FYI to my tribe!

Ashera

Finally, after months of waiting out the snow, the high Covid numbers, and the unbelievable denial from insurance/medicare - something work. I have surgery tomorrow!!!
Implant removal both breasts, capsullectomy R side, repositioning of R nipple and lift. NO IMPLANTS.
Reduction of L breast for symmetry, maxoplasty, moving L nipple. NO skin on skin - hopefully small, soft, even and pointing the same direction!
Will be done in a hospital 1 hour away - my dear neighbor is my taxi there and back the next day. I'm approved for a one night hospital stay.
I'm pulling up one of my personalities to be the brave and strong one as I'm going this alone. My wonder-son who was always there is now only in spirit form - no less important, but oh how I'd love that physical hug and dry humor! So I CAN DO THIS!!
You wonder ladies - and ghost-Greg - were with me through the original breast surgery 6 yrs ago - and I'm taken what you've taught me along this time. And I WILL post when I am home!

Bug

Ashera, yes, you *can* do this! I’m sorry your dear son will not be there in person but, yes, he will be there in spirit. And all of us are going to be with you as well. This is exciting. I’m so glad it’s finally here for you. Very best of luck to you and so looking forward to hearing from you as soon as you are up for it. Tight hugs to you.

beachbum5817

Good luck today, Ashera. I am so glad that you have finally gotten the surgery date. You are very brave. I often think of getting my implants removed, but I chicken out. They are so uncomfortable. I am sorry that your son will not be there in person, but like Bug said, he will definitely be with you in spirit. Be kind to yourself after the surgery, and take it easy. You are in my thoughts and prayers. We look forward to hearing from you when you are up to it.

cak61

Good luck to you today. Wishing you an easy healing. My thoughts are with you. Hugs.

PaulineJ

God be with you and the surgeons today .

PaulineJ

Praying for your healing

MLT

You've got this. Prayers for you and medical team.

2943

You got this! And will be so good to have it behind you! Hugs!!

Lorie

Hope you are home and it is behind you. Now, your job is to heal because YOU DID IT.

ImWorthIt

I am just now seeing this. I hope you are home. I hope you are well. We are all here for you.

Ashera

Thank you all! Yes ImWorthIt, Lorie...I'm home. Stayed one night in hospital - but it was every 2 hours agony - not a day spa.
Just saw surgeon for my one week check up - YAY - he pulled those nasty drains that hurt so much where they went in. Feels like heaven, although painful, to be able to put my arms down closer to sides. Off pain meds cept Tylenol which I've tricked my mind into thinking it is working. Surgeon says he's pleased - as he's seen way more of what I look like! and swelling will come and go.
R breast - my 'cancer' breast is slow to show signs (to me) that it's going to be ok. Learned that radiated tissue is seriously hard to heal and then threw out that old word we hate...patience.
Fitted today in these compression surg bras as they'd not send me home with anything or 'pockets' for the 2 drains. Hated those grenades safety pinned to my tshirt or a scarf around my middle.

Asked about the emotional zig/zags I'm having. Way worse that the cancer surgery 5 yrs back. I'm weepy as I type this...Nurse reminded me it hits the body as a form of grief - this removal of body pieces. guess so. It's a loss no matter how much better it will be in the long run.

Pathology report for both breast specimens said no malignancy. Wasn't looking for any but those words are nice.

Thought of the friends here and wishing this site was still making good sense. Greg was one of a kind.
Love to all -

Bug

I'm so glad to hear from you, Ashera. Yes "no malignancy" are nice words. Yeah! And it sounds like overall you're doing well. Many hugs to you.

beachbum5817

I am happy to know that you did well with the surgery. I can appreciate how you feel to have those drains out. I hated them. Take all the time you need to be weepy, just not too long. Keep us posted on your progress. We will help you in any way that we can. Take care.

MLT

So glad surgery went well. Now time for gentle healing. Be kind to yourself. Enjoy some sunshine every day it appears. Brightens the soul!

Lorie

You are healing now and the weepiness is part of it You've probably bottled up lots of emotion waiting for and dreading doing the surgery. Wish I could bring you lunch.

Ashera

I wish you could too Lorie!!! Thanks for a sweet make-me-smile idea!
This rapid cycling up and down is amazing. Learning if I just sit through it, it passes.
Excitement of having drains pulled yesterday...led to a night of soaking pajama top, 2 tshirts, messing up two bottom sheets with drainage from R side. Mostly clearish fluid which I tried to turn into a positive about at least it's OUT of my body.
Call to nurse this morning learned she was surprised surg pulled the R drain with so much fluid still being produced - but I told her he said it was getting inflamed and more worried about infection going backward. Guess yesterday they left the part out of being prepared for leaking from the site.
Trick is to use surgical bra lined with Kotex or mini pads to collect the drainage. It's not unusual. But she also said to take a warm shower, even with open drain sites. Patience sucks.

Ashera

Bug...thanks for the hugs!

ImWorthIt

I'm glad to hear the positive bits of your news. I am sad to hear the parts that are still not as perfect as any of us would like to hear or experience. You are a trooper lady. Hoping you're feeling good as new very soon.

I had a couple of days of additional slight drainage after mine were pulled as well, but it's definitely not pleasant.

Lots of love to you.

MLT

I remember soaked clothes on the ride home! Wish they would prepare us better for what to expect! Limit activity, too.

MarcieB

wow! I am so impressed by your strength to take this on and see it through! I remember the drain from my original surgery and I hated it. But I had it for about 6 days and when they pulled it (THAT was no picnic!)It had pretty much done it's job, so I did not have any leakage to contend with. And when I had the reduction on my right side I didn't need to have drains. So my reduction surgery sounds like a piece of cake compared to what you have been through, and yet...I remember it as being a MUCH more painful recovery than I expected.

But, no malignancy is the best news. I will be happy when you get this uncomfortableness and pain behind you so you can look ahead to having a pleasant summer!

Ashera

MarcieB! You found us! Today is my best day. I've bee awake 3 whole hours and not one single mini-plunge into the depths of despair! This rapid cycling - though I'm told is 'normal' (hate that word) is still tough. I'm in little real pain - so I need to be careful not to over do. Found myself reaching up high for something I don't need and there's a deep sharp tug inside - had to remind myself there are several layers of stitches that need to heal.

Still have orange iodiney super glue over black stitches. How long to dissolvable stitches usuall stay in?? I'm seeing tiny places around one of the nipples where they've disappeared and that gives me hope I will once again not look like I'm held together with rick-rack.

Go back to surg in less that 3 weeks, the 19th? and will try to remember to ask. What about that silicone scar tape, Anybody have experience with that? There seems to be all kinds but I know it'a way too soon.
Patience, grrr...
Love to all of you!

ImWorthIt

Ashera, my doctor's office gave me some sort of solution to wipe off that sticky iodine stuff around the stitches. It was like a creamy hand sanitizer- creamy with an alcohol base. Be careful it doesn't interfere with the stitches. I don't think it would. Even just alcohol on a cotton ball will get betadine off your skin.

Bug

Ashera, how are you doing - physically, emotionally? I’ve been thinking about you.

Ashera

Hi Bug! Much better today! Stitches slowly disappearing in places, itching has mostly stopped, my stamina a little better, and I've not had the low-lows that I had in the first week or so. The sun has finally come out in north MN and it's made a difference in the atmosphere so it feels more up, me too. I've not yet tried driving - I want to get out for a bit - but do I really, really need to?? May wait another day. Swelling is no worse, maybe a little better than when he removed the drains, and no more leaking.
I did screw up and lifted one arm up high to get something off a top shelf without thinking, and pulled a stitch out - bit of blood and pain. Only one but it made me pay attention to the rule of not lifting arms past my shoulders. Patience...sigh.

ImWorthIt - Yes - given two packets of that cream you spoke of. Used one on the worst of everything all over my neck and chest the first week...and used just a bit on some spots down the enter that were still purple lines and well under lower incisions. I'll let the rest peel off on it's own. Begun to look like really dry skin!

Thanks for checking in! You have all been such sparkle for me...Pamela/Ashera

Bug

I'm glad you're doing better, Ashera, and I hope things keep improving. Keep those arms down. ;-)

MLT

Patience for healing! Inside and out. You've got this!

MarcieB

Sigh.
This morning I found a WhatsNext Digest listed in my email - I was so excited! I pulled it up and saw info on a new person, so I wrote a comment to him (yes - a male with BC).
It wouldn't post.
I am so discouraged! do you think there is ANY chance we will get this site working as it was designed to do?

Ashera

Snorting coffee through my nose.....
I just spent a min writing my response to you about this problem which I thought I'd found the solution for myself. When responding to someone's post, you must make sure you are 'signed in' or your response sits there looking dead. (So of course I checked...and it said 'sign out') so I assumed I was still 'on'. I hit send - and the system immediately to me to the sign on page telling me I had to sign on before I could post. Arrrgghh. When I finally got back, of course my response was gone!

So that was my suggestion, and still is. Make sure it's a fresh sign-in before you answer.
And, no, I don't think we'll ever go back to the old Greg-normal...and I'm unsure if the new without-Greg-normal will ever be the same. I.will.try.to.have.patience for this too!
Hope your Saturday is sunny. It finally is here in north MN!

Lorie

Marcie, I saw that and am going to start a new post about that.

Ashera

BRAS and BOOKS!

Update on my post surg laments. Much better today. I still have to remind myself to keep my elbows at shoulder height since this weeks early pulled stitch and leakage again. I ordered, again, several soft pull-over bras - 3-pace of one style, and 2 others. Coming tomorrow. And read all the reviews and then went up 3 sizes??? And I bet they all are too tight. I've opted out of the scratchy stretchy 'surgery' bras I was given - they pulled up and sat exactly over my stitches and it was impossible to pad the area with ANYTHING! So I'm back to wearing a shrunken man's medium white t shirt that fits snuggly around and feels good. these new boobies are not moving anywhere and as ordered, very small and tidy. Swollen and tight in places and a phantom pain shoots through my L one from my nipple inward. The flesh is waking up and boy is she phish-ed.
Mood not as bleak as it plunged before. Sun helps.
Stamina unfortunately did not come with the re-do but why would I think it would? Balance will remain wonky, thought weight is off/gone from the football side!
And finally able to read again. For some reason, until just the other day - I could not read at all.
After original breast ca surg - it took 3 months before I could sustain head-focus on a book - and I read a LOT. Not too heavy at the moment...David Balducci mysteries, but I've got three here and should finish in a week or two.

So asking advice - on bras to wear post surg - and books to read too!

Love to all of you!

Lorie

Ashera, I unwrapped a Dove chocolate yesterday. They have sayings inside the wrapper. Mine said
"Your Vibe Attracts your Tribe".
Have no advice on the bras but thought about you and vibed good ones when I read it:)