posted Thursday, 31 January 2008
I just wanted to let you know that I'm back at home - relaxing in the recliner, eating Nips (chocolate parfaits that Mike brought home from Walgreen's for me!), and enjoying my very own new nips (OK, maybe not... but I am pretty pleased with the fact that I may have just passed the finish line). The bandages will stay on until next week, so I don't know anything for sure, but gosh... this could be it!
We showed up to the hospital at 9:30am. I got changed into the Bair Paws hospital gown - this fancy disposable gown that plugs into a mini hose (like a vacuum hose) that pumps the gown full of warm air. It was quite lovely. The nurse didn't even try to get my IV started (she remembered how upset the IV nurse was in December - apparently, she never misses... and she missed on me 3 times!). They took me downstairs around 11:00 and I sat for quite a while down there. The worst part -- they were having a pizza party! So I'm sitting in my hospital bed, as I watch this guy wheel a cart stocked with 15 pizzas right in front of me. They set the pizza up in the room next door and every time someone walks by, they drag the delicious smell of pizza by us... as we sit there... fasting for surgery. Nice!
My veins are apparently getting worse (not sure how that can be). Even the anesthesiologist missed twice. At least they were using a local so I couldn't feel them digging - though I certainly have the bruises to show for it!
Anyways, once more, Dr Singer visited with me to "mark me" - he literally takes a sharpie marker and draws on me so that he has "guidelines" for surgery. It always gives me a flashback to the movie my mom made me watch before college "Dying to Belong" (about sororities who circle the fat on their pledges)...
I decided that since this was going to my last surgery (for a while at least), I was going to try to stay awake for as long as possible. Shoot - I can't even remember crawling over onto the operating table from the stretcher! Sometimes I remember them attaching those electric leg compressors and stick monitors all over me... but this time... nothing. They must have given me some good drugs when they started my IV!
Surgery was just short of an hour. Recovery was an hour or so and then back up to the individual rooms upstairs (to continue recovery). I felt quite good throughout the recovery and couldn't wait to get up and go home.
Thanks for all of the well-wishes. Even though this was a little surgery, it really does help to have such great support from all of you.
PS - For those of you wondering "is this really it"? Well, no... not really... but it is hopefully "it" for a while. I'll still have a few more surgeries coming up - a prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) will happen sometime before I'm 40 (WHAT!?! Is 40 really my next milestone birthday!?!?!) and the implants will likely need to be replaced in another 9-10 years... But I can hope to enjoy a few years before heading back in for more surgery!
We showed up to the hospital at 9:30am. I got changed into the Bair Paws hospital gown - this fancy disposable gown that plugs into a mini hose (like a vacuum hose) that pumps the gown full of warm air. It was quite lovely. The nurse didn't even try to get my IV started (she remembered how upset the IV nurse was in December - apparently, she never misses... and she missed on me 3 times!). They took me downstairs around 11:00 and I sat for quite a while down there. The worst part -- they were having a pizza party! So I'm sitting in my hospital bed, as I watch this guy wheel a cart stocked with 15 pizzas right in front of me. They set the pizza up in the room next door and every time someone walks by, they drag the delicious smell of pizza by us... as we sit there... fasting for surgery. Nice!
My veins are apparently getting worse (not sure how that can be). Even the anesthesiologist missed twice. At least they were using a local so I couldn't feel them digging - though I certainly have the bruises to show for it!
Anyways, once more, Dr Singer visited with me to "mark me" - he literally takes a sharpie marker and draws on me so that he has "guidelines" for surgery. It always gives me a flashback to the movie my mom made me watch before college "Dying to Belong" (about sororities who circle the fat on their pledges)...
I decided that since this was going to my last surgery (for a while at least), I was going to try to stay awake for as long as possible. Shoot - I can't even remember crawling over onto the operating table from the stretcher! Sometimes I remember them attaching those electric leg compressors and stick monitors all over me... but this time... nothing. They must have given me some good drugs when they started my IV!
Surgery was just short of an hour. Recovery was an hour or so and then back up to the individual rooms upstairs (to continue recovery). I felt quite good throughout the recovery and couldn't wait to get up and go home.
Thanks for all of the well-wishes. Even though this was a little surgery, it really does help to have such great support from all of you.
PS - For those of you wondering "is this really it"? Well, no... not really... but it is hopefully "it" for a while. I'll still have a few more surgeries coming up - a prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) will happen sometime before I'm 40 (WHAT!?! Is 40 really my next milestone birthday!?!?!) and the implants will likely need to be replaced in another 9-10 years... But I can hope to enjoy a few years before heading back in for more surgery!
Comments:
1. Sharon Lane left... 
Linda, I just wanted to let you know that I am also a breast cancer survivor. I wanted to tell you a personal story. Years after my BC, I had a large mass on my right ovary. I wanted a complete hysterectomy, including cervix (I had precancer there prior). The onco surgeon said no. He did an in-the-office and told me my uterus was clean and there was no reason for it.
I insisted and went to my gynecologist (also a surgeon) who removed everything for me. I am so glad I did that because I had a precancer in my right fallopian tube and in-situ cancer in my uterus. I am alive two years later because I was my own advocate.
Keep in mind, everyone has to make their own decisions, based on their own needs. My thought was - why go through multiple surgeries, if they are needed in the future. Keep in mind, it took me 6 surgeries to remove my original cancer and by the end of that, I was whipped!
I wish you the best. Take Care, Sharon
2. Charissa left... Saturday, 2 February 2008 10:09 am :: http://gates-chili-high.org
Linda, I just wanted to let you know that I am also a breast cancer survivor. I wanted to tell you a personal story. Years after my BC, I had a large mass on my right ovary. I wanted a complete hysterectomy, including cervix (I had precancer there prior). The onco surgeon said no. He did an in-the-office and told me my uterus was clean and there was no reason for it.I insisted and went to my gynecologist (also a surgeon) who removed everything for me. I am so glad I did that because I had a precancer in my right fallopian tube and in-situ cancer in my uterus. I am alive two years later because I was my own advocate.
Keep in mind, everyone has to make their own decisions, based on their own needs. My thought was - why go through multiple surgeries, if they are needed in the future. Keep in mind, it took me 6 surgeries to remove my original cancer and by the end of that, I was whipped!
I wish you the best. Take Care, Sharon
Thursday, 14 February 2008 12:49 pm
Is breast cancer directly linked to this like ovarian cancer? I'm guessing thats why you will be getting the oophorectomy, but I had never heard that they were related before. Congratulations on your last surgery for a while, and also of course on your engagement!
