January 2013 surgery

Thankful for past weeks surgeries & hopeful for this weeks.

Together we can stand strong sharing in this fight!

Will continue to pray for successful outcomes in body & soul...

Could someone please post link to runner's blog. I tried to do it from her listing but didn't succeed. Of course I have earned my title as the family computer dunce but I really do want to read it. I have a good friend actually the daughter of a friend of ours who just did breast cancer at age 28 and she did an amazing blog. She had just passed her bar exam when she was diagnosed with a very aggressive triple negative form and she is now NED and working for The Young Survivor Coalition in Baltimore. A really amazing girl and one of the first people to call me when I was diagnosed proving that this sisterhood does not recognize age differences. If anyone wants to read it it is theuppertrunk.com.

Ann, thank you! I'm really happy that you enjoy the blog so much. It is very therapeutic for me to write it.

MMSS, try typing killerboobies.wordpress.com into your browser. You don't need a www in front of it or anything.

Runner - I've just read your blog.  You have a real gift for writing.  I didn't realise that you were so young - no date of births on the board.  I realise when I read accounts by people like yourself that I am so lucky.  Old(er), post-menopause, children grown and gone - I've got it easy compared to you.  And yet I can feel with you, we're all sisters under the skin (or behind the scars).  You hang in there girl.  You're going the beat this thing and live a long and fulfilled life - you just see.

Hi! I'm late in joining this thread, but my last neoadjuvant chemo was just canceled (supposed to be 1/10) and I am being sent straight to surgery! My surgery is currently scheduled for 1/21.  I will be having a partial mastectomy (quadrantectomy?) and a full axillary node dissection.  I am afraid of lymphedema and hoping to heal quickly since I have a four month old baby to care for.  My husband has plans to take a week off from work, but I think I might have to ask him to take off for longer.  To add to my stress, I just fell under the weather this weekend.  I think it might just be a cold, but it is accompanied by fever.  I assume my surgery will have to be postponed.  Just wanted to introduce myself before I try and read up on all you ladies have written.

Fight4two - you've already done the chemo! The rest you will do with ease. Welcome.



Off to read runners blog.

I'm so sorry about your complications.What a thing to say to your patient!!Not sure if he(PS) shouldn't 're think that comment.Let's do a BMX on him and see how much pain meds he takes.So sorry you had such a surgeon lacking in bedside manner.Hope your feeling better soon.My BS sent me home with stool softener in case I did need the pain meds.Never needed them but really didn't have too much pain.My under arm hurts worse then lumpectomy site.

PS- I had a question I wanted to ask and forgot....I get my pathology report on Friday. What should I expect from that? I know I had 4 positive nodes and I'll get my stage, but should I get any more information?

Hello Ladies

Two weeks until surgery (1/29)...bmx and tram flap. Any suggestions for me? I have read about getting a recliner...what about clothing for recovery? It has all happpened so quickly and have been reading lots. Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks!

Laurie

Hi Mirmirpanda, so glad things are moving along well for you. Can you believe you are here at this point already?

It all moves along so much quicker after the surgery is done. Take care! You enjoy that frozen yogurt, you deserve it.

Lb~ I bought a couple pairs of flannel lined satin pj's...the satin helps u slide in and out of the bed or recliner more easily.  I have been living in them.  I also bought a sweatsuit in a bigger size with a zip up hoodie that I wear when I have to leave the house.  I wasted money on purchasing a wedge for under my knees in bed, and several small pillows for under my arms, and a neck pillow...I haven't needed any of these things, but it was better to be prepared just in case.  My recliner has been my best friend!

I just got home from the PS...10 days post-op...and still have my drains   She said that she doesn't take them out until they are draining less than 30cc's every 24 hours.  Hopefully soon so I can drive and shower!  Otherwise she will see me in 10 days and possibly start the fills.  She took off the steristrips and eveything is completely healed on the outside.  No bruising at all...no blood or scabs on the incision...just swelling still.  She gave me some arm excercises to start slowly.  I can do them on the right side now, but wait until Friday for the left...that was the sentinal node side.  She said that she will email me the pathology report.  It was done, but not sent to her yet.  They actually found DCIS (they knew about this) and LCIS (surprise) in the left breast, and ADH and atypical cells (surprise) in the right breast.  They took 2 nodes, and one abnormally tiny node and they all were clear. I can't wait to get the pathology report so I can pour over it and understand everything that she told me! The bottom line is that I absolutely made the right decision by having the BMX!!! 

Tami

Lymph node removed is negative/clear.So happy!! But my Bs is out of the office all week at conferences.His nurse told me she doesn't know if the margins are clear.She called him and will get back to me tomorrow.Darn I hoped to get everything by now.

chapter4 and wirdgirl118(Karen) good luck tommorow I'll keep you in my prayers.

Jennifer-

Hello and all the best to you as you face your surgery and recovery. I had a BMX with immediate reconstruction direct implants last Wednesday, 1/9/2013. I'm 49 and am now home recovering and am glad to share a bit of my prep/recovery story in hopes it eases your mind a bit. I meticulously researched this topic because I wanted to plan for what I could so I had less unknown to deal with. It's emotional enough without feeling unprepared. Glean what you can; it's all very fresh in my mind right now!

Support Network

First, I am married and my hubby is tremendously supportive; he always attended all my doc appointments and I know I am very lucky to have him with me. I am also surrounded by well-wishing friends and neighbors who have been parading food through our kitchen non-stop since I came home Thursday afternoon. Do not be shy about telling people how they can best help you. Food, childcare, a brief visit when you are ready, a favorite DVD move, whatever you feel will help you.

What to Pack

On the day of my surgery I brought the following with me to the hospital:

• Chapstick. Thank goodness I brought this. My lips were sooo dry post-surgery.
• PJs with pants. No hanging out of my gown from the rear when the random nurses had to assist me in the path to the ladies room.
• A small pillow to place between me and my seatbelt for the drive home. You feel every pebble on the road on that ride home, so the pillow is your pal.
• Toothpaste & toothbrush and a hairbrush. Hubby helped me use the latter, but I had no nodes removed so I could use the toothbrush myself.
• Slippers. Non skid slippers! Glad I had those. No fun to slip and try to catch your balance...

Things I personally found no use for- magazines (too nauseous and out of it to read), mints (smells and tastes really grossed me out), extra clothes. I wore yoga pants and a button front cotton cardigan one size too big for me. The looseness accommodated my drains and my bandages and my swollen self nicely.

Recovery Day 1

First day out of surgery I was pretty out of it and on morphine. They brought me a breathing trainer that you sip on like a straw to exercise your lungs and to make you cough out any accumulated fluid. You build your lung strength back up and I was glad my nurses forced me to do this. I dozed in and out of vital sign checks and generally wished I was someplace quieter than a hospital. I had zero appetite. Nausea meds were my friends. I did feel as if a very tight band was strapped around my chest.

Recovery Day 2- Pain and Drain Management 101

Next day my doc said they would release me if I would eat something and be able to tolerate a pain pill, so I forced down hospital eggs and pears and dutifully took my pill. All good so I was processed. The nursing staff showed us how to empty my drains, take measurements and record them. I had been anxious about them, so allow me to reassure you that this aspect is NO BIGGIE. I have been able to empty them myself, although hubby takes great pride in helping. They are pretty easy. One thing to have on hand at home to ease the drain issue when you want to shower: a long shoestring. Hang it around your neck with the ends on your chest. Slide an end through the tab of each drain then tie the shoestring ends together behind your head (you will need assistance for this). This will keep the drains from hanging/tugging when you are in the shower. For everyday drain placement, my plastic surgeon just popped one into each bra cup over the bandage and there they remain until it is time to drain the fluid. I like this plan- no extra garments to buy and it kept the tubing away from my pant openings so I never mistakenly yanked them down.

My BFF the Recliner

The day I came home I settled into my recliner, and this was the one change I made in our home that has really paid off in spades. If you do not have a comfortable recliner already, see if you can borrow one. The angle of the seat and back make a huge difference in your recovery comfort. You cannot sleep on your sides (and of course not on your tummy) so having something that cuddles you like a recliner is a huge help. I did not have one so I put out a request on Facebook to see if any friends had one I could borrow for a month or so. I was offered about 20. People really want to help, I have found. I can comfortably sleep. The first night home I did not have the physical strength to get from reclining to sitting to "up" on my own, so having someone home that night was a godsend.

By the way, I have not needed a pain pill since I came home, only my antibiotics. I am thankful for this. I hate pain pills and all their associated side effects. If you do need them, pop a stool softener at the same time.

Moving Around

My doc advised me to move around as much as I was comfortable with- she reminded me she was not operating on my legs and that walking would improve bloodflow and ease recovery, as long as I listened to my body and did not overdo things. Things I have done on my own but still lightly struggle with: showering (clean hair feels good), using the ladies room and wiping (you can do it but reaching is not the easiest task on the to do list), reading (I am 5 days home now and today is the first day I felt remotely like reading.)

I know everyone heals differently, but I attribute my relatively easy recovery (so far) to being in good physical condition before surgery (I walk every day of my life and eat healthfully) and to preparing on the front end. Not worrying about cooking or trying to plan meals for a well-meaning but poor-planning hubby has been a relief in and of itself.

I have a few more weeks at home before I can return to work. I am not anywhere close to driving. I have the emotional side of healing ahead of me. I still fear the drain removal process but as is noted everywhere on this forum I am not going to miss those babies. Gosh they're a blessing and a curse!

I hope this information helps you. Each day is better than the day before as you heal. Sometimes you feel like you took two steps forward and one step back. It's still progress and you're well on your way to risk mitigation and a healthier future. I will keep you in my prayers on the 17th!

Linda