September 2012 Surgery

cathyann

Anyone else having surgery in Sept.?   I've had a lumpectomy already, but now need to have a mast.   I breezed through the lump., but I don't feel so brave now with the next surgery.    Also:

Has anyone had surgery at the Danbury Hospital , CT ?  If so, who did your surgery?

Jennt28

Me! I am having a bilateral mastectomy with muscle sparing free TRAM reconstruction on the 28th of September.



I had a lumpectomy like you back in December last year and then it has turned out that the rads weren't a good choice for me and I am at high risk of more stupid BC in either breast - so off they come.



I am actually looking forward to this!



Have seen photos of my PS' previous patients and have spoken to one (he gave me a list to contact) and his work is pretty amazing and the woman I spoke to was very happy with his care and her result.



I'm in Australia so I find that things are sometimes done a little differently here. I will have 5-7 days in hospital and the PS said that most women have the 6 drains out before leaving however occassionally someone will go home with 1 in.



The woman I spoke with was working from home 2 weeks after and back at the office in the 3rd week! I have told work I will be off for 3 weeks and then will likely work from home for a couple of weeks since my office is an hour's commute driving...



Are you planning reconstruction?



Jenn

Dakota212

Jennt28/

I am having bmx on the 28 th also!!!! I am having silicone I an not a candidate for tissue.

Jennt28

We are "twins" Dakota! How ironic... ;-).



sorry, I have a strange sense of humour sometimes!



I thought I wanted implants but the PS let me know that due to the width of my chest the implant size would need to be wide and therefore give me more projection than I currently am or want to be. I must be the only woman in the world that doesn't want to be bigger...



I put on weight in the past four years despite efforts to not gain and to lose and it turns out I have been nurturing my new breasts on my stomach (and hips and thighs) so I am a perfect candidate for the flap surgery.



Jenn

michellej1980

I think my BMX is being planned for the 19th, with my DIEP reconstruction. I just want to get on with it now instead of worrying what it'll be like!

Dakota212

Jennt28-

You are far from the only person in the world. I already had reduction. I was a DDD. Go figure I have half the tissue taken out and still wind up with bc. I don't have enough tissue to make me a c on both sides so it's implants for me. Plus I didn't want the 12 week recovery.

I don't mind being twins !!!!

Dakota212

Michellej1980

I hear you!!! Six weeks seems like forever.

mrskimber47

I am scheduled for Sept 20th. Why on earth would they want to wait 5 wks to remove tumors? I honestly don't get that. I hope we all have successful surgery and God Bless.  BTW, I am really afraid but I am trying to be strong. Its really difficult. Anyone else super scared?

Dakota212

Mrskimber47-

I am petrified !!! I don't want to leave my kids for the two days in surgery. I am afraid of complications, I afraid of the pathology report, and afraid I am making the wrong decision. I am tired of hearing it's Going to be fine. I agree but I still have to do it u don't!!! Ughhhh

Dakota212

It's looks like we have the same dx also.

Jennt28

I started a list which I could keep updated and copy into a message every now and then if you want. Let me know if you don't want it or want your name or surgery taken off and I'll amend it :-)

19 Sept 2012
michellej1980 - bilateral DIEP

20 Sept 2012
mrskimber47 - unilateral TRAM

28 Sept 2012
Jennt28 - bilateral muscle sparing free TRAM
Dakota212 - bilateral implants

unknown date - cathyann

My PS assured me that most of the women he operates on for the free TRAM who want to go back to work manage to get there by 3 weeks after surgery and it is the same for his implant patients. I was a bit sceptical but when I phoned and spoke to his other patient she assured me that she had a week in hospital then a week at home and then she worked from home for a week and then was back in the office the following week.

WOW - I am not planning on being that dedicated. I have told work I will have a full 3 weeks away from work altogether and then be back working from home for probably 2 weeks and then back in the office "maybe" from then.

I am 47yrs (was 46 when diagnosed last December) and our kids are 21, 19 and 17yrs old. They all live at home and got used to having to do more around the house when I was doing chemo so we should be OK at home.

Jenn

michellej1980

mrskimber47 - I'd been worrying about the wait too. But bear in mind that your tumour probably started growing years ago so a few more weeks shouldn't make a difference. It will have been just over 2 months between diagnosis and surgery for me. I was told yesterday that my sentinel node biopsy was clear, which is great of course, but now I just want the surgery in case it starts spreading to nodes between now and then.



I get the impression SNBs are usually done at the same time as mastectomies? Am I right? Mine will be about 7 weeks apart!



Anyway, good luck to all you September girls. :-)

Jennt28

Yes, my SNB and lumpectomy were both done during the same surgery back in December.

Question is, once the sentinal node is removed could any cancer cells move down the pathway to the next nodes anyway? The pathway has effectively been cut off I guess...?

Jenn

Dakota212

Hi-

I am nervous because my kids are 11 and 8. I am separated, basically a single mom. I am so nervous about everything because I am the main one for them. Plus healing from this and whatever is pending down the path. But don't worry until u have to everyone says. Yeah ok, someone put it best. It'sike being pregnant. U r not just a little pregnant and I don't know about everyone else but the second I found out I was pregnant that was all I could think about. I Tru not to think about it. Its not easy. Ughhhhhh!

mrskimber47

Dakota2012,

Yes, maybe petrified is a better word. I am afraid of all the same things as you, but mostly I am afraid of going under. I have horrible memories when I was 3 and I got electrocuted so any hospital stay brings me right back to the white walls, smell of ether and terror... I was anaesthetised after my third child was born for tubal ligation and that was a bad experience for sure... Just all around nervous.  

We ARE ALL going to do fine and be fine. I keep telling myself this because the alternative is more scary than the dx. We're going to do great and be back to work, or kids or whatever we have going on in a matter of weeks. ((hugs)) to all of us! 

Moderators

Hi ladies!

As your group starts to grow, we're supplying some good information for you and future posters to help prepare for your surgeries:

Check out some good info from the main Breastcancer.org site on Surgery, including:

• What to Expect with Any Surgery
• Lumpectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Mastectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Lymph Node Removal: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Reconstruction: all types of reconstrucion, what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask

Also, you may find it helpful to chat with the August surgery ladies, to get first-hand stories of their experience.  You can visit their thread here: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topic/789851?page=25#post_3164730

Hope this helps and good luck with all of your surgeries!

--Your Mods

Sandlake

Hi all~ I am having a bilateral bmx Sept 10th with immediate TE reconstruction.  Hysterectomy this coming Monday, Aug 20th.  Had SNB with lumpectomy last Oct, found out I was BRCA2+ in April.

I am thinking about renting a motorized recliner for bmx recovery?  Just been reading a lot!!

Hugs to all 

Jacki2005

Hello girls, I had mine in June and getting in and out of bed, or on the sofa is / was not an issue. Don't be afraid of the surgery, it is easy on the body. I was just as terrified as you all are, but believe me when it was over I was relieve and really didn't care what came my way, I was then ready for anything. Any questions ask away.  Good luck to you all

Dakota212

Jenn-

Thanks for making the list for everyone it will be nice to know for support.

Michellej1980-

Thanks for reminding me/us that it did take awhile for it to grow as that was my concern also, but if the drs are ok with it I am trying to be.

Jacki2005-

Thanks sooo much for ur offer I am sure I will have tone of questions when I can think !!!

Mrskimber47-

I completely agree we are ALL going to anything fine and we are ALL going to get this. I am do glad to have u girls in this with me. 😃

Dakota212

Sandlake-

Wow that is alot!! Good luck on ur surgery on Monday, hope u can find some time to relax this weekend!! Happy thoughts and lots of prayers !!



Happy Friday everyone ! Cheers ! 😜😜😜

mrskimber47

Mods- Thank you so much for all the links!! These will probably clear up a lot of our concerns.

Jackie2005- I hope and pray that our recovery is as quick as yours was! Thanks for sharing!

Sandlake- Wow, you have a lot coming up so a motorized recliner is perfect since you'll be quite sore and probably not allowed to do much for awhile. Best wishes to you, I know you're gonna come out of it great! (((hugs)))

Bargala

Hi all. I'm new and so upset! Having bilateral mastectomy with recon - expanders. Tumor in LB about 3cm. Nodes look good on MRI but SNB will be done day of surg. Pain level? Time off work? Drain tunes? Good news - i will live! Just so many questions. How long in OR? Please tell me there will be no foley cath!

SweetCaroline2

Hi to you all. I, too will be having an Mx in September-on the 11th- with an SNB, a latissimus dorsi flap, and a TE. I will need rads, so can't have just an implant and am not a candidate for using abdominal fat. I went in for my pre-op appointment on Monday and cried through most of it. Even though I have been through 6 chemo tx, the pre-op appt. finally made it feel real and I am terrified that I will need an ALND and end up with lymphedema. I love to ride horses and jump competitively, which my surgeon says is not a good idea post-op- too much risk of injuring the affected arm and triggering lymphedema. Maybe it seems silly to be upset about not being able to jump when just staying alive is an issue, but jumping is one of the things that I do that gives me joy and makes my life worth living. The only bright spot in this whole thing is that my sister is flying in to stay with me after surgery.

Bargala- Your doctor or whoever does his pre-op teaching can tell you if you will need a foley catheter. I will have a foley catheter for the first day post-op. Because of all of the IV fluids I will recieve, I think this is a good thing. I will be happy not to have to get up to the bathroom every hour or two to pee. Also, I think most people are too sedated the first day to be bothered by the catheter.

KnBsAngel

Hi ladies looks like I'll be joining this group.  Tamoxifen didn't shrink the tumor at all so I'm scheduled for LB mastectomy with full node removal and TE on Sept.7.  I'll be traveling 6 hrs to MDA for the surgery and hoping I can return home by the next Monday.  I'll have to have rads so I'm going to have to research local RO to start the process of setting that up, along with a local PS to do fills.   Glad to have these boards to be able to find all kinds of information to get me ready for this long road I'm about to go down. 

Jennt28

20 Aug 2012

Sandlake - hysterectomy



7 Sept 2012

KnBsAngel - MX with TE



10 Sept 2012

Sandlake - bilateral MX with TEs



11 Sept 2012

SweetCaroline2 - MX, Lat Dorsi with TE



19 Sept 2012

michellej1980 - bilateral MX, DIEP



20 Sept 2012

mrskimber47 - MX, unilateral TRAM



28 Sept 2012

Jennt28 - bilateral MX, muscle sparing free TRAM

Dakota212 - bilateral MX with TEs



unknown date

cathyann (MX)

Bargala (bilateral MX with TEs)

Jennt28

Good luck tomorrow Sandlake!!!! Please check in and let us know how you are when you are up to it...



Re: foley catheters. Yes, my PS did say that there will be one of these. I've had a number of surgeries, including having my gallbladder out a few years ago but have never had a foley. Will be a new experience I guess, but the idea of not having to try and negotiate a toilet on the first day after surgery is OK with me!



The PS has said that most of his patients have had all 6 of the drains removed by the time they leave hospital (5-7days). Definitely hoping to be in with "most".



I have a portacath in my left upper chest as I am getting 3 weekly Herceptin till next March so it will be interesting to see how the surgeons work around it.



Jenn

Jennt28

I've added Leah_S who is coming over from the August group :-). Welcome!





20 Aug 2012

Sandlake - hysterectomy



5 Sept 2012

Leah_S - MX remaining side with bilateral TEs



7 Sept 2012

KnBsAngel - MX with TE

marianelizabeth -



10 Sept 2012

Sandlake - bilateral MX with TEs



11 Sept 2012

SweetCaroline2 - MX, Lat Dorsi with TE



19 Sept 2012

michellej1980 - bilateral MX, DIEP



20 Sept 2012

mrskimber47 - MX, unilateral TRAM



28 Sept 2012

Jennt28 - bilateral MX, muscle sparing free TRAM

Dakota212 - bilateral MX with TEs



unknown date

cathyann (MX)

Bargala (bilateral MX with TEs)

Dakota212

Welcome Leah!!



Good luck sandlake hope u had a relaxing weekend

Sandlake

Jenn~ Thank you for keeping the list going!  My hysterectomy is being done by the da vinci method, less invasive and faster recovery.  

Thanks to all for your well wishes!

Cyndi 

cathyann

Jenn- did BS say how long your surgery will take?  I'm not going with the TRAM.. I guess I'm not brave enough for that. I'm only a "B" but I do have enough around my tummy for the tram.    I'm waiting to get my date for mx and I can't wait to be done with all this.   I think the more time that has past(since I found out when I had breast cancer) til now, I'm alittle less afraid.   I think it's hard on us when you know you've got to lose something so precious to us. 

Dakota - what type of silicone are you going with?  My PS showed me those "gummies" but I'm not sure yet if that's what I want.  

Cathyann

Jennt28

cathyann - surgery is somewhere between 8 and 10 hours since the BS does the BMX and the PS does the recon. TEs would be quicker but then there's be a second surgery later for exchange...



My PS said that for most women the recovery time to get back to work is the same 3 weeks, whether they have TEs or free TRAM.



Jenn