Breast Cancer in Other Boob

Binney4

Me too, Kane! Hope you're staying cool (in every sense!)
Binney

cookiegal

good luck with the sx this week!

Anonymous

Hugs coming your way, Kane! Hope you are hanging in there with the wait.

BeckySharp

Kane--I know today will be a long day waiting for tomorrow to come.  Thinking about you and hope you stay busy today.  Go visit your horse friend.

Binney4

Kane, keeping you in my prayers and looking forward to only good things for you!
Binney

Leah_S

Kane, best of luck with your surgery. I hope it goes smoothly and that your recovery is uneventful.

Sending love.

Leah

hugz4u

Kane, Wishing you success and speedy recovery. Post when you feel up to it.

BoobsinaBox

Thinking of you, Kane, and hoping for success and a speedy recovery!

Dawn

Anonymous

Hi, Kane. I hope today went well and you are feeling as good as possible tonight. Best wishes for a good path report and speedy recovery. Take advantage of the pain medicine, as it reduces the stress on your body and helps with healing. Fingers crossed all the proactive LE care you arranged for surgery minimizes any swelling!

Marple

(((Kane))) 

Binney4

(((Kane)))

BeckySharp

Hoping you are doing as well as expected Kane.  We cannot wait to hear from you!  Hugs.  Becky

Marple

(((Kane))) I hope you are healing. 

kane744

Hello friends:

Well, surgery is over and things went well, considering. A brief description of experience. Before going into the surgery theater, my sleeve was removed and both sides bandaged. Victory! As was IV in foot and BP on leg.  My surgeon did an amazing job. He listened, believed me that I wouldn't want recon and performed surgery accordingly. In AM, my LE therapist came first thing, unbandaged me, gave me some MLD, and rebandaged. We sent through some exercises. Didn't remember a thing of that but have followed the plan. I went home that day, though I could have stayed had I wanted and in hindsight, probably should have.

Aren't drains a bitch??? Hated those things. Couldn't sleep in bed for a few nights, which meant couldn't sleep well at all. Finally, my DH and I constructed a pilow nest and I went to bed. It was GREAT and I slept like a baby. We had our first look together as planned and were really surprised at how good it looked.  I mean, relatively! Now drains are out, staples are out, have been for post op check, LE therapy, visit to oncologist. The LE is under control on the right, and no swelling on left at all. I am babying that arm like crazy.  Well, both arms really.

Am in discomfort but only occasional real pain.  I have electrical shots, feel my nipples tingling, feel the tightness, and all that crap. But all in all, am amazed it wasn't worse. I was stage 1, one node was taken from the left and was clear, but am TN. Don't know my grade yet. Forgot to ask.

July 27 is my port implant and Aug. 1 chemo begins. A whirlwind seems like. I will wear wraps for the implant. DH can do it, he's an expert.

And that's about it. Had one huge crying jag that lasted a few hours and that seemed to do it for the time being. I imagine when I begin shopping for tops, foobs, etc. it could strike again. I view it as normal.

Thanks to my sisters for your kindness and concern. 

BeckySharp

Hey Kane!!  So glad to hear from you.  I am been thinking about you and waiting for you to report in.  Keep healing.

kira66715

Kane, I'm so glad things are moving along, and only one negative node! yeah.

Take it easy and thank you for letting us know how you're doing.

Hope you're able to see your horse boyfriend soon, he's gorgeous--maybe let someone else hold the lead line for now. You know how they head butt you as a sign of affection (at least my horse used to, after snuffling my neck)--not a great idea for a few weeks.

Healing thoughts and gentle hugs.

Kira

Binney4

Ah, Kane, so good to hear from you! And glad that part is all in your rearview mirror. We're here for you with all that's ahead. Hugs, prayers,
Binney

hugz4u

Oh Kane, So glad to hear your good report.  Was tad bit worried for you. You pulled it off girl!

Take care, you have a few more hills to climb.. We will be here for you.! HUGZZZZZ4u 

BoobsinaBox

Welcome back, Kane! I'm relieved to hear from you!



Dawn

Marple

Kane~it's so sweet of you to update and ease our worried minds.  I'm glad you are healing uneventfully and may that trend continue.

Gentle hugs.

kane744

Thx, all.  Kira, know what you mean about head butts!  Plus my little Havanese, Barney, tends to take a flying leap from across the room into my chair.  Have to constantly be on guard.  The little heart shaped pillows they gave me at the hospital have become my ex-boob protector shields.

For any of you who've had BMX I have question.  Now, mid-afternoon or so, my chest starts to burn like I've been baring it to the sun for two days.  Can't stand to have any clothing touch it and sometimes resort to standing over an air conditioning vent to let the cool air flow.  Eventually, I give in and take a pain pill.  Pretty sure this is normal and related to nerves recovering but would like to know if this is a forever thing or will it go away eventually.  Enlighten me, please.  Have the nipple phantom pains which (now don't be grossed out) I actually enjoy!

Other thing is, I used to go braless in the house a lot and had this habit when I was getting out of a chair or bending over to use my forearm as a boob support.  Still find myself doing this and laugh every time.

Through all this heat my LE is still in check.  Grateful.  Almost have my DH talked into taking funds from our savings to have generator put in for at least one air conditioning zone.  Has anyone done this?

 

Binney4

Kane, good morning! You have a Havanese? Soooo adorable--well, maybe not at 50 miles an hour and aiming for your lap, at least not this soon after surgery.

I had the super-sensitivity problem after surgery too. It lasted quite awhile. After a few months I was going to PT for frozen shoulder, and the PT recognized the problem and helped me with it. We started by touching it gently with a very soft fabric, then gradually adding pressure to the touch and rubbing it over the skin. As I got used to that we changed out the soft fabric for a coarser one, then another, very slowly working up (over a couple of weeks) to a firm touch with a stiff terry-cloth. He said it was a problem of de-sensitizing the area. Haven't had a problem with it since, but at the time I was afaid I'd never be able to wear even a soft, loose shirt comfortably again, let alone a (gasp!) bra or cami. Even water in the shower made me crazy. (No wonder I got a frozen shoulder out of it!) So you might want to seek some PT help sooner rather than later. If your LE therapist is a PT that'd be ideal.

I liked the phantom thing too! But it faded. A couple of years ago the surgeon/writer Atul Gawande had an article in the New Yorker about phantom pain after amputations, and how they'd worked out ways to get rid of it. I wrote and told him there were some of us post-mastectomy gals who would be happy to know how to keep it! He was actually interested, so at least the idea is percolating at the back of his busy mind, and perhaps someday he'll look into that as well.

Hooray for you for keeping the LE in check! Major accomplishment. And yes, A/C would be just another part of the LE expense. (I wonder if anybody's tried billing insurance for it!) For us (we live in the desert, so A/C was already a fact of life) it was a new bedroom ceiling fan. My poor DH spends even the summer nights with his head buried under a blanket to keep it from blowing on him. When I finished with my therapy intensive I asked my therapist if there was anything else I could do to keep my LE in control, and she said, "Yeah--move to Alaska." It's a thought....

Hugs,
Binney

kane744

BINNEY!!  Well, I definitely do NOT have frozen shoulder and am grateful for that.  I can reach the second cabinet shelves with both arms (never could reach the third w/o a stool). They started me on exercises the second day which I did faithfully, swearing like a sailor all the while.  But for me it worked beautifully so far.  Today the burning is tolerable, but I love your suggestion of building tolerence.  Makes so much sense and I shall work on that. Taking a shower doesn't bother me since my onset is mid-afternoon.

We have central air, but am ever fearful we will lose power which is why I want a generator.  It's very expensive but I think it would be worth dipping into savings for.  DH is almost convinced but not quite since we've lost power only twice in nine years! But it's like having insurance, you don't need it till you need it. I can't imagine living where you are, though. The heat must be so hard on your LE.

I think our heatwave is finally breaking. It's raining cats and Barneys. Always wanted a Havanese but it never worked out. Finally, was ready for one but they are quite expensive. Found a pup through a Havanese rescue group online and he's the joy of my life. Personality plus, cute as a button.