September 2018 Surgery Support Group

Hi there,

Lumpectomy on 6th of Sept. Finished ACT chemo on 13th of August. Still dealing with SEs.

I had my presurgery talk with BS last friday. I have not done any preparation for the surgery. I am in hiding mode. I have freaked myself out though and am not sleeping very well.

I am 40 and its me DH and a 6 year old at home.

HI,

I am having a left side BX on the 10th as well. I have completed 2 rounds of chemo prior. All hospital prep is completed, but I still have to get the house cleaned up (I have a husband and 2 kids (13 & 5)).

I have had other orthopedic (legs/hip) surgeries before, but nothing like this...a little nervous.

Dear Me2018,

I am so sorry you are going through this. This desease is so unfair.

Breast surgery is very advance these days. I read another woman in this forum that she had mx in one breast, and two years later her new gyn couldnt distinguish wich one was the mx. I hope this helps

Good luck with your surgery! Mine is scheduled for Thursday September 6th. I am having a Left nipple and skin sparing mastectomy. I am feeling extremely nervous as I've never had any surgery let alone something this big. Just want to get it over with and start healing. Radiation will begin about 6 weeks afterwards.

Anyone feel like you're not dealing with the emotional side of surgery in the best way? I've felt so positive through treatment so far but suddenly I just have this anger that's coming from out of nowhere. I find myself snapping at family and friends and although I can see it happening, I can't seem to stop. Maybe it's just the stress and anxiety of the unknown...I have to find a better way to deal, though.

My surgery is scheduled for Saturday (8th September)....mixed emotions, desperately want it over and done with, but the closer it comes..the more anxious I am!

Trying to keep positive and busy, but am at home (can’t seem to face the world atm) lots of messages and visits from good friends and family....but still feel very ‘alone’....they don’t know what to do or say...and I get that....I just need them around!

Good luck everyone who has surgery this month

hello all! My surgery is penciled in for Sept. 26th. Left MX. It's far off as my husband and I had plans to visit Nashville 9/12-17.

I've met with the PS. Taking Letrozole and dealing with the stress. Of waiting and worrying about the surgery.

WigLButtz I hope everything turned out well for you. I totally understand the emotional toll this surgery places on you. I'm hoping I can get my head together beforehand but probably wont.

WigLButtz, hope everything went well today and that you have an easy recovery. I have to know...is the name related to australian shepherds? I have 2 minis so that's the first place my mind went.

Frogonthelilypad, I hope the injection goes well today. I was all worked up when I had mine and it wasn't bad at all. Good luck today and tomorrow!

I had a wire guided lumpectomy in March (no dye though). I thought the whole wire thing would be really weird too but it wasn't any big deal. They took me in for mammogram a couple of hours before procedure, squeezing breast horizontally, then releasing and going vertically - the purpose to see where they should insert the wire to have the most direct access to the area to be excised. While the breast is squeezed in the mammogram, the radiologist inserted the wire into the breast. The "wire" is so thin you don't even feel it (I think they may have numbed me up just a little in that area). The wire is like a thin plastic wire, and once it was in place (they confirm by doing another mammogram), there is a little barb on the end, like a tiny fish hook, that holds it in place, and they then looped up the rest of the thin wire and taped it down on my skin nearby. There are also some youtube videos you can see of putting in wire. I put my shirt back on (no bra) and waited to be called for pre-op then. I was so fascinated about it I had to take a picture (see below). Surgery for me was about 1 hour, then 90" or so in pre-op and then home. I only needed pain rx for that evening and once the next morning. I did keep icing it and that kept bruising down (I also ate a lot of fresh pineapple for a few days ahead of time to reduce bruising). I did eventually end up with a seroma in that area, but heat and very gentle massage helped with that, although it took several months to finally fully clear up. All in all, not too bad and my scar has almost disappeared (6 month post surgery picture below also). Sorry the pix are so big but can't figure out how to make them smaller.

Back home after partial mastectomy and sentinel node dissection. Oh wait, also port removal.

Boro girl, I wish I had read your account before going in. The wire they used was not as thin but there was lots of local anaesthesia involved

The docs use two methods to find the sentinel nodes, one is the blue dye which is injected under anaesthesia, the other one is the radio isotope dye which travels really slow so has to administered a day before. It was not bad.

I had to get the hookwire placed while seated on a throne with my breast jammed into those mammogram machine plates. They do put lots of local anasthesia, I did not feel much, but, at one point there was a wire like a radio antennae poking straight out of my left breast. The radiologist took fancy sterile pliers and turned it 90 degrees to get it parallel to skin. Added lots of padding on top and off I walked to the hospital for surgery. Two different buildings. I did like the walk as I bumped into my surgeon walking to the hospital for my surgery.

Best wishes everyone.

Whew! I am back home and doing well. Both docs said everything went smoothly. Three hour surgery, two drains.

The pressure and tightness I totally expected, but I was not ready for this awful sharp burning, stinging sensation I am having on my left side. Holy hell that hurts like a mother if I move wrong. I suspect its from the drain.

The right side is doing great. Good range of motion and no stinging feeling. I actually have some strength on that side. Thank goodness I am right handed.

It is getting easier every day. However, hands down this is the worst thing I have ever been through, emotionally and physically.

wlo, the user name is because of my dogs. Not australian shepherds, though. I have two lab mix boys that have weaponized wiggle butts. Their tails are deadly when they are happy.

I looked at my incisions at the surgeon's gentle persuading. LOL I told him I didn't want to look, but he said it wasn't as bad as I am thinking. They look absolutely nothing like any of the pics I have seen online. They removed all the breast tissue through round incisions where the nipple and areola used to be. I have weird bunched up round stitches that almost look like they will heal sort of raised. I cant believe they fit the expanders in through those.

Thank you for all the well wishes I really appreciate it.

Stay strong, you will get through this. I said to my nurse when I was having a bit of depression, "Well, I guess this is my life now." And she said, "Nope, just a chapter." For some reason that helped me snap out it.

Hi

I am also having a mastectomy on 10 September. Good luck

Hi aisling

My TEs are under the muscle. I certainly was not crazy about that idea, but that's what the PS said would be best for me. I have more strength and range of motion than I thought I would.

He only filled them with 100cc each during surgery. It looks really weird and feels like a couple of bricks on my chest. Unfortunately, I was not given the option to go direct to implant. I think the immediate healing with that might be longer, but the upside is of course no expanders. I hope your surgery and recovery are smooth.

It really does get easier every day. Yesterday I was able to maneuver myself up from a reclining position without hubby's help. I'm sure that makes him happy that I don't have to ask him to help me pee. He's on drain duty still. Thank goodness he is not squeamish. Those drains are extremely creepy to me.

Good luck to all the 10thers. Stay strong!!

I’m 10 months removed from my bilateral mastectomy and I’m still dealing with the same issues. Anger out of nowhere, jealously of my wife when she lost weight, mood swings, depression and anxiety. I hope you’re doing ok.

I hope all of the Sept 10 ladies are doing well. I'm up today...and surprisingly not that anxious or stressed. Ready for this to be over with, though! It just feels like another step closer to being done.