October 2015 Surgeries

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  • CateM
    CateM Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2015

    New to this forum and this is first post.

    I share my surgery date with DizzParkMum, the 19th October. I will be having PBMx with immediate reconstruction, direct to implant. Counting down the days, and sleeps, and taking comfort in the stories of the strong ladies that have gone before me.

    Surgeon says I will be in hospital for 1 night but the hospital is saying 2 nights, I'm really hoping to go home as soon as I can.


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  • DizzParkMom
    DizzParkMom Member Posts: 316
    edited October 2015

    Hi CateM! 10/19 seems so close and so far away doesn't it. I keep having envy for all the surgery dates that come and go...already on the road to recovery. With my DIEP, the p.s. said 3-4 hospital days...since I have to be strong enough to fly home, I don't mind lingering a little longer...as long as the food isn't too bad. ;-)

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  • Creativevintage
    Creativevintage Member Posts: 76
    edited October 2015
    Got the call yesterday while I was getting my herceptin...surgery is this Thursday, the 15th. I will have to scramble a bit to get everything ready. Grocery store tomorrow and cooking some meals ahead of time. I have lined up rides to and from the clinic. I also arranged for a friends teenage daughter to come once a week for a while to help out with cleaning and laundry, in case I do have to have ALND. I also have to square everything at work. I am applying for a three month personal medical leave, as I am out of FMLA time. I do have more short term disability pay, so my leave will be at full pay, but I have to have my surgeon sign the paperwork. Luckily I work at the same clinic so I can run it over to him on Monday! I also have a friend who can come and take care of the dog and cat if I have to stay overnight. They told me that if I need the ALND, it would mean an overnight stay. Not sure what to bring or wear (bra wise) and can't think of anything other than maybe my phone and iPad...any suggestions?
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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited October 2015

    Welcome CateM, and the others. We'll be following how things go. Don't forget to look at the helpful list prepared by other community members on getting ready for surgery:

    Surgery Packing List

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  • CateM
    CateM Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2015

    I can't wait for Wednesday 21st because that means I will be at home and my boobs will be considered surgical waste (after pathologies obviously).

    I have read the entire thread on what is helpful to take into hospital and what is helpful once at home. I think I have purchased literally 50% of the list, I'm in the UK and not all of the items are available here. I can't find drain pockets anywhere, or the tiny heart shaped pillows, and I don't have the time to get things shipped from the US.

    I have to say that I am seriously humbled by the support on this forum.

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    I have updated the list and will finish reading the posts and get up to date on everyone's stories

    Sorry I was out most of last week.

    I will comment after I get home from church this afternoon.

    If I need to make any corrections or additions please let me know.

    Thanks.

    Good wishes to everyone healing and stressing right now.

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited October 2015

    CateM. I didn't have the drain pockets when I had my MX 4 years ago. What I did was I found a zip up work out type jacket and it had pockets inside for I guess keys or an IPAD, the drains fit nicely in those. If I didn't feel like wearing the jacket, I had a knee length housecoat that hid them for sitting around. I thought about paper clips at the time but you don't want to pinch them off either. It does feel better to tuck them in to a pocket so the weight of them doesn't tug at the site where they've been inserted though. As luck would have it about a week after the drains were removed I visited a local mastectomy clinic and bought a under vest type of top that could hold a very lightweight prostesis (filled with cotton batten) and it had velcro drain pockets that came with it. Would have been useful earlier for sure. I'm sure she ships from Canada to the UK. Here's her link. She has everything, I'm just fortunate that she's 10 minutes away. Lovely lady. Anything I bought was of really good quality

    http://diannesmastectomy.com/


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  • KellyAnne13
    KellyAnne13 Member Posts: 63
    edited October 2015

    CateM,

    I just had safety pins the hospital gave me. I just pinned the drains to my waistband. It worked totally fine. When I had to go out I just wore a t-shirt that was long enough to cover them and a long sweater to camouflage the bulk. It worked great. I also had a lanyard to put around my neck that I pinned the drains to when I was changing my pants or trying to wash myself.

    I also found the recovery was really fast. That first night I couldn't imagine going home the very next day but within hours I was up and walking. It was 10 days til the drains came out and I was driving and outside walking right after that. I am 3 weeks post BMX and am now doing almost everything except reaching up high and lifting.

    Hang in there... a year from now these will be distant memories...

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  • CateM
    CateM Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2015

    Thanks so much for all the tips re: drains.

    Myleftboob (love the name) - Luckily I have the exact jacket you describe so hopefully that still fits me, I had to put on weight before my surgery could happen......long story.

    KellyAnne13 - I appreciate the positive thoughts with regards to recovery. I say bring on the day after, I know I shouldn't wish my life away but I have more life on the other side of the 19th.


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  • LivingThis
    LivingThis Member Posts: 38
    edited October 2015
    CreativeVintage - I had my lumpectomy last Monday. I brought my iphone and earphones - I never used the option to listen to music but I did a lot of texting both before and after surgery. I left all jewelry at home. I brought some work with me for the long waits before surgery (waited for radioisotope dye injection to locate sentinel nodes...followed by waiting for needle localization ...followed by waiting for OR). I also brought pleasure reading material that I did not use. I wore a loose, comfy button-up shirt. After the surgery I had on a pressure dressing held in place with a tube-top type binder so no bra needed. I did not need ALND so I want home same day. I am hoping for the best outcome for you!
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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    It is so encouraging to read everyone's posts about their positive experiences. I hope smurfette26 had a great surgery as well.

    To all our Canadian friends I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day.

    Gabby56b going in on Tuesday for a mastectomy and I am sending my warmest hugs for your surgery.

    Welcome to our newest members, so sorry you had to join us but we are here for you.

    KellyAnne I have a special place in my heart for you. I am so sorry you lost your TE. I had a flap failure on my first try. It was not easy but as time passes you get new dreams. I think I just finished my last reconstruction adjustment and I did end up with a good ending look. I am not perfect but I wasn't perfect before either. It is amazing what our PS can do for us. Have faith and come here for support if needed.

    Everyone have a good Columbus Day tomorrow.




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  • Gabby56b
    Gabby56b Member Posts: 82
    edited October 2015

    thank you jbdayton....it is good reading everyone else's experience.

    I have a bizarre question for the group. My mom is dying, and will probably be gone in the next 24 hours. Or maybe she is waiting to hear I am ok after surgery. I need to plan the funeral, I think if I have my UMX this Tuesday, I will not feel up to the funeral this Saturday. I am thinking by the following weekend I would be ok. I am also thinking if wearing a sling to protect my right chest from tight hugs....

    any thoughts?

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  • Acjeffrey
    Acjeffrey Member Posts: 9
    edited October 2015

    I am scheduled for a bilateral mascetomy this October 26. I have work constantly asking me how long will I be out for. I'm not sure what my treatment is yet, until after surgery. I plan on getting expandersput in at the same time of surgery. Can anyone tell how long will I be out of work, what's terrible about this, it's a family owned business...

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  • DizzParkMom
    DizzParkMom Member Posts: 316
    edited October 2015

    Gabby, I have no advice on recovery, but wanted to tell you that I am so sorry for you and your family. Prayers and love to you all and to your dear mother.

    acJeffrey, I can't offer advice about surgery, but depending on your treatment, your ability to work your usual schedule is hard to predict. In my experience, many women roll right through chemo and rads like it's nothing and others who undergo the same treatments become quite affected. There are so many meds that make treatment more tolerable, but you just won't know until you are going through it.

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  • KickinBootay
    KickinBootay Member Posts: 38
    edited October 2015

    Myleftboob I asked them to take a picture of it! I wanted to see what they were taking! My surgeon is AMAZING! Im so super lucky because he took all of that out and it looks as if nothing happened! My two incisions are probably an inch each! Still waiting for my pathology report fingers crossed!

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  • avmom
    avmom Member Posts: 324
    edited October 2015

    Hi, all.

    I had a right mastectomy and ALND in January of this year, did dose dense AC-T, and am going in for a prophylactic (I hope!) total mastectomy on October 20. I'm having the prophy mx partly because of my high grade triple negative Tumor on the right side, but largely because my cancer was mostly invisible to imaging, both mammogram and ultrasound. Vigilant screening isn't likely to catch a recurrence. Compared to chemo, my memory of the mx is that it wasn't too bad, but I'm starting from a lower point, physically, this time. Wish me luck!

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  • KCinMN
    KCinMN Member Posts: 81
    edited October 2015

    Can I join?!?!

    I've only posted a few times here, but I've been a secret stalker reader since last April when I was diagnosed! :)

    I have surgery set for Oct 22. Bilateral mastectomy. And nodes on the bad side. I'll have TE's put in. Radiation to follow this winter, and recon late spring...

    I just finished neo-adj chemo almost 3 weeks ago, and have been recovering from that. I'm just starting to feel more normal, and my eyes have finally stopped watering non-stop (thank you, taxol). I'm anxious for hair! And brows and lashes! I had 4 rounds of AC, and then 12 of taxol. It did some shrinking, but the tumor is still there. Hopefully just deader than dead. I'll know more when they get it out. I'm eager to get this over with!

    So helpful to read all these posts! Thx for letting me join in!

    KC

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited June 2016

    kickinbootay - looks like you and I have same except I have grade 3 IDC and 3a. Please tell me about your lympth node removal. You sound very pleased. I want your doctor

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited October 2015

    Gabby. Sorry you have to go through this ordeal at the same time you're about to lose your Mom. That has to be so hard. By day 5 I remember feeling half decent and was more mobile after my MX but still having the drains in kept me tied down. The sling is a great idea. I did attend a cousins funeral though about 3 weeks after though and didn't have an issue with hugs or anything. Still for you it will be much sooner.Big hugs.

    ACJeffrey. It's hard to say how long you'll be off with a BMX, had a uni here and so much depends on your personal ability to heal and how physical your job is. Perhaps another that had a BMX can jump in here?

    Welcome Avmom and KC!


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  • Smurfette26
    Smurfette26 Member Posts: 730
    edited October 2015

    So glad my surgery is behind me. Was last Friday; Mastectomy Right Side and Sentinal Node Biopsy. Surgeon was very pleased with how it went and I'm feeling good. Have experienced very little pain and thankfully have had no problems with bowel movements. He removed 4 nodes. Won't know about further treatment until the surgical pathology comes back in 2 weeks. Still have a drain in place. My surgeon doesn't like to leave them in for more than a week post op so will come out by Friday. Still draining quite a lot. Hoping it slows down in the next 24 hours. The physiotherapist saw me a couple of times while I was in hospital and I have been diligent with my exercises. The thought of developing lymphedema scares me. So glad to see everyone else is travelling well too. Hugs all.

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    So glad to hear from you Smurfette that your surgery went well. It is amazing the pain level can be controlled to a tolerable level so soon after these major surgeries.

    Keep resting, exercising, eating well and continue to heal. Yea on getting the drains out soon. I guess I was very lucky the longest I had any drain was 10 days.


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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    KCinMN glad to have you join this group but sorry you have to join. Your story is so similar to mine. I was glad I had a few months to stalk and learn and push for what I wanted after chemo.

    You will be experiencing so many changes in the next few months. I hope your hair returns thick and a color you like. By 6 months out I was able to get my first haircut. I was very glad to get back nose hair, no more dripping nose. The little things were so important. I did like no leg hair though, but I am back in the swing of shaving regularly.

    I hope your tumor mass they remove is full of dead cells. I was surprised how much nicer I felt after waking up from my BMX with TEs with a little fill to look like I had small breasts and not flat. I did not do any additional fills. Let us know your final pathology.

    Praying your skin does well during radiation. Keep the breasts slathered with the gel or lotion your RO recommends. I had only a slight sun burn at the end of my treatments. Then give it several months to heal before your reconstruction. Do you know what kind of recon you want?

    You are on your way to the finish line but remain patient.


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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited June 2016

    jbdayton - your reply to KC - are you saying they remove tumors that are just dead cells? i've been wondering if my node tumor that shrunk is just dead cells. There are going to do Axillary dissection. How do I know I really need it. Biopsy was six months ago.

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    My tumor was originally almost 3 cm and at the time of removal there was only 5 mm left of dead cells. I had an SNB done during surgery and a possible prior micromet was found but also inactive at the point of removal. This was due to a near pathological complete response to chemo.

    I did follow up with radiation because I had about 1 cm of DCIS remaining in the tumor bed which chemo didn't kill. My original tumor was against my chest wall.

    In your case, can they remove the sentinel node(s) and send to pathology for a frozen section before taking any additional nodes? I did not study node issues but my understanding is they checked my sentinel node first to see if more nodes could be involved. When my surgeon got the frozen section results showing the sentinel nodes were clear they stopped and took no additional nodes.

    This is the best understanding I have. I did go to a LE physical therapist after surgery to learn how to care for my arm after surgery. My therapist actually suffers from LE.

    I am scheduled to see her again after healing from my latest recon adjustment surgery, to see if my belly swelling could be truncal LE. That appointment is the second week of November.

    Do you want us to add you to the surgery list? Best of luck in your final research prior to surgery.


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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited June 2016

    So my tumor is in Axillary - doesn't cancer have to go through sentinel to get to Axillary. I read all sections on lymph here and still not sure. You can add Oct. 28. Lumpectomy (IDC) and axillary dissection.

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  • Tulipa
    Tulipa Member Posts: 6
    edited October 2015

    I also would like to join the Octoberclub. After 2 lumpectomies with no clear margins, I am now heading for a skin sparing mastectomy with direct reconstruction by a prosthesis. My surgery will be on the 20th.

    It's been a long while waiting, but now it is only one week what feels like not a long time. Beginning to get nervous. Especially on how it will be afterwards.

    Wish you all good luck!!!

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited October 2015

    Hard decision, not sure if cancer has to go through the sentinel node first but seems to be the general consensus per my doctors. Due to my tumor size and grade I had a good chance of node involvement.

    I gave this issue a lot of thoughts prior to my surgery and I came to a point where I was comfortable with the decision that if my surgeon decided I needed additional nodes taken I signed off to remove them. I thought I would rather deal with physical issues than have to face another cancer diagnosis down the road.

    You will have to decide how much risk you are willing to live with. I wanted as close to zero risk as possible.

    Good luck in your decision.

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited November 2015

    axillary (no C).

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited October 2015

    Hello! I am glad to find this group. After 6 rounds of neoadjuvant chemo,(Taxotere,Carboplatin, Perjeta and Herceptin) will have lumpectomy/sentinel node surgery on Oct. 21. Really nervous but I have faith in the surgeon and have great family support so that is good. Thank you for sharing all of the great ideas! While I hate the reason we are all here...sure am glad to have you out there!

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  • dchavy
    dchavy Member Posts: 18
    edited October 2015

    Hi all,

    I had a bmx w/ TEs placed and sentinel node dissection 6 days ago and still in quite a bit of pain and basically living in the recliner. I had hoped to be up and about much more by now. My entire sternum hurts constantly, should I be concerned?

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