December 2016 Surgeries

So when we met for MO the other day, we did ask about a pet scan, she said right now it could give a false reading as my breast area will light up. She prefers a CT to be baseline etc. Lots of friends in Radiology and they agree with her. CT at this point is better than PET in my case.

. Redememptive my back hurts also, but I am thinking it is because #1 I am lopsided now. #2 I have slept in a recliner for 10 days. #3 in my bed still hard to sleep on left side so sleeping on right and back and the pain is in my right side.

I do get a massage once a month, and I am due for one, and my body always tells me Its time. Not quite sure if I can lay on stomach for massage, could be my reluctance right now

redemptivesuferrer- my MO pushed for full body PET with insurance after diagnosis. I think she routinely does this and I'm glad she did. A 6 cm mass was found in my right kidney that turned out to be most likely renal cell carcinoma per a urologist after looking through PET and follow up CT scan. Biopsy was not an option given location of mass (needle during pull-out could spread cancer elsewhere) and because of size, they decided removal was necessary. My robotic laparascopic kidney removal will be 1/11. I had a follow-up CT scan this afternoon as urologist wanted another look to better prep for surgery - make sure it hasn't grown outside kidney. I likely won't know results until I meet with him for pre-surgery appointment next Tuesday..though I will call the office on Monday to see if he'll just spill beans then as I'm on def con level 5 anxiety. Survival rates for advanced kidney cancer aren't very good at all. I've been repeatedly assured that kidney cancer is a slow growing beast but I don't find that very comforting given odds have not been in my favor during this whole BC process (you know the drill; most mammo call backs result in nothing/false alarms etc).

I'm grateful for the PET scan as kidney cancer is a slow and silent killer- thought I should say that they do mostly throw up false alarms. I had another light-up in throat that is likely nothing. Haven't been tested or anything but during meeting with RO last week, he took a long look at area from PET scan and noted he didn't see anything. I also had area in ovaries light up but it was noted most likely a menstrual cycle kind of thing (I'll be getting an oopherectomy during hormone therapy portion of treatment and who knows? Maybe there'll be cancer there.) At this rate, nothing surprises me anymore...well the pain of tissue expanders did! I though everything after chemo &mastectomy was going to be a breeze.

I had surgery on the 22nd. A lumpectomy on the left. I got word yesterday that I am cancer free. I haven't had my follow-up so all I have is the pathology report. From what I can tell this tumor was something that could have turned into cancer and I will have to be closely monitored.

I am still in pain 8 days later and my nipple, only a portion of it, is black, crusted over and sunken in. I had some bloody discharge as well. I did NOT have this before surgery. There was no discharge. I showered to see if getting my skin moisturized would help. This might sound silly. But the nipple actually did perk up. However, much to my horror, it looks like there is a huge hole in my nipple. And there is a bit of red extending around the dark scaly part.

Is this normal???? Any feedback at all is appreciated. I've only been reading here and never posted. This is my first.

Thanks!

TTgirl, that does not sound normal. How urgent it is is impossible to say, but if there is a 24/7 nurse you can call, that would be worth doing. I wouldn't want to take chances. If it doesn't look like it it is clearly improving, i'd even consider an ER visit to be safe. Black is a sign the tissue is dying. I was scared about that for myself, but then the dark areas on my nipple seemed more dark purple so seemed like just bruising. If it is necrotic, they can treat it before it spreads

Hello December 2016 surgery sisters! I had three lumps (ILC) and 5 nodes removed on the left side on 21 December... what a crazy saga we are on. I am so fortunate that the nodes were clean... less fortunate in that my margins were not. Will be having a BMX in January (date tbd), and it appears my only option for reconstruction is expander => implants. Met with PS this week, and will have a strategy session with my surgeon this week. I dread surgery again, but want this thing gone. ILC is so sneaky... having bilateral surgery not only to nip anything lurking in the right breast in the bud, but also for symmetry... no way I'm reconstructing an F cup! ;

Also have had almost instant problems with cording, and concerns about lymphodema... anyone else had such a quick onset for these problems? Starting PT tomorrow (initial consult was last week).

For those of you who have already undergone the mastectomy surgery... what to expect? How does the TE feel (it looks so combersome!)? Did anyone else have itching with opioids? I ended up on Vicodin, Benadryl (for the itching) and Valium (for the cording pain), and slept through most of Christmas week... are ther opioids that are less likely to cause the itching?

Thank the gods for this site, and a way to connect with you all. Here is to a happy and healing new year!

Thanks so much! Yes I am in the dc area. I have had some success taking valium and advil so maybe you are correct. I will look into the physical therapy and the thread you posted.

Hi MyJourneys, so glad to see you back on but so sorry about all the stuff you have been going thru!  It is a whirlwind to say the least for all of us. 

Because mine was grade 3, IDC and node positive (2/5) I have to have chemo, then radiation, then hormonal treatment.  Sounds so overwhelming and scary to me but I will forge one.

I get my port installed on the 10th and first chemo on 12th.  I am dreading it all!

Thinking of you and all the other ladies on here.  Hope everyone had a Happy New Years and that 2017 brings us all cancer free health!

Traci

Happy New Year!

It's been 11 days since by bilateral masectomy surgery. It was a blessing! They took two lymph nodes on each side and they were both negative.

My husband, children, family and friends have been such a strong support for me. Especially my husband who's been on my side day and night. He helped me in/out of bed, get around, giving me my meds, feeding me, giving me sponge baths and more!

I've been off my pain meds for over a week now. I'mean now taking Tylenol and ibuprofen.

I've had my appointment my plastic surgeon last week. He took of my binder and all of my drains. Thank God! He added 50cc of saline on each side. I will be seeing him weekly.

I am scheduled to also see my main surgeon, who did the Bilateral Masectomy, next week as. I think he will have the pathologist report on all of three lesions that will determine if I need further treatments. We are hoping and praying that I will not any further treatments.

It has been a roller coaster ride since my diagnose back in October 31st. Since my surgery, it has been very difficult and enduring. I've been so uncomfortable. My stomach isn't stable. Sleeping has been inconsistent. I feel that I'm never going to be normal again.

I still have four more weeks off until I go back to work.

Wishing everyone a Healthy New Year!!!

dcbc, could you not go direct to implants? I may yet require a mastectomy, but since my nodes and chest wall margins were clear, my surgeon has said i would be able to skip radiation and have immediate reconstruction. I'm not sure how they do a mastectomy and implants after a lumpectomy + lift with a lollipop incision, but i'll cross that bridge if i come to it. Best of luck

Hi ladies,

RedemptiveSufferer - thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm so sorry your eyes are bothering you. That's got to be hard. It is quite amazing the collateral damage we suffer from surgeries. I have ear barotrauma from PS sending me to hyperbaric oxygen treatment - which blew out both my middle ears. 6 weeks and still not healed.

tlgio17 - My BC dr did send me to PT with an Rx. She said I was ready and I felt that I was, too. I was going to develop strength only as I had no cording and only residual armpit pain from BMX, drain incision scars in my armpits (couldn't my PS put them a little lower away from hair & sweat!?!) and implants that feel like they are in my pits unless I stand like a Westpoint cadet. Please make sure you have gentle massage from PT/massage therapy. One bad PT messed me up with very aggressive massage/stretching. I was down to a level 4/5 pain and now I am back up to 7/8 and cannot lift anything with left arm. I kick myself that I didn't say "stop" to her. You put your trust in these people and it can backfire.

ttgirl - I had dark purple area on incision that they thought might have to be debrided. BC doctor had me put silvadene on it 2 X day with sterile non-stick pads & tape. It was ardous but worth it as the skin finally crusted over and completely scabbed. Maybe you can snap a photo and text/email your BC or PS?

pepper43 - prayers that the kidney spot is an incident-aloma and nothing more

Lilo, thanks for all the useful info! Keep me posted on the news from your nephew! I'm a rower, and I will be devastated if I can't get back to it... I figure I will have to miss most of next season, but not sure I can give it up forever!

I will ask for Percocet for next surgery.... the added insult of Benadryl on top of everything else was not a good thing!

Hope you get drains out soon... maybe best to try to slowly ramp up to activity? Good luck getting drains out asap, and hope that the discomfort abates... I agree, the idea of months and months of having them in is what bothers me most about the whole thing. Please let me know if it gets easier!

Oh. and I like to say to those who did not put in an expander at this point. I decided not too since my cancer is so..well we do not know yet at all...so I did not dear too...but there are so many different types of reconstructions more than expanders and silicon. They can do flaps, flips and dieps (sorry can´t remember all the different names) and so many different alternatives so do not worry about that at this point is my advice

Thank you "Goincrzy8"! I'm so sorry that you're going through an aggressive chemo. May God bless you!!! I'm here for you as well as the rest of us.

Thanks Kattis894--I am one of those getting a port soon (10th) and am nervous so thank you for the info.   Just another step along the journey.  Can you sleep ok on the side you have port installed?  I already am sleeping on back or left side due to mastectomy on right side so I hope I can still get comfortable after the port is in.

RenneeCA, thanks for the info on the PT.  LOL at standing like a cadet.  Oh the joys (not) of all this craziness we have to endure!  I plan on asking dr about it at next apt and will go from there.

Hope all the other Dec ladies are doing well, I am back to work tomorrow so hoping that goes well as I get ready to deal w treatment, etc.

Hugs,

Traci