Removing dressing after lumpectomy

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  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    edited May 2017 #22
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    Mesch

    I am so glad that you are feeling well. Good luck with the radiation. I hope that you get to enjoy Phoenix while hoj are there and that your trip is a safe one! Have you done chemo already?

    I have heard nothing from the doctor and she said nothing about exercises. She was supposed to call by Friday with the path results. 

    Safe travels!!!!! 

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited May 2017 #23
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    Mesch and Hap

    You both sound very brave and in good spirits the best you can.  I will keep you both in my prayers for a complete healing.

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • Mariangel43
    Mariangel43 Member Posts: 79
    #24
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    sore area

    HapB, I did have a lot of trouble with the biopsy and the TE surgeries.  With the biopsy, a suture broke loose and I bled during three weeks.  With the TE surgery a suture also loosened and I started to bleed this time only a day.  The nurse and the doctor's secretary were horrified.  I told them I wanted to clean myself and they didn't want me to loosen my surgical bra.  I cleaned the area with alcohol, took off the bra, washed it and put on another.  When the doc saw me on Monday (that was Friday), he didn't even noticed.  The rash was different.  In three of four I had a horrible, inflammed skin with craters and crests due to three things: latex bandages, tapes and iodine (Betadine).  The itching was horrible and I used lots and lots of ethyl alcohol on my skin to alleviate the itching and the redness.  I skipped those things in the last: no Betadine, no latex tapes, no latex gloves (yes, they were included in the surgery list), no latex gauze.  The steri strip fell too at the beginning.  Since I had a lot of 4x4 gauze I didn't care.  Ah, I have a swollen area under the armpit for a very long time.  Since the doc took off the tape, the redness went away and the only thing that pissed me off was the suture holding the JP drainage.  But I was fine.  My wish for your prompt recovery.

    Mesch, I hope everything is well for you.  Take care. Good trip, enjoy Phoenix.  

    The Lord's blessing be upon you today and always.

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #25
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    Mariangel

    I am really sorry for what you went through!  That sounds awful!  It just goes to show that everybody is different, and everybody does not respond the same way to all procedures!  I am glad that you figured out what was causing the discomfort, now you can advocate for yourself before each procedure!

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #26
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    HapB, Apaugh,

    I am in Phoenix and ready to get radiation started! I want to put this behind me, and move on with my life! 

    HapB, I am not supposed to have chemo because my Mammoprint says that I would not benifit from chemo.  Honestly, as awful as chemo sounds, I would prefer to have the option of taking chemo (awful as it is) because I want to know that this cancer is dead.  I don't think that I am going to take Tomoxifin, so I want to know that I killed this cancer before I move on.

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #27
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    HapB,

    After my surgery I lost quite a bit of mobility in the arm where I had the Sentinal Node Removal.  My BS told me that I had to use my fingers to crawl up the wall until my arm was fully extended by my ear and hold this position for two minutes each hour.  I did not know that I should have been doing this each hour until my two week follow up when I could not extend my arm up straight by my ear.  She told me it was in my discharge instructions, but I did not see it.  My doctors here at CTCA have scheduled me for a physical therapy appointment based on the notes about my mobility from the BS.  I think that I am doing fine after starting the exrcises, hopefully they will think this as well when I have my evaluation with the PT.

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #28
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    Mesch

    thanks! I will do that exercise. I have been worried about that because I already have a limited range of motion in my other shoulder from an accident.  Good luck in Phoenix!    

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #29
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    Mariangel43 said:

    sore area

    HapB, I did have a lot of trouble with the biopsy and the TE surgeries.  With the biopsy, a suture broke loose and I bled during three weeks.  With the TE surgery a suture also loosened and I started to bleed this time only a day.  The nurse and the doctor's secretary were horrified.  I told them I wanted to clean myself and they didn't want me to loosen my surgical bra.  I cleaned the area with alcohol, took off the bra, washed it and put on another.  When the doc saw me on Monday (that was Friday), he didn't even noticed.  The rash was different.  In three of four I had a horrible, inflammed skin with craters and crests due to three things: latex bandages, tapes and iodine (Betadine).  The itching was horrible and I used lots and lots of ethyl alcohol on my skin to alleviate the itching and the redness.  I skipped those things in the last: no Betadine, no latex tapes, no latex gloves (yes, they were included in the surgery list), no latex gauze.  The steri strip fell too at the beginning.  Since I had a lot of 4x4 gauze I didn't care.  Ah, I have a swollen area under the armpit for a very long time.  Since the doc took off the tape, the redness went away and the only thing that pissed me off was the suture holding the JP drainage.  But I was fine.  My wish for your prompt recovery.

    Mesch, I hope everything is well for you.  Take care. Good trip, enjoy Phoenix.  

    The Lord's blessing be upon you today and always.

    oh goodness

    Maria,

    Wow, your brave.  The thoughts of putting alcohol near an incision site made me shudder. 

    I opted for purified water on cottonballs and when I was allowed to shower, Dial anti-bacterial soap. 

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #30
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    Physical Therapy

    I was grateful for going to PT.  They did not allow me to go for a good 2 mo. after the surgery though.  They said it was because of the healing process.  Prior to the PT, I  chest felt tight and stiff.  I could not lift my arms too high and my armpits felt like they were bricks.  At first the PT was difficult but it just kept getting better.  I still and always will have issues due to the lyphademia in my arms, chest, and neck, but they taught me how to deal with that as well.

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #31
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    Interesting Annie

    I have a one hour appointment scheduled tomorrow to teach me how to "deal" with excess fluid in my arm so that I do not develop lymphodema.  I was surprised, this seems like a long appointment when I do not currently have lymphodema.   They gave me a packet with easy lifestyle changes they want me to make because they said that I am at risk for lymphodema.  I wonder if this is related to my loss of mobility in my arm after surgery?  It was pretty bad before I started working on it.  Maybe I should ask for a regularly scheduled appointment with a PT.

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #32
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    HapB said:

    Apaugh

    thanks. I am wondering what the heck an infection smells like? Yuck. The incision under my armpit is painful and of course, because I can't use any kind of deodorant.......not good! 

    Infection stinks like someting rotten.

    It is foul and nasty odor.   My entire incision got infected.  I think from the hospital.  It started out red and puffy.   I woke up about 4 AM and felt this hot wet my body.  I put my hand down in goo.  I got up and flipped on the light and I am sure you could hear me down the block.  I was covered in yellow/green goop and it was pouring out.   I called my sister who was staying with me and I jumped in the shower stall.   She got my gown off and we were both screaming.  My incision that started back behind one armpit, across my chest to the backside of the other was broke open in 5 places and the infection was pouring out.  If I leaned over or to the side, it was like a waterfall.  If I pressed on it, it made an awful squishing sound.   I was so traumatized and so was my sis.  At that point, I knew it did not matter, I had to take a shower.   Bless my sis's heart, she got in there with me clothes and all and helped me wash my hair and everything. 

    That is when we came up with the idea of femine hygeine pads.  We placed them across my chest and then she got the wrap gauze and wrapped around and around me to hold it in place and then taped it really good on the gauze to hold it firm and in place.   I got into the doc the next day, we had changed that bandage 3 more times before I got to the doctor's office.  When he took it off, it was still pouring out.  He then did his thing, to it and I went in every week for 5 weeks to get it treated.  I hate hospitals, they are so dirty.   After that, I used Dial antibacterial soap and I still do.  I have become a germ ophobe over it. 

    Keep an eye on your incisions and if you think they are not pinking up fast enough or the feel hot and are all inflamed, get to your doc.  It took me a month longer to heal which put my chemo off because you need to be somewhat healed with no open wounds to get it.  Onocolgist got pretty nervous over it but understoond. 

    oh that seems so long ago now.  well that was a year ago this past March.  I will be done with my treatments of Herceptin in July.  Praise the Lord, He keeps me going.

    HUGS<

    Annie

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited May 2017 #33
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    meschellejensen said:

    Interesting Annie

    I have a one hour appointment scheduled tomorrow to teach me how to "deal" with excess fluid in my arm so that I do not develop lymphodema.  I was surprised, this seems like a long appointment when I do not currently have lymphodema.   They gave me a packet with easy lifestyle changes they want me to make because they said that I am at risk for lymphodema.  I wonder if this is related to my loss of mobility in my arm after surgery?  It was pretty bad before I started working on it.  Maybe I should ask for a regularly scheduled appointment with a PT.

    How did it go

    Meschelle, how did you PT appointment go.   My PT person was specialized in breast massage and lymphedemia.  the doc sent me to her to find out if I had it.  Yes indeed, I did.  Both arms,  Left is worse than right.  and she was a godsend for sure.  She helpe me so much.  It is a life long now.  i hate it.  Oh the side effects from BC surgery suck.   She taught me so much and the net has so many other ways too.  Because of it, I can never have blood test, blood pressure , or iv's in my arms again.  I cannot have tattoos either.   I did not have those anyway. so.   but darn it, what if I had wanted one, now that is a nope.

    HUGS<

    Let us know how your first appt. went.

    Annie

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #34
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    Annie

    My hour long appointment to talk with the PT has been moved to next week, but the appointment that I did have was a PT evaluation, and they went over skin care for radiation.  They gave me a folder of information on lymphodema, and added a new pink alert to my hospital ID band.  They told me that I can not have blood drawn on the same arm that I had surgery, have my blood pressure taken on that arm, or lift anything heavy with that arm.  During my next appointment I am supposed to learn how to take care of any swelling that builds up.  They have not said that I have lymphodema, but it sounds like they might be thinking that....

    It's interesting, they caught this cancer very early (stage 1a), but it has already taken quite a toll (nerve problems during surgery because of the tumor invading a main nerve, inverted nipple, maybe lymphodema, and whatever comes in the next couple of weeks from radiation.)  I have only had 4/20 hypo- fractionated radiation treatments and I am already getting sore.  The PT says that I am going to have 5,000 grays (is that how you say it?), so I will probably have some skin issues.  I have light skin.  Sorry, just complaining...

    Thanks for checking in...

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #35
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    Mesch

    Sorry to hear that you are having these issues. You sure don't have to apoligize for complaining! It sounds like the hospital is very thorough, so that is good.   I hope that they give you all of the information that you need to get through the radiation without too much pain. Hang in there! I hope that each day of raditaion brings you one day closer to a cure so you never have to deal with this again.

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #36
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    No need to apologize.

    There is alot to it and it makes us all mad.  You keep on venting.  We all do now and again.  However, please dont forget to laugh too.

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    #37
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    Annie,

    Thanks for your patience with my rant.   I am trying to think positively, but sometimes it gets the best of me!  My new life goal is to laugh more and stress less...

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #38
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    meschellejensen said:

    Annie,

    Thanks for your patience with my rant.   I am trying to think positively, but sometimes it gets the best of me!  My new life goal is to laugh more and stress less...

    Mesh

    Oh dear, there are days I get on a rant and cry and pout.  Then I sniff it up and move forward.  I ask my surgeon why he did not tell me of all these potential side effects and he said, well, not everyone has them, everyone is different and if I told you all of the maybe this or maybe that, you would of run for the hills.  He was right. 

    I think back to the people I have watched die from cancer and survive it and they are all different.  Some have side effects from to none.  Like I keep saying, it is a crap shoot. 

    Hugs,

    Annie

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