March 2013 Surgeries

I am looking at a bmx with node removal on both sides in the beginning of March. I will have chemo, radiation, and hormonal treatment to follow. I am really struggling. They are telling me to wait for reconstruction so as not to hold up anything because of infections or slower healing. Very down. Busy mom with kids almost 11 and almost 14. Can't imagine never feeling my breasts and nipples again. Not sure I can make it through all of this. I know I have positive nodes on the left side due to FNB. I have IDC in both breasts.

(((LKSHER))) - so sorry for your news...I hope you get more information soon so you can move on with your treatment plan. Let us know as soon as you get a surgery date so we can add you to the list...Waiting is so tough while you are trying to take this all in and make the decisions you need to... I know I am making the right decision in having this bilateral mastectomy but it is hard to look in the mirror and realize how much my body is going to change in just a week. You will find lots of support and good advice on this board and the others in the forum...we know what it feels like to be blindsided by this disease and the depression and fear that follows...hang in there, you are not alone...the day she gave me the news my breast surgeon said "the is not a death sentence, you are a survivor now" and I try not to forget that. Good advice I heard in another forum is also in the front of my mind...don't be afraid to live and don't let fear take over your life...enjoy your wonderful children, I know it's hard to believe now but you'll get thru this and we are all here for you.  (((Hugs))) Maureen

Hello March 2013 "surgery sisters"...Our list is growing...here's the latest list, please let me know if I've forgotten anyone or any details...You are all in my thoughts and prayers for a good surgical outcome and speedy recovery...

March 1st - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's - Keke

March 4th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/implants - Maureen

March 5th - Right mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's and axillary node dissection - Marian

March 5th - Left mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/possible TE - 2girls-2spaniels

March 5th - Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction and sentinel node biopsy - Tracey

March 6th - Right mastectomy and axillary node dissection - Linda

March 6th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's - jrose

March 8th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction - Cuetang

March 8th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/implants - Karrie

March 20th - Left mastectomy with tissue expander - Sharon (Butterflylady)

March 21st - Bilateral mastectomy with Left axillary node dissection - Foreverchanged72612

March 21st - Bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders and latissius dorsi flap, axillary node dissection - Leigh

March 27th - Mastectomy with axillary node dissection - Lou4of7

March 28th? - finishing chemo March1st then imaging to find out surgical procedure - Shari

LKSHER -- I am so sorry you have to join us. I understand you wondering how you will get through all of this because I felt the same way when I was diagnosed last August. At that time, each day seemed to be the new "worst day of my life". It did get better. My treatment plan has been similar to your plan in duration, but I started with the chemo (back in early September) and I will do surgery on March 6, most probably radiation later March, and then continue with Herceptin infusions for another year. I also have to wait on reconstruction because they would rather do that 3-6 months after radiation to let me heal from all of the treatments. It seemed so overwhelming at first, but my doctor is a "one step at a time" kind of guy and I have tried to follow his lead. Now I have to say that I have been surprised how fast the past six months of treatment have gone. 

Many women get prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications (I have Ativan) or anti-depressants or sleeping pills (I'll be getting those to use pre-surgery). My doctor's physician's assistant encourages patients to take medication to make the road smoother. We heal better when we can relax and sleep. So don't be afraid to ask for help. I think it is often hard for us mothers to let others step in when we have often been the glue that holds the family together. Friends, family, kids...they can all do their part in helping mom to heal. I tell people to picture me healthy instead of focusing on the disease. This is a great message thread for March surgeries so I am so glad you found us. You will also find message threads for chemotherapy and radiation that will help you through those treatments. 

Maureen -- Thanks again for updating the surgery list.

Keke -- You will be in all of our thoughts on Friday. Godspeed!

Hugs to Everyone,

Linda

You can count me in on the getting nervous club. Thanks for lighting a candle for us.

Thank you for the nice message, Linda. Thanks, everyone.

So I'm getting very close to my surgery date which is on Friday! I'm feeling sick to my stomach every time I get into deep thought about it..Also, my anxiety and emotions have been going crazy...I have been blowing up with anger over the smallest little things..I think that I've been taking and acting like this cancer and surgery were so minor for the last 3 weeks since finding out, that it's all hitting me now...I have always been very good at downplaying and hiding how I really feel..like when it comes to deaths and tough things that come up in life, the initial shock always is always rough and like any normal person I cry, but after a day of feeling sorry for myself, I snap out of it and act like nothing's happening....and that's what ive done with this since the second day I being diagnosed..I'm very overwhelmed and reality is setting in hard and kicking my ass!!! I also have had to move out of my apartment with my daughter and in with a family member so i can have help with the baby and also not have to stress over bills..so moving and surgery all in the matter of a week..just everything about everything that's going on is emotionally draining and pushing me to have these random break downs..but yeah, depending on other people and not having my own space is going to be very very hard for me! Sorry girls I just had to get all that out and see if anyone can give me some advice and share how they are taking this emotionally

kap, 

I also work in an elementary school - as a speech language pathologist.  I am working with kids between the ages of 3 and 11. 

I haven't told any of my students about the surgery.  It's scheduled the week before spring break and, since I won't be having any reconstruction, I'm hoping to be back the week after spring break.  

I haven't told my students about my illness or treatment.  When I came back after being hospitalized a couple of times in the fall due to adverse affects from chemo, I just said I was sick.  That answer usually satisfies and that's what I'll say when I come back from surgery.  Since I'm not with them all day, I don't need to prepare them when I'm out like you might. A few of the kids made comments on my new hairstyle when I started wearing a wig.  I wonder if any will notice or remark on the change in my chest.  Those comments might be harder to address.  

Being at work really helps me feel like I'm living my normal life and not letting cancer take control.  Plus being around kids all day makes it hard to be unhappy.  My own children are in college and high school, so when I come home, the family can take care of me instead of me taking care of the family.  

Keke713: I know that I was all over the map emotionally when I found out for about two months. But when the treatment plan was put in front of me I really felt like this was something solid and something I could put my mind, heart and soul into. And that calmed me down. My path was neo-adjuvant therapy and then surgery. I'll have radiation after surgery. But like I said, the hardest part for me was that two month period where I was seeing doctor after doctor and finally getting the diagnosis that I had kind of expected after finding the lump myself. But even though I had this sneaking suspicion about my diagnosis, it didn't make it any easier to bear emotionally. I have three little boys ages 7, 4 and (at the time of diagnosis) a 15 month old. I had too much going on not to tell anyone. I went on sick leave at work and a friend of mine put together a website through Lotsa Helping hands that included a calendar so that I could put my chemo schedule along with my kids' activities and people could sign up and take my kids to their activities. It was such a big help. One of the most important things I did? I put in a daily walk in the calendar. My friends could sign up and go for a walk with me. I'm the kind of person who won't go outside if left up to me so having to get out and meet someone for a walk was a real motivator. And I found it so, so helpful to get outside every day. I did it all throughout the fall. Winter was a bit more difficult. But definitely something I would recommend! I didn't have to move but my mom did come and move in with us. She has been here since September and my little one is VERY attached to her now. I don't know how the household will work when she leaves. Good luck with surgery. You can do this and we're all here to help you through it. 

Keke.... Stay strong girl... I am 31.. Chemo will prob be recommended regardless.... did u get ur er/pr status yet ..

Btw I am emotional mess... A lot of the time....I stress about everything and now I am stressing if I should do rads after surgery (mastectomy) .. Had postive node before but docs say if no positive nodes after chemo then rads is overkill... I want to overkill this cancer!!! Anybody have advice for that

Hi Leigh - I had a bilateral mastectomy with latissimus dorsal reconstruction in November of 2010. I was stage 1 and my tumors were 3 mm and 2 mm. I was one lucky woman getting diagnosed so very early. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about the surgery or recovery or life after two years. Feel free to email me directly at annemariefeldman@verizon.net 

On this board we never need to apologize because our emotions are all over the map. We are dealing with stress that can feel overwhelming and never completely goes away.

Foreverchanged--I have also found it helpful to get outside for a walk or just to breathe in some of the natural world for awhile every day. I am fortunate to live in the desert southwest so our days are generally nice this time of year, but even sitting in a chair near a window feeling the light streaming in is helpful for me.

Shari, I am with you on the radiation. My Onc hasn't committed to it yet, though my surgeon strongly thinks there will be radiation. I had positive nodes before chemo and am grade 3 so I especially want to throw whatever they have available at this.

For me, another day of pre -surgery tests and doc visits tomorrow. Time to ask for sleeping pills to carry me through next Wednesday.

Keke--Best of luck on Friday. You will be in all of our thoughts and prayers. And you will be one step closer to a successful outcome with one less thing to worry about.

Hugs to all!

Linda

Found out a couple hours agomy surgery date has changed from March 5 to March 6. Seems surgeons schedules are kinda busy.

2girls-2spaniels -- You will be joining jrose and me on the 6th. We are surgery sisters!

Shari -- I think I have this fear that the docs/pathologists will miss something in the analysis of nodes after surgery or completely miss something. This disease is scary and so complicated! I guess that is why I'd feel more comfortable with radiation. Probably irrational but I am not that rational these days.

Welcome to the March 2013 "surgery sisters" board (((cat24))) I've added you to the list - wow, sounds like you are in the home stretch! It's reassuring to hear from someone who's "been thru it" and sounds so positive:)

I'm with the rest of you...I am a basket of nerves - irrational and emotional are good words to sum it up LOL...driving my husband crazy and having a really tough time focusing on anything at work but have so much to do before I leave tomorrow that I have had to work really long hours so that's probably a good thing to keep my mind occupied. It's just when I go home and try to settle in that my mind starts racing. One of my concerns is what will the pathology find when they look at my breast tissue after mastectomy - I don't want to find out that there were other things lurking in there that we didn't know about...I already had chemo so hopefully that took out any stragglers but they are not planning radiation for me, just an aromatase inhibitor when I recover from surgery. 

(((keke))) hang in there...wish there was more we could do to help, you have so much on your plate right now, glad you have family around you and your little one at this tough time...(((hugs))) and prayers for a smooth surgery tomorrow and a quick recovery, please let us know how you're doing when you are able to visit the boards...Maureen

More updates for our list, please let me know if I've forgotten anyone or any details...You are all in my thoughts and prayers for a good surgical outcome and speedy recovery...(((Hugs))) Maureen

March 1st - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's - Keke

March 4th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/implants - Maureen

March 5th - Right mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's and axillary node dissection - Marian

March 5th - Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction and sentinel node biopsy - Tracey

March 5th - Bilateral mastectomy, with anxillary lymph node dissection on ipsalateral side and sentinal node biopsy on contralateral side - tx_anne

March 6th - Right mastectomy and axillary node dissection - Linda

March 6th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/TE's - jrose

March 6th - Left mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/possible TE - 2girls-2spaniels

March 8th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction - Cuetang

March 8th - Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction/implants - Karrie

March 12th - Exchange surgery with scar revisions - cat24

March 20th - Left mastectomy with tissue expander - Sharon (Butterflylady)

March 21st - Bilateral mastectomy with Left axillary node dissection - Foreverchanged72612

March 21st - Bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders and latissius dorsi flap, axillary node dissection - Leigh

March 27th - Mastectomy with axillary node dissection - Lou4of7

March 28th? - finishing chemo March1st then imaging to find out surgical procedure - Shari

LKSHER and Mamasixtaz - hope you get surgery dates soon...

Hi Marian:) I decided on the bilateral mastectomy for a couple reasons...in the pathology from the lumpectomy my tumor had areas of lobular carcinoma in situ and atypical ductal cells so the breast surgeon and oncologist both felt my risk for a recurrance was higher and my risk of a new breast cancer in the opposite breast was higher - apparently the LCIS is often present bilaterally but it lurks and hides from traditional imaging and is usually only found by biopsy. My lump never showed up in my mammograms - I found it a month after my "normal" mammogram was resulted!

I also did not want to do radiation unless it would reduce my risk enough to make it worth the side effects. The RO said it could reduce the risk of local recurrence but nothing to help with the opposite breast or mets from the positive nodes. I asked her about radiation for the nodes and she said it wouldn't do anything - she felt the axilla was not at risk since the nodes were removed.

Finally, my mom died this summer from breast cancer, she had a reccurrence in one breast and a new breast cancer in the opposite breast - just the scenario I fear so I felt like that was a "message" for me. One of the things I hate most about this is "second guessing" my decisions, which I do quite often, especially when the "mastectomy vs lumpectomy" research came out recently - I just wish there were a "cure" and we could all be free of this beast...Until then...I guess we do the best we can, hang in there...I'll be thinking of you...our surgeries are getting close...