Advice, information, prayers, good thoughts, whatever else you want to pass along.... ;)

[cheesymum]

Hey, everyone!  I've not been around for a while but I have been reading and keeping up on everyone.

I went to the GYN for my annual appointment a couple weeks ago and she thought I might have a (some) papilloma(s) behind my left nipple (of course it would be the left!  @@) so she sent me to a breast surgeon.  He agrees and, a week from yesterday, I'm going in for outpatient surgery to remove the ducts from my left nipple.  He is 95% certain that it / they are benign but he is removing them anyway just to be safe.

I have never had surgery of any kind.  I've only had twilight sedation once but never been put completely out.  So that is a little concerning but that's not what truly concerns me.

What really concerns me is what is going to happen after the surgery.  The problem is I don't know exactly what that might be.  I know how the left side of my body reacts when I'm overly tired or overly hot or overly stressed.  What in the world might it do following my being sliced open???  That's what's concerns me.  I feel certain I will have a rotten time of it after the surgery and that's just not a nice thought.

This is not so much a question as a general "thinking out loud" kind of thing.  I guess I'm hoping some of you MS'ers who have had surgeries and other injuries / insults to your bodily integrity that your bodies didn't handle well can commiserate?  

Anyway, it's nice just to have somewhere to share these thoughts with folks who understand.  :)

[cheesymum]

Thanks to you all!  I so appreciate the prayers and good thots!

Mary, sorry for the confusion.  At the time I wrote the post, it didn't occur to me that folks would be reading it later on in the week.  Yes, my surgery is this Thursday, June 30th.  I will absolutely demand handwashing in my sight.  I do that anyway.  :)  Thanks for the tip on the breast support.  Much obliged!

[twopack]

Let's see.....
"a week from yesterday, I'm going in for outpatient surgery"
ah.... written on the 24th.... (scratching head and checking calendar).... that's three days from now, on Thursday the 30th, right?  Sorry, I'm just trying to have it right so I can be sending extra positive, healing thoughts at the right time.

I'm diagnosed with MS.  It's only official in the last few years but I've had periodic symptoms and less-than-classic lesions on the MRI since 1990.  (Not exactly original, eh?)  I've had several minor hand surgeries, a breast biopsy, laprascopic surgical repair of GERD and two joint replacement surgeries over the years.  

I can't say any of the surgeries caused a flare of my symptoms.  I do think spasticity and rapid muscle fatigue contributed to a longer than average rehab from orthopedic surgeries, especially the knee replacements.  

So no flare but (as a tip) the breast biopsy was more painful than I expected until I realized good bra support prevented tension at the incision.  I found cold packs gave wonderful relief too.

I did have an infection in my hand along the line that wiped me out and bound me up more than any of the surgeries.  I was on IV antibiotics for four weeks but still surprised an infection in the hand could make me feel so rotton in general.   MS wasn't on the table at the time (2000) but I do remember the surgeon thinking there was something unexplained going on.  

Bottom line --- Infection is a bigger threat than anesthesia or surgery to increase MS symptoms.  Make sure everyone in the surgery center washes their hands before touching you!  This is one time it is absolutely OK to not care if they think you are OCD neurotic about something.

My good thoughts are with you.
Mary

[loverofpuppies]

Just said a prayer for you :)

Keep us updated on how everything goes, Im sure it will be fine :)

[sllowe]

I hope all goes smoothly and will pray they are indeed benign :)

Wishing you a pleasant recovery from this :)

-Shell

[cheesymum]

Thanks, everyone!  I do hope y'all are right.  Crossing my fingers you are!  :)

MissLaural, you are so sweet to think of me.  I'm okay.  Usual stuff.  SSDD and all of that.  UGH.  And, of course, the heat doesn't help.

This is such a great group of people.  I was so blessed to have stumbled (pun intended) onto y'all....  :)

[MissLauraI]

Cheesymum- I was just thinking about you yesterday...wondering if you were OK.

I am sorry you have to have surgery. Being undx it is hard to say if this compares, but I have had a few surgeries. The recovery time was not out of the norm.

The only thing that seems to wipe me out for several days-- I am not sure why--but my heart rate and O2 goes down. This makes me exhausted for several days after.

This last go round (cataract surgery) my heart rate went down to 38 and O2 was 89. I had to hang around until it got up to heart rate went to 44 and O2 to 98 then they let me go home.

I pray your surgery goes well and that you will recover without any extra concerns.

((HUGS))

[Lulu54]

Good luck with the surgery - I hope you sail through it without any complications.  Give us an update, ok?

be well, Lulu

[Sidesteps]

I'm saying prayers and warm thoughts. I am undx'd but had a minor surgery while in a flare in December. I did have about a 24 hour period where my symptoms increased from the stress but as soon as I relaxed those went back down to where they were before. I think I have pseudo-flares with increase of stress.

[HVAC]

I have had many surgeries with MS and been fine. It was sort of funny the last time because they treated me extra carefully. I was so sick of all the extra precautions. In fact the Doctor knew my history of leaving hospitals after surgery whether I was ready or not so I woke up in a room. This was normally an outpatient surgery. I was confused she was doing at the hospital and not the surgery center. The truth is she was very worried about what it was and I was not. It turned out not to be cancer which is what she feared but did not really tell me. I was sicker than I realized but I healed up in a reasonable time.

I have gotten so used to surgery I fall asleep as soon as the put the IV in my before they start the sedation.

I have cheap walker I got from a thrift store. I love it because it is something stable to grab onto to get out of the bed or the couch. After surgery or when I am really sick. It beats having someone pull on you to get you up.

Distracting yourself and not thinking about as much as you can is important. The more relaxed you are the better. I once was having emergency surgery. They could not believe I read a book up until the time they took me in. I try to imagine something very pleasant. I picture my kitty Moon Pie. Him purring, rubbing my face, his softness and body heat, his whiskers, what he looks like as much detail as possible.  Being at the beach cool sand in your toes. A cool breeze, the waves, sun on your face. Anything you can really think about in detail. Practicing this imagery ahead of time helps. It can help anytime to bring stress down.

Most of the time things turn out fine for me. Good luck.

Alex

[meg321]

I have not had any major surguries except recently I had outpatient surgery to remove some cancer cells from my cervix...I had no flare-ups with my MS...I was fine.

I think I have read that surgery does not necessarily...I am sure someone will confim that.

Infections do cause infections more so...as I said there are others who know more or retain more.

But I would not be concerned, and stay positive.

hugs meg