September 2014 Surgery Sisters

good luck with surgery tomorrow, Frostecat and EverForward! Praying for uneventful surgeries and quick recoveries!

Golfingirl, glad you got through it, and I'll bet you felt better once you got to shower.  I know I did!  I hope you'll be able to get lots of rest in these early post-op days.  Take care!

Linda

I am freaking out.

I had a tummy tuck 5 years ago. I know what the recovery is like. My PS said my BMX with reconstruction will be very similar. 

And now I'm freaking out. Why? Because I have 5 kids at home. All 5 have Down syndrome. My surgery is on Friday and Monday my husband will get the older kids on the bus and I will be on my own with the youngest (who is developmentally about 18 months old.) People say "get plenty of rest." Ummm…WHEN???? When will I rest? 

I had this problem with chemo too. There were a couple of days I had to call my husband home from work because it was all I could to to stay upright, much less coherent enough to watch my kids. (all 5 were home because it was summer.) He can't take off this time. He has no time off left and we can't afford for him to be missing work. We don't have anyone who lives close AND has the ability to be helpful. I guess we will just get through it because there isn't another option. Hating cancer. Really really hating cancer. 

That said, I bought a new recliner for when I can't sleep lying down. It has a cooler in one arm and two USB ports in the other.  Every stitch of laundry is just about done…and I will do it again on Thursday. LOL…. I need to get a new lockbox for my pain drugs so I can have them down low without needing childproof caps on them. 

Yep. Still freaking out.

Frostecat and EverForward I'm thinking of you ladies this morning! 

I wish Frostecat & Everforward  a speedy recovery. I wasn't logged on earlier or yesterday- but both were in my prayers, along with those recovering. My prayers nightly include each of you in this group. I hope all went well today and both ladies are resting the best that they can right now. This month is going way too fast! God bless each and every one of you in this special group that has caused us to meet under these circumstances. Many Blessings. 

Marie

Noonrider, 

I admire your strength and determination (not only to endure a tummy tuck in the past, and then chemo, and to be a loving and devoted mom to 5 children with downsyndrome- Bless your HUGE heart). If there's anyplace in the world to come and release that built up frustration and those feelings of nerves and worry, THIS is certainly the place for it. 

Like Lovely Linda said, there very well could be help in your area. I would check into that asap. Make calls, ask churches, call the hospitals, allow yourself to ASK for help right now. You've been a wonderful and loving mom to your beautiful children, devoted all your time to them, and now in order to get your own health back, it's YOUR turn to receive care and attention for your aftercare. With all you're going through, there HAS to be someone to help.......I would let your story come out (quickly) as hard as it is to ask for help and allow our own strong wills to let down a bit, and tell people your story, let them know what you've gone through, all you've done for your amazing kids, and now with your journey to heal.......let people help, I'm positive that your story will touch people and they WILL help.....it's SO hard to ask for help, and allow ourselves to let people in, but if you go to a church, tell them your story which is SO touching and beautiful, (it certainly has touched my own heart!), I know someone will come help you through this. I will be praying for you. You're one strong woman. There has to be help out there for you.....afterall, you've been such a guiding light in your childrens' lives.

Love, Marie

what n where is the PINK bus?!! I love it

Sending up prayers and well wishes for Mischief46, Lovemysons, BettyC and Gamma1959 as they get ready for their surgery!  

Love,

Linda

On the bus for Mischief46, Lovemysons, BettyC and Gamma1959 - wishing you a speedy and non-eventful surgeries and quick recoveries.  I have brought my Ipod and am playing "We are Family"  cause whats a party with out a theme song!  

That bus should have Love Shack playing. Praying for you ladies today. See you on the other side!

thinking about you Mischief, lovemysons and BettyC!    Hope your surgeries went well and wishing you speedy recovery!

Hi ladies!! I am home and thinking about a nap.  The exchange was quick and so far painless, the nurse gave me a peek and all looked fine to me.  The PS actually went a little bigger than we had discussed but they don't look big at all, so I am happy...I am praying Bettyc and Lovemysons are doing well as well.  Thank you so much for all of the prayers and thoughts!!  I will check in later to see if we have heard from any of the others.

Ilovecoasters,  it IS scary but you will be fine.  I know I was a nervous wreck leading up to the surgery, I had never had a surgery before and the fact that it was for cancer was hard to wrap my mind around.  But surgery day goes by fast and if you can take pain meds they will keep you comfortable.  Just remember all of the women who went before and are now living on the other side of this.  That will be you one day.  We will all be there with you and praying for you..you got this.  I always tell others to breathe because I forgot sometimes... 

Hi everyone. Just a quick note to thank you for all the prayers and positive thought. My surgery went well, so they must have worked. Pain management was tricky, especially with various groups of people coming in every 10 minutes to look at my incisions and flat chest. I wish they would give me the pain meds before I have to do all this moving around and also combine groups so I don't have to do it every 5 - 10 minutes.

Overall it went well. Lying still in a reclined position helps; moving around and sitting up hurts. The good news is I get to go home today.

If any of you have no reaction to the typical pain meds like I do, ask about the nerve block and a pill called Dilantin. That worked much better for me than Percocet and the other drug where you press a button to release it(can't recall the name). 

It's only been two days and I'm already mastering the tushy shimmy to get in and out of bed without using my arms much. And I'm pleasantly surprised at my range of motion, not that I'll be doing any heavy arm movements soon, but I can at least raise my arms to adjust my pillow and put on a baggy shirt.

More later when I'm back home and can type on an actual keyboard as opposed to my iPad. Good luck to the next round of September surgery sisters!