Hi there, Tracy, Shannon and Jo
Have been thinking about Shannon, hope all went well. Sending you lots of hugs.
Tracy, I am having my op the day after you and I am terrified as well! Saying that it will be good to be on the other side. At the moment I will be having WLE and node clearance. Just hope the so and so tumour has shrunk enough when I have the final scan. At one stage it was mentioned it might have gone into pieces.
Tracy just take all the help you can get. Glad to hear that you contacted Social Services, hope you hear soon. I know its easy to say but please put your health first.
We have a support group in our area will look into joining.
Jo you really went through it, wishing you all the best. Are you on any futher treatment?
Sending hugs to all.
Love Alison x
Hi ladies,
Well, I’m home, and its all done! I had a horrible wait, was in hospital for 7am, but didn’t go into theatre until nearly 4pm… wasn’t nice coming out of anesthetic, as I was being wheeled back to ward, and I was SOOOOO cold!! But nurses were fab, and gave me painkillers which worked really quick, and apart from that, I haven’t really had any pain, just bit of discomfort. The lady opposite me had WLE, and said she didn’t need any painkillers at all! I only had one night in hospital, back home with 2 drains. Really impressed with the surgery, when I looked, nothing looked that different, as they saved my nipple, and the scar is below that.
Quite tired, so will post again later, just thought I’d let you know it all went well.
Thanks for your thoughts, love to you all,
Shannon
xxx
Hi Shannon
So pleased it all went well, yipeee, its all done. Sounds like your surgeon was very skilled. It must be so good to be home so quickly. Just take it easy and get plenty of rest. Thanks for letting us know, have been thinking about you.
Lots of love
Alison x
Hi Ladies,
Thanks again for all your good wishes, all so much appreciated. And friends here have been great - I’ve had 2 lot of flowers, cards, my partners’ mum came over with a cottage pie, and a friend came round today with cream cakes (yum!) and a lamb hotpot for tea!
I’m still a bit uncomfortable, but nothing a few co-codomol hasn’t shifted. I’m not even taking the full dose, just a couple when I wake up, and a couple just before I go to bed. Sleeping has been fine, I’ve got several pillows arranged so I can sleep on my back, slightly propped up, but haven’t had any problems getting a good nights rest, in fact been sleeping better than before!!! It’s a bit of a nuisance having to remember I’ve got the 2 drains, and pick them up when I move around, but other than that, I can’t feel them. They will be coming out on Monday. My breast and the area under my arm are still numb, I have a dressing over the incision they made at the base of my breast, and the two drains, but other than that, you couldn’t really see any difference. Some pale yellow bruises, and that’s it. I’m confused though, as I thought I was having a tissue expander implant, but there isn’t anything to expand, its all the full size - I’m seeing the surgeon on Wednesday, so will ask then. I’m assuming I’ll get the histology results on the tissue than as well, so fingers crossed.
I was a bit surprised to be sent home the following day, but that is to reduce the risk of a hospital infection. I think you would need to have someone with you for the first 24 - 48 hours after surgery though, as the anaesthetic can have after effects. I’ve been feeling dizzy on and off.
Alison, hope you’re feeling better now after chemo effects. Try not to worry, I know its easy to say! Let us know how things go over the next few weeks and if you find out about the support group.
Jo, sorry to hear you have to go through this more than once - I guess that’s why they told me I would have a mastectomy, no matter how small the tumour appeared to have shrunk, save any problems. How are you getting on now?
Tracey, you sound a bit brighter, looks like things are progressing for you - as Alison said, take all the help you can get. Did you speak to the McMillan people?? What a bummer about pay - but hopefully you should be able to go back to work soon, depends on how physical your work is I guess? I’m hoping to be back early March, and work around rads. Did you have any further info from BCN about your surgery? Do you know any more details? The support group sounds like a great idea, there is one here but I haven’t managed to feel strong enough to go to one yet, may try and make the next one.
Let me know if you have any questions or worries about the surgery, I’ll do what I can to calm the nerves!
Love and hugs
Shannon
xxx
Hello Everyone
Shannon, sooo pleased that you are making such good progress.It sounds as if you are recovering very well, I am certain being at home helps. Its lovely that you are getting plenty of attention, because you deserve it.
Did you have your lymph nodes out, I cannot remember if you said you were.
It will be good to ask the surgeon all your questions on Wednesday, all the best for that appointment.
The sickness is just beginning to wear off thankgoodness. My GP put me on antibiotics yesterday as I have a very blocked nose. I am pleased about that as it will take me through my low part of the chemo cycle. I see the surgeon on Wednesday as well! Will have plenty of questions. I do not like anaethsetic so that will be about the worst part of the op for me.
Tracy do hope things are picking upnow, let us know how things are going.
Shannon you will be glad to get those drains out on Monday, then you can really start to get back to normal.
Just take care wont you.
Lots of love
Aliosn xx
Hi all
Shannon so good to hear you got through it all ok. How you feelinhg now?
Can I ask what you had done? and a really silly question…normally when you go to theatre you wear a gown back to front but what did you have on? I know it sounds silly but it’s something thats been bothering me.
Got social worker coming tomorrow to make assessment… bet little one will be on best behaviour!
Hope you are feeling better Alison
Traceyx
Hi Ladies,
The surgery I had was mastectomy with full lymph node clearance with implant. I thought I was having a tissue expander implant (which would have meant some skin removal) but I seem to have had a straight normal implant, already full-sized, with no skin removed. I will find out tomorrow why, but have to say it looks great. I went out today with a friend (to the supermarket, she ‘drove’ my trolley for me!) and wore a vest top with inbuilt support. She couldn’t tell the difference, said I looked the same both sides!
I walked down to theatre with a nurse, in dressing gown over the top of the hospital gown, and slippers, which they then bagged up for me before I went into theatre. I went in for the op in the hospital gown, on a bed trolly, with a light blanket over the top, and I kept my knickers on, they said cotton ones were ok. I also kept my bandana on. Also some VERY sexy (not!) surgical knee-length stockings to prevent blood clots, they give you a spare pair and ask you to keep them on for 2 weeks after.
I’m not taking any pain killers now, and had the drains out yesterday. Still sore, boob, armpit and an area under my arm, but nothing to bad. Just trying not to do too much with the ‘bad’ arm, but as its my right side, and I’m right handed, its quite difficult, and I keep forgetting! Have been told not to drive for 2 weeks afer the op.
I’m in to see the surgeon tomorrow, so will ask questions, and should find out what results they had from removing the tissue, so fingers crossed. Looks like tomorrow is a busy day for all of us! Good luck all… I’ll check in for updates tomorrow night.
Lots of love
Shannon
xxx
Hello Everyone
Tracy best of luck with social services hope you get everything you need.
Shannon sounds as if you are doing brilliantly. Sounds like the surgeon did a really good job.Its also good that you do not need to take painkillers. Just wishing you all the best for your results tomorrow.
I saw my new surgeon today who explained everything for the first time. For instance I did not know I had 8 lymph nodes removed when I had the sentinol node biopsy. No wonder my arm has taken such a long tome to recover. He may not remove anymore but I will have to have rads there.
He is happy to do a WLE but if pathology shows anything up will have to have more surgery.
He also wants to sample a lymph node over my lungs because of where there the tumour is.
Anyway wishing everyone the best of luck, we are all getting there.
Love Alisonx
Hi Alison,
Wow, you had more nodes removed than I did! I was told today they removed 7, and 2 had traces of cancer in them, although the cells were dead, so the chemo had done its job. I’m pleased with that result. They only found 1mm of live cancer cells in the breast tissue removed, and no vascular invasion. Becasue of that, they had good margins,so were happy to spare the nipple and skin, and gave me the full implant, rather than the tissue expander one. Also they have my HER2 results back, I’m negative, so no herceptin for me. She was very happy with the way I’m healing up, and took all the dressings off. I need to go back next week just to check I don’t have a fluid build-up.
I hadn’t heard about lymph nodes over the lungs before, but just saw your other post, hope you get some positive feedback on that one.
Tracey, hope your day went ok, and you can enlist some help from social services.
Love ‘n’ hugs all, catch up soon
Shannon
xxx
Hi Shannon
So glad your check up went well, its brilliant that your margins were clear. You had 2 positive nodes like me, so glad the chemo had knocked the active cells out.
Just had my appointment through about my pre op tests a week tomorrow.
I have had a reply about my other post by another woman who had the same nodes sampled. I had never heard of these nodes either.
Sending love and best wishes to you Shannon and Tracy.
Alison x
Hi ladies,
Just a quick update, everything seems to be healing well now, have been wearing a soft bra, and back to driving again. Still managing to avoid hoovering or ironing, although seem to be doing pretty much everything else. My new boob seems to be a bit larger than my old one, so slightly lop-sided! It’s not really noticable generally, but I can tell as my bra/tops are slipping sideways that way. I’m going in for a check-up this afternoon, just to check there is no fluid build-up.
I went to a ‘look good, feel better’ session yesterday, I think Alison did one too, and came away with some nice toiletries and cosmetics, and was surprised to find how much my eye lashes have grown back! Still nowhere near as long as they used to be, but long enough to dab a bit of mascara on, and made me look like the person I used to look like, not the cancer chemo person I’ve looked like for so long.
Hope you are all well, and managing ok…hugs n love
Shannon
xxx
Hi Shannon
So glad that your are getting on so well.
Yes I did go to the Look Good Feel Better session, the bag og goodies are just brilliant. It was nice to talk to the other women as well. I have some eyelashes as well. My eyebrows are beginning to recover but still have only half of one on the right side! I have a fuzz all over my head now and look like a skinhead!
Went for my pre op check up today. Have to be in hosp. at 11am next Thursday and will have the op. in the afternoon. Should be out the next day. Getting really worked up about the op. and I am terrified of the anaesthetic! They are going to give me a pre med which will hopefully calm me down.
Trcy hope you are getting on alright.
Have a food weekend everyone.
Lots of love Alison x
Hi guys
Glad you doing well Shannon. I’m in on wednesay morning early so we should be enjoying hospital food at same time Alison!!
Assestment by social went well but not heard outcome yet. While the guy was here little one punched me in ribs for no reason and I had to peel him off his sister 3 tiomes so that was fist time he showed what he can be like in front of officials, albeit he was tame compared to usual behaviour.
I am absolutely terrified!!! But should be home sooner rather than later as am sending kids to stay with their dad for a week lol
He got to do school run and uniforms and lunchboxes etc!!!
Fingers crossed this is nearly the end and I’ll get my life back.
catch you soon
lots of love
Traceyx
Hi there
Just read my last post and realised the spelling is appaling, lol !
Shanon will be thinking of you , wishing you all the best. All I can say is They better have my pre med ready when I get there!
Glad the social worker visit went well, all the best for the outcome. Really hope you get the help you deserve.
Shannon hope you are continuing to get on well.
Lots of love Alison x
Tracey and Alison,
If I don’t get chance to post tomorrow, good luck!!! Please don’t fret about the general anasthetic…just think of it as a cuddly comfortable deep duvet, enveloping you in warmth and comfort…for me going under wasn’t the problem, it’s coming out the other end!!! I always get very distressed, but then an hour later I have no idea why. I will be thinking of you both.
Alison, I put your *unusual* spelling down to a few glasses of wine - it usually has that effect on me anyway!!
Oh, and my hair is still growing fast, but still very fine, and very straight!
Good luck ladies, see you in a few days, love ‘n’ hugs,
Shannon
xxx
Hi there
Thinking of Tracy today. Thanks for the good wishes Shannon and you were right about the wine,lol.
My hair is very fine as well and straight, wish it would grow a bit faster! Its also very fine on my legs which I do not mind!
Se you in a few days
Lots of love Alison x
Relieved to get home today after being convinced I would not wake up from op.!!
Lump was on upper part of boob and surgeon took quite a bit of tissue away. He replaced it with tissue from under boob so I still have a clevage! If lab results ok I will go on to have rads otherwise I have to have a masectomy, please keep your fingers crossed. Op went very well.
Hope you are ok Tracy after your op and Shannon you continue to get better.
Lots of love
Alison xx
Hi Alison! Great to hear you’re home again, and it all seems to have gone to plan…my fingers are crossed for you. Lets hope they got it all, and your news will all be good…
Everything still ok with me, getting stronger every day.
Tracey I hope you are doing ok too, check in with us when you have the chance hun.
I’m enjoying having eye lashes again, and planning to go to a local meet on 11th April, crashing the Shropshire girls meeting as arranged on this site, I’m only 30 miles away in Wolverhampton. I should be ok to drive that far in a few weeks…are either of you anywhere close???
Oh and as I’m triple negative, and can’t have any hormone treatment or Herceptin, I’ve agreed to do another trial, so will be taking a tablet once a day for the next 2 years. They hope it will help, time will tell. My onc said he was really pleased with the response my tumour had to chemo, and is hopeful for my future.
Take good care of yourselves, have a good weekend.
Shannon
x
Hi there
Beginning to pick up now. However my boob sounds like a hot water bottle when I move, must be the fluid!!! Hopefully it will settle and I wont need to have the fluid removed. OH took me for a run in the car this afternoon and it was so good to get out. It feels so good to be through the op and the chemo.
I live in Gloucestershire so unfortunatly Shropshire is a bit far else I would have joined in, it would be good to meet up.
Shannon the trial sounds really good, these new drugs are usually brilliant look at Herceptin for instance.
Great news from the onc about your tumour.
Tracy do hope you are recovering well after your op.
I still have a problem with eating and have put on alot of weight. I really want to start to lose the extra pounds.
Take care both of you.
Lots of love Alison x
hi
just a very quick one handed check in.
i got home today aftter going in lastt wednesday today is tuesday
u cud say there was a few probs but i’ll tell u about it all a nother time when less knackered
catch u all soon love all round
traceyy