Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Mine too! (you and hubs). :fingerscrossed:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Songbird, I read on this thread that your mom is coming into Pitts from Dulles. Chek out flyckb.com, there are at least 2 flights per day from Washington to Clarksburg. Probably too late to change her flight but may come in handy later on.

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Mum support is always great, glad she is flying over.


All the best to both you and your man my love.......hugs and :wub:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Sending you love and prayers. xxx

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

So good to hear some positive news on both your hubby and you sweety, having your Mum with you can only be good for you:wub:

Stay strong (you are doing good girl!!) and just keep happy/positive thoughts in your head and heart. We are all here for you SB:wub:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

A quick update for you :)

So I had the mastectomy on the 11th March. The operation went well and the staff couldn't be faulted for their care - they were wonderful. It wasn't a straightforward mastectomy as due to the amount of scar tissue (from prior op's) in that area they had to remove a lot of tissue - hence the wound is fairly large stretching from my natural cleavage line under my armpit round to my back. There was some concern that they wouldn't be able to close the wound without doing a dorsal flap - but they made an attempt and the surgeon was hoping they could avoid having to do that.

I was released on the Sunday ( drains and all) and though I wasn't painfree, it was manageable :) Most of the time since my release I have spent getting my strength back - I was totally exhausted both physically and mentally. I am recovering slowly but it seems to be going well, no infections or post op complications :thumbsup:

I am unable to drive, and still very much reliant upon other people ( mum, neighbors / friends ) for help, but it is getting easier. Fortunately I have a high pain tolerance threshold so have been getting by with minimal pain meds - and none of the heavy duty stuff which just messes with my head anyways.

I visited the doctors office today for my post op check up and got some tentative good news and some possible bad news. Firstly the good news.
There was no surprises when they did the operation. There was no visible signs of tumor expansion in the immediate area. The tumor was estimated at about 2 cm's which is small and although invasive visibly seems 'contained'.Hence it's possible they got to it before any spread. Further, if there has been any cell dispersion ( my lymph nodes were pretty flucked from the last battle) then the chemo should be able to search and destroy. I will know more what that situation is when I have my PET scan, but so far it's looking quite positive. He also removed my drains and some of the staples :)

Now the possible bad news. The wound is that large and viable tissue is stretched very tight. This not only greatly restricts my mobility on that side (i.e. I can't raise my arm) but also is causing problems with the wound closure. He had to leave a large number of staples in and he is unsure if they will be able to keep the wound closed. Hence it may be necessary for me to undergo a dorsal flap reconstruction for medical reasons after all :( He will assess the situation next Friday and decide then if I need to go back under the knife. If so, then I also have the option of having the other breast removed ( to limit the possibility of a re-occurrence at a later date). Overall I'm feeling fairly positive, yes it was a shock and I must admit upsetting when I saw my body after the op BUT given the choice between having tits or fighting chance at beating this thing - then it's pretty much a no-brainer. I'm just not looking forward to having more surgery so soon, but if needs must so be it :)

Mum has been a tower of strength, I'm so glad she came over as I really wouldn't have been able to cope without her. The staff allowed her to stay in my room on a recliner throughout my hospital stay, so she was always at hand to help me. She's such a positive person and gives me a much needed kick up the arse whenever the negative thoughts start to creep in. Ken is handling it all well and is being ultra supportive - I love him to bits :wub:

Thank you all for ALL your support and good wishes, I know I've said it before but you really have given me so much strength dealing with this and I just so glad you where there for me to lean on :wub:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

So glad to hear from you Songbird, and hear that you are coping fantastically, with a little help from those around you. Sending lots of loving thoughts :wub:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Thanks for the update Songbird, I have been thinking about you lots.

To go through all that and be so strong and positive is amazing. I really hope all the news is positive for you and your hubby from now on and you are both back on your way to good health:fingerscrossed:

Re: Scared, Angry and Confused....
 

Good to hear from you, glad to hear the op went well and that you've got such great, caring support. I'll keep sending positive healing vibes to you, and hope that you don't need to undergo any more surgery xx

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You are such an inspiration and a very brave lady, thank you fro the update, you are never far from my thoughts, good luck for the next few weeks :fingerscrossed:

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Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. You are amazing! Keep your strength up and keep fighting xxx

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Great to hear from you and know that you are getting what sounds like great care and support both inside and outside hospital. We'll continue to send our positive vibes for you through the wires for your ongoing full recovery! x

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http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8462/angelhugs1.gif[

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Christ on a bike, Poppy: you need therapy!

:eek::eek::eek:

And thanks for the update, SB. Thinking of you and Ken...

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We've not conversed on here before but I have been following your story. I wish you the very best and a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with you. You seem incredibly strong willed and positive which is a credit to you and I've no doubt will assist in your healing.