Phone charger, iPod charger.
Lip salve
lipstick and mascara - remember you’ll be make-up free for op. My new lashes/brows still Snowy Owl white.
Moisturiser for face/body
I’m having two drains but likely to have at least one one removed before leaving for home on day 5. Been told that seromas will be drained if they reach size of a grapefruit but that can introduce an infection so anything smaller will be left…
Hi
Can I join this discussion? Am due mastectomy 13th Oct. Right side for me and am right handed. How do you get the exercises in advance becacuse I do not want to be incapacitated for any longer than I have to be. Will be looking in to see all posts as this site is keeping me sane at the moment
I was told I would be in apprx 5 days, with drains, they let you home with drains ( Ithink) then go back for removal??? I prob be kept in as home 250 miles away!!! I too am mx/recon and removal of nodes that were not removed at SNB, Ninja I too not long fin chemo I am a ‘neo-adjuvent’ too, much to the shock and dissaproval of my local hospital!! I just want it over now!!! XXX Love to all JXX
Ninja and Applestreet.
Thought I’d just let you know I had my right mastectomy with sentinel node removal and tissue expander a week ago yesterday.Had the op at 4.30 pm and was out the following day at lunch time.The drain was a bit of a nuisance but that was removed on tuesday .I went back to the hospital for that but they had hoped the District nurses could have taken it out.
The BC nurse at the clinic when I first went, gave me the DVD for exercises.I’ve been recommended to use Bio Oil now that the wound is healed but I’m going to wait a day or two just to be sure.I took a lot into hospital but didn’t even unpack PJ’s,I was there for such little time.The whole experience has been very reassuring and restored my faith in our wonderful NHS
Apple:“How do you get the exercises in advance becacuse I do not want to be incapacitated for any longer than I have to be”
I asked the BCN and she gave me a copy of the BCC leaflet. She said that I wouldn’t need to do them until after the op but I’ve got arthritis in my spine since a windy parachute jump and so I have limited arm mobility anyway.
Helo,
I’ve moved from the other thread.I have a date for the 5TH Oct, have to have a right mastectomy, dye and node op. Sometimes I read these threads and feel really positive other times I feel terrified 
I hate people seeing me ill and am fiercly independent. I have a really supportive husband and 2 kids 15yrs and 17yrs. I live in a village in the middle of nowhere and am the only car driver. I am still working fulltime up to 3 days before my op - have to have the radioactive stuff the day before at another hospital (where I am having my op is not licenced). I just don’t know what to expect. The thought of having to wait for the results is doing my head in and I spoke to my Gp who gave me some sleeping tabs. They work for 4 hours!!!
I think I’m just over tired with it all. The 15 year old is very fragile and schoolwork is suffering. They are aware and have put measures in place to help.How on earth ca I hold my family together if I’m in hospital?
Hi 1234
Your post struck a chord with me because I too am fiercely independent and hate asking for help. I have learned though, that really good friends really do like to help out and our friendships are even stronger than they were before. I have 2 girls aged 13 and 15 and they both find it all very difficult too. Their school are being fantastic though and have been an enormous support since my diagnosis in February. The girls struggled to come to terms with the hair loss and now with the forthcoming mx but they are getting there. I am a single parent and their dad does not play a part in their lives so everything is largely up to me. Do you have any other family members that could help out? My Mum is fab and is coming to stay with them whilst I am in hospital. I have also organised my friends into a rota to come and see me and bring the girls in whenever they want to as my Mum doesn’t drive and we live 25 miles from the hosp. I have found that carrying on as normal as much as possible helps the girls and doing the same things we always did, but also giving them responsibilities and being honest with them. We have a trip planned to Vienna 3 weeks after my op which we are all excited about and gives us all something to look forward to, now that the end of my treatment is finally in sight. This has been planned for ages and gives them something to focus on other then the cancer. I’m sure that in time your kids will settle down and be okay. Lots of luck and hugs to you all
Rachel x
Hi Rach, I asked about a holiday at half-term (our only chance for a hol for 2 years yada yada yada) which is 3 weeks post-Mx for me and BCN said - don’t go abroad because of seroma risks.
When the Mx was brought forward, we thought, “at last! Some positive holiday news” but they’ve been dashed again. She also said to wait and do a last-minute booking, see how I am etc.
Tell me, how DOES one get a last-minute holiday in the UK to anywhere worth going to and not left over because terribly expensive in half-term week? Grrrr
Have a lovely time in Vienna and tell us all about it when you get back.
Ninja, I work in travel and you do get some amazing last minute bargains over half term from stuff leftover that they just slash the prices on so they at least make SOME money - and also from cancellations when thet’ve normally kept the money as the client claims on their insurance so any money the travel company makes on it is a bonus… Might involve a bit of Internet searching. I’ll be recovering from op then. Very happy to help!
I hope you do manage to get away. You certainly deserve a break.
X
Thanks, Sandy. I just don’t know how I’m going to be feeling so I guess that a week MTBing may be a bad idea ;o)
Seriously, though, we did fancy biking the new Way of the Roses at some point (goes almost past our back gate so a good chance for an overnight at home) or walking the Wolds Way - those will be next year now. I’d be looking for something relaxing, some sightseeing/culture, access to room for a snooze in the day (so a budget B&B not suitable cos they sometimes don’t like you in during the day) and not Scotland. It’s gorgeous up there but dark and chilly; we ended up in Wester Ross last October.
And not too dear; I’m on SSP and we’re trying not to be too frivolous.
Any help, last minute, when I know if I’m OK, would REALLY be appreciated. You are such a sweetie.
Hi Ninja
I asked Bc nurse and surgeon about Vienna and they both said it would be fine, only long haul flights are a problem. I had my hols booked ages ago and they planned op around it so i trust they are right. My friend’s hubby going to push my case and we’re taking taxis everywhere, so fingers crossed.
Hope you manage to find somewhere lovely to go xx
Hi ladys just read some of your posts about holidays ,was dx august had double mastectomy last friday , had holiday booked for 3rd october to africa on safari but was told not to go as to soon after op and blood clots so had to cancel was very upset as its my wedding anaversary and was so looking foward to it , so we are trying to rent a cottage in dorset , not the same but need to get away after results xxjosie
Rach:"Hi Ninja
I asked Bc nurse and surgeon about Vienna and they both said it would be fine"
But, you’re younger and stronger than me, my dear ;o)
Hi Ninja and Rache,
Thanks for the support. I’m afraid my parents are elderley and my Dad has just blanked me over the whole cancer thing, really think I need to clear the air. I only told them in case the girls needed support from their granparents or if something came out in conversation!
Can I ask a personal question to either of you …what do you do about health insurance and has it really incrased the premium. I too would love to go abroad/away as soon as I can but have not yet plucked up courage to find out insurace costs.
love 1234
Hi 1234, I looked briefly at a break during chemo (before I found out how bad my SEs were going to be and before the b*ggers put me on weekly chemo) and I filled in an online form and ticked “yes, my tumour is still in place” and “yes, I’m still in the middle of active chemo” and I was refused cover.
There is a specific sticky thread on the forum about suitable travel insurance companies with lots of suggestions in there.
My OH is a teacher so I’m stuck with very rigid weeks; none of which fit in with my treatment d
so it looks like I’ll have to wait until “next year” for the second year running. Not happy 'bout that.
We too are waiting for next year to go away, there just hasn’t been a good time and I want to go away knowing I haven’t got to come back to any treatment so we are waiting til my Herceptin has finished whenever that happens to be next year.
Am getting more and more worked up about the surgery the nearer it gets, not helped by the nurse who did my pre assessment not being particularly compassionate.
When I was walking from the nurse’s room to the phlebotomy room on Friday, we passed my favourite chemo nurse (she knows that I’m having slice’n’dice on Friday) and she gave me a hug and a kiss.
People like that are so special.
I’m going up to Edinburgh tommorrow for the day, for pre op assesment…250 miles!!! But as you said Ninja staff you are happy and comfortable with can make such a difference and I say are worth their weight in gold!! Look on the bright side someone else will have to do the ironing for a while!!! 1 week to go!!! Im getting nervous, I suppose it doesnt help having done it all before on the other side…it’s like that 2nd baby… the first one there is a certain ammount of ‘ignorance is bliss’ but with the second you know what your in for and there is nothing you can do!!!
Love to all going ‘under the knife’ soon J XXX
Hi 1234
Tesco are covering me for my hol and very reasonably too x
Ninja why can’t all nurses be like that? So much nicer and more comforting. I’m just hoping I don’t see that one again!