surgery next week

First take a deep breathe!  It is perfectly normal to feel nervous before surgery, even if its not the first time.

My surgeon gave me a prescription for an anti-anxiety med to take the night before the procedure and to take the morning of. I think that helped a lot so if your surgeon hasn't done that you should consider asking.

Bascially, I checked in, sat around, moved to another room [with my husband] changed into gown, got taken to imagining where they did a modified sort of mammogram to do the wire placement.  In  my experience they numb you up REALLY well so you don't feel anything.  And you can easily avoid looking if that worries you.  I just stared up at the corner of the room and never looked down.  After they place the wire, they tape everything down so its not like you feel like a radio with an antenae!

Then I went back to pre-surgery [the best part since you get another wheel chair ride!!!! oh wait, I'm channeling my children here!].  I spoke briefly to my surgeon, who took a pen to make her initials on the boobie to be operated on and then to the anest. guy.  I was given a choice between being fully out or being in light out.

The difference as I understand it, is the tube down the throat.  With full out, you are on a respirator.  With the other you breathe on your own.  Full out takes longer to come to, you will feel groggy longer and you may have a bit of a sore throat.  The other type is like what they do with a colonoscopy and you come to faster.

For all three times, I have chosen full out.  I am a coward and I'm not ashamed to say it.  On the second round [reexcission] I almost went with the lighter meds until the guy said "and you know, if you find yourself waking up in the process, just say Dave I need more stuff and I'll take care of it."  To which I said  "YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH waking up in the surgery is my worst nightmare, heavy drugs please."

Whether they hook you up in the pre-surgery room or in the operating room depends on your hospital.  I have had both.  This last time I actually walked myself in the operating room---it looked just like Grey's Anatomy! --and even climbed up on the bed.  Then they put those cuff things on my legs that push your blood around, stuck a needle in me and someone seems to have turned out the lights.

When I woke up in recovery, my husband was called.  I sort of dozed for a while--they gave me some juice and I think graham crackers this time.  I was eager to go home so I sort of pushed myself to wake-up faster.  The first time, however, I think I was out longer.  You will NOT be able to drive yourself home and most places will not release you to a taxi so find a friend.

Because they give you lots of meds and your boobie is pretty numb, in my experience, there isn't a lot of pain at the beginning.  The big thing, IMHO, is don't skimp on the pain meds and don't feel you have to push it to go back to work, clean the house, paint the kitchen, etc.  As to pain meds, what I mean is don't try to tough it out.  Pain meds have to build up in the body to do their best work and if you get to the point where you are really feeling pain, then it will take longer and more to make it go away.  Just take them at least the first couple of days.  Not being in pain really allows your body to heal better.  I did my meds [percocet] for 3 days.  Then I switched to just at night for a day or so and then just to ibupropen.  Oh and most pain meds constipate the hell out of you so buy yourself some stool softeners and start them BEFORE surgery.

When you look at yourself in the mirror you will probably see a bunch of gauze and tape over the spot.  That stays on for the first few days.  It might even stay on until you see your surgeon again---I saw mine about a week later.  If you see any bleeding through the gauze, you should call your surgeon's office.  I never saw any.

Once the gauze is removed, you will see what looks like paper tape.  Those are called steristrips and thats what is typically used instead of stitches. on the outside.  They should stay on until they drop off or start to pull away.

Keep your icepack on and rest.  Hang out on your sofa or bed or favorite comfy place.  A sports bra the first 24-48 hours does make a difference in the swelling.   I forgot this the second time and my poor sad boobie looked like someone overfilled it with a bicycle pump.  The first time I found that sleeping on the sofa was better than my bed because I could prop myself so there was no chance of rolling over.

Once you are up and about, grab a lighter purse.  Don't carry it on the operated side for a couple of weeks.  Don't do a lot of heavy lifting.  Remember that even if the outside looks good, the inside is still healing.  So keep going to bed early and resting and avoid marathons for at least a week.

Did I leave anything out? 

I just got home from my lumpectomy on Monday.  The needle loc was the hardest part just because of the slightly longer squishing in the machine while they put in the needle (which as 3monstmama said you don't feel because of the good local painkiller).  Then they put a styrofoam cup over the needle and sent me to a waiting area before sugery.  A quick IV, in went the anesthesia, out went the lights!  Mostly just sore and tired from the meds.  Definitely constipated, GREAT suggestion to take stool softener beforehand (wish I had known!).  Nurse today gave me the suggestion to keep my arm propped up while sitting.

 Also, they gave me a support bra to wear24/7 until my next appointment and I ordered 2 cotton ones online because theirs was a bit uncomfortable itchy nylon. I've been up and around though - loopy, but up and around!

Best of luck to you - let us know how it goes!

I think that you guys did a great job with the explanations and what to expects of the procedure!! When I went for my wire guide ( in my beautiful hospital surgery attire) they wheeled me through the middle of a artsy craftsy fund raising event. You could see everybody looking at me thinking  "ohh, that poor thing" and wondering "what is wrong with her". That was by far the worst part of my day .The wire guide scared me too. I am an RN and I couldn't watch. They just kept saying don't look. I did ask for them to numb me--they don't normally do that here. Also, they did mine under us and I had to have a couple of mammo pics--I didn't expect that. I think that the wire felt weird but not painful while I waited the 4 hours until my surgery. I stayed with my husband until the last hour when they took me back to holding. They had everyone come by and ask "what are we doing" and "which side" a million times. I got a really cool tattoo that said "yes" right on my boob They did give me an IV and gave me some Versed after I saw my MD. That was great---that feeling of "who cares". It was all I could do to scoot over onto the OR table. I am a fan of totally out!!  My anesthesia guy said "5 seconds and it will be good night". He was right!! When I woke up I had only been in PACU for 4 minutes. (First thing I remember asking was "how long have I been in here") The worst part post-op (other than the wait for results) was pulling off all that tape!!! I am 2 weeks out and still a little sore. I did not require any pain meds after surgery but I did carry them around for a week just in case!! Good luck. I am sure you will do fine.

One other question -- I'm new to the board, too.  How do you add the bit at the bottom about your diagnosis, surgery dates, etc?  Pls help this technologically-challenged soul.  Erin

So sorry that you missed the recital and good luck with the follow-up, fingersntoes!

The Staff was very supportive when I had the needle localization and the nurse held my hand - but I held hers tighter. It was a bit stressful but I hung in there only to have the needle disappear into my breast as soon as the radiologist walked away!

Surgeon said that in 15 years this was the first time this has ever happened. He's great though and did a good job in the surgery. I have to go back for a second surgery Jan 17 but no needle loc this time..