January 2014 Surgery Sisters
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I opted not to have my nodes checked on my "good" side because I didn't want to have possible issues from lymph node removal on both arms, but I will say the dye injections around the nipple freaked me out, too!
Like Dancermom said, each day it's a little easier to move around. I think my numbness must be going away because I have more feeling everywhere and I'm starting to get itchy around my drain and incision sites. Ahhh the healing process.
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It takes quite a while for the pain to subside. Remember youve been sliced open, been dug around inside, sewn up, drains in, your body is protesting! After about a week the drains were the most annoying part. Not painful, just annoying.
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Hi Aviva,
Thanks for the tips and encouragement - hopefully my sister in law (who I love) can come out and help with taking kids to school and so on for the first few days, my mom is too emotionally unstable, I think.
Summerwheat is my nickname ... luckily I am in California (most of my family is in MN though), so no winter for me thank goodness. We have scarily high temperatures here with fire danger in the hills of Northern Cal and on Sunday I went hiking in shorts.
I see that you have reconstruction surgery in a few days, very best of luck with that.
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Has anyone experienced intense shoulder pain immediately post op. I'm day 4 and my shoulder is hurting so badly. Surgeon says its from laying on the surgical table for 6 hours.
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Thanks = Im a little anxious this week about the surgery but figure itll be much easier than bmx so Im basically ok with it. Check back after tho!! While the physical parts of surgery and recovery are tough, I think the mental is harder- waiting for path results, test results and to hear what treatments will be needed. As I approached each part I read alot on bc.org about what I might go through so it helped to prepare me if that shoe dropped. I just got lucky with oncotype score, brca result and that nodes werent involved. I often feel unworthy compared to so many women on here that have to go thru the gamut. I know its not right, but I know I got off lucky.
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Hi All,
I am having surgery on January 14th. I went to see the doctor yesterday. I still don't have all of my information but I know that I am Her2+ my tumor is 2 cm there is cancer in a node and there is a larger area around the tumor in the breast with cancer. I found the lump on Dec 3rd and it has been a horrible month. Really finding it hard to find that fighting place yet. I have decided to have both breasts removed on tuesday even though there is cancer in only one. I was told that recovery would be a couple of weeks and no lifting. I will start chemo one month after surgery as well as herceptin. Radiation will follow chemo with reconstruction being last. It is all so much to take in and I am trying to concentrate on one thing at at time. There was good advice on the hospital stay and coming home.
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Jackie - I didn't have shoulder pain but I had pain in the middle of my upper back. I'm sleeping in a recliner and I had the heating pad on constantly for two days.
Cici - I'm so sorry you had to join this group. I remember the month or so after I was diagnosed... So much information and emotions all over the place. I couldn't even talk to people.... My hubby would take all my phone calls: my family, my friends, even the doctors. It slowly sinks in and you'll find your strength, trust me. I was diagnosed 8/1 and did chemo first, so I've had more time to have this be my "norm" than others just having surgery. Definitely just take it one day at a time, because otherwise it's too overwhelming.
I woke up this morning with the most pain I've had... Not sure if my new pain meds aren't as strong or what. I got completely weak and shaky after my shower today, so that's about all I can accomplish. LOL. I'm sure my strength will come back little by little, but having major surgery after four months of chemo... My stamina is shot!
Hope everyone is doing well!
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Hi ladies!
Just wanted to cheer you on as you face tough stuff this month. I'm from the October 2012 Surgery group. That thread was such a blessing as we shared our fears, struggles, questions, and victories. (You know...huge wins like That First Peek, Post-Surgical Poop, The Heavenly Shower, etc.) I even remember one dear lady getting excited cuz I posted that I had polished my toenails about a week after BMX.
You can do this!! And the support you give and receive here is a huge plus in your recovery.
Hugs to all of you!
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Ill second Dulcigirl, with best wishes and support for the new ladies. I have my exchange Friday, and found out today I need pre surgery blood work and an ekg, so Im rushing to set it up tomorrow. Would have been nice to have been told previously Id need it. I do remember before my 2 surgeries in the summer I had to have current blood work etc, but had time to arrange it. Guess thats one more thing to check on if your surgery is upcoming- ask surgeon or pcp if youll need testing, so you dont rush last minute.
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quick question ladies I see most who have had surgery only stayed a couple days I am being told my ps about a week is it based on the surgery procedure? I am having DIEP Flap done
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Yes that procedure is a longer stay. TE RECONSTRUCTION is a day or two.
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Just adding my name to the January list. I'm down for January 15th for a lumpectomy and Sentinel Node removal/biopsy.
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thanks Beans
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PRe-op exams this friday and then surgery wednesday. Not that I'm nervous or anything... V
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Hi ladies-had BMX last Fri and finally able to slide laptop over to me. Was hoping it would be a piece of cake but not quite. Ended up staying 2 nights, think three wks would have been nice :-) Was glad someone mentioned the itching! Driving me nuts esp under arms. SNB was done on both sides-those incisions the worst. Am trying to cut back on pain meds but think too early yet. The compression bra is cutting me in half. See PS tomorrow with lots of questions. Lots of swelling esp under the arms. ouch.
Will have one big talk with PS and hosp when up to it-no PCA pump? The PAR nurse "had mastectomy some months ago and old me that the pump did not help her and "I " didn't need one. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! In the recovery room she keeps repeating that "its going to hurt" its going to hurt its going to hurt! No crap! And she forgot she was to give me meds to get me on top of the pain. I have been a PAR nurse too and I do know what the hell is going ion!
Think I am rambling-will try to be more coherent tomorrow. Sorry about that. Oh one thing=someone mentioned the radioactive shots into the nipples----get the EMLA cream, I put it on generously about 1-1/2 around and on nipple and I never felt a thing!!! The radiologist said I got a A+ for not even flinching=little did he know why! But what a help-I too was scared about those injections. Char
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glad it went well,Char. Take whatever pain meds you have and contact dr if you dont think theyre working for you...I wanted to wean off as soon as I could, but I decided I wasnt being a wimp, and would take them for sure at night and during the day as needed...I was afraid of being stopped up but decided pain management was more important.
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char
I'm so sorry you are having pain. Hang in there sending you gentle hugs.
Jackie
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Michelle
I used the heating pad too. Pain is much better today. I'm so sorry you are having so much pain today.
Praying for peace and strength for you
Jackie
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I stayed 3 nights. I was very glad I did. I have NSBMX with TE. I could have gone home after 2 nights however that night had a lot of set backs with pain medication.
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hi friends-
Thought I d let you know it's better on the other side. I think I cried so much before the surgery, not knowing what to expect. Now that I am 4 weeks out, aside from a sense of discomfort (I'm off painkillers) I'm now taking Motrin and alleve for my pain. That being said, I was cutting back on the pain pills slowly and stopped them last week. Please listen to your body and you will do ok. I have been sleeping in a power recliner and that has been huge. Last night slept in the bed with lots of pillows, so please know that can work too. Also, I must have called my PS office or service at least 7x with questions. There is no roadmap for this and that's what they are there for. Had friends make dinners for the first two weeks, after that we managed. DD says she cannot eat mac and cheese ever again. Anyway, just wanted to let you know it gets better & easier.
Hang in there.
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Thanks for that Swimmom2!
Last night I cried for the first time last night. I know it sounds strange that I haven't cried yet. I guess everyone does this journey in their own way. It's been almost 7 months since my diagnosis and it's been really tough to go through the normal stages of grief that others go through. I was treated pre-operatively with hormonal therapy for 3 months, then had a lumpectomy with dirty margins followed by a re-exicision with close margins. Then I changed providers. It's been a long road and I feel like I've run a really long relay race. I'm just really really tired. Not good, I know, to feel this way right before surgery (4 more days!). But just getting to this point has taken all the strength I have. Now I just need to let go...of everything.
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Swimmom - I took over Hubby's power recliner, too, and it's wonderful! It's not the most comfortable for sleeping (I'm used to sleeping on my side) but for resting during the day, it's fantastic!
Today I had a post-surgery follow-up appointment with my breast surgeon and my plastic surgeon. I have good news and bad news. Pathology report showed no cancer on the right side (so glad I didn't opt to do the sentinel node biopsy on that side... not needed!) and clean margins on the left. So no cancer left lurking. Yay! But there were still residual tumor cells in the breast tissue AND 9/24 nodes were positive. Ugh. So definitely can't avoid radiation which makes my reconstruction harder. Booooo. Not terrible but not the clean report I wanted.
Also good news and bad news on my drains. They removed two out of four today. Yay!! But one of the remaining ones lost its stitch so my surgeon had to clean me up and restitch it. Fun times. Thank goodness I had an appointment with her after the PS and not before. She has an excellent bedside manner, and took her time cleaning me up, making sure everything was sterile and secure before she bandaged me back up.PS didn't fill my TEs at all.... he said the left (cancer) side is still too tight. So we'll go back next week to see his nurse so she can view my healing progress and remove any drains that she's able to (ok - that is NOT comfortable when they take them out), and I'll see both doctors again in two weeks. Since I have to have rads, the PS will have to speed up the expansion process more than he would like to, so we'll just see how far we can get before rads starts. Want to hear something funny? My radiation oncologist's name is Dr. Au (as in "ow). LOL
I thought I would be more tired from today - 6+ hours in the car and two doctors appointments, one of which took forever, but I'm doing good. I was a bit uncomfortable riding in Hubby's truck, but it wasn't too bad. I had blankets and pillows and pain pills.
How are my surgery buddies doing?
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Good morninglighthouse lady:
So happy for your good news, and sorry for the not so good. It is wonderful to see that you are healing well. I am healing really well myself and feeling pretty good. I got good news from the final pathology report - my lymph nodes were clear - happy about that They did find more DCIS and a bit more invasive but had good margins and with the mastectomy all the cancer is out. Just waiting now to see if chemo is in my future. I will go to the PS on Monday to see if drains can come out...they are SOOOO annoying. Other than that, I feel very blessed that everything has gone so well so far.
((Hugs)) Kathy
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Good Morning Surgery Buddies Kathy and Michelle
What a difference a weeks makes. Michelle I too am happy for your good news but so sorry you had to get anymore bad news. So glad you got 2 drains out. They are a total pain in the neck
Kathy your news was pretty good as well I will pray for you that are a surgical cure and will not need chemo too.
I see both my PS and my BS on Monday for the first time. I am hoping the drains come out. It would also be nice to have a little fill in the TE I am so lumpy. I doubt he will though. I guess my skin was incredibly thin and they were concerned about blood flow. Saving my skin at this point is more important than a first fill. Thank goodness it's sub zero temps in Ohio and bundling up is appropriate.
I will also get the final pathology. I can't stop thinking about that. I had an MRI 2 weeks pre surgery there was a enhancement on the right side that the BS was concerned about. I wonder how Char is doing she too had sx the same day as us.
Glad you all are managing well.
Jackie
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Seems there is always bad news stuck in with the good news.
My PS hasn't given me any good news yet. I don't really like her much. She just says that the tissue is dying....sounds so morbid. I'd like it if she could tell me what the good options are. I haven't got the pathology results back yet...that will be Jan 22.
They removed saline from my breast because it was so tight...I think if I didn't have swelling I wouldn't have boobs at all right now. I had one drain removed yesterday so that feels great...the other one has to wait a bit longer. THEN A SHOWER!!!!!!!!
Laurie
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But it IS true...I cried so much the last few days before the surgery...but I'm on day 8 now and things are going pretty good. I've been weaning off the T3s....to 1 every 4-6 hours. I took one this morning...and my next one will just be extra strength Tylenol. See how that goes!
I'm anxious to get out of the house...go to a store. I'm getting very restless here...maybe tomorrow!
Laurie
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Hi surgery gals...so glad that your all healing well and getting your pathology reports back....your all definately moving through this stage and onto the next in this "medical marathon". I do have a question. For those of you who had neoadjuvant chemo (Lighthouselady)...did you have any idea before surgery as to whether or not you had node involvement? Please PM me is you wish. Im just trying to always learn from you all. Thanks
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Oh quick additional question to those of you who had a BMX...do they always pathology on the non involved breast? Also do they automatically check the nodes on the non involved side or is that something that is up for discussion between patient and breast surgeon? I have an appointment with my surgeon on Wednesday and I am just trying to get "prepared" best I can.
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Laurie - I went grocery shopping with my mom today and it felt so good to do something relatively normal (other than sitting around!).
I'm thinking my PS shouldn't have removed the one drain on my cancer side. I still have one there, but i don't think that other one was ready. The one he removed on the right was hardly draining anything so it was fine. But the left side seems so full now. I thought the fluid would collect faster in the leftover drains since they are doing the work of two... but not really. I'm just afraid all of this fluid is building up and not coming out anywhere. Sigh.
I'm not taking my pain meds very much at all. I take one at night and maybe one or two during the day. Yesterday I took more because we were in the car for six hours.
Where do you ladies feel the most pain or discomfort? For me it's in the crease area between my breast and my armpit. It feels so tender and swollen (or maybe full of fluid?). My entire chest area feels tight, but I have no pain at my incision sites or anything like that.
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Hi Girlstrong. My BS told me that it is hard not to grab a node or two when they are doing the mastectomy on the non-cancer side. As far as pathology, I was told that it is routine to send ALL breast tissue and any nodes for testing.
Laurie
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