December 2019 Surgery Group
Hello all. I’m scheduled for double mastectomy 12/16. I haven’t learned all the abbreviations yet. Aside from felling overwhelmed at times, now that I have a date, I can start planning. Planning, I can control
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Welcome, Brashich! We know these first weeks can be overwhelming, but we hope you find this place to be supportive and informative. We're all here for you!
The Mods
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Hello Brashish. I’m scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy with diep flap reconstruction on 12/12. I also appreciate the control I feel when I plan and prepare. Best wishes to you in your preparations.
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Hello December surgery partners!
I am scheduled for a dmx on 12/10 with TE placement. I finished chemo 11/14 and will be having radiation starting in January.
I am looking forward to surgery as it is just one more way to be sure this beast is out of me.
My PS said she is going to be putting some type of pain blocker in my chest at surgery that should block pain for 2-3 days after surgery which is great. I don’t want to have to take narcotics so hopefully this will help.
Good luck!
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I’m here in Texas too. Tell me, are hospital rooms here usually cold? I’m trying to plan what to pack. Robe? Warm pjs or cotton? Thick socks?
I’ve been living out of the country and don’t know what to expect. But I am VERY happy it happened while we are living here and not overseas. And the Texas health field is AMAZING and huge.
What is everyone packing for their hospital stay? What are you making sure you have for recovery at home?
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Brashich, you never know what temperature to expect around here! I am taking a robe and flannel jammies. I’m packing regular socks and thick socks with nonslip bottoms for walking the halls. I’ll probably also take my favorite fluffy blanket just for comfort. Here’s my packing list:
- hand sanitizer
- Kleenex
- baby wipes
- spray deodorant
- hard candy
- lip balm
- moisturizer
- big safety pins
- hair tie
- notebook with extra paper and pen
- button up pajamas
- loose flannel shirt
- nonslip fuzzy socks
- socks
- robe
- cotton front snap bras
- undies
- blanket
- phone charger
- ear phones
- mastectomy pillows
- pockets for drains
- lanyard
- eye mask
- ear plugs
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Fiana2,It looks like you’ll be leading the way for us! Best of luck to you
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Brashich, I don’t know what the name of the medicine my PS is referring to but I would think if you asked about a nerve blocker for the area your surgeon would know what I’m referring to. I had arm surgery that they used something similar and it was great, When is your surgery?
As far as a packing list, mine is super short as I will be doing this out patient. I don’t know what time I’m scheduled for yet but I may be home for dinner.
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I didn’t know they would it as outpatient. I have some other health conditions that they might have to monitor, so they think I will be in two days minimum.
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hi hi hi, I’m having a lumpectomy and removal of a few nodes on 2nd December. It’s so close. Scared but people keep assuring me all will be well..... so I guess that’s that.
Daycase so home as soon as I can tolerate water and food 🤷♀️.
Eurgghhhh, good luck everyone and WOW that’s a list and half 💕
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Good evening ladies,
I’m scheduled for skin sparring bilateral mastectomy on Dec 31st. Not the way I wanted to bring in the new year lol. Best of luck to everyone
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I spoke with my aunt last night who has had a mastectomy (it’s a family affair for us), she said to get Press n’ Seal cling wrap for when you take showers after surgery. I’m going to test it out tomorrow and see how it holds up. Interesting idea
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Hi Everyone!
I am scheduled for a BMX with no reconstruction on 12.18. I was dx'd on 10.9 so the wait is driving me crazy.
I am cleaning now but after Thanksgiving will be moving into food prep. I am making a bunch of soups for me and easy dinners for my family.
My packing plan is pretty simple as doc says only one night in the hospital. I am not taking much that cant be thrown away after. I dont want any reminders of the day. Silly, I know but the way I am dealing with it is by adopting the attitude that when I go in I have cancer when I come out for all intents and purposes I will be cancer free. What I do after...chemo, hormones, etc...will be me dealing with a chronic illness as a survivor. 😊
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Hello! I'm having a lumpectomy and node removal on Dec 4. I had mag seed placement today. Not bad at all. Best wishes to all!!
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Hello Ladies! Bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction on 12/18. House already decorated for Christmas so I can enjoy it while I'm recouperating. Just starting on the surgery preparations now...
Best wishes to everyone!
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Hello everyone,
I'm not even sure how to do this, but here we are.... I have my lumpectomy scheduled for December 16th as well. I still don't have my Her2 status nor genetic testing. I don't have reconstruction planned as my surgeon doesn't think I'll need it. It looks like PinkBean goes in tomorrow. Then Rosie is in three days. Im sending you both all the positives and prayers for a successful surgery and speedy recovery. This has been a whirlwind. I was diagnosed on Nov 15. I'm getting no sleep as I wake up nightly with thoughts about my surgery. I friend of mine had BC in 2017 and has been giving me some helpful information. She suggested I join a group here. She just had her fourth surgery. She had double mastectomy. The whole thing is just so scary. It's strange to have always been so healthy and feel just fine, but there’s this awful lump of cancer in me. Ugh.
I’m trying to put together a package of things for my husband while he waits for much of the day for me in surgery. Any suggestions? I have his favorite candy, gum, and some fruit. Plus I grabbed a couple of cold press coffees for him to try. He’ll have his iPad and ear pods. Other than that I’m not sure. After I get the dye injections I don’t know if I get to wait with him or what happens.
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Hello Everyone!
I was diagnosed 4/13/19 and had gene testing done due to family history. I did test positive for BRCA2 so my oncologist and I decided on the double mastectomy and removal of my tubes and ovaries. The big surgery was 7/11/19 with nipple sparing and expanders. In September I had a bad infection in the right breast and the expander came out leaving just my left expander. In October I got aninfection in the left breast and that expander was removed. I am now having surgery either 12/30 or 12/31 just to place implants in with the hopes I can at least be a B cup. I’ve always been very small and was looking forward to finally being able to fill out a bathing suit but at this point I will settle to just look normal again and being cancer free.
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hi Everyone. Just a little update. I had lumpectomy and node removal on the 2nd. All went well. I remember talking to the anaesthetic team and then waking up in recovery. Apparently I high fived them when I first came round but I don’t remember 😄 I remember checking my boob under my gown.
My boob is smaller than it was , a cup size difference imo and a little flat underneath (havnt seen the cut as have a big dressing) and I have a little indentation but im elated as I was genuinely petrified of surgery and the unknown.
i feel really emotional, I guess that’s normal? Idk.
Now I’ve just got to wait for my appointment at breast clinic for results and look at the wound etc. Then radiotherapy 💕
Body feels ok, just sore sometimes.
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TeriJ - my wait for surgery was really long. I went in 07:30 and waited till 16:00 till they took me to theatres, luckily I don’t love far from the hospital so my boyfriend went home to look after our cats and prep the home as he wasn’t allowed to be in the bed bay with me (women only). I Was last on the theatre list .
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Hello, sleighblack and TeriJ!
We want to send you a warm welcome to the Breastcancer.org Community discussion boards. We're glad to see you decided to post out to the other members for information and support.
Here's an interesting thread, filled with helpful tips from other members about all things surgery: Shopping/Packing/To-do/Recovery Tips for before and after surgery
We hope this helps! Wishing you good luck with surgery. Please, keep us updated on how you're getting on.
Best wishes,
The Mods
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Had my lumpectomy today and feeling pretty decent. I had a surprise, which I hope is good. BS told DH after surgery that she didn't remove any axillary nodes. I've been having systemic treatment since January with really good scans, so I'm guessing they were normal again. I'll get more details at my follow-up in 2 weeks. Good luck to those of you coming up for your surgery soon or later in the month
Edited to add: I saw my pathology report on my portal, and it said the sentinel node biopsy showed no malignancy. So now I know the reason
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Rosie24 & Pinkbean, congrats on coming through surgery so we’ll...it must be such a relief to be on the other side.
Sleighback, you have had quite the time with infections with your tissue expanders...I’m sure it will be a relief to get your implants in and be done with it.
TeriJ, welcome to the group. That’s so sweet to put a package together for your hubby...as scared as I am for surgery I know my husband is scared too so something like that can be reassuring as well.
Pegasus68, you are ahead of me in the decorating. I’m going to get a few things up this weekend but keeping it low key this year. My kids with grandchildren decided to wait and come after Christmas and recovery so I can hold and play with my 3 year old and 7 month old grandsons which I was very thankful for.
Just got my time for surgery next Tuesday..I need to be there at 7:30 for a 9:30 start time. It should be a 4 hour surgery and I’m scheduled to be released that day. Having a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expander placement. I think I have everything lined up. I have one shirt and one hoodie that have inside pockets to hold my drains which should be helpful. A number of button up shirts and tons of pillows. I moved a recliner into the bedroom since most ladies said that is more comfortable for the first few weeks. Food prepped in the freezer for quick meals and hubby is prepped as well, I think. Scared, you betcha. I do have great confidence in both my surgeons though which is comforting.
Good luck to everyone whether you are preparing or recovering from surgery
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Sleighblack: I also discovered that I have a BRCA2 mutation. I will have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as soon as I can. I certainly was not expecting that! I’m sorry that you’ve had so many infections.
Rosie and Pinkbean: I’m glad to hear that your surgeries went well. I hope you recover quickly.
My surgery is scheduled for 10:30 on the 12th. I’ll stay in the hospital for three nights. My goal is to have everything ready for Christmas before my surgery. I’m so grateful to have two teenage daughters who are willing to help around the house.
Best wishes to all
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Hello, I was originally in the October Surgery Group. I’m now scheduled for a skin and nipple sparing BMX on 12/23 - Merry Christmas! I was hoping to have immediate DIEP flap reconstruction, but after meeting with PS last Tues, that’s not going to happen after all. TexasMama, I understand that you are having the same thing, but yours will be immediate. My PS says that she needs to be sure I won’t need rads after BMX, because if that’s the case, I will have to wait a year. My BS and MO both are confident I won’t need rads, and my oncotype score is 9, so no chemo, hooray! So it looks like I’ll have to wait until April or May for the DIEP surgery. I have lots to do in the next 2 weeks to get myself ready for this. I’m glad this board has such great information and resources, it has really helped me a lot.
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Hi everyone, this is my first post, as I’ve been waiting for the December Surgery group to be active. I want to encourage those with upcoming surgeries.
I had a skin sparing right mastectomy and sentinel node removal on Dec 5, after waiting two excruciating months for surgery. I want to tell you that everything went well. recovery has been easier than I expected, and I'm really pleased with the outcome. Don’t be afraid of the surgery, everyone was so nice and really make you feel comfortable. I went home after one night @ hospital, which was good as hospitals are not good places to sleep.
I had been so stressed and anxious about the cancer, I just wanted the surgery to be over. The morning of my surgery my mental state went 180 degrees back to my old self, and I was ready to get it done. I’m so relieved to have the cancer out of me, I've actually been happy again!
I took a shower this morning with a trash bag and that clear plastic that comes on a packing roll (not sure what it’s called) and it worked great.
I really just wanted to sleep for the first few days, i would recommend ear plugs, an eye mask and some sleep music.
Please feel free to reach out w questions, this site is great, but vast!
Best wishes to all!
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Rhodygirl: I’m glad to hear your surgery went well and you are well. Your post is very encouraging.
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I’m glad your surgery went well.
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oh wow! That is a long time!
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Thank you mods for the link and info as well as the welcome. I appreciate the information. This site is soooo overwhelmingly vast that it can suck me in to hours of reading. One week from tomorrow is my surgery. I’ve been doing really well the past week and a half, but out of nowhere felt immense fear and started crying with just the thought of “one more week til the big day”. It’s scary and overwhelming
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Great news!
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