Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Lovinggrouches

MJS, thanks! Hope you are well!

Sandy, you are one serious coffee lady! My husband collects antique coffee grinders and will only buy beans and it's something we do together every week or two. Wish I could stay on low carb, is the fastest way to lose weight, but I can't stand to eat a lot of meat. Lots of protein physically makes me ill. It sure would be great to stick to since I'm diabetic!

Peggy, hope the move goes well!!! Thanks so much for being the rock for so many others!

HUGS to all!!!

Molly50

Grazyand Sandy, thank you for the compliment. It was an act of courage to wear the dress. I have not worn anything fitted or tight since my mx. I am not even but figured what the hell, why not just wear it.

LG, they put you in weird positions during surgery plus your abdominal muscles have been cut so the backache is understandable. Try taking ibuprofen in between your pain meds. Another thing that many women find helpful for constipation is warm prune juice. I also bought a squatty potty for positioning but you could use a step stool.

Molly50

Peggy, hopefully it's simple fixes. It's so nice that you know who will live in your home. When we sold our first house we fell in love with the buyers. They are still there and have taken great care of it.

Molly50

Also LG, just remember that everyone recovers at their own pace and some of those ladies in your recovery thread may have setbacks if they do too much. One day at a time!!

tsoebbin

LG... not certain it was me that shared the hystersisters site first but they were a huge help when post op for me. I volunteered as chat room moderator back when they offered that and saw many women that has abdominal hysterectomy... but that was over 15 years ago so the laparoscopy surgery must be much more popular now!

Peggy... looking forward to your arrival! It's beautiful here today!

Molly... I'm looking forward to losing weight and being able to look good in a dress like that!

Moondust and poodles... love concerts. Never seen the Monkees but I've seen Bruce several times... great memories!!

Have a great week!

Traci

Katzpjays

Stillme-I am still pretty numb between my lumpectomy and SNB scars. My surgery was 4/5. Not unusual from what I have been told.

Molly -love the picture! You must be so proud of your daughter!

Moondust - just keep eating whatever sounds good. You'll be coming into the best period between treatments soon. May your appetite return!

LG- wth with the huge incision??? So sorry you're having a rough go if it. HUGS...

Molly50

goodness you are all so sweet and doing my poor ego some good today!

Lovinggrouches

Molly, thanks for the advice! I actually thought about a squatty potty a while back, but thought my husband would laugh at me for buying one lol! I did think about the prune juice. May have the hubby pick some up today. I'm glad you ventured out to wear a dress. I haven't worn one in more than 10 years, cause I look plain awful in any I try on. Short and dumpy don't look well in a dress. Lol!

Katz, don't know why the huge incision, but I've been told the bikini cut is easier to heal than the cut from your navel down? I know I had build-up in uterus and large cyst on ovary, so maybe that's why?

Hugs to all!!!

PontiacPeggy

LG, You're welcome. It's nice to be able to pay back to this site which has given me so much support.

Molly, turns out the fixes needed are quite easy (just throw a bit of money at them). Just need to get them done ASAP. It is rather nice to have a family where you've seen the girl grow up buy the house. And she's so appreciative.

Traci, I'm coming. I'm coming. I'm coming!!!! Even transferred from NextDoor.com here in Pontiac to NextDoor.com at Five Mile Prairie. My house is a total disaster - boxes everywhere, stuff to pack all over. Wondering if all the stuff I plan to put in the minivan will actually fit. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Thinking of all the ladies here and hoping you have a great week!

HUGS!

ChiSandy

T-shirt dresses are my go-to whenever it's warm enough not to have to wear pantyhose--Old Navy, Eikeen Fisher, Roaman's and even Travelsmith (whose are more suitable for business and visiting religious sites if you buy them modestly-cut) make flattering ones in petite-plus sizes. Easier and more versatile than pants or shorts & tops.

Brithael can chime in on this, but when we were recovering from our knee replacement surgeries and weaning off opioids and tramadol, the founder and chief moderator of Bonesmart.org (who is an orthopedic surgery nurse in the UK) advocated using what she called the "Bonesmart Cocktail:" 1000 mgacetaminophen and 400-600 mg ibuprofen, if your gut can handle NSAIDs. It might be your transition med after any surgery when bleeding is no longer a danger.

fightergirl711

Good morning everyone! Although I don't post often, I check this board every day and love to read updates. This community is very special, I love watching the friendships that are formed here.

I was wondering, has anyone here have a re-excision and/or and ALND after chemo, and still have traces of cancer? Or on the other hand, achieve pcr? I had a re-excision and ALND last Tuesday, and will get path results by tomorrow, and I'm a nervous wreck that despite a lot of drugs there still will be cancer floating around. Rads aren't until July, and I still have months ahead of Herceptin, so there is treatment ahead. But I can't help thinking the worst case scenario. Of course, while waiting after the initial lumpectomy last winter I wasn't that concerned, I was initially told that the tumor was less than 1 cm likely without node involvement (after five rounds of imaging), so you can imagine why my expectations are now in check (and why I decided to change medical teams after that!)

Thanks!

Lovinggrouches

Fighter, that's the worst possible thing to go through - the waiting and not knowing!!!!! Prayers for you that everything comes out a okay!!!!!!!!

PontiacPeggy

Fighter, your apprehension is quite understandable after being blindsided by the path report after your lx. Keeping in mind that nothing in medicine is 100%, think positive. You've had chemo and that likely took care of things. We'll right here for you. You don't want to start rads right after your ALND so don't be concerned about the delay. You need to be able to (fairly) comfortably have your arm above your head for 10 minutes for each treatment. Please let us know what you find out. Crossing fingers, toes and eyes that that path report is stellar!!!

HUGS!

mustlovepoodles

LG, when my kids were little I used to put a thick book under their feet while they were on the potty. I bet that would work for you, too.

I just remembered something we used to do in the hospital to help with constipation. I used to work on a post-partum floor and just about everyone had trouble pooping after giving birth. We used to mix half OJ (w/pulp) with half prune juice, warm it up and follow it with a hot cup of coffee or tea. That cocktail was just about guaranteed to produce! As icky as it sounds, it is sweet and delicious.

tsoebbin

Thanks for sharing your poop juice recipe poodles. I will give that a try before surgery to see how I do with it. I always struggle with constipation and a natural remedy like.that sounds interesting.

fightergirl711

Thank you lovinggrouches and Peggy! Trying to keep myself occupied with work today and lay off searching for different scenarios and medical articles. I've already been down that rabbit hole this weekend, it is not fun and does not help anything! I'll certainly keep you posted.

PontiacPeggy

Fighter, it IS hard to not delve into the dark side. We all understand. Keep busy. No searching. When do you get the path report? Remember, worrying doesn't change a thing: it is what it is. Sometimes being fatalistic helps.

HUGS!

fightergirl711

I had surgery last Tuesday, they said it would take a week for the path report. It could very well be today or tomorrow. A friend of mine with a similar diagnosis had surgery after chemo, they did find more cancer, and she's three years out doing great. Just need to remember to roll with the punches that come, and if there is no cancer, I can roll with that too. I just like moving FORWARD to get this all behind me!

PontiacPeggy

Fighter, that's what we call want - get rid of the cancer and return to our new lives!

HUGS!

Molly50

In your pocket, fightergirl

fightergirl711

Thank you Molly!

Sharing this video with the group - this was published on the NYTimes site last week. I've watched it three times today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cARm1hPqHgg

Molly50

Thank you for sharing that fightergirl! That is really powerful.

PontiacPeggy

That was awesome!

HUGS!

Lovinggrouches

Poodles, love your poop juice recipe too! Lol! Will have to try it!

Fighter, such a powerful video! Describes everything perfectly! In your pocket as everyone here has been in mine. Some days, when no one else could understand my constant worry, fears, depression, crying - someone here always did and would give me encouraging words. No one but someone who has gone through it, will understand what that little bit of encouragement means! Even when it's all over, then starts the worry of, "did they get it all?" "Are they going to find more on the next test?" We will forever be changed, but I'm trying to learn to live in the moment, do all I can to reduce my chances of recurrence, and move on with life to enjoy every moment of it that I can! HUGS!!!!!

tsoebbin

Thanks for sharing fightergirl. It was beautiful.

fightergirl711

Thank you Peggy, Molly, LG, EVERYONE - so much! It's true, it fascinates me how much a community is as much as part of the HEALING as the treatment. My friend who I mentioned earlier always reminds me that moments like this just informs the next step. (She also reminded me that they found cancer after her chemo treatment and she is still here in all her glory!) Talking about it makes the waiting and the coping so much easier indeed.

PontiacPeggy

Fighter, the support, information and just being friends found here is priceless. I can't imagine another site like this one. And the support (as you probably have gathered) isn't just for BC. They helped me through my husband's last year which was awful and then his death. I've "travelled" to Europe, South Carolina and many other places through the gals here. I know about creepy dolls, poop concoctions, coffee and lots of other things that I never thought about learning. And I LOVE IT!!

You'll do fine. Listen to your friend!

HUGS!

fightergirl711

Oh I saw the creepy dolls. I still have that same Raggedy Ann that's in that picture, she was my favorite growing up!

PontiacPeggy

Fighter, we love distractions and those dolls certainly provided that! Hope yours isn't as creepy

HUGS!

tbalding

Started 1 of 21 rads today. No tats yet, just more markings and tape. They told me they like to make sure everything is settled before tattooing. Maybe in a couple of days. Took about 30 minutes while they made sure everything set up. I kept my eyes shut & just concentrated on breathing & relaxing & not moving. Almost went to sleep. They gave me Phytoplex nourishing skin cream to apply 3 times a day. Go back in morning for 2nd treatment. Going to exercise class in a few minutes. Going to try to keep it up as long as I can. Peggy, marker is bleeding on my clothes just like you warned me. I feel very prepared thanks to everyone here.

Thinking of you all & sending hugs! Hope you all had a good day