April 2021 Surgeries
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Hi Midwest. Glad to hear your optimism. As a Midwest girl who just had a good experience, I’m sure you’re in the Best Hands. I’ll remember you in prayer on Ap 15th.
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Saltmarsh, what are you feeling about your reconstruction choices? Is that progressing ok for you? I believe those decisions were the most difficult aspect for me, because a month ago....what did I know? A very trying time. Just take one day at a time.
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beekc,
Sounds like recovery is going well! I am like you, will just have one side mastectomy. I hope to avoid the big pain meds, they always cause GI issues for me. Good news about the lymph nodes! And that you were able to wash hair and get dressed. That's awesome. Wishes for continued healing without complications.
Julie I'm ok, blogging has helped me process this whole cancer ordeal....
Jujuscancerjourney.Wordpress.com
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Beekc, glad to hear things have gone well! That's quite encouraging; thank you for sharing.
Best wishes as they come up with your treatment plan!Edited to add, in response to your question: I will finally get to consult with the PC on Tuesday. Until then, I don't really know what my options are. But I'm just so excited to get this show on the road and have surgery that I almost don't care at this point. I just want them to take the breast.
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Beekc, I love your attitude! And I'm so glad that the lymph nodes were clear
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ladies,
I am home, 24 hrs after right side mastectomy and lymphovenous bypass. Pain meds are Motrin and Tylenol. Ice packs help too. I cried when I looked down inside my gown. It's real now! But I feel good today. I have 2 drains to strip, it's not hard. Here's a funny story - the plastic surgeon is handsome and he doesn't usually operate at my local hospital much. My preop nurse was totally checking him out! I laughed and didn't want to burst her bubble - he's married and has 5 kids 😀
Now to wait for pathology and healing. Radiation to start in May. Healing thoughts to us all. We are strong women! And can do this!
Julie
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Oh, Juju-mar, I am glad you feel good today, and glad you checked in!
I suspect a week from now I'll be feeling kinda how you were 24 hours post-op. I've been feeling really positive about getting going and having surgery, but I suspect I'll have some Feelings (TM) post-surgery. For now, I'm off to the PC to see what she says about options!
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Update post PC appt.: (Warning -- kind of ranty)
The most important thing to me by far is that they get as much of the cancer out of me as they can -- all of it, ideally!
But secondarily, how I feel in my body is important to me, and how I look is (sadly) important in the profession I have been thinking I'll go back to, if I'm able. And my work-attire options are not terribly forgiving. While leotards are not required for dance teachers, they are worn to show the body's lines and while I technically could wear other tops/sweaters/whatever, the reality is I get too hot in just the leotard and tights and cannot imagine teaching in warmer, bulkier clothing at all -- certainly not in summer!
And I don't love the decisions I have to make about reconstruction. And I wish I weren't so alone with this, friend-wise. I know no one can make this decision for me, but I wish I had friends who had a clue and were willing to talk through stuff with me.
I went into today's appointment thinking I'd want autologous reconstruction...but between the facts that I'm not a great candidate for a couple types of it due to how past surgeries were done, and the long recovery time, and the fact that it's a one-shot deal and I could easily end up with cancer in the other breast, and the gripping hand wherein my doctor likes to save abdominal surgery for later in case we need it, it's looking like I'll be trying out a tissue expander and possibly an implant.
And I really can't see much of a difference between the over-the-muscle vs. under-the-muscle options...so I don't know what to pick.
But what I hate the most (apart from the thought that we could find out that, like my mom, it might be too late for me) is that I'll be in some kind of in-between state or limbo for, it sounds like, several months, maybe even a year or more. And in that time, it sounds like I'll feel awful and still be worried about trying to stay alive, and so I won't be out of the woods and I'll dislike how I look...indefinitely. That doesn't sound wonderful.
I'm a stress-eater and even though I've been doing so great since January making good choices, right now I just want to eat myself into a food coma/oblivion, curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep.
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Juju-mar, I'm glad you're doing fine. And thanks for the update
I guess I'm next! I'll have my bilateral mastectomy tomorrow morning.
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Good luck April! I’m on Friday
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Pokemom1959, good luck tomorrow
It is a very unpleasant experience, but it's nice to be done with it.I had my bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders yesterday at 7:30am, and I left the hospital at 6pm. I was nauseated after the surgery so I guess they kept me a little longer than usual. Overall, the pain is manageable, but sometimes I have a sharp unbearable pain that lasts for a minute or so. I have one drain on each side. I haven't looked at the wounds yet and I'm not planning to. I will take a shower tomorrow and I'll try not to look at the wounds even in the shower. I know it would be too much to handle.
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glad you are on the other side of this april_bc! I'm 3 days out of surgery and feel pretty normal. Alternating between Motrin and Tylenol. Ice packs help too. I just had right mastectomy, no reconstruction and can use my right arm almost like normal. Doc told me to elevate it for as many hours as I use it...that's the hardest part. I've been looking at pics online of mastectomy, so it's not so shocking to see it on my own body. I did cry the first time I looked down at my lopsided chest. But am reminded how strong we are! And we can do hard things! Healing thoughts to you and the rest of the April ladies.
Julie
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Ladies, I had a fever (101.2) last night. I asked my friend who's a medical doctor and she said it was too early to get fever from infection. She said fever in the first 1-2 days is probably due to the lung and told me to use the Airlife device that they gave me in the hospital. I didn't know it was important to continue using it at home! So, please do yourself a favor and use it if they gave you one.
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Good Morning Beauties!
Yesterday I had a lumpectomy with a bit of reconstruction/moving things around after the nipple and the tumor underneath were removed. Maybe the drugs are still in my system, but I feel like a weight has been lifted and that the medical team took this burden from me. I now have a minus sign on my breast, and it's still swollen. I was used to seeing a strange inverted nipple anyway, so the physical look of the scar was not too terrible for me. Pain seems bearable at the moment, but sleep was tough (I'm a side sleeper with two puppies in the bed). Anyway, I hope everyone is recovering well, and for those who are still waiting for their surgeries, best wishes! I listened to music just before they took me back and it was so calming. The less stress we feel, the better for our recovery. Sending you all big love!
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Good morning! It’s finally surgery day. Just had my lymphatic mapping and wire insertion done. Now waiting for my bed at the surgical center. Good times.
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Best wishes Pokemon for your surgery today and to all the other ladies who are still waiting. I wish you all uneventful roads to recovery.
As for me, I had the fat grafting a week ago. It was more painful than I expected and the bruising is still kind of scary, but I managed with only ibuprofen 2xday (stopped on day 5 ). I have little body fat so they used my hips and inner thighs as donor sites. I expect I won't be able to wear a skirt for a couple of months at least, but on the positive side the surgeon told me that the extra fat over the TE would make It less uncomfortable. It is still early days, but so far that is indeed the case, and I have been able to go braless with no discomfort for the first time since the mastectomy last year! In terms of aesthetics there is still swelling and some bruising, but the breast looks more natural, and the TE (pre-pec) is no longer visible.
The surgeon said I would need no compression but I quickly found that it was easier (less painful) to move when wearing compression stockings so in hindsight I wish I had invested ahead of time in one of those post-liposuction garments I saw on Amazon that open on the crotch. I have started to use bromelain and it seems to help with legs inflammation and edema.
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Saltmarsh, it sounds like that reconstruction decision isn't easy. ADDED Reference: The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook, 4th Ed, by Kathy Steligo from the library or on Amazon!!!) I went through ACS web site and found a friend match with someone to telephone with my similar diagnosis who'd been through BC surgery already. It was reassuring and also raised new questions. I believe she had above muscle reconstruction because then it was. “New" in those days but regretted it somewhat later. As a dancer I believe there is a difference in the reconstruction choice of above or below muscle. It's worth careful study. I read several books on the subject—added above. You are fortunate to have the gift of dance. I loved it as a kid, but high arches didn't support further study.. Don't get discouraged. You're heading the right direction and in the midst of the more frightening part. Think long term healing and you'll make the right choice! When is your surgery date again?
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o do want to add that I'm thankful for these drains. Even though they're a hassle it's well worth the effort. I'm finding it so much easier to care for a drain than I thought it might be based on my reading. All of us April Flowers are nearly through the most frightening process. It's only forward from here. Whew!
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Pokemon, April and Beekc, I hope you are all feeling good today, and if not good, then at least better than yesterday!
I'm in my 3-day countdown, as I'm slated for Monday at 7:30. Did your docs all have you drink Gatorade Thirst Quenchers three hours prior to surgery, too?
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Hi Saltmarsh. Mine wanted me to drink a clear protein drink 4 hours before surgery but the surgery center said no. I told my surgeon and she told them it was fine as long as it was clear.
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Beekchow long do you have to have your drains in? My follow up With my plastic surgeon is not for two weeks, which was fine when I didn’t think I was going to have drains but she did put them in and now I’m thinking they need to be out sooner.
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Saltmarsh, my surgeon didn't order that drink. She asked me not to drink anything 4 hours prior to the surgery. I could only drink clear liquids between 8 to 4 hours before the surgery, e.g., water, coffee without milk, tea, apple juice, cranberry juice.
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pokeman1959,
My instructions say the drains stay til the amount is less than 20ml per day x 2 days. I'm on day 5 post op and still measuring 70ml per day. Hope it goes down quickly to 20ml! I look forward to being "drain free". Just went for a walk with a friend and it was so nice to do something normal. Healing thoughts for us all.
Julie
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my drains will have been in 2 weeks also with no reconstruction involved. I was told it bleeds a little more than with the reconstruction. Over the 1.5 weeks the liquid is down from 55 ml to 22 per day. About 7 ml in 6 hours. A friend had no drain and sever hematoma so anything to avoid that! About Gatorade: anesthetic prevented me from drinking anything after midnight, except to sip for a routine pill.
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Juju-mar, thE drains went from 70+ for a few days to 50+ a few days now on days 11 and 12 readings in the 20’s. I’ve been on no narcotics, just Tylenol, so feeling pretty good since day 2. Love those naps though!
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saltmarsh,
Good luck tomorrow! My surgeon had me stop all food at midnight and I could drink water up until 3 am. Are you going to stay overnight or go home?
Julie
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Hey all,
I am up and hibiclensed and about to start drinking my 24 oz. of required drink over the next hour as we head to the hospital. They said to expect to stay overnight for one night as a precaution, so hopefully I'll be home sometime tomorrow. I'm super-excited to finally be having surgery!
I hope you all have good days today!
Best,
-saltmarsh
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here's a tip after surgery. I have some cotton tube tops that are super comfortable. I can step into them and pull up to fit. I can tuck the drains into the bottom band and they are out of the way. And they layer nicely under a button up top. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to us all!
Julie
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Hi Ladies,
Just wanted to check in and to let you know I am sending positive thoughts your way, whether you have had surgery, waiting for surgery or are in surgery today. I am a little over two weeks out and doing well. This is such a crazy journey we are on, I look forward to all of of coming out the other side of this happy and healthy.
Nicole
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Hi All! I'm on day 5 post surgery (bilateral mastectomy with TE). My drains went down quickly from 70 ml each side per day to 10-30 ml. Unfortunately, I'm not moving much and that might be the reason for the low measurement on the drains. I got the second dose of vaccine 3 days after the surgery (my surgeons were okay with it) and I had fever and chills for two days. And it's not just that. Even before the fever and chills I was mostly in bed. I was wondering how active you were in the first week post op.
Another question I have for you is about the surgical bra. My bra is too tight (as it should be) that leaves marks on my body. My husband put gauze between my skin and the bra but it's not helping much. Opening and closing the bra for taking a shower is extremely painful for me. At this point, I mostly take the pain killers for these bra marks, not for the surgery! I'd be thankful if you share your experience about the bra.
Best wishes to all of you, pre and post op!
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