June 2014 Surgery Sisters

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  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited June 2014

    Way to go, Jeanette!  If I had to do chemo and had bad side effects, that would be something to consider.

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  • dancingdiva
    dancingdiva Member Posts: 475
    edited June 2014

    HopeEllen, I remember pre-op day too, it WAS reality check#1. Hope all goes well.

    jbokland, u r right. my posture is in an even worst state than it used to be. thanks for the confidence!

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  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 2,913
    edited June 2014

    My computer was acting up badly yesterday so I hope one of you drove the Pink Bus to take Rose111 and Kcat2013 to the hospital this morning. I hope their surgeries went well and will be glad to hear from them.  Send them your good wishes.

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  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 2,913
    edited June 2014

    image


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  • Purplegurll
    Purplegurll Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2014

    Hi all,

    This is my first post on the site and I hope it's OK that I post on this June surgery site since my surgery is scheduled for July 2nd. I had a lumpectomy and radiation for DCIS left breast in 2008. Will now have mastectomy for IDC and ILC in left breast and prophylactic mastectomy right breast. I've opted for immediate lat flaps with TE.  My stress level is starting to ramp up as my surgery date gets closer, and connecting with others who have recently had surgery or who will be having surgery soon helps, thank you!

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    purple girl. Welcome!  You are in a great group, a safe place to vent, ask questions or share!

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  • Purplegurll
    Purplegurll Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2014

    Thank you bokland. I lam glad to be part of the group.

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  • worryocd
    worryocd Member Posts: 41
    edited June 2014

    Hi ladies!  

    So glad to read the good news for Trish and Gila! :)  

    Mommyathome-Are you having your uterus removed?  I had a LAVH-laperscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy.  All female parts were removed.  I felt really good the first two weeks home and did too much too soon which led to a bleeding complication.  I have three small boys so my definition of taking it easy was different than the docs take-it-easy.  It's very important to not lift, bend-over in weird ways. If you see toys or crumbs on the floor, have someone else pick-it-up. So my advice is...truly rest and allow your body to heal.  I think you should be fine by August 25th. You will be around 6 weeks from surgery right(when you return to work? I am also a teacher. (I am currently on leave)  The beginning of the year is very physical. So be careful preparing your classroom.  I would ask someone to help you with decorating your walls( far reaching) and bringing supplies. You don't want set-backs if you could help it. I wish you the all the best with your up-coming surgery. :)

    I have not posted much this passed week because I was out of town with my family.  I am taking full advantage of my arm and pec power right now.  Lifting my two year old and giving all the hugs that I can. For next Thursday everything will be different.  I can't believe how the time is flying.  Most of the time I am busy with my family and home so I don't really think much about it.  When I have the thoughts of surgery I feel such anxiety.  I know the worst will be driving to the hospital.  It scares me but I know I need to do it!  

    Thank you to all the ladies for sharing your personal experiences.  I am grateful to have found such a great support. :)

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  • thinkpink4ever
    thinkpink4ever Member Posts: 205
    edited June 2014

    Welcome purplegurll!  You're welcome to join us, and we're glad you're here. Please visit us often and let us know if you have any questions, or need to vent pre-op, and how you're doing post-op as well.  We're all pretty anxious as our surgery approaches, but remember that "you don't have to be brave, you just have to show up".

     Rose111 and Kcat2013, hope your surgeries went well, and can't wait to hear from you both.

    Yesterday evening, I had a fun outing with my girls!  We went to get a snowball first, and then travelled across town to a Wal Mart that we hardly ever go to, and did some shopping.  It's amazing how you can find such different stuff at another Wal Mart.  Such a great trip and the first time that I got out of the house for any significant amount of time since my surgery.  Then we came back to my house and watched the first two episodes of Orange is the New Black.  Fun, fun, fun!

    One love,

    tp4ever

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  • ojoyjoy
    ojoyjoy Member Posts: 110
    edited June 2014

    jbokland- great news piece you did! When I went through chemo the first time around at 15 they used to give me Thorazine and many other drugs for anti nausea and none of them worked. One of the drugs, Raglen, gave me lock jaw/lock neck and I ended up in the emergency room with a Benadryl drip. I participated in a clinical trial for THC pills they were doing at UCSF. Unfortunately, I got on the trial and the end of my two year stint of chemo. My last dose of Cytoxan they gave me, which would make me sick (vomiting) for a full 24 hours, I took the THC pills and I did not get sick ONCE that day/night. I was blown away and wished I had those THC pills for the whole time I was on chemo. I hope this time around I don't have to do chemo but if I do, I'll be heading out to get my medical card to help me though. Your positive attitude is infectious. You are a inspiration to me and I'm sure to many others on this forum and in your life. Thank you!!! 

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  • Purplegurll
    Purplegurll Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2014

    Thank you ladies for welcoming me. The support is much appreciated! I am glad so many are doing well and for those who are having a rough month, I'm sorry and will be sending positive thoughts your way.

    I went on my last business trip pre-surgery yesterday. Going through airport security I thought to myself, the next time I do this I will have ports for the tissue expanders. Do the ports set off airport metal detectors?  The PS said they probably would not, but could, so I would have a card to keep in my wallet. Has anyone experienced this?

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  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited June 2014

    Purple Gurl, I flew a couple of months ago with TEs and didn't set off any alarms.  I wondered if they would pull me aside after I went in that xray machine but they didn't.  I did have my TE card in my wallet just in case!

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  • ojoyjoy
    ojoyjoy Member Posts: 110
    edited June 2014

    Did any of you ladies who have gotten TE know what style/brand of TE's you were going to get before surgery? Now that I'm not working and have some time to think, it just dawned on me that I don't know this. Anxiety just kicked in a bit :/

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  • Purplegurll
    Purplegurll Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2014

    Whew! That makes me feel much better!

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    my TEs are Natrelle.   They gave me a liltle ID card I case I had any issues.  Went through X-ray security on Thursday. No one even took a second look. 

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  • LissaSue22
    LissaSue22 Member Posts: 18
    edited June 2014

    Hi everyone! I just had a nipple sparing bilateral mastectomy on June 12th.  I was hoping I could hop in here with y'all. 

    About a month or two before my surgery I stopped looking at these discussion boards and internet stuff. It was freaking me out too much and I needed some mental peace about what I had to do. :)

    But now that I am 9 days post op, and starting to see a very small light at the end of the tunnel, I'm back!! :)) At my one week check up my doctors BS and PS were both very, very pleased with their handiwork. My skin flaps and nipple (one nipple had to go, but I got to save the other and both areola's...a new nipple will be created later) were both healthy and viable. I also got my drains pulled that day as well, AND was told I could shower...hallelujah! Haha 

    So, I got home, showered, and put on one of my nice expensive mastectomy bras that Kaiser bought for me pre-surgery. It was tighter than the surgical one, but felt okay. The next morning I woke to some bruising on my nippled breast, and the nipple itself was crusting over and weepy. I'm now wondering if the tighter bra caused a lack of blood flow (?) Anyhow, that was Friday. It is now Sat and my nipple is still weepy, scabby, but now with some intermittent bleeding. The bruising hasn't gotten worse and it's not real dark. The nipple is what concerns me most. I'm not sure if this is normal and my dr is 2 hrs away and not in the office today.  It doesn't look infected, or black..,though there is one tiny black spot?? Can that grow? Anyhow, I'm trying not to freak. It's alive, and I'm sure that is a good sign, right? But I'm really not sure what is SUPPOSED to happen. 

    Anyone been there, done that? 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited June 2014

    ojoy - your doc has to order the expanders so his staff should have the info in your chart. They should supply a small card, like a credit card, that has all the info because these are implanted medical devices, and are individualized and have serial numbers.

    Lissa - necrosis is not an emergency, so just speak to your doc when you can.  

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  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited June 2014

    Lissa, I also have kaiser.  If you sign up for KP.org, you can email your various doctors and also attach photos.  After by BMX, I had a white area with a little black dot.  It never progressed but that area is stil red 3 months later.  My PS said I had a blood flow issue there.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2014

    Dear Purplegurll, Welcome to the BCO community. As you can see there is wonderful support and information shared here by our members. We hope that you will keep us posted as your surgery date approaches and beyond. Our best wishes to you that all goes smoothly. The Mods

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  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 2,913
    edited June 2014

    A hearty welcome to Purplegurl and LissaSue. We are happy you found us and know you will enjoy getting to know the wonderful women here.

    Ojoy, the kind of implants you end up with are dependent on the kind of tissue expander that is placed. It's not just manufacturer, but the measurements of the TE. Sounds like you need to have a talk with your surgeon and work out all the details now. Have you been to the Breast Implant Sizing 101 thread? The information in the long header is so helpful. The woman who started that thread is an expert on implants and TE's and she has helped hundreds of women find the best kind of implants for their frame. Check it out.

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  • linda505
    linda505 Member Posts: 847
    edited June 2014

    Just wondering if anyone has heard anything from Sweetjam - she had been on my mind with all she was going through with testing and now her surgery is scheduled for Monday.  Hope she got good results from her last test and she is just taking a break from here before she goes into surgery.  

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  • Sammyjokk
    Sammyjokk Member Posts: 23
    edited June 2014

    welcome Turtle42 sending positive energy and prayers for you sergury tomorrow.

    sweetjam (()) to you. Sending prayers your way for a very successful surgery.

    Jbokland, your interview was great!! 

    wildflower, sending positive energy and prayers for a successful surgery

    Can't believe my name is up at the top of the list, seems like I looked at it yesterday and it was a month away. Having aweful anxiety this morning, gonna clean my house again!! lol  calms me down, should be sparkling by now!! ;) see everyone on the flip side....can't wait to be there!!!

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  • kfinnigan
    kfinnigan Member Posts: 1,729
    edited June 2014

    Sending postitive vibes to our surgery girls tmw!  

    Welcome purplegurl, I will have a lat flap this we'd and am so ready to get this over with!! I will be thinking of you as your date approaches also.

    Sending healing energy to those on the other side of surgery.

    Big soft hugs.

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  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 2,913
    edited June 2014

    Come one, come all. Four of our own are having surgery tomorrow so it's time for the Pink Bus.

    image

    sweetjam    Bilateral Mastectomy, Permanent Implants

    wildflower   Bilateral Mastectomy, TE's

    sammyjokk  Bilateral Mastectomy, DIEP

    turtle42        Bilateral Mastectomy, left Lat Dorsi

    There's plenty of anxiety among these women so they will need lots of support from us. Won't you hop on our virtual Pink Bus of support? I'm bringing magic shrinking powder to sprinkle over myself. That way I can slip into their pockets during surgery and keep an eye out. Sleep peacefully, I'm in your pocket.

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    best wishes ladies!   You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice!

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited June 2014

    Sweetjam, wildflower, sammyjokk, and turtle what a group of ladies.  

    See you guys on the other side.  We will be on the bus tomorrow supporting each one of you.

    Have a peaceful night and limit your worries if possible.  You are well prepared and all you have to do is show up.  Then it becomes your surgeon's job.  

    Many HUGS to each of you.

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  • kcat2013
    kcat2013 Member Posts: 391
    edited June 2014

    thanks for the well wishes and for riding the big pink bus with me!  Surgery went well Friday, I had awesome pre-op and recovery nurses--good nurses make a huge difference.  Pain has been tolerable with meds, I think it helped that my PS put in the spray  in local anesthetic.  I can't remember what that's called.  I completely know now why everyone keeps saying "just because you can doesn't mean you should".  I decided to get myself out of the recliner in the night, get my meds and take myself to the bathroom without waking my husband to help me.  Silly me got stuck in the bathroom unable to pull my pants up myself   Finally got them up and back into the recliner but was really hurting after that.  My husband scolded me and said I need to wake him up next time!   

    Thinking of the gals who go in tomorrow!

    Kendra

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  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 2,913
    edited June 2014

    Kcat, sounds like your PS used Exparel. It's injected into the incisions at the end of the surgery. It foams up and bathes the areas with long lasting anesthetic that lasts 3 days. Wonderful stuff. I'll never have another surgery without it.

    Sorry you had to find out for yourself about trying to do things you can, but shouldn't. No matter how many times we hear it, we hope it won't apply to us. It does. Unfortunately we all have to pay the price for finding out where our limits are. Your body can either give you the energy to get up and do something OR sit quietly and heal...but not both. Next week you'll be better. 

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  • ojoyjoy
    ojoyjoy Member Posts: 110
    edited June 2014

    Sandra- I'm going to send my PS an email in the morning to find out what TE he is planning on using. I have browsed the Breast Implant Sizing 101 Thread a month or so ago. It was overwhelming and I thought a bit premature for where I was in the process. Fast forward to today, I just realized I don't know what TE he plans on using. I'm starting to feel a little anxious about the big day. 

    Good luck to all the ladies who go in tomorrow! You'll be in my thoughts. 

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  • Helenna
    Helenna Member Posts: 86
    edited June 2014

    Sweetjam, Wildflower, Sammyjokk and Turtle42  Sending love and good vibes for tomorrow, your medical teams are the pros and will take good care of all of you! Think….this time tomorrow you will be in the recovery phase of this journey and inspiring other ladies following your footsteps. After my surgery last week I feel compelled to remind you to be cognizant of your bathroom visits the next few days and don't take a chance on the constipation that can follow surgery ( the stool softeners didn't do it for me )  something you might not be thinking of so just wanted to remind you.

    Please update us when you feel up to it.  xoxoxox

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