Surgery!

Well yesterday couldn't have gone smoother -- I definitely feel that the prayers of everyone are helping! Thank you so much!

Craig and I went to the Germantown Methodist Hospital at 11am. The first procedure was injecting a slightly radioactive dye into the site where the tumor is. (The doctor said not to worry - the amount of radiation is less than what you get when you walk outside on a sunny day.)

Shortly after the injection, they took me back to prep me for surgery. I had the greatest nurses! My least favorite part of going to the hospital is being pricked over and over while a nurse tries to find a vein to start an IV on me. But yesterday, I had a fabulous nurse who looked over my arm, felt for a vein, and with one quick gentle stab, it was in. I'm still singing her praises! The other nurses were equally competent and social and just so nice! They took great care of me.

The anesthesiologist came in to discuss the procedure. They planned on totally knocking me out and having a specialist from labor and delivery there to monitor the baby the whole time. I would have the surgery at 3pm and then would need to stay in the hospital for 6 hours afterward to be monitored. That was the first plan. As the hours went on (Craig brought the laptop and we watched X-Men the movie while waiting!) and the specialists were consulted, Dr Patterson (my surgeon), the anesthesiologist, and the labor and delivery nurse came in to give us the final plan. They decided to give me just enough anesthesia to put me in a nice haze, but not to knock me out completely. That would be better for the baby and for me, and afterward I'd only have to stay for 2 hours instead of 6!

I was pretty much awake for the procedure of them putting in the port-a-cath, but with no pain or even apprehension. I was totally gone when they did the sentinel lobe biopsy. I woke up as they were wheeling me to the recovery room. Again, the nurses were fabulous. Criag and I were released at 7pm.

Last night it was very tough to find a sleeping position. The lobe stitches are under my left arm, so I can't sleep on that side. The port-a-cath stitches are near the top of my right collar bone, so I can't sleep on my right side. I'm hugely pregnant, so that rules out the stomach and flat on my back! So I took 5 pillows and slept somewhat upright and slightly to the side. A bit frusterating, but it worked. I'm on some pain medication, which I don't normally like to take, but find it necessary right now. The port-a-cath site hurts, but the biopsy site really really hurts without the meds. They said it would take a few days to feel better. Yea, just in time for my first chemo treatment.....

Thank you so much JoAnn for having the boys over; and thank you so much April for keeping Alana all day. And thank you, again, to everyone for your offers of help and for your prayers. I feel strengthened by the love and prayers coming my way.