The Mastectomy Surgery

Dawn Ann's surgery was done earlier today. She is doing well, and resting comfortably right now.

The best news is that preliminary biopsies were taken on two lymph nodes, and they both came back free of cancer.

We won't know for sure if the cancer has spread, until we get the full pathology report, which should be sometime next week, we hope. If everything remains clear in the pathology report, we believe that the surgery alone will be the extent of the cancer treatment necessary. She should not need chemotherapy or radiation treatments, if all goes as we anticipate.

The breast surgeon said the surgery went really well. There were no unusual or unexpected findings in the tissue. No indication that the cancer was any more extensive than what we thought.

After the mastectomy was completed, the plastic surgeon came in to the operating room. He inserted a tissue expander under her chest muscle. Later, in about 4 weeks or so, he will begin inflating this tissue expander with saline solution. Every 2-3 weeks after that, he will add to the saline, until the spacing is large enough to insert an implant.

Post operatively, Dawn Ann has been doing pretty good. They have been using some pain medication, which is a very good thing. A little while ago, she was up and around a little bit, and she noticed that all of her pain meds from earlier in the day had worn off. Ouch! She has soreness in her chest, and her right arm. They gave her a half dose of morphine, and that helped her settle down.

Now (about 4:30 pm) she has drifted off to sleep for the first time today, since coming out of surgery.

We got off to an early start today. We woke up at 3:30 am. We had to be at the hospital by 5:30 am. It was about 7:15 y by the time they wheeled her into the OR, and I kissed her goodbye.

The breast surgeon came out at about 9:45 am to let me know how the mastectomy went.

By about 10:45, the plastic surgeon came out and told me that Dawn Ann's surgery was complete, and that she was going to the recovery room.

Dawn Ann now has a couple of drains that have been attached to her chest, and under her arm. We hope that they will be out by next week.

Well, this has certainly been an adventure. An unwanted, and unanticipated adventure, but an adventure nonetheless. I will remain here at the hospital tonight, until she goes to sleep for the night. Then I'll be back up here first thing in the morning, and I expect to bring her home sometime in the mid-morning time.

I must say that the hospital staff here at LDS hospital has been excellent! The doctors and nurses have been caring, compassionate, and professional. It is nice having a private room too. It makes it much quieter, than the 2-party room I had last year when I was in the hospital.

I also must say that we have had wonderful support from family and church members. My mother took our children overnight last night, and she will have them again tonight. She is also shuttling them about to school, and other classes. What a lifesaver. I don't know what we would have done without her.

Last Sunday evening we went over to mom and dad's house and gave blessings to Dawn Ann and to Amy. It seemed to help them calm down, and be comforted.

We also have received great support from the church. Our ward relief society president stopped by earlier this afternoon. The Stake President and his wife stopped by too. I serve on the high council in our stake, and it was comforting to see him. I was going to ask him to give me a blessing last Sunday, but I had to leave right after our council meeting for a speaking assignment. The rest of the day was busy with other meetings and assignments, and I just couldn't get back with President in time for a blessing. So today, I got a blessing from him, and I know it will help me in my role through this ordeal.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. We look forward to bringing Dawn Ann home tomorrow.

I have been writing this post off and on throughout the day. It’s now just a little after 9:00 pm, and she is settling down for the night. I think I'll tuck her in, and go home for the night.