October 2014 Surgery Sisters

LauraW68,

The preop soaps will pull out all the oils from your skin, so that is why you feel like a lizard. As for the nausea, some people can't tolerate the narcotic effect on the stomach, but many people can find relief by eating dry crackers with the pill. If you ever had morning sickness, I suggest you use whatever helped you then.

coconut oil is amazing on dry skin and eczema and I also use it on my scar (once it was closed)

Ooohh! I use pure coconut oil on my whole chest - scars, and nipple/areola area - LOVE IT!! My husband says I smell like I have been at the beach...but that's the least of my worries. ;-)

When I did RT in 2008 I used a product called "My Girl's Cream" which was made with calendula, avocado, olive oil, and I healed so well that several therapists and my RO remarked on how great my skin held up. I also used calendula creams from Weleda and California Baby. Basically I got pink at worst and when it was all over the color went from non sun exposed pale white to the color of sun exposed skin in the middle of winter--basically i lost the white triange, other than that I was even with the rest of me.

However, when at first i told her that I would not use what they gave me because it had parabens in it, they looked at me like I was a kook. RO specifically forbade me to use anything with olive oil in it as she thought it would amplify the radiation and cause me to burn. Well I never put it in in the morning before a treatment and would apply the lightest (I think it was the california baby) right after treatment, and the heavier in the evening.

I finally realized the only way for me to respond to multiple posts (because I disappear for days at a time) is to type it all up in a Word doc as I read through the pages of posts

Akitagirl—if you are covered by short-term disability and don't absolutely need to get back to work, I say take the time. Mental readiness is just as important as physical. I could have gone back a few days earlier, but I already had the time requested by my BS, and approved, and healing is hard work! And when you do go back, you aren't to feel guilty about taking more time for appointments. I think your employees will understand—you do have cancer, after all. Even things like broken limbs require follow-up care after returning to work! Enjoy your new station wagon! I can imagine the seeming oddity of your husband getting himself a new toy during your difficult time, but maybe that's his way of dealing with it.

TJG2—you do not need to be flexible to start yoga. Absolute truth. I am one of the most inflexible people on the planet. Even as a child, when I should have been reasonably flexible, I couldn't come even close to touching my toes. It's been a long time since I did any yoga at all, and several years since the time that I used to go to classes regularly, but I absolutely love it. In fact, I'm going to go to a class tomorrow evening and will try to keep up at least a weekly practice. I'd recommend looking for a class that's described as gentle, for stress relief, or something similar. I've found a place that has Yin yoga, which is very slow and passive, but gives an incredible, deep stretch. Other than that, Hatha is generally the most palatable form for beginners. Unless you're already into more extreme forms of exercise, stay away from the more physically taxing forms. For anyone trying yoga, it's very important to remember that you should only do what feels comfortable. Any yoga instructor should already be telling you the same, but I'll say it just in case: it's not a competition, so don't compare yourself to others in the room; it's OK to be a "C" student; and your goal is not to feel pain. Perhaps the best thing I've learned from my sporadic encounters with yoga is how to breathe. I swear, I had no idea how poorly I was breathing before I started yoga! And those deep, slow breaths will go a long way to helping you through stressful situations—like this whole surgery/cancer situation. The first several times I had MRIs, for instance, it was breathing that got me through. And the meditative state of mind, too.

Ridley—I know several people who've done the Deepak/Oprah meditation thing and loved it. I believe it's a pretty regular offering. I also think that if people are worried about it straying too far from their established religious practices, the way I look at it is that when you're asked to repeat a mantra, or a phrase that you focus on while meditating, that mantra can be something you pull from your own religious tradition. Prayer in any religion is a form of meditation, so just choose something that works for you.

Trails—happy birthday to you! I wish you all that your heart desires, too, plus improved health to top it off.

SCMom—cold down the chest when you drink! YES! It's really weird, and I only took note of it this past week or so. Maybe because the weather has turned a little colder.

Horsemom—it's interesting about the normal 8-hour sleep. I think it's been mentioned in this discussion a few times, and I've seen it elsewhere, that it takes one week to recover from each hour of anesthesia. My surgery was to be about 2-2.5 hours--much shorter than most, as I didn't have reconstruction. Sure enough, those first two weeks I could not get enough sleep. Easily slept 12 hours a night, plus 2-3 hour naps in the day, at least. Then, almost suddenly, the third week I didn't really need the afternoon naps anymore. I can still sleep 12-hour nights, but that's just always been the case Has it been noticeable to others, too, a drop-off in sleep requirements related to length of recovery from anesthesia?

LeeLee52—I'm sorry about the complications and having to postpone (and change) your reconstruction plans. I'm not planning reconstruction, so I have the flat chest—except that it isn't actually flat, is it?! My BS said I need to give it about 4-6 months for the whole area to "loosen up" before I know what I'll really look like. It's already getting a little better, but really it's like the skin is glued to the muscle, and where my breasts used to be is actually a little concave (dipping down from the surrounding fatty areas). Makes me curious about fat grafting, actually, so I'm glad you brought up the topic. I'd also add that perhaps you could have another appointment with your PS before January, if you come up with enough questions and have any serious concerns that you need addressed. Two months is a long time to hold onto all the questions you didn't know you had!

Thanks to everyone here for always showing up with whatever you're holding onto and honestly sharing your joys and pains. Be gentle with your bodies and souls.

Do any of you read the thread here called Breaking Research News from BreastCancer.Org? It's really worth marking it as a favorite. I was stunned by the latest post that says 25% of women who choose lumpectomy will have to have additional surgery.https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/73/topic/785923?page=13#idx_384

Re: lizard skin  Well this weather certainly isn't helping us, is it? I read a number of recommendations from other people on other BC.org threads about Bio Oil. It's available at Target and Walmart or, of course, Amazon. A little goes a long way and it smells yummy. When I was going to physical therapy last year, the massage therapist raved about it too.

Slavrich, the only problem is that your breasts will never look the same so having surgery on the other side is a "slippery slope." Your implant side will look the same forever. Your native side is going to succumb to gravity plus it will get bigger/smaller as you gain/lose weight. The implant won't. So trying to make them match is not easy. I've also read that women have a difficult time making the nipples look the same and pointing in the same direction. I have no personal experience so it's best to go to some of the threads here that deal with Uni reconstruction. That's where the experts are.

Laura, itching is NOT good. Does your doctor know? That's a sign of allergy and can get worse if you take more. There are other pain relievers that won't leave you with that and the nausea.

Hummingbird - got good news yesterday NO CHEMO. Score was 20. I will know more on Monday what I will have to take but I am so blessed and so relieved! I hope your ribs are feeling better. I've been reading about my spot on pain on here and it sounds like I am not alone, sounds common. Must be how they move us during surgery or how we are cut.

I'll have to try the BIO OIL, it came in a BFFL.co breast duffle bag. My BS gave me a coupon for a free bag with lots of goodies to use at the hospital and home. They are expensive online, but there is a grant that offered them to patients.

http://bfflco.com/product/breast-bfflbag/

Thanks Sandra and Fourminor- I think I'll avoid any non required surgery for now. I have 20+scars, mostly on my trunk, that look like I've been burned by a cigarette from an allergic reaction to Neulasta that the PS also said they could take care of-No Thank You... I'm 55, and never going to wear a 2 piece bathing suit, etc.

Lilith-Thanks for the yoga advice, I love yoga and haven't done it for about a year. I agree-you do not need to be flexible-I was more flexible at 50 than 20. It's time I return to it, just haven't found a place (instructor/yoga type) since we moved. I bought a recording from my previous instructor-and it might be good to start with my known routine.

My DH shared this TED Talks with me today- I'm not sure what the message really was saying- at least it brought about discussion about not letting some things define your life. Not sure what he was trying to imply, I should not acknowledge what I'm going through? I absolutely have kept going and worked through all of this. Here's the link if your interested.

http://www.ted.com/talks/debra_jarvis_yes_i_survived_cancer_but_that_doesn_t_define_me#

Sandra-How are you doing? Feeling any better?

Ok need input. Everyone has been telling me to change diet habits. Has anyone since surgery started to change diet. I've read sugar makes cancer grown and its better if we eat less carbs etc...no sugars, more veggies, fruits, lean protein and to stay away from milk etc.... can anyone help me as far as what to do. I've been reading online about Paleo diet and macrobiotic diets. I don't want this cancer stuff to get worse, I just need any advise on what you all are doing? I am 4 wks post op and need some help deciding on how to change my eating habits. Is anyone taking suppliments, probiotics, etc?

Fun, eating better is always good for us so it's always a good choice. But if eliminating certain foods and eating others helped one way or the other to discourage cancer from growing, it would be all over the news, not to mention this website. A year ago the word was no soy products because it affected estrogen production and could interfere with estrogen reducing drug therapy. Now that theory is out the window. There is no magic bullet or combo of foods to fight this demon, but making sure our bodies are in the best possible shape helps us in the battle.

Slavich, those bags are great - especially the little pillow for the axillary. Wish they weren't so expensive. $100 is too much for me since I can't work anymore. You were lucky to have a sponsor for yours.

Thanks for asking - I'm doing better, mainly because my husband is having a bad spell and both of us aren't allowed to be down at the same time. It's a rule in our house that he doesn't know about but I've dealt with for the 45 years I've lived with him. If he starts having his own pity party, I have to immediately abandon any sad feelings I might have. Otherwise, his gets worse. He's a wonderful guy but tends towards depressions that can last weeks if too many things in his world are going wrong. Something that would merely be a temporary aggravation to me is something he has a hard time dealing with. If more than one 'bad" thing happens, he starts going downhill fast. Fortunately it only happens three or four times a year now. His mother was the same way. Our adult children inherited his tendency to depression and all three have been diagnosed and treated for clinical depression. My son is bi-polar with very little of the manic side but lots of the depressive side. My oldest daughter has been hospitalized several times but does fine with mood stabilizers. My youngest daughter is getting some professional help with anxiety issues but like my son, refuses medication. My husband has been able to function normally and has never had a diagnosis or treatment but it's plain to me that he has bouts of clinical depression three or four times a year. I've always felt I had to be the one to put my feelings aside 'cause I was the only one capable of doing it. The others couldn't put on a happy face no matter the consequences. If they are depressed, a black cloud forms and sucks the joy out of everyone and everything around them. I don't let that happen to me too. Somebody has to keep their head above water. When Mike is feeling better, I'll deal with my little issues.  

Well I have an oncotype score of 20 and my MO is steering me towards CMF chemo. Her argument is that I am young, and this is my second cancer. I really am afraid of over treatment; she admits she has seen recurrences and is afraid of under treatment. If only there were a way to know what exactly is the right treatment.

I am also upset that I will have to wait 8 months for exchange, instead of 2.

Everyone should be eating less sugar, whether or not they have cancer. Sugar is a toxin to our bodies, our cells evolved to run on glucose, not sucrose. Its behind the entire obesity epidemic. Google "Sugar, the bitter truth," and watch youtube presentation of a pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig.

Hopeful--that's the thing with cancer. There is not much clarity. I looked at the oncotype score of 20 print out and said if 100 women with a score of 20 (who all take Tamoxifenf or 5 years) are in a room, statistically 13 will have a recurrence. If 100 women with a score of 20 are in a room who all take Tamoxifen and do chemo, 9 will have a recurrence. So if 100 women with a score of 20 take chemo and tamoxifen, statistically it will prevent 3 or 4 of them from a recurrence. For the other 96 it didn't matter.

From my MO's chair, she's thinking about those three or four women.

Now, many people say that they do the chemo because they feel at least if something happens, in 10 years, they won't beat themselves up for not doing the chemo. My husband says, you could also look at it that if you get a recurrence anyway, then you did chemo for nothing.

You will never know anything, no matter what happens. You could do nothing and it could never come back, you could do everything and it will come back. Its a crapshoot.

I guess for me it came down to this question:

Do I want to go into the room where 13 women get a recurrence, or the room where 9 women get a recurrence?

Lilith08 - thank you! Maybe if I learn relaxing breathing I can get through blood tests, scans, and port access for treatment better!

mefromcc--I'm glad my words helped! (I felt like I was beginning to ramble, so it's nice to know I managed to make some sense!) Maybe just keep a Word document and copy and paste passages into it? You could even note what discussion it came from, the page (down at the bottom of any discussion), and date.

TJG2--give it a shot! If you can't find a suitable yoga class nearby, perhaps there are videos online that can lead you through learning to breathe. It would be better than nothing. But of course I do wish that everyone could experience a good yoga class

Funthesun; awesome news for you on the no to chemo! So happy for you! As for your supplement question, my MO put me on tamoxifen and a baby aspirin a day. I also take a multivitamin and 1000 mg vitamin D a day. I plan to exercise more and try to eat better which for me means smaller portions. He also told me a SE of the tamoxifen is weight gain...ugh!! Enjoy your good news!