April 2014 Surgery Sisters

Wow..as I read these I literally let out a little breath..thinking." Ok I'm not totally crazy"  I went from feeling.i got this..to omg..what is happening..now waiting for the octontype test and I'm back to feeling like I did when first diagnosed. It is what it is..I'll do what I need to but it's always helpful that I'm not crazy! 

TXranger- our surgery was the same date and type.  I had the drain on the right taken out last week, and still have the one on the left.  I can wear items that are not button down if I put my left arm in first.  I can get into them, but the hubby has to help me out of them by me bending over at the waist, he pulls it over my head first, then do the arms.  

Just got my first Genie bra in the mail today and gave it a try.  Genius! My TE's were filled with 240 cc at surgery, but are lumpy and mishapen.  The Genie bra came with a pad that did not add too much size, but sure smoothed out the funky TE problem.  And it is soft and offers a nice balance of compression without slippage or too binding.  I am going to order more.  If you look into it, I read tons of reviews warning to order a size up.  I did, and it fit well.  Be warned, I could get this on by myself but I will for sure will struggle to get out of it! 

Had my first complication! Or having? Last night my drain tube must have pulled or shifted and blood from incision area soaked through bandages, bra, PJs. Did not notice or feel it at all...saw the blood on my PJs when I took them off. 

Cleaned it up, put gauze on and it seemed to stop but started again later when I shifted. I am sitting in ER waiting room now just as a precaution to get it checked out as I think a clot formed between drain and my skin so it can't close up and will restart up. 

thanks scubalady!

I think it will be fine, just mostly want then to clean it up, sterilize it, give me antibiotics if needed and check on what might be going on. Tube is still in. If they HAVE to pull it my drainage was between 20-25ml last two days so not bad, though up today with this issue.

my drain fell out the day after I got home from hospital.  It drained all over that night and them holes closed.  Called. Surgeon. Was no issue.  But have to go several times to surgeon office to have it aspirated.  I have had not had pain infection or complications 

Back home from ER! They cleaned it up, removed clot around tube that was allowing opening around drain to stay open and flowing, and gave me a scrip for a skin antibiotic. Thought it was just some trauma to it during night or something. Bad news is my formerly low draining side (less than 25ml a day), the side with the leaking, is now already up to 39 for the day. Good news is my normally higher draining side is at 8ml so far for day!

Even better news is all the Senokot really kicked in last night. Was not pleasant but I am definitely cleaned out now!

Time for a nap. I still went for a walk this morning and since I went to ER when it started bleeding again I never got the chance to nap after.

Glad you are ok DiveCat!  What an ordeal!  You have an awesome hubby.  Mine is like that, too.  I was so relieved when he washed my hair for me(the small amount of hair that I have).  We had the same surgery, except mine was Apr. 2.  I am doing better every day since the drain removal.  It feels so good to wear pull over soft shirts. 

HappyTeacher-I am going to order a Genie Bra.  I hope it will be comfortable.  I got rid of all of my underwire bras today.  I am still wearing a sleep bra 24/7. 

Renee51, Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way as you begin your surgery/reconstruction journey tomorrow!

I am trying to make arrangements with my PS office to arrange an appointment for drain removal. Though yesterday morning was an abnormally (for me) high overnight output with the trauma to the drain site, I am back down to 9ml and 6ml in last 12 hours/<20ml in last 24 hours, and expect that I'll be back to my under 20-25mls consistently in next couple days. Since I have to drive up to Calgary, I want to plan an appointment in advance for Friday. My PS is not in the office this week, but his nurse might be able to do the pull. I talked to his assistant and she is like his next appointment is the 8th or 9th, and I am like, yeah, I am not going to keep low draining drains in until then and increase infection risks (and discomfort!) if I do not have to. So, she is going to call PS and see what he wants to do and check if his nurse can do it. 

I am getting a bit of scabbing on my left nipple, which I know is not unusual. I will keep an eye on it to make sure it does not start looking infected or necrotic.

My nipples actually seem to be reacting to cold already,

Bruising is already going down since yesterday. Got a dark bruised area under one breast that I hope is just pooled blood, or leftover bruising.

For anyone on Picture Forum...I did post post-OP pics yesterday. Same username there as here!

Thanks birdlady!

My PS office did not call me back today, but I left a message to call me in morning, or I will call them if they don't. I am sure his nurse can do it just fine. If they get can't get me in, maybe I can ask if they are opposed to me calling a home care nurse to see if they can come do it for me. I'll pay out of pocket for that without issue, it would be worth it.

It's been almost 9 hours since my last emptying and my drains look like they each have less than 5ml in them. I'll empty them tonight, but yeah, I'll be at less than 20ml again for 24 hour period. I really expected to drain a lot more than I have, as I did have larger breasts, but aside from first day and yesterday's drain site trauma, I have been consistently 20-25ml. The drains don't bother me (love my drain belt sooo much!) but the sites sure do...they pinch and pull and are awkward. I did tape down the tubes a little underneath where they exit to minimize movement a bit more. 

Many I know had the PS's nurses pull the drains, but his actual assistant seems unsure! I can always go back and see him personally the week after if he wants to see me then or if I need to see him to check on things, I will make an appointment with him just in case so he can check on how things are looking, and just in case other concerns come up. I am keeping an eye on my nipple that is scabbing a bit, but so far it is a small area and more of my reddish-purple colour, not black. I do know if is not uncommon for nipples to scab over, even turn black, and be okay. Fingers crossed!

Went for a 5.5 mile walk with my stepfather today. Sun was shining, beautiful warm day. Unlike yesterday's cold and rain! Might for another when my husband comes home. I was told walking was considered a normal activity I could do as long as I felt able, and I do feel able, as long as I do not move my arms too much (rubs drain sites). Keep in mind I worked out and ran lots before the surgery (6-10 miles a day running, and often some elliptical as well or cycling). I go at a very easy pace...about 2.5mph. Drain output does not seem any higher with walking.

Also went to Walmart with my mum to get some different bras. The Marena ones were just squeezing too much, leaving indents, and felt too tight over drain sites. None of the front closure ones worked so I got some of the George genie-bra knockoffs. I have Genie bras, but these ones are way softer and stretchier and easier to pull on over my drain belt and such. At $8 each I got 3! They'll be great for later, too. For now they are comfy, supportive enough, and are comfy and secure over my drain sites.

 Zeeba and Geosomin,  Best wishes on your surgeries tomorrow!

Good luck to Zeeba and Geosomin today!

Sorry to be a downer on this thread, but this has become part of my recovery experience. Found out last night my mum has mets. Not unexpected, she was Stage IIIc in 2006, and her hip has been badly bothering her, making it hard to walk some days. So far we know of mets to hip. She goes for full scans next week and meets radiologist and oncologist again to make a plan. Hoping at this point it is "just" in bone so far.

This just sucks, guys.  She is 56. My grandmother died at 59 of bc mets. My great grandmother in her 60s. We don't know the cause of death for the women before that but they died younger too. I know some in my life thought I yes a bit fatalistic about my own risk of getting BC, and dying from it, but this is why. My mum did everything "right" with regular screening, and being healthy, having kids easily, breastfeeding for years, and yet it too was not enough.

And we still do not know WHY. No known mutation. It just is.  My siblings do not know yet, she is waiting to tell them when she knows more and when she can tell them in person  as well. I feel for them as they are going to both take it very hard.  I don't know if they kind of "expected" it as much as I did.

Anyway, onto me, last night it was like my pec muscles remembered who they were, so they were squeezing and flexing, which was not painful so much as uncomfortable. Took a couple Robaxecet and that seemed to do the job so I could get some sleep. I sooo cannot wait for these drains to come out! I was at 11ml on right, and 16ml on left yesterday. Still waiting to here from PS office. I might call my family doctor if I do not hear back, he used to practice in South Africa where he did EVERYTHING and would probably have no problem pulling them for me.

Another sunny day, so another walk seems in order. Might be full of crying, though.

DiveCat, I am so sorry about your mom. As for you, you're doing amazingly well just being one week past surgery.

I went to the PS this morning to have him check my left breast and get some peace of mind. First time I've cried in his office, but I haven't slept well lately. My chest feels like it's always having contractions. He says I'm doing fine and that the breasts won't always heal at the same rate. My right nipple looks normal, but the left is still scabby. My left breast is larger than the right and feels fuller in the armpit. All of this is normal! I am so relieved!

He gave me a prescription for Valium which will calm down my chest and help me sleep.  Wish I would have asked for it last week! He also said going straight to implants means having more discomfort on the front end of recovery and that I should feel better at the six week mark.

I've been pretty down the last few days, but I think part of it is weather related. I was outside walking everyday last week, but this week, it's cold and super windy. It snowed last night.:(

Best wishes to those in surgery today.

Chiclet...thanks for the words of comfort. yay for driving! That must be amazing! Freedom! Walking is fine, but I am a little more geographically limited unless someone can chauffeur me around. That is great you are already filled up. I think whatever size you are happy with is just perfect.  I am pretty sure I am going to end up with Ds...only one cup size smaller than before but it already feels amazing to be smaller. I am not a big person though, so my D's would be a C on a 34" band, or a B on a 36" band, etc. It is all relative! So happy to hear you are feeling so good!

Sodie, thanks to you as well for the kind words. I started having those contractions last night, it made it hard to get comfortable and get to sleep, so I took some Robaxecet. Helped a LOT and I got a good night of sleep. Glad your PS gave you a scrip for Valium. I have seen many women find relief with a muscle relaxant/Valium. That spontaneous pectoral twitching and flexing is not the most comfortable thing!

I'll join you in the scabby left nipple club! 

It does not surprise me going to direct to implant can hurt more at front end. There is a lot of pocket work done off the bat, a lot of muscle stretching, lots of stitching in there with the Alloderm. Lots of tightness and so on. Another woman I know was told the same thing by her PS.

Sorry about the weather. My first couple walks were in wind and rain and snow! Boo. Sunny yesterday and today which makes a huge difference. Wishing you warmer weather!