I know I haven't updated this in a while but a lot has been going on!
I visited one plastic surgeon and he said that he couldn't do the surgery I wanted to have done. So he referred me to another one!! In the meantime I had to get referred to another cancer doctor so I could have all my doctors at one hospital and my surgeries done at one time.
I met with one doctor.. didn't like him at all. He seemed rude, felt like he wasn't listening to any thing I had to say or wanted. It seemed like he was there to tell me what he wanted and not what I wanted. After he annoyed me enough ... I pretty much told him that if I wanted to 2 surgeries I would have had the other surgeon do it.
I called the nurse back at the first surgeon's office and explained everything and after calling a few people along with pulling some strings... I was able to get an appt with a new cancer doctor. While I was there, they gave me a quilt with a journal and pen with a card to go with it.
She was really nice and she sat down with me to explain everything that would be happening. She even told me things I really didn't want to hear until the day of the surgery but oh well on that part!
Before my surgery I will have to be taken over to have a needle inserted into my nipple and have dye put in so they can find the first few lymph nodes to have them checked for cancer. She told me it would burn, but it would be fast. I am NOT happy about this part at all!!
I finally met with the new plastic surgeon this week. I had to wait 4 hours to see him due to him having to perform emergency surgery. So we had to wait for him to come back to the office. I asked him a few questions we talked about what I wanted and what I having done. Then he asked if I wanted to go ahead to schedule the surgery and I said YES! Even though I really don't, but it has to be done.
So now I am just waiting for them to call me with a date so I can get this done and over with. My surgery will last a long time since I am having them do both surgeries done all in one day!!
Yesterday in the mail I received a box in the mail!! In this box was a large Jewelry box with all kinds of goodies in it from the Susan G. Koman race for the cure! I sure was surprised.
You know, 6 months from now, you'll look back, and breathe a sigh of relief. Three years from now, you'll look back at Christmas 2010, and think, "Man, that was a tough Christmas!" Time heals, it really does. And despite the long surgery, my opinion is - it's worth it. I had 9 hours of surgery (mastectomy/reconstruction at the same time). I was well on the road to recovery within 2 weeks, and went back to work 3 weeks post-surgery. I'm thrilled with the result; 9 years later, it still looks fabulous.
As for the sentinel node - honestly, I remember VERY little pain with that. It sounds awful (needle in the nipple), but they numb you up. Don't stress; needs to be done to assess where you are and what your treatment will be.
Take care - and thanks for sharing here. PJH