comparing one person's pain to another... Pain is pain, fear is fear.
I will be thinking of you.
Claire
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CookieMonster-I totally agree with CLC. I am also a teacher (preschool not high school) and found myself having a hard time holding it together. Take a few days for yourself before surgery. I also did a relaxation massage the day before surgery. It was great!
That being said. I handled things a lot like you did. When I had my lumpectomy, I was so positive, reassuring everyone that I was going to be fine, did not need anything, etc. I did such a good job that when I finally fell apart no one was expecting it or knew what to do with me. I started crying over everything. For me it happened post mastectomy and when the expanders started to get difficult. I looked fine to everyone and I did not need chemo or radiation so everyone acted like it was over. I was so over acting like everything is fine!
It is not over and it is ok to take the time to process/ cry/ vent. These boards are great for that. I don't think you need to switch threads because you will find so many people with experience here and some that you have already developed a relationship with. We are the thread that just keeps on going....
PM me whenever you need to vent or have questions. I have been in your shoes!
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CookieMonster . . .
here here to everything you have heard today. . . ! I shared some of your feelings when I got my unbelievable path report and felt like, "Wow - it's done. . " but then I realized no. . .it's not. There is still a major surgery ahead and long recovery and it's all because of one thing - breast cancer. Period. I'm lucky as hell - I know it. I actually felt horrid sharing my path results because I know some of my October team here are in much different shoes . . .and yet they still rejoice with me. Unbelievable. You take the time, the emotions and the healing. It's mental too - wrap your mind around it. Teachers are unbelievable (all of you teachers!) as you are always onstage. . .get off stage. vent. cry. journal. share. we're in it for the long haul. . . and with ya.
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Iluv2knit - As hard as it is you need to take easy and let your body heal. I can relate to how hard it is but this is the one time we have to put ourselves first.
Kellyod - I haven't sen any pink spots but I still get a little swelling off and on when I over do it.
Ann - I hope they can figure out why you are still putting so much fluid.
Cookie monster, ginger48, clc --- I can so relate - enough said
I went back to work Wed (4 weeks post BMX). I work out of my house and sit at a desk 9 hours a day so you would think piece of cake. I was surprised how tired I got. But it was good to start to try to get a normal life back. I am glad my BF got me out every evening to walk I think that helps.
Those of you with TE do you find that when you move from a reclining position to sitting up that you have pain?
Ladies take time for yourself if that time includes crying then cry. I hadn't cried in months and all day yesterday I was feeling really down and finally 4am this morning I broke down and cried and it did help. We are going through so much physically and emotionally we need to give our bodies a release.
Sending gentle and healing hugs to all.0 -
MargieC- I had lots of pain with my TE's but especially when going from reclining to sitting up kind of like a stabbing stichlike pain. I never knew what caused it and was so fearful that when I went in for exchange surgery they would tell me I had an infection or something but everything was apparently fine and I am no longer feeling that pain. Maybe the TE was pressing on a rib or something? Good luck.
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Ginger48 -- thanks. That is how my right one feels so I guess it's normal. : )
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It is always good to double check with dr if it does not go away. After reading some people's experiences, I would always get things that bother you checked out.Never want to assume it is what I had although it does sound like it.
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I notice I'm very tight and achy after I've been sleeping (reclining, of course - can't wait until I can, I hope, someday flop asleep on my stomach again!), but I've had very little actual pain. Just an occasional twinge inside. Still, I'm pretty numb all over, except for the feeling that I have a very tight elastic band across my ribs, or an iron hand reaching from behind and grabbing one boob or the other. My PT recommended deep breathing exercises to get the rib cage expanding properly.
Someone had mentioned redness - I have a red splotch (bright crimson) just above the steristrip on the incision on my right breast (can I still call it that?). It's gotten a little smaller, and the PS didn't seem to think it was anything when he saw it, but I was wondering what it might be. Doesn't itch.... but again, when your skin is numb, can you really tell???
Wishing good thoughts eveyrone's way. I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the weekend so far. My Mom went home today - BF will take over care duties through the weekend and then Mom will be back to take me to BS and PS/PT appointments later this week.
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Thanks for all the good wishes from you all....I have been sitting about for the last two days and feel lazy but not so sore!! I do have a new pain though...like a BURNING HOT poke, under the left middle foob. I called the doc yesterday and they said it is probably nerve pain. Grrreat. When I bend over or move kinda funky it is painful enough to make me say outloud, "OH"!!
As for crying....I had two good days of crying. I hadn't really cried much since diagnosis, but I really cut loose the other day. I sat and just sobbed. I felt so overwhelmed and helpless. My dogs came and nudged me....made me cry even worse. Once my house got cleaned up and life seemed in order, the cry made me feel SO much better. I say...cry if you need to!! It is less fluid for the drains, right??
speaking of drains, AnnAlive....I still have one drain left from 4. It puts out anywhere from 50-75cc daily!! This side is also quite a bit puffier. I don't know why I have so much output--but I am hoping that next Friday the drain will dry up and it will be leaving. ugh.0 -
MargieC - Yeah, why WOULD I be putting out so much fluid, now at 4 1/2 weeks for this final drain. Questions to ask my PS tomorrow.
iLUV2kint - I hope you get your last drain out this week -- that will be 4 weeks for you, won't it. I am wondering if having my last drain so long contributed to my TE getting infected. Don't worry about crying -- I have had a few days of it too, and praying this week won't have sad news that I have to say goodbye to the TE and start rads. We need to cry it out!
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Hello all....have been lurking but not posting much, as like many of you, have been feeling pretty down... partly because the bs didn't remove all the hematoma as he didn't want to make more than one incision, and I can feel a hardish lump on the left side of my left boob, and have started to imagine that it has started to grow again....or maybe I'm not imagining and it has got bigger since the aspiration last week. I'm due to go to hospital to be checked next Saturday, but I think I'll call him tomorrow to see whether I should be concerned.... Again like many of you I think I feel that I should be recovering quicker and resent having to continue postponing my real existence.. as you might remember I had a bmx, but the fat and skin were conserved to form two new mounds, or boobs..anyway, my new boobs are still very tender and I have to keep wearing a sports bra, sleeping on my back, and taking things easy...and I've just been feeling really weepy and tired of having to be brave... But like someone said, we were probably very brave for the really challenging period before and immediately after our surgeries, and now that perhaps some of us can relax a bit, we cannot cope so much with the more trivial things...please don't misunderstand me...I'm not referring to those of us who have to face even more challenging things after having been given unexpected bad news...your concerns are anything but trivial!!
Anyway, thanks Dawn, Rachel, Dukes-up, Kelleyod, and anyone else I might have overlooked for your kind thoughts.
Rachel, just before I had chemo in March, I bought a good quality synthetic wig in a colour different to my usual (before I had darkish blonde streaked hair, my wig, which I still wear, is a dark chestnutty/red) Nobody ever thinks its a wig as it's so realistic, and it's very easy to wash and dry, so don't worry too much about not having a real hair one and you can be adventurous and choose a hairstyle you might not normally be able to keep or an adventurous colour. My hair is growing out now (last chemo on 12 August, and it's almost completely white. have still to decide what I'm going to do with it)
Dawn, very glad to read that your boys are home..it should make you feel better.
Kelleyod, so sorry to hear about the fire..hope things have gone back to normal more or less... you needed that as much as a kick in the head
Ann Alive, hope fluid is slowing down and your last drain will soon be removed. You won't know yourself when that happens at last. iluv2knit, I hope yours has been removed as well...and that you're slowing down a bit, not worth overdoing things.
That's it for today... I can't mention everyone but I do read what everyone has to say, so strong healing thoughts to all of you and be gentle with yourselves.
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AnnAlive - although our procedures were very different I'm having the same fluid issues. My AND has been causing some issues. Went to the SO 10 days post op and she sucked out 380 cc's of fluid. It felt so much better! But its not even a week later and it's almost just as bad. She warned me it would continue but i will be happy when it's over. I have another appt Tuesday so hopefully that will provide some relief. You are 1 month out....you deserve a drain free existence! Healing thoughts to all.
Christine0 -
Okay, I'm going to try again and see if I make any sense. Last Friday Oct 28, I had my BMX with immediate skin sparing reconstruction. THis was a nine hour procedure. The first half was the breast oncology surgeon removing the cancer and all breast tissue from both breast. The second half was the plastic surgeon. He cut away some skin and inserted alloderm slings and silicone implants. I'm still pretty sore and still taking pain pills. The breast surgeon came in the day after surgery and gave me so "trigger point" injections in my back. This took care of all the back pain almost immediately and even helped with some of the breast/chest pain. I was sent home with 4 draings, yuck. They are draining very little now and I should have them removed Tuesday. I so ready to get them out, but also I'm so nervous about it.
The plastic surgeon was not able to save my nipples so I can have them tatooed if I choose to at a later date. My BS called Friday and said the she got everything and that there was no surprises. I want to see it in writing for myself before I get too excited.
I haven't been on here much, I will try to read and catch up. I pray for each of you as we walk through the many phases of this dreaded disease.
denise
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Ok, so this whats been going on since my surgery on 10/12. Spent the night in the hospital post surgery, got my post-sugery appt. for the 20th. My right leg was bothering me with what felt like a vise grip was attached. At my appt. my BS ordered a ultra-sound and I was diagnosed with thromboses in my right calf. So I was put on warfrin to thin my blood. By the following Fri.-the 28th I had a large blood clot by my knee, about the size of a sausage link on the inside side of my right knee-cap. I wound up in the hospital for a week, being on 2 anti-biotics and two blood thinners. Home now and doing much better. My question to the heavens is what are you going to throw at me next. LOL
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Hello ladies!
First, my wishes go out to all of you for feeling good and recovering from surgeries. I have been reading these boards for over a month prior to my bmx that I had 10/13, looking for what to expect and hoping it would be an easy thing. Ha, what was I thinking? I'm reaching out today to find out how to deal with expander pain, seroma, and pectoral tightness. I was hoping by week 3 things would be considerably better, but that is not the case. My bs is not concerned with seroma, but it makes the expansion process more painful. I have another 3-4 months before implant exchange...that's a long time to work through this pain. Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!0 -
Hi Teel!
Welcome--- and glad you found us
Your surgery was about a week prior to mine so we're close to the same point in the recovery process. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that EVERYONE has a different recovery experience... and there is no such thing as a "healing" schedule. That said, I do have general pectoral tightness but nothing more than what I would have expected prior to having this surgery. How many fills have you had so far? I was initially filled to just 150 cc on both sides. My first "fill" appointment is scheduled for Tuesday. I do have what I believe to be a seroma on my right side... but waiting it out until Tuesday.
~AJ
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Grandmarose~ Gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that your recovery has presented so much difficulty
I'm so glad that you're now home! 0 -
Hi Dukes Up!
Yes, I realize that everyone has a different recovery schedule, but I guess I've been living in lala land hoping mine would be quick and easy. :-p I'm definitely someone who can't sit still and it's hard for me to relax and get better. Hmmm, maybe this is all a learning experience for me.
I had my first fill last Wednesday. Uneventful and thought it went well. Only 30cc since I wanted to start slowly. I'm small on top and therefore the bs agreed to do small fills. I believe the original fill was 160cc each side.
Each day though I'm finding that I am filling up with fluid and becoming more uncomfortable. Of course a call to the doc tomorrow is necessary.
Good luck at your first fill and speedy recovery to you!0 -
Maria_Malta...it was good to see your name again. I am sorry you've been having a hard time. But, of course, there ain't nothing easy about any of this, is there? Sigh... I hope things are improving.
Grandmarose...UGH...a clot is all you needed. I am glad you are home now and improving. There is nothing quite like getting home to help your spirits. I hope things start to improve really quickly now.
Deniseday...I hope you see the last of those drains Tuesday...:)
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As for me, getting back to work is tough. More exhausting than I expected. I guess I shouldv'e waited a little longer. But, I am making it through. Just wish I'd pampered myself a little bit more. Not sure now why I rushed. The bs said I could go back a full 10 days before I actually did, so I thought I was pampering myself as it was...but really...wow is it tiring...and I went back two days shy of four weeks post-op. I guess my advice to pass on is DON"T RUSH IT...:) Women almost always need to be told to chill out a little anyway, don't we?
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