Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Ladies, don't worry about your hair at the wedding. Buy a great hat and look beautiful. You will have a wonderful time being at the wedding as mother of groom.(MOG) There is much less stress than mother of the bride. (MOB). I was a little offended when a friend told me as MOG nobody will be looking at me anyway, they will all be looking at the bride. Then I realized she was so right. They will just be so glad you are there in a pretty hat.
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And you look beautiful!
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Ladies,
My daughter had surgery/chemo last fall for Ovarian/Fallopian tubal/endometrium cancer. Her last treatment was the day after Christmas. Anyway, the cancer society gave her a couple of nice wigs. But a friend in another state, is a hair dresser and sent her several wigs that she had sanitized. Long/short /red blond/brown. She has had a ball wearing the different ones. Many of her friends didn't even recognize her sometimes. When she first went to the hospital, her hemoglobin was VERY LOW. they gave her 7 units of blood. our local dr referred her to a gynocological oncologist for her surgery/care. She is doing very well...her last treatment was the day after Christmas 2013. Her hair is now about 3/4" long. I tell you this just for the reassurance that it can get better, and it is possible to have fun with it.
Vickie
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You are a beautiful woman, Mimi!!
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ndgirl, no I did not have the Onco test. All of my medical team, including my MO, RO, and BS are in agreement that this is the best course of treatment based on my pathology. Although the tumor was small, it was aggressive enough to get to the one lymph node for sure, so they feel it needs more aggressive treatment. The node had a .3 mm cancerous tumor. The breast tumor was .9 mm and had clear margins! As much as I did not want to have to have the chemo, I am resolved to throw everything at this to lower the risk of recurrence as much as possible. I have a history of breast cancer in my Dad's family, as 2 of his sisters had breast cancer. One died at the age of 42 and one is a survivor yet today for 25 years now. I am actually still waiting on my BRAC 1 & 2 test results as well. Praying for good news on that one! I will start my chemo ACT series on April 7.
Enjoy all of your wedding plans for your son!
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Aww Mimi, love the picture and your encouraging words! Made me shed a few tears!
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Mimi, you look so beautiful in that hat. Your picture just makes me smile!
Petite gal, hope your surgery went well and you are recovering.
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Mimi beautiful picture.
Wampus I understand now why you are having chemo- yes its the best thing. If my nodes would have beein involved I am sure I would have had it too with no question.
I also hope you enjoy your sons wedding. Hard to believe they are growing up so fast- My son is also marrying his HS sweetheart.
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Wampuscat, when my oncotype came back, it turned out that like Ndgrrl, my type of bc doesn't respond to chemo either. So rads and tamoxifen for this girl.
Petitegal, hope the docs didn't hear us partying. We watched closely and your docs seemed like they knew what they were doing. Be kind to yourself now and let the healing begin. ((hugs))
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It is way past my bedtime, but who cares, I'll be drugged to sleep in surgery in about 8 hours anyway. Feeling very emotional...crying over many of your posts today. One of you mentioned what wonderful ladies are on here and I couldn't agree more. Mimi, what a gorgeous picture! Wow are you beautiful! Those eyes, that smile!
RMlulu, You are so encouraging. Thank you for being so positive ALL the time.
Wampuscat - I private messaged you.
I think I'm just emotionally and physically exhausted. I am a teacher and tonight was my open house. I've been fairly close lipped about what is going on with my health, but my students and their parents do know I'm having another surgery. Rumor is that I broke a leg or arm skiing (lol) but since I was clearly standing at Open House with no crutches or casts, guess that rumor wild disappear quickly.
My first surgery was just to remove the DCIS. My measurements were 2.5 cm. Lymph nodes were not looked at because it was thought to be pure DCIS, well path returned showing 3 invasive spots each being about 1 mm. This was enough to warrant my SN biopsy tomorrow. Surprises? #1 I thought "biopsy" meant a part of the node. Apparently they take the whole thing. #2 I was in a twilight for the lumpectomy, and thought this would be the same, but tomorrow's will be general. #3 I thought taking just 1 was an option but apparently it is not because they like to take closer to 3 or 4 so that they get at least one clear one. Geeze, as much as I've been reading I'm still learning at each and every appointment.
As for pain from my lumpectomy. It will be two weeks tomorrow. My scar is at about one o'clock on my left breast with the nipple being the center. My scar will be well hidden by bra and will not be an issue with a bathing suit. Oh yes, this was another thing I learned. Everyone's scar is in a totally different location. Of course that makes total sense, but I never really thought about it before this. I guess our node biopsies are in very similar places. Apparently most bras rub there. Any advise will be appreciated. My breast does not look smaller (34B) but I'm told that will change. I took no painkillers, but used ice a lot for about 4 days! It was wonderful! I do feel occasional "stabbing" pain but seems to be inside my breast not at the site of incision. I wear my bra constantly. Very uncomfortable without it still. My new best friend.
Interesting side note. We traveled last week. 6 days after surgery I was in a plane reading Divergent and not thinking of my breast. All of the sudden, as my ears began feeling pressure while we climbed and I felt pressure/pain in my surgery breast. It wasn't a killer, but it was definitely noticeable. On the way home, 4 days later, I paid attention and waited for the pressure/pain to come. It did in my ears, but not my breast. We had a layover on the trip home, so we had two liftoffs. I didn't feel a thing in my breast during either of them.
Well my husband is sleeping away. Guess I need to sleep before they put me to sleep. Gosh, I just want this all to be over! Prayers for clean lymph nodes and to have very few removed, would be greatly appreciated!
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Motherofone - Will be thinking of you until we hear back. Then we will cheer for your strength and healing.
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Mimi, The hat looks great on you girl! To ladies having surgery, good luck to you and a speedy recovery!
I had my surgery yesterday. All went well. Has anyone had a breast band wrapped after? This is very very tight. I have to keep it on for 2 days. I am not in pain just this is pushing into my ribs and back, it hurts so bad. I am teeny tiny on top, not sure why I need this compression so severe?? I may call doctor today to see if I can remove it a day early. I can't move or sleep from it. I did move the Velcro over a few inches to loosen it, but still a pain. Any advice???
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Will be praying for all of you ladies recovering from surgery. Don't be afraid to use your pain meds if you need them. Take it easy, be pampered, drink plenty of fluids, keep your arm elevated and ice off and on the first few days. These things all helped me so much.
Also praying you will each have peace as you await your final pathology reports after surgery. One day at a time!
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I'm home! It is over (again) lol! General anesthesia is knocking me out. So very tired. Planning to sleep the afternoon away. Incision is larger than expected and lower than I thought. Lots more pain! But the pain seems to be coming from the breast not the node area. Think I'll be doing the pain meds this time! Only one node taken. Oh I hope so very very much it is cancer free! Thought I'd done well - no nausea, but then got in the car! I was looking down, texting away and dealing with some somewhat wild driving from my husband and felt it coming on. Thankfully there was an empty Target bag in the car, so mess, but I did get sick:( Feeling better now.
Well ladies, I'm exhausted! Time for sleep!
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hi its been a little while, I had surgery beginning on Dec. Healed quickly but felt a set back during rads that ended two weeks ago and I'm back to feeling pretty normal again ...whatever that us these days !!! Feeling in the back of my arm is coming back and I have full range of motion and " she" looks pretty good , my surgeon did a good job
For those of you waiting for results I pray for great outcomes and for you healing, rest, elevate arm and ice ice ice !!! Pain meds didn't work for me but if it does for you just use it and heal !!!0 -
Wow lots of new folks. I can almost hear the fear in your voices, and realize I was a total wreck when I was where many of you are now. Even now little things will get me going. But it does get better - and as you are all finding out you sure get an education. I was talking to one of my friends the other day and I said a couple of things and she said - you lost me - what's such and such. It was then I realized that all the advice about not worrying, and your friends telling you what they would do if they had cancer means very little until they've been there. We have a language all our own.
Wonder too if anyone out there has had a senoma. I've had one since my second surgery a year ago - and everyone of my doctors have been okay with it. Yesterday my surgeon looked at it and wanted to drain it - which my RO had said no need to do - Of course he's not a surgeon - so he drained it - and of course sent the fluid to the lab - saying, as always, "don't worry it's going to come back nothing - and at least we now know it's fluid and not a mass." I guess that should be encouraging - but I hate always getting tossed a reminder that every lab, test, or exam is looking for cancer - that's the part of my pre-cancer life I miss the most - the ignorance is bliss part.
Best of luck to all as they move forward.
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And I can't spell - that would be a seroma - not senoma the truck - that would really hurt under my arm - They say the mind is the first thing to go - check.
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Motherofone -" There are no prizes for skipping pain meds after surgery." That's a quote from a little chat my nurse had with me after my first C-section. Just a thought, take care of yourself. Glad you are home and it is over.
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Motherofone, thinking of you and praying that you will get the news of a clean node! Rest and take pain meds, you are on the road to recovery!
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Mimi! Very true. They just make me so nervous. I realize I'm being a bit ridiculous, but can't help my concerns. I do love my ice bag though. Oh yes, and bra! Can't imagine life without either right now!
Thank you all for the words of encouragement.
Annika, I noticed your lumpectomies were scheduled far apart on the same breast. May I ask what happened?
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Kkuziel,
I had surgery in Aug and had a seroma drained in October. Mine became quite painful and I couldn't sleep on my breast so the NP oncologist along with my radiologist agreed to drain it and it felt so much better to have that 12 cc taken out of there. My girl kind of went a lil flat in that spot after it was drained but it felt so much better. My RO he was not happy with me after he found out I had did that as he said because I had had internal radiation that I had had more of a chance of infection on and on so I shouldn't have had it done. But oh well he didn't have to feel the pain I did and I never did get an infection. Last ultrasound said I had a small amount of fluid back there but nothing like before so if it starts to hurt again I wouldn't think twice about having it drained.
Good luck
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I had to have a seroma drained twice. I too had the internal radiation and my PC did the draining the first time, He couldn't get it the 2nd time so had me go over to our little hospital where a radiologist (not my RO) drained it with ultrasound. No problems, and the RO didn't say anything about it when I told him. (his practice is about 70 miles away). Been fine since. I don't remember how much was drained but it was quite a bit.
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A question on a totally different subject. My RO is suggesting another mammogram at the six month mark. (Not surprised.) He says it will also be a good time to do a mammogram on the other breast, too. But my original mammogram that led to diagnosis was in December and he wants to schedule the mammogram for both breasts in September. This will be nine months and not a full year from the last one. I am old enough to be on medicare with supplemental insurance. Has anyone had trouble getting mammograms paid for when they are less than a year apart?
I will call the hospital as they may need to get it approved. But I'm curious about your experiences with this. I certainly don't want to pay out of pocket. Thanks for any experiences you have had.
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I am having pre op tomorrow, even though my surgery isn't until the 9th. I hope I dont have to have a stress test(treadmill) the last one about killed me. Dont think i can do it, i am heavy and have a bad back. You all are such brave ladies! Good luck to everyone!
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Deb, my pre-op did not include stress test. Not sure what the norm is.
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Hope recovery is going well for you motherofone and petitegal. Been thinking of you and praying for a quick recovery and good pathology reports.
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Thank you! Hope your recover is speeding along. How are your incisions healing? My breast one is doing quite well. The new one from the SNB is super sore, but it was just yesterday and is in such an awkward location. The general anesthesia has really wiped me out! I was so good with twilight sedation, but I hate this! I haven't gotten out of bed except to fill the ice bag, get water, and use the restroom. No blue coloring until 4:00 this morning. Took nearly a day for the blue dye to get all the way through my system. Pain much better this morning but last night was uncomfortable!
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Thanks warmpuscat. I am doing really well. I did not need any pain pills and as soon as I removed that darn breast band I felt 100 times better. I took a nice shower today and boy did that feel good, made sure the water was warm and not direct on area. I was told put antibiotic creme twice a day for 5 days on incision area. I will ask is it normal to have a clear fluid leaking out a bit?? She went in through my nipple area so that is where is is coming out of, very little, I have something in my bra so it doesn't stain. I don't have a drain like some women had. They just removed a nickle size atypical tissue. I am praying pathology is all good. I got a full 10 hours sleep last night and just taking it easy for a few days. Just curious about the clear fluid. I hate to call doctor for everything. I wish they would give you a list of what is normal and what is not. I don't have a fever, I keep checking, even though I have some chills. But I think I may be getting a cold, with sniffles and throat hoarseness. Thanks ladies.
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Hi Lumpies! Just wanted to check in and reassure you newbies that - it gets better! I've finally come out the other end of the treatment tunnel and got to go to the gym and work out. What I want to reassure you is that yes, you will feel okay again, no matter what your treatment entails. Normal may be a little bit different, but it will come. In time. Just give it time, breathe as our Lumpiemama RMulu says, and you'll get to a good place.0 -
So true Pat, takes a lot of patience but soon you will start to feel slowly normal again. Just don't overdue and keep pampering yourselves.
I did not have any wrap or drains when I came home. Came home in the bra I arrived in at the hospital. My lumpectomy was at 10 o'clock and I had really very little pain from that incision. I had some discomfort from the sentinel node biopsy incision the first night, but after that just a little soreness. Didn't really need any pain pills after the first night. Tylenol did the trick for any discomfort. Icing off and on really helped and I kept my arm propped up on pillows to try to keep it elevated above my heart most of the time. I didn't experience any drainage or bleeding at home. If you have any concerns or questions I would not hesitate to call your physician and ask to be sure. Hopefully you will start to feel improvement with each new day!
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