January 2017 Surgery Group
Comments
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Bevmomduck - woohoo for a clean PET scan! There is definitely some celebrating to be done with that!
Like many have said, people have their plan for lots of different reasons. I *only* have DCIS (I am praying), but because of the size of my breasts, the size of the area affected, and the lack of pattern to it, I am opting for a UMX rather than a lumpectomy. I think a lot of it is just personal preference and risk tolerance.
I am radioactive now thanks to my SN injection and just waiting for tomorrow morning. It's really getting real. I am praying they run the lymph nodes during surgery so I can at least know the results for that, but my husband wasn't sure if they would or I will have to wait till next week for my final path report. UGH. More waiting.
Thank you for all the encouragement, prayers, and good thoughts from all you ladies. Truly an inspiration, for sure.
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DSMom: glad you're home & feeling well!
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Bevmomduck, amazing news!!! So happy to hear!
DCISinAZ, wishing you the absolute best! It's intriguing how differently doctors do things. I had my injections for nodes done after I was put to sleep for surgery. The bungalow awaits and we'll be looking forward to you checking in when your ready.
I went ahead and made dinner tonight even though I'm pooped. I made beer bread also and so hard not to eat the whole loaf! Yum.
Hope all have a beautiful and restful night tonight.
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good luck dcis! And while I too 'only' have dcis, Michelle was right when she said we all go through similar surgeries.
For those with more advanced disease, maya, Shelly beans, win chimed, left coastie, pugsmama, docmama, ( I hope I'm not leaving anyone out), I feel such compassion for all of you. Adding chemo into the mix does just add another level of stress. You all have been so generous in sharing your stories, and pugsmama, reading about all the other surgeries you have already had and the stress with the genetic test and the waiting, oh my. It shows what strong character you have to go through that, then go through more, and still have the grace to spend your time sharing with us and educating us when all you probably want to do is lie down and have a nap. Ladies, you are all goddesses among women. I am honored to know you, however virtual it may be. And I wish you all the complete pathological response/remission Docmama has!
It is so very humbling to see our January list grow and grow, and then to think of all the months and all the years with the millions of women going through or having gone through this. Our journeys are all so different, but we share this sisterhood. Certainly we didn't want to be here, but I am grateful to all of you walking beside me today. X
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Vargadoll - I was a lot like you, only had one tumor, chose to do genetic testing to help decide on BMX or a lumpectomy and after clean gene testing and clean MRI chose to do the Lump (even though I have to admit I thought it would be nice to have pretty perky boobs again!). At that point they were thinking it was small enough and no nodes looked involved so thinking of just lump and then 5 day radiation and I could be "done" with treatments. I got very excited about that thought and didn't really tell anyone. After my lumpectomy they found it was much bigger than thought 1.8cm and 1/3 nodes was affected so chemo was a must, and they didn't clear the margins....I was so sad that day. I have to say that after talking to the oncologist and the radiologist that I learned why those treatments are so successful and while they aren't fun or quick, they can be very effective, so if you need them, or they think you do, now is the time to do them. The decision between lump and BMX is a big one, but don't wear yourself out on it, the testing and the drs will point to the best option for you.
DSMom - glad your home and feeling well too!
Bevmomduck - so glad for clear scans, that is worth celebrating for sure!
Does everyone's energy level seem to be really high sometimes and then just tank? I am hoping it is a symptom of all of this because I have never been so exhausted after so little exercise - it amazes me how I have so many thoughts and plans and how little I get done because my energy is just gone so quickly. I am a CPA with a small tax practice and I have to say that I am getting very concerned as to my energy with my job and the upcoming tax season!
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DCISinAZ: we'll be with you tomorrow & saving you a lounge chair with a pina colada on order! You've got this!!
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In regards to genetic testing... I was told that it was automatic for someone diagnosed with BC (in the US) that is under 50 with few/no BC in family. Insurance covered the cost for me because of this (I later found out, that family members did have cancer, but not enough to not do the test).
Win-chimed and others awaiting possible treatment protocol snow that you have had surgery- please remember that chemo and radiation also has the purpose of keeping any possible stray cancer cells from spreading as the Dr.s cannot be sure that they were able to get out each and every cell. The chemo treatment the oncologists choose is based on the type of cancer (I was triple positive) as well as the grade/aggressiveness (mine was grade 3/very aggressive). I completely understand wanting to avoid chemo- who the hell wouldn't? - but it is one of the best ways to keep down the chance of recurrence. If you end up needing chemo Ladies, please know that we will all still be here for you! I actually envy those of you sharing how much better you felt after washing your hair since surgery... I really miss washing my hair and how it felt! I'm still waiting for it to start growing again...Can I get a prayer for that?!
Vargadoll - I had my lumpectomy on 1/6. I wanted a BMX, but my BS really pushed and was adamant that he didn't want to do it, he wanted to save the breast. I would have pushed but the PS didn't believe that I would have a good outcome with the BMX either- definitely not nearly as good an outcome as I would with the lumpectomy ("because I am large breasted"), so I decided to trust my doctor and do the lumpectomy (and raise pure HELL if it didn't come out the way I wanted). So far, so good. I think it was good for you to wait to tell family until you had all of the info. It's hard enough to share your diagnosis without having the basic answers to the questions that you know will come. Share when you are ready. I didn't tell anyone outside my immediate family until just before I started chemo. I waited to tell the more distant family until I had already had a few treatments. I just told a couple of friends just the other day after I had surgery. No one was upset that I hadn't told them sooner (and if they had been I would've explained that my diagnosis is a personal thing). How old are your nieces? If they are old enough to understand and love and support you, then yes, I would tell them. My nieces were so incredibly supportive and awesome throughout my entire treatment and understood some of the "girl stuff" that my sons certainly couldn't :-) I would also say to make sure to share your diagnosis (even if it's sometime in the future) with those that are genetically related to you so that they can properly assess their own risk - It wasn't until after my diagnosis that I was finally told that BOTH of my grandmothers had cancer... I had been told my entire life that there was no cancer in my family. Argh!
Bevmomduck - Yay!!! So glad to hear!
DCISinAZ - prepare to pee blue!
bccpa - Yes, you will have days where you feel strong and then all of a sudden feel like all of your energy is gone. I think it has to do with the emotional toll that finding out you have cancer takes on you.
Welsome to the Newbees!
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DSMom, good to hear that you are home, hurray for you!
Shellybeans, moving fast to surgery does sound nerve-wracking but it sounds like your team is really on top of the situation. Gotta just roll with it as best you can.
To all you January ladies who have moved past the surgery and on to the next step, even if the next step is a waiting step, congratulations.
DCISinAZ, thinking of you for tomorrow.
Not much going on with me today...I pruned our two apple trees since we're supposed to be getting some ice, and while I was opening and closing the big two handled pruner, took the time to thank my very useful pectoral muscles for their long service to me! They will get a good rest after getting beat up a bit on the 17th, I promised them that.
Last night didn't go too well. What I call the neurotic night thoughts: cancer is my fault, cancer is everywhere, blah blah. I can talk myself down off the freakout ledge by morning and in the day I am fine. My conscious mind knows very well how lucky I am with my diagnosis so far. It's only when I'm not fully conscious that I get so scared. My surgeon is not big on anti-anxiety meds, which is OK with me but it will be Tylenol PM tonight.
Thanks for being here to vent to, it means a lot to me.
jinmo
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BeachBabyK: I pray that your hair grows back soon! I know if chemo is in the plan for any of us who are awaiting our treatment plans, you & the other warriors who have blazed the trail will be there with support & that takes some of the apprehension away...
Bccpa: aren't you receiving chemo right now? Between that & the emotional roller coaster of cancer, it's no surprise that your energy level would spike & fall!
Jinmo: my shit fairy gets me going just before I go to sleep at night too. Thank God for Tylenol pm! Lol
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Leftcoastie and PugsMama--- that is exactly how I feel too! I felt that by doing this bilateral mastectomy I could just be cured and it would be over. And now it is sinking in that we have cancer. I'm waiting on pathology now. If the skin isn't clear, I'll need radiation. Which I was totally trying to avoid. I expect I'll get chemo. But we do have to remember that we are doing all this to live! We will be ok. It's a marathon, not a sprint and we are strong! One step at a time
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Girls I have to ask... when will I poop? I'm 2 days post op. Taking stool softeners twice a day. Should I be taking something else too?
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3bears: 5 days for me & I think even longer for Leftcoastie! Hang in there, this too shall pass (couldn't resist the pun!
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hi all! Home, sleepy, on ice..
Long day, surgery got bumped to 2:45, but right now I am on the "looks good" diagnosis. 1.4 cm, lymphs "looked" normal. Probably no pathology until Monday, however.
My surgeon didn't even use guide wires, said the tumor was easily seen on her portable ultrasound. I am to look forward to green pee.... LOL
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great news Pyrrh! Rest up!!
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Pyrrh - good news! Thanks for finding the energy to check-in. My surgery is in 5 days and hope I'll hear similar feedback from my BS. Sleep well tonight
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Yay, pyrrh! Get some good sleep!
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Thank you ladies for all the input! I really feel like the lumpectomy is the right choice but then I'm hit with the what if's...I don't even have to type them I know you all have thought of them already! I thought that I had my setting changed so you all could read what I got out of my pathology report. Hopefully it will post now. I feel like the surgeon had made his treatment plan for me when he got the pathology report. He also said that I mostly would not need radiation. I am still hoping that's the plan after surgery. I do realize from so many post that I should not rule anything out.
About that shit fairy (excellent name Pugsmama) Holy shit the places she takes me at night!! WHY?!?! My doctor prescribed Xanax for me she wants me to sleep. On nights with the "shit fair" shows up I know I need it.
Ladies I have also decided when I get to my bungalow to enjoy my coconut rum I would like to request that Mary J Blige "Just Fine" be playing. Music is my escape!
Good night ladies! To all recovering, rest well, to all waiting rest easy and to all the new girls feel comfortable here.
Prryh, thankful you are home!
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My surgery was on Tuesday, after overnight extended care returned home Wednesday evening, pain at drain site is more compared to breast. Overall manageable, both drains are light pink and light red .10ml each today, recording 4 times a day. Has a follow up visit with surgeon on Monday 16th.
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after BMX where is your port placed, was it easily noticed without breast tissue.
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DCISinAZ and FightingGMA - tons of support coming your way tomorrow - praying for successful surgeries and positive outcomes
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pyrrh, so good to hear from you! I'm glad things are lookin good!
Amul79, may your pain lessen and I'll bet you're happy to be home!
Pugsmama and vargadoll, knock on wood... haven't had a visit from that fairy since my surgery and I love the name too! For the solid 2 months after diagnosis I got a visit every night. I would wake up beside myself with the thoughts that were running through my head all night. So exhausting!!
Putting out another "poop prayer" for 3bears!
Okay this time I'm really logging off for the night...I can't get enough of all of you ladies!
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Thanksfor the poop prayer Fightingirl!!! Lol!💩
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BeachBabyK - yes you can be added to my prayer for hair list! You started this group and have inspired us all with your strength and compassion. Thank you for bringing us all together. I will forever be grateful to you and all these other amazing women ❤
I'm thinking of you DCISinAZ and FitghtenGMA hope you're finding some peace andresting well.
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congrats pyrrh and amul! Welcome to the bungalows. Enjoy your fruity drinks!!
Vargadoll, I have only told 3 people about all this - 1 brother and 2 friends. I got diagnosed before Xmas and didn't want to ruin anyone's fun. I had my surgery on the sly last week and luckily it went smoothly. My 80 year old parents are going on vacation at the end of the month, and figured I would tell them when they got back. My mother was the care giver when her mom died of breast ca 40 years ago, so I really don't want to bring back upsetting memories for her. And I don't want any Carrie fisher/Debbie Reynolds scenarios - not that I think I'm going to die, but I certainly don't want to worry my parents and then have them have a stroke or something awful. So, I'll wait till they get back from vacation to spill the news, and thankfully I now have good news to share with them. But it's hard for me to keep secrets, so I get where you are coming from!
Good luck tomorrow dcis and gma! Looking forward to your postop checkin!
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A couple of things from an older, wiser me since having my surgery in aug 2016. Don't tell anyone, except immediate family in the beginning. You are in shock after the diagnosis and need to let it sink in a bit. I told very few people, and I am glad that I did. I don't want a million questions or pity. I feel fortunate that my bc was found on an annual mammogram. Your health is nobody's business but your own and you can choose to tell whomever you want. I warn though, once that information is out there, you can't take it back. When you are through the tough stuff, chemo, rads, surgery, meds, etc. then you can tell who you want to know. If you have chemo and your hair is a giveaway, then you might feel like letting people know. Personally, I would opt for cold caps to keep my hair if I had to do any chemo. There has been alot of progress in minimizing hair loss. I am going to have my ovaries, tubes and uterus out in 12 days. I should have been in menopause several years ago, but my body never started shutting down. I want to minimize my risks of too great of hormones circulating in my body. I was very high ER and PR positive, and want the choice of meds for the next few years without concern of endometrial hyperplasia or ovarian issues. Am I telling anyone about this? No. Just my immediate family and one friend. Good luck to all you ladies going through your surgeries this month. I know how stressful it can be, because I totally wigged out after my diagnosis. As one of my girls on a volleyball team said to another, "we are in this together." Yes, we are. And we can do this. Yes we can.
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Amul79---my follow up is on Monday also. I hope you're feeling better every day as I am. My arm with the tendinitis is feeling better finally.
Jazz123--Dsmom--Rosebowl16 --pyrhh--SheilaW8 how are all you girls doing?
Praying for DCISinAZ and FightinGMA today, last surgeries of the week.
Funny pun PugsMama. If it was 5 days for you and Leftcoastie, I should be ok. It's gotta come out sometime, right?
I think I'm supposed to take the ace bandage off today. I'm calling nurse to verify. I really don't want to see this. It's going to be a shock isn't it? Any advice? Has anyone let their husband see?
Annoyingboob -- I love your username. That really is exactly what these are/were. Annoying boobs
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Annoyingboob and Michelle - it was so refreshing to read your posts - I feel exactly the same as both of you! AB - we have so much in common! I was diagnosed late November and initially I thought, well...I'm undergoing a lot more testing (at my insistence we did bone scan, CT scan, and Dr wanted chest MRI) so I thought, no sense freaking out my family til I have more info. Well that info didn't come until literally a day or 2 before we went on a fabulous vacation for Christmas so my thought was, why put a damper on Christmas? I had no intention on dwelling on it over the holidays and didn't want to put that on anyone else. Fast forward post New years and I just didn't do it...the only people who know are of course my husband, a close friend and 2 other friends who had BC who I confided in for advice/to talk with. I also did my surgery "on the sly" just yesterday. I do intend on calling my brother and my other closest family member tonight (no parents) and when my pathology report comes in, which unfortunately in Canada takes 10-14 days (seriously!!), and I have the full picture and the way ahead, I will tell a few other close friends and family - that's it. Like Michelle said, I fell it's nobody's business and I'm really very uncomfortable with being "sick". I've already had at least 2 "pity looks"...we were at a Christmas function and I saw my husband's boss, who knows because he needed time away for my appts, surgery etc. and when I saw him he reached out to shake my hand hello but it was more of a hand hold and with deep concern in his eyes says "so how ARE you?" We both knew what he meant of course and I hated it. All this to say, I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in how I feel. Ironically the 2 friends who had BC whom I've confided in were the complete opposite...my cousin told everyone within 30 seconds of receiving the phone call and my other friend was EXTREMELY open on social media....pics from the chemo room holding up signs "Chemo #1!" etc- that's not me.
Anyways, I'm definitely more sore this morning...that lovely freezing is wearing off. I've actually set my oven timer for my meds...I want to stay ahead of it.One of the things which was stressed to me was to not be a martyr and take the darn meds so that I can better do the rehab exercises and recover faster - makes sense. I love my husband but I wanted to smother him last night with his own pillow. He wasn't feeling well so took some night time flu meds. The drink of whiskey he also had probably didn't help, but he fell asleep before me and was snoring like a buzz saw. He has a CPAP which pretty well eliminates his snoring but I could NOT wake him up enough to put it on. I was soooo pissed! So I went and slept on the couch. Didn't sleep a lot but that's ok...I'll nap today. I was watching House Hunter's International at 0400 and thinking of you all and your beach references lol.
Here are 2 pics from our vacation to help fuel your beach cabana fantasies!!
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FightingGMA and DCISinAZ, good morning and good luck in surgery. You can do this!
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- good luck everyone going in today . I have developed some bronchitis so , I have been laying low since I need my strength for the upcoming SNB. I love hearing all the positive stories coming from the OR's and favorable path reports. Yay Team Breast Cancer!!! Prayers for poop for those still waiting Hugs and kisses to FightingGma and DcisinAZ . See you on the sand !
- DsMom ... thank you for the lovely pics! Bellisimo!
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Ok. Well, sometimes things don't go quite like you expect, right? So I'm radioactive, IV set, all prepped and prayed up, and my plastic surgeon is super sick so I'm having to reschedule.
Guess I want my team at its best so we will press on.
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