July 2014 Surgery Sisters

congrats straitlover!  Must feel great to be done with them! 

So happy for you Straitlover! That's a looooong time with drains!

Hey July Surgery Sisters!

I'm just checking in with you. What are you all up to?

For me, I've landed in chemo land. I'm not happy to be there, but I have to do whatever it takes to kick the cancer out. The swelling in my surgically rebuilt breasts is finally almost gone. When the PS said to allow 6 months for the swelling to go down, he was right!

Hugs to you all! 

Oh, PoppyK, so sorry to hear about the chemo. Just picture little cancer-killing ninjas pouring in at each treatment.

Feels weird not having a dr appt this week. I think this is the first week I have had to myself in a long time! I go back next wed and I think I will be getting my first fill - finally! Well, he did put some in when the TEs were inserted, so I guess technically it's not the first, LOL. I have 550 cc TEs. He's hoping to get away w/ just two 100 cc fills. 

Right now, right side is the size of a softball; left side is a little bigger than baseball size. Don't know why he filled the right more during surgery as my left side was my bigger natural breast. Maybe so the skin would go ahead and start stretching right away on the right?? I know it is definitley tighter in there than the left.

Anyone near exchange time yet???

hi Ladies, it is good to hear updates As for me, I am doing fine, having no reconstruction speeds healing I guess, I decided not to take Tamoxifen as per my physician and surgeon advice, my MO was also fine with it. As Mel I am trying to eat more veggies and  fruits but it is not easy as my boys and hubby are meatlovers, means separate meals for me and it is not always easy to do.

Exercises are on my list to do still, bought stationary bike but maybe seat on it twice   I do feel more tired then before this all BC story started and I wonder why, it has been 3.5 months after surgery so I think that should have been enough to get back my strenght.

All the best to you 

Poppy take care, I am sorry to hear you started chemo journey but from other side if you've  already started it will be over soon

Hi..  I am also on the chemo journey.  Just finished AC and stating taxol today, I think.  I've had some elevate liver tests so doctor will be evaluating my labs today to see eat the next step is.  I'm on my way to the hospital now.  Surgery healing is slow but going well.  Chemo is hard and I landed in the ER last Friday with pneumonia.   Fun times, I'm hoping that's my one and only trip to the ER while this is going on.   

Hope everyone is doing well!

Poppy-  taxol was a go today. My liver tests were almost normal.  My MO had adjusted my AC dose early on because of the liver tests.  I got dose dense taxol so it was a VERY long day hit means only 4 treatments, one every two weeks instead of 12 weekly so here's hoping my liver holds up and I can be done just after thanksgiving! 12:30-7:30 between blood draws and doctor visits and premeds an a 3 hour infusion.  Oh my!  But it went well.  

That's good you had time to heal in between.  I had about a month, it might have been nice to have a little more.  It was all so fast and overwhelming.  I think since the doctors visits are slowing down and I have time to myself, it's hitting me thank have cancer and that's rough.  

thanks kimag! I will look into that and talk to my MO.  My little one turned 2 last Sunday!  He's getting quite the little personality on him. He here is with his birthday cake!

Kellog - great picture! and happy birthday to your little one, mine is over 15 months now and he also shows more and more of the little personality he has.... I have noticed that many MO do not support other ways of treatment/support then regular drugs... so sometimes one have to ask if they have anything against not if they recommend. WIth my lymphoma in the past I was told to not take Vit B12 but all other were fine however my MO at that time was not very happy that I seek how else I can strenghten myself in that battle. Hope you will find some good balance and support for your immune system I do believe stronger we are in general better we go through treatments and etc.

Poppy - how old your boys are? I have 3 boys as well I can not even think how difficult it must be for you, I do not have chemo now but somehow after surgery I am not back to my old power... I drive 2 older boys to school, prepare their lunches, laundry , grocery try to entertain and care for youngest and I am sooo tired, I just cannot believe... I would sometimes nap  when youngest naps..but I do wonder why on earth I am still tired, all tests were fine

3 boys!  You gals are my heros.  I would love another but thanks to this situation it doesn't look like that's in the cards for me. We planned on starting to try around now instead I am going to chemo appointments.  Who would have thought. Sucks and makes me so sad when I think about it,  I don't know how to get my head around it and get past it.  But I know it's the best decision for my family and I am so happy to have one great little boy already! 

Kimag I hope you start to feel less tired.  I am tired too and naps are pretty much a daily occurnace around here. 

I also have three sons, but they are 24, 21, and 16. The older two live at home and work FT, and the youngest is a junior in high school. I must say that they really stepped up to help when I had my surgeries and during my recovery. They shopped, cleaned, took care of our cats, did laundry, ran errands, and never complained one bit. Our summer was pretty much consumed with my surgeries and treatments. My husband was awesome, but he has a demanding job, and with the older boys working, most of the work fell to the youngest. I never minced words or hid anything from them. They are very responsible to start with, but they really came through and I am so thankful for them.

I saw my oncologist on Friday and he recommends removal of my ovaries. Yay more surgery!

Kimag, One way to help grow a relationship with older boys is to have something that just the two of you do together. For example, my oldest boy loves to read. So I read some of the same books he does so we can discuss the books (issues brought up in the books, how situations might of been handled differently, and so on). Another son plays soccer, so we work on goal keeping, throw ins, and so on. It could even be something completely different, such as playing racquetball together.... even when they consistently win.

A great way to help them grow into men and learn "manly" skills is through an organization like Boy Scouts. They will learn survival skills such as first aid, how to build a fire, how to cook, build shelters and so on. They will learn leadership skills, planning skills, citizenship and do community service. And women can be leaders in Boy Scouts. So you can spend time with them while they learn from others, both other boys and other adults.

The hardest part is watching them make bad decisions and letting them suffer the consequences. But it is better they learn some of these lessons while they are growing up. Try not to rescue them every time. My sons know that I love them no matter what!

I hope this helps you!

Poppy

Poppy, Solacetea thanks a lot, I am trying not to rescue them each time but it is difficult for me sometimes My eldest is already a great helper and would volunteer to watch his little brother,  the boys have a great pattern to follow - their dad, my hubby but I just wondered what is the role of mom later when they do not need cuddling so much and would we be able to still feel close without making them hm... missing word like too mommy sons, spoiled for future girls I guess I have never lived before in the house full of males and worry to much 

Solacetea - can I ask why your MO wants you to switch to AI as soon as possible? I heard that Tamo suppose to work better even though have more side effects - is that why? I am pre meno, being 37 , my BC was grade 2 so a little more agrgessive then yours yet my MO said Tamo is just an option as the benefits are not greater then risks... I am higher estrogen positive not sure values maybe 80% progesteron not so much but still positive, I know with younger patients docs tend to be more aggressive with the treatment yet still mine did not push for Tamo... or even not suggested removing ovaries.. so I just wonder.. am I undertreated or as  MO said considering pros and cons that is the best course of action...

Checking in. Had what should be my last fill yesterday. Only had two fills not counting the initial during the BMX, and the second was just the left side. My exchange surgery will be some time in December (hopefully around 12/17-19). Want to get it in before the end of the year for insurance purposes. Anyone else got surgeries coming up?

How is everyone doing? I'm OK, except my mother passed away a week ago today. She fought multiple myeloma (and myelodysplastic syndrome there near the end) for almost 4 years. We knew she was nearing the end, but it kind of snuck up on us. I was making plans to move her to a nursing home because she couldn't be alone when the infection hit her hard. Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 PM the onc wanted her to go to the hospital but she wouldn't go. Wed evening 5 PM she fell, sis called the ambulance (her temp was 103.2). Thurs AM around 8:15 AM they decided to move her to the hospice house, and 15-20 minutes later she was gone. I'm so glad there was no lingering, but I'm sad I didn't make it down there in time. So now it's just me and my sis left in the immediate family. I hope she hangs around for awhile. She had BC last year (had lump and radiation and is on tamox). Hope it doesn't come back! My other sis had inflammatory BC and passed in 2007. My brother died in a car accident back in 1981.

Straitlover - I'm so sorry to hear of your mom's passing. Sending you hugs!! Congrats on the last fill and wishing you a successful exchange surgery in December with a speedy recovery! No upcoming surgery for me (at least not that I know of...lol). But, I am finally going to get some breast prosthetics on Saturday! It seems like life has been a whirlwind and I just never have gotten to set an appointment and go get them, so I finally called today and they can see me on Saturday. I've been fine with my foam ones, but it will be nice to get the "real" fake ones.

Msqueen - Sorry to hear you are having lots of SE's on Arimidex. I hope they subside for you soon. Luckily, I haven't had anyone approach me with the "it's not like you have cancer anymore" comment, but I did have someone say that about a friend of hers who had cancer and had her surgery a few weeks before me. It was rather weird to hear her saying that since she said it back in the end of Aug or early Sept and the woman had only had her surgery in June!! Sometimes I feel like I get all caught up with work and normal routines and I forget about it for a little while but then I realize I'm not taking time to do things I should, like exercise, and I try to remind myself that what is important is taking care of ME. I only started exercising a few weeks ago, but have been very sporadic about it. My goal is to start TOMORROW and keep up with it.