Surgery was needed to remove two very tiny (microscopic) spots of potentially cancerous tissue close to the skin, a little way apart, just outside the line of the original incision, only perceptible via microscope. These were discovered during pathology of tissue removed on 2 April during my original mastectomy.
Preparing for the surgery (any surgery at our local hospital, and maybe in all hospitals these days) includes taking three showers using Hibiclens - antiseptic skin cleanser - in a prescribed manner: twice on day before surgery - morning and evening; once on morning of surgery. Freshly laundered towels, washcloths and clothing after each shower. That last shower was fun, timed just before 4 am. I was not playing with a full deck after a mainly sleepless few hours on the recliner, wrangling a dangling drain bottle which kept making a nuisance of itself in the shower! "Using Hibiclens will greatly reduce your risk of developing a staph infection" says the instruction sheet.
No food after midnight, before surgery. That is a direction that doesn't bother me one bit, but it must bother some folks, according to stern warnings on the instruction sheets the hospital provides.
I knew nothing. I was wheeled into the operating theatre, and once shuffled onto the operating table, a nurse applied a mask to my nose and mouth, in preparation for what I think is called intubation, then out I went.
Now...I'm still not 100% sure what was what, but the surgeon had explained that he would need to do a bit of re-aligning of the original incision, from a straight line to a more wavy or angled one, necessitating the move a bit of fleshy tissue from one place to another in order to "pull it all together". I'm still vague about the detail. Later, my husband and other visitors were told by the surgeon that the procedure had "gone well". We were home, amazingly, just after 11.30am. The procedure will probably leave me with a "tight" feeling for a while, but it'll gradually go away with ordinary use of left arm.
Going forward (as they are wont to say in business circles) there will be a few weeks' healing time, with follow-up appointments at surgeon's office, first of which will be on the first of May.
Mastectomy of my right boob is TBA (to be arranged). I'd like to have a few weeks of breathing space, to enjoy what's left of late spring, before summer comes a ragin' in once more, with triple digit temperatures. When it's 103 degrees outside, maybe I'll be glad of the ultra-cold temperatures inside the hospital. Yesterday morn I had 3 warmed blankets atop me and was still shivery cold - 50% temperature 50% nerves, I guess.
10 comments:
Another procedure done. Sorry you have to go through all this, but I'm always happy to read you're doing okay.
About those shivers, sometimes people get them following surgery when general anesthesia was used. It's called "postanesthetic shivering".
Take care, Twilight.:)
So good to hear from you T and so sorry you have to continue "under the knife".
You are remarkably clear headed for someone just out of general anaesthetic. I remember being fuzzy for days after an emergency appendectomy.
Take it easy and I am glad you are still up to typing your letters from the front (pun intended, war reference too - see how I did that?).
XO
WWW
LB ~ Thank you - 24 hours later am still feeling fine.
Yes, that makes sense about the shivers after anesthesia. Mine were before - after getting undressed and into the gown. I realise why hospitals keep temps low, to avoid spread of bacteria, airborne germs etc. - it's all in a good cause, just a bit disconcerting for the under-dressed. :)
Wisewebwoman ~ Thanks WWW - yes future surgery is a kind of insurance policy really, I guess (the future right boob elimination).
I think I must be fairly insensitive to after effects of anesthesia - possibly because the relief that it's all over sends a rush of happy adrenaline to my brain.
"Letters from the front" - love it! LOL :-D
Go girl! You are an example to us all.
Unknown ~ That is a very sweet thing to say - thank you!
I've just told my husband about your comment and he, tongue firmly in cheek, replied :"Yeah...let me count the ways!"
Oh, how you bring it all back to me, Ann! The showers my wife had to do with the horrible disinfectanty "soap" stuff before her op, and yes, hospitals are bloody cold these days. Necessary, but not very pleasant when only clad in an open-arsed hospital gown. Still, most important is getting rid of all those nasty, unwanted, cells that can cause you a lot of misery. Hopefully, that's now over and your final mastectomy will see an end to it. You've not mentioned chemo, so I assume they don't consider that necessary, which, if that's the case is a blessing.
I'll be updating my wife's progress when I get the chance (four hours of chemo again today) as it looks like there may be some good news at last.
Stay strong.
R J.
RJ Adams ~ Thank you, RJ. No, chemo hasn't been mentioned. Radiation would have been an alternative to this recent extra excision procedure, but I felt that my body stands up to surgery better than other stuff - such as medications prescribed by the oncologist, which tend to bring on bodily rebellion, so I chose "the knife" again. As long as t'other boob isn't showing any bad signs I guess there'll not be any need for other than surgery - fingers crossed. Yes, a blessing indeed.
Please give Trish my warm good wishes and congratulations for her ongoing courage. I'll await that good news! Hugs.
I can attest to how well you have weathered the surgeries and responded to the anesthesia. Both times, you seemed quite perky after the procedure. I know it has been hard on your mind to go through this but I am glad your body seems to have been pretty forgiving.
kaleymorris ~ Thank you - I feel certain that it's a surge of adrenaline-fuelled relief that overcomes any lingering drowsiness. The waiting is the worst part - too much time to think! Growing familiarity with necessary routines and procedures has eased the stressful parts of these experiences a lot. Even the colonoscopy, between things, was helpful in that respect. It's almost as though I'm being taught a lesson in how not to be scared of doctors and hospitals - after a lifetime of being so! :) We never stop learning!
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