Surgery
My narrative blog has most of the emotional content from my surgery day. Here is a synopsis of the medical stuff.
Dr. DiSilva chose to insert the IV into the back of my hand. Of course, this was done of the left side. In fact, I will never have any needles or blood pressure checks done on the right side again to reduce the chances of lymphedema. He did some tapping around before beginning.
[begin aside] My sister had given me a great pre-op tip. Drink as much water as you possibly can the day before surgery, right up to the moment you aren't allowed to consume anymore since it makes your veins easier to find. In the past, doctors have always chosen my right arm since the veins are more pronounced. [end aside]
He began with a shot of lidocaine, explaining that it would sting as the needle entered and then burn as the lidocaine was released. He wasn't kidding. But the burning was tolerable if I squeezed the bed frame with my right hand. He then slipped in the IV line which I didn't feel, though I could feel him the ends of the tape he used to hold the IV line in place. During the IV insertion, I was asked not to move.
The attendant, who I couldn't understand, reviewed the implications of my penicillin allergy with both my surgeon and his resident. They agreed to give me 1cc of something to see if I had a reaction. After five minutes I didn't, and they gave me more. Unfortunately, I have no idea what they added since he mumbled and never really spoke directly to me. However, it will be on my bill, and I will add it to the list of medications that I have received.
As far as I know, the actual anesthesia that they used was the versad drip plug propofol. Again, when the reports and bills arrive, I will note what was actually used. This stuff worked! I have vague recollections of faces I have never seen before, but I can't remember leaving the pre-op bay, arriving in the operating room or being placed into Recovery Room 1.
The only other thing that was done before I was sedated was that my surgeon marked the correct breast.
The procedure that I received is called a partial masectomy and sentinel node biopsy. Upon arrival into the operating room, Dr. Maryjane administered a local anesthesia to the breast and then injected a blue dye into the tumor. The blue dye then drains to the lymphs, the same lymphs that the tumor has been draining to for ages.
Two incisions were made. The first [well, I don't actually know the order] was to remove the tumor plus margins, and the second was in my arm pit to remove first two lymph nodes and surrounding fat tissue. Unfortunately, the lymphs they needed to remove were deep inside the arm pit so they will be a little slower to heal.
The incisions were closed with stitches under the skin, sealed with steri strips and then I was wrapped in medical-grade saran wrap. I will be able to remove the saran wrap tomorrow [day three] but should just let the steri strips fall off on their own.
The blue dye is still in my breast, and is being cleaned through my system. Right after surgery, my pee was bright cobalt blue. The color became less and less intense, and my pee is now normal.
The nausea I experienced was very similar to car sickness. Though I wanted to throw up, I actually ended up with a bad case of diarrhea. My digestive system is still not back to normal, but I am ever hopeful that tomorrow I will feel less gassy and bloated.
For anyone who might have tripped over this blog before they have their own partial, here is a synopsis:
Dr. Maryjane said I wouldn't be in pain when I left the hospital, and mostly she was right. The lack of pain was shocking given what they had just been cutting. [I truly did not believe her about this. But, going home from the surgery, I was in MUCH LESS pain than after the biopsy.]
Wear very loose clothing [or bring a second outfit of loose clothing] that is easy to put on, and has a button down shirt. I can't stress the button down enough! Slip on shoes are also good unless someone will be helping you put shoes on. You don't want to bend over while drugged. Pack any essentials into one bag that can be handed to your caretaker as you go into pre-op. Your clothes will be placed in an unlocked locker with your name attached.
Bring a small pillow to protect you in the car on the way home.
Don't leave the hospital until you can walk and have used the bathroom at least once. The nurses' lunch break is simply not your problem, and don't be pushed out before you are ready. I drank a glass of water and two small cans of gingerale before they got rid of me. I needed to be hydrated before imagining the ride home.
Remember to thank everyone. You never know who is going to push your chair to the door and to freedom.
Dr. DiSilva chose to insert the IV into the back of my hand. Of course, this was done of the left side. In fact, I will never have any needles or blood pressure checks done on the right side again to reduce the chances of lymphedema. He did some tapping around before beginning.
[begin aside] My sister had given me a great pre-op tip. Drink as much water as you possibly can the day before surgery, right up to the moment you aren't allowed to consume anymore since it makes your veins easier to find. In the past, doctors have always chosen my right arm since the veins are more pronounced. [end aside]
He began with a shot of lidocaine, explaining that it would sting as the needle entered and then burn as the lidocaine was released. He wasn't kidding. But the burning was tolerable if I squeezed the bed frame with my right hand. He then slipped in the IV line which I didn't feel, though I could feel him the ends of the tape he used to hold the IV line in place. During the IV insertion, I was asked not to move.
The attendant, who I couldn't understand, reviewed the implications of my penicillin allergy with both my surgeon and his resident. They agreed to give me 1cc of something to see if I had a reaction. After five minutes I didn't, and they gave me more. Unfortunately, I have no idea what they added since he mumbled and never really spoke directly to me. However, it will be on my bill, and I will add it to the list of medications that I have received.
As far as I know, the actual anesthesia that they used was the versad drip plug propofol. Again, when the reports and bills arrive, I will note what was actually used. This stuff worked! I have vague recollections of faces I have never seen before, but I can't remember leaving the pre-op bay, arriving in the operating room or being placed into Recovery Room 1.
The only other thing that was done before I was sedated was that my surgeon marked the correct breast.
The procedure that I received is called a partial masectomy and sentinel node biopsy. Upon arrival into the operating room, Dr. Maryjane administered a local anesthesia to the breast and then injected a blue dye into the tumor. The blue dye then drains to the lymphs, the same lymphs that the tumor has been draining to for ages.
Two incisions were made. The first [well, I don't actually know the order] was to remove the tumor plus margins, and the second was in my arm pit to remove first two lymph nodes and surrounding fat tissue. Unfortunately, the lymphs they needed to remove were deep inside the arm pit so they will be a little slower to heal.
The incisions were closed with stitches under the skin, sealed with steri strips and then I was wrapped in medical-grade saran wrap. I will be able to remove the saran wrap tomorrow [day three] but should just let the steri strips fall off on their own.
The blue dye is still in my breast, and is being cleaned through my system. Right after surgery, my pee was bright cobalt blue. The color became less and less intense, and my pee is now normal.
The nausea I experienced was very similar to car sickness. Though I wanted to throw up, I actually ended up with a bad case of diarrhea. My digestive system is still not back to normal, but I am ever hopeful that tomorrow I will feel less gassy and bloated.
For anyone who might have tripped over this blog before they have their own partial, here is a synopsis:
Dr. Maryjane said I wouldn't be in pain when I left the hospital, and mostly she was right. The lack of pain was shocking given what they had just been cutting. [I truly did not believe her about this. But, going home from the surgery, I was in MUCH LESS pain than after the biopsy.]
Wear very loose clothing [or bring a second outfit of loose clothing] that is easy to put on, and has a button down shirt. I can't stress the button down enough! Slip on shoes are also good unless someone will be helping you put shoes on. You don't want to bend over while drugged. Pack any essentials into one bag that can be handed to your caretaker as you go into pre-op. Your clothes will be placed in an unlocked locker with your name attached.
Bring a small pillow to protect you in the car on the way home.
Don't leave the hospital until you can walk and have used the bathroom at least once. The nurses' lunch break is simply not your problem, and don't be pushed out before you are ready. I drank a glass of water and two small cans of gingerale before they got rid of me. I needed to be hydrated before imagining the ride home.
Remember to thank everyone. You never know who is going to push your chair to the door and to freedom.
posted by *susan* at
6:58 PM
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