What does everyone think of THIS?

Kitchenwitch

I'll find out at 2 o'clock this afternoon what my tomorrow is going to be like - but there's a chance I'll show up between 7 and 9 for my wire placements, and then spend my entire day sitting around with plastic cups on my boob till a 4 o'clock lumpectomy.

I understand it's a busy hospital and they do the wire placements only between 7 and 9 am (for whatever reason) and then you may not get an OR till later, but.. seriously, doesn't that seem just a tad cruel to anyone? 

And has anyone else ever come across this? Keep in mind, I won't have had anything to eat since midnight the night before. So I'm sure they try to avoid this but it seems like a miserable way to do a lumpectomy.

Grrrrr. Sorry for the vent.  

somanywomen

Kit........that is terrible!!!.....For my lump, they did mammo then wire insertion and it is no fun, esp., since my mammo techs could not get good view of tumor and had me standing there for redo after redo, caused my operation to be delayed by an hour....They wore me out!!!...So, I cannot believe that they do this timing of wire insertion for thier benefit and not yours!!!...Mind you and hopefully your insertion will be easy, I just had bad techs, but still what they expect you to do is cruel, hopefully you will be able to take something like xanax...Wishing you the very best and a dignified humane proceedure!!!!

dsj

vent away!  I'll hope that you can have the surgery soon after the wire thing.  If not, maybe ask them if they can give you something to take the edge off; I think once you have the wires, they can give  you anti-anxiety help.  My lumpectomy (also wire-guided) is scheduled for next Tuesday, so I will be reading about progress with great interest and hoping for easy surgery and clean margins for you.

lvtwoqlt

Kitchen, My 2nd lumpectomy for ADH was almost like your day. I went in at 8:00 am for the wire placement, they don't put cups over the wire, just coil the end up and cover it with a 4x4 gauze pad, and I put my blouse on (loose fitting button up and no bra). I was taken to the same day surgery unit to check in (about 9:00 am) and they were out of beds in the unit so I was sent down to the reception area to wait for my name to be called. About 12:30 they called my name, I was taken upstairs to get prepped for surgery. While the nurses were trying to get my IV in, my surgeon came looking for me, he was ready but I wasn't. They rushed with the prep. Ask if you can have a little light breakfast to eat no closer than 8 hours prior to surgery if you are worried about not eating. I have problems being dehydrated and they can't find my veins so make sure that you drink plenty of water the day before your surgery.

Sheila

adrienne2

Kitchenwitch, I'm sorry to hear about your long day.

My surgery day was pretty long, too (I was there from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), but not as long as yours may be. The wire loc and radioactive tracer/dye injections (for sentinel node excision) for me were really easy -- just a couple of "bee stings." I was lying on my stomach for the wire loc, and on my back for the dye injection.

At the beginning of the day, the nurse said that if I needed anything for anxiety, I could have a Xanax, and I took her up on that. It relaxed me so much that I took a couple of naps before surgery, so the time really flew by.

I had worried about being hungry, too, but I was never the slightest bit hungry.

Before you know it, this will be over. Good luck to you.

adrienne 

June2268

I too was very worried almost to the point of anxiety and I never get anxiety......but let me tell you the wire part was not bad at all and they do tape the ends up with gauze....I was lucky though to have my surgery right after as I was the first patient of the day.  As for the 2nd wire placement I was more tender due to the fact that I was getting my period and my boob was sore form the 1st surgery.....I too blogged as I was a complete mess and it REALLY was not bad at all.....they gave me atavan which didn't do a thing for me, so you might want to take something stronger to lessen the anxiety......the wires are so tiny and they inject them with a needle type pen looking thingy and then it is all done.......good luck and let us know how you did!

TNgolfer

Kit,

Don't worry.  I had a hook-wire biopsy (also called a wire guided lumpectomy.  Don't stress.  I went to my breast surgeon's office that morning and the wires were placed -- think they just used a local; it wasn't uncomfortable at all.  Felt a pin prick, but it wasn't bad at all.  Then, I had to drive to the surgery center.  I couldn't see the wire.....everything was taped down in place.  I could have walked around all day like that.  The surgery went fine.  Before you know it, it'll be over. 

I know sometimes it seems like a lot of hurry up and wait, but there usually are some good reasons for it.  Stay calm.  I promise it won't be as bad as you are anticipating!  You have a great diagnosis and probably a great prognosis, too!  Good luck and relax!!  it's going to be ok!

Kitchenwitch

Thanks, everyone! They called and wire placement is at 8:15, 8:30 - lumpectomy is 11:30, so not that bad (considering placement is going to take a while). Feeling relieved... and very woozy from the vitamin V I took. 

Going to start drinking lots of water now. (thanks, LVT) 

3monstmama

Agree with those saying that the wire isn't too bad.  I barely noticed it once it was in.  They tape it down under the gown. 

I also heartily encourage you to go for drugs!  My surgeon actually gave me a prescription for 3 tabs of some antianxiety med to be taken before coming over.  It worked great!  Like someone else said, it was just enough to push me over the edge so I mostly just slept while I waited my turn.

Anonymous

I  was so numb, I couldn't even feel the wire; they covered it up with gauze while I was waiting to go to the OR. Glad to hear they are taking you in sooner--that would have been a long wait without any food!  Hope you get good results soon.

Anne