Nervous and scared before my surgery tomorrow
Hi all, so my surgery is tomorrow. Ever since I've been diagnosed I wanted surgery ASAP, and it's here. Horror feelings are back: fear, despair, anger, confusion, just a mess. I had surgeries before (not breast) so I know what to expect, but this one hits different. It's a reminder of my diagnosis and my new life. Off course, my mind goes past surgery all the way to the treatment, radiation, and probable endocrine therapy and reading so much of bad side effects and it's scares me to the core. While I try to be brave, I have to admit I'm often falling apart and think "what ifs", and how will I deal with all this, how will I get through it. So much to deal with... 😔😢Day 2 Post-Op
I am day 2 post wide local lumpectomy, 2 lesions removed. I can say that I had an overall great experience so I am counting myself very lucky. I thought I would outline my day as it might help others know what might happen. I had to be at the hospital admissions desk for 0630, which wasn't too bad really - at least the rush hour traffic wasn't too bad. 0745 I had hookwires inserted to both lesions, confirmed on mammogram. Thankfully this mammogram was no where near as squishy as the screening mams are. Just before this procedure I scoffed down a muesli bar as a second breakfast, as my fasting time was from 0800. 0915 Then I had the lymph scan done with radioactive dye to determine the location of the sentinel nodes to be removed. This process took a while for the dye to travel from the breast to the lymph node but sure enough it eventually did. This was completed around 1130. This is also when I had to stop drinking water. From there I was escorted up to the day of surgery area, where I waited briefly to be called through for some pre op checks, changed into some gorgeous paper knickers, TED stockings and gown and booties. Thankfully there were also some lovely fluffy robes to complete the look. Once this was all done, my bags were labelled (like checked in luggage) and they were placed in a holding area to accompany me up to my room post op. I was sat in a recliner chair and allowed to have my phone and glasses to entertain myself while waiting. I think I waited here about an hour. Then transferred to a bed, and that is when it all got a bit real, being wheeled down the corridor (the ceiling lights do really look like they do in the TV shows as the patient is being wheeled down a corridor) I was wheeled into the OR and given a lovely paper hat. My surgeon did a final consent check and got me to confirm the procedure I was having and drew on my left shoulder while I was awake. I had so many marks and tapes on my left breast that It really was obvious which side we were tackling. I remember the anaesthetic mask being placed over my nose and mouth and breathing a couple of times and that's it! Next thing I am waking up, feeling a little sleepy. About 2.5 hours had passed. No pain, just a weird relaxed feeling. I had some water and a lemonade icy pole which was just what I needed. After waking up a bit more I was wheeled up to the room. I remember being spaced out with some strong pain meds. I was able to put on the post surgery bra early and that was a good feeling, so much support in that bra. It was a relief to know this part was completed. Thanks to the resources and experiences of others in this network I felt like I was well prepared for hospital. The morning after I saw the breast care physio and the breast care nurse, both whom gave me some great advice and answered my questions about the immediate post op period. Being at home has been good, although hard to settle in to not being busy (I am used to working full time) . The wedge pillow was a must buy. I got mine from Target for $45. As are loose t shirts that fit my surgery arm in and then I can loop easily over my head, or button up shirts. I am also taking regular oral analgesics. If you are reading this and your surgery is approaching, I wish you love and an uneventful recovery. I am very thankful for this network of support xx
Endoscopic BC surgery available at Princess Alexandra Hospital Qld - minimally invasive
A new surgery procedure is now available in Qld - it has been used successfully previously in Asia - It is minimally invasive & usually results in a shorter recovery time. While new to Queensland, the technique is well-established and has been performed for years across Asian countries like Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore. Dr Khoo noted that its popularity there is partly due to the suitable anatomy of Asian women, who tend to have smaller breasts on average. Endoscopic Breast Cancer surgery is now available at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Qld - for suitable patients. ... “The procedure can be achieved with a 3-4 centimetre incision placed away from the breast and enables us to do a full implant or autologous reconstruction using the same incision,” Dr Khoo said. Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) in Brisbane has introduced an endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy, marking the first time this groundbreaking keyhole surgery technique has been available in Queensland. Brought to the state by oncoplastic breast surgeon Dr Jeremy Khoo, the minimally invasive procedure has already helped five local women and is expected to benefit 250 to 300 patients annually at PAH. Key Features and Benefits Faster Recovery: Patients can typically return to normal activities within two to four weeks, compared to four to eight weeks required for traditional open surgery. [1] Shorter Hospital Stay: Shorter hospitalisations mean patients frequently spend just one to two days in the hospital. Reduced Scarring: The procedure uses a high-definition camera through a small 3–4 cm incision away from the breast, preserving cosmetic outcomes and significantly minimizing physical and emotional scarring. Immediate Reconstruction: The approach combines the mastectomy with an immediate implant reconstruction. The technique will not replace conventional open breast surgery entirely. It is only suitable for selected patients, including women diagnosed with breast cancer or those at high genetic risk who opt for prophylactic risk-reducing mastectomies. https://www.metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/pa-hospital/queensland-first-surgical-technique-at-pah-to-benefit-breast-cancer-patients
Waiting, waiting, waiting….
Hi all, diagnosed 1st September, multifocal invasive lobular carcinoma. Surgeons appt scheduled for 17 September. Surgeon has referred me for an mri with contrast. The surgeon completed my biopsies (3) in breast screen clinic, so I’ve met her. My biggest question now is how long do you wait for the mri apointment? They acknowledge receipt of ‘urgent referral’ on 2nd of September and now it’s the 10th, they’re telling me they are waiting on ‘protocols’, my breast care nurse is wonderful and is following it up along with me, how long did you all wait? I thought I was coping not too bad, but today it all just seems really cruel……?
First appointment with a surgeon
So my first appointment with a surgeon is this coming Wednesday. I am going through a public system in Brisbane. Will I be having any tests done on the same day or is it more likely that he will tell me to come back and get the tests done another day ? He’s got my mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy results already. Thank you!
Discussion about surgery with Surgeon
Hi all, I have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and I have my first meeting with the surgeon on Thursday. I know to expect surgery soon but dont know if this will be lumpectomy or mastectomy. I know that this will be one of the things to discuss on Thursday but I am curious if there is a 'choice' - in a sense part of me just wants to be told which option but I wondered if anyone here made a decision one way or the other and how they felt about that? Am also putting this query in the treatment thread as I have not posted before and not sure which is better for this. Thanks for any thoughts.Surgery tomorrow - what to expect.
My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow and I don’t know what to expect. I’m a tad neuro-spicy and I get really, really anxious if I don’t know what’s happening. I’m having a lumpectomy and I’d really appreciate it if someone can give me a step by step idea of what to expect.
Expander to implant surgery
Hi, I’m looking for feedback on how long everyone had to wait to have their second surgery to replace the tissue expander with an implant. I’m being told that I’m now on a waitlist for ‘elective surgery’ that could take 12 months. Is this normal? I feel like I’m living in limbo and can’t even begin to recover or move forward until the second surgery takes place. I’m in NSW. This is my second breast cancer after my lumpectomy and radiation in 2018. Both times DCIS
Implant Reconstruction After Radiation
Hi, this is my first post. I had a lumpectomy with radiation 10 years ago at 44, and I've recently undergone my 2nd lumpectomy on the same side due to the return of this hormone ER and PR+ BC. Due to having my lifetime exposure of RADS on my left breast 10 years ago, my option is mastectomy. I'm battling with my options (of which I'm blessed to have) and tossing between a double mastectomy with reconstruction using first tissue expanders and later implants, or going flat on my left side. My right breast is healthy. I only have enough fat for one very small breast, about half the size of my healthy breast. My main concern is having implants after radiation. The aspect of capsular contracture, skin or nipple death has thrown me for a sixer, and I would love to hear from you beautiful survivors about your stories of reconstruction after radiation. I have a wonderful breast surgeon who I have been blessed to have 2nd time around. She highly recommended the PC who has been transparent in the risks. Stories?Newly Diagnosed with further tests required
Hi. I was diagnosed a little over a week ago and I had a surgeon appointment today. She wants an MRI as my breast tissue is so dense some of the images are too vague for her to determine a clear surgery plan. But I have a potential surgery date for a few weeks time. I am thinking this is good that she is being thorough. But it does concern me as there may be more than meets the eye and she has given me that warning. Current knowledge is that I have 2 areas of concern, close to each other on same side, hormone positive, HER2 negative, provisional stage 1. One area is about 7mm, the other is ill defined and this is what she wants more images of. I feel better after meeting the surgeon, and hearing her explanation, her delivery of the plan from here and her general 'bedside manner' was the perfect amount of real. She took the time to understand what was concerning me. I am running the Sydney Marathon at the end of the month and after doing all the training and prep I would have been devastated if I couldn't run it. However we have a plan to get me there. So even though I need more scans to be certain of exactly what is going on, I am feeling as good as can be as there is some progress. In the back of my mind, is what if it is more than the fairly common and small areas I have? I can't dwell as it is what it is. I will focus on the run and deal with these things as they arise!
