March 2017 Surgery

Yvonne_M

Oh great to hear from you Scottie! You take it easy and don't worry about typing on here, just sleep and enjoy your dreams.

Yvonne_M

Some of my Steri Strips are starting to come off and I'm getting a good look at my new "breast" Here's a drawing ----------, isn't it pretty? How do you girls feel about Neosporin on the stitches (since I can't trust my BS for answers, he said do nothing)?

2FUN

DO NOT PUT NEOSPORIN ON YOUR INCISION! !!!

Most doctors don't like neosporin, as many people are sensitive /alergic to it. I used neosporin on my hysterectomy incisions and ended up being on steroid 4 weeks and delayed my MX because I had severe contact dermatitis to the neosporin. ...think weepy horrible poison ivy rash across my abdomen! Make sure you check with Dr. If it's not infected, use a neutral ( not antibiotic ) ointment. They may recommend A &D, or something else.

Yvonne_M

I am not allergic to it though, I've been using it for years! I'll hold off though, your warning scared me! LOL! xoxo

2FUN

yvonne, I have some wound care professionally, (disclaimer, check with yor healthcare provider)and I would do nothing if dr says do nothing. Keep things clean and your body will heal. Pump the protein, vitamin c, and gentle exercise. Oh, and lots of water for all the new cells to grow happy!

2FUN

I have been using it for years too. Then bam, it hit me. As we age our sensitivity increases b/c we are surrounded by items that are antibacterial. By the time you are 50 years old, you are 500% more likely to be alergic to myocin, by 80 years old almost 800% increase

Yvonne_M

OK, thanks 2Fun. I appreciate your candidness.

Scottiemom11

Yvonne are you on an antibiotic and muscle relaxer? If not ask your PS. Even with all that and pain meds, I can barely get around today. Although I'm only on day 2.

Hope everyone recovering are getting lots of rest.

Scottie

Yvonne_M

Scottie, as of this moment I am on absolutely nothing! I have been on Advil, but the last time I took it was last night at bed time. However, I'm at 2 weeks today. Take it easy girl and stay on those meds!

goldie63

YvonneM that's an excellent drawing of my new 'breasts'!

Molly50

I am doing well so far. I am home in my recliner with specific instructions to lift NOTHING. Anesthesiologist use bilateral pain blocker because I am very sensitive to pain meds especially morphine and dilaudid.

Yvonne_M

Goldie LOL!

Molly, yay!!! Take it easy girl and sleep and dream sweet dreams.

2FUN

scottie, day 2 is still early. Take it easy

Mollie, enjoy doing nothing, because you need to rest up!

lovepugs77

Bilateral lumpectomy scheduled for next Tuesday. Funny that I'm not as anxious about the surgery as I am about the injection for the sentinel node dissection.

Realistically, about how many days should I plan on not being able to work? I work from home, and sit in front of the computer all day.

Scottiemom11

Mollie sounds like all went well. Enjoy the recliner and rest.

Lovepugs. . .it probably depends on the extent of your surgery. With both of my prior surgeries,I was unable to sit up and type on a computer for weeks. I bought my 12 inch Samsung tablet before my BMx and it allows me to sit propped up in bed and type slowly with arms completely at my sides to minimize movement. It also helps that I can stream videos etc on the tablet over our wifi. Gives me something to do.

FYI the sentinel injection was a breeze. I had a sweet nuclear radiologist who apologized for the "bee sting". I laughed and told him that it would be the easiest part of that day. Best wishes.

Scottie

lovepugs77

Scottiemom, I have a laptop, and I guess I can work from bed if I have to. Maybe I need to get a little lap desk. I'm hoping that since I'm having lumpectomies (one on each side + node dissection on the left), the recovery won't take too long.

I'm a huge baby about needles. I actually passed out once after a TB skin test.

Is the Scottie in your name a reference to Scottish Terriers?

2FUN

lovepugs77, don't fret the injection. I had myself TOTALLY psyched out for both the injection snd the wire placement, and it really wasn't that bad. I like to know what is going on, so I told them to tell me step by step what was going on. Hang in there ! On the return to work issue, I had a unilateral lumpectomy and returned to occasionally lifting 100 pounds at work 3 weeks after surgery. My dr said if I had a desk job give myself 5 days. Also, super hydrate before and after surgery. Made anesthesia wear off quicker!

raven4mi

Just a quick note about the fatigue everyone is experiencing.....please just realize that what you're experiencing is completely normal. This last surgery was my seventh in 11 months and after each one the absolute best thing I did for myself was REST, REST, REST as much as was needed. Listen to your body and don't feel like you should be up and around as quickly as anyone else is.

After having said that, though, I need to remind myself to listen to my own advice! I took Friday and yesterday off work, then went back to "work" from my la-z-boy today (I'm very lucky to be self-employed and work from home) and after only a couple of hours was ready for a nap! I even slept this morning until almost 9:30 a.m. - woke up with that "oh-my-gosh-I-overslept-what-did-I-miss" moment of panic that you get, you know? I took my son to the orthodontist this afternoon and while sitting in the waiting room was hit with the most horrendous headache - it just hit me like a ton of bricks. I was even thinking I might have to call my older son to have him and a friend come and get us because I didn't know if I was going to be able to drive home. Luckily, it went away just as quickly as it came on. At that point I had to remind myself that it's only been FOUR days since surgery - I've got a long way to go to be back to 100%!

So, trust the signs your body is giving you, trust your instincts, and be good to yourself. You're all beautiful and you certainly deserve it!

lovepugs77

2FUN, my surgeon said for me to plan on taking a week off...I was hoping he was exaggerating! LOL

wallan

Hey ladies:

I went to PS today for followup after surgery. Last drain was removed. Ouch! It felt like a big burning wasp sting. But glad its gone. I now start arm exercises but still cannot lift anything and must sleep on back elevated, as we are all doing. And I can shower now and drive. Yeah!!

She also gave me more fill for my TE on the left side. Next surgery for another fat grafting on right side is in June ish. No set date yet.

I am also told fatigue is normal and to expect fatigue for about 8 weeks. Eight weeks... holy crap...

Also, reconstruction timeline for me.... one year plus. Its because of my mastectomy from 13 years ago and then radiation. That side is harder to reconstruct she said. Time line is due to the fat grafting attempt as a way to put in a TE later without have the contraction around the implant. The left side has the TE in place already after this mastectomy because I won't need radiation this time on this side and it will be filled slowly so that by the time I have the TE in on the right side, they can fill to match. PS says its a bit of an experiment.

I came home and have been sleeping.

BS to find out pathology of my tumors is Thursday.

Hugs to everyone. We are going thru this together.

raven4mi

Wallan, glad you're PS is planning fat grafting for you. That's an awesome way to repair damage to previously radiated breasts. I had to insist on it after my infection but was glad I held my ground because the FG I had was a success and was able to do pre-pectoral re-insertion as desired. Good for your PS for being forward-thinking!

Sitti

Wow, lots going on. Glad everyone seems to be recovering okay, plantchild sorry you had to go back to surgery but hopefully that took care of the problem.Can't believe some of you are back to work so quickly, don't over due it! Molly50 glad you are home in your recliner. Everybody keep resting and getting stronger!

Scottiemom11

Sitti & Phillkri . . .sending prayers and hugs for tomorrow.

Today was a little better pain wise. I guess I behaved more. Got to shower tonight and had a first look. I have two more incisions than the ones before but the new girls look good. We'll see how much they drop and fluff over time.

2Fun. . .100 pounds wow. I couldn't lift that much before my BMx. The most I ever got up to at the gym was about 40lbs.

Lovepugs. . .Scottie is just a nickname. We used to have a Westie though.

Scottie

2FUN

I work with medically fragile and developmentally disabled children from kindergarten thru high school/21 years.I not only lift, but crawl, pull, push, and get an ocassional fist thrown or have to fend off being bitten!LOL. I have been out of work so long, i don't know if I will remember how to do my job. As I was out all of november, and then from jan to may! My boss came to visit me in an awkward,unexpected visit today. Then I couldn't get her to leave. She tries so hard. I do find I'm either a jerk or I just don't have as much patience with others. Sometimes it's easier to say everything is fine so you don't have to deal with everyone else 's issues. But we are alll here on this planet together, and I guess me being sick and talking about it can help someone else.

I'm going to get a bright, shiny.new postsurgical sport bra from the local.MX boutique tomorrow. Yes, my life is so dull I am going to enjoy having a stranger measure my boobs!LOL

raven4mi

A friend of mine with BC posted this quote on FB yesterday. I had been pondering the word "resilience" lately and had been trying to find a quote to embody it. This works. I'd say "love the journey" is a bit of an overstatement, but the idea is a worthy one.

"Somewhere between what she survived, and who she was becoming, was exactly where she was meant to be. She was starting to love the journey. And find the comfort in the quiet corners of her wildest dreams. They say people don't change...Well, she wasn't always this way. Even if she didn't change the entire world, she would change her part of it. And she would affect the people she shared it with. A butterfly whose wings have been touched, can indeed still fly. Whether something was meant to be, or meant to leave, didn't matter as much anymore. She would soak up the sun, kiss the breeze, and she would fly regardless." ~J. Raymond

For all my bc sisters out there on this journey with me - you're all fierce and beautiful. Fly on.

Bluebirdgirl

Raven4, that's a very sweet Poem,love the last two lines especially. Thanks for sharing.

I had my exchange surgery yesterday, was so nervous something would go wrong. I love my PS, he is always happy and positive with a big smile (if I had his income, I'd be smiling too!) lol. Everything went well, about hour and a half surgery. I am VERY sore, bee sting feeling mixed with dull ache, and my back muscle hurts, almost like a pinched nerve in my neck. But I'm managing!! Thank goodness for pain pills. My TEs were filled to about 460 to 500 and my implants are Natrelle 410 highly cohesive anatomical, 560 cc, both sides. He also used LifeNet Health allograft "skin" from an organ donor. I've never heard of such a thing! They have given me a card if I wish to send a thank you to the family. I'm really not sure what this was used for, reinforcement at mammary fold to help act as a sling? Forgive my ignorance.

I go back to work April 3. Mostly sedentary job except for carrying my steno machine to courtrooms (court reporter) and I can find a deputy or bailiff to do that!

Molly, hope you are feeling better today! Scottiemom, Wallan (hope you get good news Thursday), 2Fun, Sitti, Lovepugs, and all the others on the March surgery board I missed, I wish you all speedy recovery! I don't think I will be walking much this week or lifting any weights LOL but maybe next week I will try some short walks.

Hugs to all!!

2FUN

Bluebird girl, I'm glad your surgery went so well, and thanks for sharing your experience. Can I ask what cup size 500 cc ends up being? I'm also trying to get an idea of a time line from MX, to fully expanded, to exchange surgery to return to work.

Raven4mi. Thanks for posting the inspiration -a nice way to greet the day.

My husband encouraged me to sleep in, and it's now becoming a beautiful sunny day. Hugs to all you you reading this thread.

cdv4251992

Morning to all. Thinking of DiV today and hoping all is well. Also thinking of Phillkri and Siti and all who are recovering.

I'm still having a lot of swelling under my arm, it's tight and uncomfortable but I don't have a fever. When I was at the PS last weeek, I saw his nurse and she said to keep an eye on it but didn't really say for what changes. I can't tell if it's more swollen or not. It still feels warm and tight. I'm supposed to start chemo on 3/30, but the PS is out of the office until 4/7, so I don't have another appt before chemo. The MO did not seem concerned about the swelling when I saw her last week. The chemo coordinator said to call if I didn't think it was healed enough to start. I'm supposed to decide that? Aside from an incision opening, which I have not had happen, does feeling uncomfortable with the amount of swelling when no one else is count?

I'm supposed to go back to my desk job 4/17. I am not totally sure how it will work. Mostly from a clothing stand point. The PS said no bra until at least the end of April, possibly May. I'm not sure I have any work clothing (we have a strict dress code) that I can wear without a bra. I cannot wear my husbands baggy shirts or the zip up hoodies that I'm in now. I cannot wear leggings or my baggy sweatpants.They had layoffs last week. I kept my job but they reduced my pay. I cannot afford to buy new clothing and am not sure what would even work. It's stuff like this that seems little that are so stressful.

2FUN

cdv, I'm sorry to hear about your job and all of that. I just had a MX WITH TE a week and a half ago and I am still very swollen. I would call the chemo coordinator and find out what would be the limits on the swelling. Sometimes I think they are trying to minimize the discomfort and are giving you the choice to help you feel better, but it may not actually have a medical implication.

Re clothes. Did dr say you could wear a cami? What is your dress code? I am sure we could help you figure out something.

cdv4251992

2FUN, PS said nothing on at all restrictive right now, no bras, no camis. If he lets me wear a cami by 4/17 that will help. I'll be sure to ask when I see him on the 7th.

The "problem" ( which is silly because cancer, but..) is my work wardrobe is mostly sweaters and cardis that are close fitting, not tight but sleek, if you will. My reconstructed breast is much more perky than the non reconstructed. I'm a C cup and I've had 2 children and gravity and all. Because of my prior radiation to the same side, I've been a bit lopsided since 2004, but a bra camouflages that. Also, our office is usually 6 degrees colder than the North Pole. A padded bra has always camouflaged that only one side reacted to the cold after radiation. Unless I'm wearing really loose tops a couple of sizes too big(which I now cannot afford to buy anyway) I'm not sure what to do.