Surgery postponed
Just before the scheduled surgery, I was set to undergo a needle localization, in which they insert little bits of wire in front of and behind the tumor, so that the surgeon can find it easily. The procedure takes place right in the MRI, starting with a long period where they take images, evaluate them, maybe do it over again… a lot of time in a very uncomfortable position (ladies, think: mammogram where the compression part lasts 20-plus minutes!).
Unfortunately, they had to call a halt when the images showed up a couple of new suspicious areas, near the original tumor.  We need to find out what those are all about. Might be nothing; or it might mean I’ll need a mastectomy instead of the lumpectomy we’d planned.
Thus, no surgery today. We’re doing the biopsy Tuesday, and we’ll decide what to do for surgery when we get the results back.
We could have done the biopsy right then, instead of the needle localization, as the setup is exactly the same — but after all that time motionless and aggressively SQUEEZED, my body used its unilateral over-riding veto: dizziness, faintness, sweats, and great big drop in blood pressure. So they got me out of there fast when that happened.
So, we’ll do another MRI under compression, this time with biopsy, on Tuesday.  Except: drugs!  Because no matter how tough you think you are, sometimes your body has a mind of its own.
I’m massively annoyed that this could not be over and done with TODAY.   And naturally concerned about what the biopsy will show.
But I wanted to let everyone know, because you’ve all been so kind with your good wishes and hopes and encouragement! I couldn’t leave you hanging.
I’m going to take another nap now. Because: really tired.
More later.
