Starting Chemo September 2019
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Greetings all! Congratulations on all your good news. I met with a local (in person) breast cancer for women group and told them how essential this has been to get through chemo, among other things, and most had not even heard of it. I think there will be a lot of people signing into the community soon.
Leah, you look feminine to me. My mother came to help with me with my BMX and DIEP and the first thing she said when she saw me was, "why is your hair such an horrible color? It looks grey, you should dye it." I am excited that it is growing, regardless of the color. But that are moms for you.
I survived my surgery and just came home yesterday. Since they got the entire tumor with my lumpectomy this summer there is no horrible pending biopsy (they will still do one but it is less worrisome). I have 3 drains - 2 are not filling much and one, attached to my problem boob, is still filling a lot. I see my PS tomorrow and my BS on Friday. Hopefully some of the drains will come out. My chest is very bruised and swollen, but not super sore. It feels a bit like when your bra band is too tight. I have some blisters this time too, which are just gross.
My stomach from the DIEP flap hurts. And of course I cannot use my arms or stomach... It feels like someone sliced me open and scooped out my insides (which they did). I have to Valium to help with the muscle cramps because it keeps cramping up when I try to stand up straight. But even that is getting better. I am on Tylenol now and valium now.
ACChaos- just a warning, the first time you try to stand, you pain will go to a 587 on a scale of 1 to 10. However, after that first time, each time is easier. Make sure you have the percocet and valium in you for about 30 minutes before trying to stand. And just remember, that each time after is exponentially easier. Feel free to PM if you want to chat. I don't want to scare you, just want to share my experience, the good and bad.
Best wishes all!
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Maggie - Such great news! So happy for you!
Tracy
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Marilyn
Is this your first MRI? From what I understand MRIs have a high rate of false positives. My thoughts are with you.
Tracy
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DottyBird -
Glad your surgery went well and you are home recovering. I hope recovery goes smoothly.
Tracy
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Snaffle, my thoughts and prayers are with you.0 -
Dottybird, keep on moving, glad you are doing great keep up the good work.
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Marilyn - I hope the MRI images turn out to be nothing! Keep moving forward!!
Dottybird - glad you are home!! How awesome that you have an in-person support group.
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Congrats Maggie!! Great news
I am 8 days post op and sick of the drains too. Have a follow up next Thurs. & hope I can get all 3 pulled that day.
Snaffle--was this your first MRI? Your BC was occult right? Please keep us updated. Hopefully the BMX will take care of anything they find.
Dotty--Congrats! I find myself feeling better every day. Today I feel almost normal. I didn't have any reconstruction so I think not having anything involved in the abdomen makes things easier.
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eveldon glad your recovery is going great , super awesome!
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This was my second breast MRI. Spot in left breast was not there last summer. Ultrasound did not show good image. But Breast Surgeon wants to biopsy. Biopsy must be MRI guided. They are trying to get this scheduled so my surgery date of 2/25 stays. Surgeon wants to map sentinel lymph nodes which must be done before breast removed.
I’m wondering if things could get any more complicated. I shouldn’t ask questions!
Marilyn
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Snaffle, I had 2 more biopsies after my MRI. Both came back negative. Hopefully, you'll have the same results. 🙏
Dotty, my mom hates my grey hair too. 😂 I actually had mine trimmed this past weekend!
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Snaffle,
They ordered all those test for DMX. for mapping out surgery. sending you prayers.
🙏❤️ Christi
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Marilyn
I had my first biopsy in 1995, and have averaged at least one biopsy every 1-2 years since. My biopsy in 1999 came back as IDC,and my 2019 biopsy came back IDC (and I finally had enough and had a BMX last August). All other biopsies were either benign or "pre-cancerous". I just wanted to let you know that, despite having had a cancer diagnosis, most biopsies are benign. It's anxiety inducing (I really wish I could turn back time and have a BMX much earlier to avoid the ongoing anxiety and second diagnosis) but it's very possible this new spot is benign.
Thinking of you
Tracy
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Sorry Snaffie, hugs and positive vibes, We don’t know until we hear from the path report, chin up positive thoughts, it is what is, you have got this!!!
One drain removed!! Maybe Monday on the other!!
I do not miss my boobs, love my new body, surgery has been liberating for me, love this group!!0 -
They were unable to perform a biopsy on the spot today because of where it is located next to my chest wall. They put a clip in as close as they could. This will allow Pathology to zero in on the area when my breast is removed on Tuesday. I don’t know where this leaves me as far as Sentinel node mapping.
Marilyn
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Snaffie, surgeon will do nodes in surgery if that is what was discussed, before surgery mine injected blue dye,I was put to sleep, never felt a thing, she removed a total of 7, also, she found all the markers, don’t know why but that made me uneasy about not finding those, in my mind I could see those markers floating in my body,
You got this!! This group has got you!!! HUGS😘😘😘
Pretty sure we all will be in your pockets for Tuesday,
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Congratulations Maggie!!
I also had a dye injected and was put in a machine where a technician watches and marks where the proper nodes are located for the surgeon. They did it the morning of my surgery.
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Friday update: 13 weeks PFC!
My bones ache when I stand up. I wonder if that's the Zometa. I have a bit more energy finally. I hope you guys are having a wonderful day. I actually had my hair trimmed last Sunday because the sides were starting to grow over my ears.
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You look great Bridget!! Keep the pics coming.
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Hello Bridget! I’m from the December chemo thread. Just finished chemo. My last infusion was feb 18th. Can’t wait to see my hair grow back. Thanks for posting your pics. It is truly inspirational. I have a question though. When you see x weeks PFC, is it from last infusion day or when the cycle finishes? For example my cycles were 3 weeks long so from my last infusion feb 18 would be March 10th. So do I count from March 10th or February 18th? Thanks.
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X days PFC is X days from final infusion
Bridget - looking great!
Marilyn - like the others, they did lymph node tracing the morning of my surgery. My surgeon actually used 2 methods since I'd had so many removed before.... They injected blue dye, and they injected a radioactive tracer. It worked just fine, they were able to locate the 2 nodes that had shown as suspicious on all of my imaging.
With regards to the clip for the biopsy, when they do your surgery they will xray the removed tissue to make sure the area with the clip was removed. They'll also use that as an indicator during pathology of where to examine.
Tracy
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Eigna, Tracy is correct. My last infusion was November 22nd, 2019.
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Thanks Tracy and Bridget! The countdown has begun
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Eigna - Congratulations on your final chemo!!!!
Bridget - your hair is looking great!
Everyone have a great weekend!
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FINAL chemo (Taxol) was today . Next is trip to Mayo for imaging and tests to see how I responded and if I’ll qualify for a short term clinical trial. Either way, my dmx is scheduled at Mayo in MN for 3/24x I’ll spend a few days there and then fly home for a few daya to be with my kids before going back for follow ups. Any suggestions on questions for my BS or PS during my meetings with them or tips for flying back home after the durgeries?
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Congratulations on your last Taxol, cat!!!!!
My bmx is scheduled for 3/3 so I don’t have any words of wisdom. Just trying to get the necessary supplies to be ready.
Good luck with your scans!
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Congratulations on your last Taxol, Cat!
If I had it to do again I would've asked my BS why he chose the incision site he chose. I was originally going to have nipple sparing mastectomies but the incision my BS chose went across my breast and around the aereola. I had hoped he would go under the breast so the scar would be less noticeable. His choice of incision plus being told that some breast tissue would have to remain in order to save my nipples AND I may end up losing them anyway caused me to change my mind and have skin sparing mastectomies instead. Im happy with my decision. It would've drove me bonkers if my nipples pointed different directions or were at different heights.
I see my PS on 3/16 and have surgery for revision on 3/18 to address symmetry and rippling issues. I went straight to implant during my BMX on 8/6/19. I didn't really have a preference on reconstruction. My PS chose to go the implant route. I'm hoping to end up with something a little closer to my expectations after this surgery. I've already met my out of pocket max so if not we'll try again. I'm hoping to lose about 50-60 pounds so that may cause some changes that need addressed in the future.
Good luck with your surgery! The drains were the worst part for me as well as most women I've spoke with. Make sure you have some small pillows to go under your arms for comfort while you have the drains.
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Congrats on finishing Cat!! It is certainly a long haul. Hope you recover quickly!
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Well, surgery is tomorrow. I have to be at the hospital at 6:00am. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Time to get this cancer gone!
Marilyn
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Snaffle, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow sending prayers for successful surgery and recovery. You got this!
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