Lumpectomy tomorrow with SNB

Thinking of you today, Jeannie.  I'm sure it will be a long and somewhat difficult day.  Not sure if it is better to know all the details in advance or just go in and be surprised by it all.  As they say, "it is what it is."  Knowing does not change things.  

You have a lot of us there with you in spirit.  Waiting for all the reports is the worst for me.  But you will make it.

Hugs,

Pam 

Good Luck today!!  Check back to let us know how you are doing.

Karen

DebbieSawyer - my doctor put lidocaine in the SNB syringe - and I honestly did not feel a thing - no pain at all (and I tend to lean toward hysterical).  The worst part of the SNB was the x-ray (or maybe it is a cat scan) that they take b/f the injection. I'm a little claustrophobic, so having the x-ray machine a couple of inches over my head was very unpleasant for me.

Overall, nothing leading up to the surgery - the SNB, x-rays was at all painful. I literally walked into the operating room and chatted with the resident while the doctor was on the phone with another patient (giving her test results). The procedure was about 1.5 hours, I woke up feeling a bit of pain in my breast (where the incision was) and the doctor said it would fade in a couple of minutes, and it did.  She gave me a script for a painkiller, which I never took. I just took extra strength tylenol for a couple of days. Went back to work within two day (I could have stayed home, I have a lot of vaciton time banked), but I felt fine. Overall, it was a little discomfort - I was a little swollen and crazy allergic to the tape that they put over the incision (so I was very itchy until we figured out what the problem was) and within two weeks the swelling was down and the stitches were out. And two weeks after that I started radiation - which was not painful, just annoying to have a 20 second x-ray every day for six weeks.

I know you're nervous, but try not to be. The worst part will be waiting for the test results. The physical aspect - lumpectomy, SNB, rads was only mildly irritating.

Best,

J

Hi Debbie,

I am needle phobic - I flat out refused to take the hospital's "identifying blood test" on the day of the surgery (they run a test to ensure I am me - so stupid - who would impersonate me under these circumstances???).  The nurse was insisting and finally paged the surgeon, who told her it wasn't necessary. So, please believe me when I say that with the numbing agent the SNB needle was a breeze and the only part that unnerved me was the x-ray (w/ the machine right over my head - confined spaces are my kryptonite). 

SNB was clear.  We have very similar stats - my tumor was about 1 cm (w/ extensive DCIS) and also grade 1. My surgeon, radiologist and gyno all repeatedly said that they would be very suprised if there was node or lymphatic invasion, but of course I was still frantic.  I also had a low oncotype too - which confirmed no chemo. Once I got the oncotype score I was very relaxed and moved onto RADS, which I finished about 6 weeks ago.  I'm doing really well and other than a little tinting left over from RADS (I am very, very fair skinned) and the SNB scar, everything looks as it did before surgery.

But I remember being an absolute wreck b/f the surgery, so if you have any questions please ask.

Best, J

A call just now from my breast cancer consultant at the hospital said no pre-SNB painkiller whatsoever, surgeon's orders. So I will grin and bear it. Thank you J and Deanna for the positive comments about the procedure!

 J--Identifying Blood Test? That sounds like an April Fool's Day joke. Good grief. Glad to hear the SNB was clear and you can now get back on track with your life.

Debbie