March 2013 Surgeries

Hello and support to all of you fighting this battle and heading into March surgery.

I am scheduled for a right breast mastectomy and removal of axial nodes on March 6.

I am trying to get ready psychologically and to figure out how to make this as smooth as possible using hints from mastectomy veterans.

I was diagnosed almost 6 months ago and I am really wanting to move forward in my treatment so the mastectomy invokes feelings of both horror and anticipation.

I completed 3 months of AC chemo last fall and next week will be week 11 of 12 of Taxol/Herceptin. Herceptin will continue throughout this year.

Looking forward to supporting each other.

Linda

I am having a bilateral Mx with TE, latissimus dorsi flap recon, and axillary node dissection on March 21.  I just finished 6 treatments of neo-adjuvant chemo of Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin last week that began in Oct 2012, with the Herceptin continuing until Oct. 2013. 

Linda - I know how you feel... I was also diagnosed about 6 months ago.  I feel like I'm coming out of the fog of chemo and am beginning to feel myself more and more each day, but I'm forcing myself to start thinking about the surgery.... it's just looming out there and I am both anxious to get it over with and scared at the same time.  I have two tumors in each breast which I'm told is rare but my onco. told me at the last visit that she couldn't clinically feel them anymore so that made me a little relieved. 

I'm happy you started this thread, Kap!  I'm looking forward to us supporting each other through this.

Leigh  

Finishing chemo march 1 ladies.. Hoping for surgery by end of march.. Just woke up wanted to post and say hi... Will write more later!

Hi Ladies

So good to read all of your posts and to gain the strength that comes from going through this together. As much as family and friends try so very hard to be supportive, we all know that there are some deep emotions that they cannot fully understand.

Sharon and Leigh, thank you for sharing that you too have both fear and anticipation for your surgery. My docs are talking about tummy tuck/reconstruction surgery for me if I want it six months or so in the future. They say there is enough for one B cup. Weird conversations we all have with doctors and others these days huh?! I told my husband that I'd like to be a bear and hibernate until this is all done. They can even give birth that way -- sounds good to me! And Maureen, I will be sending my best thoughts for all aspects of your surgery to go well on March 4th. Karrie with her young kids has other considerations -- she will need extra help and support for herself and her youngsters. My "youngsters" are 24 and 27 and have both signed on to help their dad nurture me. And Shari isn't too far behind the rest of us for surgery since her chemo is also finishing soon.

These last Taxol infusions cannot come soon enough for me. I may have to face radiation after surgery. I know there is support for that on this site also. What did BC patients do before the Internet?

Warmth and wishes for as good a week as possible for all of us!

Linda

Hoping for march 28th ...almost four weeks from last chemo... Not too long is it? Linda, I may need rads too.. Just wont know until surgery .... Gotta get thru surgery first

Shari, you echoed my thoughts/ worries exactly. I talked to the plastic surgeon this past Saturday and told him I am finishing chemo on March 11. He said it would be at least 4 weeks after before doing surgery. I have the same fears of the cancer growing back in the interim as I have triple negative, a very fast growing cancer.



I am seeing the bs this Wednesday and tell him I will do any diet exercise rest that I need to between now and 4 weeks past chemo but I don't want to wait any longer unless cardio gram shows danger etc.



Like many, I've suffered a lot from thSEs from chemo and I don't want to see results watered down while waiting for surgery.



Thanks for spelling out my concerns so clearly! Does anyone else want to chime in?



Peggy

I am also a teacher, Karrie, though I teach private flute lessons one on one. I know how hard it is telling students without losing our composure. One of my 10th grade students told me "You have to get better because you are like a second mom to me." On "good" days I try to gain strength from all of the warm, kind thoughts and feelings that my students and their parents share with me. It is all very difficult.

Peggy and Shari--I have heard of people getting once every three weeks chemo waiting a month. I hope your doctors can give you more information to help put your minds at ease. We have way too much to worry about already! I am on weekly chemo right now and will be waiting two weeks for surgery (though I will get Herceptin in the interim).

Thanks so much.. Thoughts and prayers are always appreciated.

Also, forgot to add that I'm really glad this discussion thread was started!!

It does.... It seems the standard.. Just me being my usual worry wart self. Thanks so much!

(((Foreverchanged))) Congratulations on finishing chemo - YAAY:) Welcome to the board...Glad you have a surgery date to plan for...as much as I am NOT looking forward to having surgery I AM looking forward to putting surgery behind  me. I am having bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction too...I will be about 9 weeks past my last chemo. I had preop labs done and was pleasantly surprised to find all my counts had gone back to the normal range so I'm ready. So far you and Leigh are both having surgery on March 21st so we'll all be thinking of the two of you on that day...take care (((hugs))) Maureen

Shari and Peggy - I, too, am having my surgery far out from the last date of my chemo... last chemo was Jan. 23 and my surgery is March 21!  ((Hi Foreverchanged!... looks like we're having surgery on the same day... I feel like I should be getting prepared but I think I'm in denial right now! LOL).   I asked my oncol. today, as I was there getting my tri-weekly dose of Herceptin, and she said not to worry about it at all and that the cancer will not start growing or spreading... I think I asked her the same question 3 weeks ago and she just thinks I am worrying too much! 

But I'd like to know from all of you ladies what you think about my oncol. starting me on Femara today... 5 weeks before surgery.  I always thought people started taking anti-hormone meds AFTER surgery.  She told me that she'd rather do it now, since I had so much time before my surgery, so if there were side-effects, she would know it's from the Femara and not from the surgery medications.  So I'm going to take it tonight...  I am happy I get to take an aramotase inhibitor from the start, since I'm 52 and she's pretty sure I'm post-menapausal, rather than Tamoxifen.  So now that I will be on the anti-hormone pill AND Herceptin, I'm not as worried about the long spell without chemo before my surgery.  

I am worried about the Femara side-effects, though... I'm having hot flashes now but hear that they will get a lot worse.  Oh well, I'll deal with it as it comes!

I've been reading everyone's posts... I'm so sorry we are all having to go through this but so happy for the "company" and support.  I'll be keeping everyone in my prayers as we all go through our surgeries.  )

Brenda

Forever - I've been getting a lot of hot flashes while on chemo, too.  I'm 3 weeks out from my last chemo and I've been feeling so much better and more like myself.  I just want to enjoy this feeling for awhile before I have to even think about surgery! 

I don't know if I'll get radiation after surgery; one of my tumors is close to the center of my chest and was sitting just above my muscle so that's why they gave me neo-adjuvant chemo... to shrink the tumor so they won't have to shave into my muscle during surgery and so that I might not have to have radiation. 

I've heard the hot flashes can be bad on the anti-hormonal treatments, too...  I just took my first Femara pill a few minutes ago so I'll let you know how my SE's are.  My SE's weren't too bad on chemo; I didn't get nausea or anything so hopefully they won't be bad on the Femara.  And I know what you mean about the weight gain... I've already gained quite a bit of weight during the chemo; I'm trying to lose some before the surgery.