As much as they told me yesterday, which wasn't much, but:
The tumour wasn't embedded in as much of the chest muscle as what they'd previously thought, so they were able remove more of the tumour that was in the fleshy & duct part of the breast and not so much muscle.
The other incision was to take three sentinel lymph nodes. They gave me a script for pain killers which I got, but on purpose didn't take - quite honestly I think have quite a high level of tolerance of pain when it's like this, when it's more very soreness then pain and the muscle they did take has of course bruised the rest of the muscle. The injections around my nipple were relatively pain-free (after all that worry!!!!) They put four blobs of gel around the nipple and then a cling film dressing over thet with a little circle of felt stuff in the middle which was a numbing thing - though it didn't feel numb to me!!.....I just felt a lot of pressure and a deep burning sensation and by the time he had injected in the fourth place, I really didn't feel a thing at all from the first - thanks be to God, as that was the last thing I was looking forward to. -
I have to go back in 10 days, or if they find there were any problems, they will call me before that.
I've got to see the Nephrologist on 9th June and the Breast Cancer Clinic on 10th - unfortunately they couldn't fit it in the same day - but hey ho, that's life.
After that I'll know about the cycles of Chemo, and then have to wait for the kidney procedure - lets hope it comes quickly too - though in many ways I don't think it'll be as quick as the breast thing....I can only hope.
I asked whether my chest xray and stuff had been clear, but didn't get a clear answer from them, they were too busy fluffing around...and I guess I was not in a fit state to ask any more afterwards. I do remember waking in recovery and really shouting, "who the hell are you and where the hell am I ?", but wasn't naughty with my language at any time at all, promise :-)
Yes of course i'ts all very sore this morning, but I'm still foggy on waking, so hate to think what it would have been if I had actually taken any painkillers. My poor old kidneys still haven't expelled the radioactive stuff even though I drunk about two litres of water between 7pm and about 11 - the left one is complaining...
So apart from feeling like I was in a street fight and lost - I feel good. Don, whose extension, I'm staying in, went and got me two sports/support bras that are SO wonderfully supportive - wore one in bed last night and sure I slept better for it. BUT can you imagine a rather small, not bad looking for his age, 75 year old American-Irishman going into the shop and even asking for one....! sweetie!
So, going to rest up a bit and watch TV/sleep today and get rid of the rest of the anesthetic hanging around in the system and the painkillers they gave me before I came round yesterday and see if from tomorrow I can begin to feel human again.
Lots of love to you.
