Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Might there be some help for you on the mastectomy forum, Lorrilynne? I can't imagine the agony you are facing in trying to decide what to do. HUGS!!!!
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PontiacPegg - I think I have the needed items at home. Doc said .. no lifting restrictions ( I do wheel chair transfers of high school kids) and I could go back to work in 2 days. until she found out I work with mod/severe .. she then said a week off cause I cant get hit. My co worker had the same thing..actually 2 co workers (just found out) and both said they were fine in 2 days and they had way more removed than i THINK is being removed from me but they both work with the "functional students" . I am , however, not going to over do it..well.. Im going to TRY not to :P Im not so good at the sitting and doing nothing. So far my questions are:
Where will be my incision ?
Do I need Rads?
How long til path report?
Are you checking nodes?
How many hours from walk in to walk out? (for hubby to know)
Are you still "loaded" going home or are you clear headed when you leave? (was loaded after knee surgery)
These might be standard questions answered within the pre-op appt. but I wanted to make sure I asked everything. I wont be able to talk to anyone after the appointment ( have a race the following day, holiday weekend) then surgery tues. Work starts back up tomorrow... *sniffle * buh bye summer break
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panthrah: take a second person with you to the preop visit to help take notes, I also found it very useful to use my ipod/smart phone voice message app to record the visit. I told him I knew he'd be covering way more info than I could remember and was it OK if I recorded to listen to later and he was fine with that. I've relistened to what he said a couple times. If you can find/make a little soft pillow (like 3"x6") it can feel really good tucked under your arm between the arm and your incision, also feels good as a cushion under the seat belt. If you have trouble finding front hooking bras, try looking at your local mastectomy bra store. I found the sports bras too constricting.
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My SNB site is still red and a little sore (depends on the day) too. My partial mastectomy was July 30 so I think it just takes awhile for things to heal. I even have pain in my breast once in awhile. I dont know about slushing that is something I would ask your BS about.
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Panthrah, you will probably need rads. However, you won't know for sure about chemo until the oncotype report comes back (about 2-3 weeks). You should have your path report within a week (I had mine 2 days after surgery). You'll likely have 2-3 lymph nodes removed to test. I think most of us find the underarm incision the most annoying. I also couldn't stand a sports bra even though I'm very small (A).
My incision on my breast was vertical. I was rather surprised. I expected it to be a "smile" - rather horizontal. But it seems to have worked well for me.
I was not out of it when I came home. I was quite with it in fact. Don't know what anesthesia they used but it worked well and no hangover. I took one pain pill in the hospital and otherwise just used Tylenol (regular, not 3).
You will probably be at the surgery center about 6 hours or so - at least I was. There was all the pre-surgery stuff like wire locators and dyes to be injected. I'd guess my surgery was 2-3 hours and then an hour in recovery. Of course, your experience could be very different.
My son and his wife were with me during surgery. They let them run down the street for breakfast but had their cellphone numbers. I'm not sure that's always allowed. My surgery was done at a center dedicated to breast cancer surgery and it was an excellent experience.
I didn't use a small pillow but a lot of women find it extremely helpful.
Your body will definitely tell you if you shouldn't be lifting those students of yours. I wasn't allowed to lift hubby until 3 weeks post surgery (he requires a great deal of lifting and he's 200 lbs). Just be really careful!!!
Nancy, the only annoyance I have is when my bra band rides up onto my breast incision. Well, if I wear a top with the sleeve hole too small so it rides on my SNB that is uncomfortable although I don't notice it at all otherwise (it's not red or anything). My surgery was July 23rd.
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Wow. I'd say you won't know how you'll do post-op for sure until you're there. Sorry it makes it so hard to plan ;-).
Most all of us get rads. Mastectomy usually no rads, lump is almost always plus rads. That's just how it goes.
Intermediate Oncotype scores are frustrating. I opted to have a mammaprint in addition to get more clarity. It's nice in that it is a clear high risk/low risk result. If I hadn't had that I would have second-guessed the chemo decision the rest of my life. As is, I have no doubts.
A year out from surgery and I stretch and massage my incision area daily. With that I've kept full range of motion, but every morning it's a fight to loosen it up.
I'm starting to contemplate surgery on my "good girl," to make her match the now slightly smaller and higher "bad girl." At the time of surgery I couldn't contemplate the thought of bilateral surgery, although my surgeon brought up the possibility, and I'm glad I didn't! Being uncomfortable on BOTH sides just sounded like too too much. I look fine in clothes, but without them one girl is a perky 30-year old's and the other has clearly spent a droopy 60 years in the world. Who knew such a thing would bother me? The great news is I now feel good enough to be worried about something so superficial: that's a whole heck of a lot of progress, and so something to celebrate!
For those of you just starting on this "journey," just get through it, any way you can. Don't think too much (except when making important decisions), don't worry too much (yeah, right), breathe: you'll get through this and will find yourself a whole lot less scared sooner than you think.
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PatAlameda, Hoping I don't have an intermediate oncotype score. Those are a bitch. Obviously the mammoprint test clinched it for you. It's a hard decision.
I don't anticipate any plastic surgery on my girls. At 69, I really don't care as long as I'm healthy. And I have fulltime care of hubby making surgery a challenging proposition. But go for it if you want. Why not?
Glad you're doing well!
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PontiacPegg- Im not one for pain meds.. most ive taken is Tylenol 3 for my broken ankle so im sure ill ill be taking Tylenol for this. Rads *head desk* means more time off work (besides all the other fun things that go along with that) I REALLY REALLY hate to bail on my coworkers in the beginning of a new school year and new school and new program with a new teacher and half new students and severely understaffed. I know I know i have to.. but I dont like it *pouts*
PatAlameda- Planning is what I do best
Perky at 30? Im 38 and Ive always look deflated unless its pms time then I fill up 
Im really not "thinking" too much (really not any more.. I was .. Im over it). Its more of how its unbelievably inconvenient and Im completely annoyed by how much time this all takes Puffin 2014- I generally like constriction .. unless of course Im too sore. I do have a pillow ready
:) Ncollett- I still get twinges thru the biopsy area so I can imagine this will be similar. My friends C-sec scar will twinger if she hits it wrong and will still itch once in a while and hers daughter is 30. things def take some time.
today was the first day back to work.. I am fried. so. many wheelchairs. not enough adults. at least everyone is "calm" *wipes brow* that helps with the day. time to pass out and thank you guys for your input
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Panthrah, I certainly understand why you don't want to let down your co-workers. However, if you need to take time off to get well and heal, then please do take it. In the long run that will ensure that you are there for your co-workers much sooner. I'm really not into pain meds either. Aspirin or regular Tylenol for me. And not much of those either.
I've been lucky and had no zingers. I sure as hell had them when I surgery on my ureter (which required a huge incision like kidney surgery) 25 years ago. I couldn't stand anything to touch it the nerves were a mess. My doctor recommended Zostrix to calm them down and it worked beautifully. There's a huge caveat with it: Don't use on any that is not healed. And for heaven's sake don't get it near any delicate tissues (like your "privates"). My boss at the time had hernia surgery and used it and accidentally got some on his penis and thought death was a wonderful idea it hurt so. Bad for eyes too.
Just waiting and waiting for my oncotype results and bone density scan results.
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hello everyone! Sorry you're still waiting for your oncotype/bone scan results PontiacPeggy. Hope you find out very soon. How are you making out with caring for DH?
I found out last week that reason I'd been feeling progressively worse was due to kidney infection. I thought I was internalizing my BC diagnosis lol. I'd had rectocele/cystocele surgery last year and don't get usual infection clues. I thought nausea, fatigue and back pain was due to stress and lifting DH. I'm not supposed to be lifting him but that's never going to work for us. Right Pontiac/Peggy? You understand
. My DH also has Parkinson's and is 6'3" and 260 lbs. but he can help a bit with getting up and down but it all depends. We never know for sure.I had a phone call from Breast Health clinic social worker and she suggested respite care or to have someone come in. BS said she thought I'd be ok after a week and others are saying 2-5 weeks. It's kind of hard to make arrangements when you don't know how you'll feel after surgery isn't it? I will see what private care will do and whether we can arrange to have them in on a short term arrangement. All these assessments ! Time until surgery Sept. 25 is counting down. It sure didn't seem this fast while waiting for biopsy results! Lol
Anyway, that's enough for now. Hope you are all having a good day and if not I hope it gets better quickly. Take Care.
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Su-CQ51. Just got my oncotype score! 13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No chemo!!! I get my rad simulation Friday and start treatments Tuesday. I'm breathing again.
I'm doing well caring for DH. He's up and down as is common with Parkinson's. He's about 6'2" and 200 lbs. I think he has a bladder infection again. We see his surgeon (for his kidney cancer) tomorrow and will have him check it out.
Su-CQ, I couldn't have taken care of DH 2 weeks post-surgery. At 3 weeks it was hard. You may have a different experience. If you don't have family to come in and stay while you recuperate, then respite care will be ideal. I think it will be more helpful to have DH out of the house for a time than have someone come in for a few hours. That will give you a complete break and you will be able to concentrate solely on you, which is what you need. You WILL likely feel good after surgery, just some discomfort. But I found doing any lifting was not a great feeling and it hurt. Since I didn't want to pull out stitches or hurt anything, I was very good at avoiding lifting.
Use the time running up to your surgery to get your plan in place. Keep breathing and have a great day!
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Pontiac: GREAT news on the onco score! I'm so happy for you.
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Thanks, Puffin!!!! I'm quite pleased too!
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Hello, new here..
I had lumpectomy 8/15/14 w/ SNB.. SNB came back negative, but one of my margins was not clear. I am scheduled for another lumpectomy/ excision this Friday 8/29/14. I also had 2 tumors in same breast. Would appreciate any input from any ladies that also had initial margins not clear from lumpectomy. I've been torn wondering should I go for mastectomy, but Surgeon is very encouraging. Help! ( & thanks !)
God bless you all... this is not my idea of a "club" you just gotta get in !
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Hi EveryoneGood news Peggy- 13 is a wonderful number to have. No guessing at all:)
Psalm. My neice, sister and Cousin ( 4 of us were diagnosed in 2013 with breast cancer) those 3 I was the lucky one of the 4 had to go in for a 2nd surgery. They all did great and my sister returned to work the next day,though her boss didn't agree and sent her home. She is stubborn. But they are all doing great. We were all lucky in that it was caught early for us all- My first ever mammo!!
Good luck..
Keep me in your thoughts as I have my first MRI tomorrow- Took me a year and tears but I finally got to have the test and now that is here I am scared!
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NDgrrl, you'll do great and all will be fine. That's really weird that 4 of your family would be diagnosed with BC in one year. Glad everyone is doing well. Good luck!
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Psalm, good luck Friday. I think I would listen to my BS and stick with the lumpy. Your SNB were good so that's very positive. They also found a 2nd, non-invasive tumor in the chunk they removed and said, it's gone, don't give it another thought! In your pocket Friday!
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hi everyone! So happy for you PontiacPeggy! I'm sure it's a huge relief for you and your DH. Thanks so much for the advice. I'm feeling guilty etc but I know you're right! I'm glad you're starting your rads soon. One more hurdle down.
Hope MRI went well today ndgrrl! Good luck on Friday Psalm! Hope your questions are answered at your pre-op Panthra. Wonder what your "tattoo" will be on Friday PontiacPeggy?
Take care everyone!
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Su-CQ51, got my tattoos last week. I have 3, all below the bottom of my bra - one in the middle and one on each side. I'm to consider them really teeny flowers according to my therapist
I'm hugely relieved that my oncotype was definitive rather than equivocal. How are you doing?
Best to everyone!
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Psalm...my BS said 20 percent of her patience have to go back in . When they operate they can't see cancer cells. I went back in too. I didn't question my first decision. Talk to them some more. If you need assurance
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PontiacPegg .. love the number and all the cool kids are getting tattoos these days
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That's interesting, SailingWind. I asked my BS if she could SEE my cancer cells and she said she doesn't want to see them. She wants to see only the clean margins. If she can see the cancer then she isn't getting the margins she wants. I thought that was interesting. If you trust your BS, then go with what she says. He/She has seen it many times and gets a good feel for what will work for each patient's particular case.
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Panthrah, I now have all the tats I want
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I meant can't. Typo fixed it
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PontiacPegg.. you need to get something a little more colorful next time...a little mitten would be cute
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HAHAHA, Panthrah. A mitten would be appropriate since I am from Michigan
I'll let my oldest son get all the tattoos (he lives in SD!). 0 -
SailingWind, I'm glad that you corrected that. I was surprised at what you had posted. Very relieved now
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Psalm I had my lumpectomy July 30 and didnt have clean margins either. I go for my re-excision Sept 10. I also had clean lymph nodes but I did tell my BS that if he didnt get clean margins this time that the next time we are gonna take it.
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Nancy, I can understand your feelings on that!
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Peggy, great great news! Onto rad and being DONE!
NDgirl, hope your MRI went well today. Hang in there!
Psalm34-4, welcome and we're here for support, sharing, venting and caring!
Su-CQ, take advantage of respite if you can, even if it is only for a short time. You need and deserve it. Stay ahead of the fatigue, side efffects, etc.!
I'm on rad boost #1 of 7 as of today. Some skin SE's but almost DONE!
Mari
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