April will be my turn, can we share hugs?

Thank you all for you good vibes! I am on my way home niw.

I just got my pathology report back. I had 2/26 nodes positive which stages me at pT2 N1c.

Peggysull, thinking of you and others sisters who just had their surgery. Pls get back to us as soon as you feel well enough and let us know how you are doing. We have been thinking and praying for you, and sending you of healing thoughts.

Thank you all for your warm thoughts about me during my surgery? So great to come back to this board! Aside from the intense pain radiating from the drain sites and how difficult it is to get up from chair, toilet,couch, you name it.



My husband is hovering too much but I'm thankful for having someone care so much about me.



Can't wait to get drains out even though it's been only 4 days out from surgery. Waiting on pathology report.



Again, thank you all for caring.,



Hugs, Peggy

Had the bilateral mastectomy Wednesday and got home around 4 Friday afternoon. I was very nausious Wed and Thursday, it has gotten better, but not gone. Very sore, but so happy to have the surgery behind me. Next step is rads after I heal from the surgery. No pathology back yet, but my Dr said she couldn't see any sign of cancer in the tissue, so I believe the chemo did its job. I was 9 cm, so this is a miracle. May God surround all of you and give you peace as you go through your surgeries and recovery.

I had surgery (bi-lateral) Monday. Today I feel like I am wearing a steal bra, there is such a tightness. Anyone experiencing this?



Gentle hugs to all

Hi ladies..I too am scheduled for surgery in April (18)...scared but positive! Thank you all for your comments...makes me a little less anxious. Xoxo

Danawp, thank you so much for your updates. I'm taking every word to heart as I'm heading into surgery on Thursday. I admire your bravery and your spirit, and those of all of the wonderful women here. My prayers and thoughts are with you as you forge ahead to the beautiful life ahead of you. It's one day at a time, I suppose. And i truly believe you when you say that it will get better! ((((((((Hugs))))))))......Kimberly

Sending love and support to ALL of you ladies going through the surgery.  It feels like so long ago to me (4/09). You will get there, too - you will look back and the details will be sort of fuzzy - like you know it happened to you but it was almost like watching a movie of it happening to someone else. (Sort of like childbirth -you remember it, but sort of blurry, at least I do.)

My hysterectomy is this Friday. I was determined not to let the waiting eat up and dominate an entire month of my life, and I did very well. But now that I'm in the final week, it is definitely bothering me more. I just wish I could get it over with.
I have a very busy week getting everything ready (work, home etc) and then I will go EARLY Fri a.m.  

Trust me, the waiting really IS the worst part. (and now it's my turn to wait, lol).

Love to all. One day at a time, one foot in front of the other.

Amy

I was a member of the March surgies and will be joining the April surgery board.



My margins were not as clear as the surgeon would have liked.

Also, she had gone wider than typical and picked up tumors in that!



I am now torn. Dr. says chemo due to 6 tumors (largest 1.8). I get that.

But, she wants to go back and re-excise to get better margins. If there is cancer in those margins it will mean a masectomy. When I am healed from surgery I will then have chemo, followed by radiation. Apparently this protocol is "equal" to a masectomy in regards to recurrence.



I'm not sure now if I want to re-excise. I am thinking masectomy of the bad breast. If there should be recurrence after radiation from just a re-excision then reconstruction is more difficult due to the radiated skin! If I have masectomy I was told I do not need radiation in my case.



I need to make up my mind and get in touch with my breast surgeon and plastic surgeon.

I have no idea what a masectomy would involve.



For those going for their lumpectomy I wish you all the best. I thought I did fairly well considering I do not have a surgical history. I did wake up very nauseous, and the feeling wouldn't pass. (I get motion sick, which they say is an indicator I would feel ill after anesthesia). When they told me the kitchen was closing at 7 I made sure to order dinner...the nurse was petrified I would puke, so I only ordered broth and apple juice. I tasted the broth and called back the kitchen and ordered a nice turkey club. I never ate so fast!lol. I think I was nauseous from not eating the night before surgery all the way to 7pm!



Recovery for me was pretty good. Only needed the pain meds for a few days, Percocet. I don't even know that I needed them for all those days. (I have been reading people were happy to have their leftover pain meds for when they start chemo, make sure to check with Dr. before doing that!)

Drink lots of water, clean out that radioactive dye if you get sentinel node biopsy, also good for your liver to clean out meds and good for bowels. Also take stool softeners, and Be prepared that it might not be enough. had to go to ex lax , the stool softener didn't cut if for me. 3 days in with nothing to show! (And i was eating a ton of fiber!). But ex lax got me going. I think I stopped pain meds just so I could be regular again.



Eat lots of protein, good for healing!

Make sure to rest and take it easy or you will only prolong your healing.



Good luck Sisters!

Pat

Updating, too...

Surgery 4/3 - Just wanted to update and share my experience.........

Definitely ups & downs -- more up than down -- but the down can come and dont be caught off guard by it.  I'm sticking with what I said about it not being as bad as we all anticipate.  Mostly soreness, tightness & discomfort, rather than outright pain.  Pain meds help.  Stay ahead of the pain, as others have advised.  You will be able to sleep and rest.  But, I have had a few low points, too.  Short periods of time where I hurt more than I expected to -- mostly at the end of the night, or when I was due for more pain meds.  Sadness strikes from time to time, too, even though I am so happy to be on this side of surgery!  

Anyhow, Good Luck & Speedy Recoveries to All of Us!! I dont want to scare or worry anyone -- I just want you all to know that there are low points too -- and push through them -- don't let them upset you too much.  They defintitely pass!!!  Gentle healing hugs to all!

Ukkate please check in with us when you can so we know how you are doing.

Sending you hugs!!  I had a bilateral in January 2011.  Chose not to have reconstruction at that time. Mastectomy was a piece of cake. I went 10 months trying to convience myself that all was well but broke down one day after shopping.  Had expanders put in in October 2011 - hell, total hell!!!  Then my implants were put in February 2012.  I wasn't completely satisfied - they were a little uneven, well they were a lot uneven.  Trusted my doctor and he did another surgery after I was healed and evened them up.  I did not have nipple reconstruction but had 3D tatoos.  My boobies are absolutely beautiful!!  It's kind of like having a baby - two years later I hardly remember the tubes and pain - just am thankful for beautiful results!!!