getting ready for masectomy and scared

Hi Debbie,

I hope I can help you or answer any questions you may have.  I had a right mastectomy on September 11, 2008.  The worst part of all of this is the unknown - and the fact that nobody tells you anything.  One of my friends friends who had been on this journey called and told me a few things.  One of the things she told me was that a mastectomy doesn't hurt and it doesn't.  Is it uncomfortable - yes but hurt - no.  What I did was write a mantra to myself and put it up on the bathroom mirror.  I wrote "I am strong" "Doesn't hurt" "Two weeks off work to recover" and every time I went into the bathroom I repeated it to myself.

Always take someone to any appointment with you - you don't hear things and sometimes someone comes up with a question you haven't thought of.  I had a "drive through" into surgery at 3pm, being wheeled out to the car at 6pm - the nurse in recovery explained the drain to me and I know I nodded my head and then my friend who helped me didn't squeeze the drain each time she emptied it now I think about it that is what the nurse told me but I was in lala land.

I had a sentinel node biopsy. At noon I had a needle injected into my nipple (didn't hurt) then the isotobe injected - no one told me that afterwards you poop and pee blue dye from the isotobe. 

It was uncomfortable to sleep but I am a side sleeper so I got myself a couple of good pillows and proped myself up and drifted off.  I did spend a lot of time in my chair with an ice pack.  The best kind I found was at Wal Mart it is an "Ace" large reusable cold compress and I got a couple of them so I could rotate.  People will want to help you - let them.  I didn't take too many pain pills, I think I took a 2/3 a day for 3 days after surgery.  When I went to the surgeon and he removed the bandage my girlfriend looked at the scar and said "it doesn't look bad" and she was right, it doesn't look bad. 

I am 58 years old and am divorced no children.  I am lucky enough to be in a "gang" of amazing women friends who saw me through all this.  After my time with the surgeon I moved on to the oncologist who advised an oncotype test to determine treatment.  I am one of the lucky ones, my oncotype score was 8 so no chemo just Femara for 5 years.  I was terrified of the Femara I'll be honest it felt like I was putting a gun in my mouth when I took that first pill as I had read all the literature but I have had no problems so far just a few leg twinges.  I have become a gym rat as I believe exercise has helped me tremendously - I am overweight, but every day I do a class.  I used to be self consious as the classes have a lot of young beautiful women in them but I show up every day and do something - imagine a whale doing yoga or step aerobics yup that's me.  My bicep stiill tingles, after surgery it was like a sunburn feeling it's still not normal but I'm living with it.  I haven't had reconstruction don't know if I'm going to bother I'm me - take me or leave me.

 If you need any specific questions answered PM me.  Take care, hope I have helped you in some way.

Hugs,

Cheryl

I had a double mastectomy and was stunned by how it didn't hurt. Even the surgeon said "it really is just a deep tissue wound." He wasn't being silly; think about it - there are no organs, muscles or bones involved, just skin. More like a paper cut, believe it or not. Sharp, but doable.

The drains are a hassle, but I found the ITCHINESS after about a week to be the most annoying.  But I'm allergic to the tape they use and had a reaction, so......

It's as your nerves start to regenerate that you realize you've had something done. You will think of these posts after surgery and know what we mean. 

All the girls are right.  There was way less pain than I expected.  I had the left breast removed and lymph nodes under the arm.  Because one had wrapped itself around a shoulder nerve, the surgeon had to cut the nerve to get it out.  So that gave me a little problem afterwards.  The hardest thing after surgery was the getting up and down on and off the toilet!  And picking things up if I dropped things.  Other than that, I did fine.  The shoulder thing wasn't as bad as the surgeon thought it was going to be, either, and I seem to be getting full motion back with that.

Hope all goes well for you!

Cora

Hi Debbie,

Sorry you are feeling uder the weather.  You are right you do have your down days but I come here and it is my sanity because everyone does understand how you feel.  Keep us posted when you get your dates.  Thinking of you, sending you a big HUG.

Cheryl