Sentinel Node Biopsy with possible additional node removal

Lizzy90

Hi,

My name is Hanna and Iam Lizzy's daughter.My Mom is 65 and I am 40 years old.

My  Mother will have 2nd lumpectomy Monday June 15th with wire localization ( there some calcification left over-very tiny ) then maping  for sentinel node biopsy by frozen section with pathology present to identify if sentinel node is positive and if it is all nodes or most of them will be taken out.

The surgeon has to go back to the exact location as 1 margin was not clear on the pathology as well - so that will be the 3rd reason for the 2nd surgery.

Just to detail it a little bit : My Mother was told she has DCIS and was diagnosed by mammogram,core biopsy on May 1st  and then the surgeon when she did a lumpectomy  on May 14th -1 margin came back dirty with a 3 mm  IDC...now we are talking invasive ductal versus ductal carcinoma in situ.There is no vascular invasion and she is ER+++90% and PR+++90% with HEU2- Negative.

Here is the question i have and the help i need as I will be the caretaker and need to prepare and have everything ready for the time that we will come home (hopefully) after this crapy day..

How do I prepare? if you had this surgery please tell me how you felt,how painful it was and what made you feel better?? did massage help? -lymphatic massage...i actually researched it a bit and understand it has great value to some..

will i have to help her shower? dress her? ( i assume shirts are better) then t shirts and tank tops..and what about what insomnia,appetite and maybe pillows all around or elevate arm gently on the pillow to increase lymphatic circulation?? anyone has these thoughts or tried these things? or what helped you feel better???

Also like to mention my Mom was and is in great health otherwise..no high blood pressure,active -very normal weight ,used to walk 1 hour a day ,never ever had surgeries in her life so she is otherwise healthy with some anxiety and she needs a 10mg sleeping pill at night but otherwise nothing else .

 Please let me know what I can do to make her feel better and heal faster with less pain.

Warm regards to all as I join my Mom in her fight.

Hanna

BlessedOne2

Hanna,

Maybe this will be of some help. I just had a lumpectomy with sentinal node biopsy and needle localization on June 10. Two nodes were removed along with the mass. Prior to this surgery I had guide wires inserted to assist the surgeon with accurate identification of the affected area.  I have not experienced any pain since 'coming down' from the anetheshia fog.  After 48 hours I was permitted to shower and remove the gauze pading.  The day before I received the nuclear medicine to identify the sentinal nodes.  I have been able to dress myself with a little help moving my right arm. This was all done as outpatient surgery.   If there is cancer in the sentinal nodes, the surgeon may opt to remove more axcilliary nodes.  Then she will have drains and may have to stay 1 or 2 nights. 

bluedasher

Hanna, I had a lumpectomy and SNB (age 56, reasonably fit). Make sure your mom and you get good instructions for the care right after surgery. I was told to ice the area for 20 minutes at a time. I don't recall now how often. Usually you do the icing on and off for the rest of the day. It can help prevent swelling and make recovery easier. They sent me home from surgery with a little ice pack but I also had a couple of others ready at home.

I also got comfortable front close bras before hand because the surgeon said I needed to wear a bra 24 hours a day for the week after surgery. With a front close bra, I was able to dress myself even immediately after surgery. I couldn't have done a behind the back closure. I didn't need help with showers or dressing.

Another thing that helped was having a wedge pillow for sleeping. I don't like to sleep on my back, but after surgery that was the only comfortable position and the wedge pillow helped. It also made it easier to get up without assistance. Getting out of bed was the hardest thing for me post surgery. Having extra pillows was helpful too. A small pillow to pad the shoulder belt can be helpful on the way home from surgery.

I thought I would need to wear shirts with buttons, but the after care packet they gave me included instructions for how to put on a T-shirt after surgery. I would put it on my surgery side arm first then slip it over my head and put the other arm in. Reverse the process for taking the shirt off. That way it can be put on and taken off without having to raise the arm over your head like the more usual way of putting it on head first would require. With that advice, I found loose T-shirts more comfortable than button front shirts. Ones with wider necks such as a V-neck or scoop neck worked best.

Lizzy90

Hello Sisters,

Thanks for all the great advice.Got the front zipper bras earlier and have shirts ready for her,have the pillows set up and yes the 1st trip home after the first lumpectomy thought us about the cushion pillow for seat belts or just comfort.

Didnt think of the ice but on my way to get that in the fridge/ set the icemaker button high in the morning before we leave.

Thank you so much for all the information and good advice.

Good night and Good luck everyone.

Hanna