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donnafischer's avatar
donnafischer
Member
10 years ago

Question on timeline from axillary clearance to beginning chemo and tips to prepare please :)

Hi Lovely Ladies :)

I am booked for surgery March 10th (round two) for either a mastectomy completion (from previous local wide excision) or bigger re excision (because most of the margins around my ductal tumour was clear, there was just a small spot where it was narrow - but still clear of cancer) AND an axillary clearance because all nodes had a good wack of cancer in them. So I've been advised that I will need to have chemo. (apparently I've signed on for the whole box and dice .... sigh)

I haven't had much info, but I will be seeing my wonderful surgeon on the Monday before my procedure and I will ask him this, but I was wondering for the ladies on here who have had the above, and then proceeded to move on to chemo, how long between surgery did chemo start. I am in the public health system so I'm wondering if that might slow things down a bit.  Do they have to wait for the wounds to heal or do they bang straight into it. 

And secondly lovely ladies, what are your tips for preparing for chemo. I've already got my beautiful girlfriends organised so that we have a special night together prior to starting chemo, and we are giving me a transitional haircut. One of these gorgeous girls is a retired hairdresser, so it will be wine chocolates and giggles and a spunky short hair cut. What other tips do you have for me. 

chemotherapy

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  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    10 years ago

    You must keep nails out of the sun. I wear white cotton gloves and covered shoes and an umbrella if not wearing gloves. I posted my pic with lymphedema sleeve last blog and my nails after 2 rounds of chemo are still really good!

  • donnafischer's avatar
    donnafischer
    Member
    10 years ago

    I know what you mean about the grey/white. I've been colouring my hair due to greys since i was 21. I'm now 50 and made the decision when I was diagnosed to stop colouring it. The greys are coming thick and fast and I'm quite dark naturally (lol and un naturally) so in one way, but the time its ready to cut short, i will probably go from dark with shocking regrowth to all silver. Will be interesting.

  • donnafischer's avatar
    donnafischer
    Member
    10 years ago

    Ooh that sounds interesting. I wonder why the nail polish stops the nail loss?

    I hope you're doing okay Chrissie

  • Tracey62's avatar
    Tracey62
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Donna, I had my treatment in public system and they were really well organised time wise, no delays. They advised 4-6weeks recovery post-op before chemo, as you say time to heal. The chemo does tend to stir the wound up a bit, so best if they are well healed. For me the mental preparation for chemo was really important. I had my heart set on a family portrait while I still had my long hair. It was a real scramble but we sat for photos the night before my first chemo. I look back on those photos now and LMAO - I'd not realised my hair was the exact same colour as my dog! Well since it grew back completely white (at 53yrs def not allowed),  I now have the freedom to make my 1cm long hair any colour I want. Have a fantastic night with your girlfriends and remember to take lots of photos. It's so encouraging to look back on those special times ??

  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    10 years ago

    I had mastectomy left and one sentinel node positive on 16 Nov 2015 followed by full axillary clearance on 7th Dec. Because Christmas was fast coming up with Drs being away and I was still having seroma swellings drained every week, chemo didn't start until 15th Jan this year.

  • ChrissK's avatar
    ChrissK
    Member
    10 years ago

    Donna I had a lumpectomy and 14 lymph nodes removed at the same time with one node positive.... this was on 29/1015 and my 1st chemo started on 4/12/15, for me it took at least 6 weeks recovery.

    We are blessed to have such good girlfriends, one tip is paint your fingernails/toenails a very dark colour, this helped me not loosing any of my nails other than that everyone is different but rest and drink lots of water during chemo treatments.