double mastectomy Oct 26

No advice, just lots of love and positive thoughts!

bevaschia said:

Thank you!

Thank you!

path -- ..  Please know it is doable - hard, with side efforts but doable. 

Please keep us posted.   

Vicki Sam

Although it may all seem overwhelming, it is do-able.  Been there.  Yes, it does take some time to recover from all the body goes through.  My sequence was different, as my treatment hinged on what the path reports would show from the surgery.  So, I had surgery first.  Chemo second (eight infusions every other week, four of adriamycin and cytoxan and then four of taxol).  Radiation third.  Hormonal therapy now.

I will say that for me, it was easier to sleep in my recliner chair.  I think it is because I just never was one to be able to sleep on my back as it was.  I did sleep there for about three months.  I was not house-bound for long.  I was out (not driving) with friends and family about three weeks after my surgery.  I probably was driving soon after that -- although it was tricky having the seatbelt (had a small pillow I used).  During chemo, I was feeling pretty good most of the time.  For the AC, I think I had maybe two or three days when I felt queasy and that was it.  With the radiation I had a little burning, but not enough to cause delays. 

I made it a point not to be house-bound, as I thought it was helpful.  I am in education and work with young kids (some parents send them to school even when they are sick).  So, I did not work; however, I did pop by to talk to my supervisors to update them on things.  I did visit my class once, but the teacher warned them not to hug me or stuff like that.  They (2nd graders) did all right.  I was out to church, but I say way in the back so that it was not obvious if I chose not to stand for parts of the service or drank from my bottle of water.  Because I had some issues with coughing, I could easily leave the auditorium.

How well did I do overall?  The end of the week I had my second infusion, I went to Ohio (from central NY) for a family reunion.  That was a last-minute decision, as I wasn't too sure how I would be.  Ten days after I finished chemo, my husband and I went on a four-day trip to southern PA and my class reunion in Southern MD.  I paced myself and did very well.

We all know that we don't all handle our treatments the same, even if they are the same.  But, I hope things go well.  I did have a few struggles, but they were minimal.  I am now three years past all that and doing well.

e

bevaschia said:

Thank you, Desertgirl.  So

Thank you, Desertgirl.  So glad you are doing well.  Can you elaborate on the things you could or could not do by yourself right after surgery and how bad the pain was?  I've completed chemo on the front end, but will have to do more after surgery.  

 

I can't say the pain was all that bad.  I made myself get out of my chair and go eat supper at the table.  I did not prepare the meals initially, as my husband and church friends took care of that the first few days.  My sister came for a week to help with anything she could.  She cooked up some entrees and froze them for us. 

I had drains to contend with at the start.  Because I slept in the recliner, they were not a problem.  If I recall, I was rid of them about 10 days after surgery.  I went to the surgeon's 1-2 times a week for follow up.  He would take a needle to pull out more of the fluid.  That did not hurt because I could not feel it.  I may have done that over three weeks after the drains were removed. 

I think a big reason that the pain was minimal is that I was numb across my chest -- still am -- where the DRs did their magic.  Being jostled could be a bit uncomfortable, if I was out in the car (rode in the back seat so I did not have to wear a seatbelt).  Coughing and laughing were not a problem for me.

What was difficult for me was strectching and reaching.  For quite a long time, I felt pulls when I did things as simple as try to look over my shoulder.  Even if I took deep breaths, I could feel pulls.  Now I don't have those issues.  It took exercise and moving/reaching to help with that.  I still have some problems with that BUT probably it is due to an earlier sports injury (shoulder) from which I never was 100% afterwards.  The scar tissue and radiation just exacerbated it.

Mamacan said:

Bilateral mastectomy

I am  47 years old and I just finished chemo, now I am  worrying and just a little afraid of having this surgery; on the 22th Oct  I go back to give the plastic surgeon the ok to go forward I will be having the back muscle, fat, and blood vessel brought to the front to form the breast, I am not 100 percent sure this is what I should be doing, but I do know I don't want saline, or silicone, so it's a flap for me.

I just thought if any of you ladies could give me some advice on the long term affects of the flap surgeries, that would be great, because really that's what I am afraid of is that I don't know what's going to happen down the road, with losing muscle from one place to another.

 

Thank you

Michele

in Pink ...   Sending magic sprinkiles your way.

Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

Vicki Sam

Sending prayers that your surgery goes well tomorrow

GlowMore said:

Surgery Today*

We are all praying for you today as you go through your Surgery and waiting in the Pink Waiting Room for your first post to let us know you are ok.   Glo

I'm waiting along with Glo in the pink room. Best wishes for a speedy recovery....Anna