Calling all Massachusetts Sisters

alto

I can check off my checkup - done for another 6 months! I made use of the Purell, and tried not to breathe much in the hallways or elevators. :P

purple32

alto I was just at MGH a few days ago.

You will still be okay to go.

Good Luck to you,

Laurie

muska

I have labs and a routine follow-up with MO scheduled next week at MGH Boston. Does anybody know whether they continue doing labs and seeing follow-up patients in Boston for non-urgent visits?

32B

muska I got a call on Friday bumping my MRI to July...

muska

I had labs done in Boston last week (they did offer to do it closer to home) two days before the appointment, the appt was by phone.

lifegoeson

Hello all,

I had bmx with reconstruction with silicone implants in 2009 in New York. I lived in NY at the time, I now live in MA. I am having my implants removed at MGH with Dr. Amy Colwell. The surgery was delayed due to covid, but it is now scheduled for 6/25. I will not be getting new implants, I'm going flat. I'm just hoping Dr. Colwell will give me the best possible aesthetic outcome under the circumstances.

Anyway, it seems like MGH is getting up and running again and scheduling surgeries that were postponed and cancelled.

I have to be covid tested 3 days prior to the surgery and I am not looking forward to that part at all!!

32B

Good luck lifegoeson, and welcome to Massachusetts!

muska

Lifegoeson,

Good luck with your surgery. I am sure Dr. Amy Colwell will take good care of you. She did my reconstruction seven years ago, I had no serious issues although the expansion was going in parallel with chemo. I am sure she and her office staff will take good care of you.

All the best to you.

lifegoeson

Thank you 32B and muska!

The waiting is the hardest part as usual. I wish the surgery was tomorrow. Once it is over and behind me, I’ll be fine.

lifegoeson

Hello all,

My surgery went well. The pain is manageable. I hate opioid pain killers and I’m going to switch to just Tylenol today. Unfortunately, the pandemic means that friends can’t really visit me. Of course, as usual, the most annoying part is the drains. I’m resting and trying not to do too much.

I have bandages so I can’t see the results yet...postop visit is July 1 so I’ll have to wait until then.

Judy

muska

Lifegoeson, best wishes of a quick recovery!

alto

Anyone understand the latest Mass COVID guidelines, and whether 'history of cancer' is included as a eligible medical condition?

lifegoeson

Alto,

Yes, any cancer is considered a pre-existing condition and qualifies you for the vaccine in MA. They had previously required 2 conditions but now you only need 1 condition to qualify, so you are eligible now.

SarahNH

Is this thread still active? Or is there a newer place for MA-specific posts?

CTLMom

Sarahnh,

As far as I've seen it is still active. I haven't posted in a while but I was treated at MGH and continue to follow up there. Are you still being treated?

CTLmom

SarahNH

Aha thanks ctlmom !

Yes - I'm sort of splitting my treatment between Dana Farber and MGH. Next step is likely mastectomy.

Trying to figure out whether there is anyone around who's had a mastectomy (without reconstruction) with either Michelle Specht at MGH, or Tari King at Dana Farber.

I'd love to hear any input and thoughts from anyone willing to share!

CTLMom

Sarahnh,

Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with either of those docs. Both for my initial mastectomy and my local recurrence 5 years later I had Barbara Smith as my surgeon. She was fantastic through everything both times. Now I see her nurse practitioner every year the same day I have my one sided mammogram. If I hear of anyone that knows either doc I will definitely reach out.

l will say that the first time I had cancer I did have the mastectomy (followed by A/C chemo) with reconstruction and never had any problems. It wasn't until after the second cancer at which point I went through radiation. That changed everything to say the least! After re-reconstruction I finally deconstructed in 2018. Still have an ongoing nightmare from radiation fibrosis and as yet undiagnosed nerve damage/issues.

I hope you can find some input on the 2 surgeons you mentioned!

CTLmom

SarahNH

Thanks ctlmom! I guess I will just go with Specht, as she did my lumpectomy. I just hate making these decisions without adequate info. I wish surgeons had photos of their work, especially for patients who are "going flat". We are just expected to close our eyes and jump in, blind! It's really just a shot in the dark whether we get a good result, or a horrible one.

I'm sorry about the fibrosis and nerve damage. I know this happens to a lot of people -- either after mastectomy, or radiation, or reconstruction, or a combo of these things. I am constantly surprised that there is no understanding of how/why it happens, and no good treatment for it.

What did you think about your experience with radiation therapy at MGH? I'm considering having radiation there, if it turns out I really need it.

CTLMom

Sarahnh,

My radiation experience at MGH was good except for the issues it caused. However that is more with the consequence of radiation itself rather than where it was done. I had Dr. Taghian as my RO. He is very nice and informative about the process. He also had me start PT while I was having the treatment to make it as comfortable as possible as the burns, tightness, etc. were getting worse. I know treatments have changed since then as far as the amount of time and dosage so I hope that makes a difference in the horrific side effects. Also, while I was in treatment I went to the clinic at MGH for acupuncture. I never got any of the very common tiredness side effect that most people deal with. I would highly recommend that as well. Please let me know if you have any more questions.

CTLmom

P.s. The other pain was the drive to Boston 5 days a week!!

momwriter

I went to Beth Israel. My breast surgeon was Dr.Sharma and my Plastic Surgeon Dr. Lin.My fabulous MO is Dr. Wulf. I had a single MX. had radiation so mine never looked good. I did have an implant for reconstruction and I didn't have complications.However, i was diagnosed 10 years ago, and I haven't visited the PS in years.I soon have to decide whether to replace it or go flat. It's so easy with a bra right now, even thought it's not perfect.I'm worried going flat will be such a pain. On the other hand, I think being flat my be more comfortable in the long run.

I came from the western part of the state to go to BIMDC. It was hard to come for chemo- especially taxol every week for 12 weeks but it was important to me. I did my radiation out here with someone they recommended. Radiation is easy and I think anywhere you go for it will be fine- I'm sure MGH would be great as would DF and BI. All these places are Harvard with amazing techs.

As I think about going flat, I will have to find a new PS I think, so it's good to hear some good recommendations here.

Good luck!

BrinkOfEternity

momwriter - I had 2 plastic surgeons from BWH as I was getting DIEP flap done, Dr. Indrahil Sinha and Dr. Bohdan Pomahac. Dr. Pomahac was the main surgeon but he has moved to lead plastic surgery in Yale now. I think he did a phenomenal job as I still get comments from nurses and radiologists on how good it looks. Dr. Sinha is still at BWH and he has been quite good as well.

A friend of mine has gone flat and honestly I wouldn’t have known. The only thing about implant is the textured kinds are known to cause lymphoma in some women. Hope this helps.