December 2015 Surgery Sisters Part Deux (with list)

MrsGreenJeans

Here we go, ladies. December is nearly upon us. Our first surgery is an honorary December member rescheduled for November 30th, so let's all give her some love!!!

November 30 JerseyGirl22 BMX, no reconstruction

December 2 songbird72 UMX, Sentinel Node

December 2 MrsGreenJeans NSPBMX, Pre-Pectoral, with TEs

December 2 kateness BMX with DIEP

December 4 BethL BMX with TEs, Total Node Dissection

December 4 Truffles1968 BMX with TEs, Pre-Pectoral

December 4 teacher30plus Lumpectomy/SNB

December 4 MissV123 Lumpectomy/Partial MX

December 4 Frazoo Modified Radical MX/Implant removal

December 8 gaspasser PBMX

December 8 Susan4414 Lumpectomy

December 10 rampart BMX

December 10 LoveMyVizsla Lumpectomy

December 10 rovnic13 Exchange!!!

December 10 etnasgrl Lumpectomy

December 10 Musosgirl Lumpectomy/SNB

December 11 QueenElizabethTheFaux Lumpectomy, Lymph Node Dissection, Port, Reconstruction

December 14 NJ-Jen BMX with DIEP

December 14 sbeddows123 BMX, TEs,Axillary Node

December 14 Brightsideplease BMX, SNB, Port removal

December 15 maxdog Exchange!!!

December 15 ajhafc78 Lumpectomy/SNB

December 17 Konakona MX

December 17 Planet Lumpectomy

December 19 jean_howard's mother

December 21 J3nny4 BMX, no reconstruction

December 21 KatieJones523 UMX with reconstruction, SNB

December 28 Duzy UMX, left, ALND, no reconstruction

December 30 jbandkbl BMX, followed by radiation

December 30 KateB79 Contralateral PMX , previous MX scar revision

December 30 OneLuve Lumpectomy/SNB/Reduction/Lift

December 30 Tasal BMX with Free Flap

December 30 Noranurse Lumpectomy with SNB

Mondy, do you have date yet?

I will double check to make sure I got everyone's name right. If I missed anyone, or got anything wrong, please let me know.

Best of luck to all of you, sisters!!!

Jean

MrsGreenJeans

Let's all keep JerseyGirl22 in our thoughts and prayers today.

BethL

Absolutely - already done and will continue.

MrsGreenJeans

Bumping thread with some new additions to the list.

kateness

I'm going in for surgery tomorrow! Bilateral with DIEP flap reconstruction. I came on today to double check anything I want to shop for/pack before I go. Thank you to everyone who has posted about your own experience, I feel better armed with so much information. Although I am still rather anxious about it all (pain, gore, stitches, the damn drains, etc) and trying to stay calm calm calm. I have the injection for the sentinel node biopsy this afternoon and my nurse navigator prescribed Xanax for before both that and surgery in the morning. Here's to anti-anxiety floating!

etnasgrl

I have my lumpectomy December 10th!

MrsGreenJeans

kateness, sending best wishes for you tomorrow. I'll be with you in spirit, and in surgery!!!

songbird72, best of luck to you tomorrow as well.

We are in this together

songbird72

good luck girls. I am wishing I had asked for Xanax for my lymphoscintigraphy. I'm more nervous about that than I am the mx!! I will be asking about lidocaine first thing.

sbeddows123

Sorry for not keeping up the other thread....I had no idea about the list thing I got brought forward to 14th and am having bmx with TEs and ax.dissection now

Tx all and good luck to us

teacher30plus

I am a newbie here. Lumpectomy is scheduled for 6:00 a.m. Friday morning, the 4th. Somehow it helps to know there are more walking in these same shoes. Praying for you all! We can do this!

songbird72

Had my lymphoscintigraphy earlier and it was no big deal.waiting to go into surgery.

Moderators

Hey all, just popping in here to repost this from the other December 15 thread:

Check out some good info from the main Breastcancer.org site on Surgery, including:

• What to Expect with Any Surgery
• Lumpectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Mastectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Lymph Node Removal: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
• Reconstruction: all types of reconstruction, what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask

Also, the Treatment Side Effects section is a great resource for tips to help manage any side effects you may experience.

Lots of practical advice here on helping to prepare for surgery:Shopping/packing/to-do list for surgery + recovery....

Also, you may find it helpful to chat with ladies from past months' surgery threads to get first-hand stories of their experience; see the November 2015 Surgery Sisters thread.

Hope this helps and good luck with all of your surgeries!

--Your Mods

Frazoo

Friday, December 4th - Modified radical mastectomy on the left side and the saline implant from the first mastectomy will be removed at the same time.

Going flat and fabulous. I'm designing my tattoo while I'm off work recovering.

OneLuve

Hi I am scheduled for December 30th, lumpectomy, SNB possibly bracketing, reduction and lift but that might change with the results I've received from my BSGI/MBI. So far diagnosis DCIS, Grade 2 intermediate, Stage 0 , ER+93%, PR+ 99% left breast but BSGI/MBI picked up an additional lump in left breast that was not seen on stereotactic biopsy.

I considered switching teams but both have pros and cons, so at this point I think it's all relative. Thanks for the support.

Is anyone in the DMV (Washington, DC, Maryland, Northern VA area) receiving treatment that can at least mention doctors and recommended treatments? Thanks

MissV123

Me too on Dec 4th.....sentinel node today .....and surgery tomorrow.....

MrsGreenJeans

Sending good thoughts to all 5 of our December 4th ladies Best of luck tomorrow.

gaspasser

yes, thinking of you all tomorrow who are having surgery. The best of luck and you are not alone in this!

Sara

BethL

thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts. Leaving in about an hour and haven't even packed yet. Super anxious. Best to the others going in today also. We CAN do this!

Moderators

We're thinking of you, ladies! Best of luck with surgeries and recoveries!!

The Mods

Musosgirl

I am also having a lumpectomy/snb Dec 10th. Still trying to decide on breast reduction. So many variables.

ajhafc78

December 15th - Lumpectomy and Sentinal Lymph nodes

ramprat

I wish everyone has a smooth surgery.

Will be praying for you all, all the best!

MrsGreenJeans

Welcome everyone, but I am sad that our number keeps growing.

Prayers for all.

teacher30plus

Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. I am home and am ok, a little sore, but not nearly as I expected. NO lymph node involvement according to surgeon! Will see her on Tues with final path report. Hoping and praying that all the other girls scheduled for today went well!

Tasal

Wishing everyone the best! xo

JerseyGirl22

Hello My Warrior Sisters! A big thank you to MrsGreenJeans for putting together this board in my absence during surgery! Welcome to all of the warrior sisters who've joined the board in the last few days. I'm sorry you have to be on this journey, but the women on this board, and other boards out here, are some of the bravest, most amazing you will meet!

Surgery went well on Monday. I'm sorry it took my a bit to get online... I had Facebook while in hospital and was able to post to a couple of you, but couldn't get to the BSO site on my phone. I was trying my best to follow doctors orders and rest (hard for me!) while in hospital. I was up and walking around Monday night after surgery, and I took the meds they gave me in hospital as they made me do it... However, it was fine and it counteracted and got ahead of any pain twinges that may have wanted to start.

The low down... It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be! I felt great coming out of recovery, with minimal discomfort. Came home Wednesday night and it's been really good. Only had to have 2 drains instead of 3, which is cool. If you are going to surgery, go to AC Moore or 5 Below (a store that has them) and get some of those squishy pillows. I took two and had one under each arm while I slept and rested, it made a world of difference. I held one against my chest, with my arms loosely crossed, as I inched toward the edge of the bed to get up. That way I wasn't tempted to push off the bed with my hands, and it really helps to get up that way using your legs. Anyway, if you have questions, please send them my way, either here or private message me. I've taken the one med they say to take for the spasms that can occur in the chest muscle, but have only had to take Tylenol at bedtime since I got home. Ad I've slept all night each night I've been home... What a blessing!

I did get the best Christmas present ever though... I need to share... BS called me late last night. She said they'd have path report in about 10 days, so I was freaked out when she called and said can we talk about the path report? Cancer side; tumor had shrunk, there was more scar tissue than cancerous tissue, 5 of 23 nodes showed the same, so neoadjuvant chemo (TCHP) and hormonal targeted drugs worked. CLEAN. CLEAR. MARGINS. No tethering of the ILC to nipple area or chest muscle. No other cancer found in nipple or other area of the beast tissue. Left side found a-typical cells which we knew about, and some cells that looked like they were trying to become lobular precancerous. So she was happy I decided on the BMX. I will still need to do radiation, as that will "mop up" any little buggers that wanted to hold tight, but when they tested during surgery, nothing lit up with the dye tests. And I'll finish the Herceptin for the year through July.

All of that said, she ended the conversation saying, "I'm so happy the chemo and targeted therapy did their jobs, and that surgery successfully removed all of the ick left from chemo. I'm excited to be telling you right now, you are CANCER FREE!" I made her repeat that 3 times!

Yes, warriors, CANCER FREE!!!!!! I'm so thankful for each of you out here, and those who are joining this board, there is light at the end of the tunnel and it is brilliant, and wonderous, just like all of you. I've been praying for all of you who have had surgery this week, even though I haven't been out here to say so. I will continue to be on this board and support each of you i any way I can!

Remember, you are all warriors, and we are all in this together, fighting together. Everyone's journey is different, but we can join up along the way, hold each other up, and keep moving forward. Cancer sucks, but it doesn't define us, we are warrior women first and we will conquer!

MrsGreenJeans

JerseyGirl22, I am so happy for you!! Congratulations on a successful surgery and a great path report. Now rest up and don't overdo it, take good care of yourself!

MrsGreenJeans

teacher30plus, so glad that you are home and doing well! Praying that the final path report comes back clear. Rest up now.

MissV123

Hello Everyone ! Glad everyone is doing ok.....I had my surgery yesterday and one out of two of the lymph nodes was hard and grossly full...therefore my surgeon took out a "fatty pad" of lymph nodes , no telling how many as of yet.....they have been sent for pathology....I should know in 2 weeks....I have only one drain, and am wrapped so tight with a type of tube top...Pain is to a minimum with the meds, and Im trying to move my arm as much as possible....getting out of bed is almost like a scene from a comedy....I thank everyone for the good vibes and wishes, and I am soooo glad to have joined this forum....I was feeling so lost and alone......special thanks to Mrs Green Jeans for helping me find this topic room...Jersey Girl,,,,,stay strong and Teacher, Im so glad you are doing so well.....good night everyone....

MrsGreenJeans

Glad you are managing well, MissV123. I hope that your path report comes back with good news.

Thinking of everyone else as well.

I'm feeling kind of crappy today. Don't know if it is just the aftereffects of anesthesia, or the drugs, but I am still somewhat nauseated and lightheaded. Haven't even felt like taking a shower, but I am going to try today with help from my DH. I think I need to drink more water to flush everything out of my system. Felt pretty good last night, so it is frustrating to not be feeling well today.

Going to find something to eat, I think. Hopefully that will bring up my energy level.

Keep well, ladies.

JerseyGirl22

MrsGreenJeans, Teacher, and MissV, so glad you are all post surgery and heading for recovery! Take it easy and rest, that is so key to healing... I'm feeling better everyday. A bit of soreness where they took the nodes, but still feels good. Doing the very light exercises they told me to do. Drains are good. one putting out more than the other, but they said to expect that, so I'm running with it.

Praying for peaceful sleep, less nausea for some of you, and speedy recovery!

BethL, Truffles1968, and Frazoo, thinking of you and praying your through hospital stay and recovery!

Warrior on!