Post Surgery-Oct. 20th-Day 19

Well I made it through surgery yesterday!  We arrived at 7am and had some preliminary stuff done.  Then I was taken by wheelchair to radiology where they injected a dye that would travel through the lymphatic system and collect in the sentinal node.  This is the lymph node that all fluid passes through first so they remove that node and send it to pathology to be tested for cancer cells.  This is how they know if the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes.  So anyways, the shots that injected this dye were very painful but the pain didn't last.  I waited 1/2 hour and then she was able to take pictures that revealed where the sentinal node was located.  She marked two x's on me to show this and the surgeon would use the pictures as well.  We had a great experience in radiology with a very nice tech named Melissa.

Then we returned to our room to wait for surgery time.  My parents came and so we all chatted, watched tv and read magazines to pass the time.  They came to get me just after 10:30.  If you ever wondered what it feels like to have God's peace surround you and the prayers of 100 people covering you, I tell you it is amazing!  I was so calm and at peace getting wheeled into that surgery room and even as they began to put me to sleep.  Kyle said it was almost 2 hours before Dr. Rappaport came to talk with him.  He told Kyle that my sentinal lymph node tested negative for cancer which spared me from another huge step of surgery-yaaahhh!   I woke up very groggy in recovery and experiencing some pain until I got some pain meds.  We left the hospital shortly before 4:00.  I was greeted at home by pink ribbons tied all around the house.  My Mom & Lexi did that in the morning before the kids got on the bus!  I also have to give a shout out to Dianna Finkler who brought dinner last night.  I hadn't really eaten anything since the night before so it tasted good!  Thank you also to friends Mindy Hasselback and Nichole Hansen who helped with the kids yesterday afternoon/evening!

I am hoping that my sister-in-law Erin will share some pictures from her event today in Florida.  Her and her fiancé, Mike, are competing in Dragon Boat races today to raise money for breast cancer research.  Go Erin & Mike!!!