Hi my lovely friends
Just a quickie to tell you I’m out of hospital and back home ! Very tired and sore, but will be so glad to be back in my own bed tonight.
Will log on again tomorrow to read all the threads I’ve missed over the last week - have missed you all !! Going to have a soak in the bath now, do my exercises, and off for an early night.
Lots of love to everyone - hope you’re all ok.
Julie xxxxxxx
Hi Julie - well done and pleased you are home - the best thing is your own bed - mind you electric hospital beds can be handy!! Keep up the exercises - i’m 4 weeks post op and still plodding away at them but physio starts next week to really get me moving.
Take Care
Sarah x x x
welcome home Julie - good to have you back with us. Hope your first night back in your own bed was fantastic.
hugs
Ruth
x
Hi Julie,
I am soooo pleased eveything went ok. Im glad to hear from you.
You take it easy and get some well earned rest.
Love Lynne
P.S The Director who I know does has the initials MS - is his surname a forest?
Hi Girls
Thanks for the lovely welcome back.!
Well, as much as I was looking forward to getting back to my own bed, could I sleep ? Could I hell !! Hubby was snoring away within five mins and I lay there wide awake, and just could not get comfortable. Sarah, you’re dead right, how I missed my lovely comfy electric hospital bed - lol ! Needless to say, have felt really tired today and didn’t get out of my PJ’s until 2.30pm, but still managed to make it to our youngest’s Parents Evening at school tonight.
Anyway, op went well - am now minus my left boob and lymph nodes , but honestly feel fine about it. I’ve got a tissue expander in so it’s not exactly flat anyway, but my Breast Care Nurse gave me a couple of sports bras, and some “softies” to put in, and you can’t tell the difference. Just frustrated that I can’t drive for the next few weeks and have got to take it easy - something I generally find hard to do !
Hope you girls are doing ok, and speak to you soon
Lots of love Julie xx
P.S Lynne -yep, you’ve got the right Director - lol !
Hi Julie
So glad you’re back home… The first few nights are a bit mad, getting used to being back in your own bed etc.
I have found that I haven’t bothered with the softies for most of the time.
One tip for you, take a couple of painkillers about an hour before you go in for your first ‘pump up’ of the expander, it helps. It’s not painful as such, but it doesn’t get very tight and sore!! I’ve got about 100mls in each boob to go before they are ‘fully inflated’ LOL. Your nurse/consultant may push for you to try 100mls each time, but if you don’t feel like it then don’t. I have about 60mls put in each time and that’s enough for me!!
All I can say is lots of pillows and some really good books have helped me through the first few weeks… and keep up with the exercises!! I’m 7 weeks post surgery and have almost got 100% movement back in both my arms!!
Poannie x
Hi Julie,
Welcome home and well done, remember to take it easy and do the exercises!!
karen x
Julie - well done you for making it to parents evening so soon - I am 4 weeks post op and felt knackered doing secondary school visits this weekend - had to sit down for the whole afternoon and let everyone wait on me!!. I am not normally a tired person but keep falling asleep on everyone - even chemo didn’t drain me this much - has anyone else felt this tired ?- thinking it is either anasthetic (7 hrs) or anaemic? Might call my nurse tomorrow.
I know it is frustating not driving but I drove today for the first time after my ld recon and was ok - bit tight when using bad arm and had to feed steering wheel through my hands like a learner!!!
Take care and keep exercising
Sarah x x x
Morning Ladies !
Poannie - thanks for the tip about painkillers, I’ll definitely take them before seeing my Consultant later. Hope he doesnt hurt me too much, as my “boob” is a lovely yellow and purple colour now, and VERY sore. How are you by the way ? x
Karen - thankyou, and yes I’ve been doing my exercises (lol) - in fact I’ve just hung out the washing, which was an exercise in itself. Hubby is out for a couple of hours, the washing is sat in the basket, and its a lovely day outside, so I thought “s*d it, I’ll have a go”. No doubt hubby will have a go at me when he gets home - and come on ladies, you’ve have done the same so don’t tell me off (please!). x
Sarah - well done for driving - I can’t wait to get back in the car ! As for tiredness, yes you may be anaemic. Probably the reason I’m more energetic at the minute is because I had a blood transfusion whilst in hospital. Didn’t really want it, but have to say it has made a difference x
Anyway girls, thanks again
Love to you all
Julie xxx
Hi Julie!
Haven’t been around for a while but just wanted to say I’m so pleased it went ok and that you’re back at home now. Hope you don’t get into trouble over the washing - you naughty girl. What an inspiration you are though 
Try to take it easy!
Lots of love
Jo xxx
Hello Jo !!
Good to hear from you - have been wondering how you are !!! JulieL came to visit me in hospital - she looks fab, and she was telling me how you’re doing. Once you’re up to it, we must get together.
How is your chemo going ?
Julie xxx
I have actually just emailed her and suggested next Wednesday evening. Will you be up to it that soon?
I am really good thanks. Have still been a bit emotional a few days after each chemo but at least I’m expecting it now. It doesn’t seem quite so bad now I know I’m not going mad and that it will pass… Changing to Pacliataxol next time (half way through now - woohoo!). Not looking forward to the extra tiredness it will bring because I’ve got lots of plans! How inconvenient is breast cancer?
Jo xxx
Hi Jo
Next Wednesday sounds good to me - just need to check my OH is about for the kids. Having said that, I can’t drive at the mo, so you and Julie are more than welcome to come over to mine for the evening if you want ? Will also get in touch with Julie, and we’ll get something organised.
Glad to hear you’re ok, and you’ve reached the halfway mark - that’s brilliant, nearly there girl !
Take care and see you soon
Love Julie xxx
Hi Julie
Glad you are home, now c’mon don’t overdo it…
I am going in for my bi-lat mast on 30th nov, and just read the lpost-op leaflet saying ‘Hoovering and hanging out the washing need to be re-introduced gradually’…Oh Damn, that IS a shame…
I know the temptation is a bit much, cos you can’t sit around and just look the jobs that need doing can you?
Are you still in alot of pain or discomfort? Did you have Lymph node clearance too?
Love and hugs for a speedy recovery.
Ali
x
Hi Ali
I know, it’s so hard to sit down and not do anything ! Hubby wasn’t too bad, I did’nt get the telling off I was expecting. Mind you, after nearly 18 years together he knows me well enough !! Mum is here today though, doing my ironing and hoovering for me.
Yes, I am in some pain actually. This wasn’t helped by the fact I had my first saline injection last night at the hospital (I’ve got a tissue expander in). I did have my lymph nodes out too. Anyway, am finding that ibuprofen is helping better than paracetomol right now, but found it difficult to sleep again last night.
Oh well, musn’t grumble, sure I’ve got the worst over with now !
Thank you for your message, and good luck with your treatment too !
Love Julie xxx
Yeah, hopefully the worst bit done. Have you done chemo, or do you still have that joy to come? I have my 5th tomorrow, then only 1 more - yay!
I am having tissue expanders too - just wwanted ‘something’ there whilst I wait for the perm recon. Sounds uncomfortable though.
Hope you are OK and continue to improve.
Ali
x
Julie - you naughty girl - no washing you should be resting!!! Make the most of everyone helping - know it is easier said than done!! It is painful watching my husband iron a shirt!! I found sleeping hard at first - would have to get up half way through the night to have a walk as I felt all stiff - too frightened to roll over in bed too much! NIce little tipple of Tia Maria works wonders at night to send me off!!
Poannie - I will remeber that tip about painkillers before the saline injections - mind you my surgeon wants to book me in for other recon in Feb then he will inflate both at the same time so I have a matching pair!!
Take care
Sarah x x x
Morning Girls !
Sarah, I know what you mean, but I’m having trouble sleeping since I came out of hospital (I had a lovely Night Nurse who used to tuck me in every night, and made me soooo comfortable, she adjusted my pillows and bed just right, and I can’t get that at home !!), so I figure if I knacker myself out during the day, I’ll sleep. WRONG !. Usually I sleep on my left or on my tummy, both positions are impossible right now and I’m finding it very frustrating. I think I’ll take your tip, and have a look in the drinks cabinet tonight - lol !
Ali - yes I finished chemo on 31st August (thankfully!). I think I’ve got only 3 more saline injections, then I’ve got rads and herceptin to follow, and I think my recon will be March/April time next year. I must admit I found the first one very uncomfortable, but when you bear in mind it was only a week since surgery and I’m still bruised, its no surprise really. Hoping next week’s injection will feel better. Poannie was right about taking painkillers before you go though, and I’m so glad I did because the hospital didn’t tell me to ! I see its your last chemo today - that’s briliant - let me know how you got on !
Anyway girls, thanks again, and you all take care !
Love Julie xxx
Thanks for the tips girls, good to know for when I start that part of the treatment…not long really. booked in for 30th Nov.
Sorry the sleep thing is not going well Julie, there is nothing worse is there? I had no sleep last night as forgot to take my steroids at lunchtime and ending up taking them about 4pm, and also my 18 month has Croup and he is on steroids too…woohoo - we were all up at 2am…great.
Off to Hosp for chemo at 1pm (not last one - 5th out of 6, so almost there) …dunno how I am getting there yet…waiting for someone to phone to let me know if they are taking me, otherwise have to get someone to sit with croupy kid whilst my husband takes me…so complicated!!!
Take care all of you, speak to you soon
Hugs
Ali
x
Hello ladies
I am a little buddy of Julie’s - we both got diagnosed on the same day, have the same surgeon and BC nurse. I have been reading your threads as I am so dumb and only this week logged onto these discussion forums! Cant believe I have been having treatment since april and never thought to join this little club! Am here now which the main thing (feel like have missed out on all the friendships made). Nice to meet you all anyway - you all sound so supportive of each other.
Love Amber x