Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Poodles, I can't think of anyone more deserving of some good breaks than you! That's wonderful about the job for next spring/summer. What does it entail? You sound so up! I'm glad the house is showing well and hope you sell it quickly. Will you live in your camper or do you think you want something permanent somewhere? Anyway, celebrate, Girl! You've earned it!!!
HUGS!
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Poodles, so nice to hear your wonderful news
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Yup, we'll be living in our camper!
Camp hosts take reservations, sell firewood and ice, check campers in and out, pick up trash, clean restrooms, keep the gameroom neat, make rounds during the day and evening, and handle emergencies as they arise. They really are the heart and soul of any campground. This particular campground has been run by the same family for 50 years. They are laid back, but they don't put up with any foolishness. Everybody has to behave or they will kick them right to the road.
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Poodles, that sounds like a wonderful job. By the time April rolls around you will hopefully have gotten all rested and de-stressed from the past few years. I'm so excited for you!!!
HUGS!!
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congrats Poodles!! Great that you can live up your dreams and the location you want to live !!
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Hi tlfrank. My wire localization was exactly where my biopsy site was and exactly where the surgeon made the incisions, so I don't know which of those things was the main cause of my pain. But regardless, both incision sites were very bruised, firm, and painful after surgery. (5+ weeks post surgery, the bruising has faded now, and the right side is no longer painful, but both sides still have that ridge.)
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did you explain this to your BS maybe he can do something about it?? Hope other ladies had this experience could answer you
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Nash54
Sorry for the delay. The tea I am using is from a local shop called The Spice Merchant. They make lots of teas. Theblend I use is their most popular decaf. They call it Kansas Sunset (maybe Sunrise?). I also buy stevia leaves from them to sweeten all of my teas. They probably do mail orders.
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Hi ladies.... here’s another one of those questions that is probably for confirmation... that as usual, it’s all normal.
Surgery (Lumpectomy) 6 months ago. Radiation 4 months ago. Pretty much ok. But still have episodes of random shooting pains or extended periods of sore aching. I change bras from relaxed to lock-and-load, (or vice versa) and that sometimes helps.
Normal?
I know the answer is probably yes. But as you all know, there is comfort in hearing “me too”.
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the answer of course is yes. :-). I am over 2 years out. I have tenderness that comes and goes. Sometimes depending on the workout the breast or the SNB site will be tender. If I'm fighting a cold or illness and my other lymph nodes are active my scars can be sore. For me the shooting pains lessenedsubstantially as I completed recovery from radiation. But don't remember when I stopped having them. Feel better soon.
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Hi!
I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy this past Thursday and it went really well. Friday was probably the worst of it since the anesthesia had worn off by then but each day got better and is continuing to do so. Still very sore but not in a lot of pain.
The day prior I had the radioactive seed localization. It wasn't terrible just uncomfortable as they were trying to get the placement just right.
I also had the radioactive injection the morning of surgery and had heard this was very painful. It was not. They used lidocaine to numb the area (felt a little pinch) and then didn't feel anything thereafter.
Just wanted to share my experiences with others who are approaching this surgery.
Best of luck!
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AngelaJL -- lightbulb moment - thank you! Indeed the wire was placed exactly where the biopsy had been done. The radiologist who did the biobsy had used a vacuum assisted method that left me with a huge hematoma that pissed off my BS - she said they're unnecessarily brutal. Good news, with a little massage I'm feeling better every day now. I gather from the other posters,that twinges will continue to occur from here on out, and be an unwelcome reminder. Booooo Hisssss
Are you having to follow up your surgery with radiation? I'm looking at about 6 weeks of treatment if my genetic testing comes back negative. If genetics come back badly, I'll consider mastectomy because I really, REALLY don't want to deal with this ever again.
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Question - Had lumpectomy on left breast about a week and a half ago and now it feels hard all around the nipple area. Is that normal? I go for my followup with the breast surgeon tomorrow but am just wondering. I'm still pretty sore. Even in the car when we drive over train tracks I hold onto my breast!!
Also, is there a way to do a search in one topic area (like this one) vs. searching the entire site? Thanks so much
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Ellyn - does take weeks or months to feel normal again. My breast filled with fluid for a month of two. Watch for infection closely.
I don’t know how to do searching here, sorry I can’t help
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Ellyn, the area where the surgeon made the incision in my breast (6 o'clock) is still hard - it's scar tissue, I believe. I held onto my breast for months. I still put a small fleece blanket under the seat belt to protect the area. I only recently stopped sleeping with my small pillow under my arm.
BC is the gift that keeps on giving!
MJ
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Tappermom- love how you put it BC is the gift that keeps on giving “ so true. I’m learning day by day how to deal with it.
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tlfrank, yeah, I'll be starting radiation on 11/6 and will most likely be getting 21 treatments. All of my genetic testing came back normal.
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Ladies, what are you doing to help with the itching? OMG My incision sites are driving me nuts! Can we put anything on them? I don't see the surgeon till next Monday.
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AngelaJL - I'm still waiting for my genetic results - torturous wait - my rad oc said 6 weeks X5 days per week....ugh, Right now I can't decide which tx would be worse. They both stink.
vampeyes - I haven't really experienced much itching - probably because my nip is numb - I would try Eucerin
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Hi all - it has been a while since i have checked in. I see many new faces. I am so sorry any of us have to be here, but so very thankful to have this amazing group!
I had my 3 month follow up yesterday. The NP did a thorough breast exam and said everything seemed great. I will start mammograms in 3 months - she said they like to give everything a good 6 months to settle down before they start those. Thankful all seemed well - but since only a breast exam, still hard not to worry. Has this been anyone elses experience? My son had cancer and had MRI's every 3 months - they were very stressful and a nightmare each time, but when they came back NED it was such a huge relief and I felt I could sorta exhale for the next three months. This was not how I felt after my appt yesterday. I actually think I would feel better if I had an MRI to know I was NED. Am I crazy?
For those still experiencing tenderness, etc. - my NP told me that many patients she sees who are even 10 to 15 years out say that their breast is still tender and more sensitive. That was reassuring to hear that was normal. I also have some thickening on my radiated breast - so the LE therapist gave me a great massage and taught me what to do to break that up. She also wants me to wear these foam pieces in my bra - she said that is like a constant massage and will keep the fluid moving.
I also visited Pretty in Pink - not sure if that is just local at my hospital or something that is everywhere. I was fitted for a sleeve to wear when exercising, flying etc. The amazing thing I Iearned is that I can buy bras there and insurance will cover - she showed me very nice, pricey bras and said they would be abt $11 after insurance! Just wanted to share in case that might be available for some of you. I had no clue.
Prayers and hugs all around ♡
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I went to the Oncologisrt yesterday & he said everything looked good after my Lumpectomey.He said he wants me to have Radiation.I go Thursday to talk to the Doc about the radiation. What will the radiation treatment be like? Thanks in advance,for the info.
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Chips, there are a couple of different types of radiation but I'll tell you about my experience. I had a mapping session where they get coordinates while you have a CT scan (this was the only hard part as I had to hold my arms above my head for about 45 minutes). Then I went for a simulation - they put you on the linear accelerator and test the information they got during the mapping. It took about a week from mapping to simulation. Then I started treatments the next day. I had 33 treatments. Each treatment was only about five minutes or so. The techs were fabulous. I was fortunate - my skin did very well. I got a little red and developed a little rash but nothing terrible. Within two weeks of stopping treatments, that was all gone. The worst side effect for me was the extreme fatigue. You just have to respect it - it does get better once you're done.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you - keep us posted on how you're doing.
M
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Oh my goodness. Just found out that my real estate agent has breast cancer! I don't know her age, but I'm pretty sure she's under 40.
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Poodles, that's awful. I certainly wish her well. Now are you looking for a new agent?
HUGS!
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No, she had an appt with the BS today. So she's fairly early in the process.
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ML1209: I have those same feelings. I have my 3 month check up with my oncologist this Friday. Kaiser has a Nurse Practitioner that handles survivorship info and she wanted me make an appointment about 1 month out from the end of radiation treatment. Once I made that appointment Kaiser cancelled my three month check up with the oncologist. I was freaked out because I want to be told by my oncologist that I am ok. I made them put it back on the schedule. Well, when I saw the NP about three weeks ago she told me that I didn't need to see the oncologist for my checkups, that she would do them all. I WANT to see a cancer doctor and not a NP. I wouldn't mind seeing them both. The NP did a clinical breast exam and said everything was fine and that I should have my mammogram 1 year after my diagnosis date instead of 6 months later. She said I would be less sore by than and at the time it sounded reasonable. But afterwards I kept remembering that the recommendation is at 6 months and felt that I probably should do that. A year is a long time if something develops. I will discuss this Friday with my Oncologist.
I see that we are the same age. I see that you had chemo, my oncologist didn't recommend it because my oncotype score was low at 16. I sometimes wonder if I should have done it though because my tumor was pretty large at 3 cm.
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I just had my followup with my BS since my lumpectomy. I first had to get a mammogram. It's less than 2 weeks since surgery. They had to do 5 pics and the last 3 were so very painful I thought my stitches would bust open. I usually can tolerate mammograms, but not that day. BS said I had clear margins and DCIS was non-invasive. All good news. I still have to meet now with both a radiology oncologist about radiation and a medical oncologist for meds. I'll probably start radiation in November. I had to make a 6-month followup with BS and they told me to come back for another mammogram 6 months after I complete radiation.
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Ellyn, I can't believe they made you do a mammogram 2 weeks post-surgery. That's cruel. Of course it hurt. Geez. Where are you located? Why would they think a mammogram was a good idea? Was it your BS who made you have one? I don't recall anyone here having one sooner than 6 months post-surgery and many are 6 months post-radiation! My sympathy to you!
HUGS!
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So sorry to hear about that mammo, Ellyn - of course it was painful (hurt like hell, more like it!)! I won't have my first mammo until six months after the completion of my rads.
Went to Zumba class today. I've been going to fitness classes three days a week (strength training and mat Pilates). I had tried Zumba a couple of months ago but it was too soon after my rads and proved to be too difficult. Today was fun! I got many of the steps (certainly not all) but I moved the whole time.
A fellow came to class named Steve Valentine who is a competitive ballroom dancer. Last year he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Turns out his oncologist had been a competitive ballroom dancer, too, so they made a pact to dance when he was well and strong enough. They danced at a fundraiser for the hospital where he was treated (in La Jolla). Google him - read his inspiring story and watch these two dance!
MJ
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Ellyn27 - looks like we are in the same boat. I'm still waiting on some genetic testing that could change things, but for now it looks like radiation starting in November followed by meds for me as well. We'll have to compare notes.
I cannot even imagine having a mamo done right now - my eyes water at the thought. I'm sorry you were put through that. ((hugs))
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