January 2018 Surgery group! Please see updated list in thread!
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marlena-glad you were downgraded to a bad car accident. Im here at the breast center waiting for my dye injection. Im asking for emend. Not looking forward to it. I just want it over with. This to shall pass.
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YOU’RE GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU GOT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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thinking of you this morning, jo. you are so strong and you've got this. it will all be over soon and the stress of surgery will just be a memory.
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Well girls,
I am almost a week post op and boy do I get tired easily. The pain at night is the worst. It feels as if my breast have the let down effect. Anyone familiar? Like after childbirth and your milk comes in? It is the strangest feeling ever. Everything feels really tight too. Other than that, I am ok. Just so ready to get the drains out. Any idea what the amount needs to be before they get removed? My follow up appointment is this Thursday, February 1, or Friday February 2nd. When the appointment was made, I couldn't find my planner so oh well.
So glad that everyone here is recuperating well. We are going to stomp all over cancer!!! My mom is still here helping me and other family members go home today and tomorrow. Have anyone went out to regular outings yet?
Hopefully I will get out today. Talk to you all soon.
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Marlena, I love the downgrade from a truck or train to a car accident lol. Spot on
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Marlena - you are a hoot! Glad to see your sense of humour is back. Quick question for post op ladies...how much drainage did you/are you having a week out? One side is less than 20cc/day, the other is still cranking out much more. I'm dying for these drains to come out soon.
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The radiologist put in the dye. Stung for 10 seconds. now Im headed to the main hospital for the IV. So far ok.
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You've got this, Jo!
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Philaflash-right now Im calm. Im all setup for my surgery. If he finishes his current patient early, my time will be moved up. He has a 12 hour surgery day. Im thankful Im not the last one. I want fresh eyes and hands on my body. Thanks to all of you.
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My surgery alone was 11.5 hours! I can’t imagine the poor guy having to operate on anyone else at the end of that. I don’t know how they do it.
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Thinking of you, Jo6359! You got this!!! For me, the surgery (being asleep and all that) was the "best" part, especially after all the fear that preceded it.
I love all the wonderful ladies here. This forum is keeping me sane during my uncomfortable but basically OK recovery, which seems to be dragging on forever. Post op appointment with PS Wednesday. Don't know that I can count on getting the drains out then, as well as the pesky Incision Management system, which hangs heavily around my neck and chirrups at me every five mins. or so. Sure will enjoy being able to shower again, whenever that may happen (sigh). On the plus side, the implant looks nice, and I'm much more symmetrical than I was before. Kind of looking forward to seeing how it changes my wardrobe options. Crossing my fingers in re path report. An appointment was made for me with radiation oncologist, so clearly radiation will be part of the treatment picture (possibly because of chest wall involvement).
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My lumpectomy surgery is tomorrow. I have read several posts where women are having masectomies, but had lumpectomies starting out. Did the cancer return? Did the lumpectomy not work? I've been so calm so far, but starting to get jittery today....
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Philaflash, my plastic surgeon would not take out the drains until it was less than 30ccs/day for at least two days in a row. Different docs have different standards--I have heard less than 25ccs or 20ccs for one or two days in a row, too, and one girlfiend who had her surgery a week after me has a doc who is insisting on 5ccs (!!!!!!) or less for at least a couple of days in a row. You need to check with your surgeon's PA.
One of my two could have theoretically come out on day 10, a Friday, but given that my appointment wasn't until the following Tuesday and it takes me 45+ minutes to get to the doc, I just kept it in for a couple of more days. The second one was ready exactly on that Tuesday, or day 14. I began with about 40ccs/day, went up to 75-80 for a day or two, before starting a downward trajectory.
I think it is a highly individualized thing, in part based on breast size and in part on your internal make-up, lymphatic system, etc. I know friends with much smaller breasts than me who had them out within a week.
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Hi,
I haven't been around for a week or so. Surgery (unilateral M) was harder than anticipated and I was in the hospital for almost 5 days. Recovery is slow, but steady. Just *ugh* my back aches and I can't sleep on my side or front.
Path came back - node -, clear margins. So it looks like we did catch it early. Now I just need to heal, recover and get this reconstruction over with. I'm also waiting for a genetic counseling test - honestly, if it comes back positive I think I'll cry. 3 childbirths with no medication was a walk in the park compared to this. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to live through.
Holly
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Hi dlj140, try not to worry, I had a lumpectomy and it was a breeze except for the worry beforehand. When you have a lumpectomy (mine was wire guided) the surgeon is trying to excise the lesion with a rim of normal tissue surrounding it(margins). The pathology will tell you if that has been achieved, if it is then you probably won’t need more surgery. I had mastectomy after lumpectomy because my DCIS turned out to be multifocal(all over) plus I had papillomamatosis so the only real solution for that was mastectomy. I opted to remove the other breast because there was a good chance I had papillomas there too. The pathology showed I had DCIS in that breast too.
What did your mammogram show? Jude0 -
Holly sending hugs
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Marlena, you always crack me up! I always feel as if you are jumping right out of the computer screen! I bet your clients love you...it is always hard to find a really good hairdresser, I have thick shoulder length hair which is turning silver grey and every hairdresser I go to wants to give me a little old lady style which isn’t me at all. I am actually thinking about purple tips, what is that called??
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Here’s the list for this week, thought it might be easier to keep an eye on upcoming surgeries...
JAN29
jo6359
JAN30
Dlj140
Lg10
Maggie2
Spazcat
JAN31
MayDayMel
FEB1
ToughCookie
Miranda, hope you can get rid of that chirping machine soon...why do you have it? Was there a problem with your incision.?
Houmom, how on earth does a surgeon work for so long?? 11.5 hours...they must take breaks somehow.
Holly, great news your pathology came back clear and that you are healing slow but sure.
Thanks for checking in everyone.
We are going grocery shopping and Chinese lunch after...yum! Jude0 -
Judeshome, I was told I was only the second person in the practice to have the device, and I'm supposed to give the plastic surgeon feedback about it (and I will!). It's an "incision management device." Copying this from the product page: "The PREVENA™ Incision Management System protects the incision from external contamination, helps hold incision edges together, removes fluid and infection materials, and delivers continuous negative pressure at -125mmHg for up to seven days."
It emits a sound not unlike your tummy rumbling; sometimes it makes me think I'm hungry.
I have a hoodie I got on Etsy with inside pockets, and on one side I have the two drains, on the other the chirping device (which, as I said, is heavy). Chinese lunch! That sounds so good. ENJOY!!!
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Holly, were you in the hospital 5 days because of a flap procedure? Hope your genetic testing comes back negative and your back pain improves.
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This Prevena Incision Management doesn't sound fun, along with drains hanging out, too. It's good to read that so many of you are slowly starting to feel a bit better with each day.
I'm up tomorrow, along with several others. I just got a call that my BMX tomorrow was moved from 2:30 PM up to 10 am. I'm glad, as I'd prefer it in the morning, rather than waiting around the house. I've been doing pretty well on maintaining focus on the BMX and not thinking about the upcoming kidney surgery, but now I'm worrying about both. Luckily, my daughter flew in from CA and we've had facials, manis/pedis, and lunch out. I keep telling myself one surgery at a time.
My BS said to get Miralax and prune juice, that it always does the job. After reading about the problems Miranda has had, let's hope my doctor is correct!
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Maggie2...Glad your surgery time was changed to 10 and that your daughter is with you. It must be hard to deal with the thought of both cancers, but it is good that the kidney cancer was discovered. Best for tomorrow and your recovery.0
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I bought some over-the-counter stool softener (Colace), and that helped me quite a lot. Hope this helps someone.
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over70, thank you so much for your encouraging words.
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Jude, I got moved but I'm still hanging out
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It doesn't matter MayDayMel, I saw you have a meeting with your surgeon on Feb2...keep us updated when you know..we are all in the same boat and we love you. Jude
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Meeting with the oncologist tomorrow for the first time post-surgery. I don’t know whether she will have my Oncotype score back yet. I’m nervous about the prospect of chemo but if it gets rid of any pesky cells that might have snuck through then it’s worth it.
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houmom - keeping my fingers crossed for your oncologist visit tomorrow and a low oncotype score. Jude
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Savedbygrace we had our surgery on tj's same day, I can relate to that feeling, I think it feels alot like your breasts being engorged while breastfeeding. I seem to hurt more as the day goes on, I am probably over doing it. As for drains every doctor is different, mine says it has to be under 30cc I handed my post op worth my PS tomorrow and it is not looking hopeful as i am at 45cc and 70cc. I was told i can ot remove the mastecomy bra or bandages so i haven't seen things yet. Needless to say thing are not smelling great with hot flashes and sweats this bra stinks. I asn anxious to change it tomorrow!
As for outings, I went grocery shopping on Saturday, my husband did all the lifting and pushed the cart but I was exhausted and feeling nauseous by the end. I left him to pay while i waited in the car.
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judeshome I pee myself when people come in asking for the most bizarre stuff. Balayage,ombré,shadow roots,balayombre!!!! Not for anything. Most of this is a fad thanks to celebs who pay $$ to stylists so they can stand out. I love my job! I've been doing this since I was 17. That's pretty long. Being from Nj (South) gives me a little more “spice" I think. (Sort of like Nj housewives or mob wives) but without the drama and crazy rich lifestyle! Do what makes you happy to your hair!! YOU have to wear it! One time I almost bought a cadalic STS. The smarmy salesman knew I wanted diamond white,that strapper tried to sell me calypso green!! OK,in a caddi????? Point is,if I had to look at that ugly color every day I would have been really mad!! Your hair is the same;) hourmom,OMG your surgery was 11.5 hours!!!!!!! Jesus!!! How are you feeling overall?? We are pretty amazing
Philaflash,I’am going tomorrow at 10 to Camden to see Helen. My drains have been maybe 10mls all day yesterday and maybe 15 today. I didn’t measure yet. They are super slow. When do you go? I know you said you were going to call to see. I think I am the 9th with bonowitz as well. I LIKE what I see so far!!!0
