Surgery

April 19th was a long day.    I couldn't eat or drink anything, which actually didn't bother me too much.   They kept me busy enough that I didn't have time to dwell on it.

First stop was at the Women's Center to have wire markers inserted so the surgeon would know where the lesion was.    They basically numbed me in the same area that they did the biopsy through.   Then the radiologist inserted a wire "marker" into the area.   He was guided by the Ultrasound machine.   When he was removing the needle part of the wire the wire pulled back out with it.   So he had to insert another wire.    Then the wires were secured to my skin with bandages and tape so they wouldn't move around.    Just before I left the Women's Center they injected a form of radiation dye into the area.  

We then headed over to the hospital so I could check in.   After I changed into their lovely gowns they gave me a ride in a wheel chair down to radiology so they could track the dye they had injected earlier. The techs said that not only did the dye do exactly what it was supposed to do, they said that I have very lovely skin!!   The lymph nodes were showing up very well on the xrays!   They said that older women do not get as good of xray because the lymph nodes are harder.

Then it was time to go back to the pre-post room (107) to wait for my turn in surgery.   I was scheduled for 2:15pm and we were completely shocked when Dr. Sachs came in at 12:40pm and said that they were running ahead of schedule!!   The anesthesiologist was right behind him with a bunch of questions for me to answer.   They started an IV and away I went to OR room #9.    We clocked in there at 12:49pm.    The room was very cold and they brought me a couple of warm blankets.   I moved over to the operating table and the anesthesia woman said she was going to give me something to relax me.   It did that!   I felt like my tongue was swollen up and I was kind of slurring my words.  Then they put the oxygen mask over my face and asked me to take some deep breathes.   The next thing I knew I was in recovery!

I was still pretty loopy, but I was in pain.   They asked me to rate my pain and I said it was an 8.   They gave me something which I later on found out was Morphine.   I told them that Morphine didn't work on me and then they gave me some Fentanyl.   Ahhhhhh...I started feeling relief!!     Then it was time to go back to the pre-post room to recover.   Ice chips were very welcome!    My nurse said that the next time I needed something for pain that she would give me what the doctor was going to send me home on to make sure that it worked.   It wasn't too long when I needed to get up and go to the bathroom.   I could tell that I was pretty tender on the left side.   I also have the prettiest blue urine!!

I received my discharge paperwork and we were walking out of the building about 5pm!   It was sure nice to be home!!   The Colvin's brought the girls home from Fight Night about 7:30pm.

This is the pretty colors I am sporting on my left side.   There is no drain!!   And the lymph nodes were CLEAR!   That will hopefully mean that I might have less chemo and hopefully no radiation!   I will find out all about that on April 30th when I see Dr. Hashmi again.