Yesterday morning I had an appointment with my P.S., Dr. F.
FOREWARNING: DON'T READ IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!!! OR SIMPLY DON'T WANT DETAILS OF THE NASTINESS I EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY!!!
What I thought was just my final Pre-Op appointment resulted in me having a 'mini' surgery of sorts.
I say mini in that it was done in office with numbing medicine, but I wound up with approximately 40 stitches.
Two days ago my surgeons decided it would be safe to try and attempt a nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM).
Apparently, you have three blood supplies to your nipples. When you have a mastectomy two of those three blood supplies are cut off.
Which essentially will put the nipple in 'shock' and in some cases it will die.
In an attempt to...in my P.S.'s words....'CONDITION' the nipple, yesterday's procedure involved cutting off of one the blood supplies. This gets it use to surviving with only two of the blood supplies. Then when I have my mastectomy, it only loses one additional supply instead of both of them at the same time.
When Dr F came in and started drawing on me, I thought Oh, he is showing me where they are making the surgery incisions.
Then as he kept talking, I realized, OH CRAP! This is happening TODAY!!!
I was shocked that I had no clue this needed to be done.
Ava had to be picked up in 20 minutes, and I was there, ALONE. Chris had kept Breanna at home because she just doesn't do well in waiting rooms.
When Dr. F asked me if I was OK with proceeding with the procedure all I could say was If I can come back later. I have to pick up my daughter from Kindergarten.
He asked his nurse if she could fit me in, in-between two surgeries he had. They told me to be back in AN HOUR!
I quickly drove home, told Chris he needed to get ready because he needed to take me back up there.
I called Dad to come watch the kids as I was driving up to go get Ava.
I got her, went home to change into a comfy shirt and bra, and when I did and saw the incision mark drawings....I LOST IT!
You see, Dr.F didn't really explain to me why this needed to happen when I was first in his office, and I just don't do well with unexpected things. When I know something is coming, I can mentally wrap my head around it, and be OK.
Chris said he would go back in the room with me, but I told him he could sit in the waiting room and watch TV. He doesn't handle watching me give myself insulin injections....there was NO way he could have been in the room for that. And quite frankly, I wouldn't have wanted to be back in that room if I didn't have to be.
Dr. F numbed up most of the bottom half of my breast.
He then made a 6 inch or so U-shaped incision around the aerola. Then he separated the blood vessels and cauterized them. Let me tell you, that is not for the weak stomached.
He stitched me up....which seemed like it took forever, and when I changed my bandages last night I understood why. There is about 20 stitches in each side.
Once he was done and the nurse was putting antibiotic ointment and the bandages on, Dr. F went out and drew Chris some diagrams and explained in detail why that procedure needed to take place. Then he came back in and explained it to me, since he didn't really do so beforehand very well.
He wrote me a prescription and I had to start my antibiotics which I will be on until the drain tubes come out post-surgery.
So, I guess I can say there is now OFFICIALLY no turning back! The prep stages for surgery have begun. The incisions they made will be the same place where the incisions are made during surgery...only they will extend out towards my arm pits.
The countdown is now on!
ONE WEEK FROM TODAY MY LIFE WILL FOREVER BE CHANGED!!!
You are so brave girl. Praying for you b/c I don't know what else to do.
ReplyDeleteYou know, the thought of it being done RIGHT then would be hard for me to wrap my head around too if I had no warning. I hate surprises. Although, them doing it without prior knowledge would give me less time to obsess over it and less time to get myself worked up and stressing over nothing really. You are safe and it had to be done, so I would say that it was well executed. Sounds like your doctor is take a pro-active approach to your issue. This was the first step and you made it through with flying colors, so with all faith in me, I feel you are going to be fine throughout the rest. God will bring you through it.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so scary. I will pray for you.Be strong during your surgery and the healing process. You will be fine.
ReplyDeleteOk C, I just sat at work and sobbed. You know I'm not weak stomached but this broke my heart. I wish I could take some of the worry, pain, scariness, more worry, and heartache and carry it for you. You know I would C. My heart is right with you.
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