April 2014 Surgery Sisters

Cdelv66, try an 8 oz glass of room temp prune juice. Give that 8 hrs. If nothing happens try a white cow. Mix a shot of prune juice with a shot of milk of magnesia. Give it time and keep up with the stool softener. I can't make any guarantees but it worked for me after one glass of prune juice

I have my unilateral mastectomy with SNB on Wednesday. 

I have been doing a lot of pre-hab, hoping for easier recuperation. Lots of chest presses, flies, triceps extensions, etc. Also lots of swimming, just finished a 500 yard swim, all pulls, no kicking. 

Shaved under my arms, perhaps the last time for a while.

Not frightened, but certainly ready to have this behind me.

~~ Rambling Rose

vfay,

We will be thinking about you this morning. Let us know how you are doing as soon as you feel up to it.

Vfay49, Gracielou4123, Pattij - thinking of you and sending you positive and healing thoughts.

Having a lumpectomy on Monday. (April 14, 2014)  Don't know what to expect, but hoping for the best!! 

well, the highly anticipated day is tomorrow. Here's to hoping for clean margins, negative nodes, no nausea and well controlled pain. See you girls on the flip side.

On a different note. I had a fabulous party yesterday, a Tata to the TaTa's pink party. We had a fun gathering of my dear female friends and family, complete with Boobie balloons, nipple cupcakes, and various pink foods. We played jeopardy (all breast related) and a word scramble of various names for "the girls". I figured they needed a nice send off for all of their faithful years of service. Don't know where I'd be without good friends and my family.

On April 10th, having right mastectomy with SNB,reconstruction with TE, possible latissimus flap and a left augmentation

vfay, thinking of you this morning. I hope you are feeling calm and at peace and ready to face a whole new set of adventures. 

Luck,

Rambling Rose

Last weekend a friend asked me if I was going to have a goodbye party for my breast. I had never thought of that or heard of anyone doing that and now I am reading about it here. Sounds like a good way to honor a passing....

Good luck to everyone this week!

Hi everyone! I just found this thread, though I'm at home recovering from a BMX with immediate reconstruction (tissue expanders) on April 1.

Recovery has been better than I expected, though I do have some pain across my chest and into my underarms. I see the dr tomorrow and hope the drains can come out!

I've not read the posts from earlier surgeries, so forgive me if I'm repeating obvious info here. If you're having a mastectomy, be sure to have some loose button-up shirts to wear. No way could I pull a shirt over my head! I rarely wear blouses anymore and I hadn't even thought of that.

Wishing you all the best!

Gentle hugs,

Sandy

Just heard back that my MRI detected a growth on the left side.  When compared to an earlier mammogram the size change went from 2 cm to 5 mm.  My doc said this doesn't change anything for my surgery, but now I am wondering if I should be more proactive other than continuing with the surgery on the 15th?  I do get that there are false positive issues with the MRI, but is it safe to assume that the surgeons will be checking this spot out and sending it off to pathology, or should I be saying something about it the morning of?  

On an unrelated note- my boss (elementary principal) is spreading rumors a bit saying I am much sicker than I am.  I usually do not reveal my cancer status (dealt with skin cancer for 3 years), but this time felt compelled to since it will be so obvious when I return to work.  I am looking to switch into administration after next year, so this is particularly problematic since I feel like nobody will want to hire an administrator that also has cancer.  Let it go for now or address it?

To my sisters that have already completed the surgery- your bravery inspires me.  Wishing everyone God's speed in recovery. 

Hope your surgery goes well tomorrow Rambling.

Rubiayat...I was reading your post about your daughter. I had my surgeries in March.  My girls are 6&8. I don't do gen anesthesia or pain meds well, at all.   So, when I had my bmx, we didn't have them come to the hospital.  It is hard for them at that age to understand everything.   I did have my sister stay with me at the hospital.  Dad's job was to make sure that their little lives were as unaffected as possible. They just do much better when their schedule is maintained.  They went to school and did their regular activities.  I also understand the overnight thing, my big girl doesn't do sleepovers.  We tried, it just wasn't worth it. 

However, you know her best, that is why God chose you to be her Mom.  

Big hugs....

Hi, Debkayr--I had the laproscopic ooph about 1 1/2 years ago and it was a breeze...I was tired, but very little pain--didn't take any pain meds, so I figure the pain meds you take for your BMX will take care of anything you may feel :-)

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Deb, rambling, and ninany, sending you positive thoughts for tomorrow. 

I have my final pre-op appointment with the PS and have to meet with the anesthesiologist tomorrow.