The whole event did actually take from 9 to 5! We arrived at the hospital at required time of 9 AM. Not all of the 9 to 5 time span was used for surgery, there was a lot of waiting time to spend, and chunks of tests to establish exactly where "the nasty" is located, and to leave a marker for surgeon as he carried out the small lumpectomy. Some tests were fairly easy, one was a tad challenging mainly due to the length of time it took, while in some discomfort.
After the tests to find positions and direction of lymph nodes, came the inserting of a wire marker to show position of the small tumor, to to assist the surgeon. I was lucky to have a surgeon whose reputation is second to none in the state. The radiologist, also, deserves an Oscar for his skills, enthusiasm, and cheerful support in both my prior biopsy, a week or two ago, and in today's tests. He said, after completing his part of the procedure, "It'll be all downhill from here - you'll have a nice nap and then go home!" True enough, but there was a l-o-n-g wait before the nap, while the surgeon finished a much bigger operation than mine. The waiting time was the worst part of the whole thing, lying, sometimes uncomfortably, on the usual hospital bed-cum-trolley, in a small room. The husband was always with me though - that was a plus! My actual surgery took, I am told, around 45 minutes. I was away from the husband for 2 hours though, due to various additional preparation, plus some recovery time. During surgery husband had much appreciated supporting visits from his daughter, and later from his son-in-law.
I now have "binding" or "wrapping" around my breasts. I'm actually glad of my relatively small bra' size, something I've cursed during most of my adult life. I was given prescriptions for pain medications and stuff for nausea - which I don't have, thankfully. Pain is there but it's quite bearable, I shall not take maximum of pain pills unless it becomes truly essential.
Next appointment: 4 April, to see the surgeon for follow-up talk.
I feel a song coming on:
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteI hope my post does not offend. That is not my intent. Truth - For some reason, you are one of my very favorite cyber people.
All links are about Anne Cameron.
Excerpts from one of them - "After months of undiagnosed symptoms, I had surgery for colon cancer in June 2012. The surgeon said he thought he'd gotten all the cancer, but six months later, when I was feeling great, a CT scan and a PET scan found that the cancer had metastasized with two inoperable tumors between my lungs. The oncologist recommended chemotherapy, but told me it wouldn't cure me. She said I had two to three years to live.
"I decided that I would refuse the chemo."
"Unlike chemotherapy, carrot juice wouldn't damage my body. I had nothing to lose by trying it. I immediately bought a juicer and began drinking five cups of fresh carrot juice daily. Seven weeks later, a new CT scan showed that the cancer had stopped growing and had shrunk. Seven weeks more, and a new CT scan showed that my lungs were normal -- no cancer. I continued drinking carrot juice four more months, probably more than necessary. When a new CT showed no cancer, I stopped drinking the carrot juice."
"Four and a half years have now passed, and I feel fine and am cancer free. More than twenty other people I know of with a variety of cancers had the same result.I wrote Curing Cancer with Carrots to share my experience and, more important, the substantial scientific research that supports the use of carrots and other foods against cancer."
http://reset.me/story/the-anti-cancer-properties-of-carrots/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22468479-curing-cancer-with-carrots
https://www.beatcancer.org/blog-posts/curing-cancer-with-carrots
Long may you run.
ReplyDeleteLong may you run.
Although these changes
Have come
With your chrome heart shining
In the sun
Long may you run.
Neil Young
I'm so glad things went well for you, Twilight. Hopefully, it'll be the last you'll suffer of that accursed disease. Let's know how it goes on the 4th. Not sure of the effectiveness of carrot juice, but I used to drink it daily for a number of years (not quite in the amounts Ms Cameron recommends) and it's a very pleasant drink - if you like carrots!
ReplyDeleteBob~ Hey there! Nice to see you! Thank you for your thoughts, and for the advice about carrot juice which I shall definitely keep in mind, and try it - I love carrots anyway!
ReplyDeleteI've heard a similar thing about the properties of broccoli - which I like also but only if well cooked, which is not the ideal way - I do prefer carrots.
Thank you again, Bob!
Viva! ~ Hi there - and thank you for the thoughts held within those lovely lyrics. I was unfamiliar with the song but have listened to it this morning on YouTube - good song, now bookmarked.
ReplyDeleteMany grateful thanks, once again! :-)
RJ Adams ~ Hey RJ! Thank you. Yes, I'm hoping that any further 'stuff' will be minimal or lightweight, considering my age. I don't have decades to look forward to, so heavyweight stuff would, I guess, be overkill. I trust 'em to do what's best for me though. It's a very good hospital, in spite of a few communication glitches.
ReplyDeleteI do like carrots and shall be buying a juicer soon! (Wonder if a Scotch and carrot cocktail would be good....kidding!) ;-)
Well done you, getting through the waiting and uncertainty and goodness knows this is not easy. Major big luck on the 4th.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough. chatting to a dear friend for quite a while today who is on 1/2 liver, the other half removed 9 weeks ago, cancer.
He has done massive research on cancer as a result, a fount of knowledge and mentioned that he was in contact with a relative in a cancer lab in Montreal as post mortem autopsies on people consuming antabuse, the drug that makes you sick if you drink alcohol, has had a huge surprise in that it removed all cancers in their systems. The lab confirmed this but it is still in the early stages of research and he is certainly going to chat to his doctor about it and his liver specialist. Just thought I'd pass that on for your internal files.
Topping up the carrot juice with antabuse and avoiding the el vino.
Big hugs.
XO
WWW
Wisewebwoman ~ Thank you WWW! Hmm I'll remember that drug's name should I ever have need of something in the future. I didn't have an enormously long future ahead of me, even without my recent scare. Hopefully, I'll be able to still toddle along the rest of the road - the length of it that was there before. :)
ReplyDelete