Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Our situations are so much alike! The Ikea waterproof mattress cover is one of my best friends lol. Anyway, yes I will PM. And I will also let everyone know how appt goes today. I lost track of how long ago my last mammogram was and 6 years had past! Take care everyone!
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Su-CQ51. I've just ordered the equivalent of two twin bed size protectors that I think I'll put on top of the sheets.
Fingers crossed that it goes well!
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Just wanted to know if anyone had any help at home after surgery. I see so much that needs to be done and I dont have any help..Im two weeks post op and would like to start doing a little house work.
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As mentioned, I had my sons in for a total of 3 weeks. They did not clean house (I'm not much into that anyway) but they cleaned up the dishes, and primarily cared for DH who needs a great deal of assistance.
Nancy, don't vacuum. My BS said no lifting for 3 weeks. That was impossible for me to do when it took 2 of us to help DH but I did adhere to that 99% of the time. House cleaning can wait. Your healing is vastly more important.
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Two weeks seems too early to try anything yet. After about week 3 I was using my opposite arm for lifting some heavier things, but only if it was very brief. I do have others here to help me but I'm sure you're going stir crazy thinking about it. Either ask for help from friends or relatives, or just keep busy doing something else to not notice. Its very hard but will be over soon...don't risk causing any trouble with your surgery! Be well...
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Thanks I was just reading over my instructions again and it does say no lifting pushing pulling for 4-6 weeks. Ugg. Ok I will maybe see if I can get someone at the church to come in and help me with somethings that my hubby just doesnt see (if you ladies know what I mean lol)
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I was able to have a lady come in and really clean for me just before my son arrived so we've been in fairly good shape. I have one son who is a neatnik and one who is not. So I was "clean" for the "clean" son
Since I have to lift, push, pull and other types of things for DH, I don't intend to do anything else that could be stressful for my incisions. I think I'm pretty well healed. Swelling is starting to go down and infection is about gone, too. Luckily, I've been virtually pain free. Discomfort? Of course. And my bra is driving me nuts but that's about it.
Do take it easy, Nancy!
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Thanks Peggy I will
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Good, Nancy! Gotta take care of that sick girl till it's better!
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Yes Maam just dont know how much is too much when you have some family members non who live with me who tell me I am over reacting and just asking for handouts. That I just have stage 1 cancer and its not that bad and I dont have any lymph nodes involved or any mets and my tumor was only 2 cm so its not even that big and having another surgery isnt a big deal because its just one margin and thats easy to get and no problem. Sorry for venting
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That's swell, Nancy. I would find it very difficult to resist hitting those family members upside the head. They are ignorant, stupid, unkind and a lot of other unprintable things. Bet they'd feel differently if it was their booby! I'm not sure how much tissue you had removed to get clear margins but my 9mm tumor required a 5 x 3 x 2.5cm chunk to get clear. I'm sure yours was sizable too. If I was feeling particularly nasty and it was a man making those stupid statements, I'd ask how he'd feel having that much of his penis removed
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Not sure how much I had taken out but I am going to ask. It was my sister. No my brother told me it was time to go back to the ta ta man and get it fixed and while I was there to have him tighten the bad girls up a bit. He said he was trying to make me laugh but I told him he was being inappropriate. I am not real sure whats wrong with my sister because we are close but she is just not being very supportive right now.
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Maybe your sister is scared it could happen to her, Nancy. And perhaps your brother just didn't know what to say and blew it. Those are possibilities.
Hugs!
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Ya I figured that after thinking about it. It just hurts that I cant talk to them about what I am going through without some sort of comment but deep down I know they love me and are scared. I do have another brother that I can and did talk to this weekend and that helped a lot.
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Glad to hear it, Nancy. We all need someone to talk to and it is helpful if it is someone in the family. I'm blessed that all my family "gets" it and is supportive.
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kitko, I urge you to speak up for your care and treatment and you should be provided a MO (medical oncologist), breast surgeon (BS) and radiation oncologist (RO). I have all 3 and each also has a team for more support. They are wonderful. I asked tons of questions and have a journal I wrote them in with the answers plus some that I typed, copied, pasted from things I read here and on internet. Get a 2nd opinion iif that's what it takes to get a better doctor. Don't just accept their complacency on DCIS! Be your own advocate and take someone with you that can speak up for you if you aren't up to it yourself.
SU-CQ51, Welcome to our lumpie group. We are here to support and discuss anything!
My latest, I just did 15 od 33 rad treatment and skin is very good, some tiredness by end of each week. The daily trip to my rad seems to be as exhausting as working, which I am doing 1/2 days. I try to get to bed a little earlier and sleep more weekends. No real fatigue as others have posted, yet. Keeping fingers crossed!! My RO is going on 2 week vacation next week so I'll see his associate. Kind of bums me but I know it'll be fine. I really like my RO and he is full of info and always spends as much time answering my questions and care as needed.
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Hi Ladies,
Things are going well, as Pat said it will look a little brighter afterwhile. But I have a question to the ladies who have had their surgery six months and over ago. Is anyone still having problems with range of motion with their surgery side? I've done lympherdema PT, they stopped it after about 12 weeks to give my arm a rest because of the pulling the tech was doing it caused me to have tendonitis. So now i'm getting ready to see an orthopedic for my shoulder because I don't have full range motion still. I'm sure I will be put back in PT. Just the funny thing is I was able to move it better before all the pulling, so my MO think the tech agitated my issue.
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sloyd66...I had lumpectomy in January...my range was always pretty good but I started pt back in July due to chording ....that has really helped the chording as well as exercises to strengthen upper back and shoulders.. I stopped a few weeks ago and with radiation chording is really annoying and pulling so I am going again. For me it's the chording and massage does help. Make sure you go to a certified lymph edema specialist. Good luck ..Rosie
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I had my surgery in early DEC. And been doing great .....or so I thought . I had settled with "I'm doing better then most and I'm alive " But told my onc. about my shoulder stiffness and a little pain , he sent me to pt. LOVE it, scar tissue being broke up, circulation range of motion back to almost normal!!! I also had tendonitis due to frozen shoulder from surgery and radiation !! I can't believe all if us don't have a chance to get ALL that we can back ..... I'm getting stronger every day !!!
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I had my surgery nearly 6 months ago and finished rads about 3 months ago. I've been doing really well but in the past week noticed soreness under my arm. I also have the feeling like a major vein is being pulled right down the whole length of my arm. My Radiotherapy Doctor told me about 6 weeks ago that lumpiness around my scar feels normal. But I'm worried because surely it shouldn't have a sore spot this long after surgery. Also why is my whole underarm tender this long after. Is it late after effects of the rads? I think I can feel some lumps too, maybe swollen glands. It's horrible having such an overactive imagination and always looking for the worst. Did anyone else have these symptoms so long after surgery?
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Hi Everyone! Thanks mripp! I saw the BS/Surgeon yesterday and she said I have IDC but it was caught early. I dodged a bullet for sure since my last mammogram was 2008. I decided on the lumpectomy/rads and my surgery date is September 25. It gives me lots of time to get things in place regarding help with my DH. Talk soon and take care everyone!
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fizzdon52....the major vein down the length of your arm sounds like how my chording felt...it's more a thick looking ligament when you lift your arm up and after radiation mine got worse and went down the length of my arm. PT has helped with massaging it and stretching. Not sure if that's what your issue is but it's uncomfortable and I even had a stinging pain at the top of my wrist. Rosie
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Su-CQ51, that's very encouraging news. Bad that you have cancer, good it was caught early. I'm glad you have plenty of time to get a plan in place for DH. It took me that long - sons had to arrange flights and leaves of absence (one was a family medical leave) from their jobs. For me 3 weeks was just about enough time to have help for DH. If you can, plan at least that much time. Any idea of what you will put in place? Hugs to you!
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Just an encouraging word for the day
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Thanks! Yes I do have a specialist lymph therapist. And it did help the massaging, she also showed me what to do when i feel the chording and to move any fluid. But dr had me stop due to tendonitis. I work with a trainer for strengthening of arms and shoulder I think that is help too. But i just was going to go to orthopedics just as a f/up. But I may start PT back again soon.
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Hi Everyone! Sorry to hear that some of you are having such painful arm issues. Thanks Peggy, hugs to you too! I have a few relatives lined up for first little while. I will also contact the Home Support in our area to see what my options are for his care if needed longer. Were you all able to drive yourselves to rads treatment? Take care!
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How would you know if you had lymphodema or was getting it? I read the lymphodema information on here but Im not sure. My left arm has just been really sore. Even around my shoulder and also my left side. I didnt know that was just normal post op pains or not
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Su-CQ51, I have been driving to my rad appointments (16 so far of 33) with no trouble, but I usually have someone go with me on Wednesdays when I have rad and see doctor weekly too. And Fridays as I hit rush hour on the way home, so we can use HOV lane.
Well some changes to rad area this week. Some red rash looking stuff on side / underarm area. Doc said it is hair folicles starting to react to the rad. No itching yet, but prescribed hydrocortisone cream 3x day and uped Miaderm to 4x day.
Take care!
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kitko, I urge you to read the thread "a laypersons guide to DCIS" by Bessie here on this site. It is soooooo good!!!
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ncollett...just went back to pt and asked my gal how we would know if it's lymphedema. .. If you feel your bracelets getting tighter or short sleeve feel tighter, that's a sign...don't lift heavy things with that arm or over use it as it can aggravate it. I thought my wrist looked swollen and asked her...are you going to pt? It's worth it to get a referral. Rosie
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