Hi everyone
Not long to go now on countdown for the op tomorrow - have a feeling that the house is going to be cleaned from top to bottom tonight especially as the children will be at my exhusband’s - it could be that the dogs will be walked off their feet too! Hopefully it won’t be four days in hospital, I have the marathon to run on Sunday! My very best wishes and gentle hugs to everyone who is dealing with this - xx
123Ali
Good luck for tomorrow, sending gentle hugs
Xx
Dropped off the kids at the ex’s - they all gave me a big hug and said goodbye to the ‘booby’ - funny its a bit like the hamster - they didn’t take any notice of that until it was gone!! The seven year old asked if I could bring it home in a jar like my wisdom teeth, I didn’t ask why! Kids ah - put a smile on your face at the most inappropriate times. They were upset but I think that was because Friday is big bag of sweets day which they will miss out on this week!!! Still more worried about the GA - as far as I am concerned get over the GA and that will be a result.
I know its one step at a time but I was never that patient.
It really helps that there are unfortunately so many of you out there who have been through the same thing and are comiing out the other side - it really helps.
take care everybody xx
I’m due to go for mastectomy may 2nd. Getting LD with no implant as I now have to get chemo n rads after. It’s funny but I’ve had such a long tie to get used to the op I am not overly stressed about it at the minute… Although when the time comes I will be a wreck most likely. So good to hear such positive reports… It certainly reassures me. Thanks ladies…
Good luck 123ali, have been following the April surgery ladies. Mine (WLE) was the 4th and seems such a long time ago now! I hope it all goes really well for you. Sorry I have no info regarding Mx. The GA was okay thought. Nothing to worry about ((hug)) Love the mental image of you bringing your boob home in glass jar! It has just reminded me that the lady in the bed next to me on the ward was very insistant that she got her polyp (that they’d just removed from her rectum) to take home. They wouldnt let her so she tried to take the photo from her notes… The docs insited they have it back as it was the only one. In the end she went home with a photocopy. You should have seen their face.
AS for recovery, I only had a lumpectomy and SNB. Was 2 weeks and 1 day ago and feel normal now. Tiredness under control now. Wound looks really good. I am a 34A and was worried about the cosmetic side of things. I dont know if there is much sweeling but its not even particually lumpy or even dented. Maybe that will change? The lump was 23mm. Have shown my wound/boob to pretty much all my friends and family - whether they wanted to see it or not!
Sorry to hear youve been through the mill Gillian x
Good luck to those waiting xxx
I’m confused about bras and PJ’s for hospital! I don’t wear button up PJ tops and thought I would manage with my strappy tops and I wasn’t going to bother with a bra. But a nurse told me today button up tops make check ups easier and I will need a non wired bra on to hold my new breast in position (having an MX and implant).
What have your experiences been? It’s quite amusing to have something trivial to stress about for a change!
It’s lovely to read everyone’s progress, and I wish you all well.
Jennifer x x
Hi Jennifer
I took button through nightshirts with me (£6 from matalan) the nurses would just left it up to check so if you had a baggy top that would probably be ok, as for a bra I was told to take a post op bra but so far I haven’t been able to wear it I have been to tender.
Take care
Gillian xx
123 Ali, you will be absolutely fine with the general. I too was terrified about the GA for a few reasons but everything was all right and it really wasnt as bad as I thought. I felt that if I woke up from the GA then I would never moan again, my husband will tell you, that was a lie. What a crap ex husband you have, I have a rubbish one too, he is currently working in India for 3 months, he did phone my girls a week after my mastectomy, didnt ask how i was but called to let them know that although a tsunami was about to hit where he was, he would be ok!!! Selfish man never even asked my 13 and 11 year olds how they were and how all this cancer business is making them feel. There are reasons why he is the EX husband!!!
Sorry I havent been online at all this week as I have been a witness at a court case and have been in court all week. Had a fright tuesday as I tripped over and landed on my right side where the boob was, I could have cried, what a shock!!!Anyway, i still have the same dressing on, 2 weeks post surgery and have been discharged by the district nurse now!!! Is this normal???
I have to go the hospital for results Monday and they will discuss the plans for chemo etc, a bit nervous but i am looking forward to seeing it without the dressing. I have finished the anti biotics for the wound infection and am feeling better although still sore. Have come off the codeine and am trying to survive on paracetomol as the codeine has given me horrendous costipation, 2 poos in 2 weeks, hellish!!!
Apart from that all is ok, I do hope all you lovely ladies are doing well and staying positive,
Take care all,
Laura xxx
Hi Laura, I too came off the codeine and am just taking the paracetamol, not great but take the edge off, didn’t get great news about path results yesterday, more cancer than they thought, they took away all lymph nodes and every one of them was infected, now to go for bone scan and another CT as another tumor was found in breast as well, should start chemo in about 3 weeks, so back to playing the waiting game , Laura I got my dressings taken off by BC nurses maybe you could give them a call, hope everyone is doing ok xx
Ginger, just want to send you a big hug right now xxx Chin up Girl, stay strong, you have had more issues thrown at you but you are a strong woman and will deal with it. Have you had all your nodes removed already or was it just the sentinel nodes, do you need more surgery???
Can anyone tell me (or show a photo) of a softie and the bra you need post surgery please? I am not in the UK and we do not have anything like that here, I do not even have a BCN…
Hi Sascha
If you email the Ask the Nurse Service (link below) they may be able to help you here.
breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-services/ask-us-your-questions/ask-nurse
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Thank you Jo but it says the service is only available for people in the UK and I am not…
Hi Laura, they took all 20 lymph nodes and all were infected, thought they were only doing snb, but surgeon didn’t like the look of them, glad he did it, means don’t have to go back and get it done . Sending lots of positive thoughts for tomorrow , stay strong xx
Ginger, I know the news is not the best but at least he took them all out there and then, much better than having another operation darling. Hope you are being good to yourself this weekend and you are being treated and pampered by your loved ones. I am a bit nervous about tomorrow, its the unknown again isn’t it!!! Big Hugs to all you lovely ladies especially you Ginger xxx
hi ladys 3 days post op mx with immediate recon with tissue expander, was that worried about drains etc didnt even think about what pain i would be in was not good when i woke up and i just could’nt stop crying feel less emotional today so must have got it out of my system or some of it at least, was discharged yesterday drain still in district can’t make it out to see me so have to go back tom for drain checking and possibly removing fingers crossed, its strange cos it almost feels like there is still something there even than i know there is’nt sorry to hear some of you have your results and werent what you were hoping im sure you will all get through it you all have helped me alot over last week so hugs to you all two weeks to wait for my results
xx karen
Hiya All
Ginger good all the nodes are out, sorry to read that they were all affected. I had chemo already and it’s do-able, although some unpleasant side effects. But it should tidy away all the cancer cells if there are any in the first place. Hugs to you.
It’s two weeks tomorrow that I had MX and ANC and the progress to move my arm up is very slow. My armpit and under side of my upper arm feels like bathed in nettles 24 hours a day. I do get my arm higher than a week ago, but it’s rather progress from one week to another and not from one day to another.
I see the BS on Friday this week and hope the chemo has done away with the cancer as much as possible. I would love a complete response, but onc says a partial response is more usual.
Christine xx
Thanks Christine,
It’s nearly 3 weeks since MX and ANC my armpit feels the same and some numbness in arm, trying really hard to do all the exercises but finding a couple of them really difficult, am being referred to physio so hopefully will be able to get more movement back, sometimes feels like there is a tennis ball stuck under my armpit and still getting shocks now and then but not as much as I was, hope you get on ok on Friday, sending lots of hugs to everyone especially Laura , hope you got on ok today xx
Hi Sascha,
After checking regarding contacting the Ask the Nurse Service from outside the UK the nursing team have responded:
“Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to queries from outside the UK, as there are differences in health services and care in other countries and we receive funding from UK donors”
I trust you understand.
Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Ginger, what a shock for you. I’m 90% sure I don’t need chemo and if that changes post-op for me, I know what a blow I’ll find it.
How did you get on today Laura?
Just 2 more days til my MX and implant (Weds). I’m keeping busy…
Jennifer x