The day started off as my visits to the Breastlink Center have for the last couple of months, with a stop at the donut shop. Only today, I didn't get a custard-filled donut for Gina (and I only got one chocolate French for myself!). Since I was about a half an hour early, I was also able to eat my donut and take the rest to the chemo room before Gina arrived. I knew that she wouldn't be able to eat because of her surgery, so I definitely didn't want to be eating donuts in front of her!
Once Gina and Steven arrived, we had to wait about thirty minutes for her to be called back. I had called the PA, Donna Valentine, yesterday to ask how the day would progress, so we would know what to expect. I also had done some reading about the procedures Gina would undergo, again so we would know what was coming.
The first procedures of the day were the injection of blue radioactive dye and the placement of guide wires into Gina's left breast. Using mammography as a guide, very thin wires were inserted into the breast to mark the location of the area that the surgeon would be removing during the lumpectomy. This is done in cases like Gina's where there is little or no identifiable tumor left. Next, blue dye was injected around her areola, and it's purpose was to travel up her duct system and color her lymph nodes bright blue, so they could be easily seen during surgery. During the "sentinel node biopsy" part of the surgery, her sentinel lymph node (the first one closest to the tumor) would be biopsied. If cancerous cells were found, then the next lymph node in the chain (leading up and into her armpit) would be biopsied, and so on. The more lymph nodes that test positive, the more likely the chance that the cancer has spread.
An interesting thing that I learned was that the blue dye ends up turning your pee blue or green! I made Gina promise to take a picture if this happened.
While Gina was having her pre-op procedures, Steven and I walked over to the local deli, where I had lunch. Again, I didn't want to be eating in front of Gina.
After about an hour and half, Gina came out with a hospital gown on. She didn't think that they had injected the dye yet (but she definitely had wires sticking out of her boob!), but after some talking, she realized that they had done that, too. Next was to wait to be called into pre-op.
Once we went next door for the surgery center, it wasn't long before they took Gina back for pre-op. While back there, they basically just got her in a bed and started an IV. They gave her hydration and an antibiotic.
During the time we were waiting, I got a text from Gina that said, "You are my cousin." My first thought was, maybe they already gave her something and she's loopy! I responded, "What??" And a bit later, she explained, "The nurse asked." Ohhhh....she told the nurse I was family so I would be able to come back and be with her :)
After a bit, Steven and I were allowed to go back to wait with Gina. Although surgery was scheduled for 2:00 pm, Dr. Mabry was running late. I wasn't surprised, as this tends to always be the case with scheduled surgeries, and I also wasn't surprised that Gina was (understandably) irritated by the delay.
In the meanwhile, the nurse answered some of our questions, and then the anesthesiologist came by. Gina would be under general anesthesia during the surgery. We also looked at her mammography films, which were sitting on the table waiting for Dr. Mabry.
When Dr. Mabry showed up at 2:45. the first thing she did was initial Gina's left breast. This is standard procedure to avoid mistakes. Basically, she said, we could expect the surgery to last one and a half hours. If it went longer, it would likely be because cancer cells were found in the sentinel node and more nodes needed to be biopsied.
Gina went in to surgery at 3:00 pm. We went back to the deli so Steven could eat lunch. We were back in the waiting room about 3:45.
At 4:12, Dr. Mabry walked into the waiting room. I new immediately it was good news...it had only been an hour and twelve minutes!! As she spoke and confirmed that the surgery had gone as planned and that the sentinel node was cancer free, the relief I felt was overwhelming. And although both of us had agreed that we were not worried before surgery, both Steven and I ended up in tears. CANCER FREE!
It wasn't long before we were allowed to go back into recovery to see Gina. When we walked in, she was lying there with her eyes closed. She had an oxygen tube in her nose. When we said her name, she opened her eyes, looked at us, and immediately started crying. CANCER FREE! When I kissed her and told her she did it, she thanked me. I told her how proud of her I was. She did the work, and now she was getting what she deserved...to be cancer free. It was a glorious few minutes, Steven and I each holding one of her hands.
Within an hour, they were ready to release her whenever she was ready. Her sister Lisa showed up just in time, and we changed Gina back into her clothes. Then it was a short wheelchair ride to the exit, and Gina was on her way home.
On the way home, my thoughts were bittersweet. I cranked up the radio and sang at the top of my lungs as I sat in traffic, but I also though of the thousands who have not been and will not be so lucky. As I have mentioned many times before, this journey has exposed me to lots and lots of survivors and stories, and many of them were not as happy. It is for these people that I will continue to fight. Sure, I could walk in San Diego next month and be done with it. I could walk away never having to worry about fundraising again. But the fight is not over. As the 3-Day walkers say, "I walk because I can."
I love you, Gina. I am so proud of you. You were a champion through all of this, and I am proud to call you my friend. You did it!
And now, my friend, a surprise: Although I accidentally deleted the pictures I took today, I was able to recover them from my camera's memory card with the help of some software! I was so relieved, because I was devastated that I had lost the best pics of all! Here they are!
Steven holding up one of Gina's mammograms. You can see the guide wires.
From a different angle.
Happy!
BFFs!
My new T-shirt! I love a survivor!!
Oh, and by the way, Gina's pee turned "the color of Scope." You owe me a picture!
Please continue to support the fight against breast cancer.
We need to find a cure.
Best,
Lisa
