June 2014 Surgery Sisters

good luck everyone!  The drains are annoying but doable. Once you get the hang of emptying them and arranging them in your clothing its not bad. I had one on each side. One removed at 4 days, one at 2 1/2 weeks. No showering til the last was out.  I got a drain belt= wide elasticy thing with velcro that came with 4 drain pouches- you put the drains in the pouch and velcro to the belt. I wore it under clothes, over if I was home-- its versatile.  When I slept on my back at night I put the pouches more on the front of the belt so they wouldnt cause a problem as I slept.  Also I used a big safety pin and pinned around the tubing near the exit of my body- pinned to shirt- so it would stay still and help not catching.

thinkpink4ever,

As my dear hubby pointed out, even if we got caught, by the time we went to court, the evidence would be gone. (no your honor, I didn't flash anyone; I don't have anything to flash!) Told you my hubby has a warped since of humor!

Shirley

Slappy, I love that warped sense of humor!

Can't believe it's time for the pink bus to visit me. See you on the other side!

Prayers for everyone in the next few days...I have to keep coming back to get this sick humor...it's awesome. My only brave move was to arrive sans bra at my pre-op appointment today. Never would have done that before but I just wanted to give them a little reprieve today.

My nurse practitioner is a friend of mine and her complete optimism is contagious. Most people (her entire staff) look at me like I am dying. When she came in to see me she told me about a women's surf camp she wants me to do with her next summer. I was very interested to know that she had breast augmentation and had her implants placed under her pecs...I honestly didn't know they did that for augmentations. She said she did it so they would look natural.

Slappy,

I had to change my Tshirt in a public park for a BC fundraiser.  There was nowhere to go, so I stood behind an tall electrical box that covered me to my mid chest.  No bra, just my TE's. 

2 cops walk up and look at me as I am in between shirts, looking for an explanation.....I said "you got nothing on me!  I've got NO nipples!"  They cracked up and left!

thank you to everyone, I'm at home, resting comfortably.  I should have the pathology report by friday. 

gila, I pray you have an easy surgery, and good healing

Hello ladies!

Looks like I will be joining this group as my surgery is scheduled for June 18th for full Mastectomy, Lymph Node Removal and Axillary Lymph Node Dissection, have to admit the Doctor really scared me with all the negative things following surgery especially with axillary lymph removal.

ANY help or advise on what to do or not to do would be highly appreciated!

I just finished 6 cycles of chemotherapy and for the ladies scheduled still to do chemo, I wish you all the best, stay positive and stay strong, remember you will feel up and down, you are allowed to cry or just be down!! I sometimes had such a lot of emotions in one day that it was hard to keep track!! 

This is an amazing forum and the support is just amazing thank you once again for being there for us and to know that I am not alone in this is just priceless!!!

Anxious.  Nervous.  Preoccupied.  Sad.  Snippy.  Less than 72 hours before my body is all cut up.  Just can't get control of my doggone emotions.  Went to get a brow wax and pedi after work today.  So why is my left big toe messed up already?  I could just cry my eyeballs out or go back and punch the nail technician, but neither action will make me feel better.  Maybe I just need to take an Ambien and go the hell to bed.

One love,

tpever

beth, my surgery is at 7am.  Hope to be finished around noon, but the doctors in NOLA are amazing, so it may be sooner.  Not that I will be timing them or anything like that.  It's just for my pink posse that will be in the waiting room.  Looks like my daughter will have alot of company - aunts, cousins, and NOLA friends.  I grew up only an hour away plus I went to college in NOLA and lived there for 18 years.  It's my second home.

Go gila!  We're right behind you, surgery sister!

One love,

tp4ever

All of the ladies who have had surgery since I last posted I'm praying you all have a speedy recovery. To All of the ladies just going in for yours, Good luck I hope your surgery goes well and your also in my prayers.

The information and pictures from Sandra4611, jbokland and linda505 is really appreciated. Really helps with some of the anxiety of what you need to make this transition from surgery and back to health much easier. Slappysquirrel  that was hilarious about the flashing! Sounds like a plan for me! Lol, just love the humor and compassion on this board. I've been away since Friday, guess my last chance b4 my surgery to do that for a while. Love the picture on the beach jbokland! Wish I'd of picked a few of those up while I was in Fl.

Please forgive me if I'm not remembering everyone's names. Just know every bit of info and encouragement  on here means so much. Sweetjam looks like there's 3 of us going in on the 23rd. I'm having the Diep and am having horrible panic attacks during the night, not every night but when they come on I just want to jump out of my body. Thinkpink4ever trust me...I will be asking you a ton of questions, the thoughts of having both the BMX and the abdominal incision does worry me as to how I'm gonna get around after,how much pain and how long it takes to recover after are just a few questions on the top of my list right now. I hope I've made the right decision. Even tho I'm scared crapless, I want it done like yesterday. This anticipation I think is brutal.

Just dropping in to get on the bus for gila today and check on those who had surgery yesterday.  Wishing you all quick recoveries and great pathology. 

Margie - do you know the type of Bc you have?  I wouldn't worry too much about the node issue at this junction.  If you have IDC at 6 cm I would think what your surgeon is doing would be standard practice to see where things stand - especially with you doing chemo ahead of surgery.  Keep positive thoughts that pathology doesn't find anything left.  I also see that you are HER2+ - are you going to be doing Herceptin or were you borderline positive?    The best advice i can give you on things to do and not to do is follow your surgeons orders.  Do not try to use your arms before the appropriate time - Think and act like a T-rex - and the famous saying that I heard was "just because you can doesn't mean you should"   Also - anyone who had any nodes removed is at risk for Lymphederma so ask for a referral to see a specialist at the appropriate time to learn what to look for and things that you can do to prevent it - there is also a great thread here that you can go to and ask questions once you get to that point.  BUT DON"T SPEND TIME NOW WORRYING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MAY NEVER HAPPEN - just be aware.

remember trex arms

Positive thoughts and speedy recovery for you today Gila.

Jbdayton, sorry to hear you are in pain. I hope they are giving you meds to help counteract it.

Hello All!  I am new to this site and I will be having my surgery (lumpectomy) on June 12.  I am trying to stay positive and up beat but today has not been a good day - I guess we are allowed those every so often.  Hoping tomorrow will be a better day!!