April 2021 Surgeries

Saltmarsh, what are you feeling about your reconstruction choices? Is that progressing ok for you? I believe those decisions were the most difficult aspect for me, because a month ago....what did I know? A very trying time. Just take one day at a time.

Beekc, glad to hear things have gone well! That's quite encouraging; thank you for sharing. Best wishes as they come up with your treatment plan!

Edited to add, in response to your question: I will finally get to consult with the PC on Tuesday. Until then, I don't really know what my options are. But I'm just so excited to get this show on the road and have surgery that I almost don't care at this point. I just want them to take the breast.

ladies,

I am home, 24 hrs after right side mastectomy and lymphovenous bypass. Pain meds are Motrin and Tylenol. Ice packs help too. I cried when I looked down inside my gown. It's real now! But I feel good today. I have 2 drains to strip, it's not hard. Here's a funny story - the plastic surgeon is handsome and he doesn't usually operate at my local hospital much. My preop nurse was totally checking him out! I laughed and didn't want to burst her bubble - he's married and has 5 kids 😀

Now to wait for pathology and healing. Radiation to start in May. Healing thoughts to us all. We are strong women! And can do this!

Julie

Update post PC appt.: (Warning -- kind of ranty)

The most important thing to me by far is that they get as much of the cancer out of me as they can -- all of it, ideally!

But secondarily, how I feel in my body is important to me, and how I look is (sadly) important in the profession I have been thinking I'll go back to, if I'm able. And my work-attire options are not terribly forgiving. While leotards are not required for dance teachers, they are worn to show the body's lines and while I technically could wear other tops/sweaters/whatever, the reality is I get too hot in just the leotard and tights and cannot imagine teaching in warmer, bulkier clothing at all -- certainly not in summer!

And I don't love the decisions I have to make about reconstruction. And I wish I weren't so alone with this, friend-wise. I know no one can make this decision for me, but I wish I had friends who had a clue and were willing to talk through stuff with me.

I went into today's appointment thinking I'd want autologous reconstruction...but between the facts that I'm not a great candidate for a couple types of it due to how past surgeries were done, and the long recovery time, and the fact that it's a one-shot deal and I could easily end up with cancer in the other breast, and the gripping hand wherein my doctor likes to save abdominal surgery for later in case we need it, it's looking like I'll be trying out a tissue expander and possibly an implant.

And I really can't see much of a difference between the over-the-muscle vs. under-the-muscle options...so I don't know what to pick.

But what I hate the most (apart from the thought that we could find out that, like my mom, it might be too late for me) is that I'll be in some kind of in-between state or limbo for, it sounds like, several months, maybe even a year or more. And in that time, it sounds like I'll feel awful and still be worried about trying to stay alive, and so I won't be out of the woods and I'll dislike how I look...indefinitely. That doesn't sound wonderful.

I'm a stress-eater and even though I've been doing so great since January making good choices, right now I just want to eat myself into a food coma/oblivion, curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep.

glad you are on the other side of this april_bc! I'm 3 days out of surgery and feel pretty normal. Alternating between Motrin and Tylenol. Ice packs help too. I just had right mastectomy, no reconstruction and can use my right arm almost like normal. Doc told me to elevate it for as many hours as I use it...that's the hardest part. I've been looking at pics online of mastectomy, so it's not so shocking to see it on my own body. I did cry the first time I looked down at my lopsided chest. But am reminded how strong we are! And we can do hard things! Healing thoughts to you and the rest of the April ladies.

Julie

Good Morning Beauties!

Yesterday I had a lumpectomy with a bit of reconstruction/moving things around after the nipple and the tumor underneath were removed. Maybe the drugs are still in my system, but I feel like a weight has been lifted and that the medical team took this burden from me. I now have a minus sign on my breast, and it's still swollen. I was used to seeing a strange inverted nipple anyway, so the physical look of the scar was not too terrible for me. Pain seems bearable at the moment, but sleep was tough (I'm a side sleeper with two puppies in the bed). Anyway, I hope everyone is recovering well, and for those who are still waiting for their surgeries, best wishes! I listened to music just before they took me back and it was so calming. The less stress we feel, the better for our recovery. Sending you all big love!

Best wishes Pokemon for your surgery today and to all the other ladies who are still waiting. I wish you all uneventful roads to recovery.

As for me, I had the fat grafting a week ago. It was more painful than I expected and the bruising is still kind of scary, but I managed with only ibuprofen 2xday (stopped on day 5 ). I have little body fat so they used my hips and inner thighs as donor sites. I expect I won't be able to wear a skirt for a couple of months at least, but on the positive side the surgeon told me that the extra fat over the TE would make It less uncomfortable. It is still early days, but so far that is indeed the case, and I have been able to go braless with no discomfort for the first time since the mastectomy last year! In terms of aesthetics there is still swelling and some bruising, but the breast looks more natural, and the TE (pre-pec) is no longer visible.

The surgeon said I would need no compression but I quickly found that it was easier (less painful) to move when wearing compression stockings so in hindsight I wish I had invested ahead of time in one of those post-liposuction garments I saw on Amazon that open on the crotch. I have started to use bromelain and it seems to help with legs inflammation and edema.

o do want to add that I'm thankful for these drains. Even though they're a hassle it's well worth the effort. I'm finding it so much easier to care for a drain than I thought it might be based on my reading. All of us April Flowers are nearly through the most frightening process. It's only forward from here. Whew!

Saltmarsh, my surgeon didn't order that drink. She asked me not to drink anything 4 hours prior to the surgery. I could only drink clear liquids between 8 to 4 hours before the surgery, e.g., water, coffee without milk, tea, apple juice, cranberry juice.

my drains will have been in 2 weeks also with no reconstruction involved. I was told it bleeds a little more than with the reconstruction. Over the 1.5 weeks the liquid is down from 55 ml to 22 per day. About 7 ml in 6 hours. A friend had no drain and sever hematoma so anything to avoid that! About Gatorade: anesthetic prevented me from drinking anything after midnight, except to sip for a routine pill.

saltmarsh,

Good luck tomorrow! My surgeon had me stop all food at midnight and I could drink water up until 3 am. Are you going to stay overnight or go home?

Julie

here's a tip after surgery. I have some cotton tube tops that are super comfortable. I can step into them and pull up to fit. I can tuck the drains into the bottom band and they are out of the way. And they layer nicely under a button up top. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to us all!

Julie

Hi All! I'm on day 5 post surgery (bilateral mastectomy with TE). My drains went down quickly from 70 ml each side per day to 10-30 ml. Unfortunately, I'm not moving much and that might be the reason for the low measurement on the drains. I got the second dose of vaccine 3 days after the surgery (my surgeons were okay with it) and I had fever and chills for two days. And it's not just that. Even before the fever and chills I was mostly in bed. I was wondering how active you were in the first week post op.

Another question I have for you is about the surgical bra. My bra is too tight (as it should be) that leaves marks on my body. My husband put gauze between my skin and the bra but it's not helping much. Opening and closing the bra for taking a shower is extremely painful for me. At this point, I mostly take the pain killers for these bra marks, not for the surgery! I'd be thankful if you share your experience about the bra.

Best wishes to all of you, pre and post op!