Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Planet

Musosgirl:
What a great gingerbread mom! And super path results!

Musosgirl

614, TN is triple negative. ER-, PR-, and HER2-. I am TP, triple positive. Just more short cut abbreviations.

Musosgirl

Planet, I have tried to let my boys process this in their own ways only interferring when they obviously need it. (My older DS has some anger issues and he was flat out bullying his brother--that has improved but there is more work to do when I have more energy.) Just wasn't expecting it expressed in Christmas candy form!

MJS1266

Congrats on the path report, that's great news!

Brutersmom

I am thinking of giving my self a Christmas present and scheduling an appointment with a plastic surgeon to start the plans for a breast reduction on my good side so I am not so lop sided. Since completing radiation my cancer breast has gotten even smaller. I know that I need to wait until at least May for the surgery but I think it would be a positive move to start the planning. My question is: I was given the names of 4 practices by the nurse navigator. How do I figure out where to go?

MaggieCat

Brutersmom - Finding the right PS... I started with an informal discussion at my dermatologists' office. From there the list was mighty short! Those PS that specialize in "Mommy Makeovers" ended up being the same ones that were the preferred breast plastic surgeons for those of us with other challenges... Maggie

etnasgrl

I may not post much....but I absolutely LOVE this thread!
BC is never fun....but you guys make it bearable, thank you!

614

Thanks for letting me know what the abbreviation is.  It makes total sense.  I should have been able to figure it out.  This way was much easier though.

ChiSandy

Sloan, the word that springs to mind about the way you look is "elegant." (Ok, striking and dramatically beautiful as well). Many women would kill for those cheekbones--if you didn't want to have to fuss with your hair you could carry off that look perfectly forever!

Count me as another "guilty gal." When people who'd heard about my dx see me for the first time since then, I know I'm getting the once-over for having both hair and (seemingly) intact boobs (and being the opposite of cachectic.)

Today was Cagliari, Sardinia. We had a 5-hr morning bus-and-walking tour, and for the first time since setting sail I forgot to bring my cane along. (It's been a mixed blessing since someone on the first day's tour stepped on it and as a result it lost its rubber tip protector. That tungsten carbide tip is great on soil, ice and snow, but dangerous on stone--especially wet stone). Going uphill and up stairs was no problem, but descending stairs into crypts and down from hilltops to town squares was truly hairy. Our guide talked up the local gelato--but when we got our free time in town, all the gelaterias were closed and I had to settle for espresso. (Gelato on the ship is just ice cream).

Arrivederci, Italia. Tomorrow is Palma, Mallorca--first stop in Spain. We don't put in till 1pm and our tour isn't till 2, so I'll see about a shampoo/styling and gel mani in the spa in the morning.

Barely fitting Teenage Mutant Ninja Tit into my bras. Its seroma is now covered in hard scar tissue, so it looks like I'll have to get used to having a truly Shakespearean balcony for the foreseeable future. (The alternative is to have it surgically drained and risk both infection and "refilling." No, thank you).And it feels like I'm getting cording--can't palpate any ropiness, but forearm extension/torquing is feeling tighter and sorer. When I get home, first stop will be the LE clinic at Glenbrook and second will be Dr. Favus, the U of C. bone maven--who is adamant that I need to have an anti-osteopenia plan ready before I pop my first Femara.

BTW, getting thoroughly frustrated with Auto-Incorrect sabotaging my posts at every turn and forcing me to edit and re-edit. Flabbergasted at how narrow its vocabulary is. Truly a PITA on an iPad

Molly50

Sloan, you are positively stunning. I also love the Christmas tree in the background.

Molly50

Congratulations Musogirl on the clean pathology report! Chisandy, I love your stories.

Planet

ChiSandy: I'm glad your having a fabulous vacation, but boo hiss on the missing rubber tip.


Posting on the iPad, you are using the plain text editor? Much less frustrating for me.

Sloan15

Chisandy - Thank you! I had to read what you said to my husband. It's amazing how eyebrows and hair growing back can make you feel like a human again. Regarding the cording, Google some stretches. There are some simple things you can do using a door or wall to help you stretch. Do it gently, but it's worth it. It'll feel better. Keep the travel posts coming. And pictures, send pictures!

Musogirl - post a picture of the cookie! Yay on the report!

brithael

ChiSandy - I hope that seroma absorbs soon. I hear you on the cane tip. I was using a cane that makes a stool when I was at Disney World and Universal. I wore down one tip, lost one, and the only remaining one made it lopsided. Hope you're having a great trip!

Sloan- I bet you looked good bald! As Madeleine Kahn said in Paper Moon, "It's bone structure." (And if you've never seen it, watch it now.)

Waiting for my Texas daughter and grandkids to get in tonight for Christmas. Excited about spending some time with them although getting my port in on Wednesday is taking a big chunk of time - at least the chemo is not till after they're gone.

Sloan15

brithael - no, I looked like Uncle Fester from the Adam's Family when I was bald! Haha. Hair suits me (and I LOVED Paper Moon!)

Sloan15

Sloan15

Does anyone have "tender to the touch" skin on their surgery side arm? It's like the skin hurts, not in armpit nor anywhere near the scars, but on my bicep on the outside of my arm. I was wondering if this was my LE since the arm can hurt or feel swollen and full with LE, but all I can say is that a patch of skin hurts if I touch it.

LoveMyVizsla

Sloan, YES! Wacky arm pain. I don't think it is LE though, at least not in my case. It is getting better, but still there.

These sports bras are annoying me. They keep riding up and onto my incision. Anybody have advice on when it is okay to go back to underwire? My incision runs north south from the bottom of my breast up to the areola. Thanks

meme2006

Haven't been on in a while. Thank the Lord I chilled out and I am feeling somewhat better about my funky, square, half a boob! I will def listen to all you ladies advice and give it some time before I decide what steps I will take. Went to my post op Thursday and my re-incision pathology came back all clear!! No cancer in any of the tissue Woohoo!! Very excited to have an appointment tomorrow for PT for the cording on my arm. Its progressively gotten worse. It is painful!! It runs from my underarm all the way to my wrist now. Praying they can fix me up so I can stretch my arm out! Met with my radiation oncologist last week and I go on Dec 31 for my sims (I think that's the name of it) for radiation to begin in January. I read where some of you posted that radiation made the treated breast shrink. Is this the norm for most people? I hope everyone that had surgery over the last few weeks are healing well and that everyone on here is having a wonderful week

octogirl

Meme, yay for the good results on the re-incision! Woohoo and congrats on that! I noticed you are on the Winter Rads Board now too and look forward to following along with you. (I started rads about a week ago).

Apparently the rads do cause shrinkage for some but I've also read that the opposite can be true, that the radiated breast can actually end up larger, especially if one gets LE. Again, I think probably best to wait and see...mine hasn't shown any shrinkage.

The cording sounds like a real pain (Literally). Be sure the RO techs know about it when you go for sims so they can take it into account in how they place you for the treatment.

Hugs,

Octogirl

614

Have you tried a bra that closes in the front?  That may be better than the bra that you are using.  You need to find a heavy duty girdle type bra that closes in the front.  That will help.  That is what I used.  I had the breast reduction/lift along with my double lumpectomy so it sounds like my scars were the same as yours.  Mine was a medical bra that I borrowed from my cousin.

Good luck!

Yes, my breast shrunk from the radiation but my plastic surgeon figured that into my surgery.  My breasts look great now.  Woohoo.

Melclarity

Hi Meme and Octogirl,

Love reading this thread, I find it really comforting though am a newbie!

Im currently being treated for a recurrence, just finished chemo, but have had 2 lumpectomies first in 2011 and june of this year. I had radiation treatment for DCIS in 2011, so therefore I am not able to get radiation again this time. Radiation was accumulative, I found it no problem, was unlucky at the end with severe burn, BUT not everyone gets that. Definite shrinkage BUT honestly I find its quite minimal, and not something that anyone else would have noticed. I think if anything, the breast became more dense and hard, its just different. You girls will blitz through it!

Sloan love that Uncle Fester....OMG thats the exact same picture I sent to a friend as how I feel I still look LOL...I only wear my blonde wig when I had something on or had to work..LOL

Musosgirl

I took a shower! I was actually cleared to do so last Friday, but birthday preparation and partying took precedence. Only so much energy. Plus, DH preferred he be close by and those musicians are busy this time of year. rolling eyes. I am positive I overdid it this weekend--my lumpectomy incisions are hurting tonight. I am worried about trying to wrap presents, but other than minimal baking (that I may make DH do) and the wrapping, I am ready for Christmas. My sister offered to run errands for me tomorrow--very grateful!

In addition to the pain, the swelling is back up. It does not feel good to put my arm down close to my side. My range of motion has been really great, but full extentions--especially in the kitchen--are tough. Doing my exercises-mostly. I am hoping the shower washed most of the surgerical gunk away--I am supposed to cover the incisions with vasoline before showering and not actually wash them, but I stood under the water a good long while.

It's been 10 days and there are times I second guess the reduction. I have no desire to repeat this recovery process on the good side in the spring. DH says I'll change my mind--and there won't be the lumpectomy/SNB. 614, maybe you can encourage me...

I am still limited to acetaminaphen, but any other suggestions for healing would be appreciated. The stretches, resting, resting some more...

keepwalking

Hello everyone. I have been busy lately getting ready for all the family coming this week and next, but reading the thread and just love the discussions! Nothing happening on the BC front right now for me - just waiting for my meeting with RO on Wednesday.

Sloan - Love the hair!!! You look great and can't imagine you ever looked like Fester I'm with ChiSandy - you could get away with this look forever.

Yes, I also have weird feelings in affected side arm. Sometimes just above the elbow on the outside, when I touch it it feels like I must have really banged the heck out of the arm, but I don't remember doing anything and there is no bruise. The arm is also just perceptibly achey a lot of the time, from the hand up past the elbow. One night last week I had done a lot of scrubbing during the day (and I really am not coordinated enough with my left arm to scrub, no matter how hard I try) I felt a thin, hard cord running through the armpit area that is not there on the good side. It sort of freaked me out. I rubbed it, and stretched the next day, and it seemed to go away (except right now I can feel it a little).

I can't believe that it would be LE - I only had one node removed and haven't even had rads yet! But it is something that is always in the back of my mind.

Meme - Congratulations on the great path report!

ChiSandy - Thanks for the virtual tour! Love hearing about your adventures. Enjoy!!!

Hoping a good day for all. HUGS!!

meme2006

Thanks octogirl and keepwalking! I will also be following you in the Winter Rads Board.

Melclarity sorry you are going through this again (Hugs!!) Hooray on finishing chemo! I'm still a newbie on here and don't post too much, but so thankful I found this site. I receive so much encouragement and comfort reading all the post.

MJS1266

Keepwalking, You probably have cording which is somewhat common after lymph node surgery. Go to a PT and they will massage it away. I'll warn you though it is not a relaxing massage but it will fell better when the cord is gone. I had a particularly stubborn cord and my arm would be bruised sometimes after the massage. Also be careful about repetitive movements like scrubbing or vacuuming could increase your risk for LE especially so close to your surgery. After over six months, I have started to do some cleaning but try to alternate between left and right, it is definitely challenging with the left but you get better the more you use it. Happy Holidays! MJ

keepwalking

MJS - Thank you for the info and the wake up call. I should really try to be more careful. I have always been stubborn in the area of doing things for myself, but hopefully I can learn to be patient enough to train my left hand.

Happy holidays to everyone this week.

Catfurr

Keepwalking--I think SNB's should come with more warnings!! I was hospitalized because mine was swollen, infected and causing a temp. Drs tried to say they didn't think it was the cause, but it was much better after 4 days of iv antibiotics! That was at 4weeks post op!! Will see a LE Therapist next week👍

Sloan- you're 2 wks ahead of me on hair growth! Looks good! I wasn't expecting it to hurt a little coming in😳 It's very soft tho! Yes, my arm , inside between elbow and underarm, feels ulta sensitive, kinda like a sunburn. I'm using Triple B cream everywhere!!

Started Herceptin only tx on the 10th (admitted to hospital that night with infection and neutropenia. Developed mouth sores and the neuropathy is back? So guess it's not going to be as easypeasy as I thought 😒 Thinking ice during infusionmight help, can't hurt!

Radiation started today. I'll be very glad to get this part of the triathlon over with!! Praying for minimal SE's!!!

Never thought my oldest son and I would have matching haircuts😄

Sloan15

catfurr - That is an adorable picture! You can tell he loves his mom.

PontiacPeggy

CatFur, you look so cute! Sorry that the herceptin looks to be challenging. Damn! I hope you sail through rads like I did. Virtually no SEs, just a teeny bit of color that looked more like a faint tan. You have too much going on. (P.S. DH is cute!

HUGS!