December 3, 2010 surgery/recouperation

Hi Everyone,  The surgery went fine.  Got to my parents kinda late - around 7pm monday.  Had too many little things to do before I went out there.  In fact, they were waiting on me for dinner.  I was so worried about the no eating/no drinking thing that I just stopped at mighty taco at 6:00.  I think my preop paperwork said after 12 but I wanted to make sure that I absolutely had nothing to eat 12 hrs.  When I called for the surgery time, they said to get to mammo at 7:45am.  Mom was the only one who went with me this time.  Everyone else stayed away.  Thats ok.  I only waited about 15 minutes before the mammo tech took me into the mammo room.  The radiologist was there waiting for me.  I think I had about 4 people in the room with me while he was putting the guidewire in. Did that hurt...OUCH!!  The wire was very thin and was about 6-7 inches long.  They went underneath my left breast.  Once they finished with me, I went and put my shirt back on, waited with my mother in the waiting room for the mammo tech to bring me to the 3rd floor to surgery.  Surgery waiting room was full.    They called my name after 10 minutes.  They then took my vitals - BP (good! 114/78), weight (187), temp.  I even had to take a urine test.  Yeah right!  It was a pregnancy test but they have to do this for all women under the age of 50 and who are not on menupause.  After that, the nurse took me to the bed, told me to take my clothes off and put them in the bag and make myself comfortable.  I probably laid there about 30 minutes before the nurse came over to ask me some questions (you know the ones that they ask:  have any tatoos, piercings, etc).  I think this nurse looked like she was 18.  I told her that.  She was appreciated of the complement.  About 10 minutes later, she came over with another resident and put my IV in.  They put the IV in my hand, which was ok.  They very easily got a vein out of me.  The resident was nice but she said she "tortures" patients with the rubberband by pulling so tight that it hurt more than the needle did.  The saline solution went through pretty easy after that.  I then waited another 30-40 minutes and Dr Kulkarni came over to look at the films. She marked her initials on my left chest.  She laughed because the radiologist who did the guidewire wrote an index card with direction.  LOL!!  The resident who did the IV came over to give me valium and it took a minute before I was in la la land.  They then wheeled me into the OR room.  I don't remember much after that because they put the mask on me and woke up in the OR, sort of, with the mask on.  I didn't want to be waken up in the OR room.  Last year I was in recovery when they woke me up.  Not sure what happened but I told them I was awake and they said "we're done".  I was in a slight panic for a second.  OR surgery time:  10:30am  finished 11:30am.  I then went to recovery for about and hour 1/2 and left the cancer hospital at 1:30pm.   Did speak to Dr Kulkarni and she said that this time they made the incision near the left nipple almost looking like a smile.  Thats a little better than up and down underneath. 
I have been spending about 4 days at my parents recouperating.  I have hydrocodone for the pain and thats been working great.  Its either 1.  making me tired.  2.  taking the edge off  3.  making me kinda woozy.   I think yesterday it made me kinda woozy.  Today, I didn't take anything.  Trying to wean off them so I can drive home tomorrow.  Tika is at Toms,  he thinks I am picking him up today but I think I will stay an extra night, just as a precaution.  My area had some major snowstorms these past few days.  I am sure you have been hearing about it on the news.   The approximity to my parents and where the storm was is about 10 miles.  There is only about 4-5 inches of snow here but near Tom's house he has about 3 ft.  I even called my landlord to see how the weather was out there last night but he didn't pick up his phone.  I heard that the 90 was open so I can leave anytime I want.   He called this morning and said that the roads were open and that Cheektowaga got about 8-12 inches (right at the edge of the storm).  He went out to use the snowblower and it broke on him so he shoveled the driveway out.  Thank god the driveway isn't long - but short and wide. 
Anyways, I am feeling pretty good.  I think I may just return to work on the 9th.  I think an additional 3-4 days off is good.  At least I got this done before the holidays.  Last year sucked because my right lumpectomy was 12/15.  Didn't make for a very good xmas.   
Dad - His prognoses with his skin cancer isn't good.  They actaully got what they needed where the skin cancer area was but they took 3 lymph nodes out.  2 were good but 1 isn't.   He has to have more surgery and take a bunch more.   The doctor who operated on dad was in the recovery room while I waited and told mom the grim news.   At first, the doctor told my mother he has to have a CATT scan but the doctor called Dad later in the evening and now they said a CT scan.  I don't know....I told dad to remain as positive as ever and whatever the diagnoses, he can beat this.  Please pray for him. 
Have a wonderful few days.  I'll be going home from my parents tomorrow mid morning. 
Love ya!