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.
May 9th, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Nap good! Nap well, too!
I tried to see if Connections was available on iTunes to send you, but, sadly, it isn’t. There are a couple of David Attenborough specials.
May 9th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Best wishes for getting through the wait until Tuesday and results, and for good treatment.
May 9th, 2014 at 9:44 pm
Eek! Oh, I’m so sorry. Not just for the fact that you’ll have to go through it again, but for the added discomfort of more uncertainty. This is a tough journey. But you are a tough Steerswoman–continuing steadfastly through unknown territory. I was thinking of you today and just checked in to see if there was any word. So . . . I’ll go on sending good thoughts your way. I know your doctors will do the best possible, whatever it turns out is needed. Lots of love from us up here.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:16 pm
Hoping the best for you my old childhood friend. Peggy
May 10th, 2014 at 2:27 am
Sending love and hugs. Hang on in there.
This is just a bump on the road to recovery.
May 10th, 2014 at 2:34 am
Sending all my warmest hopes and wishes for the best of results.
May 10th, 2014 at 10:11 am
Well, shit. You get all geared up to do something hard and then it doesn’t happen. Big adrenaline-type failure and now you have to get all geared up again. Boo. Hoping for the best of news. Be good to yourself. We’ll be here, a wall of support at your back.
May 10th, 2014 at 10:52 am
Sending good wishes your way. Life has this annoying habit of surprising us. Hang tight; you’ll get through this.
May 10th, 2014 at 11:38 am
Well, dammit. Those stupid doctors didn’t get the message that they are to know everything all the time! Love to you, Rosemary and Sabine!
May 10th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Oof. That waiting must be hard. I hope it’s a good outcome next week!
May 10th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
Ouch. Ugh. Glad to hear that you made it through, sorry to hear about the new complexity… hope you have a chance to return to functional this weekend!!
May 12th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
I’m thinking of you! And yay for drugs – I hope they make it easier.
May 21st, 2014 at 8:08 pm
[…] When we last saw Our Intrepid Heroine, her surgery was cancelled when MRI images taken just before the needle localization procedure showed up some new, ambiguous areas in the same breast. An attempt to biopsy the new areas then and there was foiled when OIH “vagalled out” (as the nurses later referred to the vasovagal reaction).  This due to the bizzare, uncomfortable, physically squeezed and painful nature of the set-up. […]