New To BCNA

13

Comments

  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,960
    The anaesthetist should be able to give her something prior to surgery if she is anxious.  Also, don't forget to let him/her know if she has suffered from nausea after anaesthetic in the past.  My other big tip is to keep up the pain relief, but also make sure that constipation doesn't get the slightest look in.  And if she's staying in a couple of days and the hospital has a garden, take some easy slip on footwear and a decent dressing gown - you're supposed to get up and walk and it's much nicer to do that in a garden than it is to do laps of the corridors (make sure the surgeon gives permission).
  • kitkatb
    kitkatb Member Posts: 442
    edited April 2019
    Hi @GavinCh  Wishing you both the best with Karen's surgery today hope all goes well and a speedy recovery  xox
  • Riki_BCNA
    Riki_BCNA Staff Posts: 323
    Hello @GavinCh wishing Karen all the best for surgery today and remember the health care team is there for both of you 
  • lrb_03
    lrb_03 Member Posts: 1,267
    Hi, @GavinCh, just popping in to say that I'm thinking of you both. Hope recovery is going smoothly
  • GavinCh
    GavinCh Member Posts: 26

    Hi All,

    So sorry I’ve not been
    back earlier, just been head down and busy supporting where and when I can.

    Thank you for your
    wishes and thought, the 158th was a long day for all but all went
    well, Karen has had the procedure as described with an area of around 80mm
    removed, the node however were a tad deeper than expected and as such took a
    bit more to take away. Karen received the best of care from everyone and only
    needed to stay in the one night (as expected).

    We took some of the
    suggestions mentioned earlier in this thread and the weekend prior enjoyed some
    time out and hit the shops, some food joints and just had a good time. Now we’re
    on the other side an d a couple of weeks post-surgery Karen is feeling much
    better about things, she is sore as expected however more so from under her arm
    pit as this was also a drain site due to how deep they needed to go to get a
    couple of her nodes but as from today is much easier to deal with. Karen is
    back to being herself mostly and whilst still having discomfort she seems to be
    dealing with her diagnosis in a more positive attitude still however worried on
    the post-surgery visit which is scheduled this week to find out from the lab if
    all was removed and / or this has spread any.

    I’ll keep you informed on her final results and if all good, the next
    stage will be radiation therapy for a number of weeks and medication which was
    all as expected. The treatment team here in WA are fantastic, caring and
    supportive and we pass huge thanks for them to date, I ended up setting up a “Go
    Pink” site highlighting that whilst we all know about this issue and donate,
    support, help etc when we can, you never really understand how involved or how
    many are effected from this and asked my friends and family to pass around my
    link to friends and family and see what we can raised to help this foundation.
    One of Karen’s best friends donated $250 in one hit and while she lives 600KM’s
    away she has been a wonderful support for Karen so much so she jumped on a
    train to come down the weekend before surgery to spend a couple of days with
    her as we hosted a birthday party for our 23 year old and had a dress up event
    and had a ball.

    Love to you all and our thoughts to those having to experience
    this worry as a newly diagnosed, it does get a bit easier.






  • lrb_03
    lrb_03 Member Posts: 1,267
    Good to hear from you @GavinCh, and glad to hear all went reasonably. Keep on giving Karen that great support, but don't forget about looking after yourself, too
  • GavinCh
    GavinCh Member Posts: 26
    Thanks @lrb_03 well yesterdays visit provided some great news and some not so great. So summarise its a bit of dejavu:-

    Two steps forward and one back, received the lab results
    from the post-surgery breast tissue with some great news and again not so great
    news.

    Good News

    The five nodes removed from Karen’s armpit have come back cancer free. We guessing
    and very grateful the cancer cells have not spread.

    Not so Great

    The results from the breast tissue examination has given small indicators that
    some cancer cells remain, this means a second surgery is needed however it was
    recommended an MRI be completed first to see how much more tissue might be
    needing to be removed. This has brought us down a tad, but we will get back up
    and push through, the processes Karen went through prior the first surgery won/’t
    need to be done again before a second operation,  it would however mean, opening up the same
    scare and cavity removing more tissue.

    At this stage the MRI Appoint 20th

  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974
    Hi Gavin. That happened to me as well. It's disappointing and frustrating, but it didn't cause any problems with the scar. K xox
  • kitkatb
    kitkatb Member Posts: 442
    Hi @GavinCh  Sorry to hear that.  It is something I had to go through as well. It is not at all uncommon for people to have to do this. It will be easier as no nodes will be taken and a quicker recovery.  Once I had my re excision and they got results back I then had an MRI where they then found high grade DCIS  ( cells in situ )  so then after chemo I had to had to have a Mastectomy.   Touch wood for you both Karen only needs the re excision and you can both move forward after it.  Thoughts are with you both xo
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,960
    It really is often the node surgery that is the hardest to deal with as there's the nerve complications - disheartening but not at all unusual to have to go back for a second op
  • lrb_03
    lrb_03 Member Posts: 1,267
    Good to hear the latest, @GavinCh.
    Keep on keeping on, as the saying goes.
    Take care, both of you
  • Patti J
    Patti J Member, Dragonfly Posts: 589
    @GavinCh. Could you please tell me why we don't hear from your wife, Karen?
  • GavinCh
    GavinCh Member Posts: 26

    Interesting question Patti J, this had me
    reading the original posts again and was mentioned on page one, She didn't wish
    to join the forum. Not sure I understand why the question sorry, my main reason for reaching
    out was because my wife struggled to accept her situation due to her aunt
    passing with BC. I also needed an outlet as Karen didn't wish to talk about BC,
    even after the paperwork provided about it through WA Breast Care, still finds
    this road very hard. Being able to share has also allowed me to better
    understand this disease, hoping this provides enough reasoning for you.