Surgery August 2018
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Stherye: Do you have family members who have had BC or genetic markers for it? Our bodies are all our own and we can make these decisions for ourselves and no one should do this for us. Just do your research and know fully what you are getting yourself into. I expect if you asked most of the women on this forum after mastectomy surgery if they could have safely avoided it they would say they would have. Don't get me wrong most also make lemonade out the lemons, find the silver lining, are stronger for it afterwords, but to go into it voluntarily when you might not need it? That I don't know about. There is a long list of health issues that can be brought about from surgery itself. So getting rid of a low chance of cancer but then dealing with the effects of major surgery need to be balanced.
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hi all,
Elijahgirl hope you’re healing well. Why haven’t you posted ? Pls let us know you’re ok.
Kk2018 glad to hear you’re doing ok and you sound upbeat and that’s good to see. Me too DD and my surgery is the 10th and I go from panic to convincing myself oh whatever. Problem is I won’t wake with any replacement and that’s gonna be a shock idk how I will react. I can’t sleep at all at this point and thinking of not having one boob freaks me out. My other DD ha going out all alone.
This sucks it just sucks and what sucks more is the fear that after all we’ve been through it can come back. Like you Piksie I’m sorry you have to deal with the beast again. Just horrible and so not fair.
Wish I could sleep, it can’t . Going today for my IV hormone treatment.. it gives me such bad diarrhea which never goes away. Hope I don’t poop in surgery.
Everyone have a blessed day.
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idkidk-I understand the roller coaster. I was feeling so positive because the surgery went well, but getting my official pathology was such a kick in the gut. So many nodes, 2(!) Tumors, grade 3. It doesn’t change my treatment plan but I just can’t shake the sadness I feel right now about my kids and husband and future. And on top of it I’m feeling more achey and sore today than the first few days and they are so afraid of prescribing opioids that I’m not getting a refill on my one week supply of perc-and I was on a super low dose! Grrrr. I need an attitude adjustment.
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Dear KK2018 and idkidk, i am in similar boat with stage 3 reccurance. But with the passage of time you guys will feel better. Just think of positive right now. Atleast we are suffering from something with is curable alot and alot of ladies are living for years with NED. We are still in better situation thn alot of other ladies who are suffering with distant mets. And why to worry about something which didnt even happen. Stop thinking of reccurance and focus on your heath. Its the last time you are dealing with it
. Just 5 to 6 months of treatment and we will be cancer free. fingers cro0 -
idkidk, wishing you an uneventful surgery today and a positive-as-possible outcome!
KK2018, I'm so sorry that it was so much more than expected. I totally get your sadness. Be sure to lean on the people around you who love you, and tend to your own needs first - especially emotional needs. If you need alone time, tell them. If you need a (gentle) hug, get one. Cry whenever you have the inclination. Keep your mind and heart strong so you can be physically strong. It's time to tackle recovery. I hope things are going well! (((gentle hug)))
Elijahgirl, macmomma, elizabeth9, soozycue... how are you doing?
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Hi all,
Jumping in here at 9 days post-UMX with no recon. Before surgery I imagined I'd be one of those people who bounced right back and stopped taking painkillers in a day or two, but in reality it has been harder than I'd hoped — though very up and down. I'll feel better for a couple of days and then worse again. Sigh. My follow up isn't until the 21st, but I already know my stage will go up as my surgeon found 2 positive nodes and so did an axillary dissection. KK2018 - I really feel for you. I was also so relieved the surgery went well, but then news of the lymph nodes makes me think there's worse to come.
Hope everyone is healing well and looking after yourselves.
bee
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hello,
Ok love narcotics.refused refused until I gave into oxy and feel much less pain. Strangest feeling is the numbness.when they touch the incision I don’t feel the touch on my skin, .surgoen and a friend had warned me about that. I had a radical mastectomy with axillary and subpectoral node removal.3
Leftie is gone and truthfully I am either in denial or relieved, too soon to tell.but I’m so not caring about the breast at all. Before the surgery I stated I just couldn’t do it, but in the OR I became calm and didn’t care. I haven’t looked at it except for a picture I had the nurse take of it.Havent touched it either.
Piksie thank you for the well wishes 😘
Kk2018 and Sunshine yes the same boat we are in. So let’s rock that boat and win.We are the true warriors and survivors ,,,
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So here I am sitting on the other side of my surgery, they are having me sit up next to my bed. I am currently still in ICU but will probably be moving to a different room today. I am most likely will be going home on Monday. The only thing that is really sore is my left arm pit because it super swollen right now. But the flaps look really great! Because of the radiation I had previously Ihad to have the TRAP flap instead so the healing may take a little longer. I but definitely worth it
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Happy healing, Elijahgirl! Wonderful to hear that you like the results.
Unrelated question; what is the military doing with/for you? I was medically discharged for less, but it was during the Clinton drawdown in the early 90s. (Thank you for your service!)
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Seems few of us are healing from surgery. Feels good to move o to the next step doesn’t it although scary and weird with missing breast.
I pray for each and everyone of us here.
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Double mastectomy tomorrow morning, Aug 13th!! I'm ready for it. Ready to get it out of me and move forward to what's next.
Praying my doctors had a restful weekend and are ready to rock tomorrow morning!
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my surgery date is thrusday aug 16th. Bilateral max, with tissue expanders. Im nervous as heck, but its what needs to be done. Kelliemunro update us when you can.
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I'm scheduled for Aug 22. I was originally planning BMX with immediate pre-pec implant recon, but I'm starting to question that decision. I meet with the BS tomorrow to discuss if I'm a candidate for lumpectomy and the risks of going that route. I am not looking forward to any of this.
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Hello ladies-
I’ve adjusted my attitude 😉
There is room for a day or two of negativity but then I just have to be thankful for this day and have faith that this will all work out for the best. I am 10 days post-bmx. My armpit feels sooo weird-like it is chafed or burning-apparently this is normal. Incisions look fine. Excited and afraid to get my first saline injection in these expanders. Also hoping these damn drains continue to decrease. Originally the nurse said 30cc/drain/day. 3 of my drains are at the 30cc mark. At my post op visit Dr said 15cc/drain/day. I feel like like he moved the goal posts! It’s hard enough not feeling self conscious bc of how flat I am (I never minded my DDs), but then to have all of these dangling drains-every day I shake my head and smile at the seeming absurdity of it all!
I hope everyone is healing well and for those waiting-it is definitely easier on this side of the surgery. It’s scary, sad and stressful, but once it’s done there is definitely a feeling of relief!
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Hello Pink Sisters! I'm joining your group.
Well, I guess it's my turn now. Double Mastectomy is at 10am tomorrow! It just doesn't seem real. Even after 5 months of chemo, two months of complications from chemo, one month to recover from complications from chemo, I still don't feel like I really have cancer....not me! This wasn't supposed to happen. I don't know anyone with cancer, it doesn't run in my family, genetic testing - all negative....I was feeling healthier than ever when diagnosed....how does this happen?
So, this is the last day I will have with my breasts. Tomorrow I will be flat. No reconstruction for me until later - do to all the complications I've had this summer (don't feel strong enough to make it through diep flap reconstruction surgery - and my Primary Care Physician said "absolutely not" to reconstruction at this time....) So, on one hand, I'm absolutely dreading tomorrow as I have been for the last 9 months (since diagnosis). And on the other hand, I'm glad to get it over with so I can stop dreading it and start to move on. I don't look forward to being breast-less, but it's one more major step to being done with all of this horrible cancer treatments. Maybe one more to go after this (rads). Won't know for sure until after the pathology report. Wish me luck and cross your fingers I don't run out of there in a panic before they even get started. I know I'm in good hands (I've been told by tons of people that "he's the best!" when asked who my surgeon is), but I really wish I could wake up with breasts. That's the part that really bothers me. Not so much the surgery itself - but feeling like I will be disfigured after. I'm really struggling with that. I hope they give me lots of good "happy" meds during my stay with them!
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Hey girls, just a update, I am still in the hospital and was just transferred out of ICU yesterday. The surgery was a success however they ended up performing a TRAP flap because of the previous radiation. On the left breast I somehow develop a bacterial infection not sure how but it slowly healing. Trust me it looks worse than it actually is. I am trying to keep my spirit up I have been free from fever since yesterday. My skin is just super sensitive these days. And despite all of the setbacks I am still very happy with my decision to have the surgery.
Keep your head up, and push through it will definitely be worth it
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Sorry you’ve had some setbacks Elijahgirl-but it sounds like you have the right attitude for healing!
Kellie and Paisley-I hope your surgeries went well! Check in when you are feeling up to it.
I’m feeling more like myself every day. Still have the occasional wave of cancer panic but I try to let it wash over me quickly and then move on to whatever else I was doing before it hit.
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my bilateral mastectomy is tomorrow morning august 16th. Nerves on top of nerves. But i have no choice right? So im going to walk into that hospital tomorrow and let my doctors and god do his thing.
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My surgery is scheduled for the 27th. It finally has hit me that I am really sick. I am confused and a bit angry. I try to be positive, but I am scared to death. I was told that I could spare my nipples yesterday, but now, after reading up about it, I am having second thoughts. I do not want to go through this again and my nipples are not that important to me. My surgeon says that I am a good candidate for sparing the nipple, the plastic surgeon agreed.
I am following their recommendation and having my nipples spared, but has anyone else spared their nipples and found out later that it was not the best choice?
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Good luck! I am on the 27th. I have cried so much I am not sure how to feel about actually having a date planned. The poor waitress at dinner the other night caught me crying and thought that I was upset about what I ordered. I did not tell her that I had cancer. She commented "You look destroyed. Is everything okay?" I wanted to say no, I have f'ing cancer, but I sucked it up like I have been since I found out on 8/3.
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Just joined the August club. My surgery date was just confirmed for August 30, for MX of left breast with immediate reconstruction ( Diep ) .
It has been reassure to read all the post and know what I’m feeling is normal. Whatever normal is. Was super calm until they called with the date, now it seems more real than ever.
Chin up, and onward to getting this done and behind me!
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Careninnj,
Best wishes tomorrow! It is the first day of the rest of your (long) life! I'm just a day behind you and CAN'T WAIT to get moving!
(((HUGS)))
-Sheri
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haven’t said hello to the group yet, so hiiii! My surgery is Monday 8/20 - double Mx in Nashville.
Wondering what antibiotics people are taking before during and after? I’m taking zithromax before (easy enough) but since im allergic to penicillin I have been prescribe drugs clindamycin for after. (And by IV during) The warnings on that stuff are crazy! Kinda makes Cipro look like a walk in the park!
Ashley
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Hello August surgery group! I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node removal on the 8th. Today was my one week check up where we got some great news...my margins and lymph node are clear. I was surprised to learn that I had DCIS and IDC in my removed tissue. Dr said they see that a lot so I didn't question it. Now I wonder just how common that is?
For all of you waiting for your surgeries, I hope you all have a great experience like I have. There were several steps to my surgery with all the dye injections and wire insertion but all the drs and especially the nurses were wonderful. It's not nearly as scary when you are there as thinking about it is. I kept telling myself that a few hours of putting medical professionals in control of my body was worth getting that rotten cancer out of me! So stay strong and do what needs to be done to get past this.
Good luck everyone. ((Hugs))
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Hello all, I too am having BMX surgery in August, this coming Monday the 20th. Getting verrry nervous!
Hi Ashley, I see we are having our surgeries on the same day. I'm not taking any antibiotics presurgery.
Careninnj, good luck tomorrow and best wishes for smooth sailing!
Paisley, hope your surgery went well. Like you, I won't know if I will radiation until after my surgery, the waiting is going to be hard.
Elijahgirl, wow you've had a really rough go of it but hopefully you are on the mend now.
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Hello everyone, I am finally leaving the hospital today. I am looking forward to being in my own bed tonight. I was in ICU for 7 days as I somehow managed to get an infection so they are sending me home with some heavy antibiotics. I am also going home with 4 drains. I was so excited to be able to shower today but it took a lot of energy from me. The only thing I don't like is that my breast tend to get engorged especially the left one and I have to massage it in order for it to go down it is almost like when I was nursing back in the day. For you ladies in waiting keep your chin up and know your in my prayers. Despite the infection I am happy to have gone through this
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wonderwoman I had my surgery in April and am having my last chemo tomorrow and final implant exchange mid September and back to work in October. I'm pain free and have full range of motion. I read your post and just wanted to send you the good news that not only do you get through the surgery and most of your fears don't come true, but also that initial absolute shock goes away and you do come to terms with your diagnosis. Its a little like the stages of grief. Your are going to discover how strong you are.
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Canavaro - Oh yes you can!!! Do it Marion style.....with efficiency
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i just got released from the hospital from my bilateral max. Feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest. But the cancer is gone and my lymph nodes were clear!!!!!!
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hello friends. I’m so glad I found this forum. I have surgery (skin sparing bilateral mx) scheduled for the 28th. Completely scared. I was diagnosed last week with IDC, ER+/PR+, 1cm grade 2. HER2 results not back yet. (Doing FISH test). Did MRI today. It’s been such a whirlwind. My onc said he will order the oncotype once he knows (if) HER2 is negative. The first few days, I cried and cried. Now I’ve grown numb. Has anyone felt like that? It’s as if you are operating on autopilot. Almost like I’m operating with just my brain and going through the motions. I’m guessing the breakdown is after surgery? Hugs to all friends going through this nightmare. Ugh.
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