June 2014 Surgery Sisters

Sandra & Alley - just got back from my fill and it went well. However, his nurse did not fill until I said ouch. She put in 75cc on each side and that was it. It didn't hurt at all and just feels a little tighter. From the sounds of it, I will feel it more later tonight. 

Linda - My PS did prescribe Valium 5mg. I've been taking that at night before bed and it helps but I still have a hard time getting comfortable. Today the nurse said if it's bad I could take two. So that's what I'll do. 

Beth & Pink - the blues will come and go. It's good to let yourself feel the emotions so you can move on. It took me five days to snap out of my last funk. This journey we are all on is one big emotional roller coaster. 

Tomorrow will be three weeks since the surgery. I still don't have my appetite back. My stomach is just off. Is anyone else having this problem? I'm cutting back on the Advil now to try and help and have been taking probiotics for a week now. I'm forcing myself to eat because I know I need it to heal and feel better. I'm not getting anywhere near 100grams of protein. My friend just dropped me by some protein powder so I'll start to add that. That first two weeks after surgery really did a number on my system. 

hello ladies,

I dropped off for a while. My kids came home from my parents after my surgery...with lice! Which I'm pretty sure my daughter got it at her friends before she went. So I'm panicking that they spread it to about 20 of my family members while trying to help my while I recover. I can't stand putting people out especially when they are helping me.

It really is a roller coaster and I hope you ladies feeling blue will be on an up-swing soon.

It's just depressing after a while sitting around feeling like crap, especially if things are up in the air.

I had a good cry in the shower after getting a glimpse of myself. The docs keep saying they look great. But I have a hard time looking at stitches and incisions without cringing. I'm sure they look good under these circumstances. But they look a bit misshapen and odd to me. And they feel so numb which really bothers me,  I know it will calm down. And I'm still healing it's only been 2 weeks. Is funny my PS told me I didn't need to wear a bra unless I wanted to. While others were told to wear one 24hrs a day for weeks. Bras make the numb sensation all the more noticeable, so I haven't been. Also I wasn't told to do any exercises, I've asked. They just said not to lift any over 5lbs and not to raise my elbows over my shoulders. My pain is getting better. I think I'm fine with just Tylenol. My port is still sore since they moved it a bit. 

Did anyone else go straight to implant?

Sandra I think you did? But you had issues and had them taken out.?

I got my pathology report and it was all clear. That means no rads for me!! I'm so relieved. I already did chemo and that had shrunk the tumor to nothing.

I'm sorry wizard and purple your path reports didn't come out as good. When do you find out if chemo and rads are in the cards? I'm hoping nether, but if they are you can get through that too. 

Margie I'm two months post chemo and I have a little bit of hair but it's so fine. I can't wait until it comes back! My beautiful blue hair, pink in the picture gone. 

I think ojoyjoy you being hair dresser would have appreciated it. I've always messed with my hair, should have been a hair dresser too.

Hope you all have a good night and hopefully a restful one. 

Sandra- I just read your bio because I didn't want to make you repeat yourself probably for the umpteenth time.I was trying to understand why you've had so many surgeries. And my god woman, you have been tested. And here you are such a positive force and driving that pink bus for all of us! Thank you! And I hope this is the last surgery you will ever need. Enough is enough.

oh joy - I found it a little easier to sleep with a pillow wedged behind my back.  It propped me at a 45 degree.  I'm a died sleeper and a full side was too uncomfortable!

Beth. I know my back is so sore from sleeping on my back!!

Ally, I had different drain hole sites with this surgery, my old mastectomy drain hole sites are now the bottom portion of my reconstruction foob, my skin has been stretched.

Hi ladies, 

I saw the oncologist earlier this week and the pathology showed I was ER-/PR- but Her2+. I also had micromets to one of my sentinel nodes so chemo is highly recommended.   They want to start next Thursday the 24th. Yikes!!! I'm more nervous about chemo than I ever was over the surgery.

I'm in the same boat as many of you - sleeping is still uncomfortable and even though the PS gave me the ok to sleep on my side it's impossible.  I too have lots of pillows, still sleep propped up and I wake up every morning with back pain.  My appetite is slowly returning but I'm eating much smaller portions than I was before surgery.  

The tissue expanders are my biggest nemesis lol. I'm always uncomfortable and it's not a pain that Tylenol or pain meds can take away.  Sometimes my chest feel so tight and heavy that it's hard to stand up straight.  I have numbness and extreme skin sensitivity on the underside of my left arm which is the side I had nodes removed. Surgeons have said its from the SNB, it's normal and may last awhile.  I find that wearing long sleeves seems to help releive some of the discomfort.  My PS said he won't do the TE exchange until a month after chemo ends which means I'll be stuck with the TE's even longer.  

I'm not feeling as down as I was the first 2 weeks but still have my withdrawn quiet moments.  I'm not a cryer but let me tell you I was a crying mess for a couple of weeks.  I'm feeling better now and my heart goes out to you ladies who are still feeling blue.  Let yourself feel the emotions and it does get better.  

Cathy

wizard- I'm sorry. I'm her2+. I did the tch+p chemo regime. What have they suggested for you?

Thanks Marren and bethq.  My chemo regime will TCH x 6 rounds.  I really thought I had another couple of weeks before chemo so I was totally blown away when I got the call to start next week.  I'm really very very nervous about the side effects.  The first two weeks after surgery were emotionally rough and exhausting and now that I'm feeling better I don't want to go down that road again.  I'm trying so hard to stay positive but every time my phone rings or I see a dr I get bad news. 

My BS called me this afternoon to tell me that she presented my case to the tumor board this morning.   She said they talked for a long time about my case and it was determined that I have 3 options.  Because I had one node with multiple micromets the board had differing opinions.  My choices are 1.  Go back into surgery and remove more lymph nodes but risk lymphedema.  My BS did say that one of the surgeons commented that if this was her, she would NOT go back and remove more lymph nodes.  2.  Do radiation after chemo but risk complications with the reconstruction.  3.  Avoid surgery and radiation altogether and take my chances on chemo only.  Another bomb dropped!  I did call my plastic surgeon and spoke with his nurse who is awesome.  We discussed the effects of radiation on cosmetic/reconstructive surgery and she really put my mind at ease.  I think I'm going to opt for radiation therapy after chemo but will spend the weekend doing my research.  

bethq - next week will be one month since my BMX and I really hope the skin sensitivity starts to go away.  It gets so  uncomfortable at times, especially if I'm cold or tired.  

Thanks for your input Beth.  After talking with my PS I feel much better with my decision to do chemo and rads.  We discussed in detail the negative effects rads can have on reconstruction and how the potential damage can be corrected.  Your comment is not inappropriate and I understand where you're coming from.  Our main goal is to do everything within our power to beat this and feeling shut out from a treatment because insurance won't cover it sucks.  

wizard - come over to the TCH thread - there are a bunch of us over there who are in, or who have completed, treatment with this regimen - and some who have had rads also.  Here is the link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/578284?page=597#idx_17901

Wiz-

My 2 cents:  Fight for your life. 

I have met more women that opted for the easiest'road (lumpectomy vs mastectomy...not doing chemo, rads, whatever) and had reoccurrences and regretted not going at it 'full-monty' the first time.

 Remember, rads in the axilla also increase chances of lymphedema....but whadayagonnado?  Its all calculated risk.

Rads and can cause reconstruction complications....but in the big picture, is that the most important influence on making your choice for treatment? 

Haven't been posting much but wanted to get on today and catch up. I, like most of you it seems, am having trouble sleeping. My TE are very uncomfortable and I just can't seem to find a comfortable position. I also started tamoxifen last week and that seems to not help either but I've had no other side effects so far.   I have found that rubbing arnica gel on my chest muscles and bruises helps with the discomfort. 

wizard50, we had surgery on the same day so I've tried to keep up with you and I know you'll make the right choice about your treatment. We are all fighters and are here to support you through this journey. 

Sandra, I love your encouraging posts. You are truly an inspiration.