June 2014 Surgery Sisters

thanks much!  I am a nurse and a survivor!  But I did spell Hibiclense wrong (cringe!)

I plan to Hibiclense in the days before surgery, but would not have even thought of changing the shower head.  I'm not having much luck finding oversized button down shirts to wear.  First of all, I'm always hot, so I can't take long or quarter length sleeves.  Still looking though.  I need to get some of the front closure bras, and some new panties, but can't we go commando?  I was thinking about doing that at first because some have said that panties are just uncomfortable with the tummy incision.  What is there actually covering the abdominal incision after the DIEP?  Gauze?

One love,

tp4ever

I didn't do DIEP, but panties went off anyways before surgery.  They cath'd me in the OR.

I bought a small basket that I could carry around the house that I could put small things in, my cellphone, my thermometer, my blood pressure monitor, my Ipad, my chapstick, a little notebook that I kept my meds timing log, my temp and blood pressure info, and my drains output info, mints, etc.  This way when I moved from bedroom to living room to dining room, I always had my stuff with me and it kept it all in one place especially because I was pretty out of it while on Percoset and Valium.  Also essential were two body pillows that I bought, I placed them on each side of me while I slept, propped up by regular pillows and rested my arms along their length.  They helped both keep me on my back but also relieved a lot of pressure from my arms laying flat, slightly elevated felt much more comfortable.

Thanks jbdayton and thanks to everyone for all the information and tips, it helps make everything a little less stressful. My surgery got moved to the 11th because of scheduling conflicts (already pm'd Sandra) so I get more time to really wrap my head around everything and prepare.

Hi ya'll! I just got my surgery date set for June 26th. Fairly new to this forum but have gotten so much information and I'm grateful to all that participate and share. I have chosen to do a BMX with TE. I'm praying that I will not have to do chemo or rads after. I will be taking tamoxifen. I've had two MRI's, the second one after my second biopsy. There was one node that looked enlarged but it Im hoping that it just because it's doing it's job after the trauma my breast went through with the biopsies. My BS thinks that's a good possibility. We will,know after surgery. I'm grateful be moving on with this journey. All the limbo of gathering information and second opinions is exhausting emotional and physically. Feels good to be moving forward with a plan. With that being said, any tips on getting prepared would be appreciated. 

This may seem like a silly question....after a BMX has anyone had difficulty doing simple tasks such has wiping there bum after going to the bathroom? My dear fiancé brought this up and said he would do it for me, bless him. My response was "of course I'll be able to wipe my arse" but then it dawned on me that I really don't know if I will, lol. 

I've gotten great tips on this thread. Going to make sure I have plenty of loose comfortable button up PJ's and tops. I'm going to look into getting a bra that snaps close in front. I thought that I would get a compression wrap like I did after the biopsies and wouldn't have to deal with a bra for awhile. At what week does one start to wear a bra? 

I have my final consult with my PS on Tuesday. I've been so busy trying to get my work affairs in order I haven't had a chance to get anxious or scared about the surgery yet. I still have almost 5 weeks togo but I'm sure it will be here before I know it. Kind of wish it was tomorrow so I could get it over with already Trying to stay positive and I've been on a roll with it. As I get closer to the 26th I'm sure the normal emotions will hit me. 

Good luck to all who have upcoming surgeries and thanks in advance for any wisdom or advise you want to share.

Ojoyjoy

Ojoyjoy.  Yes you can wipe yourself.  Buy those moist wipes if you don't already,  For the first few days, I wore loose pjs that were easy to pull up or down.  I was allowed to shower with my drains 2 days after surgery!  I had the glue instead of steristrips so maybe that was why.  I did need a little help with showering the first few days.  It was a project.  I would take all the drains out of their pockets, undress while the drains are laying on the bed, attach them with safety pins to a lanyard around my neck, etc.  I needed help turning on my difficult shower faucet, adjusting the temperature, stepping in and out, etc.  I washed myself.  My mother stayed for 2 weeks but I mostly needed her the first week.

The drains are the biggest pain.  My mother also helped me with the stripping and emptying of the drains, then measuring.  Buy those little alcohol pad squares to use to strip your drains.  You unplug the valve, and use the alcohol swab to pinch the tube at the top and move towards the bottom.  Because   of  the pads, you won't have any friction.  Look up jp drains on youtube and you will find videos about them. I had very little incision pain but my drain holes often hurt.

Yes the trouble with getting in and out of bed is that people usually use their arms to scooch around the bed.  Well your arms are connected to your pec muscles that were just operated on and it hurts!  Satin pjs are good because you can sort of slide and slither out of bed with little use of your arms.  More than 2 months later, I still have to sleep on my back.  I miss sleeping on my side but if you have tissue expanders, the bed pushes against them if on your side.

Hi all...just a note on the Hibiclens...it can be very irritating.  I ended up with hives only in the bmx area for 3 weeks!!!  IT WAS NOT GOOD!!!  Also, if gen anesthesia makes you sick, tell everyone who will listen prior to surgery, esp the RN who will have to care for you in post op recovery!!!   There are def things they can do to help, even before surgery.   If you are prone to motion sickness...that can be an indicator as to how you will do with anesthesia.  Also, pain meds can make you nauseas too...tell them. It is no good throwing up after bmx...just trust me on that one.  Also, sometimes muscle relaxers work better than pain meds...  That surgeon just made them very unhappy!!!  

Each having their own journey...as you can probably tell, nausea was my nemesis!!  I can take pain over that. Surgery for me was far less upsetting than the chemo and the subsequent SE's.   My favorite saying, "Yes, they are fake!!!  The real ones were plotting against me!!!"  

Hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend...to those with family protecting my freedom and those that came before them...my thanks to you.

Hugs and prayers...

Janice

I've only heard of a surgery bra, ace bandage or hook in the front jogging type bra.  You are going to want compression.

Hi Everyone -- I am joining from the March Sisters to support the June sisters. 

1. Recliner was a God Send.  Lived in it for 10 days post surgery. Set up everything on table next to it -- and watched the world go by. Absolute God Send -- if you can rent or buy do it. Electric is better because you cannot use your arms to reach over and yank the handle to move yourself back and you want a gentle recline going back. 

2. Look for Surgery bras with little pockets (for the drains) that attach to each side.  Mine had a velcro strip that made for easy on and off -- for someone that was helping me.  I could do it, but less easy.  I wore these in the shower too to hold the drains on day 3-4 once I was allowed to shower -- and covered myself neck to waist with a garbage bag with a hole in the top for my head, and my sister helped me take a fabulous 1st shower. 

3. You can reach your bum!  Downward movement with the arms seemed totally possible. anything above chin level -- was a no no.  If  I pushed it -- drainage would increase and the day for the drains to come out would be extended.  Less is more --  Walking is good, have everyone around you if possible help with things your arms needs to do -- this way drains come out sooner -- if no other complications. Bottom line is you will be on narcotics this first week or so -- and it will feel like you can move around and use your arms -- don't do it -- less it more -- the narcotics will allow you to -- but try to hold back and do less with the arms for the first few weeks -- it increases healing and less drainage is what I experienced. 

4. In Advance -- Shave underarms well -- wax them even -- any underarm maintenance is a no no for a month or so -- plus my underarms were numb from auxiliary Lymph Node removal -- so it would be risky to shave as a. you cannot seem under there too well, b. you cannot feel under there too well. 

5. If you have the Lymph Node removal as part of your procedure, chances are your underarms and upper forearms on the side of the removal will be in various types of pain.  My and as many report, was a burning, sensitive to touch, pain.  The hospital gave me a heart shaped pillow - about 15 inches long -- with a huge V in it that fits under your underarm.  I used this for 3-4 weeks to help manage the sensitivity under the arm/armpit that was in pain.  It was very helpful. 

6. The Drains -- yes a nuisance -- and I recommend this approach -- "this is part of the program - so let's make this work well, deal with it, keep 'em clean, empty, measure, don't move my arms much so that drainage will stop and soon they will be gone"  8 days out they were gone! 

7. Before surgery -- in the "you do not have enough information to know what you don't know stage" Yoga, meditation, a good counselor if you have one, letting the tears come out, hugs all the time, breath, breathing, oxygen, walking -- honoring the damn fact that this is real was a good and important thing - to have my head in a good and positive place when the surgery date came. The not knowing the whole story is the worst. Gut wrenching worst. But doing these things helped so much.  I found my team of doctors handled me pretty well -- telling me all they could each step of the way. Stay off the internet.  Trust your Doctor and the second opinions on your specific condition.  This site helps too -- but we March Sisters will tell you after trading many stories, our BS and PS and oncologists all have slightly different approaches to just about everything -- tho -- there is a lot of overall consistency as well.  

8. The nipple sparing choice -- was one my surgeon was very opinionated about.  On the cancer breast -- he said -- NIPPLE MUST GO -- the tiny cancer cells could remain someplace in the nipple and we do not want to risk that.  For the non-cancer breast - I opted to do the same as the cancer breast -- to have better luck on building two matching breasts on the reconstruction phase.  Having completed my 6 fills (I am an even 500cc)  -- I have purchased silicone nipples for the summer -- that look great -- as I await my exchange surgery in October. No feeling on the breast and of course the nipple -- so that's a bummer -- but they look good for when I want them to look good. 

9. Use the narcotics they give you in the first few weeks. The process of the tissue expanders settling into my chest cavity was painful (the incision itself was not painful at all) -- I tried at first to not take too many pain pills -- but then said why not -- this hurts. Use the stool softeners at same time -- just to be safe. 

I hope this helps and is not too overwhelming.  Bottom line -- is it gets a little easier every day "post surgery" to process all of the data and physical and mental changes that are coming your way.  It really does.  Breathing, walking, talking to all of us on this board is crazy helpful and nurturing.  When husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, kids, parents, sisters and all those well meaning friends out there, have no idea what you are feeling and experiencing exactly -- we do. And we are here for you. 

xoxoxoxoxox

Linda L. (aka Sailon) 

I have had a wide gauze wrap each time after surgery. I have one on now and it is compressing, so slightly contributing to the pain. Off Tues tho, so I can handle it.  

I wore the behind the ear patch the last 2 surgeries. I havent had terrible nausea but wanted to avoid it. It does badly dry out your mouth tho- and yesterdays surgery in pre op she started me on an iv med that purposely dries your mouth- something about anasthesia causing alot of saliva, so it helps avoid that. So between the 2 things my mouth was a desert. I took the patch off last night and my mouth is gettng back to normal now.