HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - When your physician says to take it easy...

StephN · 12-31-2006, 05:47 PM

Those of us who have had lumpectomy and lower axilla excision also needed a drain for a week or so. Any time the lymph system is disturbed a drain is necessary until the fluid "figures out" a new channel.

When they think it is discharge time at the hospital they always give me a PT session or two. Once I am cleared by the physical therapists and a sheet of instructions is gone over, only then do they begin the paperwork for discharge.

This included specific exercises and instructions for regaining use of my arm - and this with a lumpectomy. I followed them and had no trouble at all.

12-31-2006, 05:47 PM	#8
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Same goes for lumpectomy & nodes Those of us who have had lumpectomy and lower axilla excision also needed a drain for a week or so. Any time the lymph system is disturbed a drain is necessary until the fluid "figures out" a new channel. When they think it is discharge time at the hospital they always give me a PT session or two. Once I am cleared by the physical therapists and a sheet of instructions is gone over, only then do they begin the paperwork for discharge. This included specific exercises and instructions for regaining use of my arm - and this with a lumpectomy. I followed them and had no trouble at all. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.