mastectomy

[ummmm]

My Nan is due to have a mastectomy in a few weeks time. She's 80, active, in good spirits but suffers from dementia.

She had a pre op yesterday and everything came back fine.

How risky is this at her age? I'm worried :-(

[yogi-bear]

ummmm,

Like sara, I've nothing useful to offer, but i do wish your nan all the very best, my lovely xx

[marval]

I don't have experience, but I do hope all goes well. My thoughts are with you all at this difficult time.xx

[ummmm]

Fingers crossed x

I've been on the phone to my cousins and told them to make more of an effort. So if anything does go wrong at least she's had her family with her.

They do make an effort already but bigger effort now. She loves meeting her Grand children over and over again. She makes us laugh when she whispers 'are these ALL my grand children..wow'

[ummmm]

We had to be...it's male dominated. We had to put the pleb heads in their place :-)

[237SJ]

My mum had a mastectomy two years ago at aged 78 although there was no dementia involved. She`d never had an operation before so didn`t know how she would take it. I visited her the same day and she was a bit pale and weak. The next day I visited and I couldn`t believe it. She`d seen my car arrive from her window and was out the in the corridor to meet me as large as life! Good luck with your nan.

[ummmm]

That's good to hear 237. How is she now?

[237SJ]

Fine thanks although it`s always in the back of my mind that something could come back (it had gone to the lymph nodes). When someone is quite strong willed like my mum and your nan they`re fighters which is good.

[ummmm]

Nan has to have lymph nodes removed as well :-(

The worry is, if she gets through the op, that she'll wake up each morning not knowing what's happened to her. It's bad enough that she doesn't know 'us' anymore.

[237SJ]

When my mum was first diagnosed, I was worried sick about her needing chemo and the logistics of the fact that she was 200 miles from any family. My dad had died the year before, my sister`s husband had died a couple of weeks before so she was no use and it was all down to me. Anyway, I worked with a lovely girl one day who said "All I can say is, don`t worry about things until they`ve happened". It`s difficult but it was good advice. I suppose the immediate concern for your nan will be that as she has dementia, she might try to pull her drains out. I wonder if they sedate dementia patients in that instance? Anyway, one day at a time, as they say.

[ummmm]

237....they said that she'll be in hospital for two days.

She's in a care home, not a nursing home, and the chances are she will pull the drains out. She has one false tooth and she can't even keep that in..!

The home have said that we are welcome to stay with her through the day and they will care for her overnight, as they are not a nursing home they can't give her one to one.

[AlBags]

Hiya Ummmm x

I can't comment on dementia .. and it seems that you really need to know the answers associated with this .. as an after-effect.
However my mum had a hysterectomy at 73 and a few weeks ago upper intestinal surgery at 76. Recovery from anaesthetics, etc is a bit slow, but she had a scan which was fine. She was active and a lightweight. So surgery won't be any issue I expect.
Hope it goes ok ... for you all
Al xx

[masma]

Bless her heart, she shouldn't have to go through this at her age no matter what. My love and thoughts are with her, you and your family xxxx

[ummmm]

Thank you. I just hope she doesn't lose her sense of humour. Even with dementia she still very funny..