December 2018 Surgery Support Group

PawPatrolMom

I’m sorry your margins weren’t clear alto. Mastectomy is a lot physically and emotionally but you are stronger than you know and you will get through this part!

Misha13

alto-I'm sorry you have to have more surgery. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

PawPatrolMom-Good luck getting those drains out before Christmas! That would be an awesome present!

Wigging-Hoping you don’t have to have chemo! But it’s only a few months and then it’s over! It goes fast!

Mariett

Re excision and port placement went well, surgeon is confident she got everything. I get results when I go for my first chemo on the 9th. Good luck alto, alot of decisions to be made but plenty of help here for you. My bmx was a month ago anx i was just getting back to normal routine when I had to get the re-excision, so back to square one now, but it's all good. 💟

HPFULL

I am so sorry alto. That’s a lot in a short time. Sending you hugs and positive healing energy. I hope you get to rest and have some fun for the holidays before the next surgery.

@ wigging I am trying to not worry too much about 2019 and chemo but find myself trying to figure out how that darn onoscore will come back. I found this equation online that can somewhat predict oncoscore using the surgery pathology report https://path.upmc.edu/onlineTools/MageeEquations.html

I seem to fall right in the gray area. Lol

Mariett

HPFULL my mo and surgeon told me that once any of the nodes test positive then chemo is needed, so they didn't bother doing the oncotype test on my tumor. I am in a way happy to get the chemo, I think it will help in the fight.

Misha13

HPFULL-My dx is almost exactly the same as yours and I had chemo. I think alto has a point that it can help so much in killing all those little cancer cells. I feel better knowing that I've had it. And yes, I had a node with cancer at the time of diagnosis. I hope it’s gone now!

HPFULL

Hi. Are any of you having pain from the SNB? I have burning all down the front and back of my arm to my elbow. It’s a weird nerve pain and hurts more than it did right after surgery

Wigging2000

HPFULL- I actually just had an episode of arm pain yesterday on my SNB side. It really hurt, and part of my arm was red and feeling a little numb. Today it seems to have gone away. I think I might have “overdid” it the day before or had my bra too tight on that side. I am watching it carefully though for any sign of swelling. Had it continued, I would have called my doctor.

Hope yours goes away, too.

SDWoman

HPFULL

I think I am as well. I keep asking my husband to look under my arm but he sees nothing. Feels more sore on the outside of my breast and up through my armpit on the left side where the 3 nodes were removed.

SDWoman

Is anyone else going crazy with this plastic wrap that has to stay in place for four weeks? Everything just feels so tight! Going to be a great for sure when that comes off!

Then to look forward to wearing spanx 24/7 on the donor site when fat grafting is done in the future.

HPFULL

my dr says the pain is normal. I am thinking maybe it’s bothering me so much because I am Right handed and it’s hard to not use my right arm for things I have to remember to switch and use my left. I don’t have the plastic wrap! That would make me crazy

Wigging2000

SDwoman- I only had the plastic wrap for one week. I was extremely excited to get rid of it then. You need to start planning your celebration now for the day you get it off! I’m not sure if I’ll need fat grafting yet. The spanx thing does not sound fun! Do you know when you’re having that done?

HPFULL- hope the pain settles down for you!

Misha13

I’m sorry you all are having various pains and discomfort! It will be my turn soon enough!

Here’s how my day went: My hubbie is the cook; he just is. I don’t like to cook and he does. SO, I cleaned this morning and then hubbie says he doesn’t feel good and ends up sicker than heck, so he can’t do the food for Christmas Eve tomorrow, thus I take charge and do the prep. I’m so grateful that I finally have the energy to clean, care for our son with special needs, and make chicken salad, filling for stuffed mushrooms, and the liquid part of whatever the hell cranberry fluff is! I drew the line at the homemade broccoli soup and the cheesecake though! I can buy those tomorrow!

It felt especially good to help since he’s picked up the slack since July, and will have to do everything again for my surgery!

That’s all I can contribute today! Wishing you all a pain-free Christmas!!

HPFULL

Misha sorry your hubby is sick. The Christmas food menu sounds yummy. Glad you are starting to feel better after chemo. Your surgery is coming up soon. I bet you are excited to get it done.

Merry Christmas you guys. I hope you all get to relax and enjoy the holiday with the people you love.

Nicnnat3

hello, merry Christmas and I'm glad your on your way to a complete recovery. Well, I'm also a new member. I had a lumpectomy and 3 lympth nodes removed on dec 18. The diagnosis was idc. my doctor said stage 11b according to the phone conversation with my husband yesterday. My post op is tomorrow and I'm so nervous. My surgeon told my husband that I need to make a decision. I guess he didn't get clear margins so he either has to go back in to get the little that was left or if I want a masectomy. First is it common to have to go back in? Why didn't he get it all the first time? Also, my 2 sentinel lympth nodes showed invasion by a little. The 3rd node removed higer up showed negative for idc. I was a little happy about that. I will need chemo I'm sure. I am also probably gonna do scans to make sure it didn't go anywhere else. We're your lympth nodes effected? Any advice you can give me I would appreciate it. My anxiety is through the roof. I also am est and pro est positive

Misha13

Welcome Nicnnat3! There is a lot of information here on this website, so I would read as much as you can about your diagnosis. Also, there is info and threads of discussion about surgery that can help explain clear margins and mastectomy.

Sounds like you will have surgery in January! There is a message board for January surgery that you will want to join.

I totally understand your anxiety! This is hard to understand and there is so much coming at you at once! The doctors want to do more surgery to make sure you will be cancer-free. It’s going to be okay.

Misha13

Merry Christmas everyone!

Wigging2000

thinking of you for tomorrow, Misha! You’ve had a long road. Hugs!

Love and happy holidays to all!

SDWoman

Nicnnat3 Misha already gave you lots of good advice. From what I have read it happens alot where there is a need to go back in for more if clear margins were not obtained. It is by no means an indicator of your doctors capabilities.

Misha good luck tomorrow. I will be thinking of you.

Mymomsgirl

First of all Merry Christmas to everyone and apologies for being a little MIA. My Oncoplastic Lumpectomy (lumpectomy with reconstruction) along with SNB and intraoperative radiation was completed last Tuesday. I spent one night in the hospital and the first couple of days were the roughest. I have to agree with Hpfull that the SNB seems to be the lingering pain under my arm, I've had the tingling and sharp pain and in the evening it feels like I have a golf ball under my arm, but there is nothing there. The left side which had the tumor is the most tender, the right side with just the reduction is feeling pretty good.

As far as the prognosis I'm waiting to hear on the tumor, during this type of the procedure my BS takes a little extra to try to ensure good margins because if they are not clear that will mean a mastectomy due to having the reconstruction at the same time (things have been moved around a little now). For the SNB they took 3 and initial report showed that they are clear, so here's hoping that the full pathology report shows the same. My post ops are on 1/2/19 and I'm supposed to kick off DIBH radiation mid to late January.

Good Luck everyone and here's to a 2019 of good news for all.

HPFULL

good look tomorrow Misha. Praying for s smooth surgery and recovery for yo

Gramto4

Good luck today with your surgery Misha-1. Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. My nipple reconstruction is tomorrow morning and I’ve had trouble sleeping the past two nights from anticipation. Look forward to hearing from you as you recover.

Best wishes

Gramto4

Mariett

Good luck with your surgery Misha. Nicnnat3 it's seems very common for the surgeon to go back to get clear margins. I have stage ll also and 3/11 nodes on one side tested positive, so the surgeon pulled them all out. You have a big decision to make. If I was in your position I would go with the mastectomy but that is just my opinion. You should talk with your surgeon and read some off the helpful post on here and it should help you with your decision. Best of luck xx

Wigging2000

gramto4-thinking of you for tomorrow! I don’t know much about nipple reconstruction but I will hope for a smooth procedure and recovery for you!

I’m having some sad thoughts about heading into a new year with the prospect of chemo and/or tamoxifen. I know both have the potential to really affect the rest of my life, and I’m just sad. Will have to decide how to deal with these thoughts I guess! I’m usually super positive going into the new year. Will have to work these unpleasant things into the positivity somehow I guess. Life will go on, and I’m thankful for that!

Hugs, all!

Misha13

Ladies! I’m home! Everything went great, according tonthe bs and the ps.So tired.4 drains and they put in implants!! PS said rads will be finel Going to have to trust her! I am ink a bit of pain though. Thanks for the prayers and well-wishes!

Wigging2000

Misha- so glad you are home...woohoo! Happy that your implants are in. Let the healing journey begin! Love to you! Keep on those pain meds for now girlie!

HPFULL

sending positive healing vibes your way gramto4. I hope you are able to sleep well tonight and that tomorrow goes well.

So glad it went well Misha! You have had a long journey and I am so happy you can rest a bit and heal.

Wigging I can relate. I definitely feel the same way at times All the waiting seems to draw it out. It’s so hard to not have a plan but know if all the things that might lay ahead. I try to think of all the things I am grateful for... This group is one of them. I hope your sadness lifts and tomorrow your mind is at ease

Misha13

Gramto4-Hope your surgery went well! Prayers for speedy recovery!

A little less loopy than I was last time I posted!! Lol! The meds are helping a lot and I’m really feeling pretty comfortable. These drains are just as bad as you all said they would be! Lol! They are bigger than I thought and don’t fit well into the pockets of the hoodies I bought!

Weird question: Anyone have a numb tip of your tongue?? It’s just on one side. Dr Google says it might be where the tube was sitting during surgery.

Maybe_Maeby

Hello, all—have been lurking for awhile now but was waiting to say hello until I got my final pathology report. I wanted to have a complete signature I guess since I felt like so much was up in the air?! I had a UMX for high grade DCIS six days ago and am recovering better than expected. I'm grateful to have found this group—nice to read/share similar experiences!

HPFULL

Welcome Maybe🙂

No Misha I didn’t have that, but the breathing tube sitting on it during surgery makes sense. I am so glad that you are comfortable