January 2018 Surgery group! Please see updated list in thread!
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18ybug - my fills were entirely painless. The overlying skin is already numb, but I gotta tell you, it's a very weird experience.
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I have had 3 fills so far and they have all been really easy. I dont look at the needle though. It would probably freak me out.
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Hi January Group, I’ve been in hibernation since my surgery last Tuesday. I didn’t get the Direct-to-Implants. My PS felt the skin was showing too much stress, “turning blue”. I have expanders without any fill. He actually had one implant in on the cancer side and it was the “good” side that had problems. Go figure!
I have my post-op with the BS tomorrow and am hoping she’ll have the pathology report. The PS post-op is Thursday.
Question: my entire chest area is covered with Tegaderm. How do they remove this? Just grab and yank? I am also glad to hear that expander fills are pretty easy. Not intending on having expanders, I haven’t read much about them. Also, this rock hard feel under my skin, is that the unfilled expanders?
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Maggie2- I hope your path report will be available for you tomorrow when you see your doctor. Here's hoping that everything turns out well. Will you continue with the reconstructive surgery? Are you in pain?
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My PS office called today and after hearing from the on call PS who was covering on Sunday she decided she wanted me seen today, I was not going to complain with 10 inches of snow due tomorrow. I got both drains removed and a shower has never felt so good! She mentioned something about blistering on the incision and put steri strips along the lower incision on both sides so I can't see what the blistering actually looks like. She said it is not uncommon.
I also met with RO today and he went over everything with me. We have not set a date yet because we still do not know where I stand with chemo and if I do need chemo it would come first. I am getting a little frustrated because my MO is still out of the country due to a family emergency and last I knew they were waiting to send path out for an oncotype until she was back, I wish they would just send it out as I know it takes a bit to get those results and I just want to have a plan sooner rather than later. I have an appointment with my MO on Feb 13th but we still don't even know if she will be back and if she is back we still will likely not have the oncotype so it may be a wasted visit. I know I tend to be a bit impatient, i was the same way with my son's medical issues, I don't see that changing now:).
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philaflash,I am the 16th at 9:45. I was supposed to go this Friday but called yesterday and fit me in today. I was in Voorhees today but I’ll be in Camden. VERY SI-FI👽 How about you,Camden or Voorhees? I'am sorry Jo6359. I understand. My dog was good. Like he knew I was not ok. Every darn time I had the drains exposed MY CAT tried to catch and hook the tubes! His name is “HUNTER” he got his name bc of his abilities!!!!!! I thought he bit through it once!! Then I sat on one,pulled it and it became very irritated. I got them out 2 days after that messso I hope they come out soon!!!! rdeesides my breasts are not too numb. They feel really weird,I guess a little numb but I can feel still. I guess some people loose all feeling and some don’t? I don’t know. Time will tell.
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Dlpaquette I would be frustrated too! I don’t understand why they won’t go ahead and send for your oncotype test. It took mine 2 and a half weeks to come back and they said there was no reason for me to meet with the oncologist until they were back. I’m meeting with her for the first time tomorrow and am supposed to find out about chemo and I’m so nervous! I hope you hear something soon. Waiting so much is so hard.
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Jo6359, no I’m not in pain. Both my daughters flew in to tag team this past week so I was too busy visiting (and napping). As the PS told me, now I’ll have choices and can decide down the road as to which reconstruction I want. I think he was trying to put a positive spin on a very disappointing situation. I laughed at your drain and doggy story. What we endure for our pets!
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Marlena - I was at Voorhees today at 2:45. I'm in Camden again on Friday and on the 16th, I'll be in Camden for a 9am. I'll keep an eye out for you. :-)
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J
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Jo, your dog story made me laugh, what kind of dogs do you have? My seroma is getting smaller. I have some sore and swollen areas under my arms but feeling better every day, so much so I cleaned the house and drove to pick up the mail from our PO Box (20 mile R/T). Sunny and in the low 60’s today so might do some garden clean up tomorrow. Will be getting measured for prosthetics and bras next week, my skin feels ultra sensitive and incisions looking pretty good. This is a life changing process and I am so glad I went through it with such a great group of women, wish we could all get together sometime.0
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New to this, but had a BMX on 1/11/18, has any one had flaky, peeling skin? Almost as if you had a tan? No Rads, no chemo just a biopsy, lumpectomy, and BMX.
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Hi Razihanova, my skin was doing that and my doctor suggested lotion with vitamin E or cocoa butter, as long as I didn’t use it on the incisions, and that helped.
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Jude-All my dogs are rescue dogs. I have 7 dogs and 3 cats. Two of my hyperactive dogs remain at a canine club. My Maltese Frosty is the one who had fun with my drains. I need to be more careful.. Most of my dogs are mutts. I have a Retriever, Cavalier, mixed Chow, mixed bulldog, and. the others I dont have a clue. They bring me so much joy. Did you experience any SE from your long drive? Since my surgery, I have looked at my chest once and It didn't.bother me. I only have 2 small bandages. Plus, Im still in denial. My focus is on my upcoming visit with my SO and MO. I'm anxiously awaiting for my complete pathology report. So, You are going with prosthetics! I ordered Bra fillers from Knitted ?. I forgot the name of the company. I can't use chemo as an excuse because I haven't started. Tonight, I'm going to bed early. I'm very sore at the insertion site. No dogs allowed in my room tonight. Continue to feel better.
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Jo - Hope the drains come out soon, you will feel so much better. Sending positive thoughts for a good pathology on your nodes. How cool you have a loving animal family. Our animals are always rescues too, currently 3 cats, 2 dogs...we love them all.
The first week is hard because of the drains...mine were taped to my body below the insertion point so they wouldn’t get sore during stripping the drains.
The next 12 days were difficult for me partly because I really overdid it and got swollen and sore, but kept compression on (Ace Bandage over a camisole) and slept with a little pillow under each arm. Now I feel pretty good and have full range of motion in my arms. Feeling more like myself but still do a double take/disconnect when I see myself in the mirror with no top. Jude0 -
I meant to post this last week after seeing it on Facebook. Lol feel like it definitely applies to us.
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lovecanada-I loved the January phrasr. I needed it today. I went to the doggy Country Club to pick up two of my dogs. I completely fell apart while I was there. I could not stop sobbing. I felt like a total idiot. The owners were kind and compassionate. I have never met the owners before today. I ended up leaving my dogs there for another week. Obviously I was not in any shape to drive home with two high energy dogs. This is the second time since my dx whereas I couldnt stop sobbing. Now Im crawling into my bed to seek much needed sleep. Yesterday evening was the only time I experienced bad pain since my BMX. Who knows! Maybe everything is finally catching up with me. For the rest of you I hope you're having a wonderful day.
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jo6359, so sorry you can't have your doggies with you just yet. Sounds like they're in great hands. Hope you'll be feeling better very soon.
LoveCanada, it certainly was a tough "year"!
I'm healing well, getting back to driving and some activities. Friday morning I will be going for my radiation simulation.
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miranda2060-Thanks. I will be fine. I still have 5 dogs at home. I was in pain and feeling sorry for myself. Two months of hell. The uncertainty takes its toll on us physically and emotionally. I'm still waiting for complete path report from my SO. My pity party is finished. I'm going out for a 2 mile power walk.
Im glad to hear you are driving and getting ready for your rads. You seem to be doing great.
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jo6359, we’ve all needed a good cry. I hope the walk helped too. My BS only had a partial path report today. At least she did know the lymph nodes are clear, but my DCIS is now invasive. So it’s the waiting game to get all the details
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Maggie2-Im sorry to hear your DCIS status changed? Hopefully the rest of your path report will be ready soon and turns out well. The waiting sucks. You are right, sometimes a good cry helps.
I hope my SO has my complete path report tomorrow.
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I started Tamoxifen today so I will be able to report back on how that goes soon. Hopefully we all get to enjoy the weekend at least a little.
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Hallelujah. They removed my 4 drainage tubes today. I teceived my complete path report. There was 1 IDC tumor 1.2 cm and IDC 2.5 cm chest wall( tumor adhered to the wall but had not invaded ). Both tumors and 1 positive Sentinel node were removed with clean margins. The other 17 nodes were negative for cancer. Because of the tumor in the chest wall, I will need radiation + TCHP. TCHP starts Feb.16 every 21 days for 1 year. Both my surgeon and MO said that I could start running next week. And I can start back to work today part-time as long as I'm not lifting or doing transfers. Hallelujah. I am happy with this report. It was better than I was expecting. My surgeon answered all of my questions in great detail.
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Hooray, jo6359, congrats on the good path report and losing those drains. (I also have a tumor that was against chest wall, with unclear margin)
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Shadie- I came across this in my medicine cabinet and thought of you. Did your chafing resolve?
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miranda2060-i was thankful I had clean margins but rads are a necessary evil.Overall, you sound like you are doing great.
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Hi all,
Finally, at 3 weeks out I feel (semi) human again.
over70 - no I was in the hospital for 5 days, because pain management was abysmal. Or even worse than that. In the post op survey I gave the hospital 1/10 (the scale went from 0 to ten). They only got a 1 because I came out alive. Let's not talk about the catheter I went home with either....
The drains are out (hooray), and back pain improves daily.
Blood was drawn for genetics today - so that will be another month.
Keep your fingers crossed for Monday - I meet with onco. OncoDx was 15....so it's borderline. 18+ is a def. yes, we will just wait and see what happens with chemo.
Here's what I did learn:
If you want to manage pain, get palliative or pain specialist care.
If you want to know about lymphedema, ask a Lymphedema specialist.
If you want to know about lumpectomy/Mx, ask your surgeon.
For reconstruction, ask your plastic surgeon.
Things have changed. When I grew up there were far more GPs (general practitioners) and things were not as specialized.
Don't expect one person to manage another's specialty. It just doesn't work. When I was in pain day 1 of surgery I should have been screaming for a pain specialist. Next time, (God forbid) I will arrange to meet with a pain management team beforehand.
Holly
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HollyDollyD- I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience with pain management. After my BMX I had no issues with pain management. My surgeon had prescribed Tylenol and Percocet for pain PRN . I only used over the counter Tylenol. Every 4 to 6 hours a nurse came in my room and offered me either Tylenol or oxycodone. My surgeon stated he wanted to keep a handle on the pain. I was very fortunate. It was good to know if I was experiencing pain the medications were there upon request.
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Holly...Glad you are starting to feel better. Wow, what an awful experience in the hospital. You gave some good tips for other people. Wishing you the best for your visit on a Monday.
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Jo that is great news about your nodes, and I’m glad you’re happy about going back to work! And drains out too - woohoo
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