Cancer Update: The Operation

As we are living day by day and getting through a whole array of “cancer curing” procedures in a slowly manner, Mark and I can check one more thing off the list: the operation. On June 3^rd – a week earlier than initially scheduled (thank you, Dr. Carter for understanding our situation) – we drove back into Boston and endured the two hour traffic jam once again. This time, our destination was Brigham and Women’s Faulkner hospital, a good mile “down the road” from Dana Farber. Even though the operation wasn’t until 1pm, we had to be there for pre-op arrangements at 10am. The sun was shining brightly, while we spent all day in an icy cold sterile environment. Of course, this was the least of our worries.

 What's wrong with this picture?

After the mandatory paperwork was filled out, we waited. At 11am, I joined Mark to the nuclear medicine department. He was pretty excited about this part… A doctor injected him with a radioactive material, which was supposed to flow into the sentinel lymph node(s). This would enable the surgeon to find the right node(s) with a Geiger counter, before removing it/them for another biopsy. It is the only way to find out whether the cancer has metastasized (spread); the fluid would “follow” the same path the cancer cells would follow. Precautions were taken and while a radiation technician assisted the doctor, I watched the clear material being injected into my husband, who was reprimanded for trying to help hold the blood stopping gauze down on his chest. “Don’t touch this stuff with your hands!” Hmmm. I guess it is only safe to have radioactivity inside oneself? At least Mark didn’t seem to be glowing! Of course, it was not dark enough to really tell…

After the radioactive injection

More waiting followed and around noon, Mark went into the pre-surgical area to be hooked on an IV. I joined him later and together we waited for a couple of hours more. The surgeon was running late, but we didn’t mind. We were happy the procedure would take place that day and did not want her to rush on anyone. Around 3pm, I left Mark in the good hands of nurses, anesthesiologists, and Dr. Carter. She found me an hour later and reported that everything went fine. The operation had been a success and one lymph node (as opposed to two) was removed for further investigation. It took “dopey” Mark a little while to wake up (apparently, he is a “light weight” :-)), before we got into the car for the slow ride back to Newburyport, where we arrived twelve hours after leaving. Now, he is slowly recovering without too much pain and discomfort, and we are waiting for the lymph node report.

Nuclear Medicine Department

Filling out yet another consent form

 

Really??

"I am radioactive" sticker - a piece of memorabilia