April 2014 Surgery Sisters

My lifestyle change was the major factor in my weight gain on chemo. I only gained about 6 pounds. Before chemo I was working out 3 -4 times a week but MO said no gym on chemo. It was winter and the weather was really too bad to get outside to walk.  My teammate at school also arranged meals for me, so I had people bringing meals 2-3 times a week. The meals were such a big help but they were usually very high in fat and carbs and usually had a dessert. My sense of taste was also all messed up on chemo. Very few things tasted normal. For one week the only thing that tasted normal to me was a bacon double cheeseburger from Burger King, and I don't usually even like Burger King. I found that I was able to eat blander foods easier since they didn't taste that much different and they were less metallic tasting. I did not have any nausea with my chemo and the first few days after a treatment the steroids made me hungry. There are so many different drugs out there to treat nausea compared to when my mom went through chemo it is amazing. My MO was adamant about me taking a Prilosec OTC daily all through the chemo whether. The only day I was nauseous was the day I didn't take it. I will be starting AC July first. I am hoping to be done and ready to start the new school year. I really don't want to have to start the school year with a sub.

That's a tough one maybe in the surgery forum since that's were it started but listing April surgeries someone else may feel excluded to read. Sharing healthy recipies is a good idea, I didn't know that was already here.I'm not too familiar with this process can you post a link ?

About starting a weight loss thread: At the top of this page we are on, go to All Topics. Then scroll down to Day to Day matters. Then go to the Forum: Fitness and Getting Back in Shape (right below that is Healthy Recipes...) Next go to the topic Wednesday Weigh In. I think that's what we want, and it's already set up. The idea is that you tell how much weight you've lost every week. See what you think, amyo.

I had my surgery April 30th, bmx with expanders on both sides. The first few days were really bad and then I started feeling a little better day by day.  Monday night I started running a high fever with chills and headache and pain on the right side. I called my ps Tuesday morning and was told she wasn't available on Tuesdays and that it sounded like the common flu . I took Tylenol , drank lots of fluids, are soup and stayed in bed and felt better on Wednesday . Thursday I had a lot of pain and right breast was hot and swollen . Called ps again and was told she was not available so go to emergency room . I called my general surgeon who got me in immediately. Am now on heavy duty antibiotics and hoping that they don't have to take the expander back out. I was supposed to have my port put in next Wednesday so I can start chemo June. 2nd but am being told it may be delayed . I spent most of the day crying and didn't sleep last night. I'm trying to tell myself to stop being a baby and just get through this but it has been hard . Has anyone had problems with their TEs?

Hey Sherry,

I'm a tough chick too (or, I thought I was.) I just wanted to chime in on the emotional side of things. I was always the gal that fixed problems and got things done. When I found out I had bc, I figured thousands of woman were here before me and survived. No problem!

As more things do not go as planned, I'd find myself getting angry that I couldn't just suck it up and deal with it. Who was this new girl that sat around and felt sorry for herself when so many others out there are much worse off?

It's only been slightly better for me. I feel like I am in  a recovery program when I say this, my my biggest problem has been to accept that which cannot be changed. I am a control freak by nature and plan everything to the last detail. I keep rationalizing that bc is supposed to be my lesson that I need to be a little more spontaneous and have more fun.

No one but the ladies reading g this post knows these are my feelings inside (well except my nd of 10 years who informed me MondY that he got his own place and is moving out). I have not been able to open up and cry to anyone else...even those who have had bc. The pressure to feel like I have control over any of this makes me cry hysterically, then I get angry at myself for feeling that way!

Moral of the story...use these discussion boards. The ladies here have been scared and out of control. It's also helpful when you feel you might be a comfort to someone else following your footsteps.

Hi ladies! I'm an April surgery sister too! I had my lx on April 14th so I've been following you all I've just not posted.  I'm trying so hard to loose weight! I'm 100% ER and PR positive so I know my excess weight is harboring estrogen! A friend bought me a fit bit and  I'm averaging 3.5 miles a day most days but the scales are barely moving. I lost 21 pounds in 3 weeks after being diagnosed just from stress. I also don't feel like I'm overeating considering I've gone to mostly organic etc.  my daughter a dietician keeps saying burn more calories than you consume and it'll come off.  I'm just not buying it.  I'm 45 and being thrown into menopause via hormone therapy.  

Anyhow.  Good luck to us all! 

Well ladies, I am also a teacher (RN nursing professor). I had to leave the classroom two weeks before classes were over. My graduating class wore pink ribbons in honor of breast cancer survivors. Several students even took pictures during the commencement and sent them to me. They said they didn't want me to miss it. Made me cry... in a good way.

I feel so lucky in so many ways!! I am 3 1/2 weeks post op, finally got the last of 4 drains out wednesday. Thankful!! However, I am sore in places I haven't been before. I am thinking it must have been from scar tissue where last 2 drains were in so long.

I also feel lucky because I have the summer off. Last summer I worked, by choice. This summer, I decided after having completed grad school courses for Family Nurse Practitioner, I needed a break. As it turns out, it was a very good decision. I have plenty of time to make decisions, go back to the classroom or pursue a FNP position. Either way, I will always teach nursing one way or another..... Already have Liberty University asking for my resume. Did I mention God is so good?!?!

Some of us decided to join the Wednesday Weigh In topic which is in the Fitness and Getting Back in Shape forum. See you there!

hey, Radical...

So sorry to infer from your post that your boyfriend up and left you. That totally bites, just when you could have used a friend. 

I am also a triple negative, and am going to have that 16 weeks of chemo, starting at the end of July.

Post surgery, I feel great, only a little bit of tightness at my incision. Really glad I chose against reconstruction. It was the right thing for me.

Chin up -

~Rambling Rose

Rambling Rose... Yeah it bites but I'm looking forward to chemo even less! We'll have to compare notes!

I think I may have some cording under my left arm, I have much more limited movement of my left arm and what looks like cording in the arm pit. I go back to the ps on Tuesday, I will ask him about it. I have not started physical therapy yet since I am just a week out from my second surgery. 

DiveCat,

I am glad that things are going so well for you. I, too, have had clear sailing...here I am 6 weeks post UMX and I feel great. No pain, some tightness...using Vitamin E oil on my scar twice a day. I am back to the gym, working 4-5 days a week.

I sometimes feel guilty and gloating to post how relatively easy things have been for me...but then I thought, our good luck is a strong message for sisters who have surgery coming up and are reading here (as we did, reading Feb and March threads!) to find out what this mastectomy business is all about.

~ Rambling Rose

Asb,

I giggled when I read "I'm ready to have my body back."

I put on a bikini top to get some Sun yesterday...truthfully, I probably could just sit in the yard with gauze squares taped to my chest...lol.

I'm still banned from lifting over 10lbs so I've settled for squats and lunges while reading...until last night.

I was convinced my triceps were getting saggy so I lifted a little weight and planked for a bit. This morning, my nice thick scab had turned gooey in spots and was leaking a bit...guess I don't get my body back yet.

Asb, I started by planking on my elbows (I used to do them on my hands). I found that if I kept my arms in tight, the bone of my arm was basically holding my top half up and I could just concentrate on a good tight core.

I can do them on my hands now and it doesn't hurt but I can feel more doc muscle being used (I actually feel the lower part of my foob flex sometimes) so I've mostly stayed on my elbows.

I'm filled to 150 on each side. Today for a friend's bbq I was in an I don't care mood and rocked the triangle top from a string bikini...if I didn't have hips and a few wrinkles, I could've passed for 12 years old! Most of the people there had heard I had bc so instead of strange looks it seemed like it just reminded everyone to ask how I was feeling. I though I would, but I didn't mind the questions or walking around with the obvious change to my body.

first fill tomorrow!!