September 2014 Surgery Sisters

Ilovecoasters, go to the ER right this minute. Don't even finish reading this message. Take it from someone who has been there, this is an emergency.

Thank you so much for the advice, ladies!  The ibuprofen has really helped the swelling and pain a lot.  I sent my doc a message and will be calling her office first thing on Monday.

ilovecoaster, I agree with the ladies go to the er now!

Welcome, Pam, Smitty, and elnm.
Birdgirl and ilovecoasters, please be proactive--get yourselves checked out, and then keep us posted.

I met with my BS yesterday, and as I suspected I won't make it into the September group after all. I was really hoping for Sept. 30, but she put me down for October 14. It feels like such a long way to go for something that should have been quite simple. There's also a wrinkle...doc is not at all on board with my firm decision to forgo reconstruction. This is the second time we've discussed it and I even went for a PS consult so that I'd have all the info. Now I'm afraid that the procedure she described will not give me the smooth, flat results I'm looking for. I immediately made an appointment to see another surgeon, hoping for more support. That'll be Oct. 1. Please keep me in your prayers.

ilovecoasters, thanks for the update! I sure hope the changes will have you feeling better very soon.

Really glad you're feeling better Ilovecoasters!    I'm sure it's also reassuring to talk to your surgeon and also to know nurse will be coming tomorrow.   Hoping you have a restful night!   You deserve it!

I know what it's like to feel like you are in hell.

Praying that someone will show up or give you a call soon.  Also, that your pain will get under control.

Hi to all the lovely September Surgery Sisters, 

It's been awhile since I've last been online to write and catch up with everyone. I just read how everyone is doing after all of the surgeries and pleased to hear how many are doing so well!  I hope the handful of you that are feeling discomfort, pain, and not well, are able to get better really soon!! My prayers are with you all as you recover.  ((((((HUGS))))))

Pam, I wish you the very best tomorrow with your surgery!! I'm going to be praying for you tonight! I hope all goes well and you recover very quickly.  *~*~SPEEDY RECOVERY DUST~*~*

A little update on why I've been "gone" for a little bit......I have systemic lupus and also herniated discs and syringomelia in my thoracic spine which causes me pain, so I'm under pain management, and I'm on a pain patch through my pain dr called "Butrans"....well, this patch blocks out ALL opiates, narcotics, etc, so I had to get OFF of it......and had to do it the hard way- by withdrawing......it sent my entire body into a lupus flare and I was sick vomiting and with the shakes, etc. I felt like Hell.....yuck! I finally was so sick I placed a small piece of the pain patch back onto my upper arm because I couldn't endure the suffering anymore! I was so weak that I could hardly lift my own coffee cup, and my lab levels were all over the place, so there's no way they were going to place me through for the mastectomy with my labs being off like that! So I chose to go BACK onto the patch at a lower level so that I can get  "some" pain relief and not feel so dizzy, weak, in pain, and suffering with a lupus flare attacking my kidneys and spine......I will take the patch off tomorrow and have surgery Tuesday morning.....I know the pain meds won't work, so I may have to spend one more night in the hospital if they can't figure out the dosages of my medications since the pain patch is going to  block the pain meds out completely and I will be feeling every bit of pain from the double mastectomy, but to NOT feel like a suffering mess, the way I was, I was willing to take that chance!  

I felt terrible, because I am always on here being SO supportive and I could only log on once a week very quickly JUST to update the header for our surgery sisters' dates. I made sure to pray for each and every one of you and when I saw a new comer, I tried my very best to add her to our list. I hope I finally got the list right? Please let me know if any corrections need to be made. I went through all of the pages and saw who had what and who is new, etc. WELCOME NEWCOMERS!! It's great to meet the new ones and I welcome you all with open arms. 

We have surgeries this week!!!!! UGH!!!!!!! My own is Tuesday! I can't say I'm "ready" because I really want to back out of all this. I am SO DARN SCARED.......I am putting my faith in God and hoping for the best. I pray all of our surgeries go well this week!! God Bless each and every one of you. You're all in my thoughts and prayers each and every night. (((((((((HUGE HUGS))))))))

~Marie J Mello~

So sorry to hear of all the pain you have to endure to have your BMX.  I will keep you in my prayers.

On the pink bus with you tomorrow Pam!   Wishing you successful surgery and speedy recovery!  

So sorry you've been having so many medical issues and such terrible pain MarieJune!   Big Hugs for you and hoping they can figure something out to help you with your pain management after surgery.   Will be on the pink bus with you on Tuesday!    I'm converting one of the rows of bus seats to a reclining waterbed for you!  

On the bus for Pam this morning - have a quick and easy surgery and a fast recovery.

Mariejune - so sorry for what you have been going through. I hope that things for well for you for your surgery on Tuesday.  Just to give you a little comfort I had very little pain the days after my BMX and really only took pain meds for one day.  I hope that you have little pain also. 

Mulligan good luck with the results on the test.

I am feeling pretty good  -  haven't had any pain meds since the first night after surgery except one tylenol.  Things look pretty good and see my PS tomorrow for the post op visit.  The hard part is not doing much and resting as I feel really good but know that I have to take it easy.  

Mulligan, thank you so much for the positive thoughts.  Tomorrow is the big day for me.  I feel like such a baby since it's just Lx and not Mx like so many of you, but I am still nervous.  

Thank you to everyone who gave me kind words and comfort. xoxo. I love you girls! LOL @ the pink bus with the reclining seat waterbed! I will love that. Laughter HAS to be my source today, because I'm a bucket of nerves!! lol. I keep looking at my "girls" and sad knowing that this is my very last day with my little B's that I waited so patiently for until I was 18 years old!! Remember how HUGE they got when I breastfed my twins, and also remember how great they looked when I breastfed my daughter, and that's the size I want to be.....guess it's great I had those experiences to know what a full rack looks like on me, and can make a good choice based on the size I got to @ "full capacity" when firm and full of milk. LOL 

I'm glad you're feeling better iLoveCoasters!! I was reading all the threads and was so nervous that something was wrong. I am so glad you're putting out clear fluid and could almost be done with the drains. I asked my PS on the phone the other day about my post-op visit next week (I don't have a ride @ the time specified) and she said if I am putting out LESS than 30cc's, I will get my drains out, MORE than 30cc's I will cancel my appt and not even bother going in.......so I hope that helps? Now I know what to look for and hope I helped others. Not sure if every doctor works on the same method, but I'm pretty certain that most DO.

Mulligan: So glad you're getting your genetic testing results today! YAY!!! Good luck with your chemo treatment plan. I wish the very best for you. (((((HUGS))))

hi everyone! I would love to join this group! I was diagnosed in April (I was 27 at the time) did 8 rounds of chemo! And just had a Nipple sparing mastectomy with node removal last week on September 16 with tissue expanders and just got my first fill today. Sorry I joined in so late! 

ilovecoasters - the muscle relaxer was much more helpful to me as it was less pain and more tightness that I had after BMX.  On the constipation issue get some miralax to go along with the softner - that is what finally did it for me.  Glad things are improving for you.

Hi dlove and welcome  - never to late to join.  Hope your healing is going good.

I am three days out from exchange and feeling pretty good - in fact I feel too good and forget I shouldn't do some things.  Hope everyone else is doing good.