Please post here if you are having surgery in the month of November.   It gives your Komen sisters a  place to check who is having surgery and what kind and say a prayer for you or/and wish you good vibes.  I know you are filled with so many mixed emotions right now, we all have been there, but do know that you will get through this.  We are here to help and offer our support!!!  Prayers for the best outcomes for each of you!!
Rose

WI
Pink Impacts Forever
5-23-06 DCIS High Grade
Strong family history BC/OVCA
denied(lost appeals)out of network surgery
10-30-06 BM SICA left,DIEP right
Nodes Neg No chemo No rads
Revisions along with LAVH/BSO/TVT 1-23-08
Biopsies x 3 10/20/08,neg

OK, no one has posted yet and I hope that is a good thing.  If you are having surgery in November, please post.  I would be overjoyed if no one had to have surgery for a month!!!

  Off the cancer path, but I am having surgery November 17th.  After a year of pain and appointments, tests, MRIs, they discovered I had  partial tear fo two tendons in my hip and they havent healed.  So I am having arthroscopic surgery on November 17th.  There are only a couple surgeons doing this.  And lo and behold, my insurance company, that would not allow me to go out of network for my breast cancer surgery to get experienced surgeons for the DIEP surgery, is allowing me to go out of network for this surgery!!!!  ( Needless to say the asthetics were not the best with my BC surgery and someday I hope to get that fixed). 
   I am taking a trip to Florida next week.  I had planned to meet up with Jill * (sunbearz), we had discussed and her daughter was to be getting married and then everything changed for Jill. 
    Anyway, I will getback from my trip and then  have surgery.  Will be on crutches for 6 weeks.  So  guess I will be home and on the computer!!!
Rose

WI
Pink Impacts Forever
5-23-06 DCIS High Grade
Strong family history BC/OVCA
denied(lost appeals)out of network surgery
10-30-06 BM SICA left,DIEP right
Nodes Neg No chemo No rads
Revisions along with LAVH/BSO/TVT 1-23-08
Biopsies x 3 10/20/08,neg

Sending you huge hugs and good wishes for the 17th Rose and thank you for keeping this thread going.
I know this trip will be bittersweet for you regarding your plans with Jill, but I'm sure you'll feel close to her while there and still have a restful break before your surgery.
I hope you get to enjoy it and your surgery goes well with a quick recovery:)

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex
Carepage- survivortricia

I am having my expander exchange surgery on the 19th...Yea I get the bricks off my chest....I hope it is as easy as the brave girls here say it is...I just want them to be softer.
 
Susie

43@ DX 7/18/08
No primary breast tumor
only found by biopsy of axilla lymph nodes
er/pr+ her-
Chemo 8/08 4 a/c 4 taxol finished 11/24/08
Bilat mast 12/08. w/ tissue expanders
5+/23 nodes
No signs of tumor in breast after pathology
pet, ct, and mri all negative for primary tumor 
 28 Rads started 2/2/09 finished 3/13/09  YEA!!!!!!!!!
hysterectomy April 24, 2009
Aromosin May09- 5 YRS

Susie,
What was the expander experience like? I see my plastic surgeon next week to make appts for placement of my expander. I didn't have it during the mastectomy surgery (April) since I had to have radiation.
Good luck!
Gay

Gay,

I really didn't have any issues with my expanders. Once they were in, and I had them placed the same time as my bilateral mastectomy and they were pumped up to C cups, I was able to sleep on my sides after 3 weeks and no pain or discomfort.  Having my drains out helped more than anything.  I liked them because I never had to have a flat chest and when I looked down I still felt like me.  I didn't have immediate reconstruction because of possible radiation but they did go ahead with expanders to hold my skin in place so that it was stretched like when I had breasts.  I hear that some docs don't do that but not sure why.  Mine didn't want to do reconstruction in case there was radiation damage to the sites because if he had reconstructed it would mess up what he did and we may not have anything to work with.  

Hugs,
Paula

Paula

2/26/09 DX Invasive ductal carcinoma multifocal, solid and cribriform type, 6 masses total, largest 2.0 cm
4/15/09 Bilateral mastectomy, skin sparring, tissue expanders, 3 nodes removed, clear, Grade 1, Stage IIa
5/22/09 DIEP
5/26/09 Emergent removal of left flap, TE placed
7/2/09 Left Lat Flap
8/10/09 Started 6 rounds Cytoxan & Taxotere 
A MAMMOGRAM SAVED MY LIFE, START AT AGE 40, DON'T LISTEN TO THE 'NEW' RECOMMENDATIONS

good luck Susie and hope it all goes well:)

Gay, Paula has thankfully given her experience but you can also send a pm to Susie if you need to by clicking on her name over her avatar!

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex
Carepage- survivortricia

Rose, Wish you all the best on the 17th. 

Marie

Joined 1.04

1953 Amputation below knee.  1995 Intraductial Carcinoma Biopsy (in-situ).  8.95 to 10.95 Radiation.  6.00 Rt breast Mastectomy.  6.26.00 to 9.14.00 Expansion injections.  9.00 Saline Implant.  12.28.00 Rt nipple & left lift. 1.01 Tattoo. 2002 Hasimoto's Thyroiditis.  7.02 Ablation for palpitations.  4.03 Osteoporsis. 2008 Cataracts. 

Suzie good luck with your surgery. I felt so much better after my exchange. I hope yours goes well.

Gay, my experience with the expander was not bad at all. The muscle behind the expander sometimes tightened up, Yoga helped with that.  

I wish you both all the best and speedy recoveries. 

Hugs,
Marie

Joined 1.04

1953 Amputation below knee.  1995 Intraductial Carcinoma Biopsy (in-situ).  8.95 to 10.95 Radiation.  6.00 Rt breast Mastectomy.  6.26.00 to 9.14.00 Expansion injections.  9.00 Saline Implant.  12.28.00 Rt nipple & left lift. 1.01 Tattoo. 2002 Hasimoto's Thyroiditis.  7.02 Ablation for palpitations.  4.03 Osteoporsis. 2008 Cataracts. 

Gay,
I had my expanders placed at the time of my mast.  My radiation onc. said it was ok, so I did it and had fills until they started my radiation.  I finished radiation in march and have had them filled twice since then.  for me the fills were easy, I could go to the gym right after and be fine.  The last fill I had was the hardest, it actually hurt a bit for a few days.  It has now been 8 mos since radiation and I am ready for the exchange.  The expanders are rather hard.  The radiated side seems to be more stationary and does not move at all, the non radiated will move within the pocket.  I had a hard time sleeping for awhile, I could only really be comfortable on my back.  I can now sleep on my left side, but not the right, I think that is because of the lymph node removal more than anything.  If you have any questions that I can help you with I will be happy to.  Everyone experience is a little different, but it is good to gather as much info as you can.
 
Hugs,
 
Susie

43@ DX 7/18/08
No primary breast tumor
only found by biopsy of axilla lymph nodes
er/pr+ her-
Chemo 8/08 4 a/c 4 taxol finished 11/24/08
Bilat mast 12/08. w/ tissue expanders
5+/23 nodes
No signs of tumor in breast after pathology
pet, ct, and mri all negative for primary tumor 
 28 Rads started 2/2/09 finished 3/13/09  YEA!!!!!!!!!
hysterectomy April 24, 2009
Aromosin May09- 5 YRS