Post Operative Stress!

Hello Tonya, thank you for your input....SO appreciated!  My surgeon was actually a woman who I thought would be MORE supportive but you never know.  Like I said I think on the day she was overwhelmed by the number of patients she had to see in a short period (which still doesn't excuse the behaviour!).  But I'm over it now and putting it behind me and moving on for sure!  I agree that the longer it takes to do the chemo the better as in-between I can keep on recovering as I am really worried I won't be well enough to cope with it, but then on the other hand you want the chemo to start to give you the best chance you can get.  All very daunting to say the least as you know yourself!  Yes the auxillary clearance is just damn awful and I had no idea about the pain you would get with this procedure as nobody forwarned me on this bit, plus was not expected to occur so I hadn't done any research either!  And to go from full mobility in the arms to very little is extremely frustrating.  I push myself each and every day with the movement as I know eventually it MUST improve!!!  I am concentrating now too on fund raising with my daughter who is going in the Mothers Day Classic for "Team Jan" which is fantastic as it does affect each and every family member and gives them something to take their minds off things also.  I think anything to keep busy and keep your mind off "the cancer" does help! We now also have my husband's father at the end of his life and now in pallitive care.....at the moment in our house the dramas seem to be on-going.  Jan xxx

Jan, U did very well organized already, you are a wonderful woman.

One thing when throughout this Web, I was doubt before.........  My 1st surgery 9DEC, follow up appointment 19DEC, undress the wound;  and then 3rd JAN (in between were Christmas and New Year) however, 3rd appt they forgot, I call on the 4th, they immediately re-arrange 9th, and then 15th, 24th JAN, 28JAN another excilsion day surgery, and then 5th Feb,  20FEB (1st time Onco appt); 25th FEB (1st time Radio appt).  I want to show u the date, during the period I kept visiting here, and seeing some of the ladies have the chemo even 3 weeks after surgery, or 4 weeks after surgery.

I thought, well, they were so quick, and I was kept waiting and waiting and waiting.... Mmmmmm maybe I am public patient, and maybe they were Private (I didn't asked), well now looking back, if according the my 1st surgery vs my 1st chemo which is : 9Dec vs 7Mar; or my 2nd surgery which is : 28JAN vs 7Mar, still more than I month, right.

Now I am very happy with the distance in between, because I was fully recover from the surgery.  Mine was not as complicated as yours, however surgery still surgery..... it need healing time (everyone might be different); so I filled up all the waiting period, like more walking; more healthy juice to prepare (I am very low iron, I don't have enough blood).  So actually 7Mar Chemo date my body actually were fully recovered, my arm and armpit; shoulder is moving freely as before.

Again, your one is complicated (also u just mentioned about apart from your health issue, some family issue you need to handle), well I would say the longer the time; the better the transition and recovery period, and also let you have more time to handle something happend like now.  (I usually pray to God thanking HIM to give me challenge because I am the capable one, and thanking HIM again after things settled and solved)

Don't frastrate, give yourself a good smile and deep breathe, when it come, it will come.  Life is interesting.

Love u - Rosanna

So sorry to hear about your difficult time.It's hard enough having surgery and treatment but when it doesn't all go to plan it can be very stressful for sure. You also had added stresses with your medical issue of a brain aneurysm and your motherinlaw dying - and ofcourse, the 4 hours of travelling.That is an awful lot to cope with.I can't imagine going through all that at once.  Sounds like you were short changed in the followup visit. We need to be more assertive but it's sometimes hard when we feel weak and vulnerable from surgery.Perhaps he didn't realize you had a list of questions when he ushered you out?Maybe you should have ignored him and stayed put in the room -afterall,he was the rude one taking a phone call.He's the one that should have left the room or apologised for having to take a call.But hindsight is a great thing,ay.Perhaps you can ask your gp those questions and if she doesn't know the answers then she could ring the  surgeon on your behalf.Sounds like you are organizing help for yourself and not leaving it to chance.The squeeky wheel gets the oil! Try not to worry about delays for chemo.It was at least 6 weeks after my surgery when I started chemo.They like you to be fully healed.I kept needing  a seroma drained twice a week for 5 weeks.Hope you get an oncology date soon and just keep ringing till you do. I hope you are recovering from all that surgery and getting some rest.I found the underarm auxillary clearance the worst. Blog back here if you need any info or support. Big hug, Tonya xx