Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Jclc83

Sloan, I was gking to say you look way too young to be a grandma. But now I get it. Boy kitchens have come a long way!

I adore my grandkids. My son has a 3 yo girl and a 3 month old boy ( they live with me). And I hate that I can't touch them for three days (per my doc) after my infusions. My daughter has a 3 yo son and will deliver her daughter in a couple of weeks. So that makes four!

PontiacPeggy

Molly, he's adorable.

QueenMomCat, you too? I have 2 extremely old quilts that I've used and washed and used some more. Mostly I inherited lovely tablecloths from my (also) long gone grandmothers and mother. PLUS fine china and goldware (Dirilyte). I won't be sewing any of that stuff. Did you do Stretch-n-Sew?

HUGS!!

PontiacPeggy

JcLc83, it must be awful having to wait 3 days after each infusion to touch the grandbabies. Lucky you to have them!

HUGS!

etnasgrl

Now that I'm waiting on the pathology report from my lumpectomy, I'm getting nervous. (You would think I'd be used to all this waiting!)
Prior to the lumpectomy, my surgical oncologist had me go in for an MRI. Both the ultrasound and the MRI showed no cancer in the lymph nodes. She told me that we won't know that for sure until the SNB, but it was "promising".
When the surgery was over, she went out to speak to my husband, to let him know how it went. She told him that it went well and that she only took one lymph node out as she felt that was all that was needed.
I'm guessing that's a good sign?

Jclc83

Your sentinel node was likely negative. It's the first in line of tumor drainage. So if that's negative normally the rest would be too. So I'd take that as a good sign. But the final pathology report is what they see under the microscope.

Catfurr

HappyHammer--Emla is a prescription topical numbing cream. I use it on my port before access and anywhere else that I think might be stuck with a needle! It takes about 45 min to work, so I goop it on kinda heavy, then cover with Press n Seal plastic. Knowing they would have to draw blood from my hand and my port, I came into the hospital prepared! I also used it on my belly for the neulasta shots. It's my BFF😄 (I'm a bit needle phobic😳) Staph infection sounds awful! I had a small kitten bite on my finger a few years ago that put me in hospital and then 3 months of pt!

Molly--he's a cutie!! I missed my oldest granddaughters (11yrs) concert Thursday night and looks like I'll miss my 5yr olds play at church tomorrow too. Her birthday was yesterday. Missed that too. 😒

Nash--beautiful pic!! Dog is gorgeous!!

Sloan--love the little kitchen! I have a grandaughter who'll be 3 in Feb. I might have to find one for her!

Still in the hospital. No answers as to why I'm running a temp, but keeping me on "big guns" antibiotics. SNB is less red, but drs don't seem to think it's the source. Just scared and tired of not feeling well.

Brutersmom

Nash, What a great gift for your daughter. I recently took some design classes for fun. The biggest complaint of the faculty is that the kids do not know how to sew and don't understand the complexities of the making the designs that they come up with. I have continued to sew reason is I can't find clothes in the store that fit me well. Sewing allows me to adjust the areas that need adjusting to look good and fit comfortably. And I like the challenge. Right now I am planning my spring/summer wardrobe. Knits will no longer work because my girls are two different sizes and certain styles hide that. It is all about comfort and style.

PontiacPeggy

CatFur, I also had a cat bite that got infected. I went to urgent care and did get antibiotics but they had to report the bite and kitty was quarantined at home for 10 days. Her shots were up to date. I think she bites because she doesn't have claws. Getting clawed never bothered me. Hope they figure out why you have a fever and you get out of the hospital ASAP!

Brutersmom, There don't seem to be any practical courses in schools anymore like sewing, cooking, shop classes. Too bad since most are skills you can always use. When my oldest son was in high school back in the 80s he took a small engines class and loved it. Neither of my DILs or my SIL sew. And one DIL is totally crafty. No one to follow the tradition

HUGS!

queenmomcat

Sloan: alas, no children of my own but wonderful memories of cousins and niece/nephew.enjoying their first Christmases. And the wanting to do like the grownups.

Pontiac: my inherited bedspreads are knitted (not woven-fabric quilts)--grandmother made them by hand. Oof.

Now back to contemplating post surgery compression bras. Hmph.

PontiacPeggy

QueenMomCat, Ah. The only things I have knitted like that are a gorgeous baby blanket my mother knit and a nice one my grandmother did at the same time. Compression bras

HUGS!

Nash54

Molly....what a little cutie. I miss that age.

Sloan...you said they are turds at 12......when does it stop? Mine's 17...how much longer??? LOL

Molly50

Nash, my daughter, mother of my grandson, is turning 23 Christmas day. She's just getting out of the turd stage lol.

Sloan15

catfurr - Hope you can go home from the hospital soon! Do they have any idea where that infection is? After chemo and antibiotics for an infection, my RO and MO had me drink kefir milk to get my gut bacteria healthy again. You're done with chemo, right?

Queenmomcat and Nash - Adorable at 2, fun at 5, inquisitive at 10, turds at 12, and life is so calm once they move away to go to college! They even start to take advice when they're older. Gasp!

I need to learn to knit. I think that would be a fun hobby (and also keep my hands busy so I don't over eat when I get on Tamoxifen at the end of the month). My MO is not starting me on meds until 4 weeks after radiation. Anyone else's MO wait that long? I'm wondering if he just wants me to enjoy Christmas in case I get crabby or have other SE.

queenmomcat

Sloan: amazing how things calm down once kids are at college. (or so my parents said) As for tamoxifen, yes my MO did wait for a month after radiation--other medical issues going on with me, but I wouldn't read too much into yours waiting that long also.

Knitting is a fun hobby for me--haven't had to buy hats or scarves for years--but it can be frustrating at first. Scarves are a good project to start with, as they don't involve any shaping or sewing or stitches fancier than ribbing.

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, my MO started me on Arimidex the day after I finished rads. You'll note here that some women start hormonal therapy before rads, before surgery. No one way seems to be "normal."

HUGS!

ORknitter

All this talk about knitting!! I learned to knit 6 years ago when we moved 1,000 miles away from where we both grew up. It was the best thing I ever did (besides the obvious, finding DH, having kids, all that). I have found amazing friends I never would have found without going to our knit night at the local shop. We are mostly women so the discussions can center around female issues when needed. We have lost dear members to cancer and other ailments, supported others through lifes turmoils, and just generally have a great time. When I had my lumpectomy I was given a huge gift bag full of goodies. So knitting has rewards other than just the blankets, mittens & hats.

Sloan15

Thanks ladies. You hear so many different stories that you start to wonder if your MO is on top of his game! I know my guy is a researcher affliated with UCLA, so I'm assuming he's pretty good. My husband chimed in and said both the MO and RO said I wouldn't start meds until 3-4 weeks after rads. Hmmm, I must have missed that doc appt. Lol!

marijen

It turns out my teaching hospital has a social worker coordinating all kinds of things for cancer patients, yoga, genetic counseling, survivorship, after cancer programs and no one bothered to tell me. MO or BS or Breast Center? How does that work? Are they waiting me to be all done first

Nash54

Molly50....23 oh no....I better keep my Xana perscription filled!!!!

mairew

Had Lx SNB last Wednesday ..... taking my gauze/bandage off this evening wish me luck.

PontiacPeggy

MaireW, you'll do fine. Just remember that the most important thing is that the cancer is out!

HUGS!

Jclc83

Peggy you are a great, kind support to everyone. Just wanted to say thanks.

Nash54

mariew....wishing you luck..as Peggy said the cancer is OUT!!!!

PontiacPeggy

JcLc, thank you. I feel very protective of the ladies here. We need each other!

HUGS!!!

HappyHammer

Sloan...oh my goodness...what FUN!!! Love that everyone is getting involved. PLEASE post pics of the fun you have with that little gbaby.

HappyHammer

Peggy- YOU are wonderful and your info/advice and cheerleading are so on point! Am still in the midst of thbe immediate fight but I want to be like you and ChiSandy when I "grow up".....

Jclc83

Growing up is overrated

PontiacPeggy

HappyHammer, I'm embarrassed. I do try to be positive. I am convinced it helps. Certainly it isn't possible to be upbeat all the time, but managing whatever you can, is good. You're already quite grown up and a good cheerleader. What's so marvelous here is that our experiences are all slightly different and the problems we may have had are too so we can help most anyone who lands here.

Is your fight something I can help you with? If so, let me know!

HUGS!

etnasgrl

I took my bandages off this morning from my lumpectomy and SNB. I was a bit nervous, after all, my surgical oncologist took a big ole' hunk out of my breast!
The plastic surgeon came in behind her to rearrange the breast tissue so I wouldn't have an indent from where she removed the tumor, but he warned me that depending on how much tissue was taken out, my breast might be a bit smaller than the healthy one.
He did a FANTASTIC job! Other than the incision, you can't tell anything was done. It looks the same as it did before surgery. Both breasts, to me, look to be the same size....one doesn't look smaller than the other.
(I don't really know what I was expecting....but I always tend to make things worse in my head!)

I'm just glad to have the crap OUT of me!!! (What a good feeling that is!)
But boy, oh boy....that SNB site is sore as hell!!!

PontiacPeggy

Etnasgrl, Glad everything looks so good! That has to be a relief. I can assure you that that SNB will be a royal pain for weeks to come. For me everything rubbed it. Going braless worked for me. I still find that some tops with small armholes (and I have small arms) will rub it wrong. Even underwire bras. Thankfully most ladies don't have problems with it after a few months. I'm just lucky

HUGS!