Surgery

My surgery day started early at radiology.  Since I had additional, unchipped masses that would be removed, the radiologist had to stick wires in my breasts to mark their locations so the surgeon can find them.  Sounds pleasant doesn't it?  I think that was maybe the worst part of the day.  More numbing injections that hurt, and some discomfort as they try to place the wires in.  This took a little longer than expected though because they couldn't find the mass behind the nipple.  In the end, they placed no wire there, but I was told the doctor would still take tissue for biopsy.  After the wires are placed, they do a gentle mammo to get images, and then wrap you up.  Then off to the hospital near by (separate facility) for the actual surgery.

Since surgery is done under general anesthesia, my boyfriend took me to the radiology appointment and surgery.  Once checked in and they got me hooked up to IV in bed, there was going to be some waiting so  I sent him home.  We lived close to the hospital and there was no point for him to wait.  He would get a call once my surgery is done.

I thought I'd go right into surgery but there was a lot of waiting.  They get folks to come couple hours before surgery in case they can get you in sooner.  I guess each operation doesn't go like clockwork.  Lumpectomy of a single mass normally would take 45 minutes, but given I had multiple sites to remove, it took about an hour and a half.  I don't remember a whole lot after the surgery, but they sent me home around 3 or 4pm with some oxycontin for any pain.  I took one after eating a small meal and ended up going to bed pretty early like around 7.  I was pretty wiped out that night.