Too early for April 2012 mastectomy?

annabelle64

SO GLAD to see you here GmaNiki! I'm happy to hear that you're home and doing well.

annabelle64

I'm also in allergy hell - nose stuffy, head aching, can't sleep...

Plenty of nervous energy, though. I steamed clean the carpets and the kitchen and bathroom floors this morning! Then I packaged dogfood into single serving sandwich bags. Trying to think of every heavy thing I'll need to avoid lifting the next month.

Love to all of the wonderful women who are scheduled for tomorrow -

ppeople

GmaNiki!!! Welcome back, glad to hear from you and hear that you are home!  I broke out in a big smile when I saw that you were back.  Hurray!

Could it be that we, like women who live together are synchronizing our periods?  I hope so, seems more llike a team sport then!

Melrose, hugs and kisses too for providing us some much needed guidance.

Gabs: LOL re: needing husband to go play golf!!

Judy, Elsbeth, FLIslander and Raelan, thinking about you today as you get ready for tomorrow.

Arenee it is your day, maybe you are done by now and resting well.

Jenny, hope you are comfortable, we are waiting til you are well enough to let us know how you are.

rtnyc, would you think our old uteruses would want to quit it by now, really 40 years of menstruation, ridiculous.

rtnyc

I read through so many posts and between wishing the husband would go play golf to the old uteruses I'm sitting at my desk literally laughing out loud!!!!  Thank you to all for keeping everyone spirits up including mine. Reality is setting in as I have started telling my associates at work that I'll be out for a while, etc etc. Had lunch with my sisters today and walked them through the proceedure that was hard.  I hope that those who have already gone through surgery are getting the rest they need to recoup and feel better and those of us still in waiting continue to move forward together laughing and crying at the stories of our lives!  Here's to more wine, vodka, anti anxiety pilsl or whatever gets you through... Robbin

Melrosemelrose

You, ladies have made me laugh and smile today!!!!  When the period topic comes up, I just have to laugh.  The morning of my UMX in pre-op, I had to take a pregnancy test because lucky me at the ripe old age of 56 1/2 yrs still have my period and regularly!!!!! I'm having another pregnancy test before I start my chemo later this month!!!  None of my doctors/nurses can believe that I am still having them and just look at me with the expression of "WHAT????" and "are you sure???"

GmaNiki

Well they day has been a busy one, lots of visitors that I loved seeing. My DD came to wash and braid my hair (waist lengh) two of my teen age grand daughters came to show me their shopping buys (Easter dresses and swimsuits) It was so good to see them they are soooo full of life! Another good friend stopped by with some meals. Only one good nap today.But feeling so much better.

I have seen a lot of questions about what to wear, recliners vs hospital beds, allergies, etc. I thougth I would chip in my opinion.

What to wear, I came home with three drains and I know the soonest any will come out is April 9. I have a camisole with pockets, but it just seems a little to warm to wear that. I have been wearing a tank top and pinning  the drains to it. Tomorrow will probably use the pockets and pin them to the tank top. I had an immediate TRAM and my problem now is all my sweats seem to be too big. Swelling is going down nicely. If I were going out I would prbably wear the reconstruction cami I got, but only for going out and when I go back to work.Bras will be out for 3 months.

Recliners vs hospital bed, I was lucky to have a longer hospital stay and was able to stay until I could get myself out of bed without assistance. I have been sleeping in my own bed and very happy to be able to sleep there. DH says he sleeps better too now that I am home and doing so well. We have lots of relciners in our family room  but still find myself sitting on the couch with my  feet tucked under me like always.

Allergies, oh man allergies. I have asthma with my allergies and have been soo short of breath since my surgery, couldnt take my asthma meds in the hospital and I will be checking in with my PCP tomorrow to see if I can start back on the inhalers and the steriods. Pretty sure not, but  in the hospital I could not keep my oxegen levels up most ot the time and this worried the nurses, they kept asking if I was a heavy smoker. Never smoked in my life. Finally my BS put it in my chart in all caps I am asthmatic and my oxegen level and 86 was acceptable as long as I kept using the breather they gave me and used the cpap  whenever I as in bed. Call her if I fell below 80 (which did happen twice and she put me on oxegen each time thru my cpap. When It came back up I had to walk for 10 minutes and do a recheck. So they did let me take the oral allergy meds, but that is not quite enough. I can breath through my nose but my lungs still are not happy..

Anyway the way I see it is that we will all feel differently throught every part of this. Pain is relative. how and where we sleep is an individual choice and you should do what you think is best for yourself. Make sure your doctor/doctors are aware of all your concerns. There will be a normal life on the other side.

PRAYERS FOR TOMORROW'S SURGERY SISTERS

Niki

longislandmom

thanks for all the info GMAniki -  it is so great to hear you are up and about!  and to all the girls going in tomorrow.  big hugs and lots of good thoughts coming your way.  see you on the other side. 

jennyrjd and arenee, looking forward to hearing that you are well and on your way to recovery! xxoo

IndigoMont11

rtnyc - and anyone else who's stressing about having a period during surgery - well... it happened to me!  (I'm also 51, by the way).  I'd originally been told my surgery would be on 3/30, and then, on 3/19, I was told it needed to be on 3/21!  Of course, my period decided to start the evening of 3/19!  I was sooo stressed - I just figured I'd have to lie on a chuck (those things they put under you during labor) during the surgery.  The morning of I told the nurses about my period and begged them to let me keep my tampon until the last possible moment.  And the nurse said - not a big deal - you can keep your tampon in during the surgery!  I was so relieved I could have kissed her (even though she pinched the heck out of my arm with the tourniquet while she was trying to start my IV)! 

And then - WTH??? she said they STILL had to do a pregnancy test!!!  I'd thought for sure I'd get a pass on *that*!.

They did give me those hospital panties and a pad to use during my hospital stay (I of course forgot to bring any more tampons) - mercifully, my period was heaviest the day before the surgery, so it didn't end up being all that bad.

I will hope your experience is at least as good.  No matter what - you can do it - and like people have been saying, the nurses have seen it all.  Mine were all just great!  

ndroby

GmaNiki: So good to hear from you and I bet you're SOOOO happy to be home! Rest well and keep us posted. May the Angels of God watch over all of us!

ppeople

Judy6, Elsbeth, FLIslander, Raelan it is your day.  Good luck today, I'll be thinking of you all. 

ppeople

Jenny and Arenee, Hope you are comfortable and resting.  Looking forward to hearing from you both.

lisamarie68

Hi ladies , I will be a busy Angel today popping in and out of pockets today as I am with Judy, Elsbeth, Flismnder and raelan .. Hoping the surgereis go well and everyone rests comfortably..

GmaNiki .. so glad u are resting comfortable and having great vistis with family .. xoxo

Jennyrd Hope you are resting comfortably thinking of u xoxo

Arenee, hope u are also resting comfortably thinking of u as well xoxox

and everyone else .. peace hugs and love .. I am batteling a cold .. yuck  

aussie12

Hi all

Thats funny as I'm due for my period too on the day of my surgery. Hopefully I will get it sooner as the first 2 days I'm heavy and normally feel like crap. Going to pre-op clinic tomorrow, I should find out exactly whats going to happen before and after op.

ppeople

I love that we are all in the period thing together! It makes the whole thing so absurd!

Sorry u r sick lisamarie, hot tea with lemon and honey from me to u.

annabelle64

I had a hysterectomy a few years back, so no worries about the period during surgery for me...I'm starting to run out of girl parts for the doctors to cut off/out, though...

Thinking about those who are in surgery today - hope that all is well with you.

FLislander

Hi everybody

Had umx this morning and I'm doing ok, on the other side now. Will get to go home tomorrow . Hope my wednesday sisters went ok also.

Goodnight

Thank you for all the prayers

Cindy

lisamarie68

Flislander so glad u are doing well .. Hugs for you  xoxoxo 

Plymouth thanks .. boy its so crappy being sick   the Lemon and honey tea sounds nice

Mardibra

FLislander - so glad to hear your doing ok.  Get some rest!

Mardibra

I had chemo before surgery.  As expected to chemo sent me flying into "chemo-pause".  So, unless things change, Aunt Flow will never visit again!

longislandmom

wow! FLislander!  welcome to this side of crazy!   so glad you are doing OK.  have a peaceful night!

FLislander

Everything ok, manageable not so bad! Thinking about it is worse than the actual procedure

All the best to my sisters today and this week.

Cindy

ppeople

FLIslander!

That's great that you are doing so well! I am so glad!

markat

Flislander glad to hear you are doing well!



Like Mardi I am in chemopause also. With my luck my first one in 4 months will probably be on the day of my surgery. Going to see plastic surgeon tomorrow and very nervous.

ppeople

Good luck at surgeon tomorrow markat.

sony22

I'm so glad to hear that those of you that had your surgery are doing well. Was the anxiety worse while waiting for the antisipation of surgery. My anxiety is through the roof. Oh a question about the clothes. Can you bring your own underwear. One of you said that it was hospital panties the whole time. Was that because you were on your period, Speaking of periods. I can't beleive how many of you still have them. I stopped my period before BC, I was 44. So I know I wont be worrying about that. You all are cracking me up. It made me think about when you go into labor and you are afraid of shitting on yourself and u do. But is was no biggy to the hospital staff, I think its worse on us. GmaNiki glad to hear your home and doing well. Jenny and Arnie I hope everything went ok and you are resting peacefully. Judy and Elsbeth, FlIlander and Raelan made it through with flying colors today. Annabelle and Beachcomber its almost over. Relax if you can and treat yourself to something nice before Friday. Sweet dreams to all and God Bless!!!!!!

Dianarose

Wow, I am glad everyone seems to be doing fine. There are a lot of us in April. I got the good news yesterday that my Pet scan showed no signs of cancer anywhere else so I can procede with my surgery. I was so stressed waiting in the little room to get the results. He started talking about other stuff first and I was feeling like I was going to melt into the chair when he said, by the way your pet scan was fine. He must have read the look on my face because then he said, oh, I guess I should have told you that first. You think !!!!!

Good luck and prayers to Annabelle and Beachcomber. Will be in your pockets.

longislandmom

thinking of you, anabelle and beachcomber!  peace and prayers.

IndigoMont11

Hi sony that might have been me with the underwear but I was on my period too. Pack your own and see what they say but depending on what surgery you have and whether your hospital stay is a short one, you might just be putting on underwear to go home.



Dianarose glad for your PET results. My onc just ordered one and I'm anxious -not about the procedure but whether they might find more cancer. He said based on my overall health and the pathology so far that he doesn't expect to. Your path looks similar to mine except for the difference in tumor size so I hope for the same outcome. Just also hope it's the last one of these nerve wracking tests for awhile!

FLislander

They let me leave on my underware, that was the only thing I left on, I've already had chemo and I wore my Terry turban under surgical cap. The anxiety is so much more than the surgery. Granted they keep you drugged and out of pain, I'm so relieved. The morning of I couldn't breathe good and had nausea because of nerves, but once I got called back they started meds and everything was good from there. I did not have reconstruction so I just stay overnight and when they took out th IV they let me put on my pajamas and robe. Waiting is definitely the hardest part.

Melrosemelrose

Wishing speedy recoveries to all who have had their surgeries and calming thoughts for those waiting for their day. Waiting is never easy no matter where you are on your journey.  Patience will become your friend as it has become mine.  I know one thing for sure---my waiting with those I have met along my journey here, has been made a little easier because of all of the support, prayers and just plain old girlfriend chatter  ( we all say what we needs to come out.)  Have a wonderful, peaceful and calm Easter weekend!!!!! Look out chocolate bunny---I'm going to get you!!!!