Post Surgery

Back on the hospital bed at the ward, I was still chilled to the bones.  They threw two blankets over me.  I had an extra fleece jacket thrown above all that for added warmth.

The bandages were tight.  I was still on the drip (Glucose/plasma) and tubes drained fluid from the wound into two bottles by my side.  My fingers went numb so they reduce the flow from the drip.

Lymphedema was a concern.  Also known as lymphatic obstruction, this is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system. The lymphatic system returns the interstitial fluid to the thoracic duct and then to the bloodstream, where it is recirculated back to the tissues. Tissues with lymphedema are at risk of infection.

In order to protect myself against lymphedema, I was told to follow an exercise routine and to lift my arm constantly.  This causes the fluid to flow back or some such thing.  A day or two after I started exercising my arm, I could feel two big bubbles moving from somewhere beneath my left clavicle towards the upper arm area.  These were followed by sporadic little burst of bubbles at or near the same location days later.  I suppose those were the fluids that my compromised lymphatic system had to handle.

The staff nurse on the midnight shift was sympathetic.  She told me to try moving my arm about and to keep up with the exercise routine.  She had her breast removed a couple of years ago.  Looking at her go about her nightly ritual, you wouldn't believe that she is in the same boat as me.

Someone (Molly) from the Breast Cancer Welfare Association visited me.  I wasn't aware of such an association before.  She gave me what she called the Comfy Kit which contains leaflets and aid to assist me in my exercise routine.  Apart from this, she shared with me some tips on chemotherapy, the dos and don'ts, the cost factor as well as the services provided by the Breast Cancer Association.

The Nursing Team at SDMC was excellent.  Before discharging me, they gave me a good hair wash and blow.  Still,  after 5 days at the hospital, it was time to go home.

The biopsy report was ready 2 days later:

The left breast shows an infiltrating ductal carcinoma measuring 5.5 cm in its maximum dimension.  The tumour infiltrates as solid sheets and clusters and tubule formation is hardly seen.  The tumour cells have moderate amount of eosinophilic cytoplasm and large pleomorphic nuclei with nucleoli.  Numerous mitoses are seen (in excess of 20 per 10 hpf).  A moderate infiltrate of chronic inflammatory cells is seen in the desmoplastic stroma around the tumour. Lymphatic invasion is seen.  Ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS) is not seen. Microcalcifications are not seen.  The tumour infiltrates the muscle and is seen at the deep margin.  All the other margins are more than 1 cm away from the tumour.  The nipple and skin are free of tumour.  1 out of the 17 axillary lymph nodes is infiltrated by ductal carcinoma.

And that - was that!