December 2011 Surgeries - want to wait together?
When I was having my most recent lumpectomy, I found comfort and friendship in the October 2011 surgery group. Even though I was having a lumpectomy, not an MX, I found it useful, so I decided to start a group for December for any surgeries, not just MX. I will continue to participate in the Dec. 2011 MX group, but will update this group as well. So join in and send me your surgery date and what surgery you're having. I look forward to meeting many sisters (and maybe a few brothers) here.
Here is a list of December 2011 surgeries:
November 29 (we're sneaking two in here) - KeepingFaith69: Recurrence removal?
November 29 - anafoefana: Lumpectomy & SNB
December 1 - Teresa (fitzdc): UMX w/immediate reconstruction ( latissimus dorsi - rt. side)
December 1 - 53greenrose: reexcision
December 1 - LT2010: Lumpectomy
December 1 - Larke (jildalove): BMX w/ immediate implants and SNB
December 2 - Judy67: Exchange & port placement
December 2 - CJRT: BMX w/immediate recon.
December 5 - Blessings2011: BMX w/immediate reconstruction
December 5 - wrennest: BMX w/immediate reconstruction
December 5 - vivirasselena: replacement w/fat transfer
December 5 - lioness1111: lumpectomy
December 7 - Ginger (Ginger48): ooph
December 7 - Tina (CatWhispurrer): LX
December 7 - tgisiner: Nipple recon w/implant revision
December 8 - Michele (Raines13171): Unilateral MX
December 8 - tfee: BMX w/tissue expanders
December 8 - Toni (vamom): Nipple Sparing Propylactic BMX w/TE
December 8 - chrissilini: BMX & SNB w/TE
December 8 - Laurie (laurie2005): lt. compl. MX, rt. prophyl. MX w/bilateral DIEP reconstruction
December 8 - Karen3: BMX no recon
December 8 - noodle6: BMX no recon
December 8 - SleeplessInSeattle: Lumpectomy w/SNB
December 8 - Kite: BMX w/recon
December 8 - Kayce234: Lumpectomy w/lymp node removal
December 8 - Moonflwr912: BMX w/TE
December 9 - mamabearto2: UMX w/TE & implant
December 9 - AussieKate: Lumpectomy w/SNB & double breast reduction
December 9 - Janie-bug: BMX w/SNB & expanders
December 9 - Nicole (Nicole55): Lumpectomy
December 9 - CharB22: Lumpectomy w/SNB
December 9 - LovesDogs: BMX w/recon - TE
December 12 - sjohn724: BMX w/ recon TE
December 12? - Terry71: MX
December 12 - Kaara: Lumpectomy w/SNB
Cancelled but still in our hearts! December 13 - Kam170: Lumpectomy w/SNB w/breast reduction
December 13 - Kelly (spunkyboobster): BMX, SNB, & immediate recon
December 13 - di1947: UMX with TE on left, breast lift on right
December 14 - Kim (kblack): BMX w/expanders
December 14 - Terry71: MX
December 14 - grateful33: Lumpectomy & complete ALND
December 14 - Denise (g8rDee): Rt. MX, w/lymph node removal
December 15 - Judy (CookieMonster): Unilateral MX w/ immediate DIEP recon (rt. side)
December 15 - Jo (brca1953): Nipple reconstruction
December 15 - goldlining: prophylactic UMX (left) & bilateral DIEP (previous MX on rt. side)
December 15 - brendaclee3: Stage III Diep
December 15 - Dru (Druanne): Lumpectomy w/SNB
December 16 - regenschirm: BMX w/ immediate DIEP reconstruction
December 16 - karirn: BMX
December 19 - VickyAnn: DIEP
December 19 - Cats134: BMX w/SNB no recon.
December 20 - jstunme: BMX
December 20 - brendaks: excisional biopsy
December 20 - AnnTop: BMX w/TE
December 20 - kam170: SNB
December 20 - Bogie: BMX w/ reconstruction
December 21 - faithhopenluv: Lumpectomy
December 21 - Momof2inME: BMX w/recon (lt. TE, rt. NSM w/direct implant)
December 21 - pickychicky: UMX lt. side no recon
December 22 - Eaglesara: reconstruction
December 23 - CarolAnn6: UMX with TE
December 27 - mybodymydecision: MX w/recon
December 27 - evebarry: MX w/recon
December 27 - hawaiik: BMX w/recon - direct to implant
December 28 - gabe2011: BMX no recon
December 28 - Bonnie (A_FIGHTER): BMX Subcutaneous (nipple/aerola sparing) w/ immediate Reconstruction
December 29 - Adrian (firstcall): UMX right w/SNB
December 30 - Likeachickadee: Lumpectomy, SNB, & biopsies
December 30 - cycle_babe: Exchange
(December ?? - MargieC: Exchange - Postponed to January)
December ?? - mskassie: UMX or BMX
Comments
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bump!
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Bump again
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My nipple reconstruction is scheduled for Dec. 15th. I am not looking forward to being put to sleep again nor the recovery time either but I am excited to be getting to the end. After this is will be just waiting for the scars to fade away!
Jo
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Welcome Jo! You and I are surgery sisters. I'm also Dec. 15th. Sounds like the end of the road is near for you. I'm looking forward to getting there too, eventually.
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Thank you for the topic. I am scheduled for MX (right side) with reconstruction on Dec 1. Not yet sure what type of reconstruction as depends on having clear margins. I know however not the DIEP as I had major surgery three years ago - can't undergo a DIEP. So will wait and see...
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Welcome fitzdc - sorry you're here, but thanks for the company. I'm lucky that my c-section does not preclude the DIEP recon. Are other flap surgeries possible? (TRAM or something else?)
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Unsure. Have another appointment with the surgeon to discuss the latissimus surgery;she thinks this is the best option IF I don't need radiation. Not really so scared of surgery, however am scared silly of not knowing what the outcome (rad or not) and how that plays into the type of reconstruction I will have. Thank you for your support.
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Cookiemonster & fitzdc:
It's good to do research here on the various kinds of procedures...the pro's and the con's. Go to the search tab. Also, good to get second, sometimes third opinions because surgeons can have very different opinions on procedures. Some are trained in one procedure and not the other and will be preferential to the ones they do or favor. If I knew then what I know now from these boards I would have done it differently. There is a list of questions in one of the forums to ask your surgeons. Best wishes.
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I'm scheduled for BMX and immediate diep on dec. 16. I wasnt expecting the anxiety level to be so high. Got my post chemo MRI results yesterday and was disappointed that the effect wasn't more dramatic. Doc says we won't really know what is going on with me until the surgical path comes in. So hard to wait and be calm with uncertainty. We don't know how much of my "non mass like enhancement" is invasive and how much dcis. Overall dimension went from 5x6 to 4 x5 approximately. Also overall signal intensity went down. So now I wait and try to do things to be healthy and recover from chemo.
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Welcome regenschirm! Another immediate DIEP! Mine's only one side though.
I've gone through a lot already- surgery wise (3 lumpectomies, SNB, etc...) but still the MX has been causing me some anxiety too. Much more than all the previous surgeries. The other procedures were all out patient, and this one is not, I'll be spending 4-5 days in the hospital. It scares me more overall, how will I and my family (8 yo son) handle it, it's a bigger upheaval, and I worry that I'll be kind of a mess in the hospital and it'll scare/worry him.
I'm lucky that I was caught early enough and don't need chemo. Good idea for you to focus on healing until the surgery rolls around. I hope it all goes smoothly.
-Judy
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I did a ton of research about the options before going in to meet with the PS. I had my inclination and he said that I was a perfect candidate for the DIEP. That's why I scheduled it. I agree that doing the research is important and speaking to multiple docs is good if you're unsure or not confident in your PS or just want to hear someone else's opinion/ideas.
Thanks for the suggestion jessicav.
You say that you'd do things differently if you knew then what you know now. Care to share? Feel free to PM if you'd prefer. I'm wanting to hear all stories/experiences.
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Hi CookieMonster- we were surgery sisters on Oct 27th and I am hoping to have my ooph surgery in early December. I am waiting for clearance from my PS as soon as it is safe after my exchange. I will let you know when I get a date so you can add me to the list. I am sooo ready to be done with surgery before 2012 arrives!
Ginger
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HI Cookiemonster -- we were Oct surgery sisters and if all goes good with my TE fill next week we will be Dec surgery sisters too. I have hopefully my last fill next Tues and then we will be scheduling my exchange for mid/late Dec or early Jan. I am hoping to get these TE's out sooner then later
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Welcome MargieC and Ginger! Sorry to be surgery sisters AGAIN. Hopefull all this surgery will come to an end sooner than later. I've added you both but with ?? for the date. Let me know when you get it and I'll make it accurate.
Take care! & HUGS!!
-Judyt
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Hello all! I am scheduled for a single mastectomy on December 8, and then radiation, and then reconstruction and removal of the other breast sometime in May. I am kind of new to this board. First of all, how do you get your medical info to show up automatically at the bottom? Second of all, thank you for all the information. You gals rock. Finally, can you set it up to where you are sent an email when someone responds to this thread? I will blame my technical ignorance on the chemo. I just finished 6 rounds of it. I was probably "ignorant" before the chemo but I'll milk the excuse as long as I can.
Let's get through this together!!!
Michele -
Thanks everyone. I am meeting with the PS on Monday to discuss other options. And will meet with another for a third opinion.
Teresa
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Hi Michele- Sorry you have to be here but welcome!
I think my info showed up when I created my profile. Check your profile and see if there is an edit button where you can add info.
I don't get notified of responses through email but I do click on the top of the thread where it says "add to my favorite topics" and then I can just click on my favorite topics up in the header bar to see what has been posted recently. My emails are overflowing already and if I got one for every post I would never get to the end.
Ginger
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Hi Michele and welcome.
I'll add you to the list up top, but wanted to respond to your questions too.
To get your diagnosis to show up, go to the my home page and then click on the edit diagnosis button, once there, you can enter your diagnosis and then at the bottom of the page chek/click the show my diagnosis... box. To add more than your diagnosis to your signature, click on edit my profile and then scroll all the way down to the bottom and you can add whatever you want to the signature box. In my signature the 1st line is my writing and the second is from my diagnosis that I entered here at BCO. Then you can set it to attach your signature by default, but any time you reply there's always a check box to attach or not attach your signature (to the right of the reply box).
To get an e-mail when someone responds: When you reply to a message in the thread, to the right of the reply box is a box where you can click/check to make the topic a favorite. Do that. Then go to "My Favorite Topcs" at the top of the page, then under each favorite topic, below the subject there's a place where you can click to receive e-mail notification if anyone posts. I hope that makes sens, if not, let me know and I'll try to explain better.
I hope you don't mind my asking, but I'm curious why you're having radiation after the MX. I was told that I'd only need radiation if my margins weren't clear when the MX pathology comes back. Does it have to do with where in the breast the cancer is? I'm just wondering. Thanks!
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I'm having the oophorectomy as well. But later, after I heal from the Diep. It's odd to have gone through life with very few medical experiences, no surgery, to be hit all at once with the biopsies, chemo, etc. Odd and overwhelming. I've been in total "fight" mode but the last few days feel pretty depleted. Need to recharge. The next 4 weeks need to be calm.
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Regenschirm: I, like you, have, until now been quite healthy. I've never broken a bone, and other than having my wisdom teeth out when I was 18, I'd never had general anesthesia. My only hospital stay was after the c-section for my son's birth.
It's amazing how quickly everything changes isn't it? I'm trying to get through it all right now, doctor appointments, surgery preparations, holiday events, plus, I'm still working full time, as a teacher and will pretty much until my surgery - although we're probably taking a day out to take DS to Disneyland before his life becomes considerably less enjoyable
Keep your head up and take a break when you need to, everyone will understand. (easier said than done, I know) I would love a calm4 weeks, but I'm not convinced that it can happen, we'll see.
HUGS!
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The board seems to have skipped November surgeries.
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Apparently the usual thing is to have a thread for MX each month, but in October, Gamergirl opened it up to all surgeries. I remember seeing a November MX thread, but not a surgery one. There is actually a December MX thread too, which I'm part of, but I found the October thread so nice that I decided to offer up the same in December. I'm sorry that you were missed in Nov.
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Hi! I'm from the October surgery group, but now having surgery again soon. Having TE's exchanged and a port placed Dec. 2nd. Will start chemo about 3 weeks after that. Just in time for Christmas- oh boy!
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Hi Judy,
Welcome to the December group - sorry you have to join us. With my MX on Dec. 15, I'm not looking forward to being prety much sidelined for the holidays. Cancer and it's treatment doesn't take time off for holidays, does it?
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CookieMonster, No, it doesn't. Another issue with having all this done towards the end of the year is that insurance often changes. One of the reasons I pushed to have this exchange done before I start chemo is that PS is not on the new insurance my husband's company is switching to. Just one more stressful consideration. I have already warned husband and kids not to plan anything the day after Thanksgiving, told them we are decorating for Christmas that day and they are all helping, usually I do most of it.
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Met with PS today. Surgery might be delayed due to mis-communcation regarding type of reconstruction....Although we had discussed both implants and the Lat surgery, the PS thought I had decided on TEs and implants. Now I am doubting my decision....(the lat surgery)
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Cookie- I got the ok for my oopharectomy. You can put me on the schedule for December 7th. I am looking forward to being done with surgery by 2012.
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Judy - We're changing insurance Jan. 1, 2012, luckily my medical group is on the new plan so I get to keep all my doctors (being part of the UCLA medical group has its advantage). Some costs are going up (copays for office visits) and some are going down (in and out patient surgery). DH joked that we should postpone the surgery until Jan. 1 as the cost would be half of what it'll be Dec. 15.
fitzdc - Good luck with your decision. I've found that these things are just so personal, everyone has a differnt inclination and feeling about it. And no one is more right than the next person. I hope surgery turns out just how you want it to.
Ginger - Glad you're getting in out of they way in 2011. I'll have more in 2012 (stages 2 & 3 of DIEP). But hopefully those will be minimal compared to the doozey in December. Gosh I'm still so nervous about it, and it feels like it's just not getting any closer (I know that it actually is, but it doesn't FEEL like it is). And then I look at all of the work that I need to do and think I'll never get it all done before I have the surgery. I'm a mixed bag of emotions, one moment I'm fine and the next I'm feeling overwhelmed. Sorry to vent, but I gotta do it somewhere.
How's everyone else hanging in. Are you keeping busy? Too busy? Not busy enough?
HUGS to everyone!!
-Judy
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Cookie -- I went in to PS this morning for my final fill. We had to delay the fill because I had a couple of stitches that decided they wanted to work their way out of my incision. My PS removed the stitches and want to let that spot heal before next/last fill. He wants to wait at least 4 weeks from last fill to surgery which would still get me in Dec if I wasn't traveling Mon-Wed next week for work so the earliest I can do the fill would be Dec 1. I could do surgery Dec 29 or 30 but DH doesn't want me to have the surgery leading into a holiday weekend in case something happens. So I'm disappointed but need to do what is best and push exchange to Jan
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On for the Dec 1 UMX with reconstruction (latissimus dorsi). Lovely December...
Teresa
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