June 2012 Mastectomy

Hi Junies, Time is drawing near, but no fretting, OK?  First, this is not your fault.  Second, you should use your energy positively--there's nothing you can do to change the fact that ugly cancer picked you.  Third, remember your medical team is in your corner and the waiting is the hardest part.  Surgery is much worse on your loved ones than it will be on you.  You go out, and wake up in what seems like minutes, while your loved ones are chewing paint off the walls for many hours.  And remember to laugh, make time for some things you love to do and visualize a positive outcome.

My3sunzs42, BS stands for breast surgeon.  Now you would get a completely different answer from my husband. Lol!  SPBMX stands for skin sparring bi-lateral mastectomy.

7to9, I am a pretty handy seamstress and have been working on a pattern for a functional cami.I was not able to find anything suitable before my surgery, so I made one in about 10 minutes that actually works pretty OK.  so I want to make some for our sisters who are in need for free soon.  Once I get feedback and make any tweaks, I plan to post the pattern somewhere for free.. Sorry you had to pay so much for yours.

Hugs to you all and best of luck.  Be positive, laugh and know you are loved by many, many people. 

7of9....you are in my PRAYERS lady.  Let me know how the fighting music goes!! I am NEr-VOUS....and that sounds like a good idea to get to it inspired. 

Yeah post back on when you are feeling well again. you will be in my thoughts for sure on Friday!!

7of9, it sounds like you have taken care of every little detail.  Now it's all about YOU!  Rest well, heal well.

Hi kirwin524, that's a dye injection to see the most likely lymph node that could be cancerous.  It really wasn't that bad for me at least.  The shot itself was pretty quick and then I needed to wait about 45 minutes and then they took an MRI image.  I came home the same day after my lumpectomy and was very mobile.  best of luck to you!

7of9- your in my thoughts and prayers!! I bought a pink shirt from healing comfort also let me know how you like it. See you on the other side ((( hugs)))

go 7of9 today!!!! im praying for you right now.

7of9, my prayer is that you will have a successful surgery, a rapid recoevery, and the node your doctor was suspicious of gets a clean path report.

Hi, Lynn -- where are you having your surgery?  We have the same diagnosis!  Did you have a lumpectomy first or just go straight to BMX?  

I'm not worrying much about finding an invasion but the possibility of lymphedema scares the heck out of me.  

Just a note- my sister-in-law had a radical MX with lymph node removal 8 years ago and she grows a garden every year.  She also picks stuff, cans, did beekeeping for a while.  She is very into the digging in the dirt (and to be honest she doesn't always wear gloves).  She has not had a problem with lymphedema.  So it can be done.  I know I have positive lymph nodes and will have to have some removed.  They say they won't know for sure how many until they get in there but that afterwards I can return to my normal life, plus some exercises and stuff.  My normal life includes dirt bike riding, martial arts and horses.  I am not going to give them up because of stupid BC.  I got mystreet motorcycle license last year, it is a dangerous thing to do but I took the safety course, wear protective gear and practice safe riding habits.  It is the same with this.  We CAN still do the things we love.  That is the point of going through all this crap. 

Hope everyone is doing well.  Special thoughts for 7of9.  Kick butt today!

Yay!  Rest well!

7of9....sooo happy for you. so encouraged that you did it and came back in to post. sooo encouraged. had a shitty shitty day today so hearing your post just now makes the day way better! 

7of9 - I'm so happy for you! I'm very envious that you're on the other side now ... Stay strong sweety ... you're on the road to recovery now! 

Lynn - I agree completely with you ... I'm game on for the surgery and am ready to rid myself of my tiny, sagging "A" cups to move on to some bigger, better, healthier boobies ... but I'm terrified of the SNB and the final pathology report. Just knowing that I'll wake up and have a better undertsanding of what I'm up against scares the crap out of me. I too am an outdoors person - love gardening and just purchased a yearling horse. This damn cancer monster will NOT interfere with what brings me happiness! 

I just wanted to come here and wish the best of luck to everyone who will be having surgery in June.  Once it is over, you will feel a lot better.  I think the weirdest sensation for me right now is not having breast pain because my tumor was slightly painful.  Do not miss that feeling at all.

I'm 46 and my surgery was on May 29th.  Had a BMX (no reconstruction) and had my ovaries/tubes removed at the same time.  My BS injected the blue dye for my SNB during surgery but I had the radiocative shot about 3 hours prior.  Was worried about the pain but the radiologist first numbed the area and then gave me the injection.  Felt only the shot from the numbing meds (just like a bee sting and felt it only for a few secs) and nothing else. 

The worst about the entire surgery were two bouts of nausea but they have great medication for that.  Ask for it as soon as you feel nauseous.  The pain in the hospital and at home has been minimal (the BS at post-op yesterday called me his Poster Child for pain - LOL) and I only had ibuprofen at the hospital and at home.  I think a lot of it was because my BS sent me home with a pain pump which numbed my chest area.  Had the pump removed yesterday (not a painful experience at all but could have done without watching the pump be removed - didn't divert my eyes fast enough because the BS removed it so quickly and I didn't realize he was doing it - LOL).

The women in this community are very supportive if you need advice or just need any type of support, they will be here for you!  Best of luck to all of you having your surgeries in June and from probably the biggest surgery coward, the fear was definitely far worse than what I experienced surgery-wise.

Take care.