June 2012 Mastectomy

@lovesamoyeds: my BS is also Lisa Newman, my MO is Daniel Hayes. I actually liked the new surgery center and felt well taken care of and ready to go home after my lumpectomy and SNB, I actually had a good experience.

I have to have my mastectomy at the hospital but will still be outpatient so I hope I have the same experience. 

I have learned more on here than from my doctors up to this point. No one mentioned one word to me about LE...just that they would only take more nodes if a sentinel were positive. I agree very strongly that we should be more educated, no matter what the decision. Because of the wonderful advice here, I ordered compression sleeves and other items pre-surgery. I am so grateful to you all!

Continued healing thoughts and prayers to everyone! 

My3sunz  I love your post.  Isn't it marvelous how your kids - who you of course remember as dirty, dependent, whining messes when they were young show what wonderful human beings they have become when the need occurs?  Pat yourself on the back for doing a great job at rearing them.

25 weeks  I wouldn't sweat the lack of appetite.  I consumed probably 500 calories a day for a week after surgery.  No one was worried about it.  The anesthesia and pain meds will depress your appetite.  And between the low intake and the constipating effects of narcotics, everything will slow down.  Drink as many fluids as you can.  If you still haven't had a BM by day 10, call your doc.

I can add nothing to what c-squared wrote about SNB, AND, and lymphedema; she knows her stuff.  My only advice is that if you feel like you are getting a "there there little woman" or brush-off response from your doc, get a second opinion!  No where is it written that phase 2 has to be conducted by the same person who did phase 1.  There has to be trust and cooperation between you and your doc. 

NanG - My heart goes out to you for a  multitude of reasons ... this nasty ass cancer is bad enough, let alone the pain & unknowns of recovery and then the emotions that follow. While you & I were a week apart in surgery, I think we're walking through this next phase together. Today I was able to get out (by myself) and go for a 1 hour nature trail walk. During that walk I went through a myriad of emotions - happiness to be able to get out & enjoy the morning, sadness for what I've lost and what I'm learning to live with and fear for the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring. 

If you don't want to be alone continue to tell people that. Learning to cope with everything we've gone through is hard enough - and it's NOT a pity party ... it's a process, part of which includes grieving and that's OK. If you need to chat, send me a private message ... we can even connect via phone. But please know that you are NOT ALONE ... EVER ... that's why we're here on these boards. 

I swear we're making friendships here that will last a lifetime and remember ... together we are stronger! 

We are all here for you NanG! and each other. one day, one step at a time. 

 I really feel people are brought into our lives to fill a role or "do" something for us however little or big it might be.  When I was first diagnosed, I wanted nothing to do with cancer groups, or message boards or anything. I didnt want to talk about it or be a part of anything to do with cancer. I wanted to just live my life as normal as possible and fight on my own.  I have now learned that I needed these groups.  I have been very blessed with an extremely supportive husband and friends. However, they dont fully understand what we go through.  We have each other, to cry with and we understand, to vent to and we can relate, to share our fears and we can empathize.  While we do still need our "outside" help for the daily get arounds, we also need each other to help us emotionally get through this.  Dont be afraid to whine, vent, cry, express fear and happiness. Thats why we are all here together. Together we are stronger and help each other through every emotion we might have.

Much love, prayers and hugs to all of you! We WILL get through this!

@Infobabe:  Yes, U of M has several "Med Inn's."  I booked Monday because I have to go at 4:00 for an injection, back at 7:00 pm for the mapping, and have to be at the surgery center at 6:15 am.  Therefore, we are staying there.  After surgery on Tuesday, I can either be discharged via outpatient or admitted to the hospital for the night.  They do not recommend, if you are released from outpatient, staying at the Med Inn.  I guess that defeats the whole purpose of going home so you are able to rest at home where you are comfortable.  Apparently a study was done, I believe at MD Anderson, Dana Farber and a few other major Cancer Centers and the studies concluded that women do much better relative to pain, have a postive experience and they believe that postive experience carries them through treatment, and also have less complications.  The study was online and from what I read, a lot of woman had a satisfaction rate of 98%. I believe U of M has 3 Med Inn's right on the premises, and one offsite, down the street from the outpatient surgery center.

Hang in there NanG, I know what it feels like to not have the family support that you need but we are all here for each other!

{{{{{NanG}}}}}

Throw them all out & change the locks- LOLOLOL

  Tell them they can come back when they're ready to be supportive.  Do you have other family or friends in the area who can help?  You've been through a major surgery and need help.  How old are your kids now?  Can they help?  Is your DH aware of the limitations of BMX?  Is there someone who can explain it to him so he has a better understanding.  Sounds like everyone (including you) is having a hard time with role responsibility transitions (temporary).  Take your time and heal in peace.  Best wishes to you!

Thanks for the encouragement girls. Went tomy daddy's house n cried n got fed! It was better after a while thanks to loving care and some retro eighties music videos to laugh at while under the influence of codeine....which i suspect is making me a little more emotionally volatile anyways!



Thanks for the prayers mmtomh! Mygirlz, yeah I know what u mean about mourning. It's like...I mistakenly believed that all my healing and treatments would be this grand physical healing....I was not emotionally prepared for the healing I need...I wish there was a required emotional treatment alongside mastectomy! Even chemo n radiation....anything, u know. Maye I fell through the cracks on that one?

I've been on IDC/2012 sisters board until now. I got in on Tuesday for my NSUMX. starring to freak out at this point. I'm get a TE for now on right and will get augmentation on my left when they do the exchange on the right.



Last mango: I'm a boob girl too so thanks for the post. I can't wait to be over the anxiety of waiting.

Wow, Juneaubugg!  That's crazy - gotta mean something!  Will be thinking about you on Tuesday with positive vibes and prayers for you and the other June Bugs going in on Tuesday - you've got a lot of company. 

Hi,

I'm new to the boards.  I had my BMX with tissue expander placement on June 15th and still am in a lot of pain, esp in the morning.  It is SO HARD for me to get my body out of bed comfortably.  I do this weird contortion and try to land feet first on the floor.  I have my daughter get me jello so I can take my 2 percocet in the morning.  I am better in the sense I can walk around a lot more now, but I continue to have lots of pain.  I had 2 of 4 drains removed but am still draining and they should be removed this wed.

Is there anything better than percocet for pain?  I'm itching so much so it's frustrating and ibuprofen feels like it does nothing. 

@planetbananas: I hope you are recovering well.  I have 2 BTs and just had to comment on your sweet doggie pic.  My BMX surgery is scheduled 7/9 and I'm hoping my 2 exciteable pups will be able to contain their usual excitement.  i know they will be bummed when they don't get their 2x daily walks. My thoughts are with you...

It looks like I am a little late in joining this group but figure better late than never. I had my BMX on June 11th and at the same time had a pedicle TRAM flap done. The first week was not fun but this past week has been alot better. I came home with 2 on-Q balls and 6 drainage bulbs. I think the on-Q balls were making me sick. Within hours of having them removed (8 days after surgery) I felt great. I am almost 2 weeks out of surgery and still have 4 drainage balls. Hopefully, the rest will come out this week.



My question to the others if any of ya'll have had any experience with a small IDC mass but have positive nodes. My tumor was .5mm but the 2 nodes removed during my surgery (sentinel) were positive. Going into surgery the doctors thought they would be negative because of size of mass. I will be having my ALND on July 3rd. Hopefully, the rest will be negative.



Just curious!



Great discussion board and look forward to getting to know you.

@loriio  I'll be thinking about you and knowing that every day is a day closer to recovery for you.