April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters

AudreyB

Hi everyone!

I'm leaving my office soon to see PS for preop consult.  I'm excited to see and touch implants for the first time in my life, but I'm also terrified as surgery is just around the corner.  Today is preop with PS, tomorrow is Medical Clearance with PCP, Friday is PST at hospital.  My stomach is in knots just thinking about it. 

My family is getting ready for next week too which is comforting but also adding to my anxiety.  "Nice" dinners are being planned for the weekend as "I won't be out for a while" .  My sister asked for address of the hospital so she can visit.  My daughter and her BF are on call for Friday and Saturday after surgery to stay with me while Rob returns to work.Recliner was delivered, big TV has been hung on the wall. Its just all too real right now.

I am going to try get Xanax from PCP tomorrow.  Fingers crossed she is kind to me. 

Love to all.

 

Lmonelli

Just had my injection of radioactive isotope and it did NOT hurt!!!!! Not even a little!!!

Jackbirdie

Downdog- you are amazing but your body needs rest. PMR will tell you that. Although very interesting reading.

I still have pain 4 mos after surgery. The chemo pales in comparison but thanks for asking MyS. I am working on scar mgmt with PT which hurts but don't know what else to do. and planning a stay in drug rehab when it finally is better, if ever. My PT, trained in mastectomy patients, says in rare cases it's years. In the meantime still taking opioids daily and battling the resulting constipation. Always sore, always bleeding. TMI. Sorry.

Wishing everyone in pre-op, op, and post- op the very best. Sending out hugs and super mojo!

Lmonelli

AudreyB. ..I also feel its too real. I feel like it's not really me having this surgery tomorrow . So I understand the knots in the stomach. Everything is going right thru me. Lots of immodium. Probably won't sleep tonight since I have to be at hospital at 5:30 am. But I know I have to do this. No one can do it for me so I'm going to try and have a really positive attitude but I'm sure I'll be crying at the,same time..lol. I'm all ready bag packed with everything that you guys suggested even throat lozenges. Food stocked and house clean. So I'm ready. Valium at hand. Have hubby too to lean on. You will be fine. We all will be fine. Just think new boobs!!!

Hugs,

Lori

DayLily15

best wishes tomorrow lmoneli

Jackbirdie

Lori- every bit of positive energy and warm thoughts I have are going out to you right now. I'm glad you are ready. Good girl. You have got this. Try some really slow deep breathing.

Right before my surgery, maybe 12 hours before, I started to feel a peace descend down onto me. It felt so good, like a warm blanket knitted by my mother, and her sitting next to me holding my hand. And oh yeah, a bottle of clonazepam within reach..no really.. I felt peace, calm. They will take good care of you. You will not mind the feeling of gently going under. Visualize yourself floating, calmly, there will be people all around you monitoring everything. You will be safe. You will naturally wake up in recovery with smiling faces all around your bed.. You will not feel pain.

Mentally, I will not leave you. If you get scared, or your heart races, just keep going back to the slow deep breathing and think of all of your April sisters in a circle around you. Protecting you. You have got this.

WE HAVE YOUR BACK

Warm hugs and calming thoughts.....

Katy

Lmonelli

Daylily15...thank you so much for your well wishes.

Jackbirdie...thank you so much for your post. Your words were so comforting and encouraging.

I am so grateful that I found this site and met so many wonderful women. I even met another sister who also lives in Fort Lauderdale and we are going to meet for lunch once I'm well. Such a gift!!

I send all the women here lots of hugs!!

Lori

AudreyB

Jackbirdie, what a warm, wonderful, loving person you are. I've been meaning to tell you, your words have brought so much comfort to me and to all of us. You are like a surgery angel sister.

Audrey

AudreyB

Lmonelli, I wanted to tell you to relax and not over worry yourself about the pain, but I hate when people say that to me. I am so very happy it wasn't so bad for you.

I remember I worried myself sick over the stereotactic wire localization before my lumpectomies and it was very manageable in the end. It thought me a huge lesson in just having faith in my dr's and their care.

Best wishes tomorrow. I will be eagerly awaiting your post surgery post.

Audrey

mysunshine48

Lori.....ditto! We did it and you can too! A week from now you will be amazed at how well your body takes care of you! And, yes, your April sisters will be with you in spirit. I

AudreyB

I forgot to mention I held an expander in my hand today. I can see how they can be uncomfortable. Round, firm, an unforgiving firmness around the circular edge. Oh well. Here we go.

tjh

I took a combo of percoset, Valium and muscle relaxers for the first 4 days at home. It worked great...pretty stoned. Don't try to do too much, let DH take care of you.

AudreyB

"Pretty Stoned" sounds pretty good.

Newgirls

AudreyB -you summed it up perfectly in your description of a TE..... "Unforgiving firmness around the circular edge! " Perfectly stated. They're just a means to an end and they definitely get their work done. Best wishes next week!

april25

Hello! I noticed there were a few May surgery folk listed. I just got my surgery (LX) scheduled today for next week: May 8.

I only just finished chemo (TCHP), so this feels a bit SOON!!! I was hoping to get a little slice of normality... and i'm still recovering from the chemo... but I think I'm strong enough for surgery... so... I guess I'll just deal with it.

Thanks for letting a few May people squeeze in here!

Hopeful82014

Good luck, April25. After a couple of false starts, I'm scheduled for May 6th. Get lots of rest and protein in the meantime, as well as some FUN.

april25

Hopeful82014 -- Oh, many good wishes for your finally scheduled surgery!

I was wiped out by the last round of chemo and have been at in my sister's guest room for weeks! Hopefully I can get some time to crawl back home and at least check to see if any of my plants are still alive! And collect the mail. Such excitement I have in my life these days!

Really, I'm just happy to be able to eat food, finally...

Thanks for the good wishes and the advice.

M0mmyof3

Went to post-op visit at PS's yesterday. Went well, she said everything was looking good and healing well. Don't have to go back for a month unless something starts to go wrong. Not having to go back for a month is fine with me especially since I sell Avon and she and the staff gave me a good sized order that I have to put in this week so by the time I have to go back, I'll have the order!

justmaximom15

My thoughts are with you Lmonelli, hope all is going as planned and you get off to a great and speedy recovery!

downdog

Lmonelli, thinking of you and hope your surgery went well; sending healing energy and hugs for your recovery.

downdog

Welcome surgery sisters april25 and Hopeful82014 and we're glad to have you join us!

justmaximom15

downdog, hope you're doing good as well! How's it going?

downdog

I'm feeling great today, justmaximum15. We took the dog for a nice long walk. It's a beautiful sunny day, a little cool for flip flops, but I can walk on my heals now, they have almost healed. I can stand with good posture and there's no pull on my pecs. Yesterday I was so exhausted, but I wasn't able to sleep. I had had 1 1/2 hours of sleep since 6am Sunday morning, plus being knocked out, but my body refused to fall asleep. My eyelids were so heavy and my vision started to blur and refocus in the afternoon from exhaustion. We were watching TV in the evening and I would know what was going on and then see and hear 30 seconds worth and not have a clue what had just happened. My husband would say something and I would have to ask him to repeat it, because I couldn't recall a single word he had said the first time. By 10pm my head felt too heavy for my neck to hold up, it was the strangest feeling. I went to bed and took gravol, since it always makes me drowsy, and finally, blissful sleep. I slept 8 hours and felt great when I woke up. I don't have any pain today (with 1 pain pill).

My husband is totally pampering me and it's a bit excessive, but a good counterbalance to my natural tendencies. I feel like an invalid, he's not letting me do anything with my arms. My PT recommended standing lunges only when I sent her an update, so I snuck in a few with some knee dips out of sight of my jail guard this morning. I will be good today and rest.

My son is coming home this afternoon from university. He's a 4 1/2 flight away and doesn't know about my dx. It's his first year and because he was so far away, I didn't want to impact his studies, so didn't tell him when he was home at Christmas. We do skype, but haven't seen him since Feb, when we went out and skied with him. I am not an emotional person, and haven't cried throughout my experience, but there will be tears tonight. He has requested his favourite cookies, so that's what he will get. My husband will be making his first batch of cookies ever today.

Have a great day ladies. Hugs and healing wishes to all.

Esmerelda50

Best wishes to RoosterGirl and BassFishinGal. You guys both share my surgery date. Hope it goes smoothly for us all. The recliner came last night, my best friend is here to be with me and my daughters are coming after that for Mother's Day! So thankful for that. Feeling like I'm ready to do this!!! Thanks down dog for this thread. It has even so helpful on his sometimes scary journey.

Hopeful82014

Down dog, it's great to see you doing so well and especially that you were finally able to get some sleep. I wish your husband well as he tackles the art of making cookies. That should keep you amused and fill the time until your son arrives. Good luck!

downdog

Esmeralda50, you absolutely can do this. Best wishes to you, RoosterGirl and BassFishinGal for optimal surgeries and recoveries. You have within you what you need to get through this. Good luck!

Hopeful82014

Thanks to both April25 and Downdog for the welcome. Good luck to everyone heading into surgery the remainder of this week. Healing thoughts for those of you already recovering and hopes for good news with your pathology reports.

justmaximom15

I have an issue/question. Except for my sons and SO, all of my family live in another state but we're extremely close. My niece has a 9 yr old and a 6 month old that I adore. I had commented a few weeks back that I really wanted to see the baby again before surgery because with recovery and then radiation that will follow, I'm not sure that I'll be able to hold her much.

I just got a text from my niece asking if I would like some company this weekend from her and the girls. My first reaction was bliss but then I remembered that she, her husband and both girls had a stomach bug over last weekend. That's the last thing I need. I asked about it and she said they were all over it but I'm not sure it's a wise idea especially given the fact that the baby has reflux issues so there's a lot of spitting up still.

Should I ask my doctor or just kindly tell them to not come? Any thoughts?

Jackbirdie

I'd hate to have you miss out on something so special. I'd for sure ask the doc.

The issue would be I guess is even if they are over it, how long are the virus/bacteria live and able to infect?

I got bronchitis when I was (trying) to recover from surgery. It was a seriously bad situation that I will never forget. But I will say people were coming in the house and not doing proper hand washing, basic hygiene, wiping down stuff..

It seems some big tubs of clorox wipes,,hand sanitizer everywhere, maybe you could even make a game out of it with the nine year old to ask him to wash his hands in every room,,ask him to wipe down all the door knobs and the phones....I don't know. Would you be comfortable wearing a mask? Get one for the 9 year old too. He can play doctor. Maybe these are silly ideas. It is a hard decision, but since they live so far away it seems worth a Herculean effort to make it happen. Hugs. Katy

Charlotte57

Please add me: Sheduled; 5/18 DMX with Immediate reconstruction

Thank you