April 2019 Surgery Support Group

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Motheroftwo36
Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
edited June 2019 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

I thought my surgery was going to be in March but the two surgeons weren't both available until April. So my surgery date was scheduled today for April 18th. Im having a BMX, with reconstruction on the same day. I have atleast DCIS in one breast. Im 32. My biggest concern with surgery is recovering while i have my 2 and 3 year old at home. Also, not having nipples makes me sad. My boobs though could use a little "help". Good luck to everyone and its nice to be able to talk to others going through the same thing, though i hate anyone does have to go through this.

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  • Crob529
    Crob529 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2019

    same here...diagnosed with dcis left breast on 2/19/19. Having BMX with reconstruction immediately on April 12th. Neither of my surgeons were available before then. Seems like this is taking forever. I'm ready to move forward. I am also still waiting on my genetic testing. It has taken weeks! Quite nerve wrecking...I am also the mother of 2 kids....ages 5 and 10. I am 40....it was my very first mammogram 😕

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited March 2019

    Im glad you have found this group but hate you're in the situation. The process is so frustrating! My genetic testing took two weeks and for me i had no broken genes. While we wait we just have to keep living life. I look at this as just a yield to life and we will be back at it as soon as we can. good luck!

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  • ScarletGray
    ScarletGray Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2019

    It's been quite the process with a routine screening mammogram, finding something suspect followed by a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound, needle biopsy, DCIS diagnosis, MRI, another needle biopsy, IDC diagnosis. In the midst of the genetic testing for any breast cancer related genes, which were negative, I learned of a non-cancer related gene defect that causes a rare medical condition. As a result, I'm electing not to reconstruct. My minds been reeling more from the incidental rare condition finding than the breast cancer. We think my son may have it, too, and he and my daughter will be tested in the near future.

    I'm ready to address the breast cancer, so I can focus on this other adventure. I wish my fellow April surgery people the best.

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited March 2019

    ScarletGray

    I suspect I have IDC also but won’t know until after my surgery. The biopsy showed it was suspicious but wasn’t confirmed. I have a lump though so that makes me feel like it’s IDC and DCIS.

    I’m sorry you have to deal with more than just cancer. I wish u and your family the best. Let me know how the surgery goes

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  • rrshannon
    rrshannon Member Posts: 117
    edited March 2019

    I just finished 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan and will have my BMX with expanders on April 15th. Hoping they don't have to take to many lymph nodes as I had already had the sentinel nodes and two others removed 15 years ago. Also hoping the right side heals well since it was radiated back in 2003.

    Wishing everyone the best on their up coming surgeries.


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2019

    Hello all! I just finished AC-T chemo and I am scheduled for total mastectomy right side on April 19th. Right now I get a month off to let my body regroup after all the chemo, I finished chemo March 14th. Nervous but excited to finally get this thing outta me after this long wait! I had been mentally prepared for surgery when I was first diagnosed, but I had to do chemo first to shrink, thats when I got my heart broken...now FINALLY I am getting this darn cancer outta me! Wooooo. Biopsy showed IDC with tubular features, we shall see what's what once its out. Nice to meet you ladies :) My Oct. chemo group was my lifeline getting through chemo (and still is as we still keep in touch, you get so close after such a long time together) , so happy I have another place to connect to get through surgery :) MRI February 13th half way through Taxol showed shrunken tumor, still shows no lymph involvement and nothing new was seen in either breast...so hoping for good news (dead tumor) and clean margins. Good luck to all of us! :)

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited March 2019

    Dear ScarletGray,

    Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry for your diagnosis and all that you have been through already and we are glad that you reached out to out members. We hope that you will find support and helpful information here that will help you along the way. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you to best navigate the site.

    The Mods

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  • spratt5
    spratt5 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2019

    Hello All, Diagnosed with IDC of left breast on 3/7/19. Surgeon recommends total mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and hormone treatment after surgery. Waiting on genetic testing results to determine if I should also remove right breast. Surgeon wants to set a date for end of April. Surgeon states my worst case scenario would be if she finds more cancer during surgery, chemotherapy after surgery, and reconstruction after chemo. I hate all the unknowns and variables of all of this! Meeting with PS on 4/1 for initial consult. My head is spinning reading all the pros and cons to all types of reconstruction procedures. Why can't there be just a clear black and white solution for BR?

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  • ScarletGray
    ScarletGray Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2019

    Thanks for the support. Starting to gather the suggested supplies to have on hand.

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited March 2019

    scarlet gray

    let us know how it goes. You’re the first one in the April group, much love!

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  • FrenchPorsche
    FrenchPorsche Member Posts: 75
    edited March 2019

    Hi. I’m joining here as my surgery will be in the next few weeks (hopefully). I will be having a mastectomy and have yet to confirm whether I will have immediate reconstruction or not.

    There seem to be so many options each with their own pros and cons, it’s hard to decide.

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  • April0315
    April0315 Member Posts: 223
    edited March 2019

    I’m scheduled for 3 lumpectomies 2 on left for ADH 1 on R for the IDC April 12th. Using a plastic surgeon as well to even everything out. Such a relief to have a date.

    Hope we all have uneventful surgeries and recoveries!

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  • purplejc5
    purplejc5 Member Posts: 30
    edited March 2019

    motheroftwo, I am having my surgery next week. I chose lumpectomy. There is no right or wrong decision but I sure hope I made the right one for me. I’m trying to handle this wild roller coaster of a ride but I’m honestly scared. Having radiation after healing for 6 weeks. Good luck to you

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  • emilyisme
    emilyisme Member Posts: 32
    edited March 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    I finished AC-T Chemo Monday and am scheduled for a lumpectomy on 4/19. It sure will be nice having almost 4 weeks off of Chemo before surgery. After surgery I have radiation, but I have no specifics with it.

    The ultrasound showed that my lymph node looked to be normal sized (from 4.5 cm) at the BS. I hope they are negative and I don't have much recovery. It's a wait and see kind of thing, huh??

    It's great to meet everyone!!

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  • beep7bop
    beep7bop Member Posts: 130
    edited March 2019

    Hi to all, I am first in April. Mine is April 1,2019 IDC ER Positive 100% PR + 39% Her2 negative. I am having double mastectomy and lymph node testing. Hope everyone comes threw with good results in long run. It is all so over whelming.

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  • Chenye_Tripp
    Chenye_Tripp Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2019

    I finally got a surgery date (4/11) today after going through what seems like waiting forever for testing (MRI, genetic, and CTA). It has driven me nuts and made me so worried about cancer spreading. I will have a mastectomy and immediate TRAM flap reconstruction. (If there is no lymph node involvement.) The results of my CTA do not make my plastic surgeon comfortable with DIEP reconstruction.

    I hope you all do well and heal quickly.

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  • UpstateNYer
    UpstateNYer Member Posts: 387
    edited March 2019

    Hello Spratt5. May I ask why your surgeon is pushing for mastectomy? I also live in Rochester and was dx with IDC in early Feb. MRI showed 2 small tumors close to each other. I was told lumpectomy was indicated with IORT radiation done at the same time. Had it done last week. At follow up appointment got some bad news. My small tumors turned out to be 1.3 cm and .7mm. Also had some IDC and DCIS at margins , so will need another surgery next week. Hopefully margins will be clear after that. But now, I will need 3 weeks of radiation too. I asked surgeon about mastectomy, and she replied, "No". I wish you , and everyone facing surgeries all the best. I pray for all of my "sisters" on the BCO boards to fight, get through , and make the best decision to get them back to some semblance of normalcy.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2019

    scarlet grey, purplejc and beep bop, good luck to all of u on the 1st, hope all goes well!!

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2019

    thinking of the April 1st ers!

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  • rrshannon
    rrshannon Member Posts: 117
    edited April 2019

    Sending prayers and good thoughts to those that had surgery today. Hoping all went well.


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  • purplestargazer
    purplestargazer Member Posts: 77
    edited April 2019

    Joining your group. I had a local reoccurrence after lumpectomy/reduction/rads/chemotherapy/immunotherapy. Scheduled for BMX on 4/9 and I'm not looking forward to it. But do look forward to waking up NED again.


    ETA: I'm 39. I was 37 at first dx. No family history and gene negative. My daughter turns 9 on Friday.

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2019

    purplestargazer

    I’m sorry u have to go through this twice! Ugh I hate I’m losing both my breasts but at a young age I feel the chances of reoccurrence are too high. Good luc

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  • rrshannon
    rrshannon Member Posts: 117
    edited April 2019

    purplestargazer Sorry you are having to face this again. So looking forward to getting this cancer out as well. Waiting for the surgery day is just taking to long. Wishing us all are NED free after surgery.

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  • FrenchPorsche
    FrenchPorsche Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2019

    I hope those who have had their surgery are doing well!

    I’ve been given the date of 18 April for mine. I will be having a mastectomy with immediate sub pectoral silicon implant reconstruction. They are also doing a sentinel node biopsy.

    I can’t have the pre pectoral implant as I vape and there is a high chance of serious complications if there is nicotine in ones system. It’s noteven ok to stop now as I’d have to be nicotine free for six weeks, and my surgeon doesn’t want to wait. I’m disappointed, but it’s my own fault.

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2019

    FrenchPorche

    Looks like we have the same day. I am opting for sub pectoral because I’m so young and the pre pectoral is so new. My doctor said it has higher chance of sagging. Plus reoccurrence is low but if it happened it’s more detectable with sub. I won’t be doing immediate implant though. First I’ll get a tissue expander. How did u skip that step

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  • Possum06
    Possum06 Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2019

    Hello Motheroftwo36! I am so sorry for what your going through and sending many prayers to you and your family. I am 31 and was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS in my left breast, nothing in the right. I decided to proceed with a Double Mastectomy due to a strong family history and being BRCA2 ER+/PR+. Everyone is different but I am grateful I went ahead with it because once they sent everything off to Pathology it came back showing I was Stage 1A IDCIS in the left and a hidden mass was found on the right but was only Stage 0. I never had any kind of lump, just a small twinge of sharp pain so I followed my gut and got a Mammogram. I finally got The first part of my Delayed Reconstruction done today(I had to go with implants)and hopeful that I Can achieve my desired results despite lack of excess skin. Best of luck

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  • FrenchPorsche
    FrenchPorsche Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2019

    Hi Motheroftwo

    My surgeon thinks we can do a skin sparing (not nipple though), so I can go straight to implant and don’t need expanders. I am leaving the other breast alone right now. It was tempting to have them both off, but I’ll deal with that at a later stage if need be. I will have regular checks on the other side for a few years. I’m hoping the recovery will be easier with one working arm too.

    I am 47 with two kids too. My mum lives with us and she had open heart surgery in February and I’ve been looking after her. Thankfully her recovery is going well so she’ll be able to help me a bit. We’d be a right pair trying to get the laundry done with no one to carry the basket!

    I guess I’m lucky!

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  • Carty5176
    Carty5176 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2019

    Hi to everyone! I finished AC-T chemo at the end of February and will be having a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction on April 17. Our family found out that we carry the BRCA2 gene (originally knew of no one in the family who had cancer). My surgeon said that I had a great response to chemo, and she thinks she can spare the skin and nipples! Since I can't feel the tumor anymore, I hope this means it took care of the lymph nodes too. I can't stand the waiting!!

    To all of you Rochester, New Yorkers, I hope you are getting better weather and sunshine. I worked at the U of R for 35 years, and I don't miss the weather. The Florida sunshine does make me think happier thoughts.

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  • Motheroftwo36
    Motheroftwo36 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2019

    Ordered this for post surgery. Do u think pockets will work at all for drainsimage

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2019

    Hi all! I got myself a couple body pillows and i got this drain belt on amazon for the drains that also includes something to put the drains in for showering - according to my instructions i will get to shower 24 hrs after my mastectomy.

    image

    I am choosing to not do reconstruction and go flat on the right side permanently.

    I hope all that have had surgery on the 1st are doing well! Purple Stargazer good luck to you on the 9th! :)

    For those of you going through this a second time, I'm so sorry, no one should have to go through all this crap even once!

    Happy Healing!

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