December 2018 Surgery Support Group

Misha It has got to be frustrating to know you need more treatment than originally thought but I pray you tolerate it well. Also glad to hear you are feeling well enough to go back to work!

I went back to work last week and honestly felt like I could have gone the week before. However, we long ago committed to take care of our granddaughter while parents were in Florida last week, so the idea of taking care of a toddler by myself (DH had to go out of town) was just too much. She went to daycare during the day and was so great about understanding that I couldn't lift her.

Ever since surgery I felt I was battling anesthesia brain since I couldn't seem to remember the simplest things. Being back to work has helped. I guess I just need to exercise my brain?!?

I will be going in for genetic testing here soon. Mixed feelings on that. Am I supposed to hope they find something that explains all the breast cancer in my family? I am so sad for those in my family that did not beat this dreaded disease! Out of the 8, I and another cousin are the only survivors. I literally attended the funeral of one cousin who lost her breast cancer battle 3 days before my surgery. I am sure witnessing her final days so recently mpacted my BMX decision, but I don't regret it at all. Hopefully with all the advances there will be no more losses.

I came across this which shows a good example of fat grafting. Thought I would share.

Wow... did I get long winded or what!

Well last week I made it through all the verification and start rads last Thursday, two days down, 13 more to go. So far so good, the almost 3 hour round trip drive for treatment is going to suck though. But I said I would do this if I did the intraoperative radiation, in the long run it only means 3 weeks of driving.

Hi Alto. Yes I think I need to talk to dr about depression med. I feel like I can't snap out of it. I still have so much pain down my surgery side arm. It's really wearing me down.

Mymomsgirl that is one long drive. You could listen to Audio books or learn a new language 😂🙂

Good luck with your appointments this week wigging. I need to find a new PS, but so tired of dr appointment arg

SDwoman congrats on being back at work.

Misha when do you start rads?

And is it just me or do you guys have problems when you're posting from your cell phone or iPad? Sometimes when I'm writing froma device it will change what I'm writing or it will type super super slow the only time it works correctly is when I am typing from my laptop

rest up, Misha! Congrats on clear margins, Alto!

HPFULL-yes, weird things go on when I’m on my phone too. It’s acting ok at the moment though!

mymomsgirl happy to hear about your low oncotype and escaping chemo!

Misha, I don't post often, but I'm praying for you. I wish we could get together with this group. Everyone here has been awesome!

Update. I had a BMX on Dec 18. Reconstruction will be later this year.

I'm thankful to report that I had zero nodal involvement and there was no sign of any living cancer. No rads necessary, and I'm starting Aromasin this week. Praise the Lord!

Of course, I'm still healing. My left breast dehisced but it's improving daily. I have phantom pain. My nipples feel like I'm being stabbed! (This is happening just above my bellybutton. Lol)

But I'm getting better and y'all have helped me more than you know. Thank you.

Are we going to keep meeting here? Love y'all. Gentle hugs and healing for all of us!

glad to hear your good news, gndvll!

I am also thinking of and praying for Misha. She’s had a tougher road than many of us so far.

I’m doing well. Still seeing my PS every month to keep an eye on some weird spots in my incision but doing ok. I’ve been on tamoxifen for about a month with some minor annoyances but nothing terrible...very thankful! I’ll have an MRI in June when I see my BS again...and an ultrasound next week to check my uterus for issues. Doctors doctors doctors! I’ve started going to all my appointments by myself and telling them “I’m not going to get any more bad news so I don’t need anyone with me”.

Hugs to all

That's so funny, Mymomsgirl! I was just thinking about everyone here and was wondering how everyone was doing! I've got another follow up appointment with my oncologist on Monday and my now yearly MRI of the remaining breast. I like how the MRI person called me to schedule and she said that the order was to MRI both sides. I said, "well, you can try both sides, but you're not going to get much on the left side since there's no breast there." She was a bit shocked at first and then she nervously laughed. Apparently MRI's are always ordered for both sides!

I'm now on Tamoxifen - guess I should update my signature with that! Things are going OK except a colleague at work just told me that she was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma on Tuesday. All I can say is WTF? At least I know enough now that I can help her out...I hope everyone is doing well!

Freebee I still have some numbness mainly from the top center of my breast towards my armpit. I figured that is where my PS pulled tissue from for my reconstruction and maybe some from the SNB. I hear what you are saying about being itchy, it comes and goes but lately it seems to be happening more frequently. I assumed it was from healing, but it is starting to drive me nuts. I work from home and I'm waiting to be on a video call and just start itching my breast because at times it seems to itch all the time.

Wishing you good results on your scan, Misha!

HPFULL, I have felt those blues, too. It's a tough ride. But it's probably what brings us back here, to make sure no one else is going through it alone.

While it sucked at the time, I'm actually kind of happy my birthday was muddled up in the same week as my diagnosis. I'm happier about them now.