January Mastectomy

Taraleec -- this is the hardest time, as those of us who have been through our surgeries already this month can attest.  It is just the d**n waiting that can drive you nuts and not knowing how you will feel.  Unlike the rest of the crew, I'm actually sleeping well.  Took pain meds for the first 2 days but haven't since then.  Hardest part is sleeping slight upright and waking up with a sore back.  I'm starting to itch where the tubes are sewn in and phantom "fingers" where the breast used to be.  Just have my emotional ups and downs, which is normal after any surgery.  I love the idea of counting off the days -- maybe an advent calendar type of thing with a small gift to remind your baby of you?

To all of you with surgery next week -- blessings and support heading your way.  Really, truly the wait is the worst of all of this!

I am off to the PS to get my drains out today!  I am soooo excited!  I am soooo tired of these stupid drains.  The left one is starting to come out so it constantly pulls a little and the other one is just annoying.  I am glad to see the posts about it not being so bad, I just figure even if it's uncomfortable, at least it'll just be for a minute and then they'll be gone! 

Frosty1:  it's funny that you should mention that about the shaving.  I am feeling really gross but have been afraid to shave.  I started to shave my left side once and then stopped half way down and haven't attempted the right at all (I had my SNB on the right), but I figure after I get my drains out I'll try it, we'll see.  I have heard that some woman go to an electric shaver for this so they don't cut themselves, but not sure how good they work, but I guess anything is better than the way that they look right now.  I'm kind of embarrassed to go to the PS with them like this.  I might ask him what the best way to handle it is.  I'll post back after my appt.!

I DID shave my pits, but I couldn't feel a thing...I couldn't extend my arms fully, so it was truly a guessing game.  I HOPED I wasn't cutting myself, but I trusted my razor, since I had never cut myself with it before - hoping this wouldn't be the first time.  I had nodes taken out in both arms, four in one arm, and only one in the other.  Funny how the arm with just the one node is MUCH more numb than the other one....

My doctor hasn't given my exercises yet.  Have your doctors?  Some websites have said surgeons have patients start immediately.  I am now 12 days post surgery, but I go back to see my BS in three more days (to get drains #3 and 4 out...yippee!!!).  I will ask about exercises then.  NOT that I'm anxious to do them, but I was just curious....

Thinking of and praying for everyone on here....

21st--bilateral mastectomy

Aloha all.  

Glad to be back reading and to hear that everyone who has had surgery since last checking is is doing well with managed pain.  I'm on the countdown--Thursday is M-day.  Both are coming off, along with a SNB on the right.  My oncologist said the left side had 'suspicious' lymph glands, but that is not the cancer side...  The news just keeps coming.  Now the anxiety is just creepy.  Had a goodbye party last night for "Poncho and Lefty".  Brought one of the layers from my sister's wedding cake from the night before--we drove home to Ft Worth from Austin the day of the party.  I iced the top of the cake to cover where the cake support poles were and wrote "Thanks and good Luck Poncho and Lefty".  It was nice to have lots of friends and family around.  But today it is really sinking in.  Reading y'alls comments is making it much better.  I pray for you daily.  God knows you all as the "January Mastectomy Ladies."  When I can't sleep, I pray--y'all are covered in prayers.  

After all the reading and questions and research, it's like I have no idea what to expect.  My brain can't hold anything or find anything that is in there.  Some things make it sound like I will be able to use my arms a bit, others not for a couple weeks.  As for the armpits....waxing!  I am hopeful it will last for a bit.  At least enough to get me back to shaving without a jungle sprouting enough for George to swing from one side to the other with ease.   

Thanks for the popsicle idea--it will go on the list today!  See you all later!

Susan 

I have my follow up appt with My PS tomorrow...one week from my surgery...I am hoping he will remove the two drains.....#1 output is less than 20cc and so #2 is about 30 cc so not sure ..we will see after tomorrow mornings #s......Hard to believe its been a week almost...I finally slept in our bed...my HB has been so great sleeping on the other couch in our family room...our sectional is so comfy...but my butt is so sore from resting so much......my family has been so persistent that I rest....My girlfriends have made dinner every night for the past 6 nights, and tonight also.....I will meet with BS and Oncologist Friday,  then will start the next step , Taxol with Heceptin /3 weeks for year....I wish I could just say NO , Im done ! But that is not a choice....Yesterday HB noticed my eyelashes are falling out some...I am bummed...but Happy , on Friday My friend Deb, stopped in and she cut 7 inches off hair, gave me the pieces and along with Mine I had cut, Im going to get a HIP hat Hair done.....then I find out her Daughter who is 22 , cut her hair and my other friends daughter who is 14 cut 6 inches of her blonde hair for highlights !!! the three of us are brunettes...

Just popping thru with encouragement for the whole crew.

Is everyone doing their stretching exercises? Range-of-motion stretches? Walking-the-wall? Deep breathing?? I am rewarding myself for "little progresses" from day to day.

Big hugs to all.

xx00xx00xx00xx

Frosty1: The 15 lbs. were the only good thing over the past 2 months. Being diagnosed w/BC and having my Dad suddenly die a week later was the jump start for my diet. I had no appetite, but I didn't want to get sick so I made sure that every bite of food that went into my mouth counted. Now I'm trying to get all the fat off of me so I produce next to no estrogen. 

I called an oncologist to talk about how to stay cancer free going forward. I'm not sure what they'll recommend, but I'm back to being terrified. I had my ovaries removed (46yrs. old), so I'm hoping that's enough. Maybe I'm naive, but we'll see.

I hate this! 

I wanted to mention to all you ladies about a very nice bra. Warner Style# 2003, Elements of Bliss. There no underwire so it's very comfortable but, it still gives good support.

Sunsnow:  I agree with frosty1, I am jealous of the 15 lbs!  I am also feeling wonderful being drain free!  Tomorrow will be your day!  And it's worth it!!!  So wonderful, I feel so free!  Still not able to do anything like my PS seems to think, but that's okay, luckily, my DH knows that I still have to take it easy, although, he is starting to leave me for longer periods of time now.  But it's all good.  Tomorrow I'm going to check out a Breast Cancer exercise video that I ordered and haven't gotten around to look at yet.  I'll let you all know how it is after I check it out.  Anyway, hope all is well with everyone and prayers to all!

Robinlbe: Thank you for your kind words and prayers. I appreciate them very much. I can't believe that it was a coincidence that my dad died on the day I was going to tell him about my diagnosis. I had been waiting until after Thanksgiving weekend was over to tell him. I feel him with me all the time now, but some days are harder than others.

On a much happier note, my drains were taken out this morning. What a relief! PS wants to start fills next week. I am so excited to get this process moving forward.

Best to all for a great week! 

I have GREAT, Big, GLORIOUS news!!!

And it has taken me all day to figure out how to share it.

I've just gotten off the phone with Saint and she's helped me "process" the good news and she has given me 'permission' to be happy.

I must say that while I am happy down to my toe-nails, I also have enough 'survivor guilt' and mixed-up emotions, that I want to tread carefully, because I realize that there are so many here who do not get to have a 'happy dance.'

So with all of that as a pre-amble. I woke before dawn again and somewhere before 5:00 a.m. I listened to my cell phone messages from yesterday. Apparently I turned off the phone to take a nap and never turned it back on......

There was a message from my surgeon that my path report was already back!!!! He let me know that the pathology indicated everything removed was DCIS, as per his expectations. The nodes surveyed indicated that there was nothing invasive. He concluded the message by saying that there were absolutely NO surprises.

I listened to the message at least two dozen times.

!!!!!!!!!!

I've told my parents & my children & now that I've tracked down Saint, I can share the news here.

I am keenly aware of how fortunate I am.

I am keenly aware that others will not receive this sort of news.

I am keenly aware of what your support has meant to me.

xx00xx00xx00xx00xx

Thank you and thank you and thank you some more!!

**********

I am about to add TMI (too much information, LOL)  and this will help put things into where my perspective is.

So........ after I listened to the message a gazillion times, I sat here happily crying (you know how much crying I do these days) and saying my prayers of thanksgiving..... and then a little after six a.m. I just couldn't keep it to myself anymore.

So, for the first time since surgery, I crept very carefully back into our wonderfully warm bed, where my dear, dear, dear husband was soundly sleeping. (I have been sleeping in the recliner in our bedroom these several nights.)

Anyhow. I woke him up to report the good news.

Here comes the TMI...... so feel free to click out to some other thread.

We then had our very own "happy dance" together. Me with my drains looped around my stapled  shut and totally bruised boy-body,  drain bulbs filled up with overnight bodily fluids no less.

Let me tell you. "Good-pathology-sex" while quite sedate due to circumstances beyond our control, is about the sweetest reward possible.

You must promise not to report my enthusiasm to my children, as they would probably have me committed someplace if they were aware.

BUT you must know what an enormously incredible hurdle this morning's news-dance made as 'normal' as having salad together. LOL.

Faithandfifty ~ I'm so happy you had a little happy dance today and some good-pathology-sex thrown in for good measure. That's great news!!