AUGUST 2015 SURGERY SISTERS!!

Hello everyone! I think I have posted on nearly every surgery board this year with my 4 surgeries and rescheduling etc. I am getting ready for a revision on August 6. I do not feel confident in my PS at all and am about to just throw in the towel. My foobs are basically flat. They are maybe a B cup but the implants are all spread out so they do not look like it. My PS says he can only go up about a cup and that the rippling is just something I have to live with. He hasn't even suggested fat grafting or alloderm. I am kinda stuck with him though since I live in a small town and the city my surgeon is in Only has two PS groups... Only one my insurance accepts. Anyway...I'm praying for the best. I just had my 1 year anniversary of w I found out I had cancer... So much in a year...this is just another step. Welcome to everyone...can't wait to meet you all!

Hi All,

My surgery is scheduled for August - I don't have an exact date yet but probably the third week. I completed 26 weeks of chemo today. The reasoning behind having chemo first was to try and shrink my tumour as much as possible with the aim of having a lumpectomy but I found out yesterday that we are not going to be able to save my breast so a mastectomy it is.

Trying not to think about it too much as I can only see my BS when she gets back from holiday on the 5th of August. Must admit though that I am feeling very emotional and incredibly overwhelmed at the moment - this is such a huge decision!!

Look forward to participating in this thread and supporting you all on your journey.

Take care

Di x

Hi ladies,

I would love to climb on board!  I am scheduled for my exchange surgery on August 27th and I can't wait to get rid of this coconut bra!!

Happy thoughts to all of you!

lol. Now that was funny.

hi Everyone!

I would like to join this board. I was following the July board as my original date was July 1 for lumpectomy but I decided to have BMX with immediate DIEP reconstruction. My surgery date is now August 25. Had my consult with ps today and it went well. Waiting to hear if CT scan confirms that they can do this surgery. A little nervous that ps said new breasts may be smaller as I don't feel like I am that big to begin with and wanted to stay same size. I guess it is a small price to pay to get rid of cancer, right?

Hi everyone! I am having a UMX on 8/26, hopefully with stacked DIEP reconstruction. If not, I am not sure what I will do. There are still some things up in the air but I think either way the breast is coming off... I am going to miss her.

Hello sisters. Busy weekend for me. Did so much baking this weekend so I could have homemade treats for the next couple of months. Large pots of beef stew and Chicken noodle soup. For the first couple of days after surgery.

Preadmission done. Only day surgery this time. Got questions answered about pain control. Crossed fingers that it will happen.

Bought some 3x men's shirts so that underarms will not touch surgery area. That is the one thing that really bugged me. Going the bed of pillows route. No recliner in the house.

mkinoly I have worn sports bras and nothing on the other side. I also wore vests. One thing I wish I had done before the surgery was get fitted for a mastectomy bra. It was really weird to try bras on with nothing on the right side. Nothing really fit right.

Hugs all.

this list is on the before during and after surgery boards-- there is a ton of good info over there. Its long and you can pick and choose what things might work best for you.

******NOTE: MODS TOOK ORIGINAL LIST FROM Panchoandlefty AND COMBINED WITH OTHER MEMBER SUGGESTIONS UP THROUGH END OF MARCH 2015*********** We are happy to keep adding, and please let us know if we missed anything !

Combined list from what others have said in this topic !

Community member tips for Surgery

Tips for the hospital:

Hand sanitizer, antiviral Kleenex, Anti-bacterial adult wipes (in a pretty dispenser), adult "baby wipes" to give yourself sponge baths.

'skin prep wipes'. These help prep the skin for tape and other adhesives

Roll on or Spray Deodorant, NOT a solid stick.

Lozenges or hard candy of your choice.

A lip balm of choice

Face and hand moisturizer

A stool softener, dried prunes, bran cereal and "smooth move" tea, laxatives.

Clipboard, notebook and pen (for documenting when you had pain meds and drain amounts)

Zip up track suits or button up pajamas and shirts.

Slippers, cotton front snap bras

Silky bottoms/PJs to make getting in/out of bed easier

Zip up hoodies/ warm ups, soft flannel shirt is just right for after surgery.

Camisoles/tanks which can be stepped into (as opposed to pulling over-head)

Jog Bras (Natori is recommended) or whatever support is suggested by your surgeon

Pull on, easy pants or shorts, or shirt

Reading glasses

iPod, Mp3 / Music player

Cell phone/ have friends' numbers handy!

Book, magazine

Hair tie if your hair is long.

Lanyard (like for ID cards) for holding drains

Fanny pack for drains

Nurses can make a necklace from IV tubing to hold drains in shower

Luck trinkets or photos from friends and/or family.

A good eye mask and ear plugs in the hospital.

Take clothes to hospital that can be washed/sanitized at home

If you are going to sleep in bed and not a recliner at home, ask the nursing staff to show you the proper way to get in and out of bed with the least strain on your back and upper body.

If you feel you may not be up for visitors at the hospital, just let the nurses and staff know that you prefer no visitors except DH or immediate family. I knew that I was having a rough time emotionally as it was beforehand. I didn't want to put on a happy face for a friend, cousin or whomever wanted to stop by. I know the visitors mean well, but for me I just wanted peace & quiet.

Tips for the ride home:

Have a pillow and lap blanket for the car-ride home.

Fill scripts before coming home so you won't have to stop on the way

What to organize at home:

Get a manicure and pedicure before your surgery, and a hair cut.

Before surgery, practice washing your hair, with or without help, with your elbows not moved away from your chest---either over the kitchen sink, using the spray or if your doc will allow, in the shower.

Or, arrange with your hair dresser to do your hair after you get home and cannot stand it any longer -- get someone to drive you.

Move commonly used items, kitchen tools, etc to low shelves before surgery

Find NON child-proof caps for meds.

Neosporin.

Arrange all post surgery robes, pj's, button down shirts and hoodies on a rack in one easy to reach place so you can dress myself easily the first couple of weeks without rummaging through my closet.

Bendy straws

Paper cups and light weight coffee cups for at home

Extra sheets to keep in rotation

Lots of pillows or a wedge or two!

A travel neck pillow - 'C' shaped - for keeping neck from getting a crick after sleeping in a recliner.

Tiny travel buckwheat pillows, or other small pillows.

Put an egg crate mattress on top of mattress and use a long body pillow.

Medical gloves (latex free or powder free)

Small kitchen garbage bags for dressing disposals

A little plastic waste can for at home

Find NON child-proof caps for meds

Lanyard (like for ID cards) for holding drains, Fanny pack for drains, or a camisole, or nurses can make a necklace from IV tubing to hold drains in shower. An old neck tie to use as a lanyard to hang my drains on while I shower. Works like a charm

A shower chair and a hand held shower nozzle. 3M Nexcare tagaderm transparent bandage over the port where it exited my skin when I showered. Also, have a lanyard to use for your drains in the shower. I just clip the safety pins on the lanyard clip for while I shower. It seems a little heavy on my neck while I shower, but I take it off right after I shower.

Get a humidifier for home if your air is dry.

Grabbers! These are about 23 inches long, have a handle that you sqeeze, and the end clamps on stuff on the floor. GREAT for pulling up your pants when you can't bend over, or picking up stuff that you drop, (like the toilet paper, etc!) I needed two of these, as I dropped the grabber! Great for pulling the wash basket along, too!

Make sure to get safety pins, makes it easier to pin your drain tube to your pjs.

Size 1 baby diapers, sanitary napkins or nursing pads for open breast incisions.

A small step stool has been a great tool to help me get in and out of bed

Make sure there's food premade that you don't need to fuss with (sandwiches/salads in individual servings), and also keep those drinks handy.

Cook some of my favorite foods and even ordered a couple takeouts from my fav restaurants to be on hand when I got hungry.

Purchase smaller sizes of soda/juice/milk.

Stock up on heavy items (laundry soap, dry dog food, bottled water, sodas) for 2-3 months! Remember to fill up smaller containers that are easier to pick up.

Put your shampoo, conditioner, and body soap in trial size bottles so they are easier to manage and lighter.

Stock up on stuff near bed - tissues, water, magazines, lots of pillows of all sizes, medicine, remote control.

Recliner or hospital bed- can be ordered from medical supply companies.

Drain solving problem: Zip-up hoodies or robes with pockets, I cut a slit on the inside material and popped the drains in from the inside. No one even knows they are there. It looks a little bulky, but much better than the drains hanging on my neck from a lanyard.

If you have someone a the house helping you out, when you need them call from your cell phone to the house phone or vice versa. It was so much easier than trying to yell from upstairs.

Get Netflix or rent movies.

Have an insulated cup for drinking and book and lamp by the bed.

Have someone pour milk, juice, etc from big gallon jugs into smaller containers and leave on an easy-to-reach shelf.

If a can of something needed opening, have someone do it before they leave.

******************

This thread started me thinking about what my husband/partner will need. So I am starting a basket of "surprises" for him. A friend is bringing it to the hospital to give to him after I am in surgery.

iTunes gift card - so he can dowload a book on tape, music, movie, whatever

roll of quarters - for the pop machine

deck of cards - surgery is supposed to be 8 - 10 hours. He can play cards with whoever shows up

remote control car -pure silliness but he will think it is fun!

box of Special K meal bars - at least he will have something semi-healthy to snack on

chapstick - hospital environments can be very drying

bottle of special single malt scotch - something he would never buy for himself, but will appreciate very much when he gets home

travel blanket - hospital can get cold

framed picture of the two of us

tissues

dimccleland, we sure do sound similar, but I can't imagine having to wait as long as you have! I hope you have all your answers soon.

That's a great idea to get fitted for a bra before surgery, but I'm losing weight (8 lbs already, yay!) and will be losing weight for awhile to get down to a normal BMI (currently 32 BMI). Gotta get rid of the fat to get rid of some estrogen. So I don't really want to invest money into much clothing along the way. I'll probably just go bra-less mostly. I don't care one bit if someone gets offended by my bra-less breast or by the empty space next to it.

Hang in there, ladies

Hi August sisters! 

I have to say that for my BMX surgery (which was my first major surgery ever) I packed this huge bag of stuff for the hosptial and didn't use any of it.  Seriously, the only things I took for the second surgery were a pack of clorox wipes, my cell phone, and charger and some chap stick.  I had my BMX in the winter so this might not work now but I bought a zip up hoodie for like $10 at Walmart that had pockets on the inside, like where you would put a cell phone and I wore that home from the hospital both times.  I just stuffed the drains in those inside pockets.  The best advice I can give is to keep a chart of your meds so you know when to take them.  It all gets fuzzy when you're taking them at different times and having a chart where you can just check them off, helps.  Also, if you are a person, like me, who has problems with pain meds, ask your Doctor to prescribe you some Zofran.  It is an anti-nausea med and I never got sick one time and historically, all pain meds make me super sick to my stomach.  I was so afraid of waking up from surgery and puking for days and days.  Also, have miralax or colace on hand because those pain meds stop you up...big time.

One last tip, have a pillow handy for the ride home from the hospital so you can put it between your chest and the seatbelt.

I'll be thinking of all of you this month!