Chemo Cut Short -- Surgery Now

magsi -
I wondered about that too…
ready to pin the model up as a poster of what I’d like to look like!!!

Agree – it could easily be copied into something we have in our closets
or something we could make
same idea as your pegs

Oh Emily I thought it was you!!! or perhaps that is what you will look like afterwards.

Oooh Em

That is a good idea, but want to reiterate what others have said about the choice of model. Looks kinda sexy with her pouch whereas in reality maybe not so?? Anyway, you get the gist that the drains need to be secured somehow to make mobility easier.

Hi Emily
just to say I will be thinking of you and wish you well. Thanks for all the games you have introduced I have really enjoyed them and will keep them going as will the rest of us here until you think more new games up for us all to play.

Love Debsxxx

Emily

My surgeon told me that a mastectomy was the ‘least painful operation we do’ and he was right. My hospital gave me a cloth carry bag which worked fine I could carry the drains around and hang it on a peg in the bathroom. It also covered it up to stop the children getting too nosy.

Hoping and praying that everyone goes well.

love Pauline

magsi –
you are really a riot – sure enough that’s me-- she looks more like a victoria secret (do you have them out there),
got a real reply from them from the order…so I think I’ll email them and let them know that they need a dose of reality.

the hosp will probably be supplying something, but not sure and you know me…wouldn’t want to be unprepared!!!

just came back from a lovely dinner with OH and SD. I even made her smile!
a pub…which is nice.
feels like last supper…
must be cause OH even stopped at the dairy queen (soft serve ice cream) for a take home
did I say anything bout a diet?

its near a mall so we went there first and I got some capri or crop lounging pj bottoms
and the prettiest set of pjs I could find that had button up front and cap sleeves…but still its ugly
and big…I got a size bigger
and a really neat happy looking pale sherbert looking zip up bathrobe roomy enough for bags and all sorts of stuff
and wonderfully soft

I guess I am helping the US economy with this
but will be able to wear it all at home
and it was 50% and 65% off…
sigh
am getting nervous. shouldn’t have looked at images on the internet – sketches are so much less emotional

Monday will not come fast enough.

thanks for each of your thoughts and prayers…Pauline, Debs, Cathy and Mags…I really do appreciate the good vibes coming through !

Emily
xxx

I have never written to you but have taken part in some of the games and visited the DDI on occasion. I am sorry to hear that your chemo was not working for you. Wishing you well with your op and recovery. You have provided some much needed light relief for me when I have needed it on the forum.
Rach xx

thank you rach - I appreciate that. I guess the games have been a good idea - they help me too.
I’ve been trying to keep them wholesome, but you know uw!!!

I hope you are well and getting better each day

Emily
xxx

Hey Em hunny,
Just want to say loads of love and hugs for the upcoming op.
You are one of the strongest people I know on here and I know you can do this.
I only had a WLE and full node removal and tbh it wasn’t that bad. Like others have said I had a wee cloth bag to carry my drain in so didn’t walk off leaving it behind.

You just need to listen to your own body and take each day as it comes, as with all of this cr*p.
You are ever in my thoughts and prayers (when I do them).

Keep strong
Love
lisa
xoxox

Dear Emily Jane

I prayed for you as I ran down to the park this morning. I am always scared of anaesthetics but added to the list of practical things required for post op some photos (and blutack) that meant a lot ot me and were calming. Put them up on the wall so i could see them from my bed (find i can never see things on my locker)

The anaesthetic was marvellous down to theatre at 0845 back on ward 1300 following oncoplasty for WLE. Left hospital at 1700 sitting by lake in park eating an ice cream at 1730 (anaesthetics are much improved)

Will be thinking of you

Love Crispy

Lisa - you are pretty brave yourself…lining up chemo and job interview same day!
thanks for your good thoughts - let’s hope that this is just what folks say… a bother and inconvenience more than pure pain

Crispy - thanks for you prayers - i marvel at how you went from hospital to park eating ice cream…wow woman!
I will just trust that it will work out…
otherwise who’s going ot wear all my clothes I just bought???

seriously, I have been trying to visualize myself in the hospital healthy
amazing what we do!

Emily-
I haven’t a clue what a victoria secret is - so I’ll let you explain.
Isn’t it interesting and really amusing how words change across ‘the pond’

Can I just quote what you said in an earlier posting on here

’ and was wondering about pants…or something…those hospital gowns are treacherous’

I think you meant trousers, but for us pants tend to mean knickers, so if I was you Emily I would stop the wondering and pack them!!!

Perhaps you ought to start a thread about words on both sides of the Atlantic with different meanings

M x

EJ

Hey darling one, just caught up… gah, i am slow.

as westie said at the DDI… you’d never know that my gorgeousness reveals only a singleton!!! The woman clearly needs specs if she thinks i am gorgeous but in truth people quite often ask me which one was removed…

I had the choice of wide lateral excision or mastectomy and I went the whole hog because i didn’t want any chance of them saying sorry - we have to go back…

Your tumour clearly shares your zest for living… so be done with it…out damned spot i say! We need you to live not the blooming tumour!!

If you are likely to share a room take ear plugs… you’ve got your drain bag contraptions organised you lil marsupial (i used to wear my drain bag diagonally to avoid it falling off my shoulder) and your front loading jammies… i was only in hosp two days/three nights and although my hosp was nice and the food good (LOL a feat in the UK!!!) i was overjoyed to come home.

The op was not so bad - i was much more uncomfy when i had my tonsils out. Like you, I had one node affected but i had a careful/ good surgeon and had full movement in my arm/shoulder straight away but was a good lil patient and did the arm exercises anyway. I had two drains - the one draining the top half came out the next day - weird feeling!!! the other stayed with me for about a week.

You may get a seroma - just a collection of serum which is straw coloured - my hosp drains them but others like to leave them to settle alone - my BCN said it’s good stuff which shows your body is working and healing as it should. Everything is pretty numb… and indeed i’ve just passed my hanniversary ( 6 months post op) and my arm pit is still sort of numb! But the scar is a little fine line, neat and to the medics… beautiful!!!

To me? it’s a scar but having a single breast doesn’t worry me - i caught myself thinking the other day after a shower that the other side looked a bit untidy!!! i am laughing at the thought of an ordinary 50 yo breast being untidy!!! i don’t feel differently about me, i am just pleased that it was found and i still have my chance of life.

We spoke before about this being a passing phase, our lives will never be the same but we go on, we move forward. Never look back, honey. No regrets. Look forward.

Lots of Love
Jennifer xxxx

Hi Em,
Sorry you have to have the surgery,but it is manageable.I took some jogging pants and vest tops as it was easy to slip the straps down for the drain.We have little shoulder bags given to us in our hospital which can become quite heavy when the fluid starts to fill the bag.I was unlucky enough to be kept in for 8 days as my drain just seemed to go on and on,but it wasn’t too painful.The best advice I was given was to do the exercises afterwards.My arm was very painful for a couple of weeks,but just suddenly seemed to feel better.I do have a wee bit of lymphodoema just now,but strangely don’t have any problems with the mobility in my arm.
You’re usually so upbeat,so I expect you’ll fly through this and be passing on good advice to all and sundry before we know it.Take care.Loads of luv’n’stuff!
Tricia
xxx

Hi Emily Jane

Just caught up with this post and wanted to add my good wishes for your coming op. I feel like I know you, as we have shared a few laughs on chit chat and fun, and I have noticed that you start some really good threads. You have enriched this site too!

I can tell by your thread that you will bounce back from this as you are so positive. Yes, not a trendy word on here but sorry, I think positive is good and if you have it, flaunt it!

Good luck and keep in touch.

Irene

Tricia - thanks for the thoughts and advice. I have about all but the online stuff…the pouches…and once they are in I’ll be done and ready.
It really does help that everyone says it isn’t terribly painful. I promise will do my exercises…

Jen-- thanks for your solid advice, as usual. I got a date today, July 9th–which doesnt sound all to urgent to me!!! It is the Fourth of July, Independence Day, here (no offense meant…) so everything is upside down, people off, therefore the ones that are in are overloaded, and the OR is booked. GREAT. My blood count is also 1.6 which is low…doesn’t feel low…so they want to give me Neopogen and a MUGGA. If I dont lose my mind waiting, I will defo look forward!!!

I don’t know what Id do without this forum…the mind would be out in left field already!!!

Em
xx

Yeah don’t you just hate bank holidays.
When I was dx it was April so got hit with 2 bank holidays in May for results etc.
Next FEC is the Wed after our July BH so have to hang around to wait for blood results before being told if I can have next one.

Sorry rambling, keep strong honey, I know you are though.

Loads of love
Lisa
xoxo

really, how inconsiderate of them!

Well, thought I’d give you an update. I got one of the packages from the company that partners with American Cancer Society, TLC. The cami’s were very nicely made…but probably fit on my arm, never mind round my body with drains!!! They also had spandex. The radiation cami was nice but a pullover…not practical and I didnt see that when I ordered it. And the sexy spaghetti strap lacy cami was lovely…and I might fit into it in 2 years.
I ordered my reg size but obviously, it didnt work. These guys were expensive!! One cami alone was 45. So they are going back.

If I have the pouch thingy, I shouldn’t need more, right? I can use reg button front shirts and the oversize bathrobe and things like that instead. Just wondering.

I was so disappointed, but hey, why would they put spandex in something so practical? I don’t get it.

Em
xx

Hi Emily

Sorry to hear the disappointment with the items. Think you should be ok with shirts as discussed but I didn’t have drains so will leave others to confirm.

Hope the neopegen and mugga went ok. Presume neopegen is the same as Neulasta. it certainly brought my white cell count up and although I did have some achy bones it was worth it.

Lv Crispy