I had no drains, and barely any pain at all with lumpectomy and SNB, lymphodema is not really an issue I don’t think unless you have more nodes removed or require radiotherapy to them, I had two removed and both were clear so am having no radiotherapy to my nodes and my oncologist told me lymphodema Wouldn’t affect me and so far it hasn’t, I found it a really straight forward op and was home within a few hours feeling fine, yes the mental anguish started to lift after the op although it’s stressful awaiting the results I was ok and once I knew what they and found and my treatment plan I’ve felt so much better and am able to function again and feel pretty much normal, everyone is different I know but I’ve spoken to so many people who have had the same op and they have said much the same as me about it. Xx Jo
Jings, I do hope we’re not just confusing you with all our different experiences, Mael! If nothing else you will now have a long list of questions to ask your team for their version of the advice! No drains for me.
I’d sum up my experience as really wishing I’d had a crystal ball when I was at your stage (last November) - I worried about every single thing, from the radioactive injection, through surgery to tattoos and radiotherapy. There genuinely wasn’t a single stage that was anything like as bad as I had imagined it would be. Unfortunately there wouldn’t have been a thing anyone could have told me to make me really believe how manageable it would all be - I had to find that out for myself!
You’re obviously a feisty lady with the sort of sense of humour that will see you through this.
Hugs,
Kitt
X
Thank you Kitt, Jojo and Kim xxx
Kitt 
No need to worry – I can’t possibly be more confused than I was before, and instead guess what: this thread has yielded more questions to ask to my team, no doubt, but also some very practical advice that allows me to prepare better (the devil is in the details, and little things as the chocolate and the necessary stuff within easy reach can do wonders for the morale) and avoid wasting money on stuff I don’t need.
As for the more controversial points (the danger of lymphoedema, the drains, the need for someone to stay over the first night) I guess I will have to evaluate possibilities and outcomes and plan accordingly. I am honestly not too fussed about the pain, for once. It can’t be worse than a root canal, in fact I’d be staggered if it’s anywhere near that level of pain. I shall be fine. What worries me most it’s the post-op anxiety but who knows, maybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill – and anyway I can try and stay calm and I can even manage to do so. Perhaps.
I’ve just received (ten minutes ago, it’s still in the packaging) a book about countering anxiety and dispelling negative fantasies.That’s my night sorted. It was recommended to me by a poster in another thread. I am really grateful to the ladies in this board who have taken the time to give me advice. I may be able to pay it forward later.
One piece of knowledge that I’ve been given here and which is utterly true but that I won’t repeat in my turn it’s that the anxiety of the waiting for an outcome is much worse than knowing that the feared outcome happened. It’s incredibly true and somewhat something I knew from the start, but it never translated into any consolation for me. It’s not because is there’s something wrong with this info, it’s because there’s something wrong with my brain, maybe 
Instead, everything that relates to being prepared, that’s golden, even if it means simply the recommandation of buying additional pillows.
hugs & love
mael & one of the cats who can’t stop pawing at the keyboard
xxxx
Thank you ladies for the well-wishes. We shall see how it goes. I am sure I feel better after having the results – but it’s still a long way to go, so it’s better I don’t think about it… xD
love xxx
mael
Hi Mael,
Hope it all goes well for you on Wednesday. I saw your comment about staying in a gown. I went to theatre at 8.30 am and was sitting up looking for my lunch by 1pm. My nurses were surprised that I wanted to change into my pj’s since I was only in for the day but the other ladies in their gowns all looked so awkward, especially back and forwards to the loo! You won’t have a drain so loose or front buttoning jammies feel so much more normal. None of us got home until well into the evening but I was the only one that spent the rest of the day in my chair instead of in bed - far too easy to slip into passive patient mode!
The anaesthetist doing his post op round actually passed me by thinking I wasn’t that day’s surgery and had to come back to look for me!
I’ll be think of you Wednesday.
Hugs,
Kitt
Xx
In my Christmas round robin letter I wrote a tongue in cheek list of positive things about having breast cancer (a good excuse to get out of the work Christmas party, etc.). Top of my list tho was new jammies! ?
Kitt xx
Chortle, Mael! Do you have some very soft bras to wear in bed for the first few nights? I liked the wee crop tops from Sainsburys and they were good during radiotherapy too. Although I usually sleep without nightwear too, my vanity just didn’t let me sleep in just a bra! Husband would have coped but the cats would have pointed and laughed!
Hugs,
Kitt
X
You’re just boasting now “Dolly”! ?
Didnt wear the crop tops at night with a bra, they gave me enough support for comfort when sleeping on their own. But I then hid them under pj’s or nightie !
Kitt
Xx
Well, Doll, Marks and Spencer lingerie section call them crop tops and do a 2 pack for £14 , Asda call them comfort bras £6 each , not sure what Sainsburys call them but they’re equally cheap and have the best range of colours and better support than the Markies ones IMHO. I’m a 38DD and I found them supportive enough for sleeping and I still wear them when slobbing about the house although I wouldn’t go out in them ?.During radiotherapy the advice was to go braless but I found that really uncomfortable so the crops were good for me.
Kitt
X
Hi Mael,
How have the appointments been going so far this week??
Kitt
X
Hi Mael,
I’ve been thinking of you today - yes, that minor cancer detail is a b****r , isn’t it! Well, by the time you read this it will be gone and then the next bits are about doing your best to make sure it doesn’t come back. I have no experience of chemo but hopefully you won’t need that and if you do there will be plenty of advice on here. Radiotherapy and tamoxifen are totally manageable.
So I hope today went smoothly, no goats fainted and you are being kind to yourself!!
Huge gentle hugs,
Kitt
X
Phew! Great news! Hope you get a good nights sleep! Don’t overdo things for the next few days !!!
Hugs,
Kitt
X
Glad you’ve got that bit done Mael, it’s a scary one however much everyone tries to reassure you in advance
Time to break out the boxsets and chocolate stash and cosy up on the sofa for a few days now.
xx
Sharon
Great news Mael, you rest up and stuff yourself full of whatever takes your fancy. Worst bit done now in my opinion its easier from here on in xxx
Thank you ladies, you’re wonderful <3
This morning I feel a bit achey but less blue, both metaphorically and literally (yesterday, it wasn’t only my pee that was emerald green, but also the whole of me – I understand they made me a plasma infusion, which was stained with methylene blue; probably my blood wasn’t clotting, after one month of ibuprofen. Or the fainting goat syndrome had made my pressure drop suddenly. Nevermind, now I am pink again.).
A bit annoyed that they removed three lymphnodes, I was already mourning one 
And the sore throat, bleurgh! What have they used, a measure of sink plumbing?
I think I’ll stop thinking about all this and I will start with the boxsets, like Sharon reminded me.
I am also about to order a couple of those tops, Kitt – there’s no way I can sleep every night with this boob scaffolding.
Mucho love, xxx
mael
Hi Mael, my very perceptive sister came to see me 2 days post op as I was bouncing around making everyone lunch,etc. A couple of days later she asked if I’d come down off my adrenaline high yet - a high I completely denied being on but a phase she later described as my “Mary Poppins on speed”!
Once I got my results a week later I took a real slump in both emotional and physical energy. My results were the best I could have hoped for but I think I was living on fear that week whilst trying to convince myself and those around me that everything was normal!
Being self employed must be really tricky at a time like this but do pace yourself and look after yourself as well as your business!
Did you sleep last night?
Hugs,
Kitt
Xx
Mael really relate to your comments about thinking about your life and choices. I have never married and have few ties and u describe the sense of freedom which is so true and the fear and isolation we can feel. Living alone with this is terrfying to begin with but liberating in the end.
Kikatt i did laugh with your Mary Poppins on speed! …brought a smile to my face. That was me too post surgery. I had a lifelong severe phobia of surgery too. When i did the operation i bounded out of the hospital like an estastic bunny! I was sooo happy i had conquered a phobia and the cancer was gone. The dizapam helped a bit too! !! Sending hugs xxxxx
Hi Mael,
How long will it be til you get your pathology results? Hopefully “just” ? a week, is it?
Now, boxsets! Totally recommend North and South … if Richard Armitage as Mr Thrornton doesn’t cheer you up I don’t know what will!
Hugs,
Kitt
Xx
Ladies, I was the same I felt I had to burn off that energy somehow, that’s where the walking kicked in
Mael, as long as you feel ok bounding around for a couple of hours that’s fine, just be sure to take your rest when you need it. I’m currently sleeping 4 to five hours a night compared to 7 or 8 before the op, not sure if it’s brain working overtime but I am sure all will settle into good pattern. Also, if it helps to know I did take my car out for a drive on Sunday - (only my best friend knows and she gave me hell!) and I have been getting myself out and about all week now with no issues, without my car I really felt that I had my independence removed at the same time as the dreaded lump
Independence is important to me as I don’t have a partner and only one sibling who lives too far away to be here all the time and although friends say “just ask, we can do this or that for you, anything, just ask” they are all living their own lives and when I have asked someone yesterday if they could maybe cut my grass for me they weren’t available all weekend - so I did ask but…haha
Sheena x
Missmore
I like your comment reckon us ladies could take on the world. Knowing u ladies are alone too makes this easier. The forum keeps me smiling. Move over David Cameron the BCC ladies are about to invade Westminster!! Xxx