Pending onocology surgery and immediate TRAM resonstruction

teresasletters

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in two tumors just two days before Thanksgiving 2009. I will be having my surgery and immediate TRAM reconstruction on Wednesday next week. For anyone who has had this done, can you tell me what recuperation is really like? I am blessed that my husband is active duty, so I do not have to worry about getting back to work. However, I am concerned about the side effects, pain level, activity level, etc. I want to still be able to take care of my family. My oncology surgeon said I will begin chemotherapy two weeks after surgery. Any knowledge and advice you can share will be appreciated. Thank you!

jnl

Hi
Hi Teresa and welcome. I had a lumpectomy followed by radiation treatments, so, I can't answer specific questions about your surgery, but, I wanted to wish you good luck!

Leeza

teresasletters

jnl said:

Hi
Hi Teresa and welcome. I had a lumpectomy followed by radiation treatments, so, I can't answer specific questions about your surgery, but, I wanted to wish you good luck!

Leeza

Thanks. I am a bit nervous.
Thanks. I am a bit nervous. I want to be able to care for my kids. Since my husband is active duty, he works long hours and sometimes has to leave on TDY (temporary duty) or deploy. Any advice to get through this and still care for my family is great.

survivorbc09

teresasletters said:

Thanks. I am a bit nervous.
Thanks. I am a bit nervous. I want to be able to care for my kids. Since my husband is active duty, he works long hours and sometimes has to leave on TDY (temporary duty) or deploy. Any advice to get through this and still care for my family is great.

I can understand your being
I can understand your being nervous. We all were before our surgery's. I hope someone will post some advice for you. You might also contact the ACS, American Cancer Society, about the Reach for Recovery program. Your oncologist will know about it probably. They can put you in touch with someone who has been thru similar surgery. Good luck!

helen e

Teresa
I just had my maastectomy with immediate TRAM flap 4 weeks ago. I won't lie and say it was easy but it wasn't nearly as hard as I had expected. I was in the hospital 5 days and then home. I needed help for about the 1st few days home. You won't be able to lift anything very heavy and will have to sleep on your back only. I got a husband chair to use as a pillow so it was easier to sit up and get out of bed. The pain hasn't been bad at all. I got a blood clot in my leg (my own fault, I didn't walk enough) and that hurt more - had to use more pain meds for that than surgery. When they tell you to get up and walk listen to them. I only had my left breast removed (I don't know if you're having 1 or both breasts done) but putting away dishes today I still couldn't reach high to put the glasses on their shelf. Don't be surprised if you can't stand up straight right away either. You will, it'll just take a week or two. If you have more questions pm me and write them down, I'll answer them as best I can. It is not as easy as a lumpectomy but not as bad as I thought it would be either. Sorry if I'm rambling.

teresasletters

helen e said:

Teresa
I just had my maastectomy with immediate TRAM flap 4 weeks ago. I won't lie and say it was easy but it wasn't nearly as hard as I had expected. I was in the hospital 5 days and then home. I needed help for about the 1st few days home. You won't be able to lift anything very heavy and will have to sleep on your back only. I got a husband chair to use as a pillow so it was easier to sit up and get out of bed. The pain hasn't been bad at all. I got a blood clot in my leg (my own fault, I didn't walk enough) and that hurt more - had to use more pain meds for that than surgery. When they tell you to get up and walk listen to them. I only had my left breast removed (I don't know if you're having 1 or both breasts done) but putting away dishes today I still couldn't reach high to put the glasses on their shelf. Don't be surprised if you can't stand up straight right away either. You will, it'll just take a week or two. If you have more questions pm me and write them down, I'll answer them as best I can. It is not as easy as a lumpectomy but not as bad as I thought it would be either. Sorry if I'm rambling.

helen e
Thank you so much!!! My husband said he would get a recliner this weekend to ensure I sleep on my back so I don't disturb the drains. I was told I would be in the hospital 4 days by the onocology surgeon, but the plastic surgeon said only 3 days. That seemed very fast to me to be released, but this is my first major surgery. I am having the right breast removed (I am right handed) I have two tumors in that side. I am 38, so they said they would do aggressive chemo on me two weeks after surgery. I am not exactly sure what that means, but I do know I will get herceptin, chemo, hormone theraphy, and radiation. It sounds like a lot, but I was more worried when the plastic surgeon said if I lift more than one pound I would get a hernia! It sounds like blood clots are more painful, so I need to make sure I walk as much as possible.
So, basically, it may be a week or two before I can walk upright, I need to walk as much as I can to prevent blood clots, and I may have difficulty reaching.
did they tell you to keep your arm elevated or anything? Is it hard getting up and down from a chair? How soon were you able to cook again or do light housework? Friends from church have offered to help, but I am pretty independent. If I can do it myself, then I do. Do I need to line up assistance before surgery?
Were you able to have visitors when you got home or were you asleep due to pain killers?
Any help you can give is appreciated. I am nervous and it helps to know what to expect from someone who has been there. Thank you

teresasletters

survivorbc09 said:

I can understand your being
I can understand your being nervous. We all were before our surgery's. I hope someone will post some advice for you. You might also contact the ACS, American Cancer Society, about the Reach for Recovery program. Your oncologist will know about it probably. They can put you in touch with someone who has been thru similar surgery. Good luck!

Thank you. I heard the
Thank you. I heard the American Cancer Society had volunteers who can talk to you, but I didn't know what the program was called. Thank you for all of your assistance. I will try to contact them tomorrow as I go to Emory for preop on Tuesday and surgery is on Wednesday. My onocology surgeon gave me no information on anything. All I have learned about cancer and treatments has been through the internet and a book about reconstruction the plastic surgeon gave me. I just happened upon this disscussion board and found help! Thank you so much!

jk1952

teresasletters said:

helen e
Thank you so much!!! My husband said he would get a recliner this weekend to ensure I sleep on my back so I don't disturb the drains. I was told I would be in the hospital 4 days by the onocology surgeon, but the plastic surgeon said only 3 days. That seemed very fast to me to be released, but this is my first major surgery. I am having the right breast removed (I am right handed) I have two tumors in that side. I am 38, so they said they would do aggressive chemo on me two weeks after surgery. I am not exactly sure what that means, but I do know I will get herceptin, chemo, hormone theraphy, and radiation. It sounds like a lot, but I was more worried when the plastic surgeon said if I lift more than one pound I would get a hernia! It sounds like blood clots are more painful, so I need to make sure I walk as much as possible.
So, basically, it may be a week or two before I can walk upright, I need to walk as much as I can to prevent blood clots, and I may have difficulty reaching.
did they tell you to keep your arm elevated or anything? Is it hard getting up and down from a chair? How soon were you able to cook again or do light housework? Friends from church have offered to help, but I am pretty independent. If I can do it myself, then I do. Do I need to line up assistance before surgery?
Were you able to have visitors when you got home or were you asleep due to pain killers?
Any help you can give is appreciated. I am nervous and it helps to know what to expect from someone who has been there. Thank you

Hi Teresa. I had a
Hi Teresa. I had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate TRAM flap reconstruction in April. I'm like you, a very independent person, and I didn't miss more than a couple days of work when I was treated with a lumpectomy and radiation in 2000. But, the mastectomy and reconstruction is a lot different. I was out of work for 8 weeks, and even then, worked only six or seven hours a day for a week.

I think that the amount that you'll be able to do yourself depends a lot on how dependent you are on the painkillers. They are necessary, if you can't treat the pain with Tylenol or Advil, because you can't heal if you're in a lot of pain. But, they do keep you from being able to drive and do some other things. I was on exclusively Tylenol and/or Advil within two days of my surgery; fortunately, because I don't tolerate any of the narcotic pain killers well. I was able to do some things within a couple weeks, and drove after 2-1/2 weeks. Each day I would be stronger.

I would line up help before the surgery. If you are able to do things yourself, you can always cancel the help. But, you never know how your body will react and how quickly you'll be able to help yourself and your family. My husband works much of the time from a home office, so he was home quite a bit for the first couple weeks. (He didn't have to do too much to care for me, but I wouldn't have been able to care for children, for two or three weeks). Since your husband can't do that, you really should have backup help. And, it would be nice for some of your church friends to make some meals that are easy to put on the table.

It is hard to get in and out of bed. If you sleep in bed, you will need to be on your back, and I had extra pillows for under my head, arms and knees. I never slept in a recliner, but it was very nice to have a recliner in which to rest during the day and not to have to lie on a couch or be in bed.

I hope that all goes well with your surgery. I probably had a slightly longer recovery time because I had a bilateral mastectomy and the TRAM flap requires extra caution to make sure that the reconnected blood supply is working properly. I didn't have any problems with blood clots, but they had been very careful in the hospital, making sure that my legs were massaged constantly because I have had clots in the past.

I'll send up extra prayers for you as you go through this.

Joyce

teresasletters

jk1952 said:

Hi Teresa. I had a
Hi Teresa. I had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate TRAM flap reconstruction in April. I'm like you, a very independent person, and I didn't miss more than a couple days of work when I was treated with a lumpectomy and radiation in 2000. But, the mastectomy and reconstruction is a lot different. I was out of work for 8 weeks, and even then, worked only six or seven hours a day for a week.

I think that the amount that you'll be able to do yourself depends a lot on how dependent you are on the painkillers. They are necessary, if you can't treat the pain with Tylenol or Advil, because you can't heal if you're in a lot of pain. But, they do keep you from being able to drive and do some other things. I was on exclusively Tylenol and/or Advil within two days of my surgery; fortunately, because I don't tolerate any of the narcotic pain killers well. I was able to do some things within a couple weeks, and drove after 2-1/2 weeks. Each day I would be stronger.

I would line up help before the surgery. If you are able to do things yourself, you can always cancel the help. But, you never know how your body will react and how quickly you'll be able to help yourself and your family. My husband works much of the time from a home office, so he was home quite a bit for the first couple weeks. (He didn't have to do too much to care for me, but I wouldn't have been able to care for children, for two or three weeks). Since your husband can't do that, you really should have backup help. And, it would be nice for some of your church friends to make some meals that are easy to put on the table.

It is hard to get in and out of bed. If you sleep in bed, you will need to be on your back, and I had extra pillows for under my head, arms and knees. I never slept in a recliner, but it was very nice to have a recliner in which to rest during the day and not to have to lie on a couch or be in bed.

I hope that all goes well with your surgery. I probably had a slightly longer recovery time because I had a bilateral mastectomy and the TRAM flap requires extra caution to make sure that the reconnected blood supply is working properly. I didn't have any problems with blood clots, but they had been very careful in the hospital, making sure that my legs were massaged constantly because I have had clots in the past.

I'll send up extra prayers for you as you go through this.

Joyce

JK1952
Thank you for sharing your story and advice. I guess it is a good idea to have help available, just in case. You are correct that I can always cancel it later.

I will get a few more pillows for the bed, just in case. I want to try to be up as much as possible. Get my strength back and get off pain meds.
I really appreciate all of the advice. My surgeons and radiologist did not share much information with me and I am having to teach myself from the internet.

Megan M

teresasletters said:

JK1952
Thank you for sharing your story and advice. I guess it is a good idea to have help available, just in case. You are correct that I can always cancel it later.

I will get a few more pillows for the bed, just in case. I want to try to be up as much as possible. Get my strength back and get off pain meds.
I really appreciate all of the advice. My surgeons and radiologist did not share much information with me and I am having to teach myself from the internet.

Hi Teresa! This site is
Hi Teresa! This site is great for help and support. I am so happy that you found it. I didn't have a mastectomy. I am sure that the American Cancer Society can help you with any question that you might have. They even have a 24 hour hotline for you to call. They also put you in touch with people that can take you to your doctor's appointments or radiation apointments. So, I hope you give them a call. Wishing you luck!


Megan

Kylez

teresasletters said:

helen e
Thank you so much!!! My husband said he would get a recliner this weekend to ensure I sleep on my back so I don't disturb the drains. I was told I would be in the hospital 4 days by the onocology surgeon, but the plastic surgeon said only 3 days. That seemed very fast to me to be released, but this is my first major surgery. I am having the right breast removed (I am right handed) I have two tumors in that side. I am 38, so they said they would do aggressive chemo on me two weeks after surgery. I am not exactly sure what that means, but I do know I will get herceptin, chemo, hormone theraphy, and radiation. It sounds like a lot, but I was more worried when the plastic surgeon said if I lift more than one pound I would get a hernia! It sounds like blood clots are more painful, so I need to make sure I walk as much as possible.
So, basically, it may be a week or two before I can walk upright, I need to walk as much as I can to prevent blood clots, and I may have difficulty reaching.
did they tell you to keep your arm elevated or anything? Is it hard getting up and down from a chair? How soon were you able to cook again or do light housework? Friends from church have offered to help, but I am pretty independent. If I can do it myself, then I do. Do I need to line up assistance before surgery?
Were you able to have visitors when you got home or were you asleep due to pain killers?
Any help you can give is appreciated. I am nervous and it helps to know what to expect from someone who has been there. Thank you

Hey Teresa! I wanted to say
Hey Teresa! I wanted to say good luck to you for your surgery!

KYLEZ ♥