Surgery Today
Today is my first surgery - a relatively minor surgery to remove a couple of lymph nodes. Yesterday, I went to the Cancer Center so they could locate the lymph nodes that my tumor drains to; those are the ones that will have cancer, if the cancer has spread. First, I went to my surgical oncologist so he could mark the location where the solution should be injected - a location between my tumor and my lymph nodes. He literally drew an X on me with a Sharpie. (And all for the low, low price of $40 - LOL) Then I went over to the Cancer Center for them to do the lymph node locating.
I hadn't had to go to the Cancer Center for any appointments before yesterday; the Breast Care Center has been doing all my care. The Cancer Center is a beautiful new facility. The only problem was it was filled with cancer patients. Cancer patients comparing stories, chronicling their sufferings to date. One man's been in treatment since 2007 but the cancer's spread to his bones. One woman has brain cancer and then developed a second cancer in addition to that. There were couples where both the husband and the wife had/have cancer and some of those couples were on a second marriage - after losing their first spouse to cancer.
It wasn't exactly encouraging, but it did help me face the fact that I have cancer, too. I was also there to get treatment - no different from any of them, except that my journey is just beginning. I finally got called back and the tech injected some kind of particles into me that would show up under the gamma camera. I don't mind shots, but what he shot into me were particles, and they hurt A LOT going in. The tech told me afterwards that I handled it really well - people sometimes scream when the stuff goes in. Katherine - 1. Particles - 0. :)
I had to massage the particles to encourage them to flow down to my lymph nodes, which took about 15 minutes, and then I hopped onto the tray that would feed me into this giant machine. It definitely felt like I had been transported into the future and that maybe there should have been a robot attending to me. The tray was comfortable and the machine didn't make noise, so this procedure was so much better than the MRI. The techs took some pictures, located the sentinel lymph node, and marked the spot with a Sharpie. Who knew so much medical work hangs on the ink of a Sharpie? :)
So now I'm all marked up and ready to head to the hospital in about 45 minutes. I have to be there at 1:00 and surgery will probably be around 3:00 or 3:30. I'm not sure why I have to be there so early, but that's the same thing they asked my brother to do for his surgery, so I guess it's their standard way of doing things. It should be a short procedure and then I'll come home. They're putting me under, so I'm glad I'll be out of it, but it does seem a little scarier to be all the way out. Prayers are appreciated! :)
A friend shared this verse with me today and I wrote the reference on my hand so I can keep it constantly in mind: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Is. 41:10).
I hadn't had to go to the Cancer Center for any appointments before yesterday; the Breast Care Center has been doing all my care. The Cancer Center is a beautiful new facility. The only problem was it was filled with cancer patients. Cancer patients comparing stories, chronicling their sufferings to date. One man's been in treatment since 2007 but the cancer's spread to his bones. One woman has brain cancer and then developed a second cancer in addition to that. There were couples where both the husband and the wife had/have cancer and some of those couples were on a second marriage - after losing their first spouse to cancer.
It wasn't exactly encouraging, but it did help me face the fact that I have cancer, too. I was also there to get treatment - no different from any of them, except that my journey is just beginning. I finally got called back and the tech injected some kind of particles into me that would show up under the gamma camera. I don't mind shots, but what he shot into me were particles, and they hurt A LOT going in. The tech told me afterwards that I handled it really well - people sometimes scream when the stuff goes in. Katherine - 1. Particles - 0. :)
I had to massage the particles to encourage them to flow down to my lymph nodes, which took about 15 minutes, and then I hopped onto the tray that would feed me into this giant machine. It definitely felt like I had been transported into the future and that maybe there should have been a robot attending to me. The tray was comfortable and the machine didn't make noise, so this procedure was so much better than the MRI. The techs took some pictures, located the sentinel lymph node, and marked the spot with a Sharpie. Who knew so much medical work hangs on the ink of a Sharpie? :)
So now I'm all marked up and ready to head to the hospital in about 45 minutes. I have to be there at 1:00 and surgery will probably be around 3:00 or 3:30. I'm not sure why I have to be there so early, but that's the same thing they asked my brother to do for his surgery, so I guess it's their standard way of doing things. It should be a short procedure and then I'll come home. They're putting me under, so I'm glad I'll be out of it, but it does seem a little scarier to be all the way out. Prayers are appreciated! :)
A friend shared this verse with me today and I wrote the reference on my hand so I can keep it constantly in mind: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Is. 41:10).
Hey, Katherine. I just found the chronicles of your journey. Wow. I'm amazed at your sense of humor. I haven't heard any details, so it was good to find out what was going on. Obviously, you are trusting the Lord with your future. I will pray for you and for your family. Haven't talked with your mom, but I know the burden is great when your child is suffering.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lady in our church who is a radiant survivor of breast cancer and who is a constant encourager. Her road was incredibly rough, but today she is a real ray of spiritual sunshine.
Keep your eyes on Him.
Monnie Steele