January 2016 Surgeries

Kaybee - it is so good to hear how well you are doing! I'm impressed that you are driving and have your drains out already!

The anesthesiologist called this morning and was able to answer all my questions about pain and nausea meds, etc. I'm very relieved to have my concerns addressed and he seemed pleased that I had asked about avoiding narcotics as much as possible. He said that he and my PS were developing an opioid-sparing pathway and would be happy to use it with me. Oh- and he also told me I could drink a 20 ounce bottle of Gatorade up to 2 hours before surgery That should quell any hunger pains

Mominator, sorry, I meant areolas! The top looks okay, the bottom is sketchy. My nipples have some darkness as well, we shall see! I'm glad to hear yours turned out okay.

Jr114, I am sorry to hear about the BRCA1. I'm a little bit in the same boat. I am negative for that, but positive for Chek2, which isn't as high of a risk increase (maybe up to 40-50%, but it is one they are still learning about). I also felt more justified in my BMX decision, but like you, concerned about what to do with ovaries, etc. in the future. Once this is all over, I'm going to meet with the genetic counselor again and talk through it. I didn't find the snb injection to be that bad. Not pleasant of course, but minor in light of everything else we are dealing with. Kind of like having blood drawn or something.

Thank you Kaybee2545.

I edited my profile to include my LX onto the "treatment" section, will that take awhile to show on my profile? Just curious. Thanks.

Kaybee and Jr114: There's an entire forum for Positive Genetic Test Results https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/112 Just keep scrolling down and you will find threads about BRCA and CHEK2. You can also start a thread if you want.

BlueHeron, let it all out, but you can do this! Are you taking Ativan? My BS said surgery would be the easiest of everything I've gone through, but I don't see how. Maybe in the mechanics of it, but emotionally, I think this will be the hardest and most anxious time for me, and bet I'll be shedding some tears. (((Virtual hugs )))

SVGSurvive, I feel like you that there's so much I need to do and prepare for and I don't even have a surgery date yet! I'm such a procrastinator, and I'm afraid the appt. will come up faster than I'm ready. I wasn't planning to take time off work prior, but now I think I might for some peace of mind.

Sending positive energy and thoughts to you all as we prepare for and take on surgery!

Best wishes to Jr114 and Kessa619 today! I had a few hours sleep last night and anxious to get on with this!

thanks ladies. The closer it gets, the more I'm falling apart. I just can't believe this is happening. You're right, I was just using Ativan for procedures, but I need it now.

Hugs to you Ladies today on your surgeries!!! Big HUGS!

I am all set for mine tomorrow!!!

Blue Heron....I am trying to keep busy at work but it just got to me too...just popped an Ativan and logged in. I just want the surgery done and get this crap out of me already. I HATE these last few days of waiting....

Hey everyone, updating from BMX, SNB, TE surgery yesterday. Everything went well, BS took 3 nodes and all 3 were clear on preliminary pathology and she didn't see any remnants of my tumor, will know more after final pathology report later this week! I was first up and was out surgery by 11, had to wait 5 hours in recovery because the hospital was out of rooms on the surgical oncology floor. They ended up putting me and 2 other mastectomy patients on the maternity floor with our own dedicated nurses from the surgical floor. So when I getup to walk I get to look at all the new babies! Now if could just hold one, maybe it newborn baby therapy! I've been up to walk once and sat in the chair in my room. I'm really sore but the pain isn't bad.BS said I could go home today if pain isn't too bad off morphine pump and only taking Norco now. Thinking I will go home, at least I can sleep there without the nurses and techs coming In every 3 hours at night!

Oh, it's so good to check in here and see others struggle like me and then get through it! I have my SLN injection in a couple hours. Just took Ativan, will do EMLA next. The hugeness of the surgery tomorrow is making me decidedly less panicked about the injection tonight. Funny how that works.

Happy healing, sisters.

Hello!

I'm 48 and you can see my diagnosis down below. I just went through 2 weeks of testing/second opinions and I finally have a date of 1/26 for lx and snb. Yay! I chose all care to take place at Dana Farber and Brigham and Women's in Boston.

MGH(first opinion) wanted to do a wire guided, but now that MRI shows 1.8cm, Dana farber surgeon is doing a radioactive seed implant. She said she's been doing them for 4 months and not one woman has had to return for clearer margins.

And I cannot believe that I just bought Genie Bras today... lol!

Questions... Has anyone had a seed bx?

Has anyone had an MRI show the tumor twice the size of the original US? Would the core biopsy inflame it that much?

LX vs MX... It's 100% up to me to decide on either. When I first found out, I was of the mindset to take both. But now that I'm more informed, sometimes the very low % of risk of reoccurrence and life expectancy between the two doesn't make sense to make such a knee jerk decision to go the mx route. And my med onc and bs both said that they don't know much until it comes out for staging, oncotype, node involvement. And I'm still waiting for genetic testing results to come back.

I know it's a very personal decision. But being at Dana Farber, loving my genius doctors... I'm thinking baby steps. Take it out, check nodes, get genetic testing back and go from there. If it doesn't come back all positives... Then mx, here we come! And new boobies and tummy tuck because this has set me back a bit on the crazy exercise regime I was in;

Thoughts...?

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Hello Ladies - this is my first
post. I've been researching and reading through some of your posts. Hope
to be able to offer support and receive some as well.

My Dx is below. SNB and double
mastectomy is scheduled for 1/22. Just celebrated my 57th birthday.

Still waiting on genetics
- expect to get results the day before surgery. There is a saturated
cancer history on my Mom's mother's side of the family. My Mom is a 30 year
survivor of pre menopause BC (BMX, ER/PR -, no other treatment, no recurrence).
My grandmother and great-grandmother had BC. My grandmother had 9 siblings - 2
died in early childhood (not sure why), my grandmother survived cervical
cancer when she was about 40, then died of vaginal and breast cancer
in her 70's; 3 sisters had BC - one was pre menopause and 2 were post
menopause; 1 sister had ovarian cancer at about 40 and passed away
soon after diagnosis; 2 brothers had prostate cancer - one in his early 50's,
one in his late 50's. That's 8 of 10 siblings in one family who died from
cancer. My Mom has 6 siblings - 2 brothers have died with cancer, another is
battling cancer, 1 sister had uterine cancer and suspected early cancer in
an ovary. (There is also some cancer on my Dad's side - but heart
disease was the demon for most of his family). The geneticist
reminded me that they can only provide so much information - they don't know
about ALL genes. With my Mother's family history she recommended I
carefully consider my options because even if I'm negative for the genes they
know about, it's likely there's something going on within our family. 

I have dense breast tissue (my
mom did, too) which has made it challenging/impossible to read mammograms. I've
had ultrasounds every 2-3 years and have been diligent about self-exams.
Also, I've been under the care of a breast specialist/surgeon for over 10
years. I've had a couple negative needle biopsies in the past and hoped this
one would be the same. I had a "clean" mammogram in October - not
even a speck in the place where the cancer is on any mammogram of the
past. I found the lump in early December - I did not feel it even the month
before. But with the size – if it is growing at an average rate of splitting
every 100 days, it has likely been there for 8 years more or less! Mind blown!

So, I’m scheduled for BMX – no recon
for now – need more time to consider additional surgery. Not leaning that way right
now but want to have the ability to reconsider if I feel differently
later. I have the opportunity to change my mind up to the day of surgery and just do the left breast,
but I am not a good candidate for radiation. I’m leaning towards the double since I was
blessed to find what the mammogram missed. If something happens in the right
breast it could be in a place I couldn’t find it – and a mammogram could miss
it again. Since it will be a battle for insurance to pay for yearly MRI’s for
screening, I would be anxious something could be missed (again). My wonderful husband is completely supportive of whatever I chose to do. In addition, my
husband’s job is in flux and we don’t know what our insurance coverage will
look like after March 30, especially if he is employed by a different company.

Wow, sorry this is so long, but
just thought I would share why I have made the decision for BMX. We are so
individual, aren’t we? Looking forward to getting to know all of you and offer
support.

MimiD - welcome! I'm sorry you have to be here but with your family's history you have probably made a good choice to do theBMX.

My surgery was yesterday and I feel really good. No pain or nausea. Just took 2 Tylenol to ward off pain when it does happen, but so far, so good. They plan to release me today.

DH went back to hotel tonight since they only had 1 small couch for him to sleep on. It's a good thing - the nurses were in and out all night taking vitals and drawing blood, etc.


Thinking of Jr114 and Kessa today - hope all went well yesterday for your surgeries!


Positivepeg, blueheron, and Jerseyrenee - best wishes for a smooth surgery and quick recovery today.

balthus' I had my surgery for double mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy in September. I didn't have any cream before hand for the dye injection and it wasn't bad at all. The needle was so very small it wasn't more than a little pinch. I think when they take blood work was worse for sure.