Met with my surgeon Dr. Rourke today for pre-op. For the past six months surgery has been “sometime in the future.” Now, it’s just around the corner. The day: July 17th. The time: 07:00. I’m her first one of the day, so the upside is I won’t have to go hungry for long. It’s about a 3.5 hour surgical procedure, so I may be in recovery by lunch time. She warned of nausea and vomiting after the procedure, and suggested limiting visitors until the next day.
Today was partly to determine if she needed Dr. Gordley, plastic surgeon, to stand by to help close me up. She’s about 85-90% sure she can do it without his help, thanks to the chemo results. Again I was complimented on my “young skin,” however it unfortunately doesn’t stretch very well, making the closure more difficult. After disclosing some friendly banter she and Dr. Gordley have in the operating room over whether it’s ok to cross certain barriers like the sternum and the natural “God-given fold,” she decided to keep him on stand-by “just in case.”
Two specific prayers are needed during surgery: 1) Close me up without another incision on my back. Please Lord, I would like to keep my back muscle where it currently sits, and avoid any additional incisions. 2) They get it all. Lord, I pray the pathology results will show no active cancer cells, or if there are active cells, she got it all. Pathology results will come back about a week after surgery, so prayers for peace will also be appreciated.
She went over the risks associated. Lymphodema will be a life-long concern. The surgeon takes the entire axillary section, and the pathologist checks how many lymph nodes do or do not have cancer. Apparently there are anywhere from 10-30 lymph nodes in the axillary section.
I forgot about the spot they detected on my lung during my diagnosis testing until she asked for a repeat CT scan before surgery. Tomorrow morning to be exact. It’s just a precaution, but reality is startling at times.
Pre-op with the hospital is Friday afternoon, where labs and other tests will be performed, preparing for the final day. Then we wait.
Admittedly a little scared, but trying to stay positive. The Lord is my Rock and my Refuge. In Him I trust.