Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Musosgirl

Tomorrow is the big day. Lumpectomy, SNB, oncoplasty reduction. Have to be at the hospital in 8 hours. Hoping for SOME sleep tonight. Nervous more about the recovery part than the surgery itself. Oh well. Here we go...

PontiacPeggy

MusosGirl, I'll be in your pocket too tomorrow. That's a hugely long day. And hoping that your recovery is totally uneventful. Let us know how you're feeling and how everything went!

HUGS!!

LoveMyVizsla

Pretty sure my surgeon said no ice for 48 hours.

Definitely asking for the ear patch. They gave me IV Zophran before my bone marrow biopsy last year, and it didn't matter. I still threw up twice after. Hoping the patch makes the difference.

We have an hour and a half drive home after recovery. I brought a pillow and blanket to lay down in the back seat if I don't feel good.

Best wishes for all of you 12/10 girls!

Sloan15

jerseyrenee - good for you for being your own advocate! I changed MO's because they held up one of my test results, too. I agree with the others: you have too have confidence in your team!

Shopgal - yay for finishing chemo!

Meme and Marie- time to exhale and rest!

Sloan15

Goodluck Musogirl! We're rooting for you! Now get some sleep!

Sloan15

The next thing on my list is to start Tamoxifen or AI's at the end of the month. So, I decided to take a peek at one of the threads, and it was so depressing! I know most people go on threads to get help with problems, but I can't go back to those threads again. Geez. I'm going to stay in this group where people like Peggy give me hope that there's life after medication!

ChiSandy

Musosgirl, Meme & Mya (the 3 Ms) and LMV--hope you had something yummy before you had to go NPO. Sleep well, and you’ll come through tomorrow just fine. Surgeons are kind of idiosyncratic--mine was a huge fan of icing.

Jclc83

I'll be thinking of all of you having surgery yesterday and today, as we all will. We are like your big sisters. We really care, so keep us posted!

TodayI'll be by myself receiving my 4th of 6th chemo treatments and it's nice to know that I'm not really alone.

After today, I'll be 2/3 done yay !

JerseyRenee01

Good Morning!!!

PontiacPeggy:

I never was officially scheduled on BMX. I had them take that out & said wasnt happening at least in Dec & then notified them I was going a 2nd opinion.

I got home last night & called the Nurse Nav at Penn & when told her my gene results she was so happy & said I made her day with that news! That is how It should be! So my next appt with BS to go over surgery is Dec 22. Surgery be in January. Reading others experiences is getting me nervous already!

Praying for you ladies today for your surgeries & treatments!! {{HUGS}}

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, thank you! It's nice to know my message is getting through. That Arimidex is NOT necessarily a problem. Of course, as you read, some women do have real, troubling SEs. But most of us don't or they are totally manageable. I do follow that thread because I've made many friends there. I feel compelled to keep reminding the newbies everywhere, that Arimidex is doable. I think you will have noticed that, even while experiencing rotten SEs, most women would prefer and really want to be able to continue taking it. It's one thing we can do long term to keep BC gone. If Arimidex proves too difficult, one of the other AIs will turn out to be just fine for them. You'll do fine!

HUGS!

PontiacPeggy

JerseyRenee, try not to be nervous. I'm glad that that BMX is so off the table. You're doing it right! Keep reading this thread, make note of some of the problems and solutions the women have had and bring them up with your BS. Ask what do you want me to do if X happens or Y. The more questions you ask the better. I found that I learned much more here than the information from my cancer center. It could be that I felt I knew what to do so didn't ask. No one here seems to have gotten Dramamine to prevent anesthesia nausea. And I grabbed the Valium they offered. I figured if they offered it, it helps. I think it did.

Obviously Penn has your back and is working for you! It's vital to have a team in which you have confidence. Keep asking questions and we'll keep answering!

HUGS!

Brutersmom

JerseyRenee congratulations for having the BMX off the table and a negative gene test. My coworker who had stage III throat cancer loved (and I can't say that enthusiastically enough) Penn. He drove an hour and 1/2 every day for 6 weeks for radiation. They gave him hope when the local docs were not a encouraging. You will be in great hands. A lumpectomy is pretty easy. I had a re-incision and both were pretty easy. I am glad you are so close to a great hospital.

Molly50

Jersey rennee, congratulations on your negative gene results. You avoiding BMX means avoiding reconstruction. The hardest part of having a mx for me is reconstruction. Prayers for our surgery ladies today. Sloan, I have been on anastrozole since October 13th. I am only having mild SE's so far.

JerseyRenee01

thank you ladies so much for the support!!!

I certainly am not on here to bash MD Anderson just very disappointed on my experience.

I shld been notified as soon as gene test results were in! Meanwhile i had weeks of stress & emotions wondering if i carry breast & ovarian cancer gene also with not knowing didnt know my decision on treatment.

It behind me! I going forward! When it gets closer to Dec 22 I will prob need some suggested questions for surgeon.

Meanwhile now I busy planning a Christmas party Saturday with like 30 people here😳

JerseyRenee01

Brutersmom:

That is so great to hear about your co-worker! It just confirms I made the right choice & i truly believe shit happens for a reason! I was meant to go in this direction!

PontiacPeggy

JerseyRenee, It's hard to make excuses for MD Anderson sitting on your test results for so many weeks. That's criminal. As I said earlier, I hope that whoever decided that the results were not important enough to contact you as soon as they came gets paid back in kind. I am not gentle and kind in this instance - I feel very vindictive. End rant.

HUGS!

octogirl

For LMV: I think this is too late for you (losing track of dates) but just FYI for any others who have long drives to surgery: the hospital where I had my surgery was sixty miles from home (and there is no place closer I'd even consider: it was either that one or the big teaching hospital three hours away from me). One of the best decisions I made, at the recommendation of my BS, was to book a hotel room near the hospital for the day before and day after surgery: the day before was great because I had to be at the hospital at some awful hour (six or six thirty am) and it gave me a chance for one last swim in the hotel pool the night before as well as an early dinner at a favorite restaurant in the city (I love to swim and my small town not only lacks a good hospital, it lacks excellent restaurants). Then, after being released following surgery, it was only 1.5 miles to the hotel, where I could rest in bed in a clean room while hubby waited on me hand and foot. :-) The next day we could sleep in a bit and didn't have to leave till just before noon check out: by that time I was feeling much better.

Of course, that plan only works if one can afford the expense of the hotel, and if one doesn't have kids or other dependents at home. and I know some people prefer their own beds. I am not necessarily one of those, as I lie in bed thinking about all the work I should be doing around the house! So, for those who can do it, I highly recommend considering the hotel/motel approach. Frankly, I really would not have enjoyed the hour plus trip home right after surgery. Granted we have a small car (so lying down in the back would be a challenge) but for those who feel queezy after surgery that is also a consideration..most importantly, I just felt more rested that way.

Best wishes to all facing surgery!

Hugs, Octogirl

Shopgal2

JerseyRenee if you look here on breast cancer.org there should be a list of suggested questions. If you go on Penn's website they should have a list of questions for a bs. Or you can contact Penn's patient navigator and they can email a list of questions to you. Hope this helps

For those having lumpies today wished for a speedy recovery and clean margins

Nash54

Sloan...I too was nervous about staring an AI...but Peggy was so positive and encouraging. I have not had any real SE's...sometimes it's hard to know if it's just old age creeping up or the meds. If you aren't post menopausal I think the transition can be a bit harder...but manageable. I went thru natural menopause at 43 so my estrogen was already low... of course I put it back in for 10 years (HRT) only to be told I had to take it back out!

Staying active helps with joint pain and magnesium can help with hot flashes if you get them. I pop that pill every morning and use Peggy's mantra....KILL THE CANCER!

PontiacPeggy

Nash, usually AIs are not given to women who aren't post-menopausal. I was over 25 years past menopause and only took HRT for a couple years (which I didn't need or want but that was the "thing" at that time). No hot flashes for me. I suspect I had very very low estrogen levels too. Or maybe since I didn't have much in the way of hot flashes the first time around I didn't have any this time. One thing that definitely helps me is to make sure I stretch really good before I get out of bed. I am definitely creaky and that stretching makes things much better. I forgot this morning and I was moving like I was 100 KILL CANCER is what we all want!

HUGS!

Sloan15

Thanks ladies. I was petimenopausal going into chemo, and that pout an end to things. My gynecologist said my numbers for estradiol are low and FSH is high, so that indicates menopause. But, I think the doc sill put me on Tamoxifen for a couple years then switch to AIs. It's weird that I'm going from never even taking Tylenol nor getting sick to surgery, chemo, rads and 10 years of meds. I was scared of surgery 6 months ago because I'd never had a general anaesthetic, and now that seems like nothing! I guess this is more of my fear of the unknown.

mustlovepoodles

octogirl, that's a great idea to get a hotel room for the night before and the night after surgery. That really takes a load of pressure off you both. Get a nice dinner, maybe see a movie, get a good night's sleep (much as you can the night before any surgery!) I'm fortunate to live in an area where I'm within a 45min drive of my surgeon, so it was pretty easy for us to get down there at o'God-thirty in the morning, and then get home before rush hour set in.

etnasgrl

Lumpectomy and SNB went perfect!! (Well, as perfect as surgery can go, LOL!)

I am home now and really not in very much pain. My breast does not hurt at all. Zero pain. Under my arm is sore, but really it's more of a discomfort than a pain. I am VERY happy about that, as I expected a great deal more pain.
They did give me pain meds in recovery, through my IV, but those have worn now. I'm not taking anything currently and feel okay.
Now, it's back to the waiting game....but I'm okay with that! I'm thrilled to have this surgery behind me, so I can move forward to the next step. I finally feel as if I'm DOING something!
My surgical oncologist told me that the pathology results should be in, in about a week. I'm continuing to pray for clean margins and NO cancer in the nodes!!! That would be THE BEST Christmas present EVER!

Jclc83

Glad your surgery is over Etnasgrl. I hope you get what you want for Christmas.

mairew

etnagrl, glad u are home and all went well. Rest now.

Yesterday after surgery i was surprised i felt so good, but today i can feel the stress of surgery when the pain meds start to wear off.

Hugs.

mustlovepoodles

Great job, etnasgirl! Hope it continues to go well. Be sure you're babying that breast tonight. They probably shot your breast up with some heavy-duty lidocaine pretty well before surgery (while you were asleep.) They often do that so the nerve endings will remain calm during the surgery and be less likely to over-react once you're awake. At any rate, don't neglect your pain relievers, especially at bedtime. The breast may "wake up" on you during the night and any pain is harder to manage AFTER the fact. A word to the wise...

Molly50

Congratulations etnasgirl ! No rest, ice, rest! Let everyone pamper you for a while.

PontiacPeggy

Etnasgrl, YIPPEE!! Take a couple Tylenol when you go to bed - just because. That will help you relax a bit and keep the pain under control. The SLNB site is the most annoying and will continue to be so. Never was bothered much by the breast incision. Hope it continues! Ice. REST!!!! Fingers and toes crossed for a great path report!

HUGS!

Nash54

Entasgsl.....so happy you are home where you can rest and pamper yourself.  Take it easy even if you feel good.  You've been thru slit physically and emotionally.  

Mariew....hope your pain subsides.  It does take awhile for things to heal.  You'll be getting zingers and weird sensations for awhile.  

Glad you ladies have your lx behind you.  

Sloan...just curious why you had chemo.    

etnasgrl

Thanks guys for the advice on the pain. I agree, staying ahead of the pain is important! I will make sure to take my pain meds before going to bed, so hopefully I can get some good rest.

They did bind me up pretty tight, which I know helps and is contributing to not having much pain. It's like a giant Ace bandage wrapped several times around me. They told me to leave all the dressings/bandages alone and to not take anything off until Saturday evening. On Saturday evening, before going to bed, I can gently remove everything and shower. After that, she told me to wear my front closing sports bra day and night for one week.
The nurse at the hospital gave me a really cute, pink, heart shaped pillow to use however it helps. She said that I can place it under my arm to avoid friction, I can place it between my chest and the seatbelt when in the car, and however else it will help. It's the perfect size and I really think it will come in handy while I recover.