March 2017 Surgery

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited March 2017

    Kathy, it could be cording. You might want to post your question in the Lumpectomy Lounge.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited March 2017

    Sitti, my sister had that procedure but she had implants prior to MX so already had pockets. My PS won't do direct to implant. Have you checked with others in the reconstruction forum?

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited March 2017

    wallan, when I had my drains in I got my DH to wash my hair. I bent over and he used a hand held shower. I just protected my drains. Glad you are doing better.

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  • lrwells50
    lrwells50 Member Posts: 254
    edited March 2017

    Had my SNB on 2/24, results were clean, so no radiation. I only had a 7 mm invasive ducal cell carcinoma, and could have gone the lumpectomy and radiation route, but I'm 66, and have a family history of breast cancer, so I had bilateral mastectomies on 3/8, and was home the night of 3/9. I can't believe it's such a short stay!

    Haven't been on much in the way of pain medication since the 11th. I think I'm more likely to need a sleeping pill. I have trouble with that anyway. I have four drains, and 2 of them rarely have anything in them starting Sunday. Am definitely swollen under my arm, but dont have a lot of pain, and have good arm movement. I don't go back to the plastic surgeon until the 21st (spring break, I bet) but if the swelling continues, I'll call the breast surgeon.

    lrwells50


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  • goldie63
    goldie63 Member Posts: 117
    edited March 2017

    Kathy21 I'm just sitting at ER waiting on ultrasound. 3rd drain came out ok but stitch didn't so Von nurse sent me to Er. (They couldn't get it out easily either,they decided to leave it for my surgeon since I see him Thursday . They said he'll know what kind of stitch he used so he won't need to slice me open and he won't lose the stitch inside me. Anyway)

    Er doc also looked at swelling under my arm and ordered ultrasound to see if it's a seroma, an abscess, or something else, and decide on treatment from there. Did you hav an ultrasound to assist in diagnosis?

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  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,298
    edited March 2017

    GrendelDog and MariH hope all went well with your surgeries today. I had a long work day more than 12 hours and have not caught up with posts.

    NervousGal and Bareclaws you'll be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow.

    DiV. . .thinking about you as well, praying for a clear scan.

    Plantchild. . .just saw your post about the nerve block /pain ball. I have not heard about that but I remember signing a form at preop on Monday about a nerve block on each side as part on my revision surgery. I wonder if that's what PS meant. Hope you're comfortable and the fever has resolved.

    Goldie hope you're back home now and it was not a seroma. Will keep you in my thoughts.

    Scottie

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  • Sitti
    Sitti Member Posts: 230
    edited March 2017

    lrwells50, Welcome, it sounds like your recovery is going pretty well, I hope the swelling resolves for you. I'll post your surgery with the others.

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  • DiV
    DiV Member Posts: 231
    edited March 2017

    Hi everyone! Great news! My petscan shows tumor is still contained. Surgery is March 20th. Thank you all for your prayers! Saw orthopedic surgeon today and we discussed my surgery. Surgery will take about 8 hrs at end of surgery I will get a nerve block to help with pain and phantom pain. I will see a therapist that deals with phantom pain so I can re-train my brain that the arm isn't there. Orthopedic surgeon very optimistic that this surgery will eradicate my cancer. I'm praying that it does.

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  • Sitti
    Sitti Member Posts: 230
    edited March 2017

    Oh DiV, that is such great news. I'm so happy for you that it is still contained. You remain in my thoughts and prayers. More prayers going up for your surgery and recovery. Also praying that this does eradicate the cancer completely. ((Hugs to you))

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  • Yvonne_M
    Yvonne_M Member Posts: 72
    edited March 2017

    Great news DiV!

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  • plantchild
    plantchild Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    Hello Ladies!

    DiV..I have been thinking of you and happy for you and your great news on the scan. You are a strong woman.

    For those that have asked....I had a BMX nipple and skin sparing procedure with immediate TSX above the pectoral. Bight side on all this mess I now have cleavage....I never have had cleavage.....my PS actually said to me before all this (trying to be nice)...you know no matter what you will be bigger than you are now....I can't go that small....ha ha. I may be a bit big right now.....I will wait to see once the swelling goes down.

    As for the pain ball...nerve bock....if you can get it do it! I know first hand that it works. Unfortunately my right on fell out while in the hospital and I definitely have more discomfort in the right than left. It looks like the left one that remains will be used up tomorrow and all I have to do is have someone remove dressing from back and the catheter will fall out.

    I have to admit I am not a fan of the drains......will be very happy when they are gone!


    Thinking of all of you.


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  • Sitti
    Sitti Member Posts: 230
    edited March 2017

    wallan, Glad you are home resting, sorry to hear about your reaction to the anaesthetic. Hope you get some much needed rest.

    NervousGal, Bareclaws - prayers as you head to surgery tomorrow.

    Wishing everybody that has had surgery continued to healing and recovery.

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  • DiV
    DiV Member Posts: 231
    edited March 2017

    Sitti, Yvonne M, Plantchild, thank you so much! My surgery will take 6-8 hrs afterwards will get a nerve block for both pain and phantom pain. I will be in the hospital for 2 weeks. Will get therapy while in hospital to help with balance and phantom pain. Staying as positive as I can cause it will help with the healing process.

    Plantchild I agree about the pain ball. I also had the pain ball and had no pain what so ever!

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  • wallan
    wallan Member Posts: 1,275
    edited March 2017

    Hi ladies:

    Prayers and hugs to all the ladies who are recovering from their surgeries or about to have surgery. This is such a wonderful, supportive community.

    Wallan

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  • Trishyla
    Trishyla Member Posts: 1,005
    edited March 2017

    Happy to hear that your cancer is still contained, sad that it means the loss of your arm. But it sounds as if your team is really on top of things. Prehabilitation is what they call it, and it's supposed to help with getting you back to a normal routine in a shorter time.

    I hope that all goes well for you, DiV. I'll be thinking about you on the 20th.

    Trish



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  • wallan
    wallan Member Posts: 1,275
    edited March 2017

    Hey ladies:

    My two drains. One is trickling to nothing, and the other still is doing its thing with lots of drainage.

    Anyways, it has come to my attention that removal of the drains can be painful, especially the longer you have them. Has anyone had experience with removal of the drains yet, and what I can expect?

    I am expecting that my own drain with the trickle will be removed tomorrow or next day and the other will stay in much longer.

    Wallan

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  • raven4mi
    raven4mi Member Posts: 562
    edited March 2017

    Div so happy to hear that your scan came out OK. Have been thinking about you a lot and glad to know you and your doctors are on top of things. I pray for you often.

    plantchild, didn't know you were having pre-pec done. Good for you!

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  • LaisSS
    LaisSS Member Posts: 8
    edited March 2017

    Hi ladies,

    DiV so happy with your PET results, we are praying for you and will be here for you! March 20th is around the corner already.

    Sitti thank you for the tip, I will shoot her a direct message.

    Update: Saw my PS, Onc, and BS the past 3 days. They all say is healing great, 7 nodes were taken off and they all had negative results and the tumor went from 5.5x6cm to 1.4cm no surprises on the characteristics and all margins were negative so I guess I can say I'm cancer free. They are starting me this week on hormonal therapy Tamoxifen for a couple months while Zoladex supresses my ovaries and PS said in about 2 weeks I can start the rads.

    Happy the recoveries are all going well, and good luck for the upcoming surgeries. Hugs to all!


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  • lrwells50
    lrwells50 Member Posts: 254
    edited March 2017

    my daughter bought me a couple of what I would call nail belts, very similar to what waiters and waitresses wear, at Home Depot. $.77 ea

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  • MariH
    MariH Member Posts: 24
    edited March 2017

    Surgery completed yesterday. Surgeon told my husband that she removed tissue from 2 spots. !?! But only the sentinel node, even though another one lit up after nuclear injection. I needed 3 wires, and they had to do it twice because the first ones were too short. But no pain afterwards, didn't take any meds. And everyone at UCLA med center was so nice and happy. Made it all very pleasant.

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  • goldie63
    goldie63 Member Posts: 117
    edited March 2017

    DiV very happy to hear about your pet scan results. You are an amazing woman. Keep moving forward. One day at a time

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  • bareclaws
    bareclaws Member Posts: 345
    edited March 2017

    BMX this morning, nomreconstruction. Piece of cake. Two drains. No pain, just a bit of soreness. Looking forward to blowing this joint tomorrow. Starting arm exercises and walking tomorrow. My kids are all in town for a few days and I'm using them to do all kinds of jobs I can't, or don't want to do.

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  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,298
    edited March 2017

    DiV great news. Praying that your surgery eradicates the cancer.

    Bareclaws. . .sounds like your surgery went very well. Thoughts and prayers for a continued easy recovery. Take all the help you can get so you can rest.

    LaisSS. . .great news on the negative margins. Take it easy. I had several rounds of lupron for OS.

    wallen. . .for BMX I had all 4 drains removed on day 9. PS just told me to hold my breath and they came out pain free on the exhale.

    Scottie

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  • jrow7
    jrow7 Member Posts: 48
    edited March 2017

    so I met with the Oncologist and I start 20wks of chemo either 4\5 or 4\6. A\C first then Taxol + Herceptin. Then radiation for who knows how long. Then tamoxifen for who knows how long. Ugh

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  • 2FUN
    2FUN Member Posts: 956
    edited March 2017

    jrow7 that sounds like a bit of slog. Do you feel like you have all the info you need regarding your treatment? We are here for you!

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  • cdv4251992
    cdv4251992 Member Posts: 158
    edited March 2017

    Wallen, I had 2 drains removed last week; one at my reconstructed breast, one from my abdomen. It was definitely an odd sensation. The one at my breast kinda tugged and was uncomfortable. The one in my abdomen got stuck and took a bit of tugging. The nurse had to go get the surgeon and he tugged some more and it popped out. It was not pleasant, it didn't last long. I still have 2 drains in and I'm thinking of just keeping them, though. Not really ;)


    So I met with the surgeon today. She said everything went well and looks great. The weird thing is that she said there were no nodes under my arm. She could not pick up any of the radioactive isotope and none of the blue dye picked up under my arm either. She said she spent a lot of time looking and even felt around and there was nothing. She said my prior radiation pretty much destroyed everything and it was just a lot of scar tissue. I talk with my onc tomorrow. Does anyone know what this means for staging? Do we just assume stage one?

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  • 2FUN
    2FUN Member Posts: 956
    edited March 2017

    I am really bad about commenting on everyone's posts. I hope this doesn't offend anyone. On a humerous note I was brushing my teeth and I put Benedryl on my toothbrush! Be careful when taking pain killers!

    I gave myself a sponge bath and used the only bathroom in our house with a mirror. Wow, I guess it was good to see it now so I can start to process. I know a MX sounds nice. But it looks like a breast amputation. I have a large amount of tissue and fluid under my arm, hopefully that dissipates a bit.

    I am used to providing home health services, and today I had a visiting nurse come to the house. Kind of a peculiar experience.

    Rest well everyone!


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  • jrow7
    jrow7 Member Posts: 48
    edited March 2017

    sorry, I do have all the info. It's just so much to post. I'm feeling so overwhelmed. I don't know my start date because the Coordinator originally had me scheduled for 4\3 but I don't want a Monday because I plan on working as much as I can. I haven't met with Radiation Oncologist yet ergo I don't know treatment length. Tamoxifen is a discussion we will have at a later time. Sorry I have a kindle and it makes it difficult to post (keyboard is awful).


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  • lifeb4me
    lifeb4me Member Posts: 39
    edited March 2017

    BS called me with the pathology results. Nodes confirmed negative. Tumor shrank from 8.6 cm to 2.3 and still some residual cancer, but as it was all taken out, with clear margins (no more surgery for me) I think I can say I have no more cancer in my body. Next week follow up with BS on Tuesday, MO and Herceptin on Wednesday. Next step rads. I'm thinking they will set it up next week.

    DiV - great news on PET scan. Praying for you.

    Bareclaws - Glad everything went well and you have minimal pain.

    LaisSS - Congrats on the on the negative nodes and margins.

    GrendelDog and MariH - hope you're home and healing from your surgeries.



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  • goldie63
    goldie63 Member Posts: 117
    edited March 2017

    Saw my surgeon for 2 wk follow up today and great news residual Dcis only no invasive cancer! Yay!! Lumpy lump under arm is also just swollen tissue, not seroma, yay again. 4th drain came out, plus stitch that neither Von nurse nor er doctor or nurse could get out from the 3rd drain. Plus another piece of stitch from either the 1st or second drain that I didn't know was still in! Anyway mainly i very very happy with pathology report so now I am just going to be healing up. Chemo and rads been there done that 20 years agograteful I don't have to again. Glad to hear of others with good results. I keep all of you in my heart ❤ One day at a time for all of us on this journey

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