February 2012 MX
Comments
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Hi Susanes,
I got some soft button down shirts that are one size up from what I normally wear so that the surgical garments will work underneath them. Other than that, just warm-up suits...
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Yep I am gonna go see the shrink,they are getting me an appt with the oncologist to see if I need Tamox and drum roll please...Final Path in today and I am cancer free,none in nodes and all clear margins.I told my BS today that I love her and her work,sorry I wont see her again,she says if I am ever in the area to poke my head in. Drum roll. they took off my Effin Q pain pump I oughta write their company and tell them the thing is useless and the PS I saw did not remove the drains but said I could totally shower,I almost feel human again. Wildrumara...I am allergic to most pain meds and have a low tolerance so they gave me Tylen with codeine and then me & the nurse told them I needed Valium for muscle spasms but it was really to stop crying long enuff to get outta the house. I got antibio also. I saw the BS today for final path and she cut me off cold turkey so I am now taking half a pill to stretch it out and praying when i see my General Phys I will be able to get a few more but the pain has really eased up just the TE are so hard and always feel like a too tight bra but guess I will eventually get used to it til I get my squishes wish for summer but thats overly optimistic might be fall or winter in reality. I had to get the bmx with 3 aunts with bc and me with IDC so now I sit with my 2 hamburger buns on my chest LOL,you can always get the Jodee bra with the pockets and use silicone falsies til your Barbie doll boobs start to form. No fills yet from the PS so dunno...Hey I gotta a real question. Drains...I cant get these effin things to drain no matter what. I cleaned them stripped them pinned them by my ankle,squashed them flat to get suction but I am still swollen and puffy,damn!! The drs are not worried at all but I am frustrated cause I hope to get them out and go back to work by Mar 1. I am desperate...what should I do?
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today is the day
I'll be having a MX, trying to stay busy until my 11 am check in, It doesn't seem real. I'm feeling kind of numb right now. Maybe that is better than feeling something. if that makes any sense.
Janice
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Abundant good wishes to the feb sisters yet to have surgery and fast fast healing to everyone else. This site helped me get so prepared for coming back home. The TLC camisole and the silk pjs are perfect. The drain center is a must. Surg was tues came home yesterday. Last evening was rough due to pain and figuring out what I can and cannot do. Stay ahead of the pain. I took the doc presc sleeping pill last night and 7 hours of sleep gives me a better outlook this am. DD is in nursing school and has been my private nurse!
I bought a bunch of zip up lightweight hooded sweatshirts from Walmart because they have the inside pockets, but finding the TLC camis so useful. -
deborah2012- ...lol...yes definately feel grungey! I have done pretty good with the sponge baths especially now i have more movement. But still it is nothing like a shower. I still seem far from tube removal-ahhhhhhhh-they are definately starting to annoy me.
I have a large 50 pound puppy that keeps trying to eat my drains. I woke up one day from a nap with him tugging on one i think if i had slept abit longer he for sure would have pulled it out. I am thinking that would not be a good thing. And my grenade thingys definately look and feel like a chew toy to him so i am constantly having to cover up for protection.
I have a sweet hubby who washes and brushes my hair for me my hair is long and i definately had difficulty washing it in the beginning. I think i am really starting to enjoy the hair washing pampering though so i may drag this part on for a bit longer. I guess if i get chemo i probly will not have hair soon so i am really appreciating it now.
Janice- i think we can all relate to your it does not seem real feeling numb comment. That is definately how i felt the morning of surgery and still now sometimes. I still forget i do not have breasts once in awhile and it really messes with my train of thought and emotions.
Good luck to all going in still you will be fine and you will make it through this-take a deep breath Hugs to you all-Beth xoxoxox
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Layla - yay! Final path report!
About the areola sparing - since I am 51 and have some droop the PS said I would be happier not to leave it and make a new one later on. That made perfect sense. KP - that is why you, my dear young lady, are the perfect candidate for that!
Beth - lol chew toy drain! -
Best wishes Janice, check in to tell us how you are doing. Best of luck.
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Farmer lucy- glad to see you back so fast on here! It gives me hope
i have some slight droop on the cancer side but my ps assures me it wont make a difference in my case there is the benifit of your own design with the new ones 
how did you get out of the hospital so fast??
Beth- lol ! I have a 50 lb puppy who for this reason will be kept away from me for the first two weeks.. It will be the hardest part because she is like my shadow, but shes too powerful and thinks shes a lapdog which just wont do until im strong enough to protect my chest.
Tomorrow is my day and itnseems unreal, also we have a blizzard coming to chicago, and it better not get in the way or i will freak! -
Hi All,
I finally got the last drain out and was able to shower after 3 weeks, woo hoo!!! So, I guess I'm out of the running for the grunge award:>
A couple of other helpful hints for upcoming surgeries: I ordered the pink pockets online and found them to be inexpensive and good method for holding drains. I also liked the warm up jackets with the pockets. Having a fan available in the hospital is helpful as pain meds can make you warm and sweaty and if you have a flap surgery, some surgeons like to keep the room at a higher temp to increase circulation. (mine was at 80 degrees, arggg....) I also bought a small shower chair from amazon, which was about $29. It was really lightweight and gave me a place to sit while sponge bathing and I would knealed on it to wash my hair. I also purchased a dual shower head with the handheld attachment which was very helpful. I bought a post mastectomy camisole, which was comfy, but not that helpful and also the comfortquest pillow that was nice for coming home from the hospital, but not really worth the money. My best investment was the oversized power recliner that I have been living in for the past 3 weeks, love it!!!
Deborah2012,
If you are keeping track, I had dcis grade 2 ER+/PR+ .7cm. I chose to to have a BMX with a pedicle tram reconstruction, thereby avoiding rads and tamoxifen. While this choice does require a longer recovery, I am hopefully done with the whole cancer ordeal.
Bern25,
Looks as though we have the same diagnosis. If you'd ever like to chat feel free to send me a private message.
If anyone has had a flap surgery, are you using an ABD binder or shapewear, and if so, what have you found that works best?
To all the rest of the FEB MXers... I wish the best for all of you and you're in my prayers!!!
Carolyn
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Good luck, again, Janice! HUGS, HUGS! I also have a 10:30am checkin today! Yikes! I keep saying by 5pm (right after surgery)....I WILL BE CANCER FREE! NO MORE CANCER! (hopefully..)
And, Layla...I also have a terrible family history of BR CA. My sister got it 33 yrs ago (at 26 yrs of age and 7 mos. pregnant), but she is still well and alive. My mother got it 15 yrs ago, and she died from it 8 yrs ago. My cousin just died from it at age 55. My 2 aunts got it and are still well and alive. And, on and on with the grandmothers....So...I can relate. When the nurse was doing my BRCA1 & 2 screenings yesterday, they ran out of room in the "describe your family history of cancer" section!!! Geesh! I just PRAY, PRAY, PRAY that my sweet daughter of 21 doesn't EVER, EVER have to face this. There still are some women in my family who haven't gotten it, so we have hope.
Anyway, ladies, wish me luck today for my 10:30 check in! I am kinda numb too...like you Janice...however, it seems like its better to be this way than the way I've been the entire last 2 months of waiting. At least we can move on.
Hugs for all,
Debbie
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One more tip ladies. I feel pretty stupid. I came home with the On Q pain ball pouch around my neck. I kept forgetting about it when I did drains and it would drop on floor. Not to mention how bad it felt dragging down my chest even more. DD said why don't you put that around your waist instead? Duh! What a difference!
Yeah Cajmi -the fan is a great idea. I had two wicked hot flashes - one each evening. Def did not anticipate that.
Only 125 more Law and Order episodes to go on Roku! -
Good luck today to janice and debbie xoxoxox
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Debbie-you are right you have Cancer Free to look forward too!
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I've actually had 2 fills. One the second week, then again on the third. I'll get a 60cc fill every week until we've reached our goal....even though we haven't decided what our goal is at this point :-)
I lay back on the table and PS takes this dangling magnet thingy and hovers over the top of my TE. The port is apparently some sort of metal and the magnet is drawn to it. He marks a X and uses that as his guide. He then injects the saline through the port. I don't want to freak anyone out who has needle-phobia.....it really isn't too bad. Most gals are numb all over....I am not. I have complete "feeling" across the top, I am only numb from the incision down. So....I can feel the needle go through the muscle and into the TE. It is just a necessary step in this whole process so I get through it. I close my eyes and go with it.....my husband is fascinated with the whole process....says it's cool to watch my boobs "grow" right before his eyes!! I'm so glad I can entertain him...LOL.
Good luck to all my February sisters today....I'm praying for you.
My TE are 650cc and I'm at 470 now.....he put quite a bit of saline in during surgery.
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Hi my Feb. buddies,
I'll post after my PS appt.today if anything of note.
I can't get the Foxworthy joke ideas out of my head- they just keep coming. Here's mine for today: Think of the tune for the Folgers Coffee commercial you might be a BC patient if "the best part of waking up, is seroma in your cup". I can't wait to ditch that stupid measuring cup!
Beth1965 LOL about your puppy and the chew toy!
Susanes, I chuckled when you asked "What's everyone wearing post BMX"? It was so normal in our world. Previously, we would have asked what's everyone wearing to whatever social occasion. It made me smile. Thanks.
Layla2525, Another scratch off ticket winner with the negative nodes. Go Layla2525!
Debbieos, your BC family history sucks! I have you down for a MX. It is always interesting to me why some of us opt for a MX and others for a prophylactic BMX. Did you have relatives that had the option to a prophylactic BMX and decided to do a MX? Others with same option who went for a BMX?
Cajmi, Nobody offered me a BMX in exchange for zero chemo, zero rads, and ZERO hormonal therapy if nodes came back negative and small tumor size! I presume you're pre-menopausal (the Tamoxifen avoidance rather than the Arimidex avoidance)? Your nodes must be negative,too? It is implied that you will have no follow-up prevention treatment at all. Is that correct?
Tomorrow, 2-24-12 we have Katie1388(BMX) with the areola sparing surgery (so we will want to get the smiley face report when you feel up to a peek). Crazypenguinsfan (MX) is your 2-24-12 surgery buddy. We're all excited for you both that your waiting is almost over. You're in the home stretch. We'll be here for you both waiting "breastlessly" and genuinely interested in your outcomes. Best regards to you both.
xoxo
Deborah2012
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Hi Deborah,
Reason for only getting a MX? I want to still have feeling in my one good boob. They did do an MRI on it and it looks clear. Plus, I tend to be one of those eternal optimists....I'll never get it in THAT boob! Haha! Anyhow, actually, the reason I'm only getting an implant in one boob is so that if I ever get it in the other, I can then do the DIEP reconstruction, since one can only do it once. Plus...why only 1 boob? I'm a STINKING BABY abou this whole thing....I'm kinda "less is better" mentally... I hope I made sense in this paragraph...I'm so looped up before my surgery today that I don't really know what I'm saying. The drugs are sure helping me "prep" for my surgery!
Hugs & cheers to all! (yea, I like "cheers"...it sounds like we're all meeting for happy hour!)
Debbie
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Oh, and Deborah...forgot to answer your question....my mother who died opted for a lumpectomy. My sister opted for a MX and lived. So....silly as it may sound, I'm trying to follow in my big sis's footsteps...she seemed to do something right. (And, the aunts with BR CA- they opted for either MX or lumpectomy, and they lived). for some reason, no one in my family opted for a BMX...don't really know why....
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Hi Deborah 2012,
I think it is because I had DCIS. I asked beforehand if I had the BMX if I could avoid the tamoxifen and rads and I was told yes if they didn't find any surprises in the pathology. I am perimenipausal, and I was told I need no further follow up cancer wise, only to finish with the PS.
I hope your appt goes well today!!!
Carolyn
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I have a couple of post mascectomy camisole which have really come in handy and a lot of button down blouses - The camisoles have little fiber filled poobs in them and no one can tell when I am out that I had any surgery. Very comfortable.
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Surgery +7 days and finally a POOP! I thought I was gonna have to do the enema! Thank goodness I didn't. Pain was awful last night. I let the pain get ahead of me and boy did I suffer. Take your pain pills, ladies, and don't let your pain get out control. I learned that the hard way.
Final path report called to me last night from surgeon: Definite recurrent triple negative IDC, Stage II (3.2cm), grade III....mastectomy removed all cancer, negative lymph node. No chemo and no rads will be required. I am done with this beast! The only thing that bothered me a little bit is that the cancer was in the dermis of the skin that was removed. But I am choosing to stay positive and think that this Beast is OUT!
Good luck ladies! Namaste'.
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Hi All,
As we move thru the month I am so glad this stage is over or almost over for the class of feb 2012. I am going to have my drains removed htis afternoon, I can't wait. One of my friends has been referring to them as mu udders and that is really what they look like.
Katie, I only have an 8 lb pup and have kept him away for about a week.He is coming home on Friday. He thinks he is a baby and climbs on my stomach/shoulders and cuddles. With the discomfort and my lackof patience, it would not have been good to have him here.
My soon to be X, who is here recouping following heart attack told me today to jsut get undressed and lookin the mirror and get the first peakover with. My response what if they cut off your ****,how would you feel and how quick would you look in the mirror. Really, I let you come back home for a month and am even nice about it and that is what you tell me to do. REALLY. I think it is getting time for him to think about moving back to his apartment. My BIL who is here helping us out just laughed at him. You can tellI amfeeling better when I am thinking about loosing it with folks.
For everyone still waiting, you are in my thoughts. For those of us recovering,may each day be better.
Be well
Nel
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You are so on the mark,Cajmi,that recliner is the best investment I ever made,the massager,the cubby to hold my things. OMG,I dunno if I am gonna ever get back in a regular bed. Besides,I mentioned to fiance that the queen bed mattress was worn out so he replaced it with a double and then I complained that the double was too small when he was here overnight. Now he got a queen back again but something is wrong with it,it sounds like he is sleeping on bubble wrap everytime he moves in there and its echoing thru the cottage along with his snoring. Oh well...guess I just pop another valium and forget about it for 4 hrs.LOL. Hopefully I can get some Tramadol or Ty #2 cause the Ty#3 and going without is the pits. My sentinal node area is now starting to hurt and I had to buy a big pack of Always maxi pads to line my bra to keep it from scratching the drains and the underarm on that side. Just tired of feeling like a cereal box is superglued to my chest! How do I get pain meds without making a trip to Mexico? Do you think the primary physician will give me some Flexeril? I had gotten it from her once before but I dont remember if I threw my shoulder out trying to throw for the dog or if it was the Zumba class... Good luck to all,sleep well,invest in a recliner if you can. Cyberhugs to all. Here I sit now with my boobs looking like hamburger buns squashed ones. My cancer side has a dent in it like a bad car collision. I need a body shop..lol How you guys feeling? Did any of the exchanges or fills get rid of any dents? I am worried about what my fiance will say when he sees all this. Too tired to bed jump for now maybe turn off the lights til I get squishes?
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3 more days
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Hang in there folks that are waiting.
Layla, I do SO agree with you. BEST thing I did was rent a power lift recliner. Have slept in it since returning home on 2/13. Guess I'll try the bed at some point. Thanks for the tip about the maxi pad to protect the node incision. That one bugs me.
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Hi Deborah2012 and cajmi,
I am not sure what kind of DCIS it is, just that it is grade 2. I am very new to this and I only know things from what my younger sister has gone though. All I do know is "Once upon a time I went for a mammogram". It seems like ages ago. I never thought I would even be called back for a compressed view and here I am scheduled for a BMX. After my lumpectomy my doctor confirmed the DCIS and was explaining my options, one being RADS, and sent me for an MRI, Chest and Bloods. He was optomistic that it would all come back clean but called to tell me another spot was found on the same breast different quad. My sister has been though alot with a reacurrance after 4 years and lost her sternum too. My decision was made for the BMX without doubt.
There is comfort in knowing I am not alone and saddness knowing it is for something so scary and life altering. My sister has been a trooper and everyone here is so positive and strong. Once a few years ago my sister and I had surgeries the same day, I was glad to have company even though we were both scared. Now I know Wildrumara will be having her's the same day. This is a great place to be.
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Bern25 -- I'm so sorry you have to be here....welcome to our group.
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Bern, I hear you about your sister and you. One of mine and I had our tonsils out at the same time and shared the same room. It was good to have the company, even if scared and not feeling well.
All the best and you'll get to the other side soon enough.
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Hi Dixiemine30,
Yes, I am sorry any of us have to be here too and thank you for the welcome. It seems ever since the first scan I have felt set apart from everyone. I know my friends and family love and care and worry about my DX but it seems I lost some of what I identify myself with them because of my worries and unwanted life changes that are about to take place. Some moments I completely forget about everything and I am right there with everyone else then out of the blue I remember what is going on and I get hit with anxiety and worry. I don't know where I should be with this when it comes to my head. Does anyone have any suggestions or can identify?
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Thanks Galsal,
She is the same sister that had BC and by the way she lives in Tampa too. Even though we joked about it I am sure my mom was going nuts...lol...looking forward no matter how scary to get this first surgery over with....being here is making it much better
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For everyone still waiting - it really is great when you get on the other side of this. I was so worried about not being able to handle pain post mx, but two days out I can sincerely tell you that it is completely manageable. I thought I might be upset when I got that first look at myself - nope - I'm just so relieved that stuff is outta me. Envision your happy place and go there in your mind when the scary stuff tries to get in. Praying for everyone.
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