November 2016 Surgeries

I always said if I was diagnosed, I would have a bilateral mastectomy. My surgeon would only do the unilateral back in January, so I have been living with one breast. I get my other removed on Thursday. It just makes me feel better, makes it easier to get good recon results, and I get rid of my extremely dense breast tissue! I'm looking forward to not dealing with a prosthetic too!

Surgery is scheduled for Nov. 18. The machine that inserts the location wire isn't working at the hospital surgery takes place, so, I will go to a hospital fifteen minutes away for the wire, get dressed, and my husband drives me to the operating hospital! There is still a "chance" they will get the broken machine working. What a deal

Thanks Linda - my surgery is Nov 14th and I was looking for tops with drains but you are right $60-80!! With being out of work that doesn't fit the budget but $20 drain pockets will work

Scheduled for lumpectomy Nov 9. Anxious to see what the sentinal node tells us. Good Luck ladies. Lots of love an prayers headed everyone's way.

Everyone is different when it comes to pain and recovery time after surgery. I took pains meds and muscle relaxers regularly the first week, then cut back after my right mastectomy and auxiliary node dissection in January. Every surgeon is different with their post op restrictions and instructions too! I wasn't allowed to drive for about 4 weeks. My surgeon said no driving while the drains were in. Most of my pain was from the 31 nodes being removed. My incision didn't bother me much. Good luck everyone. I work tomorrow, then surgery on Thursday!

Good to hear from you grandma3X!

Will be thinking of you tomorrow, StayMom!!!

I had nipple sparing BMX with immediate reconstruction on 9/28. i stayed two nights in the hospital but was up and walking around the next day. I took 3 weeks off from work, a co-worker had set up a "Meal Plan" online and it was emailed to everyone who had been telling me they wanted to help. I added things I thought I might need assistance with (meals, check in, etc). I had a friend stay with me the first 2 nights and then was by myself a couple of nights until a friend from out of town came to stay for a week. By then I was ready to get out of the house, so we went sight seeing. I felt okay, until I sat down in my recliner and then I was out!!!! The weekend before I went back to work I walked the Denver Rock and Roll 10k. My PS knew I was initially planning on running the 1/2 marathon and had been running a race every month since January, but he's married to a runner so he understood my need to at least walk it; so he reluctantly gave me approval.

I feel really lucky compared to other posts I have read. I have expanders so my pectoral muscles were tight for a few weeks, but other than that I've had little to no pain. My Right drain came out after one week, the left drain came out the 2nd week. So now that it's been a month, everything has healed with the exception of my nipples; no pain, just necrosis and that was all explained to me prior to surgery. I'll be having surgery Friday to get both nipples removed. I'm not worried about any of it at all....not sure why, but am totally okay with whatever needs to happen. I've been that way since being told I tested positive for cancer. When chemo is finished (TC - 4 treatments total, once every 3rd week), I should be done with the expansion part and will get implants (going to a B cup so I can run and ride my horses easier)...and then....my very first tattoo! I'm super excited about that.

I've tried to maintain a positive attitude throughout it all and have done pretty good at it. I asked the PS to install squeeky toys for fun, I've asked for the cute anesthesiologist for surgeries, and just try to find the positive in any news given (I was told for 19 years I was high risk and when finally diagnosed from an MRI and biopsy, told the Doc "Well then, chop, chop. Let's get to it and get it taken care of. I've got races to run and horse shows!" I've already purchased a wig for when my hair falls out and adore the style so much that I can hardly wait to wear it. At first sight of my hair falling out, I will be having a party at my house to shave my head...I'll try a mohawk and any other crazy hairstyle I can. Breast Cancer picked the wrong girl....I'm already thinking of costumes to wear to chemo sessions (since it will be around the holidays). Might as well make this adventure a fun one! I'm expecting tough days from chemo, but I keep telling myself it's only 4 infusions and there are others who have it way worse than I do.

My apologies for rambling. Prayers and positive thoughts for my pink warrior sisters!

Thank you Seedsally. I'm getting more tense with updated diagnoses and approaching surgery date. We help take care of my husbands elderly parents (blindness, dementia, etc.), so it's a circus here getting everyone taken care of during my surgery, recovery, and radiation treatments. Other family members are rearranging their schedules to take care of them AND me. I'll be glad when life gets back to some semblance of "normal

Hi all, I guess I belong in the Nov surgery room. I now have my second cancer after 8 years and I have to have a Left modified radical mastectomy. Scheduled for surgery Nov 30th. Doctor said over night stay in hospital. I may not have to have Chemo and I am liking that,Chem is my biggest fear. Still waiting on a couple of. test results.I am wishing everyone going through this good luck.

In 2008 I had a lumpectomy and Mammo site radiation. I also took Arimedex for 4 years. I have had a complete hysterectomy. I am 71 and will be 72 on Dec 7th. I am divorced and raising my 15 year old grandson. He has anger issues and has to take medication and goes to therapy. The test I have had for this one is a 3D mri, ultra sounds and several mammograms. My dr also wanted me to have the genetic testing and he is doing a mammoprint. Waiting on those two results now. He said he is going to take about 15 lymph nodes and will only do my left breast. He said anyone that has had radiation like mine there is tissue damage and we don't heal as fast. I am not doing reconstruction. He said he wouldn't even try at this point anyway. Besides at my age I don't mind going flat. The good thing is that only the one lymph node lit up and the place he did my biopsy. My doctor is Dr Michael Cross and he is awesome. He has written several papers and done tremendous things in the Breast cancer care and prevention research. I am so blessed to have him.

It does get hard sometimes. I have felt resentful sometimes at his parents and his other grandparents that just dropped out of his life. His mom text him but that is about all.I have a real good support group for my cancer journey tho.

Logang and Staymom, I'm thinking of you and hope you are both doing well! Hang in there and keep taken your pain meds. Hugs to both! Getting ready for my surgery Monday.

OG56 ,It sucks big time doesn't it. But this is the place to get the special support we need. My doctor said I have to have mastectomy this time because of the radiation damage. I can look back and say why didn't I do that to begin with. But I will not cry over spilled milk and just know that what I am going through is helping doctors learn more about mamo site radiation and the long term affects of it. I had to get a flu shot which I have only done once and I was not happy about that. I have felt bad for a couple of days now.

For everyone that has just had their surgery I hope you are doing ok and hope everything heals good for you.