2018 - February Surgery Support Group
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strengthandjoy- I found 2 at TJ Maxx in the athletic leisure area that are actually stylish and before then I found one in Walmart that is actually a man's one but I just got it in size small. My doctor doesn't want me to wear any type of bra or Cami yet (I had my BMX on 2/8 -even though I bought both) so I've been in the hoodies which are roomy or button down shirts or pj tops with a drain pocket pouch thing my surgeons office gave me that a volunteer made. They also gave me a lanyard one with like a netted pocket for when I bathe . I even bought the Brobe ( I may have gone overboard in prepping) and honestly haven't used the brobe at all yet. Good luck !
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone
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Nursepatient and Valentine we are thinking about you today. May your surgeon's hands be steady and your boobs be symettrical.
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StrengthandJoy, thanks for this post I found a fleece zipup jacket with inside pockets to use.
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Hey everyone, do you have any favorite high fiber recipes to share? I have some Dulcolax on hand and Miralax to get this weekend. I read on one site to get 35 grams of fiber a day.
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Nursepatient & Valentine- thinking of you both today and sending positive vibes.
Strength- I found a great hoodie with inside drain pockets from kelly bee designes on Etsy .
I met with my BS today for pre op surgery discussion. Tomorrow I meet with my PS. Has anyone discussed scar management with their PS like, scar gel, silicone strips or scar fix silicone breast anchor
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Everything went great yesterday. All the people at the hospital were terrific. My pre-op nurse gave me a “I don’t give a s***” sedative oh my way to the operating room which hit quickly and I had a bit of a laugh because reality had shifted, which helped my parents and husband loosen up too. After that I don’t remember much. I woke up afterwards mad because my eyes were too heavy to keep open, but just resting more was what I needed.
Got discharged this morning and aside from the chest pain I feel good. I was preparing myself for crying because I’d be more immobile than I am. So even though I’m resting and not doing things for myself I feel less of an invalid being able to make it out of bed on my own.
I found the coziest zip hoodie and Kohl’s. It’s a trex brand in the athletic section. There’s pockets on the outside but the way it was sewn makes some pouches on the inside too which my drains sit in nicely.
Positive sugery and healing vibes to you all!
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On another note. My mom has been more upset than I’ve been with all this, hooray for parent-feels
she had found a song by Martina McBride called love her through it and kept suggesting my husband and I listen to it. I’ve heard it in the past but after glancing at the lyrics decided I’d just be a mess of tears.Husband and I dropped our 4yo to preschool and got back in the car to head to the hospital. Music is a huge deal in my life (I teach a dance fitness class that focusing more on using movement and music to channel your emotions — from silly and sexy to more heavy stuff too... it’s really an experience that is hard to describe, some people think it’s just another Zumba kind of thing, but it’s really a whole other level. There’s a promo video at oulafitness.com that better explains it). Anyhow, I keep trying to find my song, my kick cancer to the curb anthem. So, we start the car and Ed Sheeran’s song Perfect wasplaying. The lyrics were “I found a woman stronger than anyone i know” just about the time he took my hand to hold. It was a pretty great moment and said a lot of what he or I couldn’t. So really, I’ve found songs (or maybe they found me) through this whole process, so I guess I have more of a playlist than an anthem. If you're interested here's another few I've listened to in the last few weeks
Help - Straalen
Cringe - Matt Maeson
So much more than this - grace vanderwall
This is me - Kesha (is from the greatest showman soundtrack)
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Glad it went well mountainmama! And you are home it sounds like
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I'm so proud of us all soldering on, just handling our business.
I got final path on right breast: The DCIS removed was bigger than estimated, but clear margins and no lymph duct involvement. So happy only 1 sentinel node was taken because I feared lymphedema.
I'm being referred to a cancer clinic as standard follow up, then will schedule a profyllactic mas of remaining breast.
Still have a drain in. It's been 12 days. Doc says 2 more days as still getting 40 plus ml/day and it needs be 30 or less. The drain has been super easy, but I look forward to showering. I've gone through many baby wipes.
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Music is so empowering! I'm so glad you and your husband found "your song" and you found strength in music. You have to look for the silver lining in all this and if it's music, that's wonderful! Healing vibes coming your way!
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mountainmama- so glad it went well and you’re home. Thank you for sharing the songs and music is so amazing:)
Fembot- so glad to hear you got your path back I know that’s a relief.
Today met with my breast sx for my first post op and they had my full path from my BMX 2/8. I have no node involvement , and the chemo I had completely worked on the lump found as there was no evidence of cancer cells in it. They explained what was left of the lump was residual tissue. However they did find that in a node in a mammary duct in the left breast they found 2 mm of cancer cells. Not known of before. Nothing else and my right breast was completely negative . My medical oncologist also called me after I met with breast sx and after she’d looked at pathology and says if it was up to her she doesn’t think I need any kind of radiation since I’m still doing Herceptin and I did have the BMX but to be safe she wants me to meet with a radiologic onco for a consult to be safe. I was obviously hoping there would be nothing else found but has made me even more happy with my decision to do the BMX Instead of just the left breast. the good thing is that I’m now technically Cancer Free as my breast surgeon said:) next up I meet with my PS on Monday to see if he can begin to fill the TEs.
I’m so grateful for you wonderful ladies as we continue to kick cancer’s a$&! Everyone on here is so strong !
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Hopefully Everyone had a lovely Valentines Day. Wishing Everyone Good luck on your surgeries and results. Thinking of you all.
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Well it's all over and surgery went well. Apparently they couldn't put the expanders above the pec muscles and instead stuck them behind. So now it feels like I benched press some heavy weights all day and night. The Percocet every 4 hrs is doing the trick though. I should go home today so only 1 night in the hospital.
ValentineBMX, how are you doing? Thanks to everyone on here for the support. We are all a bunch of tough ladies.
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Hey all! I was a November surgery patient--I got a unilateral because I had 2 tumors on my right side.
Just wanted to pop in with words of encouragement...
I totally changed my diet and drank a lot of water before surgery, and I recovered really fast.
I have since carried those diet changes throughout my life, joined a free exercise program at the Y for cancer patients through Livestrong, and I feel really good.
Trust me, you will feel better getting the awful cancer out of your system, even though right after surgery might be rough going.
I post on the Nov 2017 surgery thread..feel free to come over if you have any questions throughout your recovery.
I have a tissue expander and am hoping to get my implant exchange surgery done soon!
You can do this!!
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Hi swg, Thanks for checking in. It's good to hear words of encouragement from someone on the other side of it. Yes, diet and exercise are so important. Glad to hear you're keeping yourself healthy. I didn't know they had free fitness programs. I'll look into that. Thanks for the tip. Good luck with implant surgery! I bet you're looking forward to that next step in healing!
I just got home from having my first drain taken out and it feels AMAZING! My whole outlook is better. There's something about only having one rubber tube instead of two hanging out of my body that makes me feel so much more like myself. Also when he took it out, the NP did a little cleaning up of some blood around the drain site, so overall my upper body looks a little less chopped up and gross. For the first time since symptoms presented in September, I'm starting to feel like I'm over the hump and on my way to being healed and having this behind me.
Hope everyone here is feeling similar relief and encouragement as surgery approaches and then starts to recede into the past. You are all in my thoughts every day.
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32B, Congrats on getting one drain out! I saw the BS yesterday and she felt quite certain that my PS will pull both drains tomorrow. If he waits any longer, I'll feel as if these drains coming out of my sides are a permanent fixture, sort of like tree roots!
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Great News nursepatient35! One night!
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thanks SWg
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swg - thanks for the words of encouragement that’s awesome about maintaining changed diet, water and fitness. I didnt know about free fitness classes either that’s amazing!
32B - yay on the drain out and fingers crossed both drains come out tomorrow for you Maggie! You guys give me hope — really hope Monday at least 1 drain comes out:)))
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strengthandjoy, I hope that your surgery went smoothly today and that your recovery goes well!
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Hello all, I am just moving over to the surgery forum from Just Dianosed, Waiting for Results. I had my lumpectomy yesterday where they removed a stage 2, grade 3 lump in my left breast and also took five nodes out under my arm The pre-op procedures were hard to get through, as was the post-op nausea, but I am back at home and so glad to have had it removed. Now, I try to take it easy and wait for my pathology results, which I will get next Wednesday. I am scared that I may need chemo, but I am trying to stay positive. How long has recovery been for anyone else who has had a lumpectomy, and any advice?
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Hello everyone. I'm back home. I had pectoral blocks put in pre-op but pretty sure they're wearing off now. It is pretty sore and my PS only gave me 12 Percocet for home. I was taking 2 every 4 hrs at the hospital, but now I feel like I have to stretch them out more. Has anyone else had problems getting enough pain meds or do you think I'll need them much longer? I'm trying ibuprofen in between and then also Flexeril but still having alot of pain.
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Nursepatient- I was given plenty of Percocet but only told to take 1 every 4-6 hours and with muscle relaxer . By day 3 at home I was mostly doing the ibuprofen but no Percocet. If you feel you need more and run out then call your surgeon. I did notice a big difference between first day home and third in terms of pain. Hang in there
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I saw my incision yesterday. Yipes! Was not ready for that.
nursepatient
That sounds a bit stingy for pain meds. I was given enough for 5 days for UMX w/ implant over the pec. Under the pec is longer recover time, plus both sides? I was also told 1000 mg Tylenol every 4 hrs in addition. Here's to quick recovery. Must be weird being the patient instead of the nurse this time.
32B
Congrats on getting 1 drain out! Mine's out tomorrow after 14 days.
HopefulAC
I'm glad things are working out. It's really really awesome you got to keep the nipples.
Basil2
Welcome to the group and I hope you get good news in your path Wednesday.
Strengthandjoy and anahata
I hope both your surgeries went well and that you're resting comfortably.
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hi everyone! I’ve been reading this thread from time to time. i finished last dose of chemo feb 02. i’m going in for a UMX supposedly weekend of feb 25 but i asked if it can be moved a week later (march).
I’m a bit anxious about surgery and also frustrated/sad about chemo outcome that it still has to be a mastectomy. it’s tough trying to sort of prepare myself mentally for it.
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After a long surgical journey and countless complications, I finally had my expanders exchanged on Feb 9, along with some abdominal scar revision (I had a failed DIEP).
The abdominal incision looks great. My boobs look good under a T-shirt or bra. But i’m just not happy with the size or projection. But I got the naturelle Inspira 695 ccs SRF, which is full projection. Is it possible to go bigger than this
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Fembot and HopefulAC:
Thank you for the advice. I will try the Tylenol in between. For now I'll just stick to the one Percocet and hopefully that will do the trick along with ibuprofen and tylenol.
The drains are a pain in the ass but also not the worst thing in the world. For all those with upcoming surgeries, I wish you much luck. Again, the pain is there but not the worst thing in the world. It is hard to let everyone help so much. It can make a person really emotional seeing and hearing so many people praying for you and trying to help. Hang in there everyone!
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Ok, so I just returned from post-op after lumpectomy #2. Here is the good news: still DCIS, still low nuclear grade (grade 1), no invasive carcinoma identified. The bad news: still do not have 100% clean margins. The anterior margin excision remained focally positive for DCIS.
According to my surgeon, because this is anterior, i.e. Closest to the skin, there is literally nothing more to take, except skin. He took all the tissue he could, and cauterized. He does not recommend another surgery as there is nothing to take.
This is a psychological mind-***k, but really does not change two important things: prognosis, which is 4% probability of return within 10 years, with radiation and hormone therapy; and, what needs to happen next, which is meeting with the radiologist within 6-8 weeks.
I told my surgeon quite frankly that considering I was 59 years old and had probably up to 20 years or so left to live anyway, that I was most concerned with the quality of my life spent in those years. In my mind I had reasoned that mastectomy would come next (no issues with that at all) if there were any more problems, that way I could forego radiation and hormonal therapy and physically/financially inconvenient trips to have mammograms every 90 days. Is that how I want to spend what's left of my life? Turns out, I don't have much of a say in that last part. Sure, you could forego rads and meds with MX, but you will always be a cancer patient, and need mammograms, he said.
So here I am, with much to consider. For now, I actually feel at peace with this. Pissed, but I can deal with the facts - I'm never going to waste much energy trying to control the uncontrollable. For now, I'll move on to radiation consultation, and get the BRCA test wheels in motion, just for peace of mind (and which would certainly impact MX consideration).
There are people with much larger problems than mine - which is not to minimalize my own, but to say I remain grateful I've not been dealt worse, by cancer or life in general.
(I am going to move this to the DCIS folder for those who do not visit the surgery folder
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Hi Kaywrite, Sorry to hear about your margin, but that's a relief that it's still just DCIS. Good luck with everything you have to follow up with. Sometimes this feels like the journey just keeps getting longer and more complicated.
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Reneechicago, there is a thread about implant sizing. Maybe that would be helpful with your question https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/746448
I agree with HopefulAC, there is a marked improvement from Day One at home to Day Three or Four.
Hooray! After “only” 17 days, both my drains were removed today. He also did a second fill. For all you February Surgery Ladies, drains DO get removed, eventually
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