January 2018 Surgery group! Please see updated list in thread!
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I had my surgery (right mastectomy) two days ago, on Monday, and everything went very well. I was surprised by how "all right" I felt afterward. Feeling tired (from the Oxycodone) and weary of the drains, as well as a wound vac I have to wear around my neck (kind of heavy!), but my husband has been wonderful in caring for me. They keep you only one night in the hospital, and that was fine with me -- the night nurses seemed more than a little indifferent.
I am afraid about what lies ahead, diagnostically and treatment-wise. But, my implant looks like it will be good, and the surgery was, relatively speaking, a breeze. I am told my surgeon and plastic surgeon are very well regarded.
My hospital updates my chart online and I get notifications on test results -- they make me very nervous, and for the moment I'm ignoring them.
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Miranda2060- I'm so happy to hear that you did well with your surgery. Also do not freak out over the online chart notes from your hospital and doctors. If it's good news the doctor's office automatically puts the info into your online chart. If the news is negative or requires further discussion your doctor or his oncology nurse will discuss it with you prior to it being released into your online chart. I had the same concerns as you're having now when I went through post dx testing. And my Dr oncology nurse explained to me how test results are placed in your online chart. It also tells you when certain diagnostic tests are due as well as upcoming visits
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Hi lg10, I will add you to the January sisters list...welcome to this friendly, supportive place! Jude
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Jan 23, 2018 01:45PM - edited Jan 23, 2018 01:57PM by Judeshome
DEC 22
Madre9295.
DEC 29
AnnieTater
JAN 2
LittleLori.
over70
Talley76
JAN 3
D1974
1-Greenmom
JAN 4
Jadalulu
Lovelife4
Valntine
JAN 5
Hopfull2
MoniThor
brenbren1113
JAN 8
houmom
nifer
JAN 9
Debcesq
Boobolympics
JAN10
shadie
blessedmomma
Rockcity
LoveCanada
JAN 11
Kyates
JAN 12
arkansasgal
JAN 16
rdeesides
Dskvarla
Judeshome
JAN 17
Sfrankie
JAN18
HollyDolly
Sherribee
May07
JAN 22
Kmajor
Miranda2060
JAN 23
Dipaquette
Savedbygrace197
Philaflash
JAN 24
Marlena17
Zoisite
Dm39
JAN 25
RedJo40
StrongJess
JAN 26
Haven77.
ClaireBear47.
Trinitymon2
Veeder14
Quiltingnut
JAN29
jo6359
JAN30
Dlj140
Lg10
Maggie2
Spazcat
JAN31
MayDayMel
FEB1
ToughCookie
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Hi everyone.....really brilliant to read every day how you are moving ahead with your recoveries. Those of you still waiting for surgery will soon be on the other side and get that sense of relief as you wake up in recovery. The drain issue ....my BS taped each drain in a loop to my body, just below the bandage like this §, it meant that when I stripped the drains there was no direct pulling on the place the drain entered my body so although they were annoying, I had no pain or irritation.
Quiltingnut, I was in the same boat as you with worrying about having an SNB on my unaffected breast. When I asked my surgeon about it she said that she would not take nodes for a healthy breast because of potential lymphedema issues later on.
Houmom, thanks for the tip about silicone strips, I ordered some on Amazon. Getting those pesky drains out is a relief.
Glad you're feeling better LoveCanada....
Philaflash, sounds like your surgeon did a good job with your incisions, I knew more or less what to expect too but it was still a shock!
Marlena, you sound like a real live wire!! The hospital may never be the same!!
Jo, thinking of you as your date approaches.
I had my post op today, drains out...it hurt a little but over in 5 seconds, just a small dressing over the two holes. Yippee!! I am not having recon so it is a shock seeing my flat chest and even more so to see the buddha belly I am going to have to work on. Having to stay compressed with an ace bandage for at least 2weeks, am wearing a silky camisole on top which feels great on sensitive skin. The glue on the bandage/dressing is the pits and hard to get off, I was told it will wear away in time. My BS did a great job with the closure, no dog ears thank goodness and I can shower in 2 days. I was amazed at the range of motion after surgery, just listened to my body what felt comfortable and would not reach for something if it hurt.
Best to all,
Jude
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Jude- Congrats on having the drains out. You mentioned a studio. Are you an artist?
Marlena17-Hope you are recovering without to much pain. You are funny!!!
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Maggie2 and Spazcat- our surgery date right around the corner. Here's hoping recovery and the surgery process goes as well as the rest of the January ladies. Most of the ladies have done really well. I'm reassured that we are going to do just fine.
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Thank you, jo6359, for explaining about the chart notes. Everything has me nervous, partly because of a delayed diagnosis. But the uneventful recovery from surgery is encouraging. Best wishes for a smooth surgery and easy recovery.
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Miranda- initially I was terrified when I would receive an email informing me that there was a new test result in my chart. That is when I called the oncology nurse to ask what the heck was going on. So far, the only bad news I received was given over the phone. Then it was posted in MyChart the following day. It would have been very nice if all this had been explained to patients before I signed up for MyChart.
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Saw the surgeon today. He wants to move my biopsy to tomorrow because I have to fly out next weekend for my little girl to go to the UDN in North Carolina and he didn't want me flying with a fresh cut... so tomorrow morning it is!
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Maydaymelk- praying you receive good results from your biopsy.
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Judeshome--congrats on the drains coming out. Mine just came out yesterday (at 13 days!) and I feel like a new woman!
Good luck to those facing surgery soon!
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For anyone getting drains, I only have one so that may be why this works, but I found that pinning it to the top of my yoga pants is way more comfortable than pinning it to my bra. I also wear a cheap cami at night when i sleep and just pin it to that. If you have a lot of drains it probably wont work though. I didn’t buy any special stuff before surgery because I wasn’t sure what I would want/need. So far, so good.
Rebekah
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i just took a Valium and Tylenol.I am scard I'll throw up from the oxycodone!!!!!!!!
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Marlena-Hope you dont throw up. Love your descriptions of , well, everything. It isnt funny fir you but your viewpoint makes me smile. Hang in there
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Tomorrow will mark the 3 week post op date. So far so good, although I have a little more swelling on my right side than usual. I saw a lymphedema specialist yesterday to begin physical therapy to avoid that dreaded complication. I also had my first saline fill in the TE's yesterday, pretty uncomfortable all day today, hoping to get a good nights sleep. Is anyone having excessive swelling and numbness/tingling in the hand of the side where lymph nodes were removed? I am still using a wedge pillow, just wondering when I will be able to sleep without it???
Jada
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How long does the BMX surgery and SNB take?
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Total time for me including recovery was around 6 hours.
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hi guys,
It is so good to see everyone doing well post surgery! For me, it is 3 weeks today since my BMx, I had drains out 2 days ago, that feels wonderful, I roll around in bed trying to decide which side to sleep on. I will have a reconstruction in March, my plastic surgeon did not think I was a good candidate for simultaneous recon as I am diabetic (15 years) and overweight........he thought my healing might be slow, but I have surely proven him wrong, I can do almost everything except reach high shelves at this point and am doing some stretching exercises to make sure I am up to that in a few days. I just want this all to be over, so roll on March. I am pretty well healed, just some gauze over the drain port sites, these are still tender, so I just wear a tank top under my clothes. The idea of wearing a bra again does not feel confortable
The thing I dislike most is driving, we have a lot of potholes in Illinois and I feel each and every one. I have a pillow between me and the seatbelt and a lovely blanket that I wrap around and hold on to in the car, but if anyone has any suggestions on making car rides easier, I would love it.
On a weird note, when I drink ice water I feel the cold sensation travel down my body then out to my breasts and end at my nipples but when I look down, they are ( of course) no longer there. It is not an unpleasant sensation, just a little strange. Does anyone else get this?
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jadalulu- Thanks. Im not doing reconstruction. So, the time should be a little less. Good luck in your recovery.
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Post op day #2: Hi, everyone. Yesterday, I had OT/PT before discharge. Walked the halls and climbed up and down stairs without a problem. Drains are def no fun; one side tends to burn for a few minutes after stripping, then resolves. I was really surprised that I didn't have any difficult raising my hands over my head. Very little axillary discomfort. Hey, I'm a super woman , right? Wrong. When I changed into my clothes to go home, I was surprised at how low my drains were. I couldn't find any tubes in my arm pits. Turns out my surgeon goes through the mastectomy incision to do node biopsy. In my case, where the nodes were negative, she drops the drains below the incision, so I have one drain exiting on each side below the cami. The joke was on me. No wonder I can do overhead raises. No axillary cuts or drains. Lol. Went home in the afternoon and took a valium and oxy before bed. I slept nine hours straight! Took ibuprofen and a half valium at 6 am. Ibuprofen worked well. My plan today is to try alternating ibuprofen with Tylenol and see how it goes. Home care nurse will come by today and twice a week till the drains are out. All in all tolerable today and very happy to be home. By the way, getting in and out of bed using your abs is extremely helpful. If there's time before surgery, work on your core. How are you Marlena17?
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My surgery is scheduled for Tues, 1/30. Can anyone give me info on lumpectomies? I have IDC, and the plan is a lumpectomy and removal of 3 nodes for biopsy. I'm wondering if I'll have drains, how long the recovery takes, if I need help at home, etc...
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Hi Lovelife, I have the same sensation when I drink cold drinks sometimes (it doesn’t happen every single time but usually the first drink of the day and several times throughout). Mine doesn’t hurt either but I’ve stopped adding ice to my drinks because I don’t really like it either. There is a thread on here about it and my PS’s PA said she hears it a lot and doesn’t know why it happens but maybe because we have less “insulation”. It’s amazing to mehow many things are affected by these surgeries. Here’s the thread if you’re interested:
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topics/737264?page=3
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hi all. It hurts!! I took oxycodone and vailum. Waiting to eat. I have 3 drains. I one one side ad 2 on another. My surgeon said my tissue was SO,SO,SO,SO dense and cystic she has never seen a case like mine!! I am tired,hungry and sore. I'l go home later today. Glad you all like my sense of humor!! Philaflash,I feel OK. Just ate breakfast. Tired and feel like a train ran into me. You sound. GREAT!!!!
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Just walked up and down the hall. No problems. Ty oxycodone!!!!!!!!! I THINK Ian going to be OK!! How is everyone doing???????
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Marlena-Glad you are doing well.
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It is good to hear that so many of you are managing great ok after surgery, especially to Marlena17. I just saw that things are improving for you.
I had the preop appt yesterday with the BS. Luckily, she is extremely organized and answered all my questions before I could even ask them. It was like a shopping spree at CVS with the bags of "goodies"... Hibiclens, Miralax, advil, throat lozenges, eye drops, chapstick, just to name a few. She prescribed most of the RX that have been discussed here...EMLA cream, scopolamine patch, post-surgical antibiotics, anti-nausea, percoset, valium. I also came home with 2 surgical bras and a cammi that she ordered. I had no idea that there was so much "stuff" needed.
jo6359, I'm sure the length of surgery and time in recovery is very different for each woman. Since I'll be getting bilateral with sentinel node biopsy, BS said it will be about 3-4 hour surgery, the plastic surgeon takes about 2-3 hours, though they work concurrently for part of the time. It will be about a 2 hour recovery.
LoveCanada, I'm still not happy about surgery scheduled for 2:30. I think you said that you were allowed coffee the morning of your surgery. My BS is adamant about NO food or liquids after midnight, including water and coffee.
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Marlene - glad to hear you're up and about. I'm taking only Motrin and Tylenol today and feel 200% better! No narcotic fog. Are your drains on your chest or in your armpits? Not having drains exit the axilla means everything is much easier for recovery and mobility. Ladies next up for surgery, good luck and speedy recovery to all! Sharon
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I’m up for tomorrow and getting more and more nervous. I’m trying to keep my mind busy. They told me yesterday that they wanted me to drink water at least till I arrive. I thought that was odd but she said they wanted me hydrated. I’m still worried about the injection but I can’t change anything so I might as well come to terms with it. Hoping they at least use some lidocaine with it. I’m so ready to get this part behind me. Good luck to those having surgery tomorrow and later and fast healing to those that are recovering.
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Quiltingnut - if you're having sentinel node injection tomorrow, ask for an EMLA prescription. It really did help. Then frost the cupcakes a good hour and a half before the procedure. Good luck.
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