On the day of your surgery, did you keep it together or

This may sound odd, but I felt empowered at my surgery. I was so sad to see my breasts go YET so happy to get those tumors out of me. I woke up in such great spirits because of RELIEF that they(tumors) were gone....even though it spread to my lymph nodes. I fought back with both chemo, rads and a year of herceptin.  So...my sister...FEEL EMPOWERED!! You are doing something BIG to fight back....Good luck Warrior!! PM anytime you need me....If I haven't been there, I can direct you to someone that has!!

I didn't cry but it was a fight. I prayed a lot. It helped me to have someone waiting with me. The only time I was alone was when they wheeled me in. You can ask for valium. It helps.

My surgery was at 6:30 a.m.  I got up early, took some antianxiety meds and was ready to have the cancer taken out of me!  I could not wait!!  I'm sure I cried at some point that day, but I mostly remember being relieved it was done!  Best of luck to you.  Cry if it makes you feel better, you need to do what's right for you.

HUGS,

Linda

I didn't cry but i was very nervous before my bilat mast and TRAM.......The nurses gave me some antianxiety meds and that helped a LOT.......In fact they helped so much that my DH says I was joking and laughing with the plastic surgeon as he was marking my body for the surgery!......I have NO recollection of any of that of course but I am sure it was funny!.......I was in a lot of pain when I eventually woke up fully.....I think that was on day 2 or maybe day 3......I was in the hospital for 4 1/2 days.........I was very pleased with the results and the fact that I was now cancer free!.......Good luck to you and I wish you speedy healing......

No, not for this... I bawled when going in for a D&C to take my dead baby from my womb (for the third time)... having half my cancerous boob removed was nothing compared to losing my sweet precious baby.

You will be fine. If you feel like crying, CRY! Why not! Tears make us feel better, not worse. You're strong whether you think you seem like you are, or not.

VinRobMom,  I don't know if you're still on here or not at this late hour, but I promise you that you are going through the worst of it right now. You will be SO VERY relieved when it's over and so glad it's over with! I promise you. We all were very scared BEFORE the surgery--it's a huge thing to go through. It is never as bad as we think it will be though. The pain is so minimal.

I will pray for you tomorrow. Please let us know how you are when you can.

It's will be over soon and you will be so glad you did it. We HAVE TO DO ALL we can do to fight what we have! LIFE is worth it!

Lots of tender hugs!!!

Sending you good wishes, VinRobMom.

Cry if you need to.  (I cried in the MRI machine during biopsy.  Not because it hurt, but because I was scared and upset.)

I didn't cry but I had a lot of anxiety and the meds helped tremendously.  I would push to get them before they take you out of the prep room.  For my DEIP they didn't give them to me until I was in the operating room, which can be a pretty scary place if you're already on edge.

 One thing that helped me a lot is listening to guided imagery for surgery.  I listened to it when I'd get nervous in the weeks leading up to surgery, and then had the affirmations section loaded to my ipod shuffle for the day of surgery.  I listened to them a bit in the prep room, but the biggest impact came after.  My anethesiologist let me keep them on during the surgery so during druggy haze coming out of it in the post-op room it helped tremendously to have some calm music and a friendly voice in my ear. 

 I only know of Belleruth Naparstek, but I'm sure there are others that are good.  You can even download Successful Surgery at http://www.healthjourneys.com/Product_Detail.aspx?id=29&mcid=10&catid= if you want it in time for tomorrow.  Good luck, you'll do great

Vin Rob, do what you need to do to get through it. I cry even in the MRI's I have had. I have to have an arthrogram tomorrow and I am scared. I hate tests. I will probably cry through it all..I can't help it..that's how I am.

Lots of luck and love to you,

Candie

Congratulations on the clear nodes! That must be such a relief. I'm happy for you that it's over. Have a wonderful, peaceful night. 

The day of my surgery I used humor to get through it.  I've cried, laughed, yelled, etc. throughout this whole process! 

Sweaty - what can I say? For some situations I cut the pill in half (or quarters), and it puts me almost asleep. I do remember floating through some situations in life (just once or twice) that were rough on a valium cloud of "Well... it certainly is a shame, but somehow I'm completely able to deal." I'm glad you had it, tho. I remember some doc that wouldn't give me any (my 2nd GI - kind of a jackass).

I had surgery on Valentine's Day 2008, very early in the morning.  In pre-op, I asked the BS, the PS and the anesthesiologist if they'd had a good night's sleep. Nods all around.  I asked if they'd all had some coffee.  Nods all around.  I then asked if they'd fulfilled their Valentine's Day obligations, said my husband had several hours to fill and would run errands for them, because I wanted them all focused and not distracted by anything.  Laughs all around.  The BS then mentioned that most women have a much different attitude at that point.  I then gave them a mini speech about life being full of peaks and valleys, and as long as we can see the next peak, we will survive the valley.  My BC nurse says that it set a nice tone for the OR , which is not always the case, and that she still tells that story.  I did surprise myself, because we can hope to behave a certain way, but cannot always control it.  Lastly, because it's a catholic hospital - and I am catholic - and a crucifix is on the wall in each OR, I glance at it and bless myself upon entering.  I say a quick prayer to myself for salvation and for my wonderful doctors, and the next thing I know, I'm awake and it's over. 

Be well,

Maria

both!! LOL

I never cried with any of my lumpectomies.  But when I went for my bmx I cried while the plastic surgeon was marking me.  I warned him before that day that I would be crying and he told me that many people do.  Its ok to cry--even strong people cry!