Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    KVGross, I was so lucky that my BS called me 2 days later with my path report - it was late on a Friday. So I didn't have to wait all weekend and wonder. Waiting is terrible. Do keep stretching (gently) that arm so it doesn't tighten up. You might also want to update and make public your surgery and any proposed treatments. Fingers crossed!

    HUGS!

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited October 2015

    Good to hear, kvgross. Just let others do the housework and you rest. It's your time.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited October 2015

    Peggy, since my mx I can't fully open my under arm like before. The PT said it's most likely permanent. It leaves me with a curve that increases the chance of me cutting myself with a razor.

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    Molly, that never occurred to me that you wouldn't be able to open your underarm fully. Gee. Do you find that limiting? You'd think things would "loosen up" after several more months - at least, I would. I'd use an electric razor too if I were you. Hope radiation is going along uneventfully. I just had my post-rad one year check up and the RO is very pleased with everything. I didn't have much of any SEs. He thinks my skin is great. Nice to know.

    HUGS!

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  • Outrunning
    Outrunning Member Posts: 178
    edited October 2015

    Quote of the day from a woman I ran into in the Radiation locker rooms. "There are worse things to have the treatable cancer." Amen sister. Then she listed some horrible diseases and condition that are chronic and/or deadly and have few to no treatment options. Like me she's clearly one of the lucky ones.

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  • Waterstreet
    Waterstreet Member Posts: 145
    edited October 2015

    I can't wait for the post op on 11/3. I found out I can keep crackers down, so I am taking meds with crackers. He took away all pain meds. I am tollerating it pretty good. Today I noticed it was hurting more than before an one end of the incision area is red and puffy looking. So I called surgeons office but no call back yet. I have to drive over there tomorrow for an US on my kidneys so I will go to is office and ask his nurse to take a look. They made her my nurse navigator since the other lady did not work out. Feeling much better than before.

    I am back home now. My oldest grandson got sent home from school yesterday and we found out today he has strepthroat. So I don't need that. I hope to avoid it. My youngest grandson was sent home today so my DIL is going to be busy. So far my grandaughter is fine.

    Praying that all of you are doing great. I am drained, think I am going to turn in early and I don't have to pick up the kids tomorrow so I get a day off. DIL is staying home with the kids cause she doesn't want me to catch what they have.


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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited October 2015

    Outrunning, you make a great point. I may bitch and moan about side effects and complications, but in the end I *am* dealing with a very treatable cancer and I will not likely die from this. Unlike my father who had mesothelioma--the asbestos cancer--which kills 100% of its victims within about 9-12 months, no matter what they do.

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    Outrunnning and Poodles, definitely true. I am very thankful at how treatable my BC was.

    WaterStreet, boy what challenge you have. Definitely avoid the grandkids. You don't need anything else. Do stay on top of that spot that doesn't look right. Glad you can have the nurse look at it tomorrow. And REST!!!!

    HUGS!

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  • keepwalking
    keepwalking Member Posts: 147
    edited October 2015

    Just checking in. I am doing well, but surprised that I am still weak. Just getting up to fix something to eat wears me out and I want to go lie down again. Yesterday was the worst for soreness, but today is much better in that area. Tylenol or Ibuprofen are effective enough, so I can't complain.

    A question for you gals... did you have a cough with chest congestion after surgery? I could understand having to clear out stuff that collected in the lungs during surgery, but now 4 days after I am still coughing some. No fever, though.

    Waterstreet - I am glad you are finally home and that you can keep at least something down. I hope that you are still doing okay without any pain meds - can you take Tylenol if you need it? Too bad that your grandchildren are sick. And you certainly don't want to get exposed to something now. I hope everything is okay with your incision when you have it looked at today.

    We are both waiting for the post-op visit. Mine is Nov 2, but I don't expect to have the full path report by then. Hopefully they will at least know about the margins.

    kvgross - Glad your surgery is done too, and that you are coming along. I hope the arm problems are improving. I didn't have a separate incision to get to the sentinel nodes (one 3 inch horizontal incision about halfway up top of breast), but still the area around the underarm is swollen and very sore! I have pretty good range of movement, but if I go too far I really feel it pulling/hurting. I don't have any numbness, though.

    Praying that all 3 of us get good negative margins and don't have to do this again! Also that the pathology reports are the best possible!

    Outrunning - Thanks for the quote - helps us to keep things in perspective.

    HUGS to all

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    KeepWalking, you will likely be very tired for another week or two. Your body is working very hard to recover and heal from the major assault of your surgery. Keep on resting. Glad that the soreness is much improved.

    Definitely praying for clean margins for all!

    HUGS!

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  • kvgross
    kvgross Member Posts: 9
    edited October 2015

    Hate the reason but glad to know I have "company" going through this, Waterstreet and Keepwalking. Heard from the BS yesterday and I have negative margins so no more surgery. One of the 4 nodes removed has micromets but still no more surgery anyway. Now waiting for an appointment with the oncologist. Kinda sucks how this all seems so compartmentalized some time. Seems the oncologist is the one who orders the Oncotype so that means another two weeks after that appointment. Hate waiting.

    My post-op is November 5 but I think that's just to check the incisions. Same here, KeepWalking. I have good movement in my arm but it does feel sore. Pushing it anyway. The BS said the numbness is supposedly from all the numbing meds she put into the incision sites. Hope that goes away.

    Enjoy the rest of your day!

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  • keepwalking
    keepwalking Member Posts: 147
    edited October 2015

    Thanks Peggy! I am glad that I have the luxury to rest right now, so I might as well do the best thing for my body.

    kvgross - Woo hoo!!!! Great news! Doing the happy dance for you that you are done with surgery!

    Fortunately, I met with the oncologist during the pre-surgery period and he already had me sign consent for the Oncotype DX. If the pathology report comes back with an appropriate result, the Oncotype will be sent for automatically. But they still say 2-3 weeks after that for results.

    Sorry about the one node, but hoping that it will not make a difference after your Oncotype score. Rest up and try not to stress too much from the waiting (yeah, easier said than done!)

    HUGS

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    I think my BS ordered the Oncotype test but I got the results from my BS, MO and RO :)

    KVGross, fingers crossed that the Oncotype comes back really good. Glad for the clean margins!

    Rina, I'm glad you can rest, too. You've got the right attitude!

    HUGS!

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  • Waterstreet
    Waterstreet Member Posts: 145
    edited October 2015

    Just got home from getting the US and saw my BS nurse. She was a little concerned of the area I was concerned about but she gave me some individual wipes and told me to apply it every six hours and it should be just fine, if no change come right back. She sent me fo blood work and urinalysis and is going to call me back as soon as she gets the results. She told me sometimes nausea meds don't work till you get tem into the body at regular intervals. She wants me o take the nausea med every four hours and then drop to three times a day and it should work. I wanted to share this information with you all just in case you expeience a similar situation. She said lets keep our fingers crossed that I don't have to come back till next week for the post op. If my tests show I am dehydrated then she will send me to the clinic close to my house to let them establish an IV to give me a boost. I had to drive the thirty miles to the cancer site today and I had to tell a lie to leave to drive home. My DIL could not come get me with two sick kids. I think God will forgive me this time. He got me home safe. Well I am going to take a nap. I left here at 7:30 and its after 1pm now. I will check on all of you later, take care.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited October 2015

    The node with micromets is generally not considered in the whole big picture and even with positive nodes they still go by the oncotype DX instead of automatic chemo. I was supposed to have chemo due to 2 positive nodes and LVI until the early study results came back.

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited October 2015

    Waterstreet...yep, God understands your little white lie but I sure am glad you are home and napping. Hoping this all works but if you do have to go get fluids...maybe that will make you feel better and stronger! Sending positive vibes your way!

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited February 2019

    Molly, I'm wearing my pink pockets, thanks for mentioning them!

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited October 2015

    Marijen, I hope you are doing okay! I am glad the pink pockets helped. I am saving the rest of mine for the next surgery.

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  • Nash54
    Nash54 Member Posts: 837
    edited October 2015

    Keepwalking....no cough or congestion for me after surgery.  

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited February 2019

    HI Molly, I'm doing good. There are a few posts at Oct Surgeries in detail. Thanks.

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  • Palameda
    Palameda Member Posts: 259
    edited October 2015

    Brithael- I've got DDD girls, and wanted to chime in on getting reduced. I didn't because when I got diagnosed I just wanted it all over ASAP and to return to "normal," and the girls were part of my normal (I didn't understand then that normal would become a moving target).What I didn't know then was that they have to increase the amount of radiation when you've got big boobs- by quite a bit. That means more of the immediate SE, but also risks of long term SE. Since your tumor is on the left, that means your heart is in the radiation field. If you get reduced now, you'll not only have lighter, more perky girls, but radiation will go easier. Talk to your docs seriously about the lower radiation! I wish I had.

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  • Waterstreet
    Waterstreet Member Posts: 145
    edited October 2015

    Found out I may still be a candidate for the Brachytherapy. That is the new BC treatment where they use a bulb the surgeon implants in the surgical site that has catherters attached to put radiation seeds right in the breast twice a day for 5 days (there is a six hour interval in between each visit.) They are now allowing three nodes to have been removed so I do qualify again. Of course I have to get cut open again to get the baloon with catherters Implanted for the 5 day span of treatments and after the last treatment they have to cut me open again to remove all their tools. I am kind of excited about it but have not found anyone who has had this procedure done yet. Help me pray I make the right decision. I had the radiation seed implant two days prior to surgery it was removed along with the tumor. Could be part of my problem keeping things down, but hey thank the good lord I am doing better today. All my meds stayed down.

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  • Outrunning
    Outrunning Member Posts: 178
    edited October 2015

    Lisa (bluedog) and I met up for lunch between our respective radiation treatments today.


    image

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  • Outrunning
    Outrunning Member Posts: 178
    edited October 2015

    my whole outfit for good measure


    imageimage

    image

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  • bluedog
    bluedog Member Posts: 212
    edited October 2015
    So much fun having lunch with Outrunning!! She was a vision of Halloweeness!
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  • Nash54
    Nash54 Member Posts: 837
    edited October 2015

    Waterstreet.....I had the Brachytherapy. The placement and removal of the device was uneventful (I did take a valium just in case-so that may have contributed to the ease of the procedure). Having the device inside of me for 8 days (3 prior to actual radiation treatment) was kind of weird and was uncomfortable one of the days but so glad I could get done is less time with minimal radiation exposure. I do have a little divot where the device was implanted but it's on the side of my breast and not that noticeable. I'm very squeamish so had to rely on my hubby to change the bandage over the weekend before rads started. Once I began treatment, the nurse would change the bandage after each session so I was good to go until the next treatment day. My last treatment day was Halloween 2014! Can't believe a year has passed so quickly. I was sooooooooo happy to be done with rads!!!! Best of luck!!!


    Outrunning....love the pics!

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited October 2015

    Love the outfit, Outrunning! So nice the two of you got to meet.

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited October 2015

    Outrunning, Love the outfit!

    HUGS!

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  • Waterstreet
    Waterstreet Member Posts: 145
    edited October 2015

    So you did the hormonal therapy but no Chemotherapy? Were there any side affects at all?

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  • Waterstreet
    Waterstreet Member Posts: 145
    edited October 2015

    I love the outfit also. You look beautiful.

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