June 2017 Surgery Group
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Mucki1991, hope your recovery is off to a good start... thinking of you tonight.
Seeing everyone's posts is so helpful. It's one thing for people to say the emotional rollercoaster is normal, and another to see that others are truly going through the same issues (even though they're different).
On the "getting to know you" side... I'm Jen, I am 44 and I work in health care marketing. I have two kids (16 & 13), a husband, and I like to run (not well). I'm also a six-year walker in the Komen 3-Day for the Cure (rather ironic, since I started walking with absolutely no personal connection to breast cancer).
My surgery is June 6... double mastectomy with expanders going in.
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runningmama
Thank you for thing of me but my lumpectomy has now become a mastectomy date tbd..
hope your doing well
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Ahhh, sorry to hear that ... the delay is tough.
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Hi runningmama - thinking of you and praying for you to have simple surgery and an easy recovery.
Mucki1991, I hope you get a date and get things settled soon!
Anyone else - if you have prayer requests, let me know. Happy to pray for the group - for peace, healing, recovery and good support at home.
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Runningmama, hope your surgery & recovery go well. Will be keeping you in thoughts & prayers.
Please stay in touch!
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SBKH,
We are a week away! Think I'm ready to get this over with & start the recovery. Finished school on Friday,
trying to get the house ready & to keep from stressing. Hope you have a great week!
Muck, let us know when you get a date
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hi all ---havent posted actively on this group ; thansk for creating this group. My unilateral mastectomy is scheduled for wednesday june 7th ---only two days away. I am nervous about surgery; trying to process the emotional side of this ---the loss of a breast, thinking about body image etc. I know its the right decision for me, but i have found myself in tears over this last week. It will be the last treatment step in this BC journey . Please keep me in your prayers and i welcome any words or thoughts of encouragement . Thank you ; wishing all the ladies in this group the best for every one of your surgeries this month
Hugs to all
Tar
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Tara - I hear you on the emotional side. I'll be fine and cracking boob jokes one minute (denial maybe?) then upset and ready to cry the next. And I really, really don't want to have stitches and drains. Definitely keeping you in my prayers. Let us know how it goes.
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SBKH ---- So glad you understand. It seems like these emotions are par for the course. Thank you for understanding and keeping me in your prayers. Will let you know how it goes. Very grateful for the support.
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SBKH --how did your EGD/colonoscopy go? Are you tolerating your iron infusions? Hope its all going well
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Thanks for asking, Tara. EGD went well - lots of biopsies now waiting on results. The iron infusions have gone well, too. Lots of nausea the day after, but it only lasts one day. I am tired of dr. offices though. Once this is all behind - I'm going to go as long as possible without seeing a dr! That will feel amazing.
So are you doing anything fun today or tomorrow to relax and take your mind of your surgery on Wednesday? What time is your surgery (in ET) - I'll be sure to praying during it.
No question it totally sucks, but based on the experiences I've read on these message boards - I think we're all going to do pretty well. Most seem like they recover pretty well from surgery so I'm expecting this group to do great.
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I wanted to share with you all as my heart goes out to you as you approach your surgery. I had a mastectomy of my left breast on June 8th, 2012. I was 54 at the time and my oldest son was just graduating from university. So this Thursday is my five year cancer free anniversary. I didn't have chemo as my oncotype scores were low (I live in Canada and had to pay for the test) nor did I need radiation. As I think back to five years ago, I felt such anxiety and sadness over my surgery. My counsellor suggested that I brace myself as I walked into the fire the morning of my surgery knowing that I would walk out the other side and that made me feel strong. It was a very dark emotional time for me and I cried a lot after the surgery. I liked my breasts... I just couldn't imagine losing one but I knew I had to get the cancer out of my body.
I was fortunate and healed well without infection. I hated the drains and they took forever to get out. I hated the way I looked. But I got used to it... I became the camisole queen as I was very self conscious when I leaned over. I had always worn clothes that had a bit of a lower neckline so I had to change the way I shopped and dressed. I found that hard. I went back to work teaching in late August. I was so tired all fall but wanted so much to be "normal" again. I didn't take into account the emotional rollercoaster that I had been on since my diagnosis in mid-April. I should have taken more time off to heal emotionally as I had the sick time. So be good to yourselves and if you can, take lots of time for you.
I had a tissue expander put in in May of 2013 and a reduction of my right breast and implant surgery in January of 2014. I was a 38F before my mastectomy, now I am a 38D. I love my new girls! I had a nipple reconstructed in January of 2015. I have been taking Arimidex since August, 2012 and hope my five years won't be extended when I see my oncologist in August. I haven't had any really bad side effects.
When I think back and I am reflective now due to the five year anniversary this week, I think of that time as the darkest time in my life. I survived though and now I hardly ever think of my cancer. I swim a lot and do yoga. I am active and there is really nothing that has changed except I find that I appreciate my health and joy a lot more than I used to. I turn 60 this November and I feel great.
I write this today to encourage you all and know that you have the strength to get through this tough time. I hope and pray that in five years you can look back like me and feel strong and healthy. ♥♥♥
K
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thank you I needed to read that today
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stepmic --cannot thank you enough. I just needed to read what you said today, my surgery is tomorrow
SBKH --my surgery will be around 9am tomorrow EST based on my conversations with the nurse, awaiting a final call from the OR schedulers today -- they may yet update it and if so i will update you as well --so grateful that you are putting in on your prayer list for tomorrow . Glad that all is going well with your iron infusions . Keep us posted on the biopsy results --am sure all will be fine on that front . Yes, it will be amazing not to have so many doctors appts anymore one day!
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Thank you, Stepmic! And congratulations on 5 years of being cancer free - that's amazing!
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Hi ladies, just left my MO's office, CT & MRI all good, stable/healing. Surgery is a go for 6/27.
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LLLimea - what's an MO? So glad to hear you are all set for surgery!
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In case you're looking for a recliner - La-z-boy is having a Father's Day sale!
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Thanks. You are most welcome!
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MO = medical oncologist
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well, I'm lying in my hospital room (private, thankfully) about 12 hours post-op. The tips and advice on the board have been invaluable ... highlights:
- the heaviness - I hadn't read or heard about that until closer to my date, but that's the "pain" I feel the most.
- the drugs are good. They help. Stay on top of it. I needed another dose at shift change and became a miserable b@&$h until she got here!
- be prepared for the "transfer" from the OR stretcher to your bed post-op. Holy cow. That was awful.
All in all, so far the pain is tolerable (more like discomfort than pain) and about what I anticipated.
Hang in there - the sense of relief now is immense. And this is despite finding out that took some lymphnodes (won't know how many until the surgeon comes by in the morning) and my genetics test came back with a mutation of the PALB2 gene.
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running mama, you are so in my prayers. Thank you so much for the extra tips. I'm cheering for a good and uneventful recovery for you
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SEnding you hugs and prayer Tara17. We are here for you
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Stepmic..Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. There are so many last minute things to do and Doctors to see that I sometimes think we put our emotional needs on the back burner. I also spend a great deal of time reassuring my family. They believe that I will be fine as long as I have a DMX and they are worried that I have decided to have a UMX. It is the right surgery for me at this time. Perhaps that was an emotional decision but it feels right.
I am praying for all of us June gals and those that are spilling over to July. I know we are going to make it through. Thank you again for sharing your encouraging journey
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Thanks for the tips, runningmama! What surgery did you have? I think the thing I'm the most concerned about is the pressure/tightness/heaviness. Thanks for making it seem less nerve-wracking!
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SBKH, I had a double mastectomy with expanders put in. My breast surgeon suggested muscle relaxers to relieve the feeling -- she said it's muscle spasms and many people respond better to muscle relaxers vs narcotics. So, hubby is at the pharmacy filling that script now. Heading home in a few .... exactly 24 hours after the surgery started
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Hi. I was diagnosed 5/30. Life has been such a whirlwind since then; I don't think a day passed that I didn't burst into tears ...at least every few hours. My surgery is scheduled for June 13th. I'll be having a double mastectomy and DIEP Flap immediately. I am SO terribly terribly scared .........
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Hi ladies, one more, I am scheduled for June 15 for my re-excision on my left breast (original lumpectomy done on May 18) - margins were not clear and results showed microinvasion - and my BS is biopsing a lymph node. I hope all comes back clear and I can move the the next phase of treatmnent.
Wishing everyone the best.
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Wow, runningmama - you are doing incredible to be sent home that fast! You will be running again in no time. And it sounds like you have great support in your husband. I'm glad you're getting home where you can be more comfy and cozy as you recover. Prayers for just continual healing for you.
Hi salasila, I know you're scared - I think we're all scared! But at least we can be scared (and then also brave) together. Praying for your peace and for you, too. (Praying for all of us)
Hi YazMar74 - I hope this next surgery goes easily with clear margins for you! Sam
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Hello!
I finished dose dense AC/T chemotherapy May 10th and am scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy with removal of left side axillary lymph nodes as well. I am a bit nervous, first major surgery I have ever had, plus concerned about recovery, pain etc. I will not be getting reconstruction for many months down the road as I have radiation up next on the plate. This summer should be interesting, thank goodness for central air. I am participating in our Relay for Life coming up this Friday, but this time as a survivor instead of a family member, so crazy. Prayers are appreciated, and I will be praying for all those on this board. God Bless!!
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