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wow, surgery tomarrow!!!

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Posted 11/14/2006 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
K, I had my meeting with the surgeon, he explained things and gave my options very well today so I think I will keep him....

He asked with the holiday coming up if I had a preference to wait for surgery...I jokingly said "tomarrow", he said he didnt think he could get it together that quickly and left the room, he came back in about 20 minutes and said it took a few calls and favors but we are doing it TOMARROW!!!!!!

Now Im in a stupor as to what I should be doing today....is there anything I should be doing?

I cried all morning before the appt, expected to go in there and hear the very worst, but came out knowing sooooo much more and hearing that things arent as bad as I expected......now Im crying from relief.....

 

Posted 11/14/2006 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Holy cow! So what did he say?!!!!!

I guess you should pack stuff for the hospital? Help exerienced women!! Here's my list I started so far:

 

  1. brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, makeup, gel, blowdryer
  2. robe and 2 pairs of front opening pajamas
  3. 2 changes of underwear
  4. surgical bras? do they supply them or do you need to get your own
  5. slippers
  6. reading material
  7. phone numbers
  8. cell phone?
  9. pen and note paper
  10. pillow to elevate arm and to wear between seatbelt on way home
  11. clothes to wear home – loose fitting front opening sweats and flat slip on shoes (same clothes as worn to hospital?)
  12. fiber puff from prosthetics store for temporary boobs
  13. remove all jewelry, take no money or credit cards. Glasses are okay.
Posted 11/14/2006 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
He said that the pre-op testing looked very good, but they did see that I have gall stones (go figure, but nothing pressing) in the MRI they did Thursday.

He said they will inject some radio active stuff and some blue dye when I first get there to test the sentinal nodes...we will start with a lumpectomy, but I told him to do a mast if things go too far. He acted as if he thinks I will be done and home by about 5 tomarrow evening (of course that is only if it is the lumpectomay, mast would be a couple of days). He was very positive today and very helpful with answering all the questions we had. He said that he recommends chemo and radiation afterwards but that the will be a little bit down the road.

 

Posted 11/14/2006 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Jule, I can't believe you are going in that quickly!!! That's kind of like being pregnant and all of a sudden labor starts and you're thinking "wait, maybe just another day or two!" I have been trying to get my own doctor on the phone all day. I have questions I want to ask before I meet with the plastic surgeon on Thursday and it sounds like his schedule is full until after Thanksgiving?!!!

I will pray that you only need the lumpectomy. (With me that is really not an option, too little breast material to work with.) Can you make a note to have one of your family members post us tomorrow with how everything goes for you?  If he needs to do a mastectomy did he tell you what kind he would do? Did you discuss reconstruction if he does need to do one?

Actually I am very excited for you - it would be a relief to get to the stage where it just gets going! So how do you feel about all this?

Posted 11/14/2006 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
Diane,

I didnt even think of what kind of mast to tell him to do..

I too am small breasted and had read somewhere that there isnt a choice for a lump, but I asked him that and he told me that I do have the choice and can have reconstruction of the area later if Im not comfortable with the way it looks after the lump removal.

I think for now I just need to get through this step and deal with some of it later...

how I feel?...........right now I am so relieved to just be getting things going so quickly that my head is still spinning. but Im scared that I didnt ask the right questions, and as you said what kind of mast will he do? what will my next options be? Ive never had surgery (well, a minor one when I was a kid to have my tonsils removed) and have never been in the hosptial other than when I had my kids, so not sure exactly what to expect there either...he explained everything, then the woman that I talked to a little while ago to finish the pre-reg at the hospital explained it more too.

 

Posted 11/14/2006 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
I was under the impression you were supposed to talk to the plastic surgeon first if there was a possibility of having to do a reconstruction and that he would confer with the surgeon before the operation? I want to make sure my surgeon is doing a skin saving mastectomy so that when you have the expanders put in it does not take so long as you already have a bit more skin to work with. Maybe it really does not make much of a difference and it sounds like he was pretty sure he could do the lumpectomy instead anyway. These are questions I wanted to ask. Maybe you could call him up and ask really quickly? 

Hey we need some experienced help in here, pronto!! This is the blind leading the blinder!

Posted 11/14/2006 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
The lumpectomy should be a piece of cake. It is usually an OP procedure that will leave you with a sore breast, but not much else that you can't do. I had that done on November 30, then went in January for the rest.

The sentinel node biopsy, I will tell you, was quite painful. The injections with the radioactive dye were pretty tough, but it was over quickly. I did that part first, then went to the OR for the second lumpectomy (to get clean margins). I went home that night too, the recovery was pretty quick in the hospital, just OP. There was no need to stay. I had very little pain and never needed pain meds, but it was definitely sore for a while. Tolerable, especially with limited movement.

Just plan to take it easy for a couple days and ask about stretching for the arm.

Good luck, and we'll keep the PCE there tonight, ready to go to the OR with you tomorrow.
Lori
Posted 11/14/2006 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
That's what we needed - the calm voice of experience!! Do you know Lori, if Jules asks, will they give her something to numb the pain or maybe a valium or something before they do the sentinel node biopsy?
Posted 11/14/2006 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
When Ihad the SNB it was January 2000, a lifetime ago in the world of medicine. I had no help for the injection, I am not sure if a valium would have helped or not. My doc did the blue dye while I was in surgery and under anesthesia, so I have no knowledge of that...funny, I had a blue spot on my breast though for a few weeks! My doc used both the blue dye and the radioactive dye. I was told that they do not use anything to numb the breast during the injection, as it may interfere with the precise nature of the procedure. Not sure if that is still the case. The pain was strong, but over as soon as it started.

You CAN do this!
Posted 11/14/2006 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
I just wish someone would step up and just tell me what to do - that would be a whole lot easier! But I am sure we will make it thru - way too much yet in this life to do. Perhaps this is just God's way of saying slow down and smell the roses.

I am going to mention to my surgeon that I have been told the prep stuff for SNB is painful - what can he do about it? As I won't have a breast left, I guess I will not worry about the blue spot! :) And it's not that we CAN do this, it's we WILL do this! Just because we can! Go team!

Hey did I leave anything important off that packing list I posted earlier for Jule? I only started on it today - wasn't thinking about needing it quite so soon! Take a look and see if you can see anything important to warn her about. Sometimes if just enough of the little things go right the big bad ones aren't quite so bad.

 

Posted 11/14/2006 11:01 PM (GMT 0)
Diane,

Dont know if this will help you or not...I just talked with my surgeon and asked what kind of mast he would do...he said: if there is no lymp node involvement then just remove the breast tissue, if there is lympe nodes involved then he would do a modified radical mast but it will not affect my choices for reconstruction if that is what happens tomarrow.

He said that I can have reconstruction even with the lumpectomy so I think that might answer your question, or hope it helps some.

Posted 11/15/2006 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Jule, keep in mind also that my experience was almost 7 years ago...and things may have changed now. And even in the same time span, I found that doctors have different ways to do the same things. My experiences may be different than yours, or they may be identical...
After surgery, I had very little pain, as long as I did not overuse the muscles or strain it. I was comfortable.
As for a bra, they sent me home with a bandage over the incision and my bra for the first lumpectomy. The second time they put me in a soft tube top thingy with velcro.
Not much to plan for an OP procedure except to bring a driver with you, and advise them to bring a good book.

And tell the doctor to make room in the OR for us!
Lori
Posted 11/15/2006 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
Jule, do not forget to have someone post to us about how you are doing!
Posted 11/15/2006 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
I plan to be home to post tomarrow evening myself!!!!!(but if not my daughter will post for me)

I feel so positive now that it has sunk in a little....I know I have a long journey ahead of me, but I CAN and WILL do this....

I will be here for awhile off and on tonight as Im not sure I will get alot of rest...

And yes, there will plenty of room for you all to be with me at the hospital tomarrow....

Thank you in advance for all your thoughts and prayers tomarrow I know they will be a huge help...

Posted 11/15/2006 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
I will bring along some lucky Las Vegas dice, pink ones of course - winner 777s! That's you Jule!
Posted 11/17/2006 1:43 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Ladies

Just wanted to let you know a little of my experience. I went in at 7:30 for the SNB and lumpectomy, I was able to leave at 4:30. Like Lori said the SNB was painful but over so fast that it was not bad. My insision is about 4 inches long, my tumor was 4 cm. I was told to bring a tight fitting sports bra that snaps in front and I did but didnt wear it until the next day. I wore it for several days after but had very little pain. The insisions were not bad at all. I guess I was lucky to heal fast and not have too much pain, getting comfortable to sleep was tough the first couple nights. Anyway good luck to you.

L&H

Bernadette

Posted 11/17/2006 5:09 AM (GMT 0)

Bernadette,

My surgery went easily as well and am glad that yours did too. Im a little sore today but not bad at all. I agree with the snb thing, a little painful at first but only momentarily. I was home around 4 pm also.

will keep you in my thoughts

Jule

Posted 11/18/2006 5:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Jule,

How are you feeling?

Posted 11/18/2006 3:45 PM (GMT 0)

Diane,

Im feeling better than I thought I would...rested most of Thursday and Friday and am ready to do something today, just not sure exactly what yet...

Im trying to figure out if I can take the bandages off, they are really small and the clear tape stuff they used to cover them so I can shower is itching like crazy.

How are you?

Posted 11/18/2006 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jule,

SO glad to hear you are feeling better than expected. That is wonderful! But take it easy - don't be pulling any stitches out!

I am still in never never land. Finally got in to see the plastic surgeon assigned to me by my HMO. He was literally over 70 years old (got his med school degree in 1964), he and his nurses put me in a dentist like looking chair then stood totally across the room from me (I felt like I was a spy being interrogated by the gestapo - soooo, you vant a new brrreast...), he did not believe in immediate reconstruction, he did not believe in silicone implants, then he treated me like a total idiot when I mentioned the alloderm reconstruction method being used in New York (I brought an article and he would not even look at it). When I asked to see his before and after photos (remember this is a surgeon who has been around more than 40 years) he showed me a book that had about 10 before and afters in it and they all except one looked like something from a boob horror show.

Anyway, long story short (oops too late for that!), now I can get a referral to another surgeon. But I truly think I am going to try to get a consult with these doctors in New York. I have been on another web site and the women there all seem to love them and rave about the results and the fact that it is a one operation reconstruction. I just have to find out if they can fit me in soon to do the surgery and if my insurance will cover any of it at all. What a life huh?

It must be such a relief to have the surgery part over with! Do you know if you have to have chemo in addition to your surgery yet? Did you get your path results back?
Posted 11/18/2006 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Diane,

Im sorry you had such and awful experience but at least now you can plan to find someone who you will connect with and will make you look like a million bucks :)

I have my next appt Tuesday, they said the SNB results will be back then too, so guess I will know more from that, but I am confused about that too..

This is what I posted on another board to see if I can get a better understanding of what it is all about:

"The surgeon removed 5 nodes after injecting the radio active stuff and the blue dye...
Since he stopped with those 5 nodes....does that mean that the pathologist on site at the time of surgery felt that there is no other node involment? Wouldnt they have continued with removed the rest of the nodes if they found a certain percentage of cancer cells in the ones the removed?
Also, can they tell during the initial pathology that was done during my surgery if the sentinal node is positive?"

So far I havent received replies to it but I just posted it a little while ago.

My surgeon told us that he always recommends chemo and radiation in my case, mainly because of my age (46), but that until the results come back wont know the exact treatment plan.

Im confused on the idea that he said there would be a pathologist there during surgery and would be testing tissues as he removed so I thought they would know a little more from that. Maybe what he meant was they would be testing the tumor tissues to make sure the got a clean area around it but Im not sure.

But as you said, a long story.

I hope you have a wonderful day and will talk again soon.

PS....Oh by the way, I wanted to ask if you use msn or yahoo chat? sometimes it might be easier to talk there if that is something you would like.

Posted 11/18/2006 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
will settle for looking human at this point instead of like weird science!

would love to chat though I have not used either of those? just tell me which one to set it up and I can do it! :)

I also thought you would know your initial results right away - at least what the pathologists impression was about node involvement pending final verification of the path results. The way I understood it is they take out the nodes first and send them off for pathology while the surgeon completes the rest of the lumpectomy or mastectomy. that way they know if they should take out more nodes.
Posted 11/18/2006 5:29 PM (GMT 0)

That is what I thought I understood too, but obviously I thought wrong, but he did reassure me that the test results will be back for my appt Tuesday and he will be able to fill in many more of the gaps for me then.

I mostly use msn messenger, [email protected].

Posted 11/18/2006 5:31 PM (GMT 0)

by the way, the surgeon did tell me that there have only been twice in his 15 years of doing breast that he has had ever had to re-do surgery for further node removal so I guess that is a plus in my favor too.

Posted 11/18/2006 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I will try and sign up for that later today. Right now I do have to go do some work. There is still all that surgery god knows what else to pay for!

I have been told too that because of my age (though I am 53) they will probably want to do chemo as well, though probably not radiation since I am going with a mastectomy. There is a chance I may not have to do chemo if I qualify to do an oncotype dx test (no lymph node involvement) and it shows that chemo really would not be a benefit. We'll see. I am not even thinking that far ahead yet!
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