June 2016 Surgeries!

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  • ARCats
    ARCats Member Posts: 137
    edited June 2016

    Hello everyone, I'm compelled to pray for all of you and the storms that you are facing. May the God of peace be with you all.

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  • WenchLori
    WenchLori Member Posts: 1,558
    edited June 2016

    Thank you ARCats, and may God be with you as well.

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  • Hopefloatsinyyc
    Hopefloatsinyyc Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2016

    good luck today to all who are having their surgeries today... Thinking tons about you! Hope we hear from you all when you are feeling up to it!

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  • kellychameleon
    kellychameleon Member Posts: 100
    edited June 2016

    Thanks! I'll check in when I can. Right now I'm sitting at home waiting until time to leave for the hospital (1.5 hours). Thankfully it's only a couple miles away. I am surprisingly calm this morning, but I would kill for some coffee and breakfast right now!

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  • xxyzed
    xxyzed Member Posts: 230
    edited June 2016

    So my surgery is all done. My chest looks a floppy mess and the drain tubes are much bigger than I expected. All went well. The surgery started at 9.15am and I started feeling awake enough and capable of doing things at about 4pm. No pain yet. I am taking panadol regularly and a muscle relaxant / nerve pain medication between the panadol. I am written up for much stronger drugs but have felt no need yet. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm in hospital for 4 to 6 days so I am confident I'll be looked after well. I had a lot of lymph nodes removed and the surgeon said he had trouble with one wrapped around a nerve which explains the tingling, prickling & numbness I've had for the last month. Hopefully there is no long lasting effects or lymphadema. Time will tell. Good luck to those coming up and hopefully my experience eases your fears just a little

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  • Lunderwood
    Lunderwood Member Posts: 125
    edited June 2016

    Think of everyone who is having surgery today and this week! Sending positive thoughts your way! HUGS!!!!

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  • Hopefloatsinyyc
    Hopefloatsinyyc Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2016

    glad to hear you are recovering xxyzed! Lucky to have care in hospital for that many days! Use it to take care of yourself and rest! Here, it's usually day surgery, unless you are getting reconstruction at same time, then it's one night if no complications!

    Hope the tingling goes away now that the lymph node is out of there!


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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited June 2016

    Hi folks, I've completed my awareness mission regarding ketorolac, blocks, opioids, NSAIDS. I am available for questions by PM. The link in the topic box is to the wound care thread that I worked on, also, available by PM for questions. Signing off here b/c my mission is complete. Hoping you all have excellent surgical experiences & outcomes, and excellent BC responses. LIVE LIFE and PROSPER sassy.

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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited June 2016

    Hi reposting this on some threads, may be old news to some, but to good of info not to pass this on,Sassy

    Cam00205Bluebird144…NJJoined: Apr 2013Posts: 393

    13 hours agoBluebird144 wrote:

    Knitted Knockers Charities is a non-profit that exists to provide free patterns for knitters and crocheters to be able to make knockers and help mastectomy patients get freeKnitted Knockers made by volunteers.

    I love my Knitted Knockers! They are light and soft and warm. Unlike my silicone prosthetic which is heavy and cold when first worn, then it later causes me to sweat.

    I wear my knitted knockers inside a regular bra or tucked in the pocket of a mastectomy bra. They are beautiful, and a godsend to those of us with an uneven mastectomy scar.

    image

    Knitted knockers website:

    http://www.knittedknockers.info/

    Fall down seven times, stand up eight.

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  • Lindzanne
    Lindzanne Member Posts: 94
    edited June 2016

    Here we are.......it's June. Hope it went well for those today. Nervous for mine tomorrow but a trying to stay calm and focused. I'm thinking of and sending good energy to all of us facing this month.

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  • Lindzanne
    Lindzanne Member Posts: 94
    edited June 2016

    And thank you everyone for your positive thoughts and well wishes too!

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  • WenchLori
    WenchLori Member Posts: 1,558
    edited June 2016

    Good luck tomorrow Lindzanne, CrawfordsMommy and Kawigirl on your surgeries tomorrow!

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  • Maya15
    Maya15 Member Posts: 323
    edited June 2016

    Good luck to those who are having surgery tomorrow!

    I'm checking in from my hospital bed. Surgery went pretty well today. Last night I had a full fledged meltdown at the thought of losing this breast and ending up even uglier than I am already with no hair, no eyebrows, face rash, etc.

    This morning when I arrived at the hospital things went very quickly, so I didn't have time to worry too much. I changed into a gown,nurse did the vitals and started an IV, then I saw the BS, PS and anesthesiologist who all asked questions about what drugs I'm taking, the surgeons marked me up for the incisions, explained what they would be doing and answered my questions. My main questions were what would I look like when I wake up and who's in charge of the pain meds. Then the nurses and the residents for both surgeons all came and introduced themselves, asked me to confirm what surgery I was having, etc. All told this took an hour, then they walked me to the OR. They told me they would put tube down my throat but only once I'm asleep. They put blankets over me and these wonderful warm booties that inflate and give you a leg massage to prevent clots (still have those after the surgery). They started preparing but they actually put me under right away so I have no other recollection of the OR. Next thing I knew, I ws waking up in the recovery room, very groggy and drifting in and out for the first hour or so. It was a fairly pleasant feeling.

    I won't lie, I did wake up in pain, and also very thirsty. I wasn't able to talk in sentences so I just used single words, "thirst" and "pain". They were really great. They asked me to rate the pain on a scale 1 to 10 and in my confusion I said 3. The nurse told me to up it to at least 4 because that's the cut off for getting the good painkillers, so then I said 5. They tried a whole bunch of meds to get it under control, those that worked were fentanyl and Percocet. Also Valium for the muscle tightness from the tissue expanders. The BS and PS both told me to insist on pain meds and ask for them, and I'm glad they did. It wasn't excruciating and it was under control really quick. The surgery itself took 2 hours and I was in the recovery room for about 4.5 hours, partly because of the pain, partly because I slept most of the time, and also because they were waiting for a room to take me to. I had no nausea or vomitting and was able to eat right away. The residents come about every hour during the day to check on the wound. I have had a look at it because it's bandaged with transparent stuff. It's not really round and it's very lumpy, partly, they say, because there are two large drain tubes in there. But it could be worse. It's time for sleep now...

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  • LRGO2016
    LRGO2016 Member Posts: 242
    edited June 2016

    Good luck everyone in this June 2016 group.

    I'm 4 weeks out from PBMX with immediate TE/reconstruction. Although I still have drains at weeks 4 post op, I'm essentially pain free, half way to full expansion, and am feeling GREAT!

    I hope each of your procedures are complete successes and you each heal fast, without complications or pain!

    I've posted (with pictures) the sewing steps needed to modify a front closure sports bra into an adjustable mastectomy bra. The entire process of conversion takes less than 30 minutes if you have (and know your way around) a sewing machine.

    Link: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topics...

    Sending healing thoughts your way!

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  • Kawigirl1260
    Kawigirl1260 Member Posts: 60
    edited June 2016

    Hello All!

    Had my smx this morning. Checked in hospital around 7:45, surgery just after 10, home by 2:30. And no nausea!! The anesthesiologist used IV only mix. No gas. It really helped! Had a patch behind my ear, too. Now, just resting.

    I hope everyone has as good an experience as mine. It was, by far, the best of the 3 procedures. Rest up and let the folks in your life pamper you!

    Peace to you all

    Pat

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  • Hopefloatsinyyc
    Hopefloatsinyyc Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2016

    everyone so far sounds like they have done so well! So great!!! Hope it continues

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  • kellychameleon
    kellychameleon Member Posts: 100
    edited June 2016

    Hi - checking in from the hospital after having surgery on Wednesday. The procedure all went well, but the epidural didn't work. Either the anesthesia or pain meds made me really sick, and so I spent a lot of the day throwing up yesterday. I slept great last night though and am feeling a million times better this morning. Pain is manageable and my appetite is coming back. My doctor's going to check on me this afternoon to determine if I can go home or if I should stay another night.

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  • Lindzanne
    Lindzanne Member Posts: 94
    edited June 2016

    Hi all, sounds like for the most part folks are doing fine or have at least gotten over some humps. Yesterday felt like a blur. I was so worried about going under but don't even remember it and all of a sudden I was awake and saying lots of funny nonsensical things to the nurses helping me. I had a patch before surgery for nausea since I do get a lot of motion sickness so my nausea was minimal and the pain meds aren't causing me any issues. Checked in at 8:30, left athe around 5. The doc told my husband they found nothing unexpected and so now just praying for clean margins and no more lymph involvement than what they've seen already. In WAY more pain than I was yesterday but it's manageable. My breast hardly hurts at all but where the took all the lymph nodes out is pretty bad but nothing unexpected. It's hard to remember not to use my arm!

    I had to laugh a bit because when I was getting dressed looking at my breast, it still looked pretty normal, and actually it's always been quite a bit bigger than the right one and now they look identical and proportionate! I guess you have to make lemonade right?

    I think I'll be down for awhile with all this pain. Everyone keeps saying to me, you'll feel like you want to get up and at it but you have to give yourself a break, which is hard for me, but I'm going to do it, and just take little steps back to normal. I hope everyone else has the time and care they need to do the same. And I hope everyone is healing up nicely and all upcoming surgeries go smoothly. Sending good energy, prayers, and hope to all of you.

    Lindsay.

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  • Opt4Life
    Opt4Life Member Posts: 191
    edited June 2016

    It is so inspiring to read how well everyone is doing--managing pain and getting on with life the best way we gals know how. Praying for speedy and uneventful recoveries.

    I am a little over a week away from surgery and now my plastic surgeon is having second thoughts about doing both breasts at the same time. He wants to see what if any shrinkage happens because of radiation and then do a reduction in the non-cancer side that will better match the cancer side. I don't want to have two surgeries so I told him 'absolutely not'. My breasts aren't symmetrical as it is so I'm certainly not worried about one being slightly smaller. His response was 'we'll see' how things go. Ugh! Trying not to stress about it.

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  • xxyzed
    xxyzed Member Posts: 230
    edited June 2016

    Hello all. It's me again. I'm sorry to hear some have been having a rough run with the surgery but glad any problems have been getting sorted. I've been recovering from the surgery well and had 2 of my 4 drains pulled yesterday being 2 days post surgery. My main concern at the moment is the prickling and crawling I've been having across my face since diagnosis before the surgery. I also had it down my arm but the surgery fixed that. I have now found out that this is called nerve pain even though it isn't painful just super annoying like being tortured. The medicine the surgeon has been giving me for it wasn't lasting until the next dose so I have been in all sorts of trouble. They have now added an extra dose so that I'm covered but I'm worried about them cutting off my medication supply and if this facial nerve pain means I have a tumour wrapped around wherever my facial nerve is Of course I'll express my concerns to my doctor when I see him today but that's not helping me in the middle of the night.

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  • barbski60
    barbski60 Member Posts: 39
    edited June 2016

    i am schedule for a BMX with TE on 06-24. Just want to get this over with.


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  • hanley50
    hanley50 Member Posts: 146
    edited June 2016

    Hi barbski60....I know what you mean. I have so much anxiety about this...just do it already! It will be over soon. (At least that's what I keep telling myself!)

    Maryann

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  • xxyzed
    xxyzed Member Posts: 230
    edited June 2016

    So my specialist says the nerve pain medication can be taken long term and that he has no intention of cutting out that drug. He also says that there is no nerve system that covers all of your face so it is not really possible for a tumour to be pressing onit and the cause is most likely anxiety related. I'm taking that as a win all round. I hope everyone else is doing ok.

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  • Lunderwood
    Lunderwood Member Posts: 125
    edited June 2016

    thanks for the update everyone! I have been having mini panic attacks due to the anxiety. So hard to focus on my work and family right now. Just want to get past the surgery. I am so proud of the courage that this group had shown and appreciate hearing the experience. Hugs!

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  • Why2015
    Why2015 Member Posts: 38
    edited June 2016

    Glad to hear you made it through surgery! Continued quick healing to you and all going through this journey! I write from phone so it is sometimes difficult to get to all the posts from everyone. Remember to eat well so that you heal properly. Warm wishes to you and any other peoplegoing through cancer treatment. I do not call it a "battle". I don't like that term, nor do I care for the term "fighting". I have continued to work because, I'm a solo act with no family in the area at all and no family who can help me in any way including financially. I told myself when this happened, I have to go through it alone, and I'm doing so. So please know that you can do it no matter your circumstances! It hasn't been easy, and I have to continue to work or else I could end up on the street. Just take each day as it comes and stay strong, only you know what you're going through, but my message is you're stronger than you may think! Take good care and cherish each moment

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  • xxyzed
    xxyzed Member Posts: 230
    edited June 2016

    I hate the way people refer to it as a battle and fighting too. In my mind it is what it is and I am no stronger than the next person. I really don't know why people always say I'm strong as I meltdown sometimes just like everyone else. I know that for me given everything else on my plate continuing to work in my executive role wasn't an option so am currently on leave. We'll have to just see if there's a job to go back to when I'm up to it.My one and only goal is to live through each day and I'll try my best to achieve that. I also knew very early on given the experience with my husbands illness and death that I could not do this by myself and have decided that I need many hands to lift me up and carry me through the hard times. As I don't have a partner anymore or family close by that I can have available immediately I'm getting help mostly from the school mums, friends and charities and my family when they can. I think each person needs to work with what fits best for them. Of course it upsets me terribly when people on the other side say I just couldn't have gotten through without the support of my partner and family when I'm still on this side with no partner, limited family and 2 young boys to take care of so what hope have I got.

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  • Maya15
    Maya15 Member Posts: 323
    edited June 2016

    Lunderwood, I took klonopin for the panic attacks/anxiety prior to surgery.

    I came home yesterday after 2 nights in the hospital. Once out of the recovery room I was doing quite well, had dinner etc, but at 11 pm I was in agonizing pain. Pain kept going from a 2 to a 9/10 very suddenly throughout the night. Looks like the culprit is the tissue expander which is under the muscle. They gave me IV morphine, which worked great, but it only lasted 2 hours, and they would only give it every 4. The next 8 hours were like that: they gave me good stuff, it worked great, then it wore off after 2 or 3 hours and each time the nurse would say I could only have some more every 4/6/8 hours depending on the med. in the meantime it hurt even to breathe. So I spent the next day battling the nurses and doctors and trying to convince them they had to come up with a real schedule alternating the meds instead of waiting for me to be in agony and then giving me every thing at once and repeating the same thing all over again 2 hours later.

    DH and I must have summoned about 20 doctors and nurses : both surgeons, all their residents, anesthesiologists, pain resident, attending pain specialist, etc. instead of relying on the nurses as intermediaries we asked to speak to those making the decisions. BS told me not to let them pressure me to go home until pain was under control, and I refused to leave the hospital until I had a new regimen I had tested out in hospital keeping me pain free over 12 hours. I worked with the nurses to come up with a written schedule to alternate the meds, and I got them to agree to give me the meds on schedule instead of once I was already in pain and to wake me up if necessary at night when it was time for a dose. Second night went really well with that plan and I got plenty of sleep. I recommend you check your meds before you leave, they were only going to give me 2 days pain meds to take home because that's all the insurance would pay for. It's easier to sort these things out while you're still there.

    Otherwise it's not too bothersome, I can move my arm enough to eat, read, wipe in the bathroom etc. Drains are cumbersome but not painful, I have them pinned to a belt around my waist.

    And the best news off all, as I was being discharged, my BS called and said the pathology report was in and I had a PCR to chemo, they found no trace of cancer in breast and lymph nodes (before chemo I had multiple tumors all over the breast and a whole bunch of malignant lymph nodes)!


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  • Hopefloatsinyyc
    Hopefloatsinyyc Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2016

    maya... First and foremost.... Wooooooohoooo!!!!!!! Awesome news on the pathology!!!!

    Your hospital stay sounds frustrating, but so impressed with you advocating for a plan that worked to manage your pain! Far too often we feel as patients to just let the health care professionals take over- but cancer treatment teaches us to be strong and make sure our voice is heard! Glad you are home!


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  • kellychameleon
    kellychameleon Member Posts: 100
    edited June 2016

    Maya, congrats on the pcr!!! Such great news! I'm sorry you had so much pain in the hospital and am glad you were able to work it out.

    I came home yesterday evening, and so far so good. My mom's keeping my kids for at least a week, probably 2 and bringing them over for short supervised visits. I'm kind of enjoying a forced break from everything. Pain is totally manageable so far; hoping it remains that way

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  • tsoebbin
    tsoebbin Member Posts: 474
    edited June 2016

    So good to get caught up on how everyone is doing. I'm still working on what to do next.. so many decisions!

    After my lumpectomy and the discovery of IDC I was a bit stunned and not really sure what to do next. Scared and freaked out is probably a description.

    I will for sure have a mastectomy for the left side possibly a bilateral. I'm really struggling on what to do for the reconstruction. I'm having the CT this week and see the plastic surgeon on June 8th to discuss diep flap surgery. I'm not sold on that surgery. But I'm trying to listen to what everyone has to say before I make a decision.

    After reading others months surgery threads now I'm wondering about direct to implant and if that's even an option for me? I'll have to ask this plastic surgeons about that.

    My husband and I had a great discussion about no reconstruction last night. I'd sure like to get all of this behind me and recovery seems just so much quicker that it seems like a really smart option.

    As you can see, I'm all over the place!!! I need to decide soon and get surgery scheduled.

    I went back to work this last week, and I'll work up until my next surgery. It was nice to be back and I really appreciate my co-workers. They were welcoming, but gave me time to get settled before they asked too many questions.

    Sending hugs and hope you're all having a peaceful evening. 😃


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