October 2015 Surgeries

Thanks for the support ladies. I'm having a unilateral tomorrow. I sometimes wonder if I should have had a bilateral, I find myself second guessing everything. KCinMN you dont sound crazy. I hope you feel better soon.

Well you sound good! Talk later, get some rest.

I agree solfeo. Once the decision is made, just feel blessed that the decision making is over. Pour all you confidence into your decision and your team. The decision you made was the right one or you wouldn't have made it. Today is the easy part. Just show up and let the team do their thing. Then those wonderful nurses will do their 'thing'...take wonderful care of you. Leave those decisions behind today and start healing.

Up to the minute news : ) Thanks Dizz Park Mom, Solfeo, I had a pretty good night, but woke up several times and emptied my drain pot. I'm down to 8cc an hour, started at 15ccc an hour. It doesn't seem that big of a problem, the drain pot, but then I don't work and only have one. Feeling stiffness in my shoulder and neck. Been icing but the packs they gave don't get cold enough. I have two here from previous problems. Only first full day so I'm feeling optimistic. My breast on surgery side is noticeably bigger - maybe 30% but that happened with the FNA too.

Wow, you gals sound great even though you are recovering from your surgeries. Love the "positive vibes" photo. May have to "steal" it. Take care of yourselves and rest, rest, rest!!

Lemint

I wondered too if I should just have the BMX vs UMX. Now I look at it this way, half the risk of LE on both sides, half the risk of infection, half the drains, half the recovery time. So what I won't be exactly symetrical when I'm done with reconstruction. No one will know in clothes

Hi Kickinbootay, it looks like we have almost the same dx. Thanks for the positive vibes! Please tell us more about your experience. My surgery was two hours. Not much bleeding, my bandage is already dried blood. How are you feeling? I have three openings, one small one on the right breast, a half moon incision for the axillary lymph node and one for the drain pot. But very little bruising which is quite a surprise as my platelets are low, and the FNA was all over bruising. I think I should rest now. Will check back later. thx again!

steal away!!! My friend dropped off the candle Wednesday night before my surgery! I LOVE IT! I need to ask her where she got it it smells amazing!

Marijen this was not a lumpectomy. I had that on the 7th of oct that went well we all thought successful until the pathology report came back. Cancer cells found all around I didn't have drains. Just two small incisions. One under arm and one on the side of my left breast. I cannot say enough positive things about my surgeon. I didn't have bruising right after surgery but after a week and a half I kind of over exerted myself and had some bruising. We took out more tissue yesterday (same spot/incision) a pathologist was there during surgery looking at the tissue. But this was a quick look so we still need to wait until the full report comes back. Listen to your doctor and take it easy😘.

Kickinbootay, sorry I'm confused, I see you had a lumpectomy on Oct. 27? But you said it's not. Yes I am taking it really easy, less chance for lymphedema which scares me more right now. It says you had axillary as well, and now I wonder why he only took out a few nodes? What's up buttercup?! Set me straight.

Happy Hammer

Pretty close yes. What doesn't show here was besides the 2 tumors there was widespread DCIS through out the whole breast so we elected to go forward on the MX. TX has changed though since even 4 years ago where they'll attempt to to the LX;s, radiate and on to chemo and rads. My margins were really good from the chest wall, 17mm if I remember correctly and nothing in the 4 nodes they took so I didn't do rads. My RO certainly wanted me to do it but I made her go to the "tumor board" at the hospital I was being treated at. She was totally voted down. Even if the majority said yes though I would have gotten a 2nd opinion. She to me seemed far to eager to cook me. She even tried scaring me with stats from my pathology report that were total BS and I totally called her on it. I studied that report big time which I recommend everyone does.

So...I was signing as marymallette but saw the suggestion to not use your real name so I changed...I have been lurking for months and then on the site for several weeks. Just wanted to "come clean" to those of you I have been "talking with"...

Had my BMX on 10/27 with tissue expander placement. Left sentinel node biopsy. First night in hospital was terrible. There was so much breast tissue to remove that surgery took 5 hours. Combination of nothing in my stomach and pain Meds caused me to throw up a lot during the night. Went home the next day about 4:30. I have had a fair amount of pain along with low grade fever. Family was told during surgery that 4 nodes were clean. Today I got a call from surgeon with final path report on nodes that 2 of the 4 nodes were positive for microscopic cells which moved me to stage 1B. It seems more likely than not that I will have to do chemo now which scares me and was the one thing out of all this that I didn't want.

mvspaulding.

Sorry you had such a rough experience. Shame on the doc's for telling your family your node status before the final path report. Chemo is no fun trust me but like someone told me here because that was what I was most afraid of too. It's not like you see in the movies, very very doable, and with the anti nausea meds you'll do fine do OK. Try to take one day at a time and concentrate on healing from surgery. I know it's hard though. Remember it's all about knocking those buggers to the curb that could have gone rougue. We're all here for you.

well my doc told everyone based on preliminary testing of lymph nodes they all looked clear but we would have to wait for final path on them. Has anyone else just showed microscopic cells?

Also I could call my Dr on this but I started my period yesterday ( first I've had in 5 years due to continuous BCP). Having bad cramps and was wondering if Ibuprofen is ok to take now.

It was my understanding that my final stage wouldn't come back until after surgery. I was just hoping for no chemo. But will do what I have to do.

mvspaulding. I too had microscopic cancer cells in one lymph node so I am T2N1mic although the surgeon told me I'm still considered T2N0 I see the oncologist next Friday so I'm sure he will give me a better understanding. No one seemed too concerned with the microscopic cancer cells seen in one lymph node