Monday, February 28, 2005

Surgery # 2: CHECK!

Regarding the procedures today...
a) Sentinel Node dissection: ten nodes removed. Pathology report forthcoming in the next week or so. In order to aid the surgeon in the identification of the sentinel node(s), xray dye is injected into my breast. Normally, the fluid is handled as most waste material by the lymph system and is filtered from the blood and tissue. So theoretically, this injected dye would make it's way to ....a lymph node! So I was pricked my a big needle right into the most, or second-most sensitive part of my body with radioactive material and that xray dye would appear on my films as something like a road-map for the surgeon. Well, it didn't work. Poop! I just have one thing to say about that: OUCH.
b) Re-excission of left breast: gosh, I hope she got it all. I am getting a little worried about symmetry, ya know? I was talking with Mark's mother about my concern and she said, "As long as they both point up, you'll be alright!" Well, they are taking quite a lot of chunks per the pathology report. I told her, "Hey man, I am just hoping they both point in the same direction!"
c) Insertion of "P.A.S. Port": done. I feel kinda like me & the Bionic Woman have a little in common. Hehehehe...
My arm is a bit sore. It feels most comfortable if I don't move it too much. I keep my left arm close to my side. Unfortunately it hurts getting up from and going down to a supine position...but it's great once I get down there. But no worries = I have graduated to Darvocet from Vicodin. :-)
Thank you, Erin, for coming - Mark really needed the help and the nap.
Have a great day!

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