I had my surgery

Hi to both of you!  Glad to hear that both of you have your surgeries behind you.  I remember feeling so relieved to have the tumor out of my body.  Now, I'm going through chemotherapy and half-way finished.  Not sure if either of you have to do chemo but if so join us on the October 2011 thread.  Lots of great friends there that are going through it with you and can offer some great advice.

Hope both of you have a great day!

yorkiemom - Best wishes to you. I had my lumpectomy 9/26. I know surgery is not the same for all, but I was very pleased to find that I did not need the pain meds I was prescribed. I managed just fine with extra-strength tylenol. Ice was my best friend the first 24 hours. I stayed overnight at an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge and drove myself home (2 1/2 hours) the next day. I am definitely not saying that there is no pain during recovery - just that it was far less painful than I thought it would be. I just finished one week of radiation, with five more to go. I often have shooting pains through my breast, but my rad onc says that is normal and due to radiation. It is definitely manageable. My entire surgical team was amazing. I will be thinking of you.

Carla - I hope chemo goes well and passes quickly for you. I note on your profile that you are also triple negative, as I am. I had chemo before surgery to reduce the tumor from 3 cm to 1 and 1/2 cm. as my breasts are small and a lumpectomy for a 3 cm tumor would have taken 3/4 of my breast. If it had not shrunk, I would have gone with a mastectomy, but my surgeon strongly encouraged me to go with the lumpectomy. 

Yorkiemom,  I just love your avatar. What is your baby's name? I will be thinking about you on Tuesday. I remember the anxiety so well but trust me, this WAS the worst part for me. It will be uphill from here!

Thanks Carla for the warm greeting. I am amazed at the love and support I have seen happening here and thankful to have found so many wonderful girls. 

Ardychan,  I think that each day will get a little easier. I do not know what a lumpectomy is like as I chose to have a double mastectomy aka BMX. But like you, I was glad to have the cancer gone and I think I suffered more when it was in my body and facing the unknown.

Elizabeth,  I also feel that I was treated with the utmost dignity throughout my journey. I thank God for the compassion and care I get from each doctor involved in my recovery.

Have a good week, ladies. 

Erin

Yorkiemom, I was diagnosed 4 days before you and had my lumpectomy and SNB done 10/28. I was in almost no pain. I used the high-powered painkillers and icepack only the first night, to ensure that I got a good night's sleep. After that, I didn't even need the Tylenol. After the anesthesia wore off, I felt terrific. It was hard to believe I had actually been through surgery.

(For me, the only uncomfortable part of the day of surgery was the needles used to insert a guide wire into the tumor and to insert dyes for the SNB.)

 Hope yours goes as well.

And Ardychan, congratulations on having yours over with. 

Nancy, Sending hugs to you and wishing you the best of luck.