Out of hospital

Glad you got to have that great weekend - now you can go to that happy place in your head when times get tough.I had to return weekly for 4wks to keep having a seroma drained.It didn't hurt because the area is numb.You will be permanently numb under the arm and across your chest scarline.I'm extra careful when I shave underarm.I routinely do a gentle lymph massage on my arm and underarm.My arm used to ache abit for a few years after the op and radiation but is ok in recent years.Radiation is tedious cos you are going every day for 5wks or so.But there's no needles and you don't feel too bad at all. Chemo is the hard gig-I was truly a whimp about it. And even when it's over it takes sooo long for your hair to grow back that you still look like a chemo patient.That has been the last staw for me .I'm at the hair obsession stage!  Lots of rest and reading for you now.

                                   Tonya xx

Glad you got to have that great weekend - now you can go to that happy place in your head when times get tough.I had to return weekly for 4wks to keep having a seroma drained.It didn't hurt because the area is numb.You will be permanently numb under the arm and across your chest scarline.I'm extra careful when I shave underarm.I routinely do a gentle lymph massage on my arm and underarm.My arm used to ache abit for a few years after the op and radiation but is ok in recent years.Radiation is tedious cos you are going every day for 5wks or so.But there's no needles and you don't feel too bad at all. Chemo is the hard gig-I was truly a whimp about it. And even when it's over it takes sooo long for your hair to grow back that you still look like a chemo patient.That has been the last staw for me .I'm at the hair obsession stage!  Lots of rest and reading for you now.

                                   Tonya xx

Thanks guys for all your advice & well wishes, it means alot to me.

Di. . .thanks for the tips on care for my arm. It is a strange feeling or should I say no feeling & I too hope that comes back in time. My dear sister gave me a lympodema alert bangle today that she had engraved, I had still been wearing my hospital one.

Tonya, Thanks for all the post op advice. The drain is out as my op was 11 days ago but I did stay in hospital for 7 days until it was out. My specialist did have to drain a build up of fluid under my arm yesterday when I had my post op visit. At first i thought oh no not another needle but soon discovered that this one was painless. I was so sick of getting 2 needles a day in hospital to prevent blood clots!! So far i have been ok with seeing my scar too, I thought I would be more affected by it but maybe that will come later. It is good to hear about your friend that certainly gives me hope. Oh btw INXS were great & I had a lovely weekend away before the op.

So I will be taking all of your advice & taking it easy for the next 2 weeks.

Loretta x

Hi Loretta,

You poor darl,you had the whole works.You must be feeling a bit shell shocked.I had all my lymph nodes out but have never had any real problems with my arm.Sorry to hear you had a few positive nodes but glad to hear your body scan was ok.It's just so much to take in and deal with isn't it. Sounds like you are getting over the first hurdle really well.I was surprised at how ok I was when I first looked at my chest scar -probably high on pain killers.It's hard to predict how you are going to react along the way.I guess you'll be glad to get that drain out. Don't be alarmed if you get abit of fluid build up under your scar line or under your arm.Sometimes you have to have it syringed off but you maybe lucky. I have a work colleague who had positive nodes and that was 6 years ago and she is fit and working fulltime at 60yrs of age.So am sending you my wishes for a speedy recovery and lots of positive cyber vibes.

                                          Tonya xx