Hi

[Guest guest]

Hey, nne et al!! Had my mastectomy with sentinal node biopsy this past Wednesday and came thru just fine. No pain, actually - just tenderness. Have a drain under the arm and one from the front of the (missing) breast. I'm good with anesthesia, so I was famished after the surgery and finally got a few graham crackers to soothe me until my (liquid) dinner came a couple of hours later. Went home on Thursday a.m. and still feel just great. I've been measuring the drain output and it's been going down, so maybe I can have them out on Tuesday. If not, I'll wait til he's in on Thursday. AND..that is my question. I understand it hurts like crazy when they pull the drains out. Can anyone give me "real life" experience with that? Any suggestions like grit my teeth, bite a bullet...or whatever? This has been an adventure and I've been very, very "up" - and hope to continue, but would like to know about the drains. Thanks in advance, Gail

[Guest guest]

I thought radiation wasn't all that bad. You can put aloe vera on the skin when it starts to really burn. Nothing to fear but march on. The biggest thing was the time every day. Sharon Dennis wrote: June...I hope that you come out of chemo without ill effects. I hope I come out of chemo without ill effects. That is a big concern for me. I would love to find the alternative sources to help me heal from the chemo. I am sure they are out there but I haven't figured out the right combination to put in Google.

I'm petrified of radiation and what it will do to my very fair skin. But I am more petrified of cancer. It kind of feels like blackmail might feel. Do you give in and hope the blackmailer will keep his/her word or do you not give in and hope the blackmailer won't do whatever bad thing they have holding over your head? June...allow yourself to feel all of the emotions that are inside you. I wish I could. I'm still pretty numb. Maybe that means I'm handling it pretty well. Everyone around me thinks I am. I try not to think about it at all. Once I did the research I needed to do and saw both sides of chemo and radiation I stopped thinking about it. Otherwise it would have made me nuts. To those in the decision making process for any phase of treatment, do your homework. Make appointments with an oncologist, a radiology oncologist, and a plastic surgeon. Talk to women who have been there with conventional and alternative. The problem is that you have to make a decision eventually and if you are anything like me you will continually doubt that you made the right one. ESPECIALLY if you choose chemo. Chemo sucks and can make even the best of us wonder "WHAT WAS I THINKING?" I just hope radiation isn't like that. signing off until the next major decision

comes along and I hope is has nothing to do with my health!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharon Coley Director of Sales Doubletree Hotel Los Angeles/Rosemead 888 Montebello Blvd. Rosemead, Ca 91770 (323)201-3461

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