I had my lymph node dissection on Friday, March 7. After the double mastectomy in September, when the pathology report came back, they realized the tumor was much bigger than originally thought and therefore I had no clear margins. My surgeon said she would need to go back in for the lymph node surgery just to be sure. My medical oncologist suggested they do the chemotherapy first to give my body some time to heal and that's how we've traveled this path in the way that we have.
We got to the hospital on Friday at 8:30 am, preparing for a 10:30 am surgery. My surgeon is VERY detailed and meticulous though so the surgery before mine went longer than expected and I don't think they wheeled me in until about 1:30 or so.
Around 11 am or so they did give me the nerve block which I will reiterate is the best thing ever. Firstly they give you the joy juice which knocks me right out and thus I have no idea what they are doing, which is just fine with me! I woke up afterward and was just chatting with Jeff and trying to stay awake while waiting for surgery to begin. The surgeon came in and chatted with us and verified that we were removing the chemo port and going in for the node dissection.
Before I knew it, they were wheeling me in, the PA (who is awesome) was chatting with me and then I was given the fantastic gas and out I went. Fortunately it wasn't like the DMX when they asked me something then put the gas over my nose and when I woke up, I literally answered the question. (The nurse at the time thought it was hilarious that 9 hours later I woke up talking. It was literally like "so as I was saying...") I do remember however, just like with bariatric surgery, the first thing I said when I opened my eyes was "where is Jeff?" 😊 And I kept asking, I clearly wanted him with me.
I'm not positive how long I was in the main recovery area but before I knew it, they wheeled me to my private room and I was reunited with Jeff. My main requirements for being able to go home was that I had be able to stay awake and I had to be able to get up and use the bathroom. I waited probably about an hour to ensure I was all good, then got up to use the bathroom and got dressed with some help. I only have one drain as opposed to the two last time (they help drain excess fluid so I don't develop seromas and then have to get those drained which would be horrible and gross).
The nurse gave me some water and a couple of cheese sticks and off we went toward home. Fortunately I've been down this road before and it's old news to handle the drains. Since it's only on the left side, I can sleep on my right side and it's much more comfortable. We use a body pillow to prop up against my back and help me stay on the right side.
Saturday morning I got to don my compression sleeve for the first time. It does take a little to get used to it but it's comfortable enough. I had some swelling in my hand and have had to monitor that. (Truth be told, yesterday - Wednesday - was the first day my wedding set fit again.) The nerve block is awesome because it lasts days. I didn't have to take a Norco (opioid) until Sunday at 5:30 am. And I've only had one since. Tylenol dulls the ache enough, as does a pillow under my arm, that I can function without being totally drugged out. I don't wear the sleeve to sleep but I wear it during the day. I'm not positive how long that will last...maybe forever. We are going to order a couple more that look like I have sleeve tattoos because you might as well have fun, right?
On Tuesday we went down to the cancer center to get my monthly Zoladex shot and I got to see my fabulous nurse. We had lunch at the hospital, got a blood draw and then had the shot. On the way out, we saw my nurse navigator and chatted with her. She was very pleased at how I'm doing so far.
The biggest issue is my arm pit hurts lol It sounds so dumb when you say it out loud. But I just put a little pillow under my arm and it helps a lot!
Today the pathology report came in and let's just say I'm so grateful that I listened to my surgeon. They pulled 5 nodes and 3 of them had some cancer cells. Fortunately the cells were VERY small and were not growing. It's likely that the chemotherapy helped with that and now that they are removed, the radiation I'll have in a couple of weeks will target that area to make sure if there is any possibility that anything else is left that the radiation eradicates it.
I'm seeing my surgeon next Thursday and I know we will chat about the results and it's possible my medical oncologist will want to change treatment going forward (for example, potentially removing my ovaries to ensure no estrogen is being produced; if its not clear I'm in medically induced menopause so removing the ovaries may be wise to ensure menopause is here to stay).
I'm seeing the radiation oncologist again on the 25th and hopefully we can start radiation on March 31. The surgeon would not clear me to return to work until April 7 (a full month after surgery just to be sure) so it would be great if I can get one week of my radiation done before I go back to work.
All in all, it would have been nice if the pathology report was totally clear but I'm grateful that I have a doctor who is meticulous enough to want to be absolutely sure everything is out of there. So the pain I'm dealing with is worth it to know she was right and we're helping ensure I can live for many, many more years to come.
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