Anyone else due to have surgery just before Christmas?
I’m having a WLE and Axillary Clearance on 20th December, hoping to be home on Christmas Eve as I have 2 young boys - 5 months and 2 and half years old so really want to enjoy Christmas at home. We’ve decided that if I’m still in, then we’ll just ‘move’ Christmas Day to a few days later as they won’t know when the real day is.
Anyway -very nervous about surgery as never had any surgery before but just want it over and done with now.
Hi
I am sure you will be ok.
I had the same op in Sept and was in hospital for 3 nights. I was up and about the day after op and felt stiff but well. I was in longer cos of the drains. Just take it easy with the lifting, remember general anasethetic makes you tired, and do the exercises as much as poss.
I’m having my op a bit before you - on 10th - having mastectomy with some aux node removal. I am lucky in that my daughter is 14 so will be able to help me as I have no-one else at home.
I had WLE and axillary node clearance last year on 20th December and came home on 22nd December. I did have 2 drains in but they were both taken out before I left the hospital. The operation really isn’t bad. I needed a very small amount of pain killer when I woke up after the op but felt fine very quickly afterwards. I was able to get out of bed the same evening.
Once you’re home accept all the help you’re offered and don’t hesitate to ask for help. And be sure to do your exercises.
Good luck - let us know how you get on and a very Happy Christmas to you and your family.
Love Anthi x
I had that a couple of weeks ago and was back home the next day complete with my drains. They just sent a district nurse the next day to make sure everything was OK then a few days later to take the drain out. The drain came out the Saturday following the Monday surgery but in light of it being Christmas maybe they’ll pop around on the 24th to do yours???
Hi Hannah,
Try not to worry to much the surgery isn’t too bad - they give you plenty of painkillers and anti-sickness meds. When you come home make sure the hospital give you some spare dressings (in case the wound leeks) and also some strong painkillers - you probably won’t need them but just in case you do it is good to have them to hand especially over the holiday period. Get a couple of cheap nice soft bras to wear post op - I expected my breast to be smaller post op but initially it was larger (much!) so you may need a bit of extra support.
Hope all goes well
cheers
caroline
You’ll be fine. I had WLE and sentitel node biopsy back in August and only spent the one night in hospital. Since had mastectomy and full clearance (5 days in hosp). I hope you have family around to help you out. I have a 4 and 7 year old not babies like yours but still need looking after. I just slowed right down and if anyone offered to take them I took it!
Do your exercises regiliously and you’ll be back to ‘normal’ (if you ever can be with breast cancer).
Have a very happy Christmas and RELAX…
xxx Vanessa
Best of luck for the 20th - my surgery - mastectomy and axillary clearance is on 27 December - my very lovely consultant did offer 24th as an option but I thought my kids would prefer to have me cook dinner rather than their gran!! My kids are uni students so they can look after me… lob the odd bacon buttie in my direction etc…
I don’t feel too nervous about the idea of an op because I have had several before - anaesthetics are loads better than they used to be and I think far fewer people are sick post op these days. It’s the waiting that is causing us stress? I know my powers of concentration are equiv to a gold fish at the moment!!!
I’ll look forward to seeing your post Christmas post saying you had a wonderful Christmas.