SEPTEMBER 2015 Surgery Sisters

mye

Hello and welcome 39andhip, all the best to you tomorrow!! We will be thinking of you!

Lovey222, Upstater15, Beatlebear, Simpliciity, welcome to the September Sisters Club! I will note your surgery dates on top.

I want to catch up on reading all the posts and respond and give an update on where I'm at too. It's been hectic these last days especially because it looks like I need to change the breast surgeon and plastic surgeon because of scheduling issues so that my surgery does not get delayed too much...ugh. Upstater like you said, deep breaths...

Molly50

Hugs to you Mye! I hope you can reschedule quickly.

Remi50

Hi Sept. Surgery Sisters,

I will be joining you! Surgery scheduled 9/8/15 for a UMX . I am scheduled for immediate reconstruction with a TE and implant with radiation to follow or possibly a direct implant with radiation to follow. It's still up in the air. However, I am so overwhelmed with this upcoming surgery. I consulted with 2 ps. Confident both are some of the best in this field. One Suggested 3 possibilities: 1.Direct implant leaving me with a A cup. (Was a B cup prior to lumpectomy in February 2015. 2. TE and implant . Both senerios with radiation to follow . 3. Latissimus flap after radiation. Other ps suggested that I was not a good candidate for other flap procedures because he felt I didn't have enough tissue. Was in agreement of a direct implant or LD as well. Possibly could do a PAP or SGAP/hip flap but would also leave me an A cup. Left breast MX at a later date. Currently a B cup.(can't handle all of this at one time) I feel so terrible that I'm agonizing over which procedures to go with when I should be grateful I completed chemo (with a few remaining side effects) and that my cancer will be eradicated once this surgery and radiation is completed. At first I could not contemplate not having immediate recon. Resulting in an A cup has me feeling like I shouldn't have to settle for this upon completing immediate implant with radiation unless I go with a TE. Which is another step with possible complications. I am so concerned about the possible failure rate. However, a LD flap is a much larger surgery with its own risks as well as and that I am very athletic so possible limited range of motion is frightening. I feel like I don't have enough info, even though I've been on countless forums researching, to make a final decision!! I am not looking for perfection!! Just some solitude in making a decision. So afraid if implant fails it would jeopardize a flap procedure later..Please help with any suggestions to make some sense out of all of this. Standing on the edge waiting to fall!

Remi50

Hi Molly50, just joined the club!! I read your profile and it's so similar to mine. I see that you are having a MX with a TE radiation to follow. That is the course I'm contemplating. I am so overwhelmed that I can hardly breathe!! I posted a biography blog on here. I'm hoping some feedback will ease my mind. Looking forward to some diologue with all of my new sisters!

Socal1966

dx IDC on august 15th, 2015. Left breast. Bilateral Mastectomy scheduled for September 28th, 2015 with immediate bilateral reconstruction. I don't have to have the expanders because I had breast implants. Waiting on BRCA test results and HER 2 results. I'm estrogen + and progesterone -, but haven't heard about further treatments beyond surgery. I'm a little freaked out as I have a new job that I don't like. Mean spirited coworkers. So stressed I don't know how I can handle all of this. Can't quit. I need the insurance to be able to have the surgery. I'm a Nurse. I work in the ICU and can't imagine how I will be able to return to that after bilateral mastectomy. How can I lift such hard patients? So scared. Please share your thoughts. We all need support at this time. Hugs to you

Molly50

Hi there Remi001! So you already did chemo and a LX? I was node positive as well! I had so much lymph vascular invasion the BS said I need the mx. I don't want to do both so I had an MRI to verify that my right side is fine and am proceeding with UMX this Friday. I already had the ALND so just the breast removal and the TE placement at this point. What type of reconstruction are you considering?

Molly50

Welcome Socal1966! Where in So Cal are you? I think you need to discuss with your breast surgeon your concerns about lifting patients. If you are having sentinal node biopsy or axillary node dissection you are definitely at risk for developing lymphedema. Perhaps your surgeon can refer you to a LE therapist.

mye

Hi Socal, you have enough to worry, stress and sort out with the cancer, treatment, surgery etc. I am so sorry you have to deal with mean coworkers and anxiety about workload after surgery. Is there a human resources department equivalent that you can address your concerns to? I agree with Molly, that it's best to find out from your BS what he/she recommends in terms of lifting and risk of lymphedema if your are having ALND or Sentinal node biopsy. I hope you get some reassurance from HR and more understanding from your coworkers so that you do not have to worry on that end. Hugs

mye

Hi Remi, I see it like this, you stopped yourself from falling of the edge as soon as you started treatment! Now you are getting informed and making choices on very difficult decisions. Especially because we need to become experts in such a short time on choices of which a lot of times none are good or obvious. In my case, I am having BMX and radiation as well. Although I am having both mastectomies done during the same surgery. I have heard over and over again to avoid radiating an implant. So I won't. Also I am not candidate for flap unless it's a tug or gap. As regards to the LD flap, PSs have suggested that if I have recurrent issues with capsular contracture with implant which is more likely due to radiation I have a choice of having the implant wrapped with the LD flap which will stop Capsular Contacture of reoccurring.

I have thought a lot about doing a Tug or Gap flap and it is still on the table. The main reason I am still reluctant is because it is such a long procedure and tougher on the body especially after chemo. Since Tug or Gap would still need to have TE placed beforehand, I can still make that decision in a few months, or even years for that matter. What I am concentrating on now mentally is this next surgery and hoping it goes well. If it goes well, and the path report looks good, I might go for a flap surgery. But I will make that decision later.

All of the choices have pros and cons. Maybe right them all down, and and try to find out for you what is most important (less difficult surgery, avoid future complications, feel or breast or size, avoiding future surgeries, maintaining athletic strength etc.). Wishing you good luck with making the decision. Whatever decision you make,Remi will be the right one.

Moderators

Welcome Remi and Socal!

Socal, you may be interested in checking out the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Breast Cancer and Your Job, specifically the pages on Recognizing and Responding to Discrimination at Work.

We hope this helps!

--The Mods

39andhip

Hi all - thank you for all of your well-wishes. I had a UMX with TE around 1:45 this afternoon. The surgery was done by 3:30, I was awake by 4:00, and home by 6:30. As nervous as I was that this was outpatient, I am so happy to be home, where, as the nurse said, there is better food and better TV. I feel so much better than I thought I would! I am actually thrilled with how good I feel.

Remi - Good luck with your reconstruction decision. It is a big one and one that I agonized over for a very long time. I am (hopefully) doing DIEP reconstruction in a week. I don't have a lot of abdominal fat, so the surgeon is having to do a stacked DIEP just to get me one B cup - and he's not sure that will be enough. If it isn't, he said he could do a fat transplant later, but I'm just going to take this one step at a time. Have confidence that in due time you will make the decision that is best for yourself.

Molly50

Wow, home already 39andhip? That's wonderful. I am agonizing over my reconstruction as well but I have months to decide since I will have the TE in place until all of my Tx are done. My PS wants to do tram flap. I love the idea of the natural look and feel but am terrified of such a big surgery. I plan to have some further discussions with PS and with my DH.

39andhip

Molly - I'm pretty scared of the reconstruction, too, but I think for me, this will be a better long-term decision. I think I got off a little easy as far as the TE goes because it's just under my skin and not under my muscle. I feel a little more sore today than yesterday - I think it's the IV meds wearing off - but it's still a lot better than I was fearing. I hope it's the same story with the recon.

Molly50

ra1950, thinking of you! Simplicity and Upstater 15 my 9/4 sisters I will be praying for you while I am in pre op!

Socal1966

Hi Ya'll. Thanks for your posts. As I'm reading and finding out, everything is moving so fast and slow at the same time. Found out yesterday about my ER+, PR - and HER2 was indeterminable, so they are going to retest that. Still waiting on BRCA results. Only found out yesterday that I will meet with a oncologist if I'm HER 2 + prior to surgery. If I'm negative then they will wait and test nodes with surgery and then see if I need to meet with one. Work orientation extended another 2 weeks. Just trying to hold on until surgery. I thought cancer was scary, but possibility of losing job, no insurance and cancer is so overwhelming. I'm in TN now, but born and raised in HB California. Hugs to you all and praying for a speedy recovery!! Anyone opting for nipple reconstruction, or tattoo, or nothing? Any ideas. Brenda

Socal1966

Prayers for Molly. Enjoy the drugs to ease you to sleep💗. Brenda

solfeo

39andhip, you are my role model for an uncomplicated UMX!

The order of my treatments was up in the air due to differing recommendations by the surgeon and oncologist. Surgeon wanted me to do neoadjuvant chemo, onco disagreed. The bouncing back and forth is what caused my surgery to be put off, and then the surgeon got sick and it got delayed even more. I'm doing the UMX of the right breast with sentinel node biopsy on the 22nd, and then after chemo if I need it (I'm not expected to need radiation at this point, but I guess that could change depending on what they find in the surgery), when I have a clean bill of health, I will have the left breast done.

I haven't decided if I will have reconstruction but I have several months to consider all of my options, after having lived without my right breast and knowing at that point how I feel about that. From what I know now I think I would just go with implants, for the simple reasons that the surgery is less complicated, it won't involve other areas of my body, and if I have problems I can have them removed. I think I would be OK going flat too so I'm not overly conflicted about this decision. At least not yet.

I have been avoiding touching the lump because I couldn't do anything about it until the surgery, but this morning curiosity got the best of me and I checked things out. It's definitely growing - feels twice the size since the biopsy. I discovered it in May, I was diagnosed end of July, and I'm going well into September before it will be removed. Trying to stay positive, but this thing should have been out of me awhile ago, and I really hope all this waiting isn't going to be my downfall.

39andhip

Solfeo - yes, the waiting is the worst part! I was diagnosed May 1st and am just now getting to the UMX. Of course, I couldn't have known I would so many failed treatments in between, but I do get nervous when I think about how long it has been. I was supposed to have immediate reconstruction after my UMX, but when that got canceled (PS hurt his eye), I decided to go with the UMX just to get this stuff out of me already. Good luck with your treatments and decisions.

Remi50

So glad to hear things went well and that your home and comfortable! It sounds like a good plan and the results of the DIEP flap looks really good. I'm sure you will do well through all of this!! It's comforting to know that we can all support each other and bounce all questions and emotions off of one another. Ever since this diagnosis I just don't seem to absorb and retain what I hear or research. So unlike me and frustrating!! I think anxiety levels change the comprehension not to mention the chemo!! I appreciate your feedback and today is much better. BS called me last nite and eased a lot of my fears and supports are game plan.. I'm still waiting to hear from PS as I would like to have the TE prior to implant. I have another medical condition that makes things a bit more risky so they are trying to be as conservative as possible. I guess it's best to take one day at a time. Will check in on you tomorrow. Sleep well!!

Remi50

Remi50

FYI: I changed Remi001 to Remi50.

Stephmoen

hello! I will be getting a double mastectomy with reconstruction sept 21 I had neoadjuvant chrmo so I'm very anxious to see if I had a pathological complete response so far my post chemo pet scan and ultrasound show no cancer yay! So nervous for surgery don't know what to expect but many sayits a breeze compared to chemo!

mye

Molly, Simplicity and Ustater, good luck tomorrow on your surgeries.

Thinking of you and wishing you the best!

mye

Hi Stephmoen, you were one of the first people that I "talked" to here on the forum when I started TCHP :-) i am so happy we are done with that part of the treatment and I am so happy for you about the clear PET and US! I'm anxious too to find out what they find during surgery. I also never had a definite answer as to whether I had lymph node involvement or not. My RO said that even if the Sentinal nodes come out negative, they could possibly see whether there was indication that there was chemo activity there which would suggest that nodes were involved. We shall see...

Stephmoen

yes it's good to see you here mye! I am so happy we are done with chemo too that's the tough part I am so anxious about the lymph node situation I do t have an RO nobody referred me to one they all believe no lymphs are involved because of the pet well I have read pets aren't accurate on picking up lymphs so we shall see! That's what my drs said they can see the dead cancer cells so depending on that result for radiation I REALLY hope no rads for us we have been through enough

solfeo

Wishing awesome outcomes and uncomplicated recoveries for Molly50, Simplicity and Upstater15!

We will be there with you in spirit!

Xjerseygrl

Hi Dawn I hope your white blood cell count has risen so you can have your surgery on the 16th. We will all be recuperating together my PS decided I will also have immediate reconstruction without tissue expanders. I see your from Denver, we lived in Colorado for 15 years before moving to Florida, lived in Gunnison for 9 years and Aurora for 6 years I miss Colorado's fall but not winter.

Xjerseygrl

Prayers to Molly50, Simplicity and Upstater15 as you udergo your surgeries today my you have good results and easy uncomplicated recoveries.

Englishmummy

Hello September Lovelies! I am now almost 3 months out after a NSBMX (June 10) with TE's. I have had a really easy recovery (my exchange is 10.9.15) and I have even got used to the TE's - my brain blocks them out I think..... I just wanted to pop in and wish you all a successful surgery, great results and a completely uncomplicated recovery. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Thinking of you all.

Shout out to 39 - glad things are looking good so far

Molly50

I'm out of surgery and doing fine and I am eating dinner..Thanks the prayers and support

mye

Molly, thanks for giving us an update. I hope the surgery went as planned and that you can go home soon. Wishing you a quick recovery. Hugs