Just diagnosed with extensive DCIS

I'm seeing the surgeon (who is oncologist too) on the 20th, the day before the surgery. That is also the day I see the PS and do the pre-op. I know there's nothing really to be found out until they do the pathology report after the mastectomy. And even if it comes up that there's nothing to worry about in the left breast - I will not regret the decision to have bi-lateral one single bit. I don't want to go through this again.

Thank you so much for all your support, KAR, and everybody else. I am sorry for being a whiner from time to time. I try being strong but from time to time I fall in the pity pot.

I'll have the surgery at Presbyterian - both the surgical oncologist and the PS are OU Medical - OU Physicians, the oncologist is a Professor with the OU and the PS is an Assistant Professor.

Ok I have the laptop. Can barely type, though (IV connecting in both hands. I had bilateral latissimus dorsi, implants put direcrtly - please forgive the typo lol. I am a littl dizy from the Percocet. The surgery laste 10 hours, they managed to preserve th the areola and the nipple on the left breast, and partiaally the areola on the right - PS reconstructed the right nipple from it.

I'm very swollen under my arms, even my hands are swollen (not that bad anymore) but I had a great lunch and I'm on normal diet, with no restriction. I wasn't nauseous at all, just dizzy. Of course will will kno the final pathology report only about 2 weeks from now. What the oncologysurgeon told me,is that everyhing looked non=invasive to him, including he SNB,

Loveall a nd big hugs!

Yes, that is why my PS wanted the latisimus dorsi, so he doesn't have to go with the expanders and have more surgeries. He said if he goes like this, he will be able to put my full C in at once.

I am swollen, esp in the underarm and esp in the right one where they took out the SNB. Swollen and bruised. VERY bruised, but the swelling and the bruising already started going down. Even my eyes were swollen yesterday evening! only a little bit of swelling left now on the right eye.

Ok, need to rest some. Hugs all.

kiml4, glad you reconsidered what you need to be done.

I can think more clearly now - I was very dizzy and confused before, I guess with the anesthesia and pain-killers and everything, so here's a more detailed story.

My surgery lated 10 hours. That made me be VERY swollen after the surgery, and I don't mean just the breasts, but hands, feet and even eyes. They werent' able to put on me the surgical bra for about 15 hours after surgery, I was so swollen.

The pain was pretty tolerable. I do have a tightness sensation around the chest, that doesn't enable me to breathe very very deep - but I was told that with the incisions on the back, as well as wearing this very tight surgery bra it is considered normal.

I have two drains only, the thing that worries me is that I had quite a bit of "clots"on the drains, I need to check them almost hourly. My right underarms is more swollen than the left (right had the SNB done). But my legs are still swollen. I had the "auto-massager" on for all the time I was in the hospital. And at home, my BF and BFF are massaging my legs. I'm trying to walk as much as possible to avoid the formation of clots and to help with the swelling. 

The swelling started to go down, on the left arm I can hold my arm along my body. The right underarm is almost there.

I did bruise quite a lot, but everybody told me that it's ok and normal. And I think I'll go for a laxative today, I am taking a stool softener but I didn't go "no.2" since Tuesday morning. So I feel like I'm pregnant.

It is very hard to feel so helpless, honestly. Even if they say I have a goode range of motion, like someone two weeks after a breast enhancement. It still is. And going to the bathroom with all the tubes and things still attached to me.

The surgeon said during the pre-op that the second pathology they have requested from my stereo-tactic biopsy showed also a small amount of LCIS. He also said that by what he had seen during the surgery,  he doesnt' think there is any invasive component, but of course it won't be known until the final pathology report comes.

I had a very hard time in the first night in the hospital with the night shift nurses. Imagine that when they got me up from the ICU to my room they wanted to "roll me over" in bed? And one of them actually was trying to push me with her hand on one of the incisions I had in the back?

Anyway, the hospital is over now. They released me home yesterday. I was very tired by the time we got home, and even got a little bit of fever (100F) but it subsided very fast once I got settled in my recliner. I am going to lay back down now. I'll post updates. Maybe I whould start a thread on the "surgery before and after" board?