August 2014 Surgery

ml143333

Good Monday morning all of you beautiful sisters!

Congratulations to all that are healing. 

Comforting vibes to those of us having surgery this week.

I am so happy to have found this group.  We are able to laugh, cry, joke and ask serious questions and I am thankful for that.

Today is a sad day in our household.  We have to put our beloved friend, Kheelan, our 5 year old mastiff down.  He is too sick to carry on and in too much pain.  The kids (Brandon is 13, Hannah is 12 and Kyra is 19) are devastated but at least understand that he can't continue this way.  Is you could say an extra prayer for my kids, mu husband and Kheelan I would really appreciate it.

Thank you for all for being such a wonderful support group!

iwannaseeyoubebrave

ML, I'm so sorry about your beloved Kheelan. Our pets become part of our families and it's difficult to say goodbye to them. May he rest in peace. 

((HUGS))

Juliecc

ML, I'm really sorry about Kheelan.   Take care.

SunnyC

ml143333,

I am so very sorry.  Our furry kids have such a special place in our families.  Hugs and prayers to you, your husband and your children.

Milaandra

Sassy-fab news! What therapy did they have you on?

Has anyone received their rads schedule yet? I'm trying to figure out what I can expect. Hopefully chemo won't be part of the equation. 

I get my bone and CT scan results on Wednesday...hoping for good results.

bobogirl

Hey you guys!  I'm so glad to "see" you and I have been thinking about you.  Ally, your news about the clear pathology made me so happy!  And... your TMI about the constipation was very welcome, since I have been in the same boat.  That's what I've been doing.  I nearly had to go to the ER!  Not to put too fine a point on it.  I think I will leave it there.

Still have a few more pages to read -- and we've got more of August to get through -- but wanted to write and say I will be cheering for those who are up this week. XXXOOO

bobogirl

Saying a prayer for Kheelan right now! XXXXX

shewolfpg

Genny- yes I will be getting radiation and not sure on implants or the flap. Haven't decided how much pain I want to go through. 

But I did find out that I start Chemo this Wednesday. I will be getting the strong stuff ever other week for 16 weeks. Can't remember the name of the stuff yet but I will soon. Had to change physical therapy around to work around chemo. Maybe one day I will be able to lift my left arm properly again.

Thumper004

Hi Ladies

This post is long over due.  My BMX with Free Tram was 8/7.  I went in with a strong positive attitude which I think helped the whole process.  Surgery was 14 hours because my right valve wasn't cooperating but my amazing surgeon stayed and made sure it was flowing well.  I was shocked when I woke up and asked what time it was and the nurse told me 10:30 pm when I went into surgery at 7:30.  My perforators didn't allow for a DIEP hence the muscle sparing Free Tram.  The hospital staff was wonderful.  I couldn't have asked for better care.  I had a large private room which was great because my husband stayed the whole time.  I have been Type 1 diabetic since childhood so I wanted him there to make sure my blood sugars were being watched closely so my healing wasn't compromised.  I was up the next day walking the hall (thanks to pain meds!!).  Cath out second day and was able to shower.  Went home 8/10 in the AM.  I did have pain in the bends of my arms from being out on the table so long.   I don't know yet how many nodes they took but they were clean and my surgeon called to say the rest of the pathology was clean too.  Woohoo!!  Two of my most helpful items were pink pockets that stick into your pj tops to hold drains (I had three drains, two out after two weeks and will get the abdominal drain out on Wed this week); and a lift chair that I purchased to help after surgery.  I slept in my lift chair for almost two weeks then was finally able to sleep in my bed.  This morning was the first morning I was able to sit up and get out of bed by myself (yay for small victories along the way!).  I've been able to wash my own hair since the first shower. The whole recovery so far has gone way better than I had imagined.  The worst was the constipation.  I was taking stool softener, milk of magnesia and had the worst 48 hours of my life.  The pain from the surgery was nothing compared to the pain from constipation!  I have to say the emotional pain of seeing what I look like was hard....lots of tears when I have been a rock this entire process.  But I have faith everything will heal well and my PS will work her magic in revision surgery and make them pretty.  I see my doctor on Thursday to go thru the pathology report.  My disability insurance only approved 6 weeks off versus the 8 that I requested, but I will be ready to go back to work after 6 weeks. 

Thanks so all who've shared helpful items.  I felt very prepared thanks to all of you. ;-)

Continued prayers for all the August Surgery Sisters, especially those of you up this week!!  Gentle hugs to each of you!!  Kick some C butt!!

Lipgloss - LOVE your toes!  So cute!  I painted mine Big Apple Red. 

Allydp - glad to hear you are doing well and praying you get all those drains out fast!  

Sunshine - glad you are home healing!

Sunflowercat

hi all!  I'm checking in from home.  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  After my Friday post things went sideways pain wise at the hospital.  Long story short, my day nurse was terrible and I had to get the hospitals' patient advocate involved.  I'm much more comfortable at home (on steady pain meds). I've been using ice packs under my armpits where the drains were causing a lot of pain and also have a cryo cuff draped across my chest.  I think the ice has really helped with swelling and lessening the discomfort.  I did get to see them today and they look better than I thought.  Still not pretty, though. 

Ganz - your puppy is too cute.  

ML - I'm so sorry about Kheelan.  

Lipgloss - those toes are awesome! I may have to show it to my nail guy. ;-)

Allydp - good luck with your drains being removed.  I lowered my pain meds this morning bcuz I had been feeling good...well had I known my PS was gonna rip the drains out Today I would have kept the dose higher!  It actually wasn't too bad. Only lasted for a few seconds.  I thought my hubs was gonna puke by the look on his face! Hahaha!  Oh and don't be jealous of my blow outs.  I have to get a girlfriend to come over every time I need my ponytail fixed.  

Sunshine 36 - congrats on your clear nodes!  That's awesome news!  I'm won't hear anything till my BS is back on Wednesday.  I'm so impatient!  The waiting is the hardest part.  

Good luck to those of you having surgery this week.  I hope it all goes well. (And that you have great nurses!)

Allydp

Ml - my heart is breaking for you and your family right now. Saying goodbye to our pets is absolutely devastating. Please know you gave Kheelan the absolute best life he could ask for, and was lucky to have been a part of your family. You are all in my prayers. xo

Milaandra - I have an appointment with my rad onc next week to get the tattoos and run through simulation. I'll be getting my schedule then, but as I understand it, I'll be going 5 days a week for 5-6 weeks. Keep us posted on your scan results, too.

Bobo - there you are! I've been wondering how you're hanging in! So sorry to hear about your "no go" situation. If you haven't tried milk of magnesia, I highly recommend it. It was actually Susan's suggestion to me a few days back. It was a lifesaver!

Shewolf - I'm thinking of you as you gear up to start chemo in the next couple days. I know it's extremely scary and unfathomable, but I promise, it's doable. A few of us here have been down the chemo road, so please ask any questions you might have. I'd also encourage you to join your month's thread on the chemo board. I never did, but have heard the ladies over there are awesome. 

Thumper - so great to hear from you! My goodness, it sounds like you've been through quite a lot, but have been such a trooper! I'm so glad to hear the hospital staff was on top of everything and took such good care of you. A few of us have mentioned the initial shock of seeing ourselves, so please know you're not alone in that. And unfortunately, you're not alone in the constipation department either. Yes, it's agony! Keep us posted on how you do over the next couple days. Sending you gentle hugs. 

Sunflower - congrats on your successful sx! So sorry about your ornery nurse, but glad you were able to get everything worked out. Hope things continue to go well at home. Keep us posted! 

Well, I ended up getting 4 of 6 drained removed today! It feels awesome now, but holy cow, it was terribly painful. I hate to say that as I certainly don't want to scare anyone, but I think my situation was little different since I had so many - and they removed them all at the same time. Plus, mine were quite long, as well. But the relief I feel now is totally worth it! Once I get these last 2 out, I feel like I'll be so much further into my recovery. I can't wait! 

Catey and Iwannacookie - wishing you all the very best tomorrow! 

quiltlibrarian

Sunflower sorry to hear about your nurse problem. One day out of surgery and then giving you hassles. Terrible. Great that you got your drain removed already. I might have to wait till Friday. I only have one and that is enough.

I had my first shower yesterday. Boy did it feel great. Tired out after but still great.

Good luck to this weeks Ladies. The waiting is almost over.

ML so sorry about your dog. Hugs.

Hope everyone is healing well and not in pain.

iwannaseeyoubebrave

Catey and Iwannacookie, all the best to you tomorrow!  You lovelies are going to do great! We'll be in your pockets,  cheering for you! 

Lori1967

You all are so brave.....I am still pretty sore after my lumpectomy, I just don't know how you are doing it!!

I started back to work today, so tired But I made it thru. 

Wonderful to read that everyone in August is doing so well!  Very encouraging    Has anyone got their schedules for chemo/rads yet?

I was told 3 weeks to hear from Oncology, but then this is Canada and we wait...

I know now why they use drains, I didn't get them...but I'm sloshing around pretty good, it feels weird and I think that other people can hear it!

Not sure if I mentioned this here or not. My surgery was on the 11th, and on the 14th I lost my brother to sarcoma.He battled it for two years and I will miss him so much.  So my healing has been difficult, my Mom isn't doing well with 2/3 of her children with cancer. Especially when I told her is was grade 3...

ML, sorry to hear about your Kheelan, we love our Daisy and she's been so supportive. He was so young, the kids must be mourning for him.

Catey and Iwannacookie good luck tomorrow and let us all know how you are, I'll be thinking of you. 

ml143333

Well, by this time tomorrow, I will be in surgery!  Scary and exciting at the same time! 

Bobogirl - I hope that your test results will be good ones tomorrow!

Shewolf - I know your chemo starts tomorrow.  Please know that we will all be thinking of you.

Lipgloss - I LOVE your toes!  I was told by my anesthiologist that I couldn't have any paint on my toes or nails.  Boo!  I always have them painted to that will be weird!

Thumper - I am so glad you are home and healing.  Glad to hear your path was good!

Allydp - I am glad most of your drains are out and that you are doing well.  Sorry to hear they were painful to remove, but at least some are gone.

Ganz - Love the puppy!  Pets do make life better sometimes.

Lori - I am sorry to hear that your brother passed away.  You and your family are in my prayers.

 

SunnyC

Good luck to all my surgery week sisters!!  Wishing you all speedy recoveries with low pain.

Take care.

momofthreeswimmers

lipgloss I loved your toes I am in LA too may I ask who is your surgeon? I am choosing one. which center?

Lipglossmommie

momofthree- Dr Senofsky is my breast surgeon and Dr Crisera is my plastic surgeon, I feel like I am in perfect hands. I'll be at Ucla Ronald Reagan Westwood 

Jules_NY

hello beautiful ladies!!!!!

I can't keep up with you guys!!!!! Lol. I am way behind but know I think about you girls everyday!!

Congrats to all with amazing path reports, allydp(woohoo), sassy, ganz( love the pic!) , sunshine, lipgloss (my hubby has RBBB too, love the toes!)and to ml on the neg her2!

Hugs to all going through rough patches...milaandra (I hope you are able to figure something out, I don't know what you do for work but I was able to work through chemo and hope to during rads), ml(so sorry to hear about kheelan)

Psalm sorry you had to find us! 

Shewolf good luck with the chemo! I'm sorry your recovery isn't going so smooth.

Gentle hugs to those still in pain!!!

For me I'm still having a rough time. I still have one drain in 15 days post op and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere soon, the pain under and along my arm from the axillary node dissection is still there, I'm slightly terrified that it will never go away. I feel so awful complaining but I'm kind of reaching my limit. I meet with the RO tomorrow to make plans for my rads but since I still have a drain in I'm guessing we aren't going to be able to schedule anything. Then my follow up with BS is Thursday, I really want to get breast forms soon but that's on hold too, I only have so many shirts that hide the asymmetry. Sorry for the rant, thanks for listening!!

We are are wrapping Aug up quickly!!! Gentle hugs to catey, iwannacookie. Go get em zeeba, ml, sunny, and lipgloss!!! Don't let my experience bring you down!

Xoxo

Jules

cateyz2

Well ladies Ive been home for a couple of hours, but just woke up. Surgery went well, but even with the patch  and numerous doses of

anti-nausea medication I thru up quite a  few times before I was able to leave the hospital. From the little peak I had I really cant tell how they look and of course swelling but I do seem to have a little more cleavage (YAY)and he did remove my mole and sent that to pathology. Go back on Thurs for post up and to remove bandages. So will tak pics of the new girls to compare to the pics I took before surgery this morning and will post then 

bobogirl

Hooray Catey!  You made it!  Throwing up is the worst.  Mean nurses are the worst.  Ally, drains are the worst!  When you have those last two drains out you are going to feel sooo great.

Milk of Magnesia?  I think I had that.  And... everything.

Lori, congrats on going back to work, you are our Canadian rock star.  I am so sorry to hear of your brother.

Is it September yet?  We have had an action-packed month, haven't we?  I think this bad-ass group of August women will probably roll this thread over to September.  XXX

Imheretoo

Hi
Friends, My Quadrantectomy surgery was on the 22nd, I came home on
the 23rd. I did check in to read how you guys are doing, but decided
to wait to answer when I felt less tired. I must say that after
reading about the pain some of you are /have been in, I feel a bit
ashamed to report my experience.... But I'm hoping it can be
encouraging for other small breasted women who have quadrantectomies or
lumpectomies coming up. First of all, my node mapping was totally
no problem! I may have been helped by the fact that my tumor was
not super close to my nipple, and I tend to not have very sensitive
breasts. I only got the radioisotope injection (no blue dye) and all
I felt was the needle stick in the tumor area and the tiniest of
injection sting. I was NOT given any kind of anesthetic cream
before hand. I told the operators that I had been expecting it to
be more painful, and they laughed and said "It's just a little
injection" I did my best to sensitize them to individual patients'
experiences by saying that the pain caused by the mapping injection must
vary person to person, and that they should be aware that some people
really do find it very painful!!!

Also
my 8 AM quadrantectomy surgery and removal of two sentinal nodes was
easy peasy. It just took them about an hour and a half to do.
I wasn't in all that much pain when they brought me back up to my room,
and as of last night (just 2 and 1/2 days after surgery) (don't hate me
girls!!!!!!!) it's almost like they never even cut me!!!! And I'm
not taking ANY pain meds, either! I think what saved me (from
pain, at least) is being very small breasted. So---- there just
wasn't that much tissue there to remove. And, as a consequence, I
didn't produce significant fluids, so NO drains. Now--- That
business about the surgeon not removing a lot of tissue is, of course a
two edged sword that has me concerned--- I'll admit that when surgeon
first told me "Take a look. I wanted to leave you a nice shaped
breast, so I took out only a small amount of tissue around the tumor",
my heart sank to my belly and I couldn't stop myself from blurting out
"Just take out the cancer! Who cares about the breast!!!!" But
he responded with the "in 2014 we don't do things like in the dark ages"
spiel, and I immediately corrected and told him that I know he knows
his job and does it well!. But he did let me understand (without
actually putting it into words) that I have a bit higher probability
than most of not having clear margins... (what worries me more is
if the margins of the small piece he took out are clear but there are
tumor cells a bit farther out, that normally would have been taken out
following what I'd thought was standard quadrantectomy protocol, (I'd read 2 cm on all sides of tumor... which I guess would mean taking out nearly half my breast) .
But local reoccurance can happen to anyone anytime, if a partial
surgery is done. (By the way, my surgeon never gave me a choice of
partial versus full mastectomy. He just told me that I would get a
quadrantectomy) I DO understand his approach, (to avoid giving
possibly unnecessary pain and destruction and healing issues and nerve
damage when a more restricted surgery might to the job-- It's NOT only
because Italian male breast surgeons are tit fixated!) And I
certainly have him to thank for the fact that today I feel like he
didn't even cut me. (And maybe-- but just maybe we'll be seeing
each other again real soon, doc. But that could happen regardless, we
all know this)

I
do have a piece of advice for anyone who, like me, is ordered to check
into the hospital the day BEFORE their surgery day. Especially if
you're the type that deals with the horrible stress of waiting by doing
doing doing. (or perhaps is simply doing doing doing because there is
a ton of stuff to do) Make sure you get a good night of sleep on the night before checking into the hospital. I
wasn't the slightest bit nervous about getting cut (or about the node
mapping) or even about finding out whether or not my nodes are
positive. I was thrilled that after over 3 months of waiting we were
finally taking the first step to getting the bulk of this thing out of
me and opening the way to know the next steps we need to take for
treatment. I was ready to take on and accept anything, and I was UP.
Excited. (And then two mosquitoes came in the room and buzzed
in my ear all night, but that was just an excuse.) I didn't get
one second of sleep on the night before checking into hospital and had
to report to hospital by 8 AM to do node mapping. By afternoon I
had a super bad tension headache that grew and grew to the point of
leading to nausea. I'll spare you the horrible and humiliating
details, but will say that the nurses refused to give me headache
medication until 11 PM, at which point things were way beyond the point
of no-return, and the nausea progressed to vomiting--- repeated-- all
night long vomiting, as I desperately tried to make as little noise as
possible and not disturb other patients. (I feel SO guilty towards my
dear sweet roommate who also had surgery in the morning!!!!!!) And
I'll also say (just because I need the sympathy-- at least on this
matter) that the nurses were totally beastly towards me (because "the
problem is in your breast and you haven't even been operated yet") and
refused to give me an anti-emetic after I told them that I'd vomited 4
times (that I mainly wanted so that I could stop bothering the other
patients!!!!!) and they yelled at me for knocking on the door of the
nurses room to tell them I'd been vomiting and ask If I could by chance
get a medication (I woke them up while they were sleeping in there!!!)
and they told me that I should have instead rung the alarm on the
horrible screaming squwawk box that rings in the hall outside our rooms
(to be absolutely sure to wake up every patient in the department, not
to mention explode my head more) because "this is a hospital after
all!" (When I told them I didn't ring the bell to not disturb the
others, the nurses told me "but you woke us and bothered us anyway when
you knocked on our door!" (?!?!??!?!?!?!??!?! It wasn't THEM I
was concerned abut waking!!!) I eventually did get an IV
anti-emetic after vomit number 6, by then it was nearly morning and
almost time to get anesthetized for surgery. The full details of how
I got treated by the nurses are even worse and more horrible, but it's
off topic so I'll spare you. For sure, If I need to go in for
another surgery, I'm taking a sleeping pill the night before I go in (my
last night at home), and I'm going to bring my own headache meds to
the hospital (even though I'd try to ask permission before actually
using them). Just writing this here in case anyone else can learn
from my experience. (not giving medical advise to you to take
drugs!!!) Even if you feel like you're handling it all OK, you're
likely more stressed than you think and it builds up! sleep sleep
sleep, and if you're at all the "delicate in emotions" type, BE CAREFUL
before the big hospital day!!!!!!!!!!

So--
On to more important things to say: I was thrilled to read that so
many of you have gotten good preliminary or final path results!!

Allydyp WWWOOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOO GIRL!!!!!!!!!! All this stuff
you've submitted yourself to has paid off big time!!!!!! Does this
mean you can skip the scheduled September rads?????? Or do you do it as an "insurance"?

YIPPEE for negative sentinal nodes for Sassy Seven, Ganzgirl, angelfaith4, and Sunshine36,

YAY for clean lumpectomy margins for Sassy Seven,

Psalm34-4
Sorry you'll have to be going back to get more cut out. I hope
that the second surgery goes smoothly and is super successful!!

HER2 NEG status sounding good for Milaandra and ml143333!

I
was very sorry to read about all the physical pain being experienced by
several of our sisters getting mastectomies: Ganzgirl,
Sunflowercat. I hope that's settling down or docs are working to
advise some changes in therapy!!!! And the same for all you other girls that are hurting too!

And
the emotional pain suffered by ML143333 and Lori 967 for the loss of
dear family members in this already stressful and scary time is
heartwrenching!

Quiltlibrarian and Seashore, I'm glad your big surgeries are behind you now, and the pain meds are working for you!

Milaandra!!!!!!!!
I'm very concerned about you working yourself to a super frazzle right
up until surgery!! I wish (hope!) something like the sick leave
donations someone here mentioned can be a possibility for you!! Oh
my!! What a situation!!

Lipglossmom!!!! PHEW!!!!!!!!!! OK--- That scare (that you
could very well have done without!!!) is behind you now. And,
if I'm not misreading the calendar--- you're big surgery is tomorrw!

I'm amazed reading the length of the surgeries undergone by you girls
having BMX and beginnings of reconstruction! Man, You must have
been zonked out on wake-up!!

OK---
I don't know what other specific issues I've overlooked (sorry!!!) but I
do know that right now is the big day for Cateyz2 for a revision
exchange and Iwannacookie for BMX with TE. Hope it goes smoothly
and well girls!!!

Tomorrow
is the biggie for Zeeba , MI143333, SunnyC, and Lipglossmom!!!
SLEEP tonight girls!!!!!!!!! And hope you slept yesterday
too!!!!!!!

Milaandra,
I see you're one of the few other partials in this month's group
besides me. You're going in with the opposite situation of me
(very big you instead of nearly flat me) but I hope you find your
lumpectomy equally almost pain free as mine was!!!!!! (Maybe what
your doc is calling a segmented excision is what my doc calls
quadrantectomy (what I had done). (like taking out a slice of the
pie, as my doc would say?) I hadn't understood when you made your
first post that the segmented excision you referred to involved more
tissue removal than a lumpectomy. I had thought you were describing
something even smaller than a lumpie, that you were able to do because
your tumor is right at surface. I got a look at my scar today (when
they medicated and redressed my surgical wound) and I have a slice that
goes from nearly my nipple to where my breast hits my outer ribs. I
think he took out a slice (segment) and then moved the sides together
(after pushing things around a bit to fix up the form) (So I guess,
when my surgeon said he took a small piece because my breast is small, ,
he meant small in the circumference direction, but that at least the
width was still that of a typical quadrantectomy). The swelling
seems to be already down and breast doesn't look that much different
than how it did before, other than big scar slash (and bandage now, of
course). May all go smoothly for you and I wish you
only ONE surgery with clean margins!!!! And I hope you'll be
bouncing and ready to go back to work soon, and then the path report
will come back showing you don't need chemo after all, so you'll have
extra sick leave to spare!!! (and use during radio...)

Oh wait-- Also Lori 1967 was a lumpie with no drains--- and you're still sore from an August 12 surgery!...!!!      Sorry to read that !!!

Cateyz2-- Welcome home!! Hope once things settle down, you'll see that they turned out great, and hope that soon you can almost forget they're not yours, at least in some situations.

OK----Long enough post!!!! ------GENTLEST OF GENTLE HUGS to all!!!  

Ally2345

Catey- Yea!!!  You are thru the surgery!!  Sorry about the nausea...that is not fun.  Continue to rest and heal...take care!!

Jules-  I so admire your spirit!!  You are dealing with a lot so take a breath when you need to.  We are with you!!

I will try and catch up on all the posts tomorrow.  So sorry to those that have hot some rough patches...you all are such strong ladies. Hang in there!! 

Thinking of you all and sending lots of hugs and the best of wishes as our month winds down. 

Ally2345

quiltlibrarian

wow ladies I have just gone back and read some of the 19 pages of posts and was impressed on how well before during and after surgery, really helped me with my surgery and recovery. I know that I am is only on day 5 , but everything I had questions about has been covered.

I still have not heard what the results are after surgery. Hopefully soon. I have been doing my exercises and stripping my drains, eating proteins, resting when I need it. Feeling more tired than when I first got home and watching the lovely bruise colors changing. Hope that Friday I will get my drain out.

I am glad that most of my sisters are doing well and that August operations are almost gone.

Gentle hugs to all.    

Psalm34-4

I saw my surgeon today and he says he feels like he can go back in with "excision" and get clear margins. He did say if margins do not come back clear, we will do mastectomy. He said he could do one now, but feels confident with the breast conservation surgery. Scheduled for Friday, 29th, exactly 2 weeks after my initial lumpectomy. I can say the pain from that was not too bad, initially the lymph bx site was more tender than the breast, but then this past weekend I started my menstrual cycle and OUCH my boob has been quite tender. Still having funky swelling in different areas, amazing how it's appearance has changed so many times in less than 2 weeks, lol. 

Praying for peace and comfort for those having surgery this week.. Lipgloss.. with those cute toes you are gonna rock right on through yours!

All you ladies take your pain meds as ordered, drink plenty of water and juices, and I highly recommend Miralax to prevent/help with constipation, it is much gentler on tummy than other laxatives and can be mixed with juice, coffee, tea.. your choice- it is tasteless! Also be sure to get plenty of rest, cant emphasize enough  how important sleep is!! Do brief periods of walking around, moving arms as tolerated, then REST again!

Sorry to hear about bad nurse experiences, I am a nurse and wish those with no compassion would find another vocation!! You all have the right to be treated with respect and be kept as comfortable from pain, nausea as possible, that is what we get med orders from the MD for!

We are all holding each others hand, tightly!  God bless you all~~

shewolfpg

Jules I so feel you on the node pain. It still sucks and I read it can take a long time to go away. I am actually hoping side effects from chemo will help with making my mind forget the pain. 

Also for those having problems with going pooh I have found the tea SMOOTH MOVE has worked wonders.  Only try one cup a day until it works along with your stool softner. I did two cups in a two day period and it fixed me right up. JUST A Thought.

Sassy_Seven

Miraanda, thanks! I did neoadjuvant hormonal therapy, taking Letrozole. It causes some SE like achy feet and legs and joints, and hot flashes. Flu symptoms. But it works! Will be taking it for 4.5 more years.

ML so sorry to hear about your dear Kheelan. Extra hugs to your family.

Got back results of FISH test and I am HER2-!! Yay! 

Thinking about all of you, hugs and thanks to you strong sistas!

Sassy_Seven

PS

I better have clear margins. For a 2.3 cm tumor my BS took out a segment 10 x 8 x 4 cm, 1/2 lb of tissue!  I am very grateful but kinda surprised me. He kept yhe shape of my breast looking good. That is nothing to you mastectomy gals. 

Imheretoo

Psalm34-4,   I'm glad your surgeon feels that a larger excision can be fine for you, and that what surgeon has suggested is something that you are comfortable with.    May Friday 29th be your LAST stay in the surgery ward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      I sure hope you get through this one smoothly and with little pain and discomfort.     Your menstrual period sure did come at a bad time!!!        I hope that doesn't contribute to extra surgery pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!          (O my!   If you're menstruating heavily on surgery day,  I wonder if  the nurses are going to have to   change "sanitary items" for you      (Did they make you lie naked (in surgical gown) all day and night after the first surgery and pee in a pan (if you can) and get cleaned by them?)       Maybe as long as you keep that stuff easily at hand by your bed (which you'd have to do regardless), then once you're past the major part of grogginess they may let you handle that yourself, as long as you do it without getting up???)       Well---- You're a nurse, so you know more than me what to expect!    Maybe (hopefully) the period will all be over by Friday?!      Most importantly, of course, because I hope "period" tenderness doesn't contribute to making this second surgery extra painful for you!!

  Also my sentinel node biopsy has caused more tenderness and swelling than the breast cut.     I'm lucky that I'm in menopause so I don't have the problem of added breast tenderness that comes when menstruating.     

Yes ladies,   I emphasized rest before surgery, but also after surgery, EVEN IF YOU GET A LUMPIE AND THINK YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH PAIN AND SWELlING, BED REST IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!     I noticed that if I went up and down the stairs a couple of times  (with the inevitable bump-bump-bump that comes just from walking on a stair)), I started to swell and get achey.      And even though I'm not in a lot of pain and taking no pain meds, if I stay walking or even sitting up for a long time, I get woozy and tired.      So I'm doing lots of stay in bed reading.     

I'll be thinking of you on the 29th, and am thinking about all of the rest of you that are recovering or about to go in for a cut!!!        Warmest thoughts to you all!!!

Imheretoo

Sassy Seven---- It'll be clear and all out in one shot instead of the nibble nibble of some other lumpectomies!!    But you will have avoided the pain of a full mastectomy.      At least that is my sincere hope for you!!!!!!!!!

Glad you got a negative HER2  result!!