Too early for April 2012 mastectomy?

VeganGal-

Radioactive Dye:The radioactive dye for the sentinal node biopsy not painful.  You are lying down when its time for the dye.  I was swabbed with some lidocaine and then I received two very small shots of the dye.  They may have stung for a second or two. Then I laid there waiting for 20-30 minutes for the dye to reach the nodes.  After that, I was taken to have some scans done to make sure that the dye had circulated in the nodes.  I got pretty comfortable in the scan machine and nodded off a few times.  Before I knew it the tech told me that the dye had taken so i was okay to leave.  The techs keep a geiger counter with them to check you.  . If you are feeling anxious about having this procedure done, you can ask your doctor to prescribe some meds to keep you calm.  FYI-On my surgery thread, a few gals said they were told no sex the night before the surgery if they had the radioactive dye and to keep 3 feet away from people.  I was not told any of that but it makes some sense but at the hospital, there are plenty of medical staff near you the whole time once you enter the hospital doors.  I still hugged my DH and DS before my surgery but I don't think I was stayed joined at the hip with them the evening before the surgery. 

Sleeping pillows:  I bought a foam wedge pillow from Bed Bath & Beyond for $30.  It elevates at its maximum 7 inches.  I put a few really soft bed pillows on top of it so it doesn't feel so hard.  I also have two long log shaped microbead squeashy pillows that I have used to help prop up my arms.  Others on the March surgery thread opted to rent or buy recliners and I have seen on one thread that a person rented a hospital bed.  I chose the wedge because I didn't want to buy/rent a recliner because I knew eventually I'd want to sleep in my own bed.

HUGS everyone and have wonderful calming and peaceful weekend!!!!!

VeganGal- I think I was glowing all night---- human night light..... You will get cool super powers---- You will smile when you wake up in the recovery room---- beaming!!!!!!

With the wedge pillow, my head was elevated just about the same way it was in the hospital bed. Also, since I wasn't laying flat, it was a little easier for me to get up out of bed....sort like a little jump start without the jump......

indigomont11- how long was it until you got your drains out. They are a pain in the butt. I can't wait to sleep on my side again. I have 3 drains and I know one can come out Monday, but I doubt it on the other 2. Did your back hurt after surgery as well?

Just got home. So far no pain just a little sore. For the ladies who came before me, thank you so much for the information and support. It's been invaluable. For the ladies coming up, try not to stress too much. It hasn't been as bad as I expected.



FL - ivegot the pain meds next to me.



Christine

Dianarose, bless your heart, I know how you feel! I was a fortunate one - I had 3 drains, 2 on my left and one on my right. After just over one week, one drain was so low it was removed, and four days later they removed the other two. Lol, when the two came out I was a little high on pain meds and so happy I literally skipped out of the surgeon's office to the elevator. There were people in the waiting room but I didn't care what they thought



As far as having a lot of drainage or not, these things seem to affect it: activity level and prior rads treatment. I haven't had rads and was pretty sedentary the first week after my surgery. One of the girls on our March thread had her drains for much longer, but she's much younger and had said she had been able to be very active right after her surgery. I'd also heard from someone that having larger breasts removed can mean more drainage, but I used to be a 34 DD and that wasn't true in my case.

And oh yes, in fact,my back still hurts a little sometimes. I think partly from the way I have to sleep.

I love baking . . . and I know it will probably be a while until I can do it again . . .

Banana bread almost done . . . kitchen smells amazing:-))))))))))))))

I am . . . thank in no small part to you:-)

I had my surgery on thursday. The first day and night were pretty miserable, Im not sure why maybe combo pain, preocessing the whole situation, and effects of anesthesia.  But the next morning I felt much better.  Now Im hope still taking pain killer but probably could do without if I wanted too. Well, maybe I could switch to tylenol. 

I had 1 drain get clogged but my dh stripped it pretty hard and even though I thought he was hurting something it started draining again. Today I had a friend drive me to the thrift store to get button down shirts - I didnt have any shirts at all and realized, yes I do really need them.  Im feeling pretty good though, will be a while to get up to normal activity but feel ok. I only had right side done so Im sure both sides is more debilitating. I had immediate recon with alloderm with nipple sparing.  Iwas hoping for a smaller boob but with the nipple sparing, they are limited in how much they can reduce because they are working with the original skin and nipple. Oh well. It looks pretty ugly now but they say it will look better in a few weeks.  Good luck to everyone and you will get through it.  Think of the cancer being killed, that will help you deal with the unpleasant parts.

Carol

UMX on 4/12 w immediate recon 

Welcome back Carol50!  glad to hear you are doing OK.  The news of each of you "post" BMX.UMX gals coming back on-line is so wonderful.  it is affirming and stress-reducing.  thanks so much for checking in!  it's great to hear from you!  healing thoughts coming your way!

Dianarose, I understand about feeling like you're sitting on your hands. I live with 3 guys - hubby and two grown sons- and they mean well but they seldom do chores w/o being asked, and I hate asking. We're learning though - them to volunteer and me to ask....


Hang in there! I keep telling myself when I get scared or overwhelmed that others do this and go on to live good lives so why not me? Here's some purple energy coming your way today.


I'll have to defer to ladies with PS experience for your other questions since I haven't had my PS consult yet.

Hi again all, well I'm 5 days out from my bmx/TE surgery and honestly the first 3 days were the worst. I am much better now. Having a recliner already has net extremely helpful and comfy. I have been walking around my complex's lake 10-15 mins 3/day and that does wonders for my mentality. The drains are a pain but not as bad as I expected. Showering is time consuming even with the help of my girlfriend but tying a shoe string around my neck to hang the drains on is a helpful tip previous ladies mentioned. So, if anything, just remember there is relief past the first 3 days. Good luck and prayers to all!

Lisamarie- I am going to have the nipples tattooed on after. It's not as bad as I thought. I haven't done any crying since surgery because it would hurt. It's amazing the muscles we use just to cry. You will be fine. I am hoping to be under the 60 cc's on Monday to get the dam tubes out though. They are the worst part, well at least for me. The sentinal node injection wasn't bad. They numb it first. The IV is worse than that. It took 3 trys and 2 different nurses.

Two of the nurses I had are BC survivors. One took Tamoxifen and after just 3 months got a clot in her leg. I am glad I will not be taking that one.

Keonghi -- YEA!  so glad to hear you are feeling better!  per you gals, i am mentally prepared for 3 totally crappy painful awful days, followed by a few more fairly shitty days...and then i am hoping for a week of this sucks, but i'm done and healthy  , followed by this still sucks, but hey, i'm feeling pretty good, followed by, this sucks-- but my new boobs are not too bad at all-- i wish they were done with this reconstruction, followed by, i kind of like my new boobs and YEA, I'm done with this crap!  And I'm healthy.  Followed by-- oh, yea...i had breast cancer 40 years ago...no biggie.  xxoo to all.

Hey Ladies . . . I know that there's been a few comments about getting our periods during surgery . . . but I've just calculated that I will have mine during my surgery? F. I use a "diva cup" . . . will they let me use it? What do they do? Ug.

Hello ladies!!!

I just came home from the hospital , the lymp nodes, I they put me out, so I can't, tell what they did to me, but three lymp nodes was positive for cancer, bummer I say so I know I'll be on the chemo path bummers to that!! Lol, I have the BLMS withDIEP FLAP Recon, immediately, my tummy isn't hurting at all oh but my breast is killing me!!





ALL I CAN SAY IS THE PAIN!!! It felt like I was ran over a Mack truck and being stab in the breast with an knife!!



My Sister came last Sunday to be with me, she is a blessing to me!!



But I had lots of healing prayers for me,



Lots of warm hugs to everyone going for Surgery!!! And positive thoughts!!