SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Tushnurse, I just read through your thread. I hope you heal completely and are restored to perfect health.

Obviously I don't want a big hard lab head banging into my mommy milkers.

Thank you for the laugh!

Trying to figure out whether your intimate knowledge of these things is a help or a hindrance to having more peace of mind! You sound quite matter-of-fact as you discuss your major surgery there, Tushnurse!! I guess you asked them to do the matching breast reduction on the other side, so it wasn't a surprise to you when you woke up. I know I'd like to reduce my matronly bust size, but not that way necessarily....

I guess you will remove the dressings when they are ready to be removed. Doesn't sound like fun. :(

Honestly I went into the breast surgeon I fully expected to have to have a full on mastectomy and had made peace with that. When she offered an aggressive lumpectomy with equal reduction on these extra extra large things I was like cool I'm in.
Being at one of the top systems and medical schools with providers and having many friends with knowledge of both surgeons being the best around was incredibly reassuring and both able to answer all questions. Plus a month + wait from diagnosis to surgery allowed me to wrap my head around it. My biggest fear from surgery was pain being unmanageable but has been since with ice packs low grade pain meds.
The other fear is having the pathology come back worse than we expect but that will take about 3 wks.

Currently the next steps are heal fully. Get radiation and then 5 years of aromatase inhibitors and then it will all be in the rear view mirror. Genetic testing was negative so dont have to worry shout my dtr or nieces.

So like I say for something so horrific it also is as good as it can be.

Glad it went well! Hope you have continued smooth sailing!

Holy smokezzzz.....I blinked and totally missed the surgery already! So glad that part is over with.

Will you be able to see the path report online or will you have to wait until the drs appt?

When SO found out about his cancer, I was shocked that we learned about it from the patient portal first (then had a weekend to digest until we could speak to his dr). It has been like that the entire time; we are able to see all the results online.

At first, I did not think I liked it that way. However, it gave us time to digest, process and research before we saw the drs. This allowed us to have clear questions ready (vs being blindsided at the appt and not being able to concentrate on anything the dr says after that point).

Continued mojo & extra sparkly good health glitter flying your way!!!

EK - the initial path should be ready in 7-10 days. Surgeons reassured that Sentinel lymph nodes appeared very normal. Breast cancer is a little different than others because it starts there and grows primarily within the ducts and for it to jump outside of that it appears very different.
However the oncotyping to help with decision making on meds for hormone blockers will take a few more weeks.
I'm ok with the wait though. Gives me time to focus on healing abd getting stronger and healthier so I can get through radiation therapy with ease.

Girl, you are such a trooper!

Can I just say that I hate all things "portals"! Somebody just give me a call!

So glad the pain isn’t too bad. I totally forgot about your big old dogs. So glad you are being careful about them. I’m sure they wonder why they can’t give you those big hugs these days.

I’m really thankful that things are going well so far. Please continue to keep us posted!

WR honestly I think my older boy knew something was up several days before surgery he was sniffing the diseased breast. The first time I just assumed I slopped food on my top which is a daily occurrence. But it happened after a shower with clean clothes and one other time when I was laying down for the night. My H laughed and said he's a great dog but....
The boys have been fine so far. My female kitty, who likes men only has been parking herself on my lap too.
Animals are truly amazing.

I am trying to be chill and not over do it. But I'm gonna struggle when the pain is improved. I cleaned out drawers today, while sitting in a chair, trash bag on one side donate box on the other.

Once again thank ALL OF YOU for your support major prayers and positive thoughts.

First of all, I am certainly not one to tell somebody not to try to stay busy and get things done. I have absolutely been known to clean out drawers when I’m supposed to be resting from some ATV accident or whatever. But, the truth be known, you do need to get your rest and you know that. So just do your best not to succumb to the temptation to deep clean your whole house! Ha ha

I totally totally completely, and absolutely believe that your dogs knew / know something was going on. They know things that we don’t know and we will never know. I hope they’re showing that same perception with not being rough on you. Post surgery.

And I hope you are good about taking meds when you need them. Nobody wants to feel loopy all the time, but there’s no bravery in being stoic and holding out.

Thinking about you often and knowing that you’re gonna be OK.

No gold medals for grinning and bearing it. I'm more than happy to take meds to help with discomfort.
I am also pacing activity and definitely lea ing the heavy lifting for my spouse or sister or son.
My dtr did come visit this weekend and honestly it has been great having her here, she and her brother have spent a lot of time together. Plus she kidnapped her nephew yesterday so she got some one on one time with him and we got to hang out and that did wonders for my mood.

I say goodbye to her tomorrow but they are coming back in one month. WooHoo!!!!

I promise when Monday rolls ar I understand I will be taking it very easy.

Focusing on protein intake supplements and wound healing drinks. Taking rx meds as scheduled. Behaving as much as I can.

That a girl, Tush, you keep BEHAVING!!! I love what WhatsRight said!

We know you like to lead us into better ways. So it must be weird to sit back and allow your body to call the shots.
You really had me freaked out with the old boy sniffing the B.C. because my dogs have lately been nosing me and I have had a few weeks of symptoms reminiscent of back before my colon polyp procedure, my gut being all out of whack ever since Augmentin doses last year to kill bone infection from un-realized bad root canals in my upper jaw. Since then they have been retreated and re-retreated as necessary, but I still am starting to think the dogs are telling me something ain't right.

Pain level ok? I guess by now you have had to "see" the work they did on your body with the knife? That's always a moment of truth as it were. Yikes.

I think it's time for some ear buds with lovely music and maybe a FOOT RUB!!!

Sup',
It's been an adventure for aire but every single person I have encountered as a pt (except one) have all been super friendly and kind. The one that wasn't has to have been having a really bad day.
The work looks pretty dang good, but the bruising. Oh my the bruises esp on the area the "dug" under the tissue to get those lymph nodes woooowee super purple, but this too shall pass.
Surgery Wed stoned or family around since. Tomorrow will be odd not going to work. I feel ok but get tired easily and still on meds that make one a bit loopy. So not ready to return yet even though I don't do anything physical.

Thank you all for being a kind to me.

Good lord when it rains it pours. 1 week follow up today all is good healing as I should be. Released to drive but still take it easy. No heavy lifting for another 5 weeks. No strenuous activity for another 5 weeks.

Woke up yesterday with terrible mouth pain. To the dentist today. Guess who cracked a tooth in her sleep due to grinding???
This girl!!! Have to have a root canal on Tuesday.

Also did I mention my H is having heart issues again and has major blockages based on stress test and hainv a cath on Friday? Yeah so I got that going for us too. If they can't Stent this area again .....bypass surgery will be scheduled.

Also best friend from childhood has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of dementia and is rapidly declining.

Lots of clouds right now.

Aww Tush, between the horrible weather and all this horrible health stuff you are going through, I really wish I could airlift you, somewhere...but H needs you; dogs need you. This IS a lot, woman!

Can I share a tip about root canals? (Here comes the Voice of Horrible Experience):
Last summer I had an upper jaw tooth (#4) retreated, an old root canal which had a visible bone infection above it (apical). They told me the tooth right behind it (which was another old root canal 50 years in my mouth) showed that it was not the best job, but perhaps was not actually infected, as Xrays cannot say for sure. They offered it could have been "scar tissue."

That verdict sounded familiar, as years ago I had to lose the opposing molar after my regular dentist never had explored further than doing "bite wings" and turned out it had a major bone infection above that tooth, which wasn't even IN the tooth! So last fall I was pushing to get this other root canal tooth retreated, too. At my follow up visit 8 weeks after they had retreated #4, they recommended extracting #3 as they had now decided it was too far gone to save...even though months earlier, two endodontists I saw had deemed the tooth just "questionable." Hmmmm....

I did some Google searching and located an advanced endo/perio practice 100 miles from us down in the city, and called. They had experience with the old style root canals I had in #3, and believed they could fix it, unlike the 2 out here in the Valley who weren't going to touch it. I had that work done a few months ago and was SO HAPPY to get BOTH old root canals disinfected and finally "put to bed" after years of maxillary sinus inflammation and on-and-off infections.

So recently I had a 6 month follow up to see how the jaw bone was healing and the Cone Beam Scan showed bone filled in above the #3 tooth retreated recently, but the one done last summer by the Valley Endodontist had NOT healed; in fact it got worse! So I just got THAT one re-done, for the second time. Unbelievable.

Anyways here's the tip: the local Endodontist did NOT DO Laser Disinfection, the latest technical advance. They were still using the old Calcium Hydroxide or whatever, flushing the root canal cavity out. (I could taste the chemical and they were telling me what it was). But this big city practice uses laser which kills bacteria in the itty-bitty side tubules they didn't formerly realize harbored bacteria after root canal disinfection. I'm hopeful I'm finally going to be able to save these upper teeth and skip having implants.

Just saying: make damn sure your endodontist uses the Laser system to disinfect. Waterlase was the unit my Endodontist has.

And some more prayers shall be offered!!!

I haven’t been on in a while, and oh my goodness, prayers and thoughts and well wishes and all of it. I am so sorry. You got this but f cancer.

Tushnurse, smacking myself for missing this entire post. I'm a little late, please forgive me.
Well, I'm adding you to my chain of prayers. If I remember correctly from my BIO495 Study of Cancer, hormone receptive is good. So I'm gonna dig out the old cancer book and read it again.
Hang in there! We all want you around for a few more decades. I'll be checking more often for updates now. But take it easy and dont worry about updates when you need your rest.

Monsoons is more like it. Take extra care of yourself, and sending mojo to all in your orbit who need it.

Thanks friends.
Mouth is tender but not nearly as painful as yesterday but definitely worn out.

It's a perfect spring day here. Cool Robin blue sky's no clouds. Gonna do a whole lot of nothing today. Biggest activity will be going from recliner to outside to sit in the sun and back. Already picked up some good soup for lunch and going to up my protein I take today.

Prayers well wishes SI MOJO, are all welcomed. My H has a cath tomorrow prayers bypass isn't needed.

Already said some prayers for you today, and will do same for your H.