April 2018 Surgery Support Group

Llee

My surgery was 3/30 but I’m joining the April group as I’m more in sync with you. I had a double mastectomy with TEs placed in.

My two cents about the surgery and immediate post op period is that it is trying but manageable, mentally and physically.

If I can help, please let me know.

2catsintheyard

Has anyone had edema in their legs due to neoadjuvant chemo treatments? Did surgery impact your legs at all?

My legs are terribly sore and tend to swell and be stiff by days end and I’m a bit nervous surgery will increase the problem

LisaK12

April 10 I am having a double mastectomy (nipple-sparing on right but not left as the DCIS is directly under the left nipple) with immediate, direct-to-implant reconstruction, no tissue expanders. SNB on left side as well. They told me to plan on two nights in the hospital.

I am getting smooth round implants and my final consultations with BS and PS are tomorrow. I will likely end up smaller than I am now but am fine with that. I'm not planning on having nipple reconstruction, just a 3-D tattoo which will come later.

Reading these boards has helped me prepare by arming me with questions for my surgeons and helping me understand the full gamut of what I may experience -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. I feel as prepared as I can be. DH is being wonderful.

Thinking positive thoughts for all.

ShimmerGal

2catsintheyard-- maybe ask your doc if they plan to use a Sequential Compression Device ( SCD) after your surgery? I had no idea about this thing until I woke up and it was on my calves, it is meant to help with blood flow in the legs. Based on your post though I honestly can't tell if that would help or hurt your situation?

Engine104

My wife had her pre-op meetings with the scheduling nurse on Monday. Her mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy is set for the 17th. I have to say, we are very impressed with how Kaiser is handling this. They are on top of everything and that is reassuring.

I hope it is ok with everyone if I post in place of my wife. This is our third go-round with cancer. She had a lumpectomy 22 years ago and then AML 16 years ago. We thought we were done.. Not so much, as it turns out Anyway, in each case, she handled it by staying positive and not wanting too much info, so she'd ask me to get on the discussion boards and do the research. That's helped me to get through this.

Anonymous

My grandson was born!! Missed my birthday by 24 hours and 45 minutes!! He was born last night at 11:15 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 5 oz and was 21 inches!! He's a big boy!!

RiRi11

congratulations Oceanbum!!

Engine104

Wonderful news, Oceanbum. Congrats!

Anonymous

Thank you!!! My daughter is being discharged today but little Scotty has to stay a while longer. He's in NICU. They are monitoring his O2 and glucose. It could be a couple of days, maybe longer.

PaulaAtlantaGA

Hi, April surgery friends,

I'm triple negative, had five months of grueling chemo (including 2 blood transfusions, one hospital stay, bunch of IV salines), and have a surgery date for my mastectomy, right breast, of April 27. I'm Stage III, and you may know that many triple negs get a complete response to chemo by the time of surgery. I was not that lucky, but my original tumor (5.8 CM) became two small tumors (10 mm, 20 mm) in different parts of my breast, so a lumpectomy is not for me. I'm going to have a tissue expander since I have to have radiation as well. My sentinel node has already been biopsied (positive), so I know I'll get a full axillary dissection as well. My BS says to expect her to take 10 or so nodes.

I just learned all this yesterday, and as I've read in this thread, I've been "so brave" for so long (diagnosis October 2017) but am realizing that I'll be recovering from surgery, having radiation, going back on chemo (Xeloda - pill chemo for TNBC) until December 2018. Then I may be in a clinical trial for Keytruda for Stage III in 2019. Plus, at some point, I'll replace the expander with an implant, I think. I had wanted DIEP repair, but since it cannot be done at the same time as my mastectomy, I may just not choose more involved surgery.

I should say I turn 64 in May, have the world's most wonderful husband of 38 years, and would go flat if I didn't have a healthy DDD left breast. I think I'd be just a bit lopsided, even with a prosthesis. I'm anxious and letting myself swirl into depression as TNBC is so tough. I feel like all my bravery juice has been used up. Anyone else feel that way as they look toward surgery?

Thanks, Paula

cccmc2

surgery for right sided mastectomy on April 11th. Just diagnosed less than 2 weeks ago. Although I'm nervous, the waiting game is not being kind to my nerves, so I am relieved to almost Be on the other side of the first step. Chemo is expected for me after I'm healed from surgery. My surgeon did not notice on the ultrasound, nor couldn't she feel any lymph node involvement, but we won't known foe sure until she tests some during surgery. She said she currently doesn't have reason to believe it has spread anywhere . I have read others doctors or surgeons ordering mris and bone scans... should I be concerned mine hasn't? Every twinge I feel, im convinced it has spread! I'm a Single Mom of 2, and I'm petrified. I have my good days and my worrisome days, but trying to stay positive and Be gratful This looks to be treatable. I so hope so... any words of advice regarding pre or post surgery are welcome!!!

Swewing

I go in for bilateral mastectomy on Monday. I’ve started showering using the hibiclens soap. It’s starting to feel real and I’m getting nervous. I will just be sleeping in my couch recliner when I get home. I hope that will work. I have great support with my husband and parents

Engine104

Dear Swewing,

Best wishes for an easy surgery and recovery.

My wife goes in for a right mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy on the 17th. She is getting more nervous about it, as am I and our son. Fortunately, today she is at a scrap booking expo with my cousin, so that should take her mind off it a bit, I hope.

2catsintheyard

shimmergal-Thanks for the tip-I will ask

2catsintheyard

cccmc2- I can’t give any advice on surgery itself because our surgeries are both 4/11, but I would highly suggest you go to the surgery board on this same forum and read. There are a ton of useful tips and lists. I am keeping my mind off things by making a dozen lists, organizing and cleaning my house like crazy so I don’t have time to dwell. Also it will be nice to come home to a spring cleaned house (and not have to feel weird about anyone else cleaning for me even tho they offered!). If you are a cook and don’t have friends and family lined up to provide dinners for a week or two, you might want to prep and freeze a few or have in mind who delivers food for takeout near you and have cash set aside for it.

Most of all-just hang in there and even though this is not a club you’d want to join, most of us walk through the fire and are able to live on with it in our rear view mirrors when it’s over and done with. I’ve taken the view that it is a seriously crappy detour but that is all the power I’ll give it. Once it’s over I am moving ever forward and won’t look back.

2catsintheyard

Good luck swewing-have something tasty for dinner tomorrow!!

star2017

hi everyone. I’m having a prophylactic mastectomy on the 18th, at the time of my exchange

star2017

cccm2, I did not have anything before my rt mastectomy, but I had a ct scan, bone scan, and echocardiogram before starting chemo.

jamorcar

Hi all. I find that I'm very emotional when I think about my upcoming surgery on April 11. I'm ready for the next phase and eager to put it behind me, but I'm also very nervous about pain, my recovery and having to rely on others for help. I keep telling myself that if I can get through five months of chemo, I can get through this, too. Thanks to everyone who posts about their own experiences. It really does help knowing that so many brave women have gone through this, too.

Lumpectomy isn't an option for me since I'm multi-focal, so I opted for a bilateral with implant reconstruction. Tissue expanders will be placed at the time of mastectomy. I will also have a sentinel node biopsy and my port removed. There's no known node involvement (according to MRI), but the biopsy is the only way to know for sure.

Nervous!

Jennifer522

jamorcar, we have a similar diagnosis and my surgery is this Tuesday the 10th. I am really nervous too. I go back and forth between calm to get this done and anxiety over the process of getting this done.

My tumor showed almost undetectable on MRI a month ago. But I had another 10mm mass hiding behind my tumor. It didn't change with chemo. Don't know if it's benign or malignant. BS said with lumpectomy, she doesn't know if she could get clear margins. So BMX it is.

Warrior2018

Hi- I’m having mine on the 25th too! My surgery is scheduled that day for a lumpectomy with a reduction and lift. I’m Stage 1 IDC, grade 2, 11mm size tumor and so far nothing in nodes. But will have sentinel node biopsy as well. I’m declining radiation. Is there anyone out there doing that as well? I’m choosing to focus more on the hormones since I’m e and p positive but HER2- I may have my ovaries removed. I opted for the lumpectomy because I can save my breast tissue and nipples for if I choose a mastectomy at a later date. Sending good thoughts to all the warriors out there. I will feel less alone now on the 25th, knowing that we’re doing this together❤️

Jessb727

Hi all! I’m joining in - I’m having a nipple sparing BMX with right axillary node dissection this Thursday the 12th.

I had partial neoadjuvent chemo but had a life-threatening inflammatory lung reaction to either Taxol, Herceptin or Perjeta, so my MO stopped all treatment and moved to surgery until my lungs heal. The surgeons were able to get me pretty quickly - I just found out a few days ago that my surgery is this Thursday! It’s all happening very fast but I’m ready to get the cancer out of me, especially since the chemo didn’t go as planned.

jamorcar

Jennifer522, I'm sending benign vibes your way for that 10 mm mass. Hoping for good pain management, no complications, clean pathology reports and fast healing for us all.

ChelseaSculler

Another one for April 10—lumpectomy for a mass that's been around since 2014 and just got diagnosed this year. Pre-surgery meeting this afternoon. The surgery doesn't seem real yet, maybe because I had fibroadenomas removed previously and it was no big deal. But now I've read enough about potential issues from the lymph nodes and all the other potential fun coming down the pike and this is a whole 'nother kettle of fish than those surgeries. And thanks to some weird back pain I've had the past few months, I'm also paranoid that it might have spread.

Anyway, paranoia aside, it seemed like it might be time to stop lurking. So hi, and best of luck to everyone this month.

MAC58

congratulations on the birth of your new grand baby

MAC58

hi barbmac!

Hope you and everyone else that's had their surgery are on the upswing! I also barely can feel the incision site of the lumpectomy, now the lymph node excision area..that's another story. Its swollen there and feels heavy. Also getting sore feeling from rubbing on clothing. I am wearing my softest shirts, but unfortunately it's still cold here so have to wear long sleeves. Didn't need any pain meds after 2nd day just using Tylenol now. How is everyone's under arm incisions doing? Now just the wait till the pathology comes back...

rachelcarter35

Hello all you future survivors. My surgery is scheduled for April 25th,2018. I've moved my surgery two times. Originally I was getting one lumpectomy on my right for IDC 1.5 cm Grade 3 est/prog + her2 equivicol. I moved my surgery out one week to give me the time to get a second opinion. Everything felt like it was moving too fast. Because my breasts were dense they did an MRI on both while I was waiting for my second opinion appointment and in my left breast they found DCIS in one area and atypical cells in another spot. We also got back genetic testing that showed I have a check2 mutation that increases my risk for cancer. (I however have no family history of any cancer of any type). The second opinion was at UCSF and in spite of these new finding they felt that rather than a lumpectomy followed by chemo followed by a reduction followed by radiation I should have one surgery at the front end with all lumpectomies and reduction at once. I came back to my surgeon and let them know that this is what I wanted and so they needed to reschedule because my ps needed to be fit in as he will be doing the second half of the surgery. I still go in circles about making the right decision. But if I get clear margins and no lymph node involvement (SNL), I'll come out with one surgery rather than two and perky new C size breasts....lemonade.....silver lining. I'm a size G at this point and would have never gone under the knife without a cancer diagnosis. After surgery I will probably start chemo depending on oncotype. followed by rads and hormone therapy. I keep telling myself people get through this and live long cancer free lives afterwards.

RiRi11

MAC,

Again Im in the same boat as you . Breast no pain, under arm- pain and swollen. Im off the pain meds too.

just waiting on the surgical pathology report (keeping me up at night)

Good Luck and sending healing vibes to all of you gals!

2catsintheyard

For anyone who is post surgery-were you hungry and able to eat post recovery room? What to eat

star2017

when I had my mastectomy in the fall, they let me eat pretty soon, as long as I didn’t feel nauseous