January 2014 Surgery Sisters
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I'm so sick with that really bad stomach bug going around! Just thankful its not when my surgery is planned! I go in jan 29. Hoping to be Healthy" by then!!!!
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Thinking of all of you going into and waiting for surgery. All my prayers sent out!!!!!!!!!!! Char
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Sending out prayers to our surgery sisters this week. Wishing you successful surgeries and speedy recoveries!
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Mommyathome....it looks like you and I have the same surgery date; Yes I FINALLY have a surgery date!!! I will be having a BMX on January 29th with TE's placed in immediately. I am relieved that I have a date and now just a little scared. I have an appointment with my breast surgeon on Wednesday, is there anything I SHOULD be asking? I plan on asking about the hospital length of stay, drain care, activity restrictions, antibiotic use, time off work length, ALND dissection etc. But many of you ladies have been through this earlier this month so please let me know if I am missing something.By the way, I have already bought extra pillows, button front PJ's, button front shirts, Pink Pockets, and have made arrangements for my kids.
Part of me wishes I could just get this over with now...I hate waiting
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Best thoughts and huge hugs to all my January sisters.
My date is this Friday the 17th. having a BMX...right side is the bad girl. DCIS but lots of it. Freaking nervous as heck. I am waiting for the financial dept. at the hospital to call me back....waiting AGAIN....I am a planner and waiting for everything has been really hard, know how you feel GIRLSTRONG. Funny I know I can deal with pain, the drains,pt etc.... it is the "how am I going to look" afterwards that is scary. I already have implants and am a b cup. Not much tissue there to remove..BS is going to try and save the nips and the implants, but nothing is "for sure".
very depressing for me. I, like you all really like my boobs. LOL. Dang....who saw this coming?
And! had to put this off for 3 weeks because I had bronchitis...but my head is stuffed up from allergies still....lol again
whiney I know......
K going to use my nedipot....
love you guys
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Wishing all of my surgery sisters a smooth procedure and comfortable recovery this week!
Those of you waiting - yes, that is definitely the worst part!!! Even though I'm swollen and sore and wearing drains and can't drive.... I'm much happier on this side of the surgery.
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bravo! lighthouselady
you made me smile.
do you collect lighthouses? my husband really likes them. he can't tell me why...kinda funny. we live in central fl, no lighthouses here. I always thought I'd like to be a lighthouse keeper. wild and wooley and isolated.
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I do collect lighthouses.
I grew up in upstate New York and we used to vacation in Maine. We would rent the same beach house each year and I would sleep in the same bed where I could see a lighthouse shining every night. Ever since, I have loved lighthouses. I lived in South Carolina for a while and could get my fill of seeing them. Now I'm in the middle of Texas... no lighthouses here!! LOL
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Momaton- good luck this Friday! I'll be thinking of you.
Girl strong- yes, I agree... Can't wait. I was officially diagnosed with ADH on November 20 and then DCIS on December 4. It's been along to wait!
Your questions seem pretty thorough. Bring a notebook to write everything down . I met with BS on January 3 and meet with the PS again on January 28 to get marked. I was told 6-8 week recovery period. I was also told 1-3 nights in the hospital depending how everything goes. Just talk out what you expect to happen before during and after the surgery this way the doctor can correct you if they have a different plan. Mine wasn't going to check SN on breast w DCIS but I told her for closure and comfort I wanted it checked. She feels she got all the DCIS but there was a 1mm margin which also concerns me. My dr is beginning to know how I think. I want to know everything!!! I don't want to go home wondering!! That's just me. Lol well good luck with your appt and hope to talk to you before the 29. What state are you from?
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Lighthouselady? You say you are swollen. But you still have your drains in? How much are you draining every 24hrs now?
I had my right drain removed when it got less than 30ml (and it all seems fine) and my second 2 days later still draining 50ish (not fine). I'm SOOOOOO swollen with fluid I went to emerg tonight cause I was worried. My PS wanted it out because she felt it was contributing to the skin dying. I see her tomorrow. I don't think she's going to like what she sees.
And emerg gave me a stronger pain med....I was hoping to be going in the opposite direction as far as meds go.
Laurie
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But you are right...better being on the recovery side rather than the waiting and worrying side. Good luck to everyone in surgery tomorrow.
Laurie
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oh Laurie that stinks. Did they aspirate you at the ER?
I had two drains on each side after surgery. PS removed two last Thurs. One was barely draining at all (maybe 10 per day), but the other was probably around 50 like yours. I was surprised he pulled that one but he said the other one would pick up the slack. It hasn't. It didn't increase at all.
My right side is fine... Not any fluid build up that I can tell and the remaining drain there is collecting maybe 25-30 each day. The other side's drain is collecting about the same, but I can feel the fluid all around under my skin. It's not like it's just in one place like a seroma. I'm on antibiotics so hopefully I won't get an infection with all this fluid sitting around.
I see the nurse at my PS office Thursday so I guess I'll see what she says. I hate the thought of it, but I almost hope they want to aspirate some of the fluid so that side isn't so tight. That incision still looks like it has a ways to go to heal compared to the other.
I wish my appointment was tomorrow. Let me know what your PS says.
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Ok girls, Wednesday is my day and I'm getting a bit anxious BUT also I am very clear: They've got to go - every bit of them BECAUSE I'm going to LIVE. I have hair - not much but enough that it helps me think of the future. I think of all of you often and send you positive thoughts for your surgeries and recovery. V
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Lumpectomy and SNB tomorrow. Feeling a little nervous as the nurse commented during my pre-op tests "Oh, we don't get many of these surgeries here, they usually all go up to Stanford". Too late to have regrets now, but I hope that wasn't a sign that I've done the wrong thing by deciding to stay local!
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Morning lighthouselady. No they didn't aspirate at emerg....they were worried about the implants and they knew I was seeing my PS this morning. But they said it needed to be aspirated so I'm hoping she does it. I'm so full and tight.
I'm having a hard time imagining that this is working out right at all. But then I read some posts on here and realize that we are all going thru similar things. Trying to keep my chin up!
Good luck to everyone today!
Laurie
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Yeah...I've been aspirated!!!! It feels so much better. The PS had positive things to say today. So that makes me feel great!
How's everyone else's day going?
Laurie
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Laurie - great report!! Did it hurt when they aspirated?
Thinking of you kiwilady.
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HVV and kiwilady
thinking of you both....would love to give you a quick hug ((hug)))
Take care,
Eve
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Hi everyone, just wanted to leave a quick note. Just got home from my day surgery. I had a lumpectomy and sentinal node procedure today. This morning went to nuc medicine first and had four injections of radioactive material -- was not painful at all other than a sting. Then went for the guide wire and mammogram, again, had a great doctor and pain was not much at all. When I woke up from surgery and went to recovery, I was in some pain but not bad. Over a period of probably 90 mins they gave me three separate shots of pain medicine in my IV and the third one finally really cut the pain almost completely. I went back to my room and did not have any other pain meds. Doctor prescribed hydrocodone and I am about to have dinner and will take 1 of those and go to bed.
I was very concerned about being able to take care of myself and I can tell you that at least so far, I feel great. I know that probably the next day or so will be more painful perhaps but this was nothing next to the open gallbladder surgery I had 18 months ago. I was thinking about all of you today as I was anxiously waiting for my procedures. I did not have anyone at the hospital with me. I was told to baby my right arm and not to type for too long, so I will ask my BS's office tomorrow when they think I might be able to go back to work. I type most of the day, and I know I cannot drive for at least a day, but we will see what the office says.
The BS sutured me up and glued me with a waterproof glue, no drain. He told me prior to surgery that I could shower tonight if I wanted to -- not going to do that, probably will wait 24 hours for a shower. BS is going to refer me to an oncologist but feels that I probably will not need chemo, but definitely radiation and probably Tamoxifen. I will let you all know more details as I get them.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you and good luck those having upcoming surgeries.
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HVV and kiwilady-sending you gentle hugs and prayers. And to all of my january sisters who have already had surgery, thanks for all of the great advice you've give. My surgery is not till January 23rd. Can't wait to be on the other side with those who have already had surgery! I'm praying for all of us and know that 2014 is our year! Cancer free here we come
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Joan - glad to read your post that everything went well. {Gentle hugs} Hope your recovery is quick!
Thinking of all of my surgery sisters.
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Thanks, Michelle, my fellow Texas Warrior! I am thinking of you as well, and my surgery sisters. We truly are a type of a family, I feel. One that is formed involuntarily, but one of the most supportive, educational, and loving. I live alone and no family nearby, so having people like you has really been so important to me.
Going back to bed now and trying to get used to sleeping on my back. Take care and bless all of you.
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Joan- check my post to you in the lumpectomy lounge before hopping in the shower tomorrow- want you to be safe if you are home alone showering
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I made it through the surgery. I know it's not a huge surgery but I have to admit I was a little terrified. This was my first surgery ever and I was most concerned about being put under and not waking up. My first words to my husband were actually ' Baby, I woke up'
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Hi kiwilady:
Not waking up was my biggest fear too! WIshing you a speedy recovery.
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Kiwi, I feel the same way but surgery is surgery, some are bigger than others, but they all have the same risk. And I was a BIG baby when I had my first surgery 5 years ago. I had never been unconscious and the thought of not being in control terrified me. I am sure my surgeon thought I was pathetic LOL. But trust me, hopefully you will not have surgery again ever, but if you do, the next time will be easier going in. You still have nerves and that is normal I think. But once you know kind of what to expect it is not so terrifying. I am glad you made it through. We are recovering together. I have to say, waking up this time was different. I was still in the operating room when I woke up (was not for the other two surgeries I have had), and the breathing tube was still down my throat! OMG! For just a couple of seconds I thought I was in some sort of bad dream, then I automatically reached to take the tube out of my throat, and two hands held me down and that made me ever more scared. I was breathing on my own but it was hard. The anesthesiologist said "You want that tube out?" and I nodded yesssss and he removed it. That was very strange, I have to say. I did not like it and I am going to mention that to my surgeon on my follow up. Let me know when you get home Kiwi and how it is going for you!!
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Hi ladies...the tube down my throat has been making me nervous. Any of you have residual throat irriation or problems post your masectomy?0 -
I have had a sore throat for a few days after each surgery. The easiest time I had was when the anesth. dr saw me beforehand and said she was going to use a tube generally used for kids-Im fairly small built. That time my throat was the least irritated.
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Aviva5675: good to know that there are different sizes. I tend to be on the smaller size too, sometimes they use a pediatric blood pressure cuff...
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I always ask for a kid size needle for blood draws too
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