Surgery

Bare with me as I tell more of my cancer experience. My blog sort of serves as my journal that highlights the important things in my life. Some day I may get them printed into books to keep. Cancer might not be what I want to remember, but it is happening to me and I want to tell others about my experience.

So earlier I mentioned the need to find a surgeon after being diagnosed with cancer. I didn't have a regular surgeon. I didn't need one. At this point in my life if I need another surgery I want to go back to Dr Newlin, because I know him and have worked with him. He was referred to me by my ob's office.

The day I discovered this new thing about my life, I had tons of questions and well meaning friends and family members also had tons of questions. It is interesting that the man I was meeting with was skilled at cutting. I had cancer questions, but wouldn't even meet with the oncologist until after surgery. The surgeon did his best to answer my cancer questions.

I was very pleased with Dr Newlin's work, but I just have to point out that he is known for the lap band surgery, the surgery for very obese people that makes their stomachs smaller. I sat in the waiting room looking at everyone heavy and wondered if they were here to get "the band."

Time. And waiting. I figured since I had a life threatening disease they would want to get the disease out of me and fast. Well most cancers don't grow overnight. I didn't know this at first. So as I was waiting my turn to get into the surgeon and then waiting for surgery the anxiety inside oneself continues to increase. My surgery was 1 month later after being diagnosed.

I chose to have a lumpectomy or breast conserving surgery. My lumps were relatively small and close together. Dr. Newlin felt confident he could get the lumps out and I would still have my breasts. And it is true. I can wear a bathing suit and you would never know which breast was the diseased one.

Part of the procedure is a sentinel node biospy. The sentinel node is actually the name of a lymph node in your arm pit. They injected me with blue dye on the breast to see where the dye went. This guides the surgeon to know where your lymph node is. While on the table they send my tissue to a lab for a quick test. The quick test came back positive for cancer, so Dr Newlin proceeded to remove 22 more lymph nodes. I later learned level 1 lymph nodes are on the rib cage and level 2 are at the arm pit. Level 3 would be by my collar bone and level 4 my neck. I had level 1 and 2 removed.

I should also mention that the Dr (Dr Wertz) that injected me with dye was the same doctor who did my breast biospy. I admit having some bitter feelings toward the bad news guy when I saw him on the morning of surgery. I was super nervous and hadn't had any drugs for nerves. So I talked to the cute nurse in red scrubs about the upcoming Superbowl party that she was going to have.

Well Emily if the lymph nodes are the body's garbage disposal, how does your body get rid of waste. First off, the lymph nodes were doing their job. Getting rid of the bad cancer cells. I have to be careful with that arm. I am not to use that arm for blood draws, or blood pressure. I need to be careful not to overwork that arm or lymph-edema (permanent swelling of the arm) could result. I need to wear gloves when gardening. And to answer the first question the body is a miraculous thing it just takes care of it.

Jim dropped me off and went to do constable stuff. So I was on my own making friends with the nurses and relying on them if i needed something. In hindsight next time I will take a friend along for the moral support. It was a long day for me. We were there at 7:30 and I didn't get wheeled into pre op until 1 pm.

I survived surgery. I want to mention that as my breast was healing from surgery I had the same sensation as let down, (When nursing a baby the point at which the body releases milk).

I had to have a 2nd surgery to have my port installed. A port is a wonderful invention. It is plastic and about the size of a quarter. I got one to save my veins. Because as one nurse put it, they are essentially putting poison in my veins (refferring to chemo). Well thanks lady that makes me feel alot better. The port is somehow attached to one of my major veins next to my heart. It is totally enclosed within my skin around my collar bone. So when I go for chemo they give me an iv through my port. I have some numbing cream that I put on the area. They have a special needle to access my port.

I had read that they give you twilight sedation for the port procedure. I was curious to know what those drugs would be and if i would recognize their names. So I asked the anesthesiologist what they were giving me and he replied "the good stuff." Well that cleared up my confusion. I don't remember the port operation, but was told that I moved myself from the operating table back onto my litter. And I came out that one much quicker than the regular anesthesia.

Decorating Cookies

The stores always have such fun displays with cookie cutters and colored sprinkles for every holiday. Then there are websites like Flour box Bakery that I follow on facebook that make cookies take on a whole new look. And for some reason I always think it will be so fun to decorate cookies with the boys.

I actually bought some fun cookie cutter shapes like a football, a tie and a dog bone. So I would have something to chose from besides bunnies, candy canes and pumpkins. I wanted to have a superbowl party (That will be the next post), but life had other plans for me so we made football cookies for us.

I must admit that sugar cookies are labor intensive. The dough has to be chilled. Then you have to roll it out. After baking the cookies have to cool and then you make frosting. Then there is the clean up of all those cookie cutters and bowls used for different colors of frosting.

My crew is getting much better at participating in the cookie making process. It is all about the sprinkles. That is what they love the most.



One thing I did learn. They say that everyone loves cookies and throwing in a little whole wheat flour that no one will notice. Well I am sorry, but I love the soft texture of sugar cookies. Whole wheat flour is not well disguised in this kind of cookie. Perhaps chocolate is needed to disguise whole wheat flour.

Anyway a good time was had by all making cookies.