December 2011 Surgeries - want to wait together?

goldlining

Home yet cookiemonster? They will finally take away my PCA pump and replace with pill form hydromorphone if needed. Apparently Tylenol 3's have caffeine, a vasoconstrictor. I should have told them to speak to dietary who have given me tea or coffee 3 times a day and I don't like either. I got chocolate pudding yesterday too but a look at the ingredient list reassured me I would get little actual chocolate and I found it too gluey to eat more than half.

I did 19 laps of the floor this morning then conked out like I'd done 10k.

I will walk more when the machine comes off and the pole is easier to steer. Can't wish to remove the IV. The antibiotics I'm on tastes terrible in pill form.

I can't totally straighten up because the "tummy tuck" is still stretched very tight but I am in good shape.

Scars look frankensteinish but quite cool. :-) Both sides different bc one was immediate and other was delayed.

fitzdc

Ah food service in hospitals!  I remember the thin soups, the strange puddings, and the  lumpy gravy from my previous stay in hospital.  However this time around the I had access to a great food service - Room Service!  Seriously, a menu was provided and when hunger struck I placed my order. So nothing I didn't want/like and food when I wanted.  A most welcome service.

Day 19 post op and feel better (physical) but not so great (emotional).  Want the 2 remaining drains out and want to be able to do more around the house.

chrissilini

Glad to hear everyone is doing well. My twin sister was here for the weekend and just left. It was great to see her. I needed the sis fix and she needed to see that I was doing ok. Have an appointment with my ps today. I'm really hoping these stupid drains come out. They are starting to get bothersome. But they are still draining 40-50 a day so I think i'll have to keep them a while longer. What a bummer. Can't shower until they come out! How the heck long will they be in???



Fitzdc.....what kind of surgery did you have that 19 days post op and the drains are still in? Eek. For some reason I feel like the longer they are in the longer it will take me to feel more normal.

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crosse but not expecting too much.

Prayers to all.

CookieMonster

Not home yet, I'm on the west coast so it's only 10:40 here now. The nurse just took out my IV though, all that's left is the drains which get to come home with me. I get the feeling that I'm going to get tired of them and that they might provide the most pain too, but I'd rather have them than need the docs to stick a needle in me to pull out fluid. It's a balance I think. I'm ready for home so the timing is just about right. I'm noticing that the skin on my hand is looking wrinkly, the swelling must be going down. I'm not sure how I'm going to get clean because the drains have to stay dry, but we'll figure out something that'll at least be OK.

I saw my tummy this morning when they changed the dressing - I can't remember it ever being that flat.  Apparently, I also had a split abdominis muscle (common after pregnancy when things get stretched and don't get unstretched) that the PS repaired as long as he was in there. I'll have the belly and boobs of someone half my age soon, it all feels a bit weird still, just will take some getting used to, I think.

DH is on his way ot take DS to a friend's house for a play date then he'll come get me and we can go home and then DS will get brought home by the friend's mom whenevery they're ready. Seemed wise to have him out of the house for me to get settled.

That's all the news I have right now. Take care all. I am reading, just not responding too much - my energy is low and I need to focus on me for now. I am sending out positive vibes as much as I can though.

-Judy

fitzdc

Chrissilini - I had  lat dorsi recon.  The drains remain.... going to PS tomorrow with hope for one more to be removed.  Was told that one month not uncommon, but I try to remain optimistic.

Judy - good luck getting settled at home

goldlining

I have the IV catheter only to keep a drip for my antibiotics. Nurse disconnected the drip between bags so I can walk without pole. Did 10 laps of the floor (my 4th set) in 20 minutes. Now I have a timed pace to beat. (I'll take my gps to see if it will measure the distance.) PS visited and said my one breast was 700g and my belly flap was 500-something for 2 breasts. No complaints here except I think the delayed swelled more than the immediate (it was the infected side also) so they look different sizes but I don't think they really are. I'm not putting out much in any of my drains. I think the forced inactivity / reduced temptations of inpatient life are better, and ladies at home have drains a lot longer because we're doing for people, fetching and making food. I was on a drain for over two weeks last year. I should have been much less active. Live and learn.

chrissilini

One drain out today. The other hopefully on Thursday. PS said everything looks great. I don't have to keep the incisions covered with gauze anymore. Hole left from the drain is covered and it feels weird. Right now it seems itchy. I'm just a little freaked about knowing there is a hole there. I'll get over it. Good luck to all the upcoming surgeries. Speedy recovery to all.

Terry71

OMG just got home from Dr's app had drain removed HOLY CRAP those things are huge on the inside... call me a wimp but man did I cry..... that HURT so bad

Blessings2011

Two weeks out from BMX/TEs .......both drains removed today - wooHOOOO!!!

I was sitting there on the table and the PS and I were talking as he was working....the next thing I knew he was patting on some tiny bandages on my side....he was already done!!! I guess I'd been anticipating at least a little pain, but noooo.

I'll need to play couch potato for at least a few more days...just so I'm not producing too much fluid now that the drains are out.

I can shower tomorrow, but think that I'll wait one more day. Should take 24-48 hours for drain incisions to heal.

Judy - I haven't had a shower since December 4th!  Surprisingly, the waterless bath wipes work just fine. That, and a warm washrag in certain nether regions, and I've kept fresh. I got the wipes online, but they also have them at places like CVS.

Thinking of  VickyAnn and Cats134 who are having their surgeries today!!!!!

Kaara

Ladies...as I said before...you are awesome!  My surgery was nothing compared to what you went through!  The closest thing I could get to what ya'll did was my hysterectomy and that didn't even compare.  I can't believe you're up and around so quickly.  Best wishes for a fast recovery.

SuperFoob

Hi all!

Great to hear that everyone is coming along nicely.

I saw my PS today for my one week followup. He didn't take out the drain....Bummer.

I am still draining 50cc/day. He said I have to wait until it is 30cc/day. My surgery is on my left side and I am left handed and I guess I am using my arm way too much. It's hard to stay aware of when I am using it. Guess it helps when I do something with it and I get a "look" from my hub.

I want to be a pissy baby about it but my hub is so wonderful. He waits on me hand and foot, so it is hard to complain.

The car ride to the doc office was like being on a roller coaster. It is a half hour away. When we got home, I took a vicodin. My foob hurt!

I'm feeling a bit better now.

It takes sooooo long type with my right hand only. Hunt,peck, hunt, peck...and that's on an iPad!

Blessings: I'm jealous...I can't wait until I can shower again! I am using Huggies wipes and I stick my head under the sink faucet to refresh. Good thing I got chemo first. Having alot of hair would make life way more icky.

Ginger48

Sounds like everyone is doing well; glad to hear it!

Had my post ooph check up and the pathology came back clean; so happy to hear that. I am healing well and am all done with surgeries now...woohoo!

Kaara

Ginger48:  Congrats on the clean pathology!  I know that's a relief.

Kayce234

So happy to read everyones good surgery outcomes.  Terry, I so feel your pain on the "ugly" feelings.  I think my lumpectomy turned out to be more of a partial mastectomy (doctor took out more than expected) - my left breast was about a 1 1/2 sizes bigger than my right and now they are even - and my scares are pretty bad and I have a dent in my breast.  Not feeling very attractive - my 11yr old saw the scare and called it disgusting  BUT I'm pushing to remember I'd rather have a breast that looks like it does than to not be here to hear my son's voice or see my boys grow up.  I try to remember the only ones who will know of the scars and dents are me and my husband.  I know it will get better and the sadness will go - we need to grieve then move on.

Love and prayers to all the sisters waiting on results and surgery.. 

Kaara

My BS seemed to be so concerned about conserving my breast that I had to tell him that I didn't care one bit about the breast or what it looked like....I wanted him to get clear margins, so take all that he needed to take.  There's a little dent in it, but it's on the side so you don't notice as much.  I can still wear low cut dresses or bathing suits without it showing.  The area where he took the lymph node is kinda ugly...and that you can see, so don't know what will happen there.  Right now it looks like a burn.

Kayce234

Terry - I hope my reply doesn't offend you by making you think that I believe that a partial mastectomy and a full mastectomy are the same ---  I would hate to offend you.  I just know that what I see in the mirror makes me feel the way you describe.  {{{HUGS}}}

Druanne

Hugs everyone!!!! Sounds like everyone is hanging in there so far!!! I received my pathology early! Clear margins and no cancer in the lymph nodes!! YAY!!!!!!

Thinking of you all!!!

Kayce234

WOOOHOO Druanne!!!  wonderful news!

Druanne

Thanks Kayce!!! I am so happy!!!! I haven't had a good look at my scars yet because they are covered in steri-strips....but have been given such a gift with my results that I am going to just love being alive and relieved that this part is over........it is a long, difficult journey for all of us.....

Hugs

Druanne

Cookiemonster: so happy to read that you are doing well! Sounds like you had something very similar to what I had 11 years ago......my abdominis was separated by 7cm!!! My PS sewed them right back together! I was young and small when I had my kids and got pretty stretched out.......I remember waking from my surgery........the second I tried to sit up it was OUCH!!!!! Laughing & coughing weren't fun either!!! So happy to hear you are ok!!!

CookieMonster

Druanne - DH made me laugh too much tonight, it hurt, but it's also good to laugh. Overall I've been pretty positive going through this but at times the past few days I have felt a bit down. I'm sure I'll be fine in the end, but there will definitely be ups and downs. Congrats on your clear pathology!

Ginger - congrats (again) on the clear pathology!

I'm settled at home now. Bedtime is coming soon. I think I'm going to try my first night with no pain meds, we'll see how it goes. And sadly, I was so happy to poop today without the stool softeners maybe I won't need them with the limited pain meds I've needed. I think that I've taken 3 percoset since midday yesterday (one right when they took me off the pain pump, one at bedtime and one for today's ride home).

We keep getting food given to us for the holidays and an awful lot of it is cookies, mostly with chocolate. And I CAN'T HAVE ANY CHOCOLATE!! So far no chocolate is the hardest because it's around and I LOVE it. We got home from the hospital to a box on our front step that contained a Ghiradeli gift basket. DS said he'd save some for me, I responded that it was not going to get opened until I could eat chocolate, there was plenty of other chocolate around and this was a gift for me. Sometimes you just gotta defend your chocolate, right?

OK goodnight all.

Hindsfeet

Oh my goodness, one week and I'll be in surgery. You ladies are such an encouragment. I have 4 prescriptions to fill. Maybe you can help me to know exactly what I'm taking...

Pereocet for pain? Side effects? Have you taken it and did it help?

Keflex 500 mg .... what is it?

Zofran 8 mg ...What is it?

Valium for muscle spasm... I know what this is...is it standard protocol? Did any of you ladies take it?

Good news is I met with my oncologist today. I really do like her. She is sweet spirited and listens to you. I shared with her that I'm depressed about having to lose both breast when only one is infected with cancer right now. She said that if I don't have peace about it I don't have to remove the left one right now. I said that the breast surgeon insist that I do a blmx. She said she would call her and talk to her that I' prefer to have only the one cancer infected breast removed. It looks right now that only the right breast is going. I feel so much better...like someone took off a huge weight. Four hours in surgery seems like a long time, and now perhaps just half the time, and half the recovery time. The oncologist said because I'm high risk that she would make sure that I'm checked every six months which is ok. The idea of losing a perfectly good breast was hard. If I want to have the other one done in a year, I can.

Kate60

Just got my path results back from surgery. NO lymph node involvement + clear margins. My BS basically said that for all intense and purposes I am cancer free..... It was only ever tiny and they got it all in the lymphectomy it would seem. I will still have to undertake 6 wks radiation as a precaution against any little lurkers that might be hiding there in other parts of the breast. But it has just been the best news ever. I am mighty relieved to say the least

goldlining

Congrats AussieKate! Good news.



Evebarry - I didnt get Percocet. Maybe that's not how we roll in Canada. I got Tylenol 3 for pain with mx. That contains caffeine so can't be prescribed after DIEP (see chocolates, above re CookieMonster) so if I needed they would prescribe hydromorphone. Equivalent but ocycodone makes me barf. I'm barely needing my regular tylenols now. After mx I saved most off leftover T3 for toothache insurance!



Keflex is prescribed for skin infections. Not routinely given here but I've needed both times. It is the foulest tasting antibiotic known to man. Just had my IV removed and am going to be dosing by mouth. Just don't breathe between opening the jar and swallowing.



I was already on valium daily. No more need.



Zofran, not sure. Is that the stool softener? Do not be a hero. Take it! I took one the night before surgery too and I was still 4 days without functional bowel. Eat LIGHT until you see progress.

goldlining

Just got rid of my IV, which was down to only flowing if I held my wrist at a perfect angle while also thinking of an movie name that starts with a vowel, and 3/4 drains. The drain I still have is the one with the flaky suction. Go figure. The first hurt quite a bit for the moment. No after pain. The other two were smoother. The inside part of mine was a flattened tube with tiny perforations all over it (I didn't look at the drain last year. Not sure if standard.) I guess blood could create stickiness with one or more of the little holes. The one that stung was a different colour also. The nurse said there's no apparent rhyme or reason to the tube or pain level. I have one left in my ab area that might even be removed tomorrow at home by the homecare nurse (ugh! I volunteered to come back just for that but they didn't bite).



Return home subject to approval by physio. I have a lot of stairs to my house and between recliner and bathroom. Getting there!

Ginger48

EveBarry-

Zofran is for nausea and vomiting (probably helps post anesthesia)

Percocet is oxycodone and tylenol together- I took it after BMX  make sure you take a stool softener like colace with it cause it does cause constipation.

Keflex is an antibiotic (I am allergic to it)

Valium is a great muscle relaxer and helps with sleep. I took it when I have having TE related muscle spasms.

I also had to decide about taking a healthy breast or monitioring it. I am  BRCA2+ and  I ultimately decided I only wanted to recover from this surgery once. I am glad I did it because the pathology showed precancerous atypical tissue in the healthy breast that did not show up on mammo/ultrasound. It is a tough decision and one that everyone has to decide what is best for them personally.It sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck with surgery and just make sure that your dr is vigilant with monitoring that other breast.

Ginger48

Congratulations on everyone's good path reports and surgical results.

Cookie- After all you have been through; you better believe that that chocolate basket needs to be defended. So we may be surgery sisters and chocolholic sisters as well!

Kayce- I think whether we have had a lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, UMX or BMX  we have experienced a loss and  all go through many of the same feelings. As I read on this site "the worst thing that has ever happened to you is the worst thing that has ever happened to you" Your comments sounded supportive to me and I do not think they were offensive in any way.

jstunme

Hello my friends - Leaving in about 10 minutes for my BMX - I'm a little nervous.  I also still have some of the bronchitis .... so they may send me home.  Wish me luck as I do ALL of you!

goldlining

Good luck jstunme!! (both surg and respiratory!)

CookieMonster

Morning all. Slept a solid 8 hours last night on the reclining couch with no pain meds. I think that I've escaped the constipation monster so far - one advantage of my apparently high pain tolerance. DS came downstairs about 30 min after I woke up and is just sort of hanging out doing some independent stuff and keeping me company this morning. He's such a sweetheart. He went into the kitchen to get breakfast started for himself and came back into the family room and said to me in the saddest little voice, "I guess we can't share the french toast this morning." I asked why not and he told me because it was the chocolate stuffed french toast. I took pity on the kid and told him he could have it. Can't be a mean mommie all the time, can I?

Today is a designated mellow day for me.

One question - my hands and arms seem to be much less swollen and almost back to normal but my feet and legs are still pretty swollen, is this normal? I found that crouching down releived my lower back pain but my legs started to hurt a bit when I did so because of the swelling. Things will eventually get back to "normal" right?

I have a friend who had the same tummy tuck part of the surgery to repair her abdominus rectus, think I'll talk to her about her recover too, I suspect the boob's just fine and the difficulty is the ab. recovery.

EveBarry - the two common pain meds are vicodin and percoset and as Ginger said, only difference is that one has tylenol with the oxycodone and one does not. I have vicodin left from lumpectomy #1 and the dr. prescribed percoset for UMX so I have both at home and can pick and choose if I want, hopefully I can avoid them all.

The only med I have to take is the antibiotic, but it's not keflex (that might be what I was on in the hospital via IV), it's clindamycin. I've also got the stool softener and anti nausea meds, but hope I won't need them and so far so good.

Good luck to all the surgery sisters today - there are lots of you. You'll do fine. You have lots of us pulling for you.

-Judy