April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters

Downdog, Wow! Thank you so much for the information. I think I will try the Mederma PM or the vitamin E oil

I just went to my post-op appt. and got my path report... still looking through it and understanding very little! But my BS was happy that my incisions are healing well-- no bleeding or discharge. I don't even see any bruising or swelling.

He said margins were clear and SNB took two nodes, both clear. Whew!

And I'm set up to see a Radiologist tomorrow. Glad to get on to the next step!

PMR53 -- Thanks for the prayers! They worked!

I was lucky and had very little pain... I only felt like I'd been kicked in the breast when I woke up from surgery--and they gave me painkillers and I felt fine. I took a single Hydrocodone 3x a day--morning, mid-day and before sleeping because I felt a bit achy... but it really was bearable--I just had the pills and thought I might as well indulge for the 3 days after surgery. Mobility--I could walk just fine right away. I didn't really want to move my arm around much, but not really because it hurt. I could feel a bit of an ache under my arm the first day after, but it went away.

Today was 5th day after. I took off surgical bra (some info said to take it off after 2 days... but they told me it was fine to wear it for longer if I wanted to, and felt I needed the extra support). I hadn't touched anything, so I still had thick pads of gauze over the surgical tape over the incisions. There was only a bit of dried blood--no signs of bleeding or discharge. Incision by my arm wasn't quite in my under-arm as I thought, but next to it, nearer the breast... only an inch long. Incision near the top of my nipple was only around 2".My breast looked very slightly deflated. Might show a divot if any swelling goes down, but really, I'm just relieved I won't need more surgery at this time!

I might put my surgical bra back on because me regular bra doesn't feel like there's enough support... there's no pain, but a few little twinges now and then. And wearing the passenger-side seat-belt sort of hit the area... but wasn't awful or anything.

Now that I know what's under the bandages, and that it looks OK, I feel a LOT better!!! I feel like I can drive and walk around and feel almost normal. Yay!

Addie - Love that! Best of luck with chemo......see you on May chemo page. I start CT tomorrow!

threecharacter, I also have Lx tomorrow 5/15. I hope you feel better so you can get your surgery done.

pat

Sending Best Wishes for patrn10, jsg43, and threecharacter tomorrow

Crash and burn. I'm a crying mess today. I woke up too early and couldn't go back to sleep. My chest is so sore today. Very heavy weighted throbbing feeling. Right underarm (snb) feels like a golf ball is under it. I just took a tamadrol. Have only been taking Tylenol but I guess it's not enough. I look like a mess, I can't do my hair. My back is sore from the recliner. I guess I'm having a pity part

Best wishes for those going into surgery soon (or hoping to go!).

PMR53 -- Hope you have a good, easy surgery and results! I've got dissolvable stitches. I can wear the surgical tape over them until they fall off (or peel it off after a few days), and that's what I'll probably do--leave it on, since I always worry about messing with things before they are healed enough! (I had surgical glue in my port incision for ages, because it started bleeding in recovery and the surgeon just gobbed a lot on... it was driving the infusion nurses a bit nuts--they were always getting out the gauze and alcohol and rubbing at it--but it finally came off on its own and I was fine with that!)

My incisions seem pretty small-- only an inch for the SNB and maybe 2 inches for the LX... It's very reassuring just seeing a couple of pieces of tape over them-- and everything else looking pretty darn normal! Normal is such a nice thing, with all the stuff that goes on with us all! I'm grateful for it--for feeling half-way normal (even while being hairless and wearing a wig! and still having my GI tract acting up a bit... and muscle weakness from neuropathy *sigh* ).

Oh Audrey, I'm a strong believer in pity parties and just having a big old good cry! I was told by everyone to take my pain meds that were prescribed even if I felt like I didn't need them and that's what I did. I think that's what helped me.

My surgery (of course it was not the same as yours) was on May 4th and I feel like in the last 24 hrs I've had some sort of cross over into the gateway of feeling normal again. Hope the same comes to you soon.

Jackbirdie, sorry you're having to deal with so much crap. Hope you get over the bronchitis soon.

Best wishes to PatRN10, jsg43 and three character for tomorrow. That will be two weeks for me, feeling pretty good, though just weaning myself off painkillers now. I'm finding AlevesPM are helping at night.

Still waiting for pathology report, apparently the lab is backed up.

AudreyB, thank you for your honesty about the ups and downs.  I have had a day or two where you wake up in pain, physical and then emotional.  I had this crazy idea that once I had a good day, that meant I was on the road to healing and all days would be progressively better.  Not so.  Most days have been progressively better and a couple feel like a stall or step back.  Hope your pain diminishes, your golf ball size problem goes away, and tomorrow you wake up feeling stronger.  Did you say you called the doctor about the golf ball size lump?

I have a lot of catching up on the boards to do as I have been sleeping a lot lately (healing and feeling stronger).   I appreciate the support and hope to do the same soon.

Prayers to those having surgery tomorrow. 

had my chemo bloodwork and they had me spit breathe and X-ray. Things not so good. Bronchitis, infiltration, blah blah.

Home now with beloved Jack, waiting over an hour for them to drop pre-packaged (zpac) in a bag....grrrr..I couldn't have made it sitting in their waiting room.

I'll go back a little later as I must start antibiotics post haste! They tried to give me Levaquin. I refused

Audrey - It will get better!! Hang in there! Sending good vibes your way!

Lynn

While my surgery has been scheduled for awhile, I've been putting off joining your group because I'm trying not to think about it.  In the past year I've had lx, chemo, and bmx with diep recon. May 27th will be stage 2 of the recon and port removal (yay!).

Just when it feels like you're getting back to normal, there's something else to knock you down. Part of me really wanted to skip stage 2, because its mostly cosmetic, except he's also taking my port out. I'm so happy I'll be asleep for that, cause overwise it's removed in the office.

Good luck to everyone preparing for surgery and happy healing to those who just finished.