May 2016 Surgeries

Mom4four, welcome. Unfortunately there're a lot of us going through the same things. This and all the other groups here are great help and support. I know that this is a safe place to cry, to vent and with a wealth of information. It keeps my sanity through all this.

Hydranne, the BS said that there's not enough skin on the breast to cut so they'd have to put skin from the back. That means a wound in the back, and completely uneven and different scars on the breasts (I can't have reconstruction, so I'm hoping for some nice scars at least), Of course you can argue, do you prefer to be alive or to have symmetrical scars. Since nobody is giving me any guarantee about the alive part, I go for symmetry. I freaked out cause I'm trying to get used to the idea of the mastectomy and now they told me about the back too. I had enough.

DING DONG, THE DRAINS ARE DEAD! Both Flotsam AND Jetsam are now G-O-N-E. I couldn't be more relieved.

Raven - so glad your drains are finally gone!

Mom4four, I'm sorry you have to be here, but you have found a good place to share your story and get the support you need. I could not imagine going through this without breastcancer.org!

MyToyStory2 - good to hear that your scratched cornea has improved and that you are feeling better by the day!

Tsoebbin - by "immediate recon" do you mean tissue expander? If so, I would think that the TE would not be a factor. You could have it placed during the MX, and then lose the weight during the expansion process. When you have met your weight loss goal, you could then have the exchange to permanent implants.

I'm convinced my breast cancer was making me fat. I lost almost 20 pounds after my MX in January, without hardly trying. I cut out bread and sweets, and exercise (walk at a fast pace) at least 30 minutes a day. For breakfast I have a small amount of granola with a lot of berries and almond milk, then a large Tupperware container of cut up veggies and a small container of salmon or tuna for lunch, and eat a normal dinner. For mid afternoon snack, I eat a tablespoon or 2 of nonfat yogurt with berries and walnuts, or some hummus and veggies. After dinner I don't eat anything (13 hours or more of fasting each night helps to prevent recurrences). I feel like I eat a lot more than I did before my surgery, but the pounds came off anyway.

I took a long nap this afternoon and feel pretty good. I think the paravertebral block has worn off by now, but the pain is manageable with Tylenol. I'll probably take a tramadol before bed. Has anyone started on an aromitase inhibitor yet? I was told not to take my letrozole for 7 days after surgery. Apparently there is a slight chance of blood clots from taking the AI. They gave me 2 shots of heparin while in the hospital, which they did not do for the first MX in January. I am guessing it's because I took the AI right up to the night before surgery.

Knardo and Scared - I will be thinking of you tomorrow!

Mom4four, everyone here has been so helpful to me, and I hope you feel welcomed. There's so much to learn and I can't think of a better place to be to learn and have all the support you can get from this group of wonderful ladies!

Raven, YAY! I'm so happy for you! Finally

GreyKat, I'm glad you're back home and I'm praying your recovery will go smoothly from this day forward! I wish I had made it in time to attend your pity party!

Grandma3x, I'm hoping I too can lose some weight... seeing my PS says I'm not fat enough for any grafting I might as well get rid of what extra I have. Not fat enough?! I need to get that in writing!! I'm 5'5" and 180 lbs! My mirror says I'm fat enough. So much for hoping I'd get a tummy tuck, back tuck or even a hiny tuck from all of this.

I need to start a name game for my drains (once I get them). I'll have to go back over the list that everyone suggested earlier

Good luck to Knardo and Scared with your surgeries tomorrow! I'll be in your pockets!

I'm fat, old, worn out and headed for bed. Now to fall asleep once I get there. nite everyone

WenchLori: I'm changing my screen name to "fat, old, worn out and headed for bed" haha best line ever!

RavenforMI: I'm glad I helped you tell the truth -- and look you got them out! Your post was hilarious.

tsoebbin: Find out what your plastic surgeon's preferred method is. If you are planning to have reconstruction, they can put the Tissue Expanders in right when you have the BMX; only asleep one time for general anesthesia. It is then a slow process (as slow as you want it) of filling those TE's with saline solution over the next few months to slowly expand them and make them bigger and stretch the skin gently; frankly, the slower the better. There is no rush to replace them with implants. Talk to your plastic surgeon about what they see as the best method for the most people to get the best outcome. I don't think your weight matters much other than perhaps health reasons (blood sugar problems? blood pressure?) and deciding how big to go on your TE's. But again, you can go slowly on the fills and lose the weight while you're filling. Remember that after a BMX you will have NO breast tissue, and implants don't get smaller when you lose weight. So you can lose all the weight you want and your foobs (fake boobs) will not be getting any smaller. I am big hefty and overweight, and I didn't need to lose weight first (I am 5'11" and went into surgery I think at 235). But again, you need a consultation with a plastic surgeon.

Well, it seems my excitement from the drain removal was a bit premature. I am in so much pain today on the right side I can hardly stand it. Nothing looks swollen, there may be a small area where it's a tad red but it's not hot to the touch, but I have such incredible pain in my arm pit and down the right side of the breast that any movement is just killer, and I'm running a slight temp (99-100.)

I've got a call into the PS office. He also put a little saline fill in on both sides - 50 CCs. I'm kind of trying to delude myself into beiieving that's where the pain is coming from on the right (but, really, I don't believe that.). Dayum.

I had immediate tissue expander placement but whereas my PS usually adds 150ccs immediately to get a jump on fills and to sort of help the psychological side of things, because then you at least wake up with little breast bumps, he could only do half that amount on me because my tissue was too thin. Which I think means my skin was too thin. So I am basically almost flat with actual concave parts around where the TE edges are. And you know what? I actually don't care. I really thought that would bother me but I seriously can't believe how much I don't care. It only looks totally weird because the remaining drain makes a huge lopsided bulge underneath.

For all the drama over nipple-sparing my post op said I look great and most people have way more scabbing than I do. BS was as ever, peppy and happy. So my whole decision of "let's give them a chance and see if they make it" seems to be working out that they've made it so far.

Also, reading the news today, yet another breast cancer/dense breasts (which I had super dense) headline.

Immediate thought: "Hm, well, I don't have breasts, I don't have to care." Now THAT's a new one for me.

Looking up girls. Thinking of all you in your progress. Almost two weeks out and I can pin my hair up like usual, only a bit more sloppy and a lot more slowly. No pain meds or muscle relaxers for me bc of all the problems I've had, so boy can I feel every stretch and pull and pain, but I'm pretty happy with my range of motion so far. Did laundry yesterday, washed some dishes this morning. Just can't wrangle the sick cat yet.

Grandma3x, I thought I was eating healthy before but now I really take care. I've alsp read about the 13 hours fasting. I've actually lost 2 kilos already after I started it! I was eating snacks in the evening not because I was hungry but out of habit. Now I'm actually hungry in the morning and enjoy my breakfast.

oh GreyKat, with everything you're going through you still managed to do the laundry and wash dishes?!?! You ARE a hero.

momof6 - I don't pre-emptively take anti-constipation meds as I don't seem to have this issue. Unless you are sure that you will, based on experience, you might want to wait. My BIL is a gastroenterologist and recommends Miralax post-op for those who need it

GreyKat - looks like you have planned very well for your recovery! I did a lot for my first surgery, but for some reason did not prepare much for this one I think we will be eating a lot of take out!

I just had my first shower - felt really good! My PS allows showers 36-48 hours after surgery. She also does not use a compression wrap so I only have a bandage over the excision with a tagaderm over that to keep it from getting wet.

My shoulder is bothering me today. I found these exercises that hopefully will keep me from getting a frozen shoulder:

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/exercises-after-breast-surgery

Scared and KNardo - thinking of you today and hoping you are doing well.

Thank you Greykat. That's a terrific prep list. I hope you have no more complications and can stay in your food fortress and recover

@Grandma & Momof6 - I am something of a worrier, so when it comes to anticipating Big Bad Things That Must Happen, and given some special needs of my household (which has a member with health/ability problems that I usually make up for but would be unable to after this surgery) - I went into hyper planning mode. My PS made fun of me for overplanning until he sort of got the gist that I would be going this alone because my partner has some ability problems that means much of the household stuff is all on me. Plenty of people get friends or family to come in and do housework, etc, but in my home it's me and if I can't my partner can't either. The bills go unpaid; things fall apart fast. It's not a complaint, it's just our normal, but it's weird to others who don't have that as normal. Anyway, that's the start of the food fortress - I knew there'd be no grocery shopping for a couple months. Actually, I have a whole couple pages of planning notes stuck in my medical binder, but that would probably be detail overkill for y'all.

You've all been very kind and supportive and it means the world to me. I don't know how I could have gotten this far without this thread and you fabulous women.

So I am super grateful that my mobility is pretty good, reaching up is actually doable, but reaching sideways or back behind me, like to turn out the bedside lamp, or putting arms out spread-eagle - that is seriously tight. Did some stretches today and that is definitely something to work on.

I packed up my surgical drain holders and breast binder today - I've graduated to sports bras for the next few months. Climbed up on a kitchen chair this evening and restocked the upper kitchen food cabinet. Put a pile of stuff in the give-away box. Cleaned up the kitchen counters and managed to skip the afternoon nap I've been needing since surgery.

I'm telling you, getting that last drain out is like freedom in a bottle. I'll probably be sore tomorrow but today I am feeling good. Three days ago I had a neurology team and was depressed thinking of a life unable to read or walk alone ever again because of complications from a stupid surgery to chop off breasts I really kind of liked. My bum left hand with the nerve damage from "surgical positioning error" is coming back in shape, weak but better each day. And obviously got my brain back in working order once all the drugs were out of my system. Just between you and me, girls, a couple of those neurologists were handsome enough to make me not exactly unhappy that they had to hold me up during their tests, you know? *flutter* Glad most of my drs are women. I'd never be able to focus otherwise.

Hang in there upcoming surgery gals. This IS doable.

quick question. How many weeks until you can sleep on your stomach or side after a BMX?

Thanks!