Today is a month post op from mastectomy

[cate94]

It still hurts, but I didn’t need chemo!! No nerve block for me unfortunately but the compression bra was quite helpful at minimizing the initial pain. They took 17 lymph nodes, but all were clear!
On the other hand, they took 17 lymph nodes and that is causing some swelling and discomfort.

Most of my neighbors are aware of my recent surgery so I feel comfortable walking around my block without a prosthesis. It takes at least five weeks for measurements and a few more weeks before the prosthesis arrives, in the meantime what to do? I had to go to Target. I tried to rig something up. Socks, bra insert, it looked okay when I left home. By the time I was back in my car I looked like Quasimodo. Lol.

In the meantime, my wife ordered some temporary silicone replacements from Amazon. The first one she ordered was an A size. Apparently my bust size made an impression on her when we first started dating 30 years ago. I tried it in my sports bra and it didn’t look any different than when I went without. Haha.

She ordered a new size and I decided to try it on my walk. We just started out when our neighbor across the street called us over to look at a planting she did in her backyard, we were cutting through her house when I realized that the silicone slid down and was now sitting on my stomach. Thank god no one saw it, I don’t need enhancement there. Back home, dump the insert. Omg. It’s a hysterical pain in the chest.

This is an awful lot of vanity and silliness for a nearly 67 yr old (semi) broad. So I go to the doctor for my annual, w/o the balancing act. Heading back to my car I pass a younger woman who smiles and nods and then clearly notices my chest. Her expression changes to horrified. Oh well.

So back to trying to look balanced. We had more missteps with with the silicone boob, but it seems a sports bra, double faced tape will keep things somewhat normal looking. The bra itself slides up sometimes but a print shirt helps camouflage it.

We went out to dinner last night for the first time since this whole ordeal started. Met up with friends in Chicago, at a pop up restaurant “The Golden Girls Kitchen”. It was a fun night and I wasn’t self conscious at all.

[niyad]

1. huggggs and healing vibes for swift and complete recovery. Glad the

dinner went well.

[cate94]

8. Thanks

Me too!

[Bayard]

2. Glad you're feeling better

[cate94]

9. Thanks!

[efhmc]

3. Happy there is no cancer and healing is happening. Don't know if your story was meant to cause

laughter but it did. Take care.

[cate94]

7. I'm glad!

I laughed at it myself- as it happened! It’s crazy stuff. Like when taping the bra to the silicone, it was on the counter, pressed down to get the two to stick together and the damn thing sounded like a whoopie cushion. Told my wife I’d better not hug anyone too hard!

[louslobbs]

4. 💕Wishing you a full recovery

with both physical and mental healing.

[cate94]

10. Thanks!

[Duncanpup]

5. Hugs to you cate94

[cate94]

11. Thanks!

[TNNurse]

6. Please find a source for lymphedema evaluation.

I had lymph nodes removed and have lymphedema in the arm on that side. I wear a compression sleeve to keep it under control. Also learned manual lymph drainage massage. Out of control lymphedema is grim. It also creates real problems finding clothes for a larger arm. Please get an evaluation and see if it is a problem.
Lymphedema therapists are also physical therapists.

And yes, correct bras and protheses are a big ole pain. I was 62 when I had surgery and am now 73.

Wishing you well.

[irisblue]

12. ⏫⏫⏫⏫⏫this⏫⏫⏫⏫⏫

NGL, I giggled at this bit "The first one she ordered was an A size. Apparently my bust size made an impression on her when we first started dating 30 years ago."

[cate94]

20. I'm glad you giggled

I think a lot of this is pretty funny, other than the actual pain and discomfort. I mean one side of me is now flatter than I was in 7th grade and I’m trying to make it look bigger. It’s funny. What 60+ yr old stuffs socks in her bra? That’s be me. I tried it. Lol

[irisblue]

23. At a Sisters Of Lavander meeting(way way way back)

Niecy(faked name) pulled out her temp silicon filler from her bra and tossed it to another woman. Uproar ensued.

Conscious Raising groups were different in the 70s& 80s.

[cate94]

24. Lol

[cate94]

13. Thanks!

I asked the surgeon about it at my last check up. He said it doesn’t happen much anymore because of the drains. They say this surgery takes 5-6 weeks to heal so I’m trying to be hopeful.
Next week I start the exercise he recommends, but definitely will follow up with an evaluation if this continues.

[TNNurse]

15. My drain stayed in and kept draining until he had to take it out.

Had to have the side of my chest tapped several times after for fluid build up. It did not hurt I was still numb on that side for a long time. Areas that might be numb now will regrow nerves, but some parts took years.

Please check with someone besides your surgeon. I have known several recent lymphedema patients. Do a little Googling for resources.

It is wonderful that you do not need chemo, it really was the hardest part of my treatment.

[cate94]

17. I will check with someone else

It did feel like he was being a little defensive. He also said not to worry unless my hand started swelling, and that seemed odd based on stories I’ve heard. Thanks for your concern and your advice.

[TNNurse]

21. It isn't the surgeon's fault if someone gets lymphemdema.

I worked with doctors for 37 years, some get weird ideas.

Please let me know how it is going. I will be thinking about you.

[Solly Mack]

14. I'm glad you didn't need chemo.

My mom's bra had an insert for the prosthetic that kept it in place. Maybe they still make them? They came right breast or left breast fitted, as well as for both breasts. There was a flap that attached to the cups and you slid the prosthetic in and then reattached the flap. Velcro was used on the flap.

She would then put the bra on as usual.

[cate94]

18. Yes

That will come with the prosthetic. Unfortunately, they won’t even measure you until 5 or 6 weeks after surgery. That’s why we’ve been trying various temporary solutions. Thanks!

[Cha]

16. Good on you, cate!

Really good to hear about!

[cate94]

19. Thanks!

[mike_c]

22. stay well, cate94!

[cate94]

25. Doing my best

[LiberalLoner]

26. Hugs to you and wishes for quick healing!

I am so glad the lymph nodes were clear…that is such a great sign! I really believe you have beat this and you will be just fine now!

I’m brand new to this group just today, so I don’t know your story, but I was wondering if you had cancer in both breasts at the same time? Because both were removed.

My mom had pre-menopausal breast cancer back in 1970. They removed the breast and lymph nodes, found cancer there, said she wouldn’t last one year. Gave her cobalt radiation treatment which was new at that time, and she lasted the last several decades of her life cancer free.

Your stories of the prosthesis reminds me of the stories my Mom would tell. She had a blow up prosthesis and one time in the grocery store it started deflating so she said there she was with her little straw, trying to blow it back up. Everyone used to laugh at that story, and she would, too.

She always said she wished they would have just taken the other side off at the same time because she said boobs were just a hassle to have, they get in the way when you go to hug someone or do anything. I thought she had such a great attitude.

I’m here in this group now because a few days ago I had extra imaging done and the conclusion was, suspicious areas in both breasts, so biopsies are scheduled for July 18th.

One biopsy will be stereotactic and the other one will be ultrasound guided.

I’ll be honest, I’m mostly scared right now about how much the biopsies will hurt.

I actually had a surgical biopsy done about fifteen years ago. A benign mass was taken out. It wasn’t a big deal because they put me under and I don’t remember recovery as being hard at all. I wore the surgical bra for a month afterwards I believe but if I remember right, the pain went away very quickly.

I know they will give me lidocaine to numb the skin, but the lumps they have to get to for the ultrasound guided biopsy are very deep, and I have dense tissues, and I just have a terrible feeling it’s going to hurt a whole bunch, so I’m scared of the procedure because I anticipate pain.

I thought it might be a smart idea for me to come here and learn from others who have been kind enough to post their experiences, as you have. Thank you. And I hope you won’t have any more problems in the future with the C monster.

[cate94]

27. Honestly, every body is different.

That said, I’ve had both types of biopsies and neither were terribly painful. I think the hardest thing about a biopsy is waiting for the results.

I only had one breast removed, although I have had lumpectomies in both breasts. One lumpectomy was a large pre-cancer. The other had a small cancer and then a second because they missed a pre-cancer that was under the cancer. That breast had radiation and was the one they recently removed.

I didn’t find the lumpectomies to be terribly painful. The mastectomy has been for me.

Hopefully your biopsies will be negative. Hugs to you. Keep us posted!

[LiberalLoner]

28. Thank you so much, and thanks for sharing your experiences! My lumpectomy I had years ago

Was benign and it was no big deal because I was out for the surgery and it wasn’t very painful afterwards that I remember.

I’m just scared of it being really bad sharp pain, the kind that would make me try to get off the table and cry, that sort of thing. That’s what I’m scared of. Anything else, I will deal with it when or if it comes, but I just have to get through these biopsies first.

Thank you, and I hope you will be okay now! ❤️

[LiberalLoner]

29. Thinking of you today as I meet with my cancer doctor for the first time

I am hoping you are doing well and healing up quickly. I hope you don’t have any bad problems with lymphedema or pain.

I’m kind of nervous about this first meeting, glad my DH is coming with me to help me remember what the doc will say and to help ask questions I may not think to ask.

I do hope the doctor will order an MRI because it looks like my cancer has some lobular features and those cancers hide. An MRI would give us a clearer picture of how large the cancer masses are and how many.

Hope I get my surgery soon and I hope I end up being stage 1.

Hoping I won’t have to do chemo.

I know radiation is hard too but it doesn’t scare me like chemo does.

I know what fatigue is like, with my MS, so if I end up spending weeks flat on my back from the radiation, it won’t be much different from my bad spells with MS flare ups.

Anyway, I sure hope you are doing okay.

[cate94]

30. Thanks

I’m doing pretty well actually. I played 8 holes of golf yesterday. It is painful to use my woods, but my hybrids are okay. We hung out in a cold pool afterwards so I am not too swollen or sore.

I hope you get the MRI and don’t need to do chemo. Radiation isn’t too bad, really. Good luck today and let me know how it goes!

[LiberalLoner]

31. Oh I am glad you are doing well enough to play golf!

That is excellent news! 😍

The doc scheduled an MRI for me (first one available 31 August, boo for the delay) and a biopsy of the other tumor, and meeting with plastic surgery/oncology 5 Sept. Worries about insurance coverage because it is out of network but will talk to Aetna about that and see.

The great news is my cancer has estrogen and progesterone receptors and is HER negative. So that gives more options for treatment and lessens the chance I will have to undergo chemo.

So as it stands now, MRI, another biopsy, partial mastectomy both sides with breast lift and reconstruction. Should all be accomplished before the end of September, and then radiation treatments and estrogen blockers.

I’m feeling tremendously encouraged now and feel I have a very good chance at surviving this cancer. Feeling very hopeful.

Here’s to surviving cancer!

And I found out a new Thai food restaurant opened nearby so I am going to be having some Thai food on Friday and life is good! 😀

[cate94]

32. Wow!

That’s great! You’re in good shape if you don’t need chemo! I’m surprised they can do reconstruction before radiation, but that’s great too. Here’s to continuing good news!

[LiberalLoner]

33. ❤️ I'm bugging the nurse with all my questions,

Got some great answers today though…

Below are questions I sent her, with her replies which were timely and helpful.

########

I am sorry to trouble you, but I have a couple of questions I hope you might be able to answer for me.



Will all the members of the surgical team working on my case be in-network as far as you are aware at this point (anesthesiologist, etc.), and
As far as I am aware of yes within INOVA Hospital all are treated as in-network

Would I be allowed to receive my radiotherapy after surgery at the Woodbridge location, which would be a much easier drive for me? And how soon after surgery would the radiotherapy begin…is there a week or so allowed for healing after the surgery before radiation is administered?
Potomac Radiation Oncology is the company that manages the radiation treatments at Fair Oaks Hospital and Fairfax Hospital/Cancer Center. They also have stand alone locations one of which is in Woodbridge next to Sentara Hospital where Radiation Treatments and office visits are done. I definitely can get you at that location. Typically following surgery Radiation Treatment would take place 4 – 6 weeks later at the earliest to allow for tissue healing PRIOR to being radiated.

If additional testing is done on the cancer (Oncotype DX – for Medical Oncology) there may be a longer gap before any treatment begins. I do anticipate that the Surgeon will ask me to send for the additional testing. Oncotype Dx is testing done on Invasive Breast Cancers that are Hormone positive and HER2 negative (which your cancer is). Oncotype Dx helps the Medical Oncologist determine IF chemotherapy treatment might be helpful in lowering the persons cancer risk. Oncotype Dx testing can take 3-4 weeks for results to that is when Radiation Tx would wait to determine if the PT would be advised for Chemo (goes right after surgery) or Endocrine (Radiation comes right after surgery).

Surgery followed by Chemo followed by Radiation Tx’s

Or

Surgery followed by Radiation Tx followed by Endocrine Tx’s

Hope this is clear.

[LiberalLoner]

34. I think they are doing reconstruction before radiation in my case because

For my case, reconstruction is not implants or making the breast larger.

It is taking out more tissue strategically to balance the tissue that must be taken out already on both sides and removing excess skin and doing a breast lift at the same time.

So it’s not reconstruction in the same sense as a full mastectomy.

It could be better thought of as a breast reduction and lift. So that doesn’t present any impediment to radiation.

[cate94]

37. Got it.

Good luck with everything! Sending good vibes and hopes for a speedy recovery. Radiation for the most part is not too difficult. The last couple of times it hurts like a bad sunburn, at least for me. Of course my skin is only 1/2 a shade darker than an albino, so there’s that.

[murielm99]

35. Please stay well now!

[cate94]

36. Thank you

I never want to do this again. Cancer sucks.

[Sparkly]

38. Remember Billy Crystal's character saying

"It's better to look good than to feel good" -?

No, it's better to feel good and not worry about what people think you look like. Easier said than done, I realize!

Take good care, and enjoy life!!

[cate94]

39. I like feeling good!

Enjoying more every day!