Surgery Update

[Guest guest]

Hello all -

First, thank you to everyone for your prayers and good thoughts for

my surgery yesterday. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy.

You ladies are so right, the waiting is the hardest part. I had to

wait 2 hours for the radioactive dye to go through the lymph system

(injection at 10:30 a.m.) and surgery was then scheduled for 12:45

p.m. Unfortunately, I had to wait another 2 hours as my surgeon's

earlier surgery ended up taking much more time than expected!

My lymph nodes are negative! Hurray! I still can't believe it as I

had prepared for lymph involvement. My surgeon said that the

location of the tumor - right under the nipple - is where our

breasts flush to the lymph nodes. Honestly, I still can't believe

it's true.

I did get to come home last night, but spent the evening throwing up

and dizzy from either the anesthesia or the iv-pain drugs they gave

me right after surgery. Blech. Finally feeling better now.

The pain is not too bad; I am alternating between vicodin and

tylenol to keep the edge off.

Ruth - I was given the option of lumpectomy even thought my tumor

was right under the nipple, and they did have to remove the nipple

to get clean margins. I can have reconstruction in the future if I

wish. The surgeon did tell me that the side with the lumpectomy

will now not only be smaller but definitely perkier based on the

type of incision she made.

I will hear from my surgeon tomorrow about the actual size of the

tumor and the rest of the path. report. For now I need to heal and

meet with the oncologist about chemo protocol.

Thanks again to everyone for your support! You're all the best!

Janet B.