March 2015 Surgery Sisters

Hello ladies. I am meeting with my surgeon on the 5th and will hopefully have surgery in mid March. I will be having BMX. I have multi-focal tumors on the left side and one lymph node involved, and there as a spot that showed up in the MRI on the right side but they couldn't find it to biopsy. But since it showed itself I don't want to risk it and am going for both. I have so many things running through my mind about surgery and afterward it's starting to be a problem. I can't help wondering how surgery/recovery will be, trying to get someone to be with me the first week I am home while my husband works, and worrying about the cancer coming back. I did find a great a great board on here with suggestions of things to take to the hospital, things to do to prepare for afterward and things to have to make after surgery easier.

I hope everyone's surgery and recovery are easy, and we can get on with our lives!

Good luck to you Deb!  I hope and pray everything works out better than you think it is going to.  Hang in there and keep us posted.

Jacquie

The waiting is really hard. My very supportive husband is drafting a schedule for family to come visit and help after surgery (I have 3 kids, youngest is 3) which is very comforting, but I just don't know what I will need and when. That makes me the most anxious, I'm not used to having others help me. I'm used to hearing mom, mom, mom all day.

Two more weeks until the surgery and starting to feel more prepared for it, but not for the emotional aspect of it. Just starting to think about that now....how will I feel afterwards trying to snuggle my youngest and seeing the worry in my kids faces? Ugh I need to be strong, and I will be....it's just the unknown that is terrifying. How is everyone else feeling?

Hi all,

I've mainly been participating in the February boards, my surgery was 2/6. I want to share some advice with you as you prepare...

- little ones: I have a 10 and 7 year old and I had help from family and friends getting their lunches prepped, brought to the bus stop, help with homework, and driving them to activities for 2 straight weeks. Toward the end, I was managing ok by myself. But if you have the opportunity, let someone help with this.

- meals: a neighbor set up a page for me on meal train.com for people to sign up to bring a meal 4x per week for 4 weeks. Many people will ask you how they can help. Let someone do this for you. Meals provided means fewer dishes, few grocery store runs, less expense during your time of healing.

- candy: bring it for your nurses and medical staff while you are at the hospital and offer it to everyone. It makes you a person instead of a patient and brings a smile to the faces of those caring for us.

Be brave, fellow warriors!

I see the surgeon today and oncologist next Wed. I assume I will have surgery in March, in 2-3 weeks, and hope so. Three biopsies showed invasive ductal carcinoma, approx. 1cm, grade 3, estrogen and progesterone positive and HER2 positive. Radiologist said lymph nodes looked okay on ultrasound. I hope testing shows they are.

I know I want a mastectomy. My breasts are dense (even though I am 63) and I have the high grade and HER2+. I don't care about cosmetics, just want to be here as long as possible for my two daughters who have some special needs. A double mastectomy would be my preference but it may be too long and too much stress for my body; if so my insurance will cover this later. I expect the surgeon to want to do a lumpectomy and am ready to try to advocate for myself. We'll see.

Thanks for the info on MRI on the apparently healthy breast.

I am somewhat fragile and have a lot of sensitivities and reactions to meds (and foods) and require very low doses. I have neurological and spinal issues (my head cannot be bent back, the center base of my skull cannot be pressed), and a diagosis of lupus (reacted to surgical lights in the past).

Has anyone with similar issues worked successfully with an anesthesiologist to minimize anesthesia reactions, or even the amount of general?

I'm on the 10th for BMX.  Glad to get it going but yeah, nervous, too.  My process started on Jan 3 with the bad mammo.  Yes, the waiting is the worst part.  Almost the same diagnosis as you.  Let's get this going!  Onward to healing and great health!  

That's right nslosgatos, to onward healing and greath health!  Good luck to you!

Jacquie

Hi Ladies~ I would like to join your group! My exchange surgery WAS scheduled for 3/3 but my precious grandchildren came for my Valentine's Birthday and snuggles with my 3yo grandson resulted in bronchitis for me...wouldn't trade those snuggles tho So now exchange has been moved to June 2nd I am on cancellation list to be called....so I am praying!!!! In the meantime the info and support on this site is important to me with HOPES for a moved up March date!!!!!!!

Windingshores, I did have one issue that I knew about before surgery and I told everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who would listen to me about it.  I have always had a horrible reaction to pain meds.  They make me sick as a dog and I was so worried about waking up from surgery nauseous and puking and even MORE worried about taking the pain meds and being sick, once I went home.  The anesthesiologist came and talked to me before surgery and I told him all about it.  He assured me that he would pump me full of anti-nauesea meds for surgery and also wrote me a prescription for an anti-nausea med to take at home, called Zofran.  The Zofran was part of my medicine routine at home and I took it 1/2 hour before I took the Norco.  It all worked like a champ and I was never nauseous, not even once.  It was so awesome!  I would just say you are your own best advocate and be vocal.  Make sure all of your concerns are noted and known.

Thanks for the response hummingbirdlover. I had a great appointment. I had an appointment at a different cancer center last week where I did not feel listened to. But yesterday the surgeon and oncologist were very understanding and made careful note of my sensitivities, my neck problem and were respectful of my choices. I wanted a double mastectomy but due to the fragility of my immune system decided on a single one first, and then can go back (the surgeon agreed to do the other one later if I like). Part of me wants to call back and say, if I am doing well in the surgery, maybe they could keep going! At any rate, after being belittled last week for wanting a mastectomy, yesterday's appointment was a breeze: in fact, due to the effects of radiation on a person with autoimmune problems, they were relieved that I wanted a mastectomy versus lumpectomy. For anesthesia, there are some alternative ways to go including the paravertebral block so I will talk to the anesthesiologist in a consult.

So did anyone do a single then go back for a prophylactic mastectomy on the other breast? Do you think the stress of having them both done at once would be greater or less than doing a single, twice, for a person with some of my issues? Thanks!

jenga, I don't know what your diagnosis is(type of cancer) but I would go with a BMX because of size alone and you already experienced cancer elsewhere. You don't want to go through it twice down the road. Are you considering immediate reconstruction? Blessings, R

Scheduled for March 6th. Sooner than expected. Right now planning single mastectomy with agreement from surgeon I can come back for the other one. With my age and health status everyone feels one at a time is better, but I am still not sure!

Hello all!  I'm joining and also hopping over from the February 2015 Surgery page.

My SNB is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 3.  Getting nervous.  My core needle biopsies came back benign, so when I had excisional biopsy on Feb 6, I had not yet been diagnosed, so nodes were not removed.  Now I have to go through another surgery

I was originally told I would need a double mastectomy, but path came back hormone responsive, so now I am thinking about keeping the girls and doing radiation.  I am constantly second guessing myself if I am making the right decision.  At least the SNB is buying me some time to think.  It is horrible how you are poked, prodded, squeezed, operated on, given diagnosis and have to make major life changing decisions all in a few weeks time.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, stay positive ladies, as hard as it is to do.