Loocie, I love your comment “toxic-titty-tissue” made me laugh. Perfect description and sounds like something I can fight. Thanks.
Katie
Toxic titty tissue lol
Thanks for all the advice,going to hospital tomorrow,will tell surg what I want- WLE
Hi,
Saw surg today who said he would take the three lymph nodes that drain breast,not all. Then he had a phone call and the nurse rushed me out and I feel I still have so many unanswered questions.
So confused about lymph now???
did they mention sentinel node to you jellylegs ? that’s where they take a few nodes to test,which are marked by dye - the idea is that the breast drains into the lymph nodes and the first ones it comes to are the sentinel nodes which are ‘marked’ by the due/and radioacrive tracer- this saves them removing a larger number of nodes and lessening the risks of lymphoedema. The likelihood is that if there are no cancer cells in the sentinel nodes then there won’t be in any other lymph nodes.
dye and radioactive tracer - tsk spelling
Thank you chipper. Only have to wait until next Tuesday now.I think I am in denial (and not the river in Egypt) Have not even told my best friend yet.
Thanks to everyone on this site it has been a great help so far.
If you have questions that weren’t asked - get onto your Breast Care Nurse to answer them (or find out the answers to them) for you. If she can’t, ask if your surgeon or one of his team will speak to you to answer them. If you’ve got questions, and not having answers is a worry for you, it can get a bit on top of you.
Everyone’s different about telling people. Sometimes it’s easier to talk about it to someone who you don’t know and who doesn’t know you, rather than share it with your friends. I found it easier to tell people rather than keep it to myself, and have told quite a lot - family, friends and work colleagues. There’re still loads I haven’t told, but all those I’m in regular contact with know.
Chipper’s right - it sounds like you’ll be having a sentinel node biopsy, rather than a node clearance. If you’re having that, it’s likely you’ll have the radioactive tracer injected the day before the operation, and you’ll likely be in the imaging department while they locate it using an xray machine of some sort. If it’s anything like mine, you’ll get drawn on (x marks the spot!) so they know where they’ll be going during your operation. The dye is usually put in while you are under anaesthetic to make extra sure. I have heard some hospitals do just one or the other procedure, but don’t know if that’s me mis-reading or not.
Hope you’re managing to get good sleep as well while you’re waiting for Tuesday to come.
Thanks Contrarymary,I’ve been really surprised because I have been sleepling really well so far. I managed to get three really comfy bras today from Asda. (thanks to the ladies on this site) Felt a twist in my stomach as I spotted all the pretty bras though.
Don’t worry, Jellylegs - there will be pretty bra times again, never doubt it! But for a short while (it might not seem it) sensible and comfortable will serve you better 