Removing dressing after lumpectomy

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.

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.

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

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! 

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

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...

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 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...

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