Post-Surgical Appointment

So after reviewing my prior posts, I realized that I never reported on my "official" post-surgery diagnosis. I apologize.

The Wednesday following my hospital stay, Brandon and I returned to Cleveland for my first post-surgical appointment. The hope was to have my drainage tube removed (which it wasn't). The stupid tube remained for 5 more days. It seems my body produces lots of fluid, so the decision was made to keep the tube in, rather than allow the fluid to build up inside of me, and possibly aspirate the fluid later (not a pleasant option).

The time for truth about my health status had come. Luckily, the initial surgical diagnosis did not change. My lymph nodes were clean.

The shocker was the discovery of a second malignant tumor. A baby tumor, 1mm in size, was found in another part of my breast tissue. The tumor had not spread (described as being contained within good tissue). The new tumor is hormone receptive unlike the first tumor. Two different cancerous tumors had been growing inside my right breast. Any doubts about having the mastectomy were erased with this report.

Immediately following my appointment with the surgical team was an appointment with an oncologist. I will discuss my oncology travails in a later post but I will explain why I met with one. Even though my lymph nodes are clean and the tumors are gone, the cancer could still remain lurking somewhere in my body. And that is why chemotherapy is next on my health agenda.