August 2010 Mastectomy

Hello

Question -  I hear about this picture forum. How do I get on it? I have been taking pictures and I am willing to share. I know seeing pictures of others have helped me tremendously be prepared as to what I would look like. And there are some great videos on you tube also.

The tears have definatly been flowing for me. I learned long ago, holding emotions in were bad for my health. Amazingly some of my strongest days have occured after a good cry.

I'm ten days out from my BMX wTE's. I had my follow up with my BS, pathology is good, still stage 0. My drains were removed. Everything in my recovery, is pretty much moving forward, at a steady pace. My personal goal is to get totally off the narcotics over the next few days. 

All and all, life is good, and I feel very thankful.

Carlatap,

Does that medecine really help with hot flashes? Chemo threw me into early menopause and the hot flashes have been terrible. My oncologist prescribed Effaxor 75mg daily. It helps a little but not worth the cost. My insurance will not cover it as I guess the generic does not have the same effect. So it cost 180.00/month but I have found a discount from Effaxor itself and now it's 90.00 but still way too expensive. my cancer is hormon driven so I cannot take anything else.

Mindy that's horrible. You need to let them know you are loosing confidence.

But I have run into the same crap until recently. I was told I was having a ultra sound guided core biopsy but they scheduled me for a MRI guided one. Even when I questioned they said Nope that's what your having… I showed up and had to wait and wait. Why because the radiologist caught the mistake and they had to reset up the room. I got the ultra sound guided one

I was given someone else blood test request. I caught it but even if I didn't they would have caught it when I went to get my blood.

In surgery they ask your name, birthday and what procedure you are having don. I remember them asking specifically which breast they were going to biopsy. All hospitals do this. This is how mistakes are avoided. You'll get your BMX just be sure to give them a piece of mind (and of course get it in writing) tomorrow.

A part of me wants to postpone, and another part of me just wants to get it over with so I can see the final pathology report. I have appointments scheduled on Sept 30th for labs and my medical oncologist so I really want to get this over with. But the anxiety!!! Ohhhh gosh.

But yes, I will MOST DEFINITELY get the new authorizations in writing.

Hi.

This is my first post, so bear w/ me, I'm nervous.  Had a BMX TE August 12, w/ 3/14 lymph nodes positive.  Expect to get my last drains out today. Will start chemo in Sept. Have some idea what to expect b/c husband had 4 rounds of chemo before he died in April (lymphoma), and am very thankful I can have the same oncologist, who is wonderful: curious, caring and sees the whole person, not just the patient.

At the moment, I'm trying to work through my irrational anxiety about the hair loss.  Sigh. I have long hair, and figure I'll get it cut short in the next week (locks of love), b/c maybe it's easier going from short to nothing??  And how to be a single working mom of 3 boys (15, 15, almost 10) who lost their dad.  

Oh, and (((Mindy))), the hospital really confused me too w/ the day surgery label.  Turns out they register/intake everyone through day surgery, even if you're actually admitted.  Go figure. I had Thursday afternoon surgery, and they would've sent me home Saturday but I told the PS I needed to stay another night and he agreed.  Mostly, Well done, Mindy--taking the reins and insisting on in-writing confirmation at your appt. 

Brighteyes sorry you're here but welcome. You sound like a real trooper. I don't have long hair but I have really beautiful hair just above my shoulders. For some reason I'm not as upset about that… more upset that I'm going to lose my eyebrows. Seriously I have already bought one scarf (that I can use as a scarf around my neck once hair grows back). I plan on wearing cool looking earings and wrapping my head like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc82k6vHJXI&feature=related

I will be penciling in my eyebrows too. One good thing is no leg or pit shaving. Also it takes time to dry/style hair. Not sure I'd be so interested in doing that while going through chemo anyway.

Anne then I'm screwed. Not that I'm not positive but I don't have my head in the sand either and I'm not a Christian. Seriously I have read lots of things online that say that attidude doesn't matter, treatment does.

But I do have a ton of folks praying for me (mostly Christians, a couple of Jews and I'm not sure what my other friend is. I think Hindu.) so there might be hope for me yet

Barbara Ehrenreich has written a new book, Bright-Sided, about how the "just think positive" movement is not serving us well.  She is a breast cancer survivor and she was unhappy with all the "just wear pink and you'll feel better" crap.  It's at my local library and I intend to read it sometime soon.

I have read that meditation is something that has research behind it that it can help lessen the stress and pain and improve healing.  Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote Full Catastrophe Life, so I'm giving it a read and a friend got me the meditation CDs.  I'll let you know how they are.

It is disappointing when I feel people somehow judge me, cuz they're not saying out right, on whether or not you got cancer because you aren't a good christian ... depending on my mood, I sometimes say, "Call me when you get diagnosed" ...

love to all, tara

Thanks for the warm welcome, Robin and Lago.  

 And Anne, I actually found a study that said women who express (as opposed to suppress) their anger report fewer immune and pulmonary side-effects of chemo, and that they are better able to "cope."  

And yes, meditation does have research behind it.  The one single thing my (awesome, did I say?) oncologist has pushed me on is contacting the local mind/body/spirit cancer support center. 

Keep breathing, Lago. I keep telling myself that fear is part of life. Sounds corny, but helps me not, um fear the fear, you know? 

Hi Carolee,

yes this med has helped me considerably. It takes time to begin working in your body. Give it 2 to 3 weeks and try take it around the same time everyday. Its best to take it when you eat something.  You still may experience the hot flashes but they don't come as often and they don't come with such intensity. For the time being I am taking ambien-5mg, not to help me fall asleep but to stay asleep through the night. In case I wake up to a hot flash, I have a fan facing my face, and all I do is turn it on until it passes, and then turn it off again. I just could not go through the day any more without having a decent number of hours of sleep. If you have 7 to 8 hours of sleep with the ambien, you wake up like a new person ready to go! Hope this is helpful. I  remember going nuts with all these hot flashes.

Carla

BrightEyes, you've had a rough time.. I'm so sorry...  Having "some idea what to expect" can be a blessing and a curse. To some extent, it's up to us to decide which it's MORE of, although...

...that "attitude is everything" crap really burns me. It disallows any negative feelings at all. After the mastectomy, some people who are close to me came to visit. I was wearing a tank top and no "disguise." I asked them if I looked funny, and they IMMEDIATELY said, too enthusiastically:"NOOOOO!" and pooh-poohed the whole question.  Well, SURE I look funny...with one breast. Be honest with me people! Let's not pretend the elephant isn't in the room.

Carole: There might be some microscopic cancer that they didn't remove in surgery. This is why they do radiation. If they feel you can keep those nodes it lowers your risk of lymphedema. I am having the first level taken in my left side (which would be about 10-15 I believe). This means no blood pressure, blood drawn or and "sticks" on that side, ever.

I too am not to happy about the radiation and it's impact on my reconstruction. Even if it isn't in my nodes my BS thinks radiation is likely do to the size of my tumor.

Still my PS know that radiation is a strong possibility. He would prefer none but does feel that it is possible to do implants although guarantee. His feeling is to place the TE before radiation at the time of the mastectomy. I've seen arguments for both sides. Seems Dr. Love sides feels the same way as my PS.

Bottom line is I rather have no cancer than cancer and implants. Hopefully we can have no cancer and implants.

Okay, my appointment was bumped up for two days so now I have to wait for my first post-op appointment until Wednesday. Concern, today I had a little leaking out of the drainage tubes. A little fluid on my side dripping down. My hubby said that the incision looks good and it is not puss just fluid, should I be concerned? Also, maybe this is the first time I am seeing this but I want to ask. I am a not sure if I am seeing this now that te swelling is going down or something is going wrong in my mastectomy site. In the area where my armpit and former breast meet something is poking up. There is no pain or redness but it feels very strange, kind of like a plastic point. I called the surgeon who is on call at the hosptial who said to watch it and call back if it gets red or painful (since I am 3 1/2-4 hours from the hospital), but, I am worried about letting something that should be addressed go. Is this the TE or the drain, has anyone else experienced it? So angry that my appointment got bumped, I hate these drains and my armpit is so tender~

Thanks

Lisa

Yes, I think that is what it is. I just spoke with the on call PS at my hospital and they said it is most likey the end of the drain tube. I was discharged on a Sunday and did not really get a lot of info before I left, quick description with tubes, etc. they did not address the fact that I might feel the end of the tubes so it scared me. Honestly I sort of felt that they were pushing me out of the hosptial pretty quick, I have read about that sort of treatment from a lot of woman unfortunately. After speaking with the surgeon I feel more calm about it, just nervous about my skin, infections, etc., thanks Anne!