Immune systems and surgery?

Fallleaves, this is very interesting. Thanks for posting.

fallleaves - I had a paravertebral block and SNB on both sides.

Fallleaves -  I too had a paravertebral block with SNB on both sides.   

fallleaves - are you having the SNB alone, or having a breast surgery in addition? I am asking because my bi-lat SNB was done simultaneously with BMX for which I had the block, I wanted to clarify that it was not for the SNB alone.  Your sig line is showing a lump/SNB done already, that was what prompted the question. 

fallleaves - It is interesting because as I said I did have a block, and a general, with the BMX with bi-lat SNB, and my BS actually will do this as an outpatient (my insurance did not permit that - because I had TE and a chemo port put in during this surgery they insisted it be in an inpatient facility) and both he and the PS both say people recover faster if they can go home.  Because I had 20 IST in my cancer-side sentinel I did require a complete axillary dissection five weeks subsequent to the BMX, as I was Her2+ and both BS and MO insisted on this.  They did find a much larger node further up.  I was offered the nerve block again for this surgery but it did not involve identifying a sentinel.  Since the anesthesiologist is the one doing the nerve block, speaking with that department may garner you more specific information than relying on the BS.  Just a thought.  Twilight anesthesia does not always come with a block - it is what they use for less invasive procedures like colonoscopy and endoscopy and others - I have had it with both - and sometimes lumpectomy, but I believe they usually use local rather than a block, or maybe both with a lumpectomy?

fallleaves - yes, I have had a lot!  I had eight surgeries of different kinds prior to being diagnosed with BC, and all kinds of anesthesia, as well as a number of diagnostic tests that also required it.  I have had eight surgeries directly related to BC, and will have a couple more, and more than 20 skin cancers removed with a variety of methods.  I have had general, spinal, local with twilight, local only, conscious sedation that required cooperation (endoscopy with dilation) - you name it, I've had it.  My latest was three skin cancers removed by wide excision and MOHS surgery on my back, with local anesthetic only - they took lumpectomy sized chunks out of my back - about a square inch, and each incision is about 2" long, so that was an interesting process because I was wide awake and could feel the tugging and pulling and the cauterization.  I look like a roadmap, lol!

fallleaves - lol!  All of my in-laws are physicians or nurses, I worked in the medical field as well, so there is no shock value attached to surgery for me - that is probably why I found it interesting.  I also realized that because I was numb they were free to manhandle me and I knew how much it was going to hurt when the local anesthetic wore off!  I can only imagine how it is when we are not conscious to know about it!  While I was looking at the tray I saw the instruments, suturing supplies and the actual piece that was excised - that is how I know how big they were.  It took me a second to figure out what I was looking at!  I am absolutely sure I am not done with surgery - I will have a breast revision in Feb, followed by another round of fat grafting shortly after.  I see the dermatologist every six months, and for the last two years they have found something to remove.  Prior to that they usually found something every year or two - all that sun-tanning in my youth is coming back to haunt me.  Much as I would like to make Vitamin D the natural way - can't do it!  I believe one of the reasons my level was so low is because I have been out of the sun for the last 20 years.  It was amusing for the MOHS surgery they do real-time pathology, so you wait for the report and they go back in and take another layer out until a healthy border is reached - it was me and a bunch of elderly gentlemen who had bandaids on their noses, ears, cheeks and necks.  They couldn't see my back, so they probably thought I was in the waiting area trolling for a new husband, lol!

fallleaves - hard to tell which of the older men was rich, lol!  I am happily married for 30 years to a man rich in love, generosity, laughter, and empathy - he is all I need!  Yes, I am un-squeamish, and yes, you were smart to avoid the sun.  I grew up in California, so this was hard to do, and I am old enough that sunscreen had not yet been invented, so we baby oiled and were oblivious to the hazards.  I had my first skin cancer when I was 35, so more than 20 years ago.  I have been well behaved since then, alas the occurrences seem to be speeding up, not slowing down.  The good news is that they have all been basal cell carcinomas - relatively harmless, and I am faithful about the skin checks every six months so we get them early.  These three on my back were larger, and one was a recurrence so they were a bit more aggressive in treating them.