Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

PontiacPeggy

Etnasgrl, that's an excellent question. While my BC was on my left side, I don't recall being uncomfortable at all using my left hand and I'm fairly ambidextrous. So I don't think you'll have problems but I'll let others who have actually been in your situation answer for sure. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!!

HUGS!!!

etnasgrl

Thanks Peggy!

My surgery is on the 10th. I know in my signature it says the 9th. For some reason, no matter how many times I try to change the date, it won't do it. So...I've just left it as the 9th.
Tomorrow is my nuclear injection, which I'm REALLY not looking forward to!

PontiacPeggy

There's something about BCO and dates that are a challenge. Tomorrow make sure you get tons of lidocaine. That really does help - HONEST. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

HUGS!!!

mustlovepoodles

I had both lumpectomy and re-excision of the right breast. I had no trouble writing or typing after surgery. I think I was back online within a day.

ChiSandy

My experience is identical to MLP's--was back online in the holding room between Recovery and being discharged. Signed dinner check the next night. And drove (steering w/rt. hand) four days post-op.

PontiacPeggy

I'll bet that nothing stops us BCO girls from being online

HUGS!

octogirl

Ditto: I am right handed and surgery was on the right and I was on line within a few hours of being discharged....

Octogirl

JerseyRenee01

Hi Ladies & welcome Myajames!

I will be thinking of you Myajames! 😘

Tomorrow I have my appt for the results of my gene testing! This could be the game changer of my decision! I had a few days where I tucked the "C" word away.

Enjoyed my daughters 14th bday & went to a Christmas party Saturday.

Ugh I hope I am not positive in the gene testing!!

PontiacPeggy

JerseyRenee, I'm glad you were able to enjoy DD's birthday! Christmas parties are fun! I can understand why you're not looking forward to getting the results of your gene testing. Let's hope there's nothing there. Let us know!

HUGS!

JerseyRenee01

PontiacPeggy:

Thank you!!

My appt is at 1:20. I will post & let you know!!

mairew

Etnasgrl, I had my nuclear injections and scan today, and it wasnt bad. My mass is not close to nipple so maybe that makes a difference. No lidicaine.Are u getting treatment at MDA? Who is your BS? Best wishes tomorrow.

And best wishes to those having procedures and test results tomorrow too.

meme2006

Molly50 I haven't decided yet about seeing a PS. My BS had suggested I could have reconstruction after I healed. I guess I will see how it goes! Thanks everyone for all the well wishes for tomorrow!

I was reading about getting a referral to a PT. Is the RO the one who gives you info about that? Im hoping I can get some type of relief from this cording, it is horrible!! Not sure how radiation is going to affect it.

myajames Hoping all goes well on Friday

Catfurr

Etnasgirl & mairew-best wishes tomorrow!

Jerseyrenee-fingers crossed for good test results!!

MLP-glad you're doing better! I have an infection in my SNB site, started Clindamycin tonight. It needs it's own bra😒 I didn't have any drains and I'm 4 wks out from lx. How long did it take for the meds to work??

So, SNB infection has caused pt for lympedema to be postponed. Wondering if it's going to cause rads to be delayed too. Anyone experience this? Supposed to start on Monday.

Herceptin delayed due to 40% ejection fraction, but looks like I'm good to restart on dec 22. Hoping SE's won't be awful on Christmas Day. It will be my first Herceptin only tx. I've been told Herceptin is for a year, but what if it's delayed? I've had 6 so far, but it was with chemo. At this rate, my port will be in until fall

MJS1266

Meme 2006, Either the BS or RO can give you a PT referral for the cording and the Lymphedema assessment. Good Luck

LoveMyVizsla

Having my nuclear injection tomorrow too. My masses are at 6:30, so hopefully it won't hurt, but my biopsies sure did! I'm asking for lidocaine.

Surgery Thursday morning after wire placement. For Christmas I would like clean margins and negative SNB. Oh, and no nausea from the anesthesia. Please. And did I mention please no nausea? :-

april25

Etnasgirl -- I had lx, snb in my right breast-- no problem at all in typing and writing. Plus, I'm an artist and haven't noticed any problems even with finer motor skills. I think I might have some nerve damage, possibly from chemo and/or radiation in my rt. arm, but it just makes for some muscle weakness when using specific muscles (in my case, lifting a coffee cup!), but I can do it, and not shaking or loss of control...

meme2006 -- I think you can get an rx from just about any one of your doctors for PT. I got one from when the nurses who run support set up a session with various people (PT, Social, psychologists, etc.), although I haven't ever used it. (I said it felt a little puffy around my snb incision, but that was pretty much because it was still healing after surgery.)

Catfurr -- I believe that they count the Herceptin you get with chemo as part of the year. I kept doing Herceptin through lx and rt. I'm not sure what happens if there is a gap, but I know that some people have to delay chemo rounds due to heart problems, or stop early. I have heard some have stopped short of a year of Herceptin. I think it probably works the same way... you just continue on until you've had a year's worth or you stop early.

Jclc83

Good luck to those having surgery in the next few days! Good luck to those that continue their treatments ( like me lol).

I had cording after my surgery. I had an appointment with the Lymphedema clinic but I didn't have any symptoms. The thought of another copay, more bills wasn't something that I wanted to deal with so I didn't go. I keep my arm above my heart whenever possible. I also kept massaging "the cord" and it did go away. I'm not saying that was the right thing to do., but it worked for me.

etnasgrl

mairew: Yes, I go to MD Anderson. My surgical oncologist is Dr. Jessica Suarez. I like her a lot, not to mention, she comes very highly recommended from my family practice doctor.

LoveMyVizsla: I'll be praying for you and your surgery!! Prayers that it goes perfectly, with a quick recovery! (And no nausea!)
I would like the same Christmas present as you! Clean margins and negative SNB!

PontiacPeggy

LoveMyViszla, Good luck with today and tomorrow! Ask for Dramamine to prevent anesthesia nausea! Either bring some with you or request it! My center gave it to me. I had no nausea.

EtnasGrl, good luck to you today, also!

Easy surgery, quick recovery and clear margins to everyone.

HUGS!

PontiacPeggy

Just heard on ABC's Good Morning America that the cold cap has been approved by the FDA to prevent hair loss during chemo. Some of the women here have used it. Opinions on its use seems to be mixed. All agree it works or helps but disagree on whether it is a good idea. Some say, Yeah! I can keep my hair! Others say that the cold cap might hinder the effectiveness of the chemo. I don't know the truth and I suspect neither does the FDA.

On Edit: Ah, here's the story on it. Cold Cap Approved.

HUGS!

myajames

One more sleep until surgery. Wore a mustache to work today. Most people know what's going with me, and I need to lighten the mood a bit.

@LoveMyVizsla Looks like we are having surgery on the same day. Are surgery buddies a thing? If so, I'd be honored to have you as my surgery buddy.

Molly50

LoveMyVizsla, ask your anesthesiologist for a scolpamine patch. Be very specific that you get sick from anesthesia. He/she will take care of you. Best wishes to you and myajames tomorrow!

Sloan15

bluedog -Are you having trouble with lymphedema? I had 2 nodes removed in SNLB, and my surgeon said I didn't have LE. But, my srm felt so weird. My MO said it was the nerves reconnecting. My RO said the area wouldn't being radiated, so I wouldn't have a problem with LE. But, my arm ached and swelled 1cm. I went to a PT, and she said I have stage 0 or 1 LE. I now have a sleeve and wear it during exercise, flights, and when I'm doing repetitious work like gardening or stirring something. Wearing my sleeve 4-8 hours a day is working for me to keep the swelling down. I am at a reversible stage. I also do manual lymph drainage twice a day. My goal is to prevent it from progressing to the next stage, which would be permanent. The PT said that most docs don't think their patients have it until they swell like a balloon. The PT is trying to prevent that, so tingling in forearm, heaviness or aching arm, or finger or wrist pain that is not arthritis are stage 0 signs and you should go to PT. You can also get LE in your breast or trunk. If you have any signs, it's soooo worth the PT appt to have them talk about signs, get a baseline measurement, and get a sleeve if necessary.

ChiSandy

Woke up this morning (no, this is not a blues song) and when I yawned & stretched I felt the tightness and tender points on the inside of my lower arm. Shit--three days before my trip and I need this like a hole in the head. Both hands equally wrinkly, nothing palpable anywhere else and no soreness at the wrist or along my upper arm from the axilla on down. (SNB seroma has shrunk to the size of a grape--what I’m feeling is mostly the incision scar tissue). Gonna try to get into the LE clinic at Glenbrook before the cruise but not hopeful. So I’m going to just massage the tender spot to try to soften any cord beneath those layers of flab. Also had some very sharp twinges in the fleshy pad between thumb and wrist--could be the beginnings of either tenosynovitis (trigger thumb) or carpal tunnel or both, unrelated to LE or cording--I’ve been typing more, resting my R forearm on the laptop, in the past three months than in the past three years!!! In either case, I am gonna stock up on singles (both dollar bills & Euro coins) because I will be taking full advantage of whatever skycaps and porters I can find at the three airports (ORD Sat., Schipol & FCO Sun.)!

BTW, what’s the first line of the world’s saddest blues song? “Didn’t wake up this morning....."

zinny

Thanks for the cold cap info, Pegg, looking in to dry ice and putting in my order shortly.

bluedog

Sloan, no I don't have lymphedema, but I'm kind of freaked out about getting it. Not, of course, that it's the worst thing in the world, but if I can avoid having one more thing to worry about, I'd like to. It just seems so random what triggers it and who develops it. I can easily do the obvious things, like avoid blood draws and blood pressure cuffs on my right arm, but am not sure how vigilant I have to be about carrying heavy things, etc., with it. I guess there's probably no clear answer, and I should stop whining about it. Maybe I'm fixated on lymphedema, as unlike cancer, it's one thing that we supposedly have a little control over. But maybe not so much. I'm glad yours is reversible and hope it stays that way!!

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy, smart to make sure you are having "normal" aches and pains rather than lymphedema - don't need that, especially since you're flying so far.

Zinny, hope the information is helpful.

Time to bake some more cookies. Gotta get them shipped off to the hungry kids. Sugar cookies (iced and decorated), maple cookies (dough chilling) and ginger cookies (dough also chilling). Then I'm done for a few days.

HUGS!

bluedog

ChiSandy, HAH re the saddest blues song. I sincerely hope you're just experiencing nerves regenerating or something like that. Yes, don't lift anything heavier than a glass of wine on your trip!

PontiacPeggy

BlueDog, I find that I still don't carry the heaviest loads with my left arm. Hard to remember because that's the arm that always did the heavy loads. However, sometimes it doesn't matter but sometimes it does. Perhaps what is important is how much stretching I remember to do regularly. That prevents tightness for me. I totally get worrying about lymphedema. I keep an eye out for it too. My BS also said I'm not at risk. Since I'm paranoid like everyone else here, I'm not totally convinced. I guess just being watchful is all we can do.

HUGS!

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy, on the tingling, zinging. I didn't have THAT problem with my SLNB incision (it was just numb for 13 months). But I had kidney surgery 20+ years ago and I had zingers forever (it seemed) around the incision. It would seem logical that since the lymph nodes were removed that the nerves on both sides of the removal site might be really unhappy. Of course, check it out. I

HUGS!