April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters

justmaximom15

A mask is not a bad idea at all. They're girls by the way. I do know that my niece is an absolute clean freak so I know without any doubt that she's already disinfected their entire home and clothing. I'll mention it to my doctor and see what her thoughts are.

PatRN10

May 15: Right LX with SNB

Grammy863

May 13: left MX with SNB and tissue expander.

DayLily15

Best wishes for RoosterGirl , BassFishinGal,.and Emerelda50 , hope your surgeries go well !!!!

Welcome to the new May girls.

Jackbirdie

Justmaximom- sorry I got your neice's gender wrong, I think I saw your mention of your son and it stuck in my chemo brain!

Best of luck to Bassfihingal, Esmerelda, and Roostergirl. Thinking of you and how strong your support is here. You have got this

downdog

Welcome May sisters Charlotte57, PatRN10 and Grammy863!

A home nurse dropped by today and said it was beautiful work and that I would be so happy with the results in 2-3 months. She is coming back on Friday to remove my drains.

Hopeful82014

That's great, DD, particularly regarding the drains!

Cheesequake

Hi all,

Whew! Lumpectomy and SNB done! (day before yesterday). Here's the email I sent to close family and friends yesterday:

I checked in at 8:30am and had some radioactive fluid put in my breast so they could find my "sentinel lymph nodes", the ones that would be first to get any traveling cancer cells. Next I had a wire localization, where they use mammography to place two wires - very similar to high E guitar strings - on either side of the tumor so the surgeon can easily find it. The wires stuck out of me about 6 inches! So, in very high tech fashion, a paper cup was taped to my breast over the wires to protect them (and me). I stayed like that with a paper cup taped to my tit for hours! It was ridiculous!

Lumpectomy surgery was scheduled for 11:45 - it didn't actually start until 2pm, so there was lots of waiting around. Surgery was over at 3:30pm, then I started waking up about 15 minutes later. I'm very padded up with bandages (like, the size of a football - I couldn't even begin to guess where my nipple is under all that!!) and I'm bound with a large surgical bra, which is essentially a cast for boobs. I still have cleavage and most of a boob, but it'll be a few days before I can take off some of the bandages to see what I'm really left with. I have to wear the bra for 23 hours a day for 10 days.

The post-surgery notes indicate that "your sentinel node was free of cancer on the immediate test. We hope the complete final testing will be free of cancer cells as well." I won't have full pathology report with ALL of the results for 4-6 business days. It'll have the sentinel node results, actual tumor size, and whether or not the margins of the removed tissue are clear of cancer cells. If not, I'll need more surgery. The full pathology report will also have more details about the tumor characteristics to help the oncologist make recommendations about chemo, radiation, hormone therapy and Her2/neu targeted therapy.

We left the hospital around 6:30pm, had some soup and looked at cat pictures on the internet to stay happy Tried to sleep but didn't have much luck - not a lot of pain, just difficult to get comfortable! I did get some sleep between 2am and 8:30am and plan for more this afternoon!

Woke up hungry this morning - definitely a good thing! Went to pick up a prescription antibiotic (with my fella driving, of course) and in going over a bump in the road, felt the first REAL pain - with additional pangs for the next couple hours just for good measure. Had some breakfast and did a little grocery shopping - with me doing nothing but trailing along behind - and that wore me right out. Got home, put some ice on it, took some cannabis, and have been camped out on the couch ever since.

I'll work from home for the rest of this week so I can take it easy, then next week get back into a normal routine but continue healing. If chemo is in my future it'll start in a month to six weeks.

This afternoon I couldn't stand it any more - had to take off the bra and clean up a little, everything had Betadine or something like it all over it and the bra was getting a bit disgusting, so my fella threw it in the wash and helped me take off the top layer of bandages and carefully clean off all the Sharpie, tape goo, Betadine, etc. Haven't had a full shower and washed my hair yet, but certainly nice to wash everything else I can get to.

I am SO incredibly grateful to see that the shape of my breast and the direction of my nipple don't seem to have changed much. I'm a 36DDD so I had plenty to work with. I think there will be a dent right next to the nipple when this all heals up but with any luck it'll be a minor divot behind what is shaping up to be a big scar. Well, two scars with the SNB scar...

Is it weird that I have been documenting this whole ordeal photographically? From the initial biopsy to the "unveiling" today, and I'll continue as everything else continues. I don't necessarily want to look at photos of my incisions and the rest of this mess (or anyone else's for that matter!!), but for some reason I feel like I need to have evidence of what I've gone through (as if the scars won't be enough). Perhaps no one will ever see them but my fella, I feel like this is as important and good for me to shoot, if not more so, than anything else I've ever shot.

Jackbirdie

glad you're home safe. Good job

PMR53

Hi All!

My surgery was cancelled for Monday due to Cellulitis and a UTI. Went to Hospital for IV antibiotics lastnight. Now taking Antibiotics in pill form. Its not improving though. The Doctor said she was perplexed. I will go see her Tomorrow and will know more.

Good luck tomorrow for any having surgery and I hope everyone else that had surgery is healing and not in PAIN!!

PMR53

AudreyB

So sorry PMR53. That must be so disappointing. I hope you heal quickly and can get rescheduled a sap.

AudreyB

So sorry PMR53. That must be so disappointing. I hope you heal quickly and can get rescheduled a sap.

Charlotte57

Thank you for adding me to the May Surgery sisters! I realized I recorded my surgery wrong! It is BMX not DMX! Still haven't gotten the lingo down

AudreyB

charlotte57, you will find everyone here is very forgiving, BMX or DMX, you are more than welcome.

HuntingtonNY

Greetings sisters . . . . quick question: after a lumpectomy did anyone have black & blue about 3 weeks after surgery?

april25

Cheesequake -- Thanks for posting about your surgery. I'm just getting up to speed on this, so it was great to know a bit more about what to expect!

PMR53 -- Sorry to hear you've had to postpone your surgery. I hope you get everything cleared up soon.

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I just got my first infusion of Herceptin only today. I'll be getting that for a whole year, every three weeks... Kind of made me sleepy, but maybe it's just all in my mind? Labs said I was still a bit anemic and low on magnesium from the chemo... but they seemed to think it shouldn't interfere with surgery next week. I did the pre-op chest x-ray, labs and ekg yesterday, so if they spot anything wrong, I guess I'll hear about it! But aside from still being a bit weak from chemo, and still having stomach/digestive issues... I'm feeling pretty OK. Hopefully all will be well leading up to the surgery, anyway!

PMR53

April25

Glad your scheduled and getting ready to get this done!! I had Herceptin only on Monday, but with all the other crap going on I am not sure what SE is from what!!

My surgery is cancelled for now. Will see if antibiotics do their job. Maybe in a couple weeks

PMR53

justmaximom15

Thanks for the update Cheesequake! Sorry about the cancellation PM, I can only imagine how frustrating that must be.

I did a lot of thinking yesterday about the visit from my "babies" and my niece texted me about 7pm and asked if I wanted to postpone their visit. I was honest and told her that I wanted nothing more than to love on those lil girls and it would put a much needed smile on my face... but I was just worried about that stomach bug since some of those can still be contagious a week or longer after symptoms. She understood and agreed and promised to visit after surgery/before radiation begins.

Positive thoughts headed to RoosterGirl, BassFishinGal, and Esmerelda50!!

AudreyB

Justmaximom, I think you made the right decision.

justmaximom15

Thanks Audrey. I know it was but it sure was tough.

mysunshine48

I agree. You sure don't want to get sick. I have a good friend who has an airline ticket to come visit for a few days. However, right now, she is running a fever and coughing a lot. I hate it that she has a ticket, but she knows she cannot, and will not come if she is still like this. Supposed to come in one week, so we'll see. We HAVE to take care of ourselves.

Lmonelli

It's finally over! After 6 hour surgery my cancer is gone! Clear margins and clear lymph nodes. Wohoo! Thanks to everyone for thinking of me. In some pain but it's manageable. Looking forward to going home!!

Hugs,

Lori

downdog

Cheesequake, thanks for letting us know how things went. Your divot will be filled with fluid for awhile. Hope your final path report has clear nodes. Did you get a photo of the paper cup?

HuntingtonNY, I went through a rainbow of colours for a month after my Dec lx. I also had a seroma, but didn't get it aspirated, since I was going back for another lx.

PMR53, I feel so bad for you. It is so frustrating and disappointing about the cancellation. Sending healing energy to get over this infection and hope they reschedule you soon.

Charlotte57, I'll change it for you, but no worries. Double is layman's terms and everyone knows what you mean. Some might say ipsilateral and contralateral, but I would say same and other breast. You'll get no judgment here.

justmaximom15, tough decision, but I think it was the right thing to do. That's great that you'll see them before rads start.

Lmonelli, you did it girl!! Fantastic news about the clear margins and lymph nodes.

downdog

Flounder, sending best wishes for a smooth surgery tomorrow. Wishing you an easy recovery with minimal pain.

AudreyB

lmonelli, so happy to hear you came through ok.  I've been thinking of you and now wish you a worry free recovery.

bbbbun

I am one month post exchange and doing well.....yay!!! What does "drop and fluff" mean exactly

mysunshine48

Lori, YEA! Happy for you! GIRL POWER! Rest and let your body heal!

Lynn

PMR53

Lori!! Glorious words to say. So glad it's gone and surgery is in the rear view mirror. Heal and take time for your self. That's what I am learning to do.

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Warm Hugs

PMR53

Cheesequake

downdog, I asked if I could take photos of the wires before they put the cup over them, the nurse told me no, that they "aren't allowed"! I even clarified - "I don't want you to take the photo, I want to!" She said "no, that isn't allowed." I was pretty surprised. I had the cup on for so long I'm sure I could've snuck a photo but I guess by that point I'd forgotten. I really should have....

Yay Lori, and Yay bbbbun!!

knmtwins

Hello ladies - I had my BMX, reduction and TEs on December 2nd, and due to some issues, I'm getting my exchange from TEs to squishies on 5/7, if all goes well, if not, then exchange on left and TE on right.