February 2010 Mastectomy

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  • ariesrottie
    ariesrottie Member Posts: 260
    edited February 2010

    Hi Sisters! Bumped in from January.. Hope everyone is feeling okay today. I had my BMX with Te on the 25th 2 weeks today and there is light at the end.... Just one day at a time. I still  have 2 of the 4 drains in but they say I might be doing to much. So today I will take it slow.

    Dangergirl, I am also in the northeast.. I hate snow. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. You have a right to be nervous but think of it this way you are making yourself healthy by doing this...That's what got me through... No if and but about it.  It had to go. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. Just breathe.

    Strength and courage as my other January sister says.(Debbie)

    {{{{{{{Hugs to all you February girls}}}}}}}}

    Donna

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  • hbowser
    hbowser Member Posts: 253
    edited February 2010

    Just wanted to write and say what a great resource this site is.  I have a call to the surgeon on call because I noticed that my one drain is not holding suction anymore and it was concerning me.  Then I remembered that someone had posted something about it and sure enough, I come here and Groundhog mentions about hers losing suction yesterday, so I am feeling better.  Thanks Groundhog and Faith for calming me down. 

    Someone told me I should take a pain med before going in to have my drain removed.  I am not keen on that since it makes me loopy so I see Faith that yours didn't hurt.  If others can let me know about their experiences, it would be greatly appreciated.  Our driveway has been cleared and my DH is going out for some Chinese food.  Craving it along with hot and sour soup.  

    Thanks, ladies.  Hope you are keeping warm, can't believe they are calling for more snow tomorrow afternoon into Wednesday (8 to 12 inches).  As long as I can keep my appointment tomorrow, I will be happy.  

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  • Lillies4Laurie
    Lillies4Laurie Member Posts: 32
    edited February 2010

    How soon after surgery can we buy and wear foobs?  This is for the ladies that didn't have reconstruction.  My BS said that I would be able to wear them within a month of surgery.

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  • Lillies4Laurie
    Lillies4Laurie Member Posts: 32
    edited February 2010

    How soon after surgery can we buy and wear foobs?  This is for the ladies that didn't have reconstruction.  My BS said that I would be able to wear them within a month of surgery.

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  • lovemygarden
    lovemygarden Member Posts: 342
    edited May 2010

    hbowser: I too was nervous about the drain removal (I am the world's biggest chicken about anything med-related) but honestly it was nothing more than a "pinch" for literally 2 seconds. It hurt less than a typical 'shot' or getting blood drawn or insertion of an IV.

     Lillies4Laurie: I'm waiting to hear about the foobs myself. The cami that I bought has lightweight removeable fiberfill ones which can be worn immediately if you want. For the "official" ones, everything I've read says "after healing is complete" which I guess means different things for different women ... maybe the deciding factor is whether or not there is any remaining swelling on the chest area from the surgery??

    Best wishes and good thoughts to everyone who had their surgery today!!!!

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited February 2010

    Hi ladies, my drains are out and you're right, it was easier than I thought...just a weird feeling coming out as the internal tube was in surprisingly deep...surgeon was totally unconcerned about drain losing suction, said it must not have been needed (he was right) BUT I'm still glad I had pain meds on-board. :-)  Hope all are well tonight.  {{hugs}}

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    hbowser -- I sent you a PM.

    Sounds like everybody who has had surgery last week is on the road to recovery.  We still (unless I missed it) haven't heard from a couple of the girls from last week.  I hope they will pop in soon and let us know that they are doing OK, too.    I'll also be anxious to hear from cornellalum and toni67 who had surgery today.

    Nobody on the schedule for tomorrow but then 3 on Wednesday:  bodhi, LTK and dangergirl.  How are you ladies feeling as your time approaches?  I hope hearing that all of us from last week are doing well helps to ease your anxiety!  That is what is great about this forum.  There is always someone who has been there, done that and willing to share so you know what to expect!

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  • sejnboys
    sejnboys Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2010

    Hello.....please add me to the February list.  I was on the January list, but numerous things changed, so now I have my new date:  Feb 25  BMX with DIEP.  Thanks!

    ~Suzanne 

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  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 660
    edited February 2010

    Welcome, Suzanne!  I'll be joining you with BMX and DIEP on Mar 4. 

    Larissa--I really like Luke Roosevelt Hospital.  I never had to go to NY for medical reasons (live in NJ), and so far, they have been good to me :).  My breast surgeon is Dr. Tartter and I'm doing the DIEP with Dr. Samson and Dr. Smith.  Do you know any of them?

    I am SOOOOOO nervous, guys!  I had wacky dreams about it all last night.  Sometimes I think I'm crazy for doing this, and then I think I'm crazy if I dont do this!  UGH.  I'm still doing it...

    We got super snow over the weekend like all our northeast buddies on this thread.  Fun!  NOT...LOL, I dont really like the cold weather...but I do really like NJ, and it was beautiful watching the snow come down.  It'll be interesting to see what happens Wed.

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  • LauraM
    LauraM Member Posts: 251
    edited February 2010

    Good evening,  I haven't been on for a few days, so I wanted to check in on all the wonderful February Sisters that had surgery last week and this week!  I see that everyone who has checked in seems to be doing pretty well, so that is reassuring to those of us later in the month.  My prayers for quick mind and body healing are going out to all of you!

    LTK - Glad you finally found your path!  It took me a long time to come to that conclusion also. I really struggled over it and like you, when I finally decided, it was amazing how much better I felt, I was finally able to to look towards recovery.   I am now two weeks out from today on my upcoming surgery, I went to see my PS today for all my pre-op work and he started me on a vitamin regimen for the next 4 weeks.  2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after surgery.   It is suppose to help me heal faster.  I went to Sloane for a second opinion and also live in the NY area, where are you? 

    Rockermom - Welcome to the group!  It looks like you and I are sharing the same date, hopefully the time will go by quickly for us and we will be on the road to recovery.  I have been trying to get everything in order, organizing the kids schedules and the family calendar so that my mother in law can just pickup and handle while I am in the hospital.

    cornellalum  and  toni67 - I am praying that your surgery went well today! Hugs!!!

    bodhi and LTK - Strength to you both as you head towards surgery!  I will be thinking of you and checking in often to see how you are doing.                      

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  • LTK
    LTK Member Posts: 15
    edited February 2010

    I'm doing so-so.  I had this great positive mindset going, but over the weekend I lost my footing there, and now I'm edgy, edgy, edgy.  

    Mostly, I keep flashing forward to the sight of my chest post-surgery.  It will be traumatic and difficult for me to see my new facade-- I just know it.  

     Anyway, in preparation for my nuclear medicine shots tomorrow (for the 2 sentinel node biopsies), I had my breast surgeon call in a script for the Emla cream, based on the recommendations I read here on the website.  Turns out the generic is lydacaine/prilocaine. It was $38 for a 30-gram tube??!!  Yikes.  I'm going to experiment with it right now to figure out how much to put on, and how soon it activates.  Better be damn good for that price.

    Good thoughts to everyone... I plan to get a good night's rest and hope you all do, too.

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  • Stonebrook108
    Stonebrook108 Member Posts: 237
    edited February 2010

    Ltk,

    I sent you a PM.

    Take care,

    Ann

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    Put it on thick (like a big glob) and then cover it with some plastic wrap.  When you go for chemo they give you a stack of clear plastic bandages to cover your port after you put the cream on it, but if you don't have any of those some Saran wrap will work just fine.  It will take an hour and a half or two to numb you.  Good luck.  You're gonna do fine!

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    Just wondering ................... for those of you who already had surgery this week, is your arm numb?  i understand why my underarm area would be numb since I had an axillary node dissection along with my uni-mx.  But, the inside of my upper arm to my elbow is sore and also somewhat numb.  This is my second axillary node dissection, the first one being a year and a half ago when I had lumpectomy and I don't remember my arm being numb then.  Underarm yes, arm no.  Just wondering if any of you are having this also.

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited February 2010

    Faith - I have no issues with numbness but did have only 1 node taken from each side.

    Larissa - yikes $38 is a lot, I paid my generic drug co-payment amount and thought it was worth every penny.  I used almost the whole tube of the generic then wrapped myself up in plastic wrap as the "occlusive" dressing.  You will want to put it on at least one hour prior to the shots, and the numbing effect is supposed to last two hours.  I hope it works as well for you as it did for me!

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  • lovemygarden
    lovemygarden Member Posts: 342
    edited May 2010

    Re: Lillies4Laurie's question about how soon we can get foobs, I just got back from my sutures-out post-op appt with the BS and she said I could get them now (8 days after surgery). I don't know if that's the average time or whether I'm just lucky, though!

    She also said I could drive, because apparantly the only reason for the no-drive restriction is if you're using any prescription pain meds but I did not. (I didn't tell that to my son, who had to take a half-day off from work this morning because I thought the no-drive was because I still had sutures... sssshhhh!) 

     The mastectomy shop is closed on Tuesdays, otherwise I would be heading over there this afternoon. We're supposed to get a snowstorm tonight and tomorrow which -- because my son won't be able to shovel me out (which I definitely can not do!) until the weekend -- shuts down any chance of foob-shopping until next Monday. Darnit! Undecided  Murphy's Law is alive and well.

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  • cornellalum
    cornellalum Member Posts: 191
    edited February 2010

    Done!

    And home again.  Not so very bad at all.  I'm a litttle sore, but nothing terrible.  Preliminary report from the sentinel nodes was negative.  HOORAY!

    I got to the hospital at 6:30 AM as directed, and they took me back at about 7:30 for my injections for the SNB.  My surgeon did them, two shots next to each nipple.  Not bad - like a bee sting really.  I definitely didn't need anything to numb them.  Then they put in the IV and wheeled me to the OR, and then I woke up in recovery.  The surgery took about 4 hours.   I was really groggy, and I don't remember a whole lot, but soon I was in my room with my DH.  They brought me some food. I mostly slept. 

    I left the hospital this morning around 10:00, trying to get out ahead of the snow.  They gave me percocet for pain, which was really wiping me out, so I just called them for something else, and they are going to call in vicoden.  I'm not sure I'm going to need it, but I wanted it here just in case.

    I have four drains, two on each side.  They are annoying, but pretty easy to take care of.  Like I said, it doesn't really "hurt" it is just sore. My incisions go a little further under my arms because the surgeon tried to not leave any dog ears, or, as he called them "doo-flappys."  Since I'm not having reconstruction, I wanted to be completely smooth.  He assures me that I am. 

    I have a giant bandage on.  It can come off tomorrow, and I can shower the next day.  I am wearing my softee 2 cami, and it is really comfortable.  Four drains is a lot of weight, and this cami really helps.

    Peed blue, then green.  Very interesting.  My arms are also blue from the dye.  This has been a long, strange trip.

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited February 2010

    cornellalum - attawoman!  Thanks for the note! 

    toni67 - hope you did well today, too!

    Paintressa - hope you are OK from Friday!

    {{bodhi}}  {{Larissa}} and {{dangergirl}} - best wishes for tomorrow!

    {{hugs}} to the rest of my sisters!!

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    Good to hear from you, cornellalum and glad it went well.  I saw where Paintressa posted in a different thread that she also did ok.  Maybe she'll pop in here a little later.

    Next up -- bodhi, Larissa and dangergirl!  We'll be thinking about you girls tomorrow.  Let us hear from you when you are up and on the mend!

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  • LTK
    LTK Member Posts: 15
    edited February 2010

    I found my good mojo again.  An early morning walk helped me.  Heading to a hotel near the hospital shortly.  I have to report at 5:45 a.m.!  Huge snowstorm coming tonight in NYC.  Should be kind of cool for the 2-block walk in the dark, early morning.  Thanks for the good wishes!!

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  • CyndiS
    CyndiS Member Posts: 42
    edited February 2010

    Hi Ladies - Just checking in after a brief sabbatical. After having my surgery postponed 5 days prior, after waiting over month from my Christmas eve pathology report from the first surgery that I would need at least a UMX - I just had to unplug from it for a while. Now I'm two weeks out and I find it's creeping back in again - only it feels more intense this time. I'm inspired by everyone's honesty, bravery, and optimism here. I am so grateful to you all - I wish I could be a voice of strength for you, and I hope that I will be soon. But right now, I am feeling such a sense of sadness and overwhelming, unidentifiable emotion. I don't really want to label it or understand it, because I don't want to think of it as a negative emotion - I think it's healthy. But it is a bit suffocating at times. Just have to remember to breathe.

    God bless you ladies. You are my inspiration.

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  • LauraM
    LauraM Member Posts: 251
    edited February 2010

    cornellalum - Glad to hear that you made it home a head of the snow storm and that you are not feeling much pain.  I live in northern NJ and the snow started a few hours ago here. 

    LTK, Bodhi, Dangergirl - My thoughts and prayers are with you all as you go down this path of your journey.

    This week has found me getting more nervous as I get closer and closer to my own date, my mind can't seem to stay focused on much and my stomach has been in knots knowing that soon I too will take the next step.  I really wish most of the time that I could just close my eyes, open them and find this all a bad dream.  I know wishful thinking...  It is still not real in my mind that I have  Breast Cancer, I am not in denial, just wish I could go back to my busy Mom/work life and bc would fade into the background.   I don't mean to bring everyone down, just feeling the blue's tonight and wishing for my old life back.  I haven't told my kids yet that they couldn't get clear margins that that they have to go back in, so I think my blue's are because I am really sad that I have to tell them.  I feel like I am messing with their innocence and I hate that.  Enough about me.

    I am sending my prayers again to all you wonderful ladies - have a good night!

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  • funsizejen
    funsizejen Member Posts: 93
    edited February 2010

    Faith, yes I am having the arm soreness, too!  Particularly first thing in the morning.  I'm so glad I'm not the only one.  Other than that, I find I'm doing a little better each day.  I had the drains removed today (Yay!).  That was painful, but also over with very quickly, and now I feel so free without them!

    Ltk, Bodhi, and Dangergirl .....many hugs and prayers for tomorrow!  It will be over before you know it, and then you will be moving forward into recovery!

    I hope all those of you who have already gone are doing better than you had ever expected!  I hope that those who are still waiting are keeping busy so that the time will pass quickly.

     Love to my Feb. sisters!

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  • kerry_lamb
    kerry_lamb Member Posts: 778
    edited February 2010

    Hi girls! I'm just swinging by from Tasmania to say you are all awesome and all warriors and all so courageous. There is only one way to go about this shite: go to war. You will all be ok through this..be kind to yourselves. You deserve it! xxx

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited February 2010

    Hi all - last week before I was discharged, the hospital social worker came by with a name and phone number for Reach for Recovery.  I told him I was OK between family and work resources and BCO for support.  See -- here's someone from the other side of the world in the middle of the night, popping in to say hey you go girls, what a great thing!

    Spoke w/surgeon yesterday and got a good report.  I am healing well.  He got clear margins all around and got sufficient results from SNB not to need axillary dissection, so I'm done with surgery. 

    Left side all clear, tissue & node, bx got all the ADH but w/my family hx it was a good decision to go bi-lat.  Right side had widespread DCIS and a 2+ cm IDC tumor, holy cow, that size bumps me up a stage, surgeon says it's small but to me that's huge, I never felt a mass or had anything show up on imaging...thank goodness for routine screening mammos and those little microcalcs that triggered this whole query!

    Path report notes micromets in the right sentinel node, surg. says they may have been knocked loose during surgery but also said onc. will probably want to do chemo.  My appt is 2/23 and no one made any sudden moves to bump it up so we'll see then...

    In the meanwhile, my sisters, I commend your journeys and send prayers and {{hugs}}

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  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 660
    edited February 2010

    LauraM and CindiS--I totally understand how you both feel.  I wish I had some great words of wisdom to cheer you up, but since I'm with you, LOL, I guess we'll just be "buddies" through it all!  The emotions that go on from time to time are so difficult.  It is nice to come here and express them, and know that we all feel the same way.  I still cant believe I got cancer too...I'm 38 (37 at dx) with no history, as so many of us get dx'd...4 kids and was having a pretty pleasant life until BAM...the dx.  I still have a pretty pleasant life, except for this stinkin cancer! 

    I'm full of nerves too and have constant dreams about my upcoming surgery.  But we'll all get through this and have lots of great information for the next round of people who have to face this stinky disease!  I hope and pray that we'll all be posting 50 years from now saying, Wow, remember 50 years ago when we went through this.  It was like another lifetime.  Glad we never had to deal with it again!

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  • sejnboys
    sejnboys Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2010

    Thanks cakeisgreat...I'll be up your way having my surgery in NY with Dr. Levine.

    CyndiS...you've done an amazing job putting into words how I feel as well.  You and I were diagnosed about the same time and I know how I am feeling with this going on for so long. I am thankful that I have had the time to educate myself and explore my options and try to make the best decisions possible for me, but I think the long road between dx and now has brought another layer of emotions to deal with.  I've been working so hard trying to figure it all out, that now the plan is in place and just two weeks away, the feelings that come with the loss and change are fully setting in.  Hugs to you.    Suzanne  

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2010

    I"m sending calming vibes to you girls with upcoming surgeries.  It will be over before you know it and you will be here saying, "that wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be."

    groundhog -- Sorry to hear they will probably want you to do chemo.  But, it really isn't anywhere near as horrible as you might imagine it would be.  Like I've said before, I have been on chemo for the past 20 months and have taken 6 different drugs and have NEVER ONCE vomited.  It really isn't all that bad.  No picnic, but very doable.  A few queasy days but not even very many of those.  I will be glad to answer any questions you have about chemo if you have any.  You'll do fine!

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  • hbowser
    hbowser Member Posts: 253
    edited February 2010

    Good morning ladies.  I really wish all this snow will stop.  We got 27" over the weekend and now it looks like we are getting additional 10" to 20"?!  I am so glad I had a small window to get to my surgeon yesterday to get the drain taken out.  I am happy to report that I did sleep for longer than a couple of hours last night and was happy to sleep with less pillows. 

    Groundhog - I haven't gotten the final pathology yet, but he also mentioned he was sure he got clean margins.  If we had a mastectomy and had all our breast tissue taken out, wouldn't they have gotten clean margins?  Is this a stupid question?  I had neoadjuvant chemo and like Faith said, it is not a picnic but doable.  My advice is drink plenty of water; make sure you stay well-hydrated.  

    Bodhi, LTK and dangergirl - you are in my thoughts and prayers today.  It will be over before you know it.

    To all the ladies who are recovering - I hope you are all doing well and recovering nicely.  

    Faith - I have arm numbness too, in the area where it giggles when you wave.  I asked the surgeon and he wasn't sure what it was from since he didn't touch any of my lymph nodes.  He thinks it might be because I am keeping it elevated (per PT's instructions) and with the lack of movement causing it to feel numb. I will start the exercises given to me, so hopefully, it will go away. 

    Take care everyone and stay warm and safe.

    Love, Holly

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited February 2010

    Holly - not a dumb question, if ca is close to chest wall sometimes surgeon can't get a wide enough margin to call it clean, that may be why some get the chemo first, to shrink the tumor before surgery and why some get rads even after mast.

    Thanks ladies, I'm not going to worry about chemo until onc appt 2/23, I like and trust this doc.  He's excellent at explaining things and I'll prob. end up following whatever recs he makes, to fight with whatever weapons are at-hand!

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