January 2013 surgery

Lmimp64...We lived in Georgia for awhile...Acworth. My son was born in Kennestone hospital. Loved living there...I transferred with Georgia Pacific but eventually moved back as all our family is here. Best of luck with your chemo. Drink lots of water!

I've been keeping up with some of your posts and wondered if I could tap into some of your collective experience around recovering from mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.  

I'm 47, in good health (cancer aside), and I'm active (or was before all of this happenend) so I'm hoping I'll bounce back fairly quickly.  I'm having mastectomy with immediate reconstruction on  Monday, and friends and family keep asking me what I'll need.  And I have no idea.  I'm told I'll probably be in the hospital for 2 nights, and that the drain sticks around for around 10 days to 2 weeks.  I know I'll have physical limitations.  But how should I expect to FEEL?  Will I be able to be up and about, in a gentle sort of way, once I'm out of the hospital?  And how does the pain generally progress?  I know our experiences will vary, but nevertheless thought hearing about them would help me have a general idea of what week 1 might be for me.  

Many thanks!

Thanks for the well wishes, prayers, and positive energy from all. My nipple sparing BMX with immediate DIEP recon were successful. I came home with 4 drains a week ago and I'm drain free as of yesterday. Pain is well under control. I am very tight because I did not have a lot of extra tissue. Dr Nguyen, my ps, did a great job with what I had. Everyone who has seen the results all agree they look great. Only negative at this time is the ab incision and bellybutton incision opening up, but they are manageable.

My bs (Gretchen Ahrendt) is the best and she did a wonderful job with the nipple sparing BMX. While I was still in the hospital, she came to gave me the good news: no rad, no chemo, and no tomaxifin.

The best thing I want to say (other than successful surgery) is that my ps has kept prompt email communication with me every step of the way. When things came up, he dealt with them in between his other cases, either in person or had the home care nurse took care of them. So far I've made 3 trips to my ps's office of those two were not regularly scheduled, to take care of troublesome drains. Extra perks of having surgery in my home town.

I hope all is well for all. Tammy

go ahead and add my mom to this thread- her BMX is scheduled for Valentine's Day!! 2/14/2013

big hugs to all xoxoxoxoxxoxoxxooxox

seriouslysammy, if you have ever been to a tumor board meeting you will see that frequently not all of the doctors in attendence agree on what should be done but the purpose of the meeting is to be sure that all of the available options are at least presented and considered and also for quality control. In the end the decision comes down to what you and your doctor decide is best for you. Some of the decision might hinge on whether you are planning to include the underarm area in your radiation treatment. I had a positive node but since we had already decided to radiate the node areas we are leaving it at that. My BS told me that she would not be surprised if in the future they won't be taking out a lot less nodes and substituting radiation instead. Much of the history of BC treatment is to start out with a scorched earth approach and gradually work back to less drastic approaches when research showed that they were just as successful. Of course the first few women who opted for lumpectomy with radiation instead of MX had to have a bit of courage but in the end they paved the way for much less disfiguring surgery for most women. We all have to decide what will let us sleep at night or at least most nights.

Hopex3- Thank you for your Welcome post! I'm glad to hear that your BMX went well. Reading everyone posts is comforting and helps me learn what I may go through soon and long term.



Speedy4- lumpectomy: I was told to ice it after my biopsy, but not after the lumpectomy. No real exercise, just told to stand by a wall & walk my fingers up (to get the shoulder working?).



Laurie- I just read about your staph infection. I hope you get better real soon.

I just got out the hospital today, I had a staph infection at the incision sites. BS wasn't concerned with my rash there last week. This week my breast swelled to twice the size, bad pain & fever, my PS was very concerned. Admited to hospital for strong IV antibiotics, then they cut it, drained the fluid & put in a drain, for just a few days. I feel much better.

I had BMX/TE's on 1/25, a day after Hopex3. Similiar experience: got discharged the next morning because too hard to sleep in the hospital. I stayed at my mom's the first few days because my husband is disabled and it would have been hard for him to take care of us both. My son, who lives with us summers and winter break, is away at school. My family wouldn't let me lift a finger so I healed pretty fast. I bought a Nutri-Bullet and lots of fresh fruits, veggies and other whole foods the day prior to surgery so my nutrition was good. I, too, was off narcotics pretty fast and now at 2 weeks post-op only need NSAID, tylenol and Robaxin, a muscle relaxer - one dose each at bedtime. Don't really need anything during the day.

I started off with gentle walks a week post-op, and slowly increased each day. Is it my imagination, or is the world more beautiful? The ocean, sky and nature as a  whole soothe my spirit. I feel so much gratitude for all the blessings that I receive every day.

I was laid off as a Nurse Practitioner last summer due to budget cuts, so am back in grad school while on severance pay to expand my scope of practice from Research to Adult and Pediatrics - want to work in Hospice Care. Drains came out 10 days post-op and I returned back to classes next day. Getting rid of the drains really marked a milestone in getting back into the swing of life.

I rented a recliner but actually feel better sleeping on our couch with lots of pillows - but looking forward to moving back to our bed with my DH. I drove after the first week - avoiding high peak traffic and take the smoothest routes - really enjoy getting out and about, having coffee with friends, hitting the libraries, window shopping, studying. My life now is so much more relaxed after 20 years as a working mom. I'll need to find a job when my severence pay ends in June, but after DCIS diagnosis a few weeks ago, am much more relaxed and enjoying lifes's blessings.

One area I would like to explore with other women is acceptance of altered body image. My PS inflated my expanders with 200 ccs during BMX surgery, so my silhouette isn't remarkably altered. Aside from the annoying irritation of TE's, I don't feel some of the devastating emotions that I read about in other posts. If I could do one good thing as a result of this, it would be to encourage other women to feel better about their body image after MX. I feel really good about how I look. I feel so rested! It will be nice to get the TEs out and implants done, and having perkier breasts with cute 3D tattoos. At age 57 I have had my young beauty and now enjoy my mature beauty, style and joie de vivre  tremendously.  

Mmss, thanks for your reply. I was curious about the whole board thing. I truly hope they do not want to take more nodes. My Dr really doesn't feel it's necessary and after all the reading I've been doing neither do I. I'm having enough issues with just the 5 nodes they took for the biopsy. I have a huge sonema now that is so un confortable. I'm debating getting it drained again on Monday or leaving it to see if by body will figure out what to do with it only problem is I'm taking a cruise in less than 2 weeks ( before radiation ) and i would hate if I had to deal with it the whole time so I'm not sure what to do.

Oh and it was my diagnosis grade that changed from 2 to 3. Apparently it's because they had more tissue to test during post surgery than the original biopsy.

If anyone has any suggestions on what could help with the senoma I would love your input.

Shellshine... Thanks for the post! It inspired me... What an amazing outlook

Shellshine, it was so uplifting to read your post.

I couldn't agree more about the subtle shift in perception about the world around us. I feel it too, and have had a very similar experience in my emotions since my DCIS diagnosis in November, and surgery a few days before Christmas. I too have a husband with a disability, he's a C5/6 quad after a Hang Gliding accident 35 years ago.

My recovery has been very similar to yours, I am almost 60 and already retired, so I don't work any more. I am my Husband's primary carer. My days are filled with whatever I want to do. I joke that I don't know how I had time to go to work.

It may interest you that I had a UMX, and no reconstruction and I am really happy with my decision.

Do I feel disfigured? No I really don't. Different? Yes, this is my new "Normal" and I have no problem with it.

I believe when I detached from my breast the night before surgery I had what I call a "Breakthrough, not a Breakdown!"

As silly as it may sound I actually spoke to my right breast, I told it "You've let me down, you have to go!" I felt calmer from that moment.

It wouldn't work for everyone, but It put me in a different place.

My scar is healing well, I massage it with aromathereapy oils every day and because it is summer here in Australia, I expose it to the sun for about 15 minutes a day to give it some bacteria busting UV's.  

A week ago I went and got fitted for a prosthesis, and some really beautiful bras and lingerie, so I feel confident when I am out, and have no problem going bra-less at home.  

Life as a Uniboober is just fine!

There is a thread about the Emotional side of DCIS and MX on this site that you may be interested in.

Omigosh you wonderful women, I am humbled by your sensitivity, humor and strength.

~ Michelle

Hope, I had my surgery at Kaiser. Both my husband and I have been very impressed with the level of care. Immediately upon diagnosis they assign you a team. When one makes a move they are all notified. Exceptional care for a sucky situation. I think it's important that we all stop and smell the roses, or hibiscus, and look and enjoy the world around us.

300 cc's. I am impressed, I've been told that the more they are filled the better they will feel, is that true? I sure hope so cause I am having a bad day with them today :-)).

Hey, where is everyone? All of a sudden everyone seems to have disappeared. I know that we will all go different ways in our treatment post op but I am still interested in hearing what is happening to everyone and following your stories because we have been through a lot together. I did fine on a 3 day drive to Florida. My DH likes to drive and can't read in a car because he gets sick and I can read and don't care that much about driving so we make a good travel team. He drives and I read.

I am still sore from the surgery but it isn't bad and I know that I have to stretch the muscles to get rid of the tightness and soreness so I am working on the exercises. I am so happy to finally be able to put on something that does not button down the front. For 3 weeks the BS wouldn't let me raise my arms over my head and that really limited my wardrobe choices. I have been surprised that I have as much range of motion as I do considering that I have a good bit of arthritis in my shoulders. Have a couple of small seromas but figure they will absorb and anything that is not getting worse I can deal with.

Can't begin to describe what it does for my morale to be looking at sunshine and green grass and flowers after an Ohio winter. I put my DH on a plane for 2 weeks in SA today and then let the laziness begin. I feel like I have earned this break the hard way and I really do plan to enjoy it.

MMSS enjoy the FL sunshine! You more than deserve time to recoup&revive...enjoy.

I escaped home to TX hill country for some R&R. Return 2/28 for follow up MRI. Meet with RO 3/5 to determine if clear for rads or more surgery. So I'm focus on enjoying TODAY!

((Hugs)) to my Jan 13 surgery sisters.

Oh, I forgot to mention that during my last fill on Monday the PS and I discussed final outcome, and I'm happy that we are both on the same page regarding size, shape, and perkiness!  Now I can stop worrying about the funny shape and placement that they have right now!  I am filled to 450 cc's now, and have had no trouble handling 120 cc fills each time.  PS says that because I have so much extra tissue and that the muscles are responding so well to the fills, that she may not fill me anymore.  She says that putting in a larger implant at exchange should be no problem.  She expects that I will have my exchange some time in April, as long as the swelling on the right is relieved quickly...and she expects it to respond well to the LE PT.  I was surprised and excited to hear all of this!