November 2009 Mastectomy

Cammy2, I am thinking of you...you're probably still in the hospital now. Prayers are being said for you!

Amy - still in recliner 2 and 1/2 weeks post surgery



Yo - sorry about hematoma, but it sounds like you're doing pretty well. Yes, the drains are a nuisance



Definitely prayers for Ms Marilyn -- one of my drains put out 100 for 10 days, but the swelling/redness might be infection?



Leslie - I had bi x on Nov 4 and still have swelling. Now that all drains are out, my PS is really warning me not to overdo it. I am wrapped at all times (except for bathing) in 2 6 in ACE bandages. I actually really like being wrapped.



I forgot who asked, but the only thing I can put on my healing drain wounds or breast scars is neosporin or bacitracin for now. 2 times a day.



Dmorgan2 - I had low grade fevers (under 101) for about 4 nights.



Michelle - hey hon. Good to see you on this board. I did not have AND, but was still told to ease up on too much movement to prevent seroma (sp?). I have all sorts of swelling and bumps under the armpit and no one is concerned, so I pray it is nothing for you.



My path report -- no evidence of IDC after chemo. I am thrilled, esp considering that the tumor was almost 5 cm. There was 1 mm DCIS in another spot, so I am even more satisfied with my decision to go for the mast, and bilateral at that.



Ok- take care all.

Hugs

Vickie

Hi Rebecca

My plastic surgeon has me wearing 2 6 inch ACE bandages (mostly, he is trying to prevent seroma because my 4th drain had to come out even though it was producing 75 ccs - it was getting to be an infection risk). Anyway..I feel most comfortable when wrapped (not too tightly). I notice I am in more pain when I shower and when my DH re-does my bandages).



I hope you feel better soon.



I also was a DD -- and I agree...not for me again

Vickie

Hi ladies,

Prayers to you Ms. Marilyn.  Hope they get things improving quickly for you.

I am on line scouring for info on drains.  I still have a fair bit drainng but one of the 4 seems loose and is leaking at the wound site as well as into the tube and chamber.  Not sure what to do.  Put a dressing on where the tube comes out of the bandage and will monitor and call the hospital clinic tomorrow I guess.  No fever, redness or additional pain and still draining OK so hopefully OK. Thinking the drains are putting out too much to have them removed Tuesday. ( one is about 40 but others are about 90.  darn!)

The prophy side is not bad but the AND side feels sore and swollen and has the iron bra feeling as well as almost like mustle cramps with some numbness.  Cannot tell if I am imagining it or it is real since it feels so tight.

Any insights would be appreciated.  This is such an odd thing.  Pain is still OK too but just feeling very tight and uncomfortable and irritated.  While it seems to be going OK it sure is reassuring reading everyone's comments to know what is normal, OK or not good.

Hugs to you all today.  Have a good and restful day.  I guess I am off for a nap soon.

Yo

WordDoctor and Jane--thinking about you both tomorrow. I will be praying for you all day.

Thank you all for your prayers and I want you to know they were answered!

Went to the ER Friday night with pain, swelling (lots of swelling) and a lot of drainage on my left side.  Was told that I had a bad infection and chances are I would have to have surgery to remove the TE's & the infection.  So they put me on antibiotics and kept a close eye on me.  Saturday afternoon my blood work came back and was told that my surgery would be 10 am Sunday morning.  By now I had contacted my family, friends and church because I needed prayer! 

They took more blood this morning around 1 - 1:30.  All the pain had stopped by now but I really didn't think much about it because of the pain medication and antibiotics.  As my surgery time got closer and I wasn't being moved from my room I started getting concerned because of all the doctors and nurses that were checking me and leaving.  Finally my doctor came in and told me that my surgery was canceled, all of my swelling, redness, tenderness and pain was gone with no sign of an infection in my blood or on my body.

He wanted me to stay another day to keep an eye on things.  But me being ME... I didn't want to stay another night and promised if anything changed I would come back asap and he let me come home.  After all I have to go back in the morning anyway because I have my post op appt in the morning and I learn what my next steps in treatment are.

So I really want to thank everyone that said a prayer for me because as I said, the prayers were answered.  There is no sign of infection in my body, there is NO extra tenderness, NO redness and my drainage is now next to nothing like it should be.  GOD is GOOD!!

I am scheduled for surgery 11/25.  Having a bilat mastectomy with reconstruction at the same time.  Please keep me in your prayers.

YoYo44 - I had bilateral mastectomy on Nov 10. Today has been the worst day. Lots of swelling on the ALND side as well. My symptoms and yours seem very similar. After I took a shower today my drains pumped out a lot of fluid. I have been in an Ace wrap today to try to keep the swelling down. This has been most aggravating. Luckily I am scheduled to see my surgeon tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully these drains will come out because they are very irritating to say the least. I have no fever but think one of them looks quite suspicious - a bit of draining from the stitch site but still also drains into the tube. Yesterday I was less than 30 cc for all three drains combined but today I am probably double - what's up with that?

MsMarilyn -  Glad to hear things turned out okay. I hope my one drain is okay and no infection. 

Vick614 - I was wearing a compression cami but it just wasn't getting it with the drains since it wasn't made for that purpose. Today I went with an Ace wrap. Seems to be doing okay. My swelling is mainly on the left (ALND side) and is just below the armpit but also seems to wrap itself along the back just a bit below the shoulder blade. I find it difficult to recline because of the swelling. How much swelling are you having? I was thinking this was fairly well controlled until today. Seems like such a set back - but I am hoping for a better day tomorrow. 

Good luck to all undergoing surgery this coming week and continued healing to those who have had their procedures!

Hi Vicki.

Thanks for the messages. And forgive my ignorance, but what is an AMD? I am trying to get familiar with all the different acronyoms on this forum. If it has to do with lymph node removal, yes I had one removed during the mastectomy. (It was a bilateral one, but one breast was done propholactically.) If it is something other, please let me know. 

As for the Stanford Cancer Center, it is located in Stanford, CA, and as far as I know, there is only one. I am not familiar with Manasseh or Kempner ... could they be located elsewhere?

I so appreciate the response and support.  Thank you!

Leslie - I have some swelling but not that bad. For me, In addition to being a DD, I had some extra weight in my underarm area, so the PS is going to lipo that out when he does the exchange and gets rid of any skin he doesn't need. But, in addition to that, though, there is still a little swelling. I have to stay in the ACE bandages to feel less discomfort.



Wintersbee--yes, you have to take it easy, I agree. I have a 3 year old and I know that's easier said than done. The first 10 days after surgery, I was at my parents' house so I could just focus on me (and my mom is an RN too, so that waa great). AND is axillary node dissection - all the axillary lymph nodes taken out. I read "Stamford" as in Connecticut. My error.



Be well all

Vickie

  I am glad to hear your SNB was clear now you can sleep in peace not waitng for when it would re occur.  ENjoy your 2 months doctor free.

Rebecca

  Jane_M hope all goes weel today sorry I didnt want tyou to think we forgot about your big today.

Rebecca

2hands4me,

Thank you for thinking of me and especially for your prayers.

It seems like it took forever to get here!!

7 more hours and I will be in their hands.

I know God will be there to calm my heart and give me and my family strength.

NO WORRIES

Take care~ 

Well  - turns out that my swelling is lymphedema. My surgeon has referred me to physical therapy to address this situation. On the other hand, I got two of three drains out today . Talk about painful - yikes! I also got my pathology report from the bilateral mastectomy. Seems the "good breast" had a well-circumscribed nodule showing fibrocystic change with apocrine metaplasia. Final staging puts me at stage IIIa. Met with oncologist and his nurse. They both are very personable and straight forward with information, both my husband and I really liked them. They have me starting on AC in 2-3 weeks followed by Taxol and Herceptin. They also recommended that I receive the H1N1 vaccine before therapy begins. Now if I can just find a clinic that has it...

How did you handle the AC therapy? Is it tolerable, any side effects that were not controlled on medication? I am quite aprehensive about beginning this regimen. Anything you can tell me would be very much appreciated.

As for staying compressed, the surgeon wrapped me back up again today. I take that as a "yes" stay compressed for awhile. I will have to go back again (hopefully this week before Thanksgiving) for the last of the drains to be removed and will ask then. 

Thank you,

Leslie