December 2011 Surgeries - want to wait together?

mamabearto2

Hi Ladies,

It is so nice to read that you all seem to be doing so well!  Maybe there is a light at the end of this tunnel?!?!

Jennifer

pickychicky

Hi Ladies

 Thanks so much for keeping me in your thoughts today. Seems to have done wonders! I'm home and on my couch, which makes me so happy! Surgery was delayed by almost two hours, so I was super fearful it would put an end to my outpatient hopes - but it didn't. So - UMX started at 12:45, got in car to go home by 4:30. I've got Hydrocodone for pain and an anti-nausea med. (don't remember what it is and can't be bothered to walk into kitchen to get bottle LOL). We stopped on the way home for dinner because I was starving and I wound up with baked ziti and meatballs. Can you believe it? I ate some and feel fine. I'm going to go ahead and take the pain meds this time - I think I'll probably need them. One drain under left arm - already had to empty it once.

Here's wishing good luck to all who had surgeries today and prayers and good wishes for those still to go.

Ginger48

pickychicky- glad you are doing so well. Definitely stay on top of the pain meds in the beginning!

Judy67

Kam - hope path report is good news, good luck with future surgery.

cookiemonster and Chrissilini - I'm so glad you are doing good and getting good reports.

goldlining - isn't great to be home?  Good luck with continued healing and I hope you get your drain out soon.

Hugs! Judy

CookieMonster

OK ladies, I feel like a terrible person, but need to vent somewhere, I hope you don't all think I'm horrible after this. This got LONG too, sorry.

I'm a teacher and our school has a wonderful program called Meals on Wings that provides food for families going through difficult times. They contacted me and asked if they could provide meals for us and after I turned them down once before (Lumpectomy & SNB) and was told that I should probably allow this and that there were lots who wanted to help, I accepted. I turned them down for the lumpectom & SNB surgery during which a few individuals chose to provide us with food (sending at least 3x what my family can eat for a meal). I let them provide one meal after my last lumpectomy too and the amounts were still high but not unreasonable (3 dishes from a chinese restaurant w/rice). I decided this time to ask for just 3 dinners a week and figured that between dinners out with family (a fairly regular occurrence) and other events, we would have plenty of food, as most restaurant meals feed us for 2-3 meals. So they put out the call to parents in my son's grade and one family stepped up to provide all 3 meals for the whole time (3 weeks, right now). I felt badly that so many had volunteered and only one family was going to do it all, so I spoke to the planner about this and they've made some sort of arrangement (I don't know what as they did finally take me off of the e-mail distribution list for all this).

So Monday night dinner was received and it's lasted us through that dinner, plus at least two lunches for me and there's still some of it left. Tuesday night dinner also arrived as requested, DS ate almost all of his, DH ate his whole steak salad and I ate 1/3-1/2 of mine. DH ate some of mine for lunch today and I ate some of Monday's leftovers again for lunch today.

I should also add that all of these meals have come with desserts (unrequested) all of which have a chocolate component - and the chocoholic that I am, is sorely tempted, but I'm not allowed chocolate right now.

Then tonight rolls around, a no delivery night. A parent of a former student and whose daughter is in class with DS asked if she could provide us a separate Hanukkah meal briscuit and latkes. I agreed thinking that we'd have my parents over for dinner and there would be plenty of food for all given the leftovers and the dinner provided. So when the doorbell rang and DS shouted that dinner had arrived, I figured I'd go downstairs and we'd have some briscuit and latkes. Apparently a family had mistakenly ordered for us tonight when they weren't supposed to, and again they ordered WAY too much food (2 full adult meals, 2 kids meals (mind you, I've only got one kid!), 3 side dishes, two caesar salads, a lot of bread, and another chocolate dessert).

So we squared that away and the briscuit and latkes finally arrived and were eaten and were yummy. We fed the three of us, DH, DS and me PLUS my mom and dad and still had probably 1/3 of the meat left.

I just got overwhelmed with food tonight and I suspect with everything else going on too. I hope they get things under control. Thanks for letting me vent here, this seems a super safe place to vent and I bet many of you understand the added stress of that on top of recovery etc...

I think I might go into a corner and just chill for a while now, after I empty my drains. What does high blood pressure do to output on drains?!? Ha ha ha.

-Judy

Blessings2011

Oh, Judy - we've been going through the same thing!!!

It's just DH and I, and so many friends and church members wanted to bring food.....at first I wanted to say no, but DH suggested that it's better to just say yes.

I was hoping that someone would coordinate things, but that someone was DH, on our wall calendar.

I called it the tsunami of chicken casseroles!!! WAY too much food....and it just kept on coming! Even when we weren't expecting it....sometimes people just brought stuff anyway. I got up one morning to find a - guess what - chicken noodle casserole on my front porch! A casserole to feed ten people!!!! At one point we had 8 complete loaves of bread on our counter.

We've frozen some things to eat later (much later, I hope) and the rest we've packaged up and sent over to my 90 year old FIL. We also haven't felt guilty about tossing things after we've had our meal.

But there for a while, it was almost more than I could take....and I was feeling VERY uncharitable and ungrateful.

So glad you got your brisket and latkes....YUM!!!!

Now how's that blood pressure?

Hugs....

CookieMonster

Thanks Blessings! It's so nice to not be alone, again. Thanks for the support. I think just getting it out helped. Hopefully I'll be less sore in the morning, as I'm sure that's not helping the attitude either.

-Judy

Ginger48

Oh Cookie; I just laughed right out loud at your post; I can just picture it. You do not need to feel bad for venting here. I refused food from school for this very reason; not sure if I offended anyone or not. But whoever is the head of that committee needs to put out a no chocolate alert. Seriously; you can handle 3 lumpectomies and an MX but asking you to resist chocolate when it is sitting right in front of you? That is just MEAN!  If I lived closer I would definitely take that off your hands! I hope today is a better day.

I am headed to school for the first time since October 25th. We have our preschool family celebration today and I thought it would be a good way to reconnect with the kids and their families before I start back in January. Now if this lymphedema would just cooperate...

Kaara

I know what you mean...we have had friends ask to bring dinner over and knowing their choice in food we could only imagine what it would be....all the stuff we love but can't have!  It's hard to politely turn them down without offending, but we finally decided that we would tell them that we are both on restricted diets now which is not a lie, and rather than food, we would just appreciate a visit from them.  Of course they brought stuff anyway, but maybe not as much!

I was out shopping yesterday, got hungry, and stopped in KFC for the grilled chicken and a side of green beans and cole slaw...veggies are ok...right?  Well, sitting right on top of it all was the biscuit, which is white, and I'm not supposed to have!  I couldn't stand to see it go to waste so I ate it...bad girl!  I got scolded later by my boyfriend who is on the same diet and resents every minute of it!  I don't cheat that often and when I do, I don't feel guilty, so next time, I'll keep my mouth shut. 

faithhopenluv

Hi ladies - I'm home after the lumpectomy and doing well. Last Friday I learned that I am positive for the BRAC 2 mutation. I was not expecting that at all, as my family has no history, but then I don't have a lot of female aunts and cousins. It changes things, as I'll go back for a BMX and consult my gyn about my ovaries. I'm 41 so the likilihood of reoccurrence is too high to ever relax. It's a process ahead of me, but step 1 is done. Thanks for all the support and well wishes. Courage and patience to us all!

Kaara

faithhopenluv:  So sorry to hear that...I know it is concerning to you that you have this gene.  I have a friend who tested positive for this as well, when she was 50.  She had a lumpectomy with rads and chemo, and then later a complete hysterectomy.  This was about 10 years ago, and she is still doing well.  

Her motto is you do what you can to make sure you remain healthy, and then live your life.

All the best to you. 

goldlining

I was served coffee, tea and chocolate IN THE HOSPITAL, so I feel for you CookieMonster. Nobody has brought me a damned thing (ONE flower arrangement so far, from a business partner organization) but I think I would not handle it as graciously as you.

My first night home we ordered rotisserie chicken takeout and last night did some walking in a mall and had food court food but in both cases, my husband and I split a meal. After eating hospital quantities and realizing I simply wasn't hungry for more, I am sure I will be eating a lot less now.

That said, I was not told to limit any food ingredient in my discharge instructions. I completely understand the theory of the caffeine and vasoconstriction, but in terms of empirical substantiation, I wonder how evidence-based that order is.

My big progress: my last DRAIN IS GONE. I put out 15 mL in the first day and 12 mL in the second day which is far below the doctor's order of <25 mL/24 hour for two days and the homecare nurse wants to leave it another day because that's what we do based on what we see in the community. I said call the unit if you want clarification. She said "I can't take orders from a nurse, only a doctor". I said, well the doctor said it can come out now. So she did. So I am tube free: anaesthesia tube, Foley catheter, two TAP block tubes, an IV, and four drains, gone, one by one, in a week! This time last week I was asleep! 

Faithhopenluv Sorry for your news. Nobody has tested me for this gene and like you, not a big family tree that would have shown any statistical trends. I'd rather know a bad answer than have it be a bad answer and not know, so that is a gift itself. Good luck.

Kayce234

I'm reading all these posts and seeing that many have been told no chocolate - I don't want to look stupid but why no chocolate?

goldlining

Chocolate like cola and coffee and tea has (varying amounts of) caffeine in it which is a vasoconstrictor. Post-DIEP, you don't want any constriction of those new blood vessel connections. I was allowed Tylenol 3 post mx, but post DIEP, it was off limits as it contains caffeine as well. (We can buy milder codeine-tylenol without a prescription in Canada so it is useful to know not to take that until the caffeine watch is over.) But seriously, I would like to see their evidence that a chocolate chip cookie has so much caffiene that it would impair DIEP healing.

jstunme

I am home in my chair ... was so afraid they were going to cancel because of my bronchitis ... got a breathing treatment ... and proceeded.I am sore, tired and look like I have 2 huge holes in my chest.  very swollen .. not pretty as I am overweight.  But I'm fine ... glad it's over and done ... onward to 2012!  Love you and thank you for checking on me Mary Apprehensive about my decision up to last minute but now - even now - feel like big weight off my chest I'm glad it's done.  Going to sleep ... later my friends. 

fitzdc

 flowers for all of us!  .  I know that people have other things going on during this time - know that I am thinking of all of us who had/will have Dec surgeries.

Kaara

jstunme:  Glad to hear you went ahead with the surgery.  It would have been a bummer to cancel when you were prepared for it.  Take care of yourself and happy recuperating!  It should get better each day!

goldlining

jstunme hooray for the progress. Glad they managed the breathing and you didn't have to postpone. Enjoy the naps!

QuinnCat

Kaara-that is interesting to hear about your friend with brca only getting a lumpectomy. I would like to add for FaithhopenLove, I too just found out I'm brca2+ but postponed my planned lumpectomy waiting for those results. My one aunt who survived her breast cancer, a UMX, at 52, lived til she was 80 and never got breast cancer again. Her daughter presumably BRCA, though she chooses not to get tested ( I'm the first in family) chose a lump with radiation. I still have the choice of BMX or Lump/redux/rads and believe me, I am very tempted to keep my real breasts, and part if me has not made the final decision. I think my BS thinks it's ok to go that way, but the PS tends towards the BMX because of the RADS and the thought of a new primary and reconstruction....let me know what you are thinking.....

Kaara

Kam170:  I couldn't begin to advise on this complicated genetic issue.  My friend's bc was caught at a very early stage, and she did the full course of chemo and radiation in addition to the hysterectomy.  Sometimes she laments and wishes she had done the mastectomy, but she has not had any problems in 10 years, so who is to say.  It's a tough decision...depends on how much risk you can handle.  Interesting...my friend's daughters don't want to be tested either...this drives her crazy, but they have a right to make their own decisions as they are adults.

chrissilini

Sounds like everyone is doing well. Great visit to the ps today.....second drain out, stitches out, steri-strips off! Yippee I can shower! I'm anxious to get started with the fills but that will be a few weeks. I don't have an appt with the oncologist until the 6th and even though we are pretty certain I won't need chemo or rads, he waits until we're 100% He said a lillte more time for healing is a good thing anyway.



I was wondering about the chocolate and restricted diet thing but I see someone has answered. Makes sense. Happy healing to all!

Blessings2011

Oh, chrissilini  - I couldn't shower til the drains were out, so for me, that was two long weeks!

Let me tell you: that first shower is HEAVEN!!! I had mine last night....stayed in there til the hot water ran out!

Ahhhhhhhh   Happy for you!!!!

Hindsfeet

Why no chocolate? Dark chocolate is supposely good food. Someone coordinating food for us asked us what we wanted. I said nothing with gluten, bread or desserts. It should be interesting to see what comes our way  I never had anyone bring or offer food after my last lumpectomy as I was back to work the day after the surgery. The first two lumpectomies were during Christmas vacation as well and most people right before Christmas are too busy to think about meals. I didn't expect anything or knew it was protocol.

I don't quite feel ready for surgery next Tuesday. I don't know what to expect with a mastectomy. I' was told not to bring anything in before surgery...nothing but the clothes I wear.

I forgot who had a uni masectomy and was home within hours. Did you have reconstruction as well? I heard all mastectomies were overnight? I might get a uni-mx that is if I have my way. I figure if I just have the cancer infected side done recovery will be faster. My bs is set on the doing a blmx. I signed off for a blmx on the consent form, but the bs said I can still change my mind. So...the morning I go into surgery I won't know if I'll come back with one breast or just two bumps. I am going to write on my left good breast ... please...don't take me. I am good.

goldlining

evebarry see above. Chocolate not prohibited for mastectomy, just flap reconstruction due to alleged constricting effect on blood vessels.

Also I had same day mastectomy as well as same day lumpectomy. They don't do inpatient straight mastectomy here, as far as I know. Those were non-reconstruction procedures.

This time, I had the second breast plus DIEP reconstruction. My drain is now OUT after 7 days post op that included 5 inpatient nights but with the uni mastectomy, I had a drain for 2-3 weeks. There are pros and cons of inpatient time.

Kaara

Eve:  Whatever decision you make, it will be the right one for you!  Trust your intuition and move forward.  When you go into the hospital with only the clothes on your back...make sure you hold on to them, or better yet give to a family member.   The hospital lost my clothes...seriously...lol!  They haven't found them yet!

I didn't get my restricted diet in the hospital...didn't get to eat until the next day, and by then I was so hungry I had no problem eating the plastic egg and cheese omlet and dry english muffin.  At least I got a cup of coffee! 

pickychicky

evebarry it was me who was home in hours - umx left side only. No reconstruction. I had surgery yesterday and feel ok today - just sore where the drain is. I've only taken ibuprofin so far - didn't feel bad enough for the wooziness that I knew would come with the Hydrocodone. I thought about doing the other side as well just for peace of mind, but decided to hold off. I figured it would be enough to heal one side.

spunkyboobster

Just over a week and had drains out today and first look at the new foobs.  Feels so good to have drains out and looking forward to a shower tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!  I'm hoping the pain I had was from the drains and I'll be sleeping better tonight. For anyone who recently had drains removed-did you continue to take pain meds? If so, how long?  Thanks all

gabe2011

Hi all, met with PS today. I am not a candidate for immediate reconstrution because of hypertension. So next Wednesday I will have a BMX without reconst. Very disappointed. So does anyone have any suggestions for prosthetics? Is there a thread for this?

Ginger48

Faithhopenluv- I am also BRCA2+ and I found out after my lumpectomy. I am 48 years old. I had NSBMX about 2 months after lumpectomy and had my ovaries and fallopian tubes out 2 weeks ago. I was able to skip radiation and did not need chemo. I go to Oncologist tomorrow to determine if I need an aromatase inhibitor. I feel that I have done all I can to fight getting this disease back and am glad I found out my risks. These are hard decisions to make and I am sorry you have to make them.I would be happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability.

Ginger48

evebarry- Not sure if I have posted this here before but my cancer was only on one side and when they did the bmx the pathology showed atypical, precancerous cells on my healthy breast side. So I am glad I was encouraged to do them both at once. But I am BRCA2+ which increases my risk of having it in the other breast. Good luck making your final decision!