September 2012 Surgery

Hello kltbo4, welcome back! Sorry you were up so much having to potty, what a trooper. That sounds miserable. I had a catheter my first night. I was on a dilotted IV with zofran for nausea, then switched to oral Percocet with Ativan for nausea.

Hears to you getting WHATEVER you need and want for pain!!! Keep us posted.

Hugs,

Kellie

kltb04 - I left the hospital with a prescription for Tylenol 3 (or at least the generic equivalent), but it really didn't do anything for me.  I begged for something else 1 day after surgery and they were willing to try different things.  Those who like Percocet tend to really like it though, like in a bad addiction kind of way, so I'm being watched like a hawk and only get enough to cover me for a few days at a time.  So far it does the job without any side effects and I've managed to keep reducing the dose a little each day.

kltb04, So glad you are on the other side now! My biggest fear after surgery was pain management.  I went home with Norco and Motrin.  I took Norco every 4 hrs and Motrin every 8 hrs.  I am now 3 weeks out and just taking Motrin and Flexeril for my muscle spasm.  My first fill is this Thurs, very nervous!!!

Jenn, Nap as much as you can, those walks did me in too.  Yesterday I went for a 1 +3/4 mile walk.  Time does heal all wounds.

Sneakychiquita, I was worried I would become addicted to the Norco.  I kept a log and that helped a lot.  My PS prescribed Valium for me to take before my fills.  Not too sure about that.  Enjoy your shopping trip with your new cart.

Hi guys. Diagnosed at the end of July. Personal choice to wait until September 17, 2012 for bilateral. Left had 5 separate lesions, so I went ahead and did right as precaution. Breast reconstruction with TE. Have already had a couple of issues with lymph node cording and must start physical therapy ASAP. Started draining from incision site on left today, to the PS for culture, now observing large area of necrosis on left- which means no PT, new antibiotic, and even more taking it easy. The prophylactic breast is behaving quite nicely. I have to call them back on Thursday and update.

So issues I have:

1) lymph node cording (painful) requires PT

2) Drainage from incision site (cultured)

3) Necrosis at incision site



Looking forward to getting through this together.

Just wanted to post an update though I again have to admit to copy/paste from the October chemo site. I am finding it hard enough just to do that now that I am on the chemo path - appts. last week and yesterday and lots more to come, getting my teeth cleaned before chemo, stuff like that. Nice to hear all the pain and relaxant med sharing and I hope that gradually these will ease. I know I get to do it too all but a few months off for me before surgery while I do the chemo.

My first appointment at the Vancouver Cancer Agency and with my MO was yesterday and as expected it was busy and my first "hurry up and wait" started. However we liked the MO and since we already knew a fair bit a lot of it went quickly. halfcan, I thank you for the heads up on Neulasta/Neupogen and FairPharmacare which as you know, my husband signed us up for last week. That was one of her first questions, whether or not we have extended care. No, but at least our financial exposure is manageable for us before Pharmacare kicks in. Also, our good friend who is an oncologist had told me on the weekend that Neupogen is just as effective as Neulasta and my MO agrees. I think every province is different in eligibilty and I think where he practises in NS it is fully covered. Anyway the main difference is the mode; Neulasta is one injection day 2 or 3 after the chemo and Neupogen is subcutaneous and for me will be every other day starting day 2 or 3. I will have to do it myself or go to a drop in. As an old nurse I am sure I can manage it. The first s/c injection is done at the cancer agency.

At this point I have to say that yesterday was information overload and especially as my appt. was a lot later than planned and the MO had to go off for an "emergency" at one point. Still, we did not feel like we were rushed out the door. I will be having 8 cycles, 4 of AC and 4 of Paclitaxel (TAXOL) and this will be every two weeks so 16 weeks in all. I will have the Neupogen every cycle too.

There was discussion too of surgery and radiation and reconstruction. I will see a radiation oncologist half way through the chemo to start the discussion of whether it will be rad first or after surgery and of course this will involve my BS and at some point, a PS.

I will get a call by the end of next week for the port insertion appt. which is done by vascular surgery at VGH. I have 6 nasty bruises on my left arm from the tries for the bone scan and abdominal CT injections and yesterday I was lucky tha they managed to get an ER nurse to try after the first poke. He "blew" his first attempt but thankfully got the next one. Today I had to go to a regular lab for bloodwork and after explaining and showing, the tech warmed my hand and got a butterfly in first try. It had not been used since my surgery and the scan ones could not use the wrist and hand ones as I was told they could cause nerve damage. Oh all that we get to know!

I have an appt. for chemo teach next week and am on a waitlist for chemo with my first "scheduled" chemo Oct. 24. Another "hurry and wait" since my case has been expedited due to the aggressive cancer. Only a week from pathology to MO but over 3 weeks until chemo! The MO wrote on the waitlist request that there is a mitigating situation in that I had to wait 6 weeks for surgery as no surgeons or OR time this summer. Now the chemo room is full which is quite sad really, so many people needing it. Oh well lots of time to cook, clean and garden!   

Well 5 of my 7 SNB are positive. Boo! Very poor news and not what I was expecting. Also found a fourth tumor over a cm! Very low day yesterday but will meet with oncology Thursday an get this drain out. Have PET scan in am. Really thinking I should have done the left side as well but we will see what scan says.



My 3 YO walked in on me changing today and though I am so okay with my one boob and actually think my mastectomy looks beautiful her poor face was horrified. Took a good half hour to explain and have her calm down. Darn those "child proof" door knobs.



Also for the drain, cover it with a sock or knee high it helps with the sticking and rubbing on the skin!

kmfrost - so sorry to see yr message about the nodes and extra tumour. Thank goodness you didn't just have a lumpectomy and I can imagine that you will be wondering about the other one now.



The scan should at least give everyone an idea of how everything else is and a plan can be developed from there.



The first few weeks of chemo after I lost my hair my 19yr old daughter who has Down Syndrome would walk past me with her hands over her eyes. Then she got used to me and everything went back to normal. Kids are resilient...



Jenn

Dakota212 - gentle hugs :-)



2 drains left with 40 and 50mls. Looks like I'll be here until Sunday now...



Still on 12 hourly oxycontin and 6 hourly Tramadol. Getting better though.



Jenn

Girls I am home after spending the second night in the hospital. Not really happy with the way I was discharged. We were shown how to strip and dump the drains and that's about it. No instructions on how much I should get up and about etc I have a follow up with PS on Monday. Too much to hope that the drains will come out then?

I'm on Percocet every 4, flexoril every 8. Just glad to be home and not answering the "what number is your pain" question. I just wanted to yell "if I stay still I'm ok if I move it hurts."

Kltb04,

Welcome home! I am sorry you were sent home so badly! Sometimes they forget these are significant events in our lives. They should never assume that we know what to do when we get home. Take it easy and listen to your body!

Momluke, I would let my MO know about the lump now, not wait till the 25th.  I felt a lump near my port site, my MO got me right in for an US.  Mine was scar tissue.

Dakota, so glad you have such great support! My husband is very overwhelmed, he works a few nights a week, so on those nights I don't cook for myself, just snack on junk food! He cooks great but forgets the fresh veggies and salad that I usually make for us.  My family and daughter live an hour away from me.  My two close friends did my drains for me the first week, they are awesome!  We had many good laughing moments.

kltb, I feel the same way about not knowing what my limitations are! lol about pain number, seems like we can all relate to that question!!

Jenn, good luck with those drains!  Your room would be entertaining...I had a room mate that kept me from turning my TV on! She was nice, but a little loopy.  

kmfrost, Sorry about the nodes and tumor, sending you (((hugs)))  Let us know how your appt goes on Thursday.

Marian, Good luck with your chemo treatments...I'll have to look at the Oct chemo postings to keep an eye on you

Tomorrow is my first fill since surgery.  My TE's are still tender 3 weeks out, this surprises me.  Maybe this is how they will always feel, not sure.  When I'm sitting everything is good.

Hope everyone has a restful night! 

Hi Momluke, do you think it could be a hematoma? I had a pretty significant hematoma from my stereotactic core biopsy. It was quite a firm lump. I had that done 7-30, it showed up on my MRI afterwards, and was even commented in my final pathology report from my BMX almost 2 months later. Im thinking your poor breast has been through a lot of trauma with a lift, and reduction. I'd call you BS or PS for peace of mind. Please keep us posted.

Try not to panic you crazy night owl! I'm yawning on the west coast and I'll bet you're wide awake back east. Please try and get some peaceful sleep, and call your doc in the morning. We'll all be here waiting for your post.

Much love,

Kellie

Momluke - It's probably fine, but like everyone else has already mentioned, call tomorrow.  For peace of mind, at the very least.  My palpable tumours felt like hard peas were injected under my skin.  In fact, I couldn't feel them when I palpated with 2 or more fingers because they would then just move to the space between my fingers.  It was only when I isolated them with a single finger that I could feel them.  

kmfrost & Jenn - Can totally relate about the kid not wanting to look at first.  My daughter closed her eyes and looked the other way when I asked her to help me pull off the shirt I was stuck in.  Kinda broke my heart because I could just imagine it being something similar if/when I'm with a man for the first time following all this.  But she's already getting over it.

Sandlake - Good luck with the fills, tomorrow. 

ktlb04 - Did they give you exercises to do, or even just a pamphlet of instructions to do?  On the day I was discharged they provided me with a PT for about 1 minute and a pamphlet to take home and I'd have to say that I'm progressing through the exercises nicely.  I'm really noticing my ROM returning and the pain dissapating.  Let me know if you'd like it scanned and sent to you if you weren't given any guidance in this area. 

Jennt28...thats AWESOME NEWS!! I am so happy for you! How's your pain level?