Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

ChiSandy

Welcome, ....stillme. Yup, that was my post-op experience exactly. Any reason why they’re waiting till your surgeon follow-up to give you final path report (i.e., actual tumor size, node and margin status)? Even a week seems somewhat long--I got mine in 5 days (which included a weekend). BTW, I went to law school in south Tacoma (Univ. of Puget Sound, before the law school was bought by Seattle U.).

040716stillme

Thank you for the reassurance. I am a little frustrated that I have to wait for the path report until Tuesday. I was told prior to my surgery that I would get a call with results Wednesday or Thursday this week so I did call yesterday and the nurse said that the surgeon will have my results when I come in on Tuesday. Oh well, just more waiting, I would like to know but i'm not going to let it get to me.

I grew up a block away from UPS and now live about a mile away. What a beautiful campus.

PontiacPeggy

StillMe, Welcome! We're sorry you're here but glad you found us. We're warm, caring, comforting, informative, supportive and a bit nuts. You might call your BS and tell her of your concerns. If nothing else, he can reassure you that all is well or tell you what to do. BTW, that SLNB site is a lot more bothersome than the lumpy area (on the whole). Those are probably zingers in your underarm. The nerves were disturbed, cut, annoyed and in turn annoy you. It rarely hurt but if I wore a top with smallish armholes it would get irritated. Make sure you do the stretching exercises your BS told you to do for that arm. My breast was never numb - just the underarm.. I got a mild infection that I caught very early and started on antibiotics. So don't hold off calling.

HUGS!!

040716stillme

Peggy thank you for the advice. I just got off the phone with the nurse and she said it's most likely the healing process but had me draw a line where the skin color changes just to make sure that it isn't an infection that's spreading. So now I have a line of blue ink on my breast that I need to keep an eye on, haha. I have been doing the exercises and they seem to help. The sports bras that I have hit right above the incision site so I'm sure thats part of the irritation but I tried not wearing one a couple of days ago and was very uncomfortable.

PontiacPeggy

StillMe, glad you called! Now you can monitor any changes. I'm sorry that your sports bra isn't working. I'm very hazy about what I wore for the first couple weeks post-surgery because my husband was very bad and I'm was busy helping him up and down and down and up, repeat endlessly. I do know that by 4 weeks out I was going braless and did most of the time through rads. But I'm small. If you are more shapely that likely isn't an option for you. Oh, I remember what I wore: Genie bras. They worked well for me. Take it easy and don't overdo.

HUGS!

ChiSandy

UPS is a gorgeous campus. I remember getting good pizza near there at the Cloverleaf Tavern. Unfortunately, the Law School was nowhere near it--we were sorta the University’s “redheaded stepchild," When I--and it-- started in Sep. 1972, it was located in two flimsy buildings (2-story classroom/library building and a tool-shed-on-steroids for offices) at the Benaroya Business Park in South Tacoma, across from the Beef & Brew and a KFC-IHOP. Behind us was an auto-electrics shop and a guy who raised peacocks (which during mating cycles would emit bloodcurdling screeches--especially effective during Sat. morning Criminal Law classes in our unit on homicide). We were less than a mile n.--and in the direct flight path--of McChord AFB; it was the height of the Nixon era, and whenever we had a liberal speaker (e.g., Gerry Spence, Bill Kunstler, Tom Hayden), they’d choose that time to bench-test jet engines or practice short-range takeoffs & landings. A mile or so to our north along S. Tacoma Way was the music store where the owner’s son used to change my guitar strings....the kid’s name was Robert Cray; and of course the huge ‘B&I” discount store, home of Ivan the Gorilla and up front, greeting visitors inside a glassed-in cage, Chucky the Monkey, who looked utterly miserable and understandably stir-crazy. I remember a huge stir back then when Ivan kept rejecting potential paramours, since he wasn’t getting any younger. One of my fondest memories was in 1974 when our evening summer session Legal Ethics prof (who, to his later consternation, had been Watergate conspirator Egil Krogh’s Ethics prof at UW) wheeled a TV into the classroom and we watched Nixon resign. We then all--faculty, staff & students--went over to the Beef & Brew, shot pool, and got happily drunk. Those of us who lived in Seattle were allowed to sleep it off in the student lounge.

In the early ‘90s, it moved to an abandoned office building in downtown Tacoma. In 1994, UPS decided it wanted to concentrate on being strictly liberal-arts, with the only graduate programs being in music and literature. Seattle U. had just started a business school and was looking to offer a 6-year MBA/JD program, and the UW wasn’t interested in affiliating (I think state universities couldn’t affiliate with faith-based ones anyway, and SU is Jesuit). So for two draft choices and a player to be named later, SU bought UPS’ law school. Bill Gates had donated the funds for UW’s law school building Condon Hall, so rival Larry Ellison endowed SU’s building on the SU campus. I attended the dedication in 1999--it made Condon Hall look like a prairie schoolhouse. Every seat was wired for high-speed internet (both in classrooms and library carrels), it boasted the largest law library in the state, housed a full-service legal aid clinic with a separate entrance from the street, and the courtrooms and offices for the King/Pierce/Snohomish County HQ of the state Court of Appeals.

PontiacPeggy

Sandy, that's quite the tale of PSU Law School. A very interesting time in our history, too. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

HUGS!

ChiSandy

As for bras post-surgery, they sent me home in a size XL surgical bra that smooshed me six ways from Sunday. I am very large-busted, so I couldn’t go braless, nor does Genie or Coobie make bras in my cup size. So I went online (HerRoom.com and BareNecessities.com) and found that Leading Lady makes front-close knitted leisure/sleep bras in up to an F/G/H size for only a little more than Genies or Coobies. As a 38I, I bought a 40 F/G/H in various colors (even leopard!). I also found that in a pinch, I could wear 42DDD or 44DD in non-wire Playtex or Bali--they didn’t support, but at least they “contained.” I was allowed 4 wks post-op to go back to my regular underwires, because neither my lumpectomy nor SNB incisions got in the way. I was even able to wear them through radiation treatments because I had targeted partial-breast rads and the underwires weren’t in the radiation field. I still wear the Leading Lady bras for sleep.

040716stillme

Sandy, I love the UPS story! Had no idea they had a separate law school campus. As kids we would ride our bikes and run around all through the University campus. Cloverleaf pizza is still in the same spot on 6th avenue and their pizza is still just as greasy and delicious. The B&I still stands, it is pretty run down and I haven't been there in several years.

As for the bra situation, I am a small D cup and do have a couple of coobies but they don't feel as good as the sports bras as far as support.

HappyHammer

So....got my first "haircut" since May 28, 2015.  Still sporting a "pixie cut"...but, just in past few weeks have realized hair is much thicker- yep...Herceptin def slowed hair re-growth and am finally finished with all of the infusions as of May 5. Though eyebrows are still not "all in" (nor, lashes) ...am feeling much better about the whole hair thing.  It IS most often the little things!

Hugs all around.

PontiacPeggy

HH, how wonderful! Glad your hair is coming in thicker. Are you feeling "well" now? Hopefully your eyebrows and lashes will return and look gorgeous!

HUGS!

mustlovepoodles

Creepy ass baby dolls

mustlovepoodles

Okay, by a show of hands, how many of you would buy one of those doll babies at the thrift store for your little girl?

...Yeah, that's what I thought...

tbalding

titak, I went through similar situation. 1st surgery, bs did not get clean margins. She warned me ahead of time that it could happen , but I was still very disappointed. I had to wait about 4 weeks for incision to heal and have a re-excision. She got it all the second time. Hang there , it's very frustrating all the waiting.

Poodles, tiki-bird is so cute!

stillme, I have funny sensations from the SLN site too. Incision site is little sore, but I hardly notice it. I feel it more in underarm and armpit. Some places are numb while other areas feel sore and bruised. Plus when I raise my arm it pulls in my armpit area. My RO told me that is normal and to keep doing my stretches.

tbalding

Poodles, you're right, creepy. Looks like Chuckie

HH, congratulations on the haircut

PontiacPeggy

Poodles, I might buy the Raggedy Anne but I wouldn't touch the others with a 10 ft pole. Creepy is definitely right. Glad YOU have them

HUGS!

Sloan15

HH - yay! That is such a milestone!

Stillme- make sure you are wearing tight wraps or bras to keep the swelling down. Also, make sure you don't have a fever or hotness in your breast. Sometimes cellulitis or lymphedema presents like you describe. More likely, though, it's just swelling that you need too keep under control so your lymph system can heal. Good luck.

Tiktak- I'm so sorry for your stress. Many many women on this site had cancer in tbe margins and the docs had to go back in. Stay strong! It's not a bad thing they saw the margins. Remember, it's a good thing that we have the technology to see those cells now so they can be removed. Try thinking of it like that and your entire experience becomes more hopeful. Did they take out lymph nodes? Did you get the pathology back? The more details you give us the more we know how to support you. We have come so far with cancer care. Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. Sometimes I'm still shocked, but I know the science is good. This site and these ladies will help so much. You can do this.

Grazy

I haven't been on here in ages, tune in and see these creepy baby dolls. Oh. My. God. WTH. lol

PontiacPeggy

Grazy, Hi! You picked the perfect time to come visit - just to see Poodles creepy dolls!!

HUGS!!!

Sloan15

I have tons of plums from my tree, and I just made the best plum crumble for my sons.

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, nice!! My girlfriend in Portugal has been making cakes and jams like crazy. Her apricot trees went into overdrive and she's given tons away but still has more than enough to make her sorry she has the danged trees. She hates to waste the fruit so she cans and bakes.

HUGS!!

Moondust

Sloan, YUMMMMMM!! Those are looking good to me even though I haven't been very hungry! Warm crumble with whipped cream is really speaking to me right now.

Poodles, OMG! Sell them at Halloween!

HH, congrats on the hair cut! What a great return to normal!

Molly50

creepy dolls are very creepy, except Raggedy Ann. She has a soft spot in my heart. Tiktak, welcome. Sorry about the Dirty margins. Poodles your pup is sweet. HH, Hooray for hair! Sloan that looks yummy. Peggy, I hope you get the house sale closed soon.

My oldest graduated from college today. Cum laude at that! BS in Electrical Engineering.

Terrible picture of me.

PontiacPeggy

Molly, you're pretty! That is terrific about your oldest graduating cum laude. You have to be so darned proud!!! Nothing yet on the the appraisal. I'm pulling my hair out.

HUGS!

mustlovepoodles

LOL, Grazy.  My mother is trying valiantly to downsize and it isn't going well. She is very attached to absolutely everything. She found the doll babies up in the attic, where they have been for over 40 years (I'm 59.) I tried to get her to throw them out and she would have none of that. She wanted me to take them to the thrift store because "somebody will buy them." Uh, I don't think so!  In the end, I decided to bring them home with me so she wouldn't have to see me throw them away. In the meantime, I have had a lot of fun hiding them around the house and scaring the daylights out of my DH and DS.

Oh, and the Raggedy Ann doll isn't very nice in person. It's torn, nappy, and really dirty. It's just that the other dolls look sooooo much worse that Raggedy Ann looks good by comparison.

octogirl

Yep, those are creepy all right. Funny thing is though, unlike some of you I think Raggedy Ann is the most creepy!

Molly, congrats! And I am with Peg: pretty pic!

Sloan, I have tons (and I mean that almost literally. well, ok, at least several hundred!) of plums on my tree also. I'd love your recipe!

Peggy, sorry the appraisal is such a hassle! Hang in there.

Hugs to all

Octogirl

PontiacPeggy

Poodles, I think it's the eyes on the dolls that make them so creepy. By comparison Raggedy Ann looks "normal."

I'm glad I don't have fruit trees. I don't can and only bake at Christmas. Never have canned a thing. I'm glad you gals do

HUGS!!!

Italychick

omg, the one in the middle is the stuff nightmares are made of

Grazy

Poodles, I'm just three years younger than you and I think I had that Raggedy Ann doll! Mine looked just like that except she had a cute little dress and apron. She ended up falling apart sometime in my 20s and I had to throw her out. The crazy-eyed dolls though, well, they're something alright. haha! I'd definitely keep them for Halloween! Hiding them around the house is totally my sense of humor - I could keep that going for a year with my family - lol!!.

I've missed so much on here that it would take me the entire weekend to read through all the posts since I was last here. I just finished radiation a week ago and am sailing along (so far) with Arimidex. Occasional hot flashes, but I'd had those for about four or five years anyway; they had started to wane, but they've now returned. Oh well, I'm used to the sensation so they're not throwing me off - life seems pretty darn good at the moment! Best to everybody!

Molly50

Congratulations on finishing rads, Grazy. Did you ring a bell?