Finally Made My Decision Re Surgery

Sunrae
Sunrae Member Posts: 808
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My surgery date is getting close, Feb. 25th. I have been reading all your posts and gathering as much info as I can. I finally decided that I will just have the modified radical masectomy on my right breast with at least 10 lymph nodes removed as recommended by my surgeon and onc. I was told that I could have bilateral and the insurance would pay but I don't have a high rate of reoccurrence. And I've opted to not have reconstruction, mainly because of all the risk of longer surgery time, risk of more infection, longer recovery time. Since I already have a lot of health problems inc. diabetes, asthma, high BP, fibromyalgia, gaucoma, I felt like I would be asking for more problems. The simpler the better is my thinking. Surgery is not stressing me out as I've had at least 3 other surgeries inc. hysterectomy. What is stressing me out is that I have to undergo the heart stress test this coming Thursday because I have a "nasty EKG" and the anethesiologist(?) will not clear me. I can't do the treadmill so its the one where you lie on a table and a drug is injected to chemically exercise your heart. Since I have asthma they are using a special drug but I've had this done before and said I'd never do it again. I know its not a big thing but I'm concerned that I can't get thru it, something might show up to keep me from getting my surgery. I just want to get thru this and get it over with. I will need radiation afterwards. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I love you all.
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Comments

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #2
    Sunrae
    Good luck with your clearance and stress-test. I wish you to get through this procedure and be ready on Feb 25 as you plan. You made a very conscious decision with is right for you. The fact that you feel comfortable with it is crucial for the success and fast recovery and healing. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on your progress,
    Hugs,
    New Flower
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #3
    New Flower said:

    Sunrae
    Good luck with your clearance and stress-test. I wish you to get through this procedure and be ready on Feb 25 as you plan. You made a very conscious decision with is right for you. The fact that you feel comfortable with it is crucial for the success and fast recovery and healing. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on your progress,
    Hugs,
    New Flower

    Sunrae .. I will keep you close to my heart and in prayers
    WOW .. so many obsstacles -- but you've been here before and you can tackle this dye and testing. What has worked for me is all the shared stories, and experiences of our bc group of fighting women -- when I have been in MRI's, Echo's and CT scans. Focusing on my sisters and their battles has helped me to stay calm and sane.

    I wish the very best for you.

    Please keep us posted and updated.

    Strength, Courage and God's blessings.


    VickiSam
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    #4
    VickiSam said:

    Sunrae .. I will keep you close to my heart and in prayers
    WOW .. so many obsstacles -- but you've been here before and you can tackle this dye and testing. What has worked for me is all the shared stories, and experiences of our bc group of fighting women -- when I have been in MRI's, Echo's and CT scans. Focusing on my sisters and their battles has helped me to stay calm and sane.

    I wish the very best for you.

    Please keep us posted and updated.

    Strength, Courage and God's blessings.


    VickiSam

    wishing you the best
    wishing you the best sunrae!



    teresa
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #5
    teresa41 said:

    wishing you the best
    wishing you the best sunrae!



    teresa

    Hi Sunrae,
    Just wanted to say I'll be thinking and praying for you. I too had a drug induced stress test prior to my surgery and yes, it's icky. It just seems like they keep poking and hurting us with things not directly connected to the bc but that we need...I think that was almost the worst part of all of this.

    Keep us posted on the outcome of your test and hang in there, as you know, it actually doesn't take long but it's still one more thing...

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #6
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Sunrae,
    Just wanted to say I'll be thinking and praying for you. I too had a drug induced stress test prior to my surgery and yes, it's icky. It just seems like they keep poking and hurting us with things not directly connected to the bc but that we need...I think that was almost the worst part of all of this.

    Keep us posted on the outcome of your test and hang in there, as you know, it actually doesn't take long but it's still one more thing...

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    God bless
    and good luck with the stress test. Kinda weird it's called "stress" because it puts you in so much stress leading up to it! HOpe it goes well.
  • Sunrae
    Sunrae Member Posts: 808
    #7
    Mama G said:

    God bless
    and good luck with the stress test. Kinda weird it's called "stress" because it puts you in so much stress leading up to it! HOpe it goes well.

    I've been waiting 5 months
    I've been waiting 5 months to have my surgery, went thru 3 biopsies, numerous other disgusting tests but this one is the one I dread. Thank you for your support and I know this will pass. Just don't want anything to keep me from having my surgery in a couple of weeks. Mama G, I love your pic, it is truly a picture of a winner.
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #8
    Anxiety!
    I'm not sure if you are one of us that takes anti-anxiety meds, but other than having babies, I never experienced anything medical until my BC diagnosis. A friend of mine came with me to all my appts and once I got the confirmation that I had cancer, my friend insisted that the doctor write me up a script for Xanex. From then on, any type of test I went for I would ask if it was ok to take it prior to the procedure. They even said it was ok to take it the morning of my mastectomy as long as it wouldn't put me to sleep. I get extremely worked up over anything medical and this has definitely helped me get through each & every one. I had a mugascan done and was told I could take it for that and that has to do with the heart. Perhaps this would help with some of your anxiety.

    Also, they do these tests to make sure we will be ok under anesthesia. You are being watched very carefully and I would think they would be able to reverse any ill side effects if they should occur... I'm guessing. I don't know this for sure.

    Oh I sooo feel for you, Sunrae. I know & understand how stressful these stinkin tests can be. I hope you are having a lot of undue concern, like we all usually do, and that everything goes along just fine. Please take a deep breath and know that you are in God's hands.

    You are in my prayers and please let us know how things go!

    Hugs, Mar
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #9
    You will definitely be in my
    You will definitely be in my nightly prayers. Take care, and I will be thinking of you this thursday.
  • terri805
    terri805 Member Posts: 122
    #10
    Eil4186 said:

    You will definitely be in my
    You will definitely be in my nightly prayers. Take care, and I will be thinking of you this thursday.

    Prayers for you
    Sunrae,
    You will be in my thoughts and prayers as you go through your testing and surgery. I will pray that everything goes smoothly for you. Good luck to you.
  • Chrispea
    Chrispea Member Posts: 123 Member
    #11
    Good luck to you.
    I hope all goes well.

    I haven't had my surgery yet... I'm thinking of doing both. I don't know. I have one more meeting with a surgeon and plastics. Haven't met with plastics yet.

    {{hugs}}
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #12
    Good luck, Sunrae, I'll be
    Good luck, Sunrae, I'll be thinking about you. I remember when my mom had to have the same test a second time, she was also very stressed over it but it ended up not being as bad as she remembered. I'm hoping for the same for you.
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #13
    Sunrae
    So glad you have a plan in place, and I will be praying that you are cleared to proceed with your plan.

    Please keep us posted on how your test results come out.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • kimber10
    kimber10 Member Posts: 47
    #14
    cindycflynn said:

    Sunrae
    So glad you have a plan in place, and I will be praying that you are cleared to proceed with your plan.

    Please keep us posted on how your test results come out.

    Take care,
    Cindy

    Good Thoughts
    Sunrae,
    Good luck and know we are all thinking of you and wishing you the best.
    Kim
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #15
    kimber10 said:

    Good Thoughts
    Sunrae,
    Good luck and know we are all thinking of you and wishing you the best.
    Kim

    Best wishes I hope it goes
    Best wishes I hope it goes smoothly. sometimes when we think it will be bad it turns out better than we thought. I'm glad they will get the info to give you safe anesthesia. They operate on all kinds of people with less than perfect bodies and they do well. Information is power. Keep us updated.
  • Sharon40
    Sharon40 Member Posts: 93
    #16
    good luck
    Good luck to you!
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #17
    New Flower said:

    Sunrae
    Good luck with your clearance and stress-test. I wish you to get through this procedure and be ready on Feb 25 as you plan. You made a very conscious decision with is right for you. The fact that you feel comfortable with it is crucial for the success and fast recovery and healing. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on your progress,
    Hugs,
    New Flower

    Sending you prayers and
    Sending you prayers and positive thoughts Sunrae!

    Hugs, Leeza
  • Sunrae
    Sunrae Member Posts: 808
    #18
    Sharon40 said:

    good luck
    Good luck to you!

    Thanks for your support and
    Thanks for your support and encouragement. Only 2 more days to go. Waiting for my dr.s office to call me and let me know which of my meds I can take beforehand. Know I'm supposed to fast and bring some snacks with me but don't know if I should take my HB Pressure meds or my inhalers. I'm sleeping well but just dread the feeling I get when I'm injected and my heart starts beating so hard and I can't breathe. I'm sweating this more than the surgery but I know I'll get thru it. Just feel like venting about it. I have to take so many meds that I try to get thru what I can so I don't want to take any more. Thanks again.
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #19
    Sunrae said:

    Thanks for your support and
    Thanks for your support and encouragement. Only 2 more days to go. Waiting for my dr.s office to call me and let me know which of my meds I can take beforehand. Know I'm supposed to fast and bring some snacks with me but don't know if I should take my HB Pressure meds or my inhalers. I'm sleeping well but just dread the feeling I get when I'm injected and my heart starts beating so hard and I can't breathe. I'm sweating this more than the surgery but I know I'll get thru it. Just feel like venting about it. I have to take so many meds that I try to get thru what I can so I don't want to take any more. Thanks again.

    Wishing you good luck Sunrae
    Wishing you good luck Sunrae with your surgery. Sending you support and encouragement.

    Debby
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #20
    MyTurnNow said:

    Good luck, Sunrae, I'll be
    Good luck, Sunrae, I'll be thinking about you. I remember when my mom had to have the same test a second time, she was also very stressed over it but it ended up not being as bad as she remembered. I'm hoping for the same for you.

    Good luck! You will be in
    Good luck! You will be in my thoughts and prayers Sunrae!

    Lex♥
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #21
    Marlene_K said:

    Anxiety!
    I'm not sure if you are one of us that takes anti-anxiety meds, but other than having babies, I never experienced anything medical until my BC diagnosis. A friend of mine came with me to all my appts and once I got the confirmation that I had cancer, my friend insisted that the doctor write me up a script for Xanex. From then on, any type of test I went for I would ask if it was ok to take it prior to the procedure. They even said it was ok to take it the morning of my mastectomy as long as it wouldn't put me to sleep. I get extremely worked up over anything medical and this has definitely helped me get through each & every one. I had a mugascan done and was told I could take it for that and that has to do with the heart. Perhaps this would help with some of your anxiety.

    Also, they do these tests to make sure we will be ok under anesthesia. You are being watched very carefully and I would think they would be able to reverse any ill side effects if they should occur... I'm guessing. I don't know this for sure.

    Oh I sooo feel for you, Sunrae. I know & understand how stressful these stinkin tests can be. I hope you are having a lot of undue concern, like we all usually do, and that everything goes along just fine. Please take a deep breath and know that you are in God's hands.

    You are in my prayers and please let us know how things go!

    Hugs, Mar

    You are in my prayers
    You are in my prayers Sunrae! Wishing you good luck and a fast recovery!

    Hugs, Diane ♥

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