March 2013 Surgeries

I am feeling better this weekend too.  Matches the great weather!  Been outside most of the weekend and really helps the spirits.  Incsions are having less drainage and the smell is gone.  Yea!  Antibiotics must be working along with the dressing changes.  It is an up and down ride as we go along.  More appts to tackle this next week, hope all the news is good, hate dreading the doctor visits.  Really want to return to work soon, hope they will release me back to work soon.  Taking on more housework as I need to build up the endurance for the return to "normal" life.  Tired but feels good to get things done.  Started up home dialysis too, DH is so much happier to not be in center.  He is so spoiled being in charge at home.  Hope everyone  had a good weekend and have a  good week ahead, many Hugs!

tparksprof - I've been thinking of you and hoping you will get that wound vac out soon:)

mamasixtaz -  glad you're feeling better and enjoying the great weather, here in Michigan we had 50's and rain, brrrrr, but it's finally warming up today, raining but at least warming up:) I am back to work full time, and it does feel more "normal", kinda like I'm starting to move on with life - YAAY...must be such a relief for you to have DH back on home dialysis!

Bishops - so glad to hear you are getting your swap done in May:))) I went direct to implants so I didn't have TE's but I'll be thinking of you on hte 22nd and hoping surgery goes well, let us know how you're doing...

I've been working full time so feel a little tired but the longer, sunnier days of spring are picking up my mood. Still some soreness in my FOOB's but no more armpit pain or burning so that's great. Aromatase inhibitor is causing some joint pain and stiffness so that's something new to deal with but, if it's fighting the BC beast for me than I can deal with the achy joints...I saw my oncologist last week, she said all looks okay and tumor markers are all good...next visit is 3 months away, sure look forward to a time when I don't break into a cold sweat at the thought of going to the doctor or having an xray or blood drawn. Hope you are all well, you are in my thoughts and prayers (((Healing Hugs))) to all my surgery sisters!

Made it thru 2 more Dr. Appts. Onc recommended Tamoxifen afterall, too many different types of br cancer in both br path reports, but no chemo as all non invasive. PS removed more fluid, seroma in my back but decreasing amt. Incisions looking better on the antibiotics, he will release me back to work in 2 wks! Yea! So, as usual goodnews, badnews, up and down but we keep moving on.

Hugs to all!!!

Don't know where the time goes...I visit the boards and catch up on what's going on but just don't seem to get the time to post much. Hope you are all doing well...

tparksprof...I am in the middle of the state near Michigan State University...it's a nice spot because it is off the major east/west and north/south highways so it's only about an hour to Lake Michigan or an hour to Lake Erie. Sure hope you have gotten or will get that wound vac out soon? Sounds like it's been doing it's job if the area is getting smaller...

Good luck with your exchange Bishops2003... I'll be thinking of you on the 22nd and hoping it all goes well...

mamasixtaz - so glad the incisions are looking better and they are getting that fluid out - that will prevent other problems...congratulations on the good news about chemo, hope the tamoxifen works well for you and side effects are minimal. At least that will not only help prevent breast cancer but also it helps build bones. I am on an aromatase inhibitor, causing some very achy stiff joints but I hear that's the usual side effect with these, unfortunately it causes bone loss so good thing I started with fairly strong "nomal" bones.

(((patriciahurtado))) - oh my, you've had alot going on...so sorry about the infection and having to suspend all your treatments...that must be so tough...i know once I had a treatment plan it felt more positive and I felt like I was "fighting" the beast...With a cellulitis and treatment on hold it must be frustrating. Has the surgeon talked about removing the TE temporarily while he gets this under control? It is not uncommon that they have to pull a TE or an implant to treat the infection. I had a friend last week who had her implant pulled, they did it all in one surgery - cleaned out the wound and instilled antibiotics in the pouch area then put a new implant in and started intravenous antibiotics. She's doing really well now... Hang in there you are in my thoughts and prayers, ((((Healing Hugs)))

Kinda of have an idea where you are. I went to college in Big Rapids!!!. Love MI. And I want to visit again this summer. My husband's ashes were spread in the Straits so I need to visit there from time to time. Don't know what I'll do once I move to CO, but am sure I'll figure it out. Still have the wound vac, but it's getting better every day. Hopefully only about 10 more days, then I can get my "foobs".

I am finally back.  I had my drains in for 5 weeks.  My plastic surgeon informed me he is retiring.  I had to have the left side trimmed and restitched, as it never healed properly.  I haven't gotten on fill yet. 

On the good news side, I got a new plastic surgeon.  He does all different kind of surgeries, including DIEP, which he says I'm a candidate for.  I'll start seeing him in a few weeks.  He has no appointments available until June, so I'll see the original one until then.    The new doctor said he'd still do the fills in the expander once I heal, until I'm ready for the swap or the DIEP.  Neither of which could happen, at this point, until around September.  Figure June-August for the fills? 

I don't need chemo, which I was excited about, too.  I just started Tamoxifen, which the oncologist is recommending for 10 years.  i'm looking into that a bit more, because I had always heard 5 years.  She says there is a new study that came out in Dec. at a conference regarding 10 years being a better number.

Also, with these new stitches I'm on week 5 of antibiotics.  It's the 3rd different one I've been prescribed since the surgery on 3/28.

Hope everyone is doing well. 

Carrie has your doctor talked about using a wound vac for your area of infection. I too had an infection and am using the wound vac. It speeds up the healing process by about 3 times. Every nurse I've had here to change it for me has had nothing but good information about these. It is a spnge that is specilly treated so that it will not allow bacteria to grow, plus it has a vacuum that "sucks" out all of the yucky stuff from the infection. Mine gets changed three times a week by a visiting nurse. The sponge is then attached to a tube which is attached to a motor with a canister that you wear around your waist or neck or carry it. It's kind of a pain having it, but if it works I'll suffer. My wound is almost healed. It was about the size of a fifty cent piece and now in about three weeks it is less than the size of a dime.

tparksprof - how sweet to visit the straits where your husband was laid to rest  - what beautiful country it is up there! If you head up north on Route 127 you'll be going right by my town...You must have gone to Ferris State? Glad to hear your infection is resolving:) Sorry to hear that you, Carrie and Mamasixtaz are having to deal with a slow recovery and some complications...I keep telling my family, I'm just looking for "a little bit of normal" so this beast doesn't continuously creep into my thoughts and I can focus on enjoying my life again...I wish that for all of you too:) Oh yeah...and a little more hair and a less weight gain from these medications would be nice LOL! Happy Mother's Day to all my surgery sisters:) Maureen

Christina...so good to hear from you, glad you are doing well:) Happy Mother's Day! Love your "mom" story on Mother's Day, your son sounds like a great kid! And...yes...agree with you, so glad to be a part of our March surgery sisters group, take care, keep in touch, Maureen 

OMG Bishops...that must have been a shock! As the infamous Gilda Radner said in the title of her book on life and breast cancer..."It's always something!" I'll keep my fingers crossed that the swap surgery goes as planned next week, let us know how things turn out (((Hugs))) Maureen

Thanks ladies. It really was more bizarre then upsetting. This side of cancer I can't get too angry about it

With the news explosion about mastectomy I am praying for us all to have strength. I was surprised how much I did NOT want to listen. We are still in the middle of all this- I guess I am trying to move on from being defined by cancer and yesterday it was everywhere.

I had my first fill on Wednesday and PT this morning. Couldn't sleep last night due to the tightness! I think I will put off my final fill for a couple of weeks. I can't wait for these TEs to be out for good! God bless you all and keep up the great work!! Bishops I am praying your exchange goes as planned for you!! (((HUGS))))

Still waiting on the healing process. PS won't fill today until the incisions are better healed.  Going in the right direction just slow.  Patience is not my virtue!  Well, another 2 weeks to check them again.  Did have more seroma removed from my back again, still less and less but not gone. Return to work is great to get back in the routine, but I am exhausted!  Luckily I did space the days out to start so hope to get a break and rest between.  There is so much to do it is hard to slow down.  I want to get in the garden next and get the flowers planted, so will plant a little tomorrow and the rest over the weekend.  Healing is the priority in order to move on.

tparksprof-glad to know you too are on the mend!

Thankful2day - glad your fills have started...hopefully the tightness will ease up quickly? How many fills do you need to go thru to get to the right size? 

(((mamasixtaz))) Congratulations on getting back to work - you are so wise to keep healing as the priority! Know what you mean about the fatigue...I have been "full time" for the last month and I am dragging by Friday but I am setting limits on people and accepting the fact that I just can't get it all done so I'm leaving on time anyway:)...glad you are able to go slow and not let the fatigue overtake you so you can get out and plant that garden!! There is something so "renewing" about a garden, I love watching my plants grow and flower...

(((Patriciahurtado))) so very sorry you are going thru these complications...you have been so strong and upbeat - yes, you are a warrior! I wish I could help you with some tips or advice but I haven't had cellulitis...as I nurse we often treat it and usually have orders for skin care and sometimes moist heat but your PS would have to weigh in on what is safe for the breast area... I did see some women in a previous post on the boards who had been dealing with cellulitis post op - here's the link to their postings http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/64/topic/800661?page=1#idx_4 - maybe they have some wisdom to share? Let us know how you're doing...I hope things turn around soon for you, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers (((Healing Hugs))) Maureen

So sorry you have to deal with more pain and burning...my PS told me the initial burning pain I had was due to the nerves regenerating and he thought it would go away gradually over the first 4 - 8 weeks. I still have some areas of numbness and occasional burning but nothing severe. You had a more extensive surgery than I did though with the latissimus dorsi flap and you've been healing form the seroma so your recovery is probably more complicated...still, when pain increases it's always a good idea to check with the surgeon to make sure everything is okay since it's been a couple months since surgery?  Hang in there...yes, cancer has taken too much from us so here's hoping you get to enjoy this summer (((Healing Hugs))) Maureen