Hi MickeyM,

A very warm welcome to our forum. 

Stereotactic biopsy will give your team the chance to look at your breast in more detail. This doesn't always signify bad news, but is a good sign that your care team is being thorough. It is impossible to find out much until the results of your biopsy come back and you know exactly what you are dealing with. You should find some information about DCIS and calcifications on the Cancer Research Website. Try to avoid consulting Dr Google, as much of his information is out of date, poorly researched and aimed at the more spectacular cases. This will only serve to worry you further.

There is a lady called Karen1971 on the forum. She has been posting under the title ‘Waiting on breast biopsy results.’ If you do a search for her, you may be able to help one another through this.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine, your reply was really helpful and appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time xx 

Hi Mickey,

You must feel relieved to be here at last. It is always a thought to part with a boob, but you are also getting rid of your cancer, which is the important thing. Your appointment today should help to break up your day. I shall be thinking of you tomorrow and I hope that all goes well for you.

Jolamine xx

You're so right Jolamine, thank you for all your support. 
 

I wasn't expecting the radioactive injection to make me feel so woozy, had to lie down for a bit this afternoon .
 

Am I expecting too much to think hubby may have heard anymore about his home visit yet ? 

Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I'm sorry to hear that you felt so woozy this afternoon and hope that you are feeling better now. You must have been unlucky. I don't remember having any bother with the injection either time.

At this stage, my big worry was the surgery, as I have previously stopped breathing on the operating table and now need to swallow the camera without coughing, prior to having an anaesthetic. Even then I need fibre-optic intubation for all operations now. I must confess that, on both occasions, I was quite surprised by how easy both operations were. I hope that you will be too. Just think, this time tomorrow it will all be over.

No word at all for hubby as yet.

Jolamine xx

Thank you for your kind words and reassurances Jolamine - chat to you on the other side. 
 

Fingers crossed re hubby xx ️ ️

Good luck for tomorrow, Mickey M. 

Take care 

Jane xx

Thanks Jane xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I've been thinking of you all day and hope that everything went well. Are you still in hospital, or were you discharged this afternoon? It seems to vary from one hospital to another.

I hope that you manage a good night's sleep tonight.

Love,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

Im supposed to be in 5-7 days, but if I carry on wel maybe they'll let me out Friday? I'll keep you posted. 
 

I was first in at 7 and had my Anaesthetic by 8 and so must have done op in less than 10

Hours .

I’ve tried to rest my eyes for ten mins in between my half hourly reconstructed Boobie checks (blood vessels are still working), blood pressure, temperature and finger Clip, which I guess is heart rate. 

I came round from anaesthetic really quickly, 6.40 I think I saw on clock when I first looked after coming round. They say most people don’t come round til after 9. Had a sore throat and croaky voice, but ok now. 

I had very little pain for ages, but now I have a little bit and on stupid skin reactions, worst one under left arm, so thank god I bought a little beanbag type red heart, stops my Skin rubbing. I’m on morphine, so all ok xxx 

Cafetter bag was a gorgeous Sea green at first, I’ve drunk lots of water (as directed) and so it’s lighter green now. 

Blood pressure has been a little low and so checked more often and more water I was told to drink.

My DVT socks are green with toes and I have contracting something on both one after the other.

Im ok, just very tired  - thank you for thinking of me - love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

You will have been on stronger medication for your operation, so would naturally become sorer as the anaesthetic begins to wear off. It is good to hear that you were first on the list - no waiting around all day which had to be a plus.

I'm glad to hear that your voice has returned and that your catheter is looking a little less nuclear now - Are your DVT socks meant to be matching do you think? I imagine that it's a nuisance having to be checked so often, but this won't be for long.

Try to make the most of this opportunity to catch up on some sleep. If your medication is not hitting the pain, make sure to let the nurses know.

I hope that you manage to get home soon.

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, Thank you for your reply, I laughed about my DVT socks matching my caffeter and yes it was really similar colour, they got that right. 
 

Felt a bit dizzy/sick a couple of times early morning yesterday, but after a little rest, I was fine and my blood pressure is normal. Caffeter and two of my drains came out yesterday and so I'm now in a bra. I was hoping the other tummy drain would come out today, but it has 3x the amount of fluid they want in the last 24 hrs. I don't really want to go home with the drain, so fingers crossed. Consultant said yest that I should go home tomorrow. 
 

I came off the morphine Wed am as it was making me dizzy/sick. I'm managing on paracetamol, which is good. 
 

Hope you're ok. 
 

Mickey xx ️

Hi Jolamine, Thank you for your reply, I laughed about my DVT socks matching my caffeter and yes it was really similar colour, they got that right. 
 

Felt a bit dizzy/sick a couple of times early morning yesterday, but after a little rest, I was fine and my blood pressure is normal. Caffeter and two of my drains came out yesterday and so I'm now in a bra. I was hoping the other tummy drain would come out today, but it has 3x the amount of fluid they want in the last 24 hrs. I don't really want to go home with the drain, so fingers crossed. Consultant said yest that I should go home tomorrow. 
 

I came off the morphine Wed am as it was making me dizzy/sick. I'm managing on paracetamol, which is good. 
 

Hope you're ok. 
 

Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

It sounds as if you're progressing as you should. It'd great to hear that you have had your catheter and two of your drains removed already. Let's hope that the tummy one is ready to come out tomorow.

I'm glad to hear that you are now off the Morphine - it does tend to make you feel sick and dizzy. Are you beginning to feel a little better with these symptoms since you stopped taking it on Wednesday? It would be great to get home tomorrow, but here's hoping that you don't have to go home with the drain still in - I wouldn't want to do that either.

I forgot to mention before your surgery about a small heart shaped cushion for your underarm. Some hospitals now supply these. I bought one from a card shop, of all places and I used it for several months after my surgery. It helped me to sleep better, but was also good to have when I was sitting and I was aching.

I also invested in a couple of kiddie's seat belt protectors to protect my chest when I was in the car.

We're still trundeling on thanks.

Take care,

Love,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, Well I just got my final drain and cannula out . It leaked quite a bit though and had to be re-dressed. So now in my amazing big pants - just went for a walk down the ward (as physio told me today) and I have to say that they support me to stand straighter (which is hard as tummy so tight) and back hurt less when walking, so that’s a bonus! coming home tomorrow - will probably sleep 24 hours . Fortunately I have an old small bean bag red heart shaped and that's been my saving grace - not from lymph nodes that's ok, but on my other underarm I have blisters and skin irritations and so it's permanently there currently, really stops the skin rubbing. 

Good idea re the seatbelts problem, will look into that. 

I don't feel sick or dizzy anymore and blood pressure has been fine too.  It's the backache that surprised me most - from length of surgery they say. Needs to go on a rack or something to stretch out - but I won't be doing that, don't worry. 

Glad you're ok. 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

This is fantastic news. I.m sure that you'll be relieved to get home and to be able to get some undisturbed sleep. It is great to hear that the sickness and dizziness have subsided. Your back and tummy should gradually ease off.

No need for racks - just make sure that you're well looked after when you get home. Don't forget to ask when you're likely to get your pathology results before you leave tomorrow, if you've not aready been told.

Hugs,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

Waiting impatiently for the Duty Doctor gone before lunch!! 
 

I was told before surgery that it will be four weeks for my histology. I assume there's an additional expected delay in that timeframe due to Christmas??

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I hope that the doctor has been and that you are now home. Four weeks is a long time to wait for your histology results, but I expect that this is due to the holiday - still, at least you got your surgery over before Christmas and, don't have that hanging over you too.

Don't try to do too much now that you are home. You'll be tired and will still have to take things slowly.

Love,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

I got home early yesterday evening and I am so relieved getting through my first night.  I was quite scared about managing my stairs and getting in and out of my bed as it's quite high, but it's been absolutely ok. Such a relief. 

Yes four weeks is a long time, but you're so right, the surgery is finally over and you can literally see the stress has been removed from my face just like the cancers have been removed. 

Thanks for being so caring and helpful with your advice. 
I intend to start my exercises tomorrow, I was told to take it gentle and build up and so I won't push myself if my body tells me not to. 
 

Hope you've had a good weekend. 
 

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I'm so glad to hear that you coped well last night. I had a full open cholecystectomy prior to my two cancer operations. As a result my tummy muscles were very weak, so the occupational therapist provided a device which went under the mattress with a handle on either side of the bed. It is stainless steel and has been so useful that I am still using it 12 years later.

It is great to hear that your stress levels have already dropped markedly - It's always a huge relief to get surgery out of the way. By all means build up to your exercises, but make sure to do them regularly when you have built them up.

Love, Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

That does sound a very painful operation. Did your tummy muscles totally recover? I anticipate that you were good with your exercises, I'm finding starting a bit scarey truth be told. I will embrace it though shortly. 

The device sounds very useful indeed, it is the getting up from lying down that's a bit of a struggle. I'm glad it was left with you  and not snatched back. 

Have a great day Jolamine. 

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

That was the worst operation of my life. The first time I went to theatre, I stopped breathing on the operating table and came to to find that they hadn't done any surgery. I then had to wait a further 2 weeks on IV antibiotics to let my throat heal before they tried to insert the naso-gastric tube again. Fortunately, they relieved me of a 3" gallstone the second time. I was in hospital for 3 months and had a long recovery period after that. My gallstones were so bad that I also had a pustular pleurisy, which didn't help my breathing at the time.

Despite doing all my exercises, my tummy muscles never fully recovered, but i was told before the surgery that they might not be able to pull me through, so I feel very grateful to still be here. Unfortunately, they said that I have a very narrow wind pipe, so I now have to stay awake for any operation until they get the camera down and then I always need fibre-optic intubation - this always makes any op more tricky than usual.

It is a thought to start your exercises, but you soon get used to them.

I hope that you're getting plenty of rest.

Love, Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

That does sound very scarey and intense indeed.  Bless you, I can't imagine being awake to have the camera put down. I have a different problem and so they can't get anything down my throat unless under a general. They had to do a previous endscopy under fever for this reason too.

What a size gallstone, relief. I expect three months in hospital was unbearable though, I feel for you and an really pleased that's all behind you.

Sorry to hear that your tummy muscles never fully recovered. Are there lots of things you can't now do because of that? 

I managed to do all three sets of my exercises yesterday. It seemed to take the majority of the day. I'm sure as I get used to them and stronger, like you say, this will get easier. Only a week today post op - so I'm really pleased with my progress. 

Forgot to say - I was got contacted by nhs yesterday as I had a positive contact last Thursday in hospital for more than 15 mins less than 2m. I had a bad day last Thur so was told to stay in bed all day - there was only one nurse changing two drains that was with me for that time or longer on Thur. I was lucky to have my own room and kept the door shut when nurses not doing their checks etc. All a bit bewildering and had to go for PCR test and to take daily tests until day 10, which must be boxing day. it will all be negative, I had my booster two weeks before .

Hope you have a lovely day Jolamine. 
 

Love Mickey xx ️