February 2016 Surgeries

My surgery is this Thursday, Feb. 4th (lumpectomy). Please feel free to add me to the list as well.

Good luck to all my February surgery sisters!

hello ducky179...,.want to wish you good luck, happy thoughts, and 🙏🏼 prayers on your surgery tomorrow...and for a speedy recovery...

HI all, I'm joining you, been away from the boards since the holidays. My surgery is this Wed 2/3 BMX , axilary nodes on rt side with immediate recon. I'm scared and ready to have this part over with!

Hi February ladies!

I was diagnosed with bilateral cancer in early December after annual mammogram, breast MRI & 4 biopsies & had my BMX & SNB almost 3 weeks ago on 1/12/16.

I am not doing reconstruction.

This website has been amazing and without it I never would have felt as empowered and educated and been an advocate for myself and others.

I have a few friends who had had BC years before who commented that I knew much more now than they did then or now!

I think you will get a lot of good advice but most importantly that everyone heals differently so hope for the best but be prepared for snags that are bound to happen before/during/after.

I am trying to get off my meds before returning to work next week although I have been working from home via email since I was home from the hospital (probably too much too soon).

I wish you all the best and if I can help please ask or message me.

I just posted this on our January board and wish the same for all of you.

Thanks Grandma3x for your words of advice on pain meds. I've read that elsewhere and will follow that to the letter. I am anxious about pain and the infamous drains, but I know I can tackle this. I'll be sure to add my two cents here when I can.

Good Luck Maine1965...on your surgery tomorrow....happy thoughts and 🙏🏼prayers...and a speedy recovery

thank you for your well wishes. My lumpectomy, SNB (apparently they sample more nodes with neoadjuvant patients, so it was more than 1 node) and oncoplasty was done on monday around 1:30 and I was released to go home by 9:30.

I took 2 doses of percocet (with 2 colase each time) but was afraid of constipation so I tried just tylenol (1000mg) and that didn't work well. So I went back to percocet around midnight and slept for 6 hours.

I have pretty bad neuropathy from my neoadjuvant TCHP, so very poor fine motor skills at this point and unable to manage drains. My squeamish husband was tutored by a nurse friend and is doing most of that task. It makes me nervous that my nurse friend recommended covering the drain cap with an alcohol swab for sterility while emptying the drain, but my husband doesn't want to do it because the nurse in the hospital didn't do it (she was wearing sterile gloves).

My plastic surgeon said he doesn't like to remove drains before at least 10 days because of seroma risk, but I am only outputting 20-25 cc per drain in a 24 hr period and the nurse had said if output less than 30 cc, drains could be removed.

What is the earliest drains can be removed?

To me, the worst pain is under my left arm pit (thinking SNB site). I feel very sore and stiff when moving, but when I am sittingstill it feels more like a really bad sunburn all over my chest area and under arms.

I was not given any instructions to do any exercises, in fact was told NOT to raise my arms. Other people have told me that their surgeons recommended things like wall-walking with the arms the next day.

I guess I am most nervous about what is normal and not normal bruising, swelling, etc. I am thinking that if anything is not really ok, I would have a fever and thst's normal.

I think I am still "under the influence" so probably this post is not making any sense, but just wanted to share my experience so far. I would rate my surgery easier to tolerate than my chemo, but definitely no day at the beach.

Having everything I might need placed at countertop level has been helpful.

I am scheduled for bi-lateral mastectomy 2/16/16. My daughter had this exactly one year ago and slept in a recliner for a week or two. I prefer to sleep in my bed after surgery. Has anyone thought about this and any hints on sleeping with a wedge?

@VSB2015 - I had a BMX on 1/12/16. I slept in my bed. I bought the Bed Lounge that Mominator mentioned above but I found using a wedge from Relax The Back with my pillows in front of it worked better for me. I just could not get comfortable with the Bed Lounge,.

A friend of my mine had hip surgery a few years ago so had the whole system from them but I just used one wedge and the part you out under your legs.

I used 2 decorative pillows to put by my sides and my 2 squishy red pillows under my arms.

Looks like in photo excuse messy bed

I have a recliner but forgot it was not electric so could not use the controls. It is comfortable so my husband put a wooden box in front of it for me to put my legs on and I did use it for watching TV.

thank you mominator. I just realized even though my output is lower than the threshold for drain removal, the fluid is still red. I guess it needs to be clear before the drains can come out? Is the experience that it's best to keep the drains in even beyond the threshold of 30 cc in two 24 hr periods?

I purchased the lounge pillow from PBTeen, thinking that it would be helpful for watching TV. But it looks like I'll need it for sleeping as well. I purchased the leopard fur cover for it as well. I received it last week and have been using it - very comfy.

Lounge Around Pillow

Oh, also, here's a couple other things I've bought to prepare that aren't on the list:

98-count of coffee k-cups, variety pack

Disney movies, including Once Upon a Time Season 4 and Marvel's Agents of Shield Season 1. I'm also going to find all my BBC miniseries DVDs in preparation. When I went thru my surgery and chemo back when I was 23, the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice saved me - I must have watched the entire 6 hours once a day for at least the first month.

cupcaker.....thanks.....

Balthus...thank you.....I think I will take off just to be safe....trying to get everything ready I completely forgot to ask....hope things are getting a little easier for you....I've been following the posts...thanks for all the tips...hope everyday gets better...