Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Nash54

Shirley.....2 down and 3 to go! Hope you are doing okay today.

Keepwalking....nice to see your smiling face.

Musogirl...you should be fine to go on your trip if nothing unexpected happens. You may be a bit tired and don't hesitate to take a nap if needed!!

Carrie...sending prayers and positive thoughts your way.

ChiSandy

Musosgirl, have you checked out Gaston’s White River Resort in AR? An online pen collecting buddy of mine, Jim Gaston, inherited it from his dad. He passed last July but the resort’s still going strong. Also, the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR has cabins. (Attended the SERFA music concert there in 2015). It has a delightful restaurant and folklore/folklife museum with tours, lectures, ziplining, concerts & reenactments. Unlike Branson, its musicians are native to the area and the real deal. Not sure about a pool or mini-golf.

keepwalking

Musosgirl - I second ChiSandy's suggestion of the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR. My family stayed there in the cabins over 20 years ago and we loved it! (including my daughter who was maybe 8 or 9 at the time). It was not so "touristy", but more like "real people". The atmosphere was warm, the music was great, cabins were cozy, and if I remember correctly it did have a pool. I am just past 3 weeks post Lx and SLNB, and I would certainly go for a trip like that at this time.

ChiSandy - Your sheitel comments gave me a good laugh first thing this morning. Thanks!

Nash - Great to see your smiling face as well!

Musosgirl

Thank you ladies for your input and suggestions. I feel much better about planning this trip. The week after my surgery is my youngest' birthday, then Christmas the week after that, then this trip. So I just need this surgery to go as smoothly as possible!

keepwalking

Carrie - So sorry to hear that you are facing the dreaded "suspicious area" in your other breast so soon after going through this! It is a frightening thing for anyone, and especially now that the mammograms, etc. bring on memories of the recent past. Praying for you that you will hear good news! HUGS

Fearless - I am so sorry that you are facing another surgery and also additional worry about the other breast. It is normal to feel down after a report like that. But it sounds like you have a good attitude and faith that things will work out well for you, even if the road is tough. Hoping that all goes smoothly on Dec. 2, that you recover quickly, and that you get a good report afterwards!! HUGS

octogirl

Thank you all for the good wishes and kind words of support related to my sis' dx. Much appreciated and helped a lot! She is starting to plan, and obviously still has lots of questions, but is doing as well as one could expect....

Musogirl, I took a trip three weeks post surgery for a family wedding, and I was definitely able to enjoy it. Trip involved a 4.5 hour car ride each way and about four nights in a hotel, but I didn't drive, was a passenger, so that was fine. I just made sure I had plenty of chances to rest and relax in between the various wedding related parties and family get togethers.

I can't lie, it was more tiring than I thought it would be, and I think it did slow down healing a bit. However, that was mostly because I saw my 3 yr old grandson at the family events, and I hadn't seen him in four months or so, and without thinking I picked him up for a hug (and who can blame me) and popped a suture! But as long as you make it VERY clear to everyone that you need lots of rest time, and really do mostly want to sit by the pool, you should be just fine.

By the way, that may be too soon to get into the pool, I think. I did have healing issues because of that popped suture, but I still haven't been cleared for swimming five months post surgery (part of that is also because of chemo, which I just finished). Indeed, at one point my bs said that pools are 'cesspools for germs'. Especially in winter flu season, I'd seriously consider staying out of the water. But, your MO and BS can advise best on that. Otherwise, go for it, enjoy your family and have fun!

Sending hugs to all!

Octogirl

brithael

Needles and Pinzah! Today my upper arm down to my elbow and the top part of my lumpectomied breast are driving me nuts! It''s not painful per se, just really, really, annoying! Surgery was last Friday, how long does this go on?

PontiacPeggy

Ah, those lovely zingers. Depends on how long it takes for the nerves to get happy and stop annoying you. They ARE annoying but normal. Luckily, I missed out on them with my Lx but I had surgery on my ureter (kidney area) 25 years ago and boy did I have them bad. I used Zostrix to calm them down once my incision was healed (no way do you want to use it on anything that is "open" - honest!) You do not want to use it on "delicate, intimate" places either - my boss had hernias in his groin repaired and was having issues. He got Zostrix on an intimate part and was extremely unhappy about it. But it is an option after your incisions are healed. Sorry you are having them - they are stinkers.

HUGS!

6doggies

To all you wonderful ladies, one year ago today is when I was diagnosed, I was so afraid and worried, you all have been a life saver, I may not post too often but I do read, cry, laugh and get angry along with you. I'm very thankful for all of you!!

Nash54

6doggies...a year makes a huge difference doesn't it? Glad you are doing well.

PontiacPeggy

6doggies, Glad that we've been here for you. We all started this journey the same way: scared, angry, frightened and lost. And finding this place was a life-saver for me and most likely for you. Hope you are doing well. Keep visiting!

HUGS!!

Molly50

Congratulations on a year, 6doggies! Nash! What a beautiful profile picture!

Waterstreet

Nash54 now it is four to go. I just got home. I am so tired. I haven't ate yet today, so I am going to go look at the food again. Maybe something will look good this next time.I am not happy with the prognosis they gave me but I got an appointment with the RO to find out why it says Prognosis: unfavorible on my pathology Report. Have not seen nor heard from the surgeon since he did the last surgery and he hasn't requested anymore appointments with me.

They told me today that Friday when they take out the SAVI device they will not suture it or anything so it will heal from the inside out does that sound ok to you?

All I have left is an appointment with the MO January 25 and the bone density test in January. I just have the thought going through my head every since they found the second tumor that I have't really done enough to fight it. Especially with my 28% likely to recurr. And before it was Radiation, Chemo, meds and some targeted therapy.

I just need some sleep don't like posting when I am down, someone told me I was a fool maybe they are right.

Nash54

Shirley...no sutures for me.  They just told me to take a deep breath and they pulled it out.  I didn't feel a thing. I think I was just so relieved to be done.  I did take a Xanax and had my husband go with me just in case.  

It is exhausting.  I would go first thing in the morning, come home and walk around my neighborhood pond to destress, then go back in the afternoon.  I couldn't wait to finish dinner so I could pop a Xanax and go to sleep.  I just kept counting down the days.  

Hang in there..and keep counting down.  Four more to go..you can do it!!!!

Waterstreet

Nash54

Thanks I am hanging in there. There are just so many unanswered questions with cancer it wears you down.I think I will pick up some over the counter sleep tabs tomorrow. After I get some sleep I will get back on track. Take care, you made me feel better about them not closing the hole.

ChiSandy

And so it begins-ah........yeah, I got those arm tingles big-time and still get them. Probably related to having your arm stretched overhead while you were under. They eased a bit, only to return in BOTH arms once I started rads, since once again I have my arms stretched while they position and then zap me. I get them for months at a time whenever my c-spine arthritis acts up. The only annoying thing is when I can’t feel on which string my left pinky is when I’m playing, unless I look at my hand--which breaks eye contact with the audience. Have hit some major-league “clams” a couple of times.

april25

It's around my one year DX, too. This whole thing takes a CHUNK out of your time, but it's still good to be able to still be around and feel fairly close to normal by now.

I just did my 6 month followup with my BS. AND I got a diagnostic mammo. I was a bit worried since I still have a bit of a seroma in my tumor bed. It means I don't have a divot at all and everything looks pretty smooth, even if it is a hard lump! I told the tech and she didn't think it was a problem for the mammo. And indeed... it didn't hurt any more than any mammo. (geesh, some day they need to find a better method than squishing body parts!)

The mammo was on my right breast only... So if anything is going on with the other one, it won't get mammo'ed until next time, 6 months from now. They did remind me that I'd had a bilateral MRI in April and it looked clear, so I guess that's good enough. (I'm still paranoid because I found the tumor by self-exam, and mammogram didn't find it, though!)

My BS seemed to think that the RT Boosts caused the hardness of my seroma-lump, since it really focused on that area.

I also mentioned my weird muscle weakness in my arm--makes it hard to lift a coffee cup (that's the main motion that seems affected, anyway). Doesn't hurt... maybe a slight ache when I make that motion. It started after RT. My BS thinks it might be possible that RT hit some of the nerves under my arm, so he suggested seeing a neurologist. So back to a neurologist! (Saw one for chemo-induced neuropathy, which is actually resolving on it's own, but I still got tested for nerve weakness, etc.)

Otherwise I have had absolutely NO problems with my LX and RT. I'm still getting over my chemo, which started a year ago and ended in April. I'm glad there are treatments available, but chemo really wasn't any fun. My toenails never fell off, but they are still separated at the tops and are slowly growing back in healthy... And my hair is still slowly growing. My scars will probably be nearly invisible before my hair is a decent length!

But, hey, I really will be glad to stop with my year of Herceptin (soon), and get my port out and not be quite so tied up with medical appointments. And, sure, things can happen in the future, but that's the same for everyone. Gotta just take things day by day and try to get the most out of it, whether cancer is there or not, right?

--

octogirl -- I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's dx! My sister has been a great help to me and I would be so upset if she got such a dx... although we were warned that because I had the dx, it could signal that she might be a little more prone... I got genetically tested, though, and nothing came up. But the geneticist said they only know to test for certain things, so more tests may be developed in the future that they know nothing about now... *sigh* (I have aunts on both side with bc, but my mom didn't--and both aunts were 50+ when they got it and didn't pass from it. Have several cousins, too, they got it younger, which is more of a red-flag, but they are both alive with no recurrence after 5 or more years... So the genetic thing is kind of tricky, particularly when people can just get cancers randomly through cel mutation.)

I do hope her dx is as good as it can be, and that all the treatments go quickly and smoothly!

mustlovepoodles

Waterstreet, I hope you can get some good sleep tonight. Sleep deprivation is my one way ticket to Crazyland. I have a long-standing history of insomnia, so I take several meds to help me sleep. Still, since starting chemo I have needed Ativan on top of everything else. No Ativan, no sleep. It's miserable. But thankfully, my MO is sympathetic--she gave me plenty of Ativan, with refills, so now I take a small dose and it's off to LaLa-land for 8 hours. Such a relief!

marijen

Sisters. Mine thinks a physical exam once a year means she's covered. Even after what's happened to me

Jclc83

hello all of you in lumpectomy land. I just found this group and it seems like it's nice and friendly. I'm looking for somewhere to call home lol.

PontiacPeggy

JcLc, Welcome home! Yup. This is where you want to be. Bet you've figured out we are warm, caring, comforting, informative and just a little bit "off." Are you still doing chemo? Have you had surgery yet? Let us know what we can do to help you.

April, glad you are finally feeling more like yourself. You've had a crappy year but have come through it! Run over and see what the neurologist says about your weakness. Hope he has some good ideas that will help.

Marijen, you'd think she'd wise up, wouldn't you?

Sleep well my sleep-deprived sisters!

HUGS!

Nash54

Jclc83....welcome to the lounge!!

marijen

PontiacPeg, money doesn't make you smart : )

luvdsny

Just a follow up, I met with my breast surgeon on Tuesday (she was amazing and patient). I am scheduled with excisional surgery on Monday. I am being told if suspicious cells are seen a full lumpectomy will be preformed while I am sedated. I feel calm about the procedure but more worried about the sedation. The doctor even slipped and said the medication being used is what was used on Michael Jackson. Goodness my thought was, "really he died as a result of that medication". Yikes! I know it was my mind playing with me. I am scared and really looking forward to having this behind me. I pray for all of you going through this, it is difficult and emotional draining. Hugs!

april25

Marijen -- Oh. At least she's getting a yearly exam, but some doctors are more thorough than others! If she's not into the mammograms (is she too young for yearly mammograms?), maybe self-exam at least? I found mine though the self-exam, and I'm NOT very thorough! Of course, my tumor was also 3 cm by the time I found it! It's tough with some people... at least she's going in to see a doctor. Some people won't at all, and won't take their meds, etc. My docs always seem so happy when I follow their directions... they keep saying it's surprising how many people won't take care of themselves or do what they need to do... I guess it's just a very human reaction to believe if they don't pay attention it will go away!

Jclc83 -- This is a great group! I hope you find support and answers and a place to vent here.

PontiacPeggy -- I'll go see a neurologist because at least he/she could maybe confirm or rule out what the problem may be. But it's surprising how little they seem to be able to do! There was nothing he could do for the chemo-induced neuropathy. Maybe some meds to alleviate symptoms, but I only had numbness, not pain, so there was absolutely nothing he could do. Maybe recommend no more chemo, but again, I wasn't that badly affected. But it's still good to know what's going on, I guess!

Have you ever heard of nerves being affected by RT before? It doesn't sound far-fetched, but I don't think I recall anyone having that. Nerves irritated due to the incisions, yes, but not RT...

luvdsny -- Yikes! Whatever had your doc mention Michael Jackson in relation to your sedatives??? That's crazy!!! Of course, MJ was totally mis-using it and his doc was imprisoned because he didn't have MJ under proper watch (we're all on monitors with the anesthesiologist hanging around watching all the time!). More important.. if you've ever had a bad reaction to anesthesia before, you should tell them! Not that you'd have MJ's problem, but you might feel nauseous.

I don't think you should think a lx would be that much different from your excision. I'm not that up on it! But the lx isn't too bad. I wish you all the best--that it's quick and easy and everything turns out well.

marijen

April25 - it's hard to get people to listen to what they don't want to know. But she has other big items to deal with so I hope she doesn't get an add on. I am in the first in the family, so I informed her she can get a genetic test. I cannot. Why is that? I want to tell the doc I have a family history, when he asks who? Me!

PontiacPeggy

Marijen, got that right!

LuvDsNy, Welcome! That anesthetic that they used on Michael Jackson, propofol, is wonderful. I've had it twice and no nausea or hangover. So don't worry about that. You'll do just fine and you already seem quite confident in your BS (half the battle). You might consider filling out your profile and making it public. It's all right if you don't know much, just put what you know. It helps us respond to your questions. Make sure you plan on resting a lot after your surgery. Your body needs that to heal (cooking Thanksgiving dinner would not be considered resting BTW - let someone else do it!).

April, I'm sure anything is possible in the realm of BC treatments. I didn't have any problems with nerves from my RT but it has taken over a year for my underarm nerves to return to close to normal (not quite but I'll take what I've got). It is hard when they can identify the problem and not be able to do a darned thing about it

HUGS!

ORknitter

I'm so happy to be reading about the arm problems. My surgeon didn't remove any nodes, she said that she would rather have to do a second surgery than remove them unnecessarily. Now my left arm gets kind of stiff. If I remember to stretch it up over my head a couple of times a day it's better, but still sore, achy. I think its from the rads as part of them were angled up on that side (maybe to hit the nodes?)

april25

ORknitter -- hmmm! stiff arm, no node removal? I wouldn't be surprised if that could happen... Interesting, though. I guess you can get some lymphedema even with no nodes removed, as it does happen to plenty of others for various reasons...

-------------------------

I should really give kudos to my fantastic BS, though. I had no problems at all with my LX--the incisions healed quickly and they were both smooth and flat (SNB is a little sunken, but I've got more arm-fat happening there). No nerve problems at all--not numb or zinging. It was a fairly big tumor for an A/B size breast, but so far I look pretty balanced. He's Dr. Giuliano at Cedar-Sinai in L.A. and was featured in "Emperor of All Maladies" documentary and was a pioneer in the SNB and LX/breast conserving surgery for BC. Everyone I bump into recommends him and I have to say that although he's a busy guy (he sees me every visit, but it's quick but he has his Residents and NPs thoroughly check me out and answer questions, etc.), he's friendly and does an amazing job--which is more important than chatting with me, I figure. Anyway, I felt very confident going in to surgery and still feel happy about it all now because of him.

Molly50

Welcome luvdsny. This is a wonderful group and even though I eventually had an mx I still call it home. April, I did read somewhere that nerve damage can happen with Radiation.