January 2020 Surgery Group
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Best wishes to all you ladies having surgery this week! I have pre-op with my gynecologist this Thursday.
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Here I am, first week of the month gone, knowing my surgery will be coming up by the end of the month and I haven't decided between lumpectomy/reduction and bilateral with Diep. I keep wavering between conserving my breasts and just getting this all over with and hopefully avoiding radiation. I don't see how anyone makes this decision. ;-(
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I am five days post surgery from a lumpectomy and sentinel node removal. Each day I have felt a little better. I am back in my regular bra, slept on my side with pillow support last night and have stopped taking any pain meds including Tylenol. The worst pain was from the lymph node site and it has abated, thank goodness.
I got my genetics test results yesterday and I was negative for everything. Sigh. I was hoping to know why I have had four primary cancers in eleven years (colon, melanoma, two breast). I still think it’s genetics because my family history is riddled with cancers. They still recommend my two sons have earlier screenings for skin and colon.
Good luck to everyone having surgery this week!
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I don't have a surgery date yet, but hoping to be scheduled in January. I meet with breast surgeon, plastic surgeon, med oncologist, rad oncologist, genetic counselor and get an MRI tomorrow and Thursday.
dysonsphere, I agree. It seems like an impossible decision to make. When I was first diagnosed, I thought, "No big deal. Lumpectomy, it is". I had one a few years ago (lump was benign) and it wasn't that bad. Then found out I would need radiation afterward. Bleh. We live 4 hours away from all of my doctors and I didn't want a multi-stage surgery. I've even considered the idea of going flat but I just don't know how I would feel emotionally.
Sending prayers, positive thoughts and good juju to you ladies that are having surgery this week.
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oh, no! I can see where radiation would be difficult. I know they said it would require daily trips to the cancer center!
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I am one day out from my BMX with direct to implants reconstruction. It all went well. E sentinel node injection didn’t hurt at all for me. I agree with Squatchmama- Xanax has been my good friend as needed. The pain is tolerable as long as I keep up on my meds. I’ll hopefully have the final pathology report by the end of this week at the earliest or sometime next week. Then we can figure out next steps for treatment. The waiting game continues...but I’m happy to be on the other side of surgery for now. Best wishes for all of you coming up with surgeries soon here :
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Thursday is my pre-op as well. The fear/panic is starting to set in...
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Its okay to be scared fairy dragonfly. And the pre op takes you one step closer to getting this behind you. Hoping you have a nice and compassionate pre op professional. Good luck.
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Dysonsphere, I'm right where you are. I'm trying to decide on whether to do reconstruction or not. I go back and forth, one day leaning toward DIEP and the next thinking I should avoid this completely in order to have a shorter recovery time. I don't have a surgery date yet. I wish you the best with your decision. Thanks to everyone for sharing
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Waiting is the worst part whether it's for surgery, pathology, unknown treatments, etc. I was one told, my job is to show up...not to get ahead of myself and that things will fall into place. I'm trying to remember that this go around. Thinking of everyone who either has had or will have surgery this week. My pre-op is on the 20th and I have a pre-op with the plastic surgeon on the 14th. Trying to research and learn about what kind of implants would work best for me so I understand things more when I meet with the him next week.
I'm playing games with my mind by trying to think of my double mastectomy as a form of breast reduction with a lot of glandular tissue removed.. My sister had breast reduction surgery years ago and I've been wanting that for the past five or six years (gravity's not my friend). It's a hard way to get a breast reduction. All the best ladies!
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ange743 I got home yesterday from left side mx and sentinel node surgery. I was scared of the surgery too. Just like you. I did ask for something to calm me down from my doctor and it helped. Once the anesthesiaologist got there and asked if I wanted something in my iv to calm me I said yes and after that I don't remember a thing. Apparently I told my doctor when I woke up to tell my husband he owed me a cruise! Lol. Wth? I never wanted to go on a cruise! Anyway I just want you to know that they know what they are doing and they will take good care of you and you will be alright. I am so sorry you have to go through this. I am sorry we all do. It sucks.
Sugar77 So glad you finally got your date!
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Sqatchmama - so good to hear from you. I've been thinking of you since you last checked in after the sentinel node mapping. Hoping you're comfortable as you mend at home.
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Just thinking about everyone who have decisions to make and surgeries ahead....blessings to all and prayers for keeping calm and healing well.
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Congratulations on being past surgery ladies! May your recovery be quick and without complication. ❤
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https://www.target.com/p/bravado-basics-women-39-s...
I forgot to mention this camisole. I used the velcro bra/cami they gave me at the hospital until the drains came out. I found these really comfortable afterwards.
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Hi January group; I am waiting on a surgery date, so I guess I will be a member of this group or the February group. I had a left mastectomy for DCIS in 2008. Now I have DCIS on the right side, so it will be mastectomy and reconstruction again. I had implant recon last time; this time I will have a Diep, if my CT scan shows that my blood vessels are OK for the procedure, and if I don’t chicken out. I hate waiting! I also hate going through this again; I can do it, but I don’t want to! Sigh... I look forward to meeting new “breast cancer sisters” on this wonderful forum
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NVDiane - welcome to the group! I’m sorry you are going through this again. I’m also dealing with it again 10 years later. We did it before...we can do it again! Will you have Diepfor both breasts or just for the new mastectomy?
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Thank you Sugar77! If I qualify, I will have Diep for both breasts. The implant in the left side is ruptured, from a hard fall I had a couple of years ago. So it would be great to get that side fixed in the same surgery. Right now I’m doing our least favorite thing-waiting to hear if it is possible. I’ve already been told I have enough tummy fat, it’s just a question of adequate blood supply for the flaps. Here’s hoping
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NVDiane - hopefully you can have both done. I have a friend who had it done in late November and hers is looking really good. She had the same PS who is doing my reconstruction with tissue expanders. Since they can only do it once, it’s good you’re looking at doing both. Keep us posted. And, yes, the dreaded waiting is the worst.
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Surgery went well yesterday. I'm doing very well and having just a little discomfort. Not even enough to be considered pain. Now the wait starts for pathology results from the breast, lymph nodes and uterine biopsy.
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Rose14 - thanks for letting us know how you're doing. Sending lots of healing vibes your way. Rest up.
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NVDiane, so sorry you are having to go through this again.
Rose14, hope your recovery goes smoothly and pathology reports come back with good news.
My lumpectomy surgery is scheduled for this coming Monday, 1/13. I had appointments the last two days (4 doctors, 1 genetic counselor and a scary breast MRI). Genetic testing came back negative except for inconclusive results for 2 rare genetic mutations that they aren't too worried about right now. The MRI showed no new areas of concern, but the original tumor has grown. All of the doctors said they felt I was a good candidate for a lumpectomy with radiation after. Chemo will be dependent on final pathology reports. I've been going back on forth on lumpectomy vs. mastectomy with reconstruction. The negative genetic testing, MRI results and doctors' recommendations finally put my mind at ease. And lots of prayer.
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I just had biopsy on left and right lymph nodes and will have my genetic testing on the 13th. I'll be following how you do on your surgery! Are you doing strictly a lumpectomy? I'm considering a reduction/lift with mine.
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Hi everyone-
Hoping to be a January girl too, but waiting on a date. I’m also struggling so much with these decisions. I know I am for sure having a right mastectomy, but it seems like most everyone does bilateral? It’s good to see some of you here only doing one side so I can compare notes. Also, I am leaning toward DIEP but I don’t feel very confident about the plastic surgeons I am allowed to use at this point, so I am considering just having the mastectomy and then in a few months switching groups to one that has a PS that is more familiar with, and performs this procedure frequently. I was thinking I need to make all of these decisions at once- which was honestly paralyzing. But this morning I realized I can slow down if I’m not completely comfortable. The most important thing is to get rid of this cancer and I don’t want to take the chance of delaying that surgery in order to make my decisions on reconstruction. Good luck to you all! ❤️
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Dysonsphere, yup just a lumpectomy. I would love to do a lift, too, but don't want to piss my boob off any more than it already is, lol.
DeeDee, I'm sorry you're having a rough time with your docs and insurance. You absolutely can say no to reconstruction right now and find a plastic surgeon you trust in the future. Just trust your gut and you'll get through this.
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I can't keep up!
Brilee76 Thank you for camisole suggestion! It looks perfect for me.
I hope everyone is doing well with waiting (again) and with healing. I turned the corner and finally took a shower yesterday. I am so much more accepting of my poor body and missing breast than I thought I could be. This whole thing has been a shock. Although I could hardly wait through things waiting for surgery I now feel like it went oh so fast. Everyone take your time and don't let anyone rush you with decisions. I don't feel that I was but I think that is number one important.
Nodes came back negative! Yay! Still waiting on breast tissue but it's not a hard wait this time.
Prayers sent for all...your decisions, your surgeries and your beautiful selves.
💖
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squatchmama- so happy to hear about negative nodes for you and that recovery is okay overall! I haven’t gotten any of my results back yet. Surgeon said hopefully early this next week but the lab has been “slow” lately so no guarantees. Waiting is so hard. I haven’t been able to shower yet. I have to wait for my drains to be removed, but I do have to say the drains aren’t as bad as I anticipated. I feel recovery has gone well overall for me. I’m just bored at this point and hate that I can’t play, snuggle, and hold my little ones
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Squatmama - yay on the negative nodes! Do glad the recovery and acceptance is going better than expected!
Ajminn3 - the waiting is the worse part! I have a quick question. I see you had the sentinel node biopsy done. Was it done with the mastectomy and through the same incision? I had it done 10 years ago but mine was done as a separate surgery when the pathology of my "non cancer" lumpectomy revealed an invasive tumour. I'm having it done again this go-round but since it's being done in conjunction with the mastectomy, I was wondering if I'll have a separate scar again.
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I am praying for everyone struggling with their decisions. I struggled with lumpectomy vs. mastectomy. I deliberately did not tell people what I was going through because I didn’t want their opinions clouding the decision for me. I’m the one going through this, I’m the one listening to the surgeon and plastic surgeon, I’m the one who lives in my body.
My pathology report showed clear margins and nothing in the lymph node. Yippee!
Next steps: meeting with my surgeon, port placement and meeting with medical oncologist to discuss treatment. In between hanging out with my sister to make jewelry and taking some small trips with my husband while we can
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sugar77- yep it was all done during the mastectomy through the same incision. I haven’t been brave enough to remove my wraps to see the scars or how my breasts look yet. I think I’m going to wait until my post-op Appt with my plastic surgeon this week and let her do it.
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