December 2021 Surgeries
Hi everyone! I didn't see a December surgery post started yet. Anyone else having surgery this month?
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Hello! I am having my TE exchange for implants and a fat transfer on December 29th. Still mulling over the options for the implants, as I never knew there were so many (or that I would ever be making this decision)! Hoping for the best for everyone scheduled this month!
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Hi lstagg,
I hope your surgery goes well at the end of December! So many choices going through this journey. Have you asked anyone in the groups on here what they chose or why they chose it? I'm sure that there would be responses. One of the many things that I appreciate about this site is that everyone is willing to share their own experiences.
I'm ready to just get whatever is left of this cancer tumor out of my body! I never thought I'd be so gung ho to have a surgery, but I am with this one. My surgeon has said lumpectomy, but I am having another mammogram and US tomorrow morning to see how everything looks after chemo. I have two weeks off of work for the holidays so hoping to get it scheduled during that time frame as I've used up my sick time with chemo.
I hope that we all get a wonderful gift of a great outcome!
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Hi! I'm going to be having laproscopic hysterectomy bilateral salpingo oophorectomy Mon. Dec 6 & my implant exchange surgery Jan 19. Good luck to all!
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Jcamp1520-
Thinking of you today and kicking surgery's butt ! Hope it goes extremely well for you.
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hi. Had a double mastectomy with rebuild on 12/1. The prevena plus machine has been causing blisters and acts pumps at different strengths and amounts. Any comments on how long is standard to use such a device?
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Hello, I will be having a BMX with expanders on the 16th. I'm a very anxious person normally so all this has thrown me into a frenzy. Just curious if anyone knows how severe the chest tightness is and if everyone experiences it? I think this will be my biggest struggle because any chest tightness or difficulty breathing has always triggered my anxiety.
I'm sending warm thoughts and comfort to everyone else who is going through this.
-X
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Welcome Xipie to our community.
Here is an article on Mastectomy: What to Expect
Your surgeon will give you exercises you'll need to do regularly. Looking forward to having people chime in here.
Reach out with any questions,
The Mods
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JCamp1520-
Hope you are doing well after surgery on Monday. Sending you some healing thoughts and prayers.
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Hi KotchAJ,
Did you get your surgery date? Hoping it stays lumpectomy for you and you get your surgery scheduled when you were hoping. I understand what it is like to be out of sick time!
Praying for all the December surgeries to go smoothly!
Lstagg
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Hi lstagg,
I did get my surgery date. December 16th. It's now switched to a modified radical mastectomy because...my tumor grew on chemotherapy. So, yay? Sorry, my sarcasm and ability to laugh at my inappropriate humor has gotten me through this so far. I'm nervous, but so ready to get this part over with.
So, next week I see my MO on Tuesday, get my echo and bloodwork done on Wednesday and have surgery on Thursday. It worked out perfectly as I only have to take two days of vacation time since the college is closed for two weeks over Christmas.
How are you doing after your surgeries?
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KotchAJ,
I am so sorry to hear about the switch from the lumpectomy, but glad that you can get it over with soon (and that you don't have to take so many vacation days)!
My surgery is scheduled for December 29th, had an appointment with the PS today to pick out implants and went with the Allergan Inspira Cohesive. It was either that or the soft touch and I was worried about rippling, but I am also worried about the firmness of the cohesive. Anyone post surgery that has either of these? Happy or unhappy?
Thanks,
lstagg
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Hello! I am new here. I just had my surgery on December 7. A lumpectomy on my right breast. I took just 2 days off from work, however, I do work from home and only sit in front of a computer all day, so it's nothing strenuous. I was just super tired from the anesthesia. Doing well so far. Just took the dressing off yesterday and it doesn't look as bad as I had imagined. Still waiting on the results to see if I will need to do radiation or not. The waiting is the hardest part. I am so anxious, almost to the point I can't think of anything else.
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JCamp1520,
I was just told after an appt yesterday that I will now need a Hysterctomy and ovary removal due to lynch syndrome. I am so discouraged at the thought of needing yet another surgery. Scheduled for implant exchange and fat grafting on Dec 29. They did a endometrial biopsy on Friday as well and that is playing with my head. Any tips on what to expect from the new surgery? I hope you are doing well!
Lstagg
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Hi BlueGreenBaby - I had similar surgery on November 29. Was actually amazed at how instantly I seemed to awake from the anesthesia, and now that I look at the hospital bill and see that they charge by the minute in post-op, I guess that was a good thing. I was a little surprised by the bruising away from the surgical site due to tissue mobilization, but that was at its worse on day four and then got better pretty quickly. I hope you are healing well and hear back soon on the results. By the way, your surgery date is listed on your profile as 12/7 of next year.
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Hi, I am having lumpectomies on my left and right breast on December 16. Thank you, BlueGreenBaby for posting about what to expect afterwards. Cancer in my left breast was diagnosed in May, but I had to wait for a hematoma to resolve and it is finally time for surgery. The cancer in my right breast was found accidentally after a breast MRI in June to help the breast surgeon learn more about my 'mixed ductal and pleomorphic lobular cancer' in my left breast. She didn't learn any more about the cellular structure, but a small cancer was discovered and biopsied in my right breast. Both cancers are 1.3cm and 1.1cm respectively. I was BRCA tested and the results were negative. I tested 'High Risk' (borderline) on MammaPrint and 'Low Risk' on Oncotype, so I did not have chemo. I've taken Anastrozole since June and hope that has helped keep the cancers from growing. Hopeful, tentative, and anxious.
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Surgeon sick...out for 2 weeks...surgery rescheduled for January. Anxious? Well, yes...I was diagnosed in June...
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ilenef-
I'm so sorry to hear that you are having to wait longer for your surgery. The waiting is so very hard to do and so out of our control. So, if you can, think that there is another reason that you have to wait until January and that it is in your best interest that you wait. Sending hugs and prayers your way.
Amanda
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Hi mfk, thank you for letting me know about the date in my profile. I have fixed it. I have not yet received my surgery bill. Not looking forward to it. I already received an $800 bill for the MRI, ultrasounds, and biopsies. Ugh.
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Oh my goodness ilenef, why have they made you wait so long for the surgery? I'm sorry to hear about that. The waiting is most definitely the hardest part. I had my surgery exactly 7 days ago and am still awaiting results. I have a post op appt. with the surgeon on the 21st to discuss exactly what was found and if treatment is needed. I just need to know already!
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Seemingly impossible decision to make… Surgery early or finish 6th chemo treatment.
I started chemo in July and have had complications with nearly each treatment. On my first and second treatment I had uncontrollable uterine bleeding and ended up having to have transfusions before my OBGYN and Oncologist decided it was best I have a full hysterectomy. (I was scheduled for a full hysterectomy prior to starting chemo due to bleeding for 6mos straight from fibroids but the chemo took precedent and the hysterectomy was initially cancelled). During the 2nd chemo treatment I also had a reaction to taxotere. I had my hysterectomy Sept 20th and did the more site specific chemo prior to surgery and during recovery.
Oct 20th, I started chemo a second time with treatment number 3 and immediately lost all sense of taste and I have developed food aversions with smell and texture - basically I don’t eat. Chemo #4 I got so sick I stayed in bed during the three weeks between treatments and on Dec 1, after receiving -#5, I went to the ER for chest pain. Turned out to be extreme heartburn - PS I still don’t eat. 😵💫 Since then I have come down with an open wound in my belly button, blisters on the bottom of my feet and a bloody noise each morning. Just this week I was treated for dehydration with an IV infusion and my surgeon suggested getting an MRI to see if my tumor has shrunk enough to skip the sixth chemo treatment and have surgery before Jan 1st. I jumped at this opportunity!
My oncologist, who I love, called yesterday and said she does not recommend this course of treatment. She recommends staying with the standard of care and finishing out the chemo treatments to decrease the risk of reoccurrence. She knows all the challenges I have had but my blood counts remain pretty good (how is this possible without food???🤷🏻♀️) and she says I am strong enough to handle the 6th treatment.
I don’t feel strong enough and I am incredibly anxious even scared of what complications will happen after the 6th treatment. She has agreed to push my last treatment back a week to the 29th but I am still considering going with surgery if the MRI comes back favorable.
This is beyond hard for me as I am a rule follower and respect my oncologist but I am so weak (lost over 60lbs since starting chemo) and I just don’t know that I can handle another chemo treatment and all that comes with it - plus, I am reallyhungry would love to eat.
PS - I have tried eating/drinking everything with no success. I can get down a banana, almond milk pudding (allergic to milk) and sometimes pickle chips on occasion. Water does not taste good to me - yes, I am drinking bottled water.0 -
Oh Les707,
Hard decisions to make. I'm so sorry to hear that you had to have a surgery in the middle of it due to the bleeding you were having. Let me ask you this, will you regret not doing the last round of chemo if your cancer comes back? The reason why I ask is I had some SE's, I could still eat, but lost my taste, couldn't use metal silverware, had to switch to plastic, lost my sense of smell, bloody noses every morning, tingling and numbness in fingers, toes and balls of feet, horrible acid reflux, etc. They kept wanting to reduce my chemo, I kept saying no, because I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do it again and didn't want any regrets. My oncologist told me at my last chemo that I could just skip it after reducing the dosage of the previous one due to the numbness in my feet and hands and I once again said no. I wanted whatever I could get to kill that sucker.
Turns out that my tumor did not have a favorable response to the chemo and instead of a lumpectomy, I will now have a modified radical mastectomy tomorrow. I know that I would have blamed myself and beat up on myself if I wouldn't have finished it out. I'm not saying that you will, but think about it first. It was the MOST miserable 6 months of my life doing both the AC then the Taxol. I ended up having to go in three times for fluids after infusion due to dehydration and low magnesium levels.
But in the end, it's your body. You do what you need to do for your peace of mind. I'm not going to say it's not horrible. Oh my gosh, it is horrible. And if you can't do another one, then don't. It's okay:-)
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@KotchAJ - thank you so much for sharing what you’ve been through and the decisions you had to make. I agree that this is adilemma… I have to do some deep soul searching either way and come up with the best decision for me and not look back, second guess or blame myself either way.
I am hoping by the time the MRI results come back next week I will know what I can live with moving forward.
All the best with your surgery tomorrow, I will be thinking of you and sending extra strength for recovery your way. ❤️🩹
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I am having a mastectomy on my left breast December 29, 2021. I had a mastectomy on right breast in this past November 17, 2021! Misdiagnosed! At my follow up I was told the lump in my left breast was cancer also! I requested they take both from the beginning and at each visit. I am now a three time survivor! I had stage one 16 years ago. I am stage one again this time also.
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My MRI came back with no enhancement - I am going for surgery on the 29th!! My 2.5cm mass may have been completely eliminated by chemo… I realize how unlikely this is and how surgery may provide more insights with the nodes but I am relishing these result and looking forward to surgery next week (and no #6 chemo)..
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I just had my right nipple sparing mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction on 12/9/21. I was SO anxious about this surgery. I was sure that it was going to be much worse than my first surgery on 8/3/21, which was a bilateral breast lift and right lumpectomy w/soft tissue rearrangement. Well, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I spent 2 nights in the hospital and was only on narcotic pain meds the day of the surgery. I went home with 3 drains, which were all removed at my 1 week post-op appointment with my plastic surgeon. I've just been taking Tylenol and Aleve. I hope that those of you who are waiting for your surgery have as easy a time as I had.
A little history: I am a mammo tech and found my lump myself back in March of this year. My breast cancer did not show up at all on my diagnostic mammogram. On the ultrasound, they could see a solid mass, but it didn't look at all concerning. It took 2 months between finding the lump and getting the biopsy. Then, as I wanted both a breast surgeon and a plastic surgeon involved, it was almost 3 more months before my lumpectomy & bilateral lift. We thought the original invasive lobular cancer was 1.3 cm, but it was actually 2 cm at the time of surgery. Within the margins, the pathologist found another, separate cancer, an invasive ductal carcinoma. It was only 4mm, so it was too small to bee seen on my MRI. After that, I decided that my right breast was going to go. My oncologist and breast surgeon told me that I'd be OK with radiation, but I think that the whole person, including your emotions needs to be treated. I just knew that I would have much more peace of mind if I just had that breast removed. Got my path results and there were no other cancers in the right breast.
I'm taking exemestane (Aromasin) and it's been OK so far. I had to start on Prolia for osteoporosis, as the AI can make it much worse. So far, the Prolia hasn't bothered me either. I'm due for my second dose next month.
I wish everyone the best in their breast cancer journeys. If you are waiting for your surgery, I hope your healing goes well.
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BeniciaJen, we welcome you warmly, and appreciate you sharing your experiences. We too wish you the best, and hope you continue to share how things are going.
Warmly,
The Mods
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Hello, I'm back, unfortunately. I had excisional biopsy on December 7. Margins were not clear, but very close. I have to go back for another surgery on December 28. They will remove more of the margins and also take some lymph nodes for testing. 2 surgeries in December! Hoping the margins come out clear after this surgery, or I will need to go back for a mastectomy. I really don't want to have another surgery.
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I had my surgery last week on the 29th, skipped my 6th chemo and opted for surgery, and just I received the news from my surgeon that my results were what they call a pathological complete response - meaning all tissue including lymph nodes were clear of cancer. 🎉💪🏼
Chemo completely sucked but it worked!!! And, bonus, I have started eating again. 🍽Waiting to hear from my oncologist as to how much radiation I will now be scheduled for as well as the remaining treatments.
Wishing everyone a Happy & Healthy 2022!!!0
