March 2014 Surgery
Comments
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Julie - actually, your lump was only palpable since October, you have had it much longer than that. It takes quite a while for cancer to grow to a palpable stage - sometimes years. See the link below. Time and size don't seem to have that much connection to nodal spread - you can see women here with small lumps and positive nodes, or very large lumps with no LVI or nodal involvement. It is a bit mercurial and one of the mysteries of breast cancer - things don't always follow a straight line of logic.
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Thanks, SpecialK. I'll check out that link when I'm not so sleepy.
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Vintagegal1111-- hope that you are doing well!
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Vintagegal1111 - I'm sending you good healing thoughts today. I hope your surgery went smoothly and that you are doing well.
Gramof2boys and faith - you'll be in my thoughts tomorrow. Try to get some rest, it was truly not what I had feared. You can do this!
Special, Sandra, and Julie - thanks for your encouragement on chemo. It is better to know than wait. I have no node involvement, but my MO said they would be aggressive because of my age, 43. Not sure what cocktail I'll get yet but he mentioned ACT. I will do my best to throw the kitchen sink at it, Sandra. My 15 year old daughter and I were looking at a hat, scarf, and wig catalog this morning and we decided that I will rock the bald look. That made me feel better. Although, I'll probably buy a wig too. We both have long hair so when it comes time to cut it, she and I will both donate our hair together.
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Vintage hoping all is going/went well with your surgery tomorrow.
Gram and faiyth you waiting is coming to an end. From what I can see it is the hardest part. I cannot wait for the waiting to be over. True torture!
Looking forward to hearing good news from all of you soon. Take care.
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blueberry - I also had long hair prior to chemo. I cut it in 8" ponytails and sent it to this company:
I had the "underhair" made with my own hair. It had a soft top and I wore fedora type hats and ball caps with it. It was way more comfortable than my wig, and also cooler even though I had a hat on. These folks do a great job, it is a quality product, and if your insurance covers wigs (most do) you can submit a prescription from your oncologist for a "cranial prosthesis", the receipt from the company, and a claim form and they will reimburse you at whatever the limit of coverage is. I felt this was the best money I spent. Your daughter can also donate her hair there for other cancer patients. Locks of Love could not have used my hair because it was color treated. I also bought a traditional wig and then took it to my hairdresser and had her customize it. It was a Raquel Welch versafiber wig, so I could blow it dry or flat iron it. It pays to go to a wig store, find a wig you like, and then order it online - you can often get it for much less. Another product I used is the Beau Beau from:
These are very comfortable, lightweight and easy.
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Thank you for all of the well wishes and cheerleading!!!
I am a little emotional today, mainly because of all of the messages of support, phone calls and texts wishing me well and telling me how loved I am. it is overwhelming. I have a wonderful network of support. I am geared up to get this behind me. I have to be at the hospital for my SNB at 6:30, so I am hoping for a good sleep. Surgery at 10:30. Here we go!!!
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Hello everyone. Sorry it has taken me a few days to reply. I am recovering well, will go home tomorrow. I was lucky my left flap made it (the radiated side). it struggled for the first two days but now the signals are strong. I will need to heal for awhile and then we can decide what to do with the right breast.
I hope everyone else did really well and those through next week are ready and getting plenty of rest.
Hugs for everyone!!
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Alisaandjoe, you sound like you had an easy time of it. That's wonderful. Amazing that you have full mobility of your arms. Almost everyone has T-Rex arms afterward and a limited range of motion. We have another superwoman! Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your progress.
Aviva brought up the shower or no shower discussion. The fact is that if you ask 5 different doctors, you get 5 opinions. I think we've heard every possible combination of do's and don'ts on this forum. I'm not sure why there is such difference of opinion. Some women are allowed to shower in the hospital, others are told to wait until the drains are out. (That would have driven me crazy because my drains take about 3 weeks to all come out. There's always one that just won't quit!) My doc was in the middle. I couldn't get my chest wet because I was fighting an infection and had gauze and bacitracin everywhere. But I could shower anyway. My husband wrapped Saran Wrap around my chest. It was hysterical. He started off making circles around me and we finally figured out it would be easier for him to stand still, hold the plastic wrap, and let me twirl around with my arms up as high as they would go. (Which wasn't very high! I wasn't allowed to raise them higher than my shoulders for a couple of weeks.) Then using a hand held shower, he wet me down without splashing near my chest. I soaped myself up and he rinsed me off. Heavenly! Where there's a will, there's a way.
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Jbdayton, I've been wondering how you were doing. Bet you were worried about that flap at first but now you are on the right path to recovery. Yay for you! It's been a long week for you and I know you'll be glad to go home tomorrow. Sleep when you can, nap when you can't, and everything will be fine. When do you go back for your first checkup?
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Fayth and Gramof2boys, I'm sure you are ready for surgery tomorrow but anxious. I don't think I slept at all the night before. I have fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that everything goes well. You are really surgery twins since you both are having left mastectomies.
The Pink Bus will be pulling up in front of your house nice and early, so be ready to hop aboard. Tomorrow is confetti day!
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Well, I'm ready for this surgery, scheduled for 7am. Early mornoing, thanks for all the well wishes. I will post when I can.
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Thinking of gramof2boys and fayth this am and sending good vibes for fast healing .
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Good luck today, gramof2boys and fayt. I continue to do well. I just have a little achiness in my armpit area. I'm just using extra strength tylenol now because the codeine was making me loopy and sleepy. I'll just take the valium at bedtime. I'm feeling great! Best wishes to all of you.
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I've been down and out the last few nights. Temp kept spiking to 102.8. Went to the family physician yesterday and he gave me augmentant for strep. Saw my plastic surgeon today. Excisions look great. If temp should spike again, she's admitting me back into the hospital. I feel like hell. Without the fever I think I would be feeling pretty darn good. I'm able to wash my own hair! ;-) I'm hoping I'll be over the hump tonight. If all goes well this weekend, drains can come out on Monday.
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Remember the surgery part is the easiest = you're fast asleep!
Ask the pre op nurse for something to calm your nerves while youre waiting to go in. Its usually a few hours or so, and theyre pretty good about giving you a little sumpin' to make the waiting easier.
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hi all! I'm having a radical mastectomy this Monday March 17. Planning on celebrating st paddys day with my surgeon. He said that I could have a partial however I figured that I only have 1 breast. The right never developed nor do I have a breast muscle. Right now I have an implant on the right side. I told the surgeon to yank the implant and do the mastectomy. He's also taking all lymph nodes since cancer has been detected. So I'll have 3 drains. One on the right side and 2 on the left. I only have 1 arm as well - the left one - so am very concerned about possible swelling etc. 2 weeks ago I was told that there are cancer cells and here we go!!!!
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Oh Footballnut, you have a challenge in front of you, don't you? But then I'm sure you are used to overcoming challenges with your unique anatomy. Your concerns about lymphedema are especially valid. I would think it would be important for you to see an occupational therapist right after surgery. I had a consult with one after a recent hospitalization. She said to be sure to ask for a consult after my next breast surgery because she could fit me with special garments and sleeves that could prevent or treat lymphedema problems. She said she would teach me techniques to do to move that lymph fluid along so it doesn't build up. Can you ask your surgeon to put in a request for you to see one in the hospital? Will you have help at home afterwards?
We have a virtual Pink Bus on this thread where we go with each of our surgery sisters when they head into the hospital for surgery. We'll be there to pick you up on Monday!
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Iwannaseeyoubebrave, I hope the antibiotic helps. I'm glad you went to see the plastic surgeon too. If you continue to feel bad, please go back to the ER over the weekend rather than waiting for Monday. Doesn't mean they will admit you. They might just decide to change your antibiotic. Please keep us posted as the day goes on.
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Gramof2boys and fayth hope surgery went well and you are waking up easy.
Mcbeach, KLJ, and Footballnut I will see you on the bus on Monday. Relax as much as you can over the weekend (I know easier said than done).
I got home about 6 hours ago. I woke up had breakfast and then the whirlwind started. PS came in did a final check of my flap. It was looking great yeah! Then I got a great surprise, he removed all three drains. Then the nurse came in and I got a nice shower and washed my hair. Treated all my incisions with bacitracin and covered with dressing. Put on a button up PJ set and went home. Took a great napand feeling fairly good. Just made 2 laps through the house for exercise. Will take another nap shortly.
Hugs to everyone. Thank you again for all the company on the bus and those who stayed in my pockets this week.
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Jbdayton, you win the "Drains Out Earliest" prize. Maybe that's common with DIEP. I'm just guessing. It took me close to three weeks to get rid of 4 drains. I've heard of quite a few women who still have drains at 4 weeks. You had them 4 days! WOW.
Thanks for the update.
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Well girls, 19 of us have had our March surgeries and 13 are still waiting. The Pink Bus is parked for the weekend but Monday we'll be driving it out of the garage to pick up KLJ, who is having a bilateral mastectomy with TE's placed, mcbeach, who is finally getting to exchange her TE's for new implants, and Footballnut, who is having a mastectomy on the left and her right implant removed. I hope all three of you will try your best to do something fun this weekend. It's so hard to relax and sometimes distraction is a good thing. Good luck Monday. You can do this!
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Checking in, I had my surgery at .8am, a little late. I was back in recovery by 11am. I have not had much pain at all, had a pca pump but they switched me to oral meds now. I'm feeling pretty good so far. Will see what tomorrow brings.
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Hey Gram. Can't believe you are up to posting the same day as your surgery! Good for you! Happy healing.
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Hello March Sisters, it's been one week since my right mastectomy with tissue expander and SLNB. Doing okay overall. Had to stop taking Percocet few days ago because it was making me feel woozy and weak. Now just taking Motrin, muscle relaxant and antibiotic. Had no bowel movement for 6 days even on Colace but after taking 3 doses of MOM, now have diarrhea. At least I avoided the Mag Citrate they had wanted me to take. Would give anything for a shower but my PS won't allow until drain is removed. No true "pain" but I'm very uncomfortable most of the time with that heavy, tight feeling on my chest. Feels like a brick has been stapled to my chest. Makes it impossible to sleep in any position but on my back propped up on a couple of pillows. Must admit that I've been feeling pretty blue last couple of days. Esp. now that my mom & brother have gone. I think I've just hit a wall physically and mentally. It's been such a long ride since that abnormal mammogram Nov 2013, 2 biopsies, lumpectomy, re-excision lumpectomy all leading up to this mastectomy. It was discouraging to hear at my PS appt that It will take until June to complete my fills and at that time I'll need 6 more weeks off from work to exchange the TE for the implant and also a lift on L breast. I was already off 3 weeks for the lumpectomies and 6 weeks for the mastectomy, all unpaid, and I was not expecting to need 6 more weeks off in June. I am a physical therapist and cannot work with a lifting restriction. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer. Am I the only one feeling blue and frustrated after surgery???
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Sorry you're down, Franny.
I'm having a little drain issue today. I have 4 drains. 2 consistently had low output and should probably come out Monday. But the other two had an increase of output today so I think I'll have them awhile. I think I was doing too much since I had very little pain. I did some dishes, helped cook, reached for stuff, etc. Tomorrow I'll be a queen and let people serve me. I'm not taking my Norco anymore but will take Valium at bedtime. Besides the drain increase, everything is going well. Post op is Monday.
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Julie - activity definitely increases drain output, see if it decreases when you stay more quiet. Everyone wants their drains out, but remember they have a job. If they are pulled too early you can end up with a seroma, which you don't want!
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Hi FrannyM424, my heart goes out to you. It's still very fresh after surgery. I'm almost 2 weeks out and right about the time that you're talking about I had a period of about 3 days where I became almost panicky about the tight, brace-like feeling across the chest. There is something about it being across the chest (the area where you breath) that makes it harder I think. My doctor actually prescribed Adivan for the anxiety. She said it was extremely common for women to feel this way during this time. The funny thing is that I think I finally reached out for the help at the tail end of really needing it. I haven't taken any yet - but I know I have it incase the anxiety comes up again. I also have a nurse navigator specifically for breast health who holds a weekly support group. She said she has a woman in the group who is about 3 weeks post surgery who said she is just turning her corner and beginning to feel more like herself.
I think the important thing for you to know is that everything you're feeling is completely normal and it will get better. I had my second fill yesterday and am so surprised by how differently I'm handling it than I did before. There are moments I still want everything taken out so I can be flat. Sometimes I think the expansion exaggerates the numbness and all the discomfort. But everyone (and I'm only speaking of people who have been through this - no one else can understand) has said I should just still give it some more time. I'm only 11 days post surgery. I understand you aren't taking any pain meds because what you were taking made you sick. Is there any chance you can try another kind? I'm taking mine (if only 2 a day) on the day of and a day or two after my fills. Maybe for my next fill I won't need it. I just find that everything - back, shoulders, ribs, etc.) hurts afterwards.
Hang in there - it gets better. I'm sure you will feel better even in a couple of days. It's funny how it works that way. What you've been through is really tough. As my surgeon said, "if you wouldn't be emotional about all this, there would be something wrong....."
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Thanks we drove in at 5 am in snow and ice. Surgery was on time, 7:30 all went well. BUT! I did have quite a bit of bleeding, like change the gown and all sheets twice. The drain site on the non cancer side. Dr came in one time when it was bad, cleaned it, got clots. All was ok and next day I was ready to go and it started again. Nurses took care of it. Within 10 minutes it had bled through again then in a matter of minutes it swelled. OMG like I grew a new breast!!!! dr was called he said I had to back to surgery immediately. Argh. He did a re incision to clean it out lots of clots. So didn't expect to be in the OR twice! I am home with some slight seepage but no real discomfort. Doing ok. Thanks!!!!!!
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