A lot of folks have been asking me this question after various doctor appointments so I thought I'd catch everyone up. Mostly they're concerned about the results from the kidney/ovary ultrasounds and I haven't heard anything yet. I believe this is because I keep failing to fill my bladder enough for the ovary ultrasound and keep leaving and resheduling. (Try no. 3 is Thursday, the 16th at 11:30. Wish me luck.) I've decided that out of all the appointments and all the tests I've had to do - filling my bladder just perfectly for this stupid ultrasound has been the most difficult and doesn't even have anything to do with the breast cancer.
My latest project is to sew something similar to the picture here on the left. It's called a "Softee" and the genuine article costs $58. It's a camisole with a "kangaroo" pocket on the inside and loops sewn in so that your surgery drains can be contained under your clothing. (See the drain?) I went to Walmart today and bought a cheap nightgown and camisole and I'm going to rig something similar. One to sleep in and one to wear out. Should work fine and cost a lot less.
Went to see the plastic surgeon (PS) this morning. She basically checked "the girls" out again, measured me for expanders (see previous blog entry titled "A Snag" for expander info), and talked a little bit about the part she'll play on the day of surgery. The day before surgery I'll go to the hospital and have some sort of radioactive stuff injected into me via IV for surgery the next day. And then here's the day of surgery scoop:
_______________________________
THE DAY OF SURGERY SCOOP
I'll be checking in at the hospital at 6AM (yawn). Surgery is scheduled for 10AM. Prior to that my PS will be coming in and marking me for my expanders. I imagine my surgeon will be popping in to say hi at some point too. Then the anesethiologist will be coming in and prepping me for the general. Then I guess I get wheeled in, knocked out, and the surgeon will perform the double mastectomy and biopsy that main lymph node under my arm pit. A pathologist will examine it onsite to see if it has cancer in it. If it does, the surgeon will remove more nodes just to make sure she gets it all out (which means I'll probably need radiation later after chemo - boo!) After the surgeon does her thing, I'll have a small scar under my armpit with a drain (if the nodes are removed) and a scar around the down from where the nipple used to be and possibly along the crease underneath where the breast used to be. After she's finished, the PS will step in and she'll put the expanders in through the surgeon's incisions - so no additional scars. She said she would fill the expanders up as much as they would go without stretching the incision too much and then she'd wrap me up with an Ace bandage tube top. (She's got a pretty good sense of humor.) I should have a drain coming from either side of chest - so that's a total of three possible drains. The surgery should take approx 3 hours.
After the surgery is over, I'll be taken to recovery for awhile. Then I'll be taken to my room. Jim and my dad will be there the whole time and my mom is coming in a little later. I've asked them all to be there when I wake up. I'm going to need some positive vibes coming my way after! The next morning the PS is going to come check out the damage. If everything looks good and I'm doing well from the general, I should be able to leave that day. She told Jim (he went to the PS consult with me today) that he'd be waiting on me hand and foot for at least four days after the surgery. [INSERT EVIL LAUGHTER HERE]
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I have a post-op visit with the surgeon a week after surgery, and I'll go see the PS two weeks after surgery for another fill. The expanders will be rock hard and will give me discomfort AND they'll look funny. She said she'd give me some pain pills. They're going to continue to be uncomfy and funny looking until they're replaced with the implants AFTER CHEMO AND AFTER ANY RADIATION. So we're looking at *cries* late January at the soonest.
I've heard that after the tumor is removed, the surgeon's team looks at it and decides from there what kind of chemo and/or radiation I'll need. So more on that after surgery. Right now, my oncologist has told me chemo will most likely start the week of Sept. 10 but that can change.
As for "how I'm doing" psychologically - I'm fine. Yes, I'm a little nervous about surgery but I've already planned on asking them to give me something to calm me down once I get there. I've talked to so many other gals that have gone through this on that bulletin board Julie told me about. I even talked to one gal who went through the same surgery and she's a recovery room nurse! She told me what kinds of drugs to ask for, etc. It was awesome. They've helped me with packing lists for surgery day, and clued me in to the "Softee" idea. I'm getting major support there and I visit that board quite often. (What did we do without internet???)
My dad was concerned that I was having physical pain - but there isn't any right now. I feel totally normal. The pain won't start until after surgery, and then during expansion. Jim has talked to the Chief at work who was really cool and told Jim to take as much time as he needed to help. Jim has taken steps to use the family medical leave but also has plenty of sick days he can use to help me with Erik.
That's all I can think of right now. If you have other questions - leave a comment and I'll answer there.
Thanks for reading! Sorry this sucka was so long.
My latest project is to sew something similar to the picture here on the left. It's called a "Softee" and the genuine article costs $58. It's a camisole with a "kangaroo" pocket on the inside and loops sewn in so that your surgery drains can be contained under your clothing. (See the drain?) I went to Walmart today and bought a cheap nightgown and camisole and I'm going to rig something similar. One to sleep in and one to wear out. Should work fine and cost a lot less.Went to see the plastic surgeon (PS) this morning. She basically checked "the girls" out again, measured me for expanders (see previous blog entry titled "A Snag" for expander info), and talked a little bit about the part she'll play on the day of surgery. The day before surgery I'll go to the hospital and have some sort of radioactive stuff injected into me via IV for surgery the next day. And then here's the day of surgery scoop:
_______________________________
THE DAY OF SURGERY SCOOP
I'll be checking in at the hospital at 6AM (yawn). Surgery is scheduled for 10AM. Prior to that my PS will be coming in and marking me for my expanders. I imagine my surgeon will be popping in to say hi at some point too. Then the anesethiologist will be coming in and prepping me for the general. Then I guess I get wheeled in, knocked out, and the surgeon will perform the double mastectomy and biopsy that main lymph node under my arm pit. A pathologist will examine it onsite to see if it has cancer in it. If it does, the surgeon will remove more nodes just to make sure she gets it all out (which means I'll probably need radiation later after chemo - boo!) After the surgeon does her thing, I'll have a small scar under my armpit with a drain (if the nodes are removed) and a scar around the down from where the nipple used to be and possibly along the crease underneath where the breast used to be. After she's finished, the PS will step in and she'll put the expanders in through the surgeon's incisions - so no additional scars. She said she would fill the expanders up as much as they would go without stretching the incision too much and then she'd wrap me up with an Ace bandage tube top. (She's got a pretty good sense of humor.) I should have a drain coming from either side of chest - so that's a total of three possible drains. The surgery should take approx 3 hours.
After the surgery is over, I'll be taken to recovery for awhile. Then I'll be taken to my room. Jim and my dad will be there the whole time and my mom is coming in a little later. I've asked them all to be there when I wake up. I'm going to need some positive vibes coming my way after! The next morning the PS is going to come check out the damage. If everything looks good and I'm doing well from the general, I should be able to leave that day. She told Jim (he went to the PS consult with me today) that he'd be waiting on me hand and foot for at least four days after the surgery. [INSERT EVIL LAUGHTER HERE]
____________________________________
I have a post-op visit with the surgeon a week after surgery, and I'll go see the PS two weeks after surgery for another fill. The expanders will be rock hard and will give me discomfort AND they'll look funny. She said she'd give me some pain pills. They're going to continue to be uncomfy and funny looking until they're replaced with the implants AFTER CHEMO AND AFTER ANY RADIATION. So we're looking at *cries* late January at the soonest.
I've heard that after the tumor is removed, the surgeon's team looks at it and decides from there what kind of chemo and/or radiation I'll need. So more on that after surgery. Right now, my oncologist has told me chemo will most likely start the week of Sept. 10 but that can change.
As for "how I'm doing" psychologically - I'm fine. Yes, I'm a little nervous about surgery but I've already planned on asking them to give me something to calm me down once I get there. I've talked to so many other gals that have gone through this on that bulletin board Julie told me about. I even talked to one gal who went through the same surgery and she's a recovery room nurse! She told me what kinds of drugs to ask for, etc. It was awesome. They've helped me with packing lists for surgery day, and clued me in to the "Softee" idea. I'm getting major support there and I visit that board quite often. (What did we do without internet???)
My dad was concerned that I was having physical pain - but there isn't any right now. I feel totally normal. The pain won't start until after surgery, and then during expansion. Jim has talked to the Chief at work who was really cool and told Jim to take as much time as he needed to help. Jim has taken steps to use the family medical leave but also has plenty of sick days he can use to help me with Erik.
That's all I can think of right now. If you have other questions - leave a comment and I'll answer there.
Thanks for reading! Sorry this sucka was so long.
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