July 2016 Surgeries

1…5681011…17

Comments

  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    Lisey, seromas are common after breast surgery. I had two. One in my axilla and a very large one in my left breast. My BS wasn't concerned and said unless I saw redness and warmth they would eventually reabsorb. I ended up needing a MX so that took care of the breast seroma. The seroma in the axilla ended up getting a bit hard from radiation. I never had any issues with redness or infection so just take good care of yourself and call your surgeon at the first sign of trouble.

    Novmoon, I got misty eyed over your DH's birthday "gift". How sweet! Glad you are doing well and got one drain out! I really hate the darn things. I can't believe I am a week away from surgery. I am in full "get er done" mode at work, lol.

    joiseg, glad you are doing well! Hopefully your surgeon was right and your pathology report comes back negative on your nodes. Is your tumor being sent for oncotype dx?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VLH
    VLH Member Posts: 1,258
    edited July 2016

    I ended up switching to a lumpectomy (and sentinal node biopsy) and had surgery yesterday. I'm very glad to have the use of my dominant right hand. I had an unexpectedly difficult time in the recovery room, but didn't need drains. I was miserable by the day before surgery because I couldn't take my NSAID meds so it's nice to have access to them again plus the steroid administered during surgery has eased the pain on my encapsulated shoulder so that's been an unexpected benefit. Now comes the wait for test results.

    Sending healing thoughts out to those recovering as well as those with surgeries yet to come...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • josieg
    josieg Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2016

    VLH sending you healing thoughts! Sorry to hear you had a difficult time in recovery and hoping you are feeling better today.

    Mollie50 - BS said she's holding off oncotype DX for now but may order it once we get pathology results back. Happy that I've been able to move around a bit today - I'm not feeling too sore, and it's mainly the grogginess and sore throat from the general that is making me a bit slower than usual.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WenchLori
    WenchLori Member Posts: 1,558
    edited July 2016

    Welcome joseig, I also had the blue pee, very pretty lol Your very brave to consider conscious surgery! I'd never even consider it! I'm a major chicken when it comes to pain!

    Lisey, no drains? Wow! I wonder how many PS's don't do drains? I hope it is absorbed by your body and you can avoid having it drained! I can't even imagine having the possibility of an infection after all we have been through, I know it's there in the back of my mind but like you, I don't want to go there! My prayers and best wishes are with you! Also, are you having implants or have you decided to go flat? I can't recall if you had problems with your TEs?? Sorry major pain med brain here! If my hubby didn't call me by my name I think I'd forget it too!

    Sending prayers for LM and FeMichelle on your surgeries tomorrow! I'll be in your pockets!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WenchLori
    WenchLori Member Posts: 1,558
    edited July 2016

    I'm behind a couple of pages, I'll try to catch up! I know I'll need to take notes

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pab
    pab Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2016

    Hi all! I'm a week and a half out and feeling pretty ok. (TE exchange-silicone implants 800cc) still have quite a bit of swelling on my right-side that was radiated- PS said it will take some time and radiated skin doesn't like surgery. I was very very down about the 'look' of everything and I'm trying to stay positive that the swelling will go down and they will look a little more similar. I was having a very difficult time emotionally because I really didn't know what to expect but I think I expected them to look a little more the same. Time will tell!I am looking forward to hopefully wearing a 'normal' bra soon!

    Healing thoughts and prayers to all!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VLH
    VLH Member Posts: 1,258
    edited July 2016

    Thanks, Josie. I hope your throat is better. Mine is sore as well. I talked to the anesthesiologist about not using inhaled / general anesthesia, but the studies don't seem compelling enough yet to sway them away from the traditional technique.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • beebs2704
    beebs2704 Member Posts: 128
    edited July 2016

    VLH and Josie..hope you 7/14 ladies are healing well. I finally slept through the night, well, almost. I discovered that the Dilaudid gives me insomnia!! And when I mean insomnia, I mean..awake for hours in the night. Yesterday was not as good recovery day for me. I'm hopeful today will be better however am off to a cottage for a week to be babied and pampered by others

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    Beth, enjoy the cottage. It sounds wonderful. pab, I think it's going to take a few months before you really know how you are going to look. Hopefully by the time I have my exchange surgery you will have things settling down.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited July 2016

    wench - stage and grade are not interconnected - they are separate and distinct, but should be taken into consideration when making treatment decisions. When "not detected" is listed for LVI it means they did not see any.

    Your little p stands for surgical pathology, big T is tumor with 1 as size and extent - so PT1c means that this is surgical pathology with a tumor measuring greater than 10mm but less than 20mm, N is nodes and the 1 is involvement, so PN1a means that you have surgical pathology of nodes with between 1-3 nodes positive for cancer. If you have nodal involvement you can't be a stage 1A and the 1a on the pathology is not what corresponds to typical stages I-IV that you see in people's sig lines. Depending on the size of the cancer in your nodes you would be staged at 1B or 2A. To classify as 1B the nodes can only be micrometastasis, smaller than 2mm. If larger than that you would be 2A. Here is the link for staging info:

    http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/staging#stage1

    Also, here is some info from Johns Hopkins that explains the surgical pathological TNM system better:

    http://pathology.jhu.edu/breast/staging.php

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tsoebbin
    tsoebbin Member Posts: 474
    edited July 2016

    I'm tired and frustrated this morning. Another drain failed late last night. It was still putting out 50+ CCS per day and it's on the side that is still swollen and had the bleed the doc went back in to repair 4 days post BMX.

    Called the on call doc (cancer doc, but not a breast specialist) and she had my husband remove the drain.

    It's more swollen on that side this morning. Uuggggh.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WenchLori
    WenchLori Member Posts: 1,558
    edited July 2016

    Thank you Sassy for helping me get thru my path report! I feel a lot better!

    Thank you SpecialK, unfortunately my path report doesn't specify stage?? I will make phone calls on Monday, I want to know why that and my Nottingham Histologic score is also missing. Did they not do those tests/results?

    We also went over the Invasive Ductal Carcinoma with Micropapillary features diagnosis. I'm like what the heck is that?!? We discussed treatment and I have a good idea what needs to be done to get through all of this. Sassy and my adopted RN daughter Maria recommended I take an aggressive approach. I will know more on Tursday... If my insurance approves Dr Allerton. Let's see how long this takes?!

    Love and hugs to ev

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited July 2016

    wench - you won't see stage on your path report, it is not for the pathologist to state, but rather for your oncologist to explain. As far as re-testing for grade, sometimes it is done, sometimes not - as are hormonal receptors/Her2 also. If you are ER+ and Her2- the Oncotype Dx will provide a re-check of that info, and also show the level of aggressiveness that grade provides

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    Tsoebbin, have you called your surgeon? That's got to be really uncomfortable.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bigbluefish
    Bigbluefish Member Posts: 41
    edited July 2016

    have a date. 7/27 nipple spaying / skin sparing left mastectomy with tissue expander and sentinel node dissection. yikes! Still feels unreal

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tsoebbin
    tsoebbin Member Posts: 474
    edited July 2016

    Yes, I talked to the surgeon. She wanted go back in anyway to irrigate the muscle in there so she will reinsert the drain at the same time. So... an outpatient procedure at the hospital one day this week. So for now I'm just filling up but she doesn't seem to think it's a problem.

    It's not terribly uncomfortable... I just hope it doesn't get that way.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    bigbluefish, congratulations on setting a date. It does sound like a lot!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VLH
    VLH Member Posts: 1,258
    edited July 2016

    Enjoy your time of pampering, beebs2704 . I'm just taking prescription strength Ibuprofen, which is my usual pain medication, so not dealing with insomnia as you are.

    Having had surgeries in the past, I'm surprised at how sore my throat is this time. They must have used a horse-sized breathing tube. :-(

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bigbluefish
    Bigbluefish Member Posts: 41
    edited July 2016

    Thank you. Genetic testing came back this week. My BS called the same day to tell me we were set for 7/27. Two months of waiting for it to be gone and yet when it is gone so will my breast. Bittersweet.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VLH
    VLH Member Posts: 1,258
    edited July 2016

    I'm sorry, Bigbluefish. Bittersweet indeed... :-(

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gammaw55
    gammaw55 Member Posts: 16
    edited July 2016

    7-27-2016 bmx SNB

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    Welcome gammaw55! I will add you to the list.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • josieg
    josieg Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2016

    VLH - your 'horse sized breathing tube' comment made me smile - I think they used that on me too! I finally got a good sleep last night & feel better. The first night I took tramadol & it made me a bit loopy so no more. Pain pretty light now. Took off dressings yesterday & have quite the multi colored artwork under my arm.

    Thinking of you bigbluefish xx


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • twintwin2
    twintwin2 Member Posts: 54
    edited July 2016

    bigbluefish, bittersweet is a good way to describe it. I waited on genetic testing as well. Originally was on same DX, surgery timeline as you but managed to get in for surgery a week earlier on the 21st. Just had to cancel an Alaskan cruise to make it happen. Waiting is awful but the time really does go by fast. Hugs to you.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Pinkjellyrollz1963
    Pinkjellyrollz1963 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2016

    7/19/2016 Bilateral Mastectomy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Pinkjellyrollz1963
    Pinkjellyrollz1963 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2016

    7/19/16 BMX

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bigbluefish
    Bigbluefish Member Posts: 41
    edited July 2016

    twintwin2, I'm so sorry that you had to cancel your trip. That stinks. But I think you will enjoy Alaska all the more once this is done and over!! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited July 2016

    Dear Pinkjellyrollz, Welcome to the community. We are glad that you reached out here. Keep us posted on your surgery and recovery. We are sending you healing thoughts. The mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bdmommy
    Bdmommy Member Posts: 15
    edited July 2016

    Hello everyone!

    Glad to see everyone navigating the recovery process. I had the BMX, SNB/ALND and TE last Thursday. It was supposed to be outpatient surgery but ended up being transferred to the hospital via ambulance because of my oxygen levels being extremely low. Only highlight of the whole thing was the very hot fireman that transported me to the hospital. Am very sore and still groggy from the painkillers, but I'm getting by. The home health nurse comes once a day and said everything looks good, just a very small hematoma on the right side. The compression bra they put on me while I was out and sent me home in was VERY tight, is hurt it was so tight. I had purchased a couple breast binders before hand and asked if I could switch to it, now it is not as tight, but its itchy, just can't win! My followup with the BS is Tuesday and I'll get my pathology reports then. I also followup with the PS on Wednesday. Am a bit anxious to get my pathology results.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited July 2016

    Bdmommy, thanks for checking in. I hope you feel better and better each day and can ditch the itchy binder. twintwin2, sorry about cancelling your trip!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories