March 2017 Surgery

goldie63, thanks for the link. I am a physio, but have NO oncology background. I would think not moving much for the first 2 weeks would promote cellular healing. You will have drainage as part of normal healing.

so my MX is monday.with expander Had alergic rxn to disolving stitches romantic my jan hysterectomy. Then massive allergy to Neosporin, not a pretty sight!

I am starting to pack and clean up. I can't remember what I forgot for last 2 surgeries. Any recommendations?

We had a massive 2 day wind storm, and miraculously we did not lose power or have damage to the house. Half of our town is in the dark with below freezing temps. I should be happy for cold weather, I can wear bulky hooded and flannel shirt without looking wierd!LOL

my PS said he may use a vaccuum dressing . What is that...basically suction on the chest with a portable vaccuum attached. I guess I will be surprised to see what I end up with when I wake up.

Wierd question....did anyone take "before" photos? Someone recommended to take photos, but I don't want photos on my device or computer. Would it really help PS to get a better result. I guess I'm a bit conservative, but not a prude.

I am thinking of all of you! We can do this, and as my DD said," just think, you will be healthy after all of this!"

Yvonne. . .thanks for the info. The weather here is crazy. I need to go to Walmart or Bargain Hunt and get some cheap shirts that button up. Everything I have is pullover which I won't be able to wear for a few weeks again.

As for drains, for my BMX, I kept detailed phone notes of the output from my 4 drains. On day 9, one started hurting badly because it shifted. PS had me come in. When I showed her the record and the total output for the last couple of days, she took all 4 out.

My new PS said I will only have the drains for a week this time if he puts them in.

Very tired as I worked 11 hours today and I'll be working 7 more straight then on leave for surgery and recovery.

Scottie

gosh, that's a lot of work! Please try to take it easy!

Bareclaws, that is so wonderful you had all that pre surg advice! I didn't know about drains until I came to this board. Everything actually that I have learned or gleaned tips from, is from this board! When she said start walking after surgery, she just means at a slow pace,right? I know just walking a little bit I got dizzy, but knew I needed to get things moving. Just curious. I don't know, you'll know what you need to do and go by how you feel. That's what I'm learning on Day 5 post surg.

2Fun, I almost took pictures, but went with the same thought as you, don't want that out there, but that's just me and my modesty. Can't believe how many people have seen my boob the past couple months. LOL! A real breakthrough on my shyness. I love what your daughter said!!

Thanks Sitti! We'll see how my surgeon is this week at our followup and results day. Gosh, I'm praying I see the guy I saw when I first met him, he was so kind and loving. If not, it is what it is and I can only control who I am.

Scottie!!! You take it easy! And drive safe! I need to get some tops too, like you, I have the same issue. I looked in my husband's closet and the button up tops are just not gonna work for public.

Do you all have Oncologists? I don't have one.

Have any of you had any leakage from the tube that is coming out of your body? I had some last night and want to know if this is normal.

Hi,

I have been lurking these boards since my diagnosis last September but this is my first post. They have helped me a lot and I reckon it's time to pay back forward. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy on Wednesday, March 8th. All went well, my nodes were negative and today I will be able to remove the dressings and have a real shower.

MariH - I did not have a drain for the SNB. My BS said drain only with full axillary clearance. It was easier than I imagined. I used numbing cream on my areola for the injection and also on my tumor for the wire and it was not too bad.

Yvonne, I am shocked at the rude and cavalier attitude of your surgeon. Do you have TE's or no reconstruction? He could have put your health in danger with those answers if you weren't educated by this site. My RT mx was really easy and painless until one week post op I developed a hematoma which ruptured and I ended up with emergency surgery and blood transfusion.

Gardner4, breast cancer can hurt. Mine did months before my lump could be felt.

I had my pre op with my PS. He's going to do a right mastopexy as well because my exploding hematoma left me with a lower right side.

lifeb4me, I lurked for a long time too. Once I found this site I no longer felt alone, even if I didn't post. Just reading different posts was so helpful. Glad you jumped in. And also, what great news that your nodes were negative.

MariH, I had an LX, a pretty large area, and didn't have any drains. I've read where others have had an LX and have had drains. I don't know if it is the surgeon's preference, the area of the breast, or both that makes the difference. I didn't originally have SNB so I don't know about that.

goldie63, Glad you are feeling good today.

2FUN, I read a few post from ladies with the vacuum suction and it seems like it was very helpful.

Beachluv, plantchild, LisbethS hope your surgeries went well yesterday and you are resting comfortably.

We are expecting snow tonight after a month or so of unseasonably warm weather. If it should stay cold for a few weeks then the pocketed hoodie will be great.

Thinking of all you wonderful ladies.

jrow7

I feel you on the SNB site, is also what bothers me the most. I'm about 10 days in and finally feeling like myself today. I think is because I'm no longer taking any meds and the swell has come down a lot on my operated breast. I did the same chemo regimen before my surgery and you're right, go day by day. Keep the same mentality through the port placement -- which will be easy breasy compared to the surgery you just had -- and chemo and take in all the info your Oncologist and these amazing forums have to give you. However don't stress over the side effects, we all react differently. Let's say I got 2/3 down of my processes, but the fact that you got one of the out of the way is already a victory. At the end of the line we will feel like it all passed in no time.

Sitti

Thank you! I love to see how you interact with each and everyone of us and gives us comfort it inspires me to do the same.

I was feeling a little off due to the meds but overall great about my recovery. I will see my PS, BS and Oncologist (to talk about hormonal therapy) this week, I haven't had any news about the path reports yet but they sounded pretty confident after surgery so I'm not stressing about it, not even one bit. From what I see I'm really happy with the result, much better than I expected and I don't think it will be so bad to be half fake and half real for a while. my biggest anxiety now is to be ready for rads and get it over with.

To all,

So happy to hear how you are going after your surgeries and that overall everyone is doing well, of course is not easy and there are ugly parts to it that some choose not to share and some get it out there and that is a comfort to us as well, after all we are not in wonderland here. I cannot relate so much to the MXs, TE and drains because I have not gone through it, but I keep you in my prayers and I really like to read all your stories. I confess that when I see some of you had lumpectomies like me in the past and have to go through all over again I do feel for you and cannot deny the fear, but I learned that we all have to follow our path. We have different cases but we are all going through something that is extremely painful, hard and stressful. However we are also going through something that makes us reflect on/get to know ourselves, to become fearless, stronger and powerful.

I wish you ladies a fast recovery and my best wishes for the upcoming surgeries!

Goldie63, that's the first I've ever heard about drains having to come out "evenly" – I really don't think that's true. Otherwise they wouldn't take just one out for people who only have two and that happens all the time. I'm glad you find them to be "ingenious" – I find them to be torturous! I get why they're needed, blah, blah, blah but they just plain suck (but then again I had them for 7 weeks - yes, you read that correctly – seven. Guh!)

Yvonne_M, your surgeon sounds like an ass. I'm sorry you had that experience. I can't believe they didn't give you any pre-op instructions for drains. As for measuring output on them you need to measure each side separately. Make sure you're writing down each measurement separately for each drain to take with you for your post-op appointments. I'm sure you'll be glad to be shot of the guy when this is all over. I've "fired" a few doctors for various reasons and a guy like that would be gone from my world in no time.

For everyone who has asked about bras (sorry, so many posts to catch up on after we were impacted by the big power outage in Michigan so I can't remember all of your names) it seems that every PS does things differently. Mine puts me in a compression bra after every surgery and has me wear it 24x7 until at least 1 week post-op when he sees me. Then he leaves it up to me on what to wear. I find I like the "security" of the compression bra for a few weeks after surgery until the healing goes well then I wear whatever I want.

For those asking about how to deal with drains in warm weather here's what I did: the drain tubes were plenty long enough to be able to wear shorts or capris with pockets, so I would just stick the drain bulbs in the pockets and wear a long blousy shirt over them. Worked like a gem.

My surgery to replace my right TE post-infection is coming up this week and here are words I never thought would ever come out of my mouth: I'm so darned excited for this surgery! I've done everything within my means to ensure a successful pre-pec result and I'm REALLY looking forward to having two foobs again. At this point I don't even care what they look like - my expectations for aesthetics have gone down so darned much since I started this downward spiral nearly a year ago that it's ridiculous. I know that plastic surgeons often use the analogy of "twins" or "sisters" but at this point I'd gladly settle for two girls who get mistaken for each other from behind now and again! LOL!

The ID prescribed Bactroban (nasal abx cream) for 7 days prior to surgery plus an antiseptic skin cleanser to use the day before and morning of the procedure. Surgery is Friday and then I go in for 100 gram vit C infusion on Monday post-op (already had a 50 gram IV this past Thursday in preparation.) Looking forward to now moving on an upward spiral - will hopefully have final implants by end of May so I can enjoy this year's golf season.

Keep the updates coming and continued blessings for comfortable recoveries. Best of luck to everyone who has surgery coming up this week.

goldie63, that's interesting about the two drains on one side not coming out at the same time. I was "lucky", I guess, in that I only had one on each side. And I didn't mean to impugn your "ingenious" comment....I'm just really bitter toward those crappy little things after having them for so long! LOL! (And, of course, I'll have one again after my upcoming surgery. ~sigh~ ) All I could think about while I had them all those weeks was "Can't they come up with a better system??" but I guess that IS the best system.

I didn't have drains with lumpectomy. I was surprised how it really want too bad for me. Hopefully yours goes as easy as mine did! I beat you to the OR by one day. ...good luck!

Thanks to all for the welcome!

Yvonne M - There was a pathologist during my surgery and he examined my nodes as they were taken out by the BS. It's called frozen section and it's 96% accurate. If they are positive, that's it, but if they are negative they are reexamined with the traditional methods after surgery with the removed tumor to check for clear margins. So I'm hoping it won't be a false negative! The confirmed results should come out next week.

Grendel good luck! The weather has certainly been crazy, even down here.

I have my pre-op tomorrow and then straight to work. This week is one of the three busiest times of the year for me so I really haven't let the surgery date sink in.

For all who just had surgery, I hope you're recovery is going well. It would be great if someone would post a list of when we all have/had surgery and what time to help with responses.

Scottie

Grendeldog, good luck with the weather. We are supposed to get a storm too, but I go in tomorrow at 5am! Just packing for hosp now.

I got a UTI at the end of the week, and I'm glad both surgeons are ok with going ahead, since I had to delay 2 weeks ago.

Good wishes to those healing, and those preparing for surgery! I'm sending healing energy and thoughts for a calm spirit!