Wife surgery day is finally here and I have questions….

i just hope this is tge  end of it and your wife recovers nicely .. I have myself recently been diagnosed with breast cancer .. all the best to you both sorry I do g have any advice but only best wishes x

Hello Mr Power 

Welcome to the website none of us what to come to... however, the people here are amazing and will help in any way they can.

I was diagnosed with a different type of C - I had a lumpectomy or wide local incision (I believe 'both' the same just different names).

I had never stayed in hospital and have not had any major operations .... I'd be scared to have any operation due to fear of pain etc.

This all said, I had the lumpectomy and the sentinel lymph node removed in the same operation (I did also have the radiotherapy treatment given at the same time as the lumpectomy - combining the two treatments in 'one' operation as oppose to having weeks of radiotherapy).

The recovery, well, I partly felt like a fraud - the operation site didn't hurt. The area where the sentinel node was taken from that was 'sore' - a strange type of soreness, it was more of a stinging and a stinging that as it got unbearable would disappear. 

I will add after a few days your wife may feel she can carry on like 'normal' - but you must stop her, she needs to rest and recover.  Even the anaesthetic plays a large part on the body and can remain in the body some number of days - thus masking any pains etc.

It does sound like you are nearing the end of the terrible rollercoaster of a ride you have both been on.

The day of the operation - so long as your surgeon gets 'clear margins' - in a way your wife will be BC free (I can't say this as I don't like to tempt fate)!  I would also be repeating to your surgeon that you would like them to take as much aways as they think needed to get the clear margins - the reason I say this, I was led to believe that surgeons are suppose to only take 'minimal' tissue away to avoid any cases saying 'too much was taken away' and face actions (yes this does happen) people go from saying 'take as much as you like - to they haven't taken too much away'.   I just wanted as much taken away as possible to allow for clear margins - to save having additional operations.

Your wife is nearing the finishing line in respect of treatment - however psychologically this is a different story, this will play in your wife's (and your) mind for a long while to come - flashes out of know where, feeling fine then to being scared.....plus, just when you have a clear mind the TV adverts come on to put it back in her head.

 Wishing your wife all the very best for Tuesday and to you - your support will be so appreciated (even if she doesn't show it at times).  It is wonderful how you have come here for support - your wife is truly blessed.

Please let us know how it all goes x

I cannot offer any advice on this scenario,  everyone is different but hope for a good outcome for your wife.  Your support, I am sure you know, is extremely valuable to her. Best wishes to you both x

Hi Mr Power, sorry to hear of your wife’s diagnosis. I was triple positive and had a lumpectomy with sentinel nodes removed. After this op I found it not so bad. I was give. Exercises to do to help keep mobile so muscles wouldn’t seize up and to aid healing. I managed on just the usual paracetamol and ibuprofen alternating each over a few days before weaning off. That was fine and I had no pain. I slept upright as it was more comfortable. As it was my left size trying to put a seat belt on to drive i found difficult so I didn’t drive myself. After a couple of weeks I got my results to find it had spread so I had to have an axillary clearance. This second op set me back and it was a lot sorer and more painful than the first. I had stronger painkillers for the first couple of days but then managed with the paracetamol and ibuprofen. The after effects of this have been numbness and to start with for about 6 months a strange sensation I can only describe as carpet burn along the top part of arm. That has since subsided and now I just have some soreness to the touch and numbness. I haven’t had shooting or stabbing pains like some as nerves are knitting back. We are all different but can give you info on how we were but this may not be the same for your wife. I’m afraid I can offer any help on whether this is now more or less the end of your wife’s treatment/journey as results from the operation can change this. Cancer is something nobody wants but as hard as it is to go through keep being positive despite any set backs. Which I know can hit you like a brick. If you click on my name you can read my journey. 
Wishing you and your wife all the best

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Hi Mr Power

I am sorry to hear that your wife has triple negative breast cancer.  Everyone’s recovery time is different and whether your wife is nearing the end of her treatment journey depends on the results of her operation. I take she is having radiotherapy once she recovers from surgery. She will have to wait about five to six weeks after surgery for radiotherapy to begin as she will need that time to fully recover from surgery.

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer over three years ago and after having chemo, surgery and radiotherapy I made a full recovery.

Wishing you and your wife the best of luck and hopefully her operation will be a success.

Best wishes

Daisy53

What a wonderful thing to read. Thank you so much. 

What a lovely read, thank you!

Hi Mr Power,   I know this has already been a long process for you and your family and your wife has been very strong.  Glad that the surgery is planned and that will be another box to check off. These are all milestones and you are your wife’s rock. I don’t have too much to offer as my surgery was lumpectomy on both breasts but my cancer was estrogen positive.  Also because of my age and small tumor size did not need sentinel node biopsy or clearance.  
I will be saying special prayers for your wife to come through surgery and have an easy recovery.  Take care and so glad tumor shrunk as lumpectomy is possible.

Barbara 

Dear Mr Power , I thought I'd check in to see how you and of course your wife are managing.

I am wondering has your wife had the operation or is it this coming Tuesday?

We are thinking of you and your dear wife and hoping all goes straight forward and according to plan.

Please, when you feel up to it drop in and let us know how your wife and you are both doing.

Best Wishes x 

My cancer was Inflammatory B C, also triple negative. 
diagnosed Oct 2021. Chemo, mastectomy with full node clearance and radiotherapy- all of which completed by Dec 2022.

Just being checked now ,  see Onco in 6 months and then annual checks.

So I wish you all the luck in the world. You will get there. 

xx