Axillary Lymph Node(s): Part Deux

I know you are all eager to hear the pathology results from my axillary lymph node dissection surgery, so I'll get to it! If you are new to following me, check out my last post to catch up

My double mastectomy was on August 11, and I went back to surgery on August 31. Despite the emotional and physical stress in the weeks leading to surgery, on August 31, I found myself in a peaceful bubble. I felt confident in my decision and trusted my team. I knew the Pre-op and OR staff and, I was like, "Hi again. I'm back! Let's do this." I welcomed the "happy-put-me-sleep medication," that the anesthesiologist pushed into my IV. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the PACU. I had very little pain at the incision site. Two hours later, I was in the van going home with Edwin. The only unpleasant event post-surgery was the wave of nausea that hit me during the drive home. I threw up. Yuck. Once I got home, I slept like a baby.

The Results

There was only one lymph node identified in the tissue excised during surgery, and in that node, ZERO cancer cells! Between the two surgeries, my surgeon removed a total of 3 lymph nodes. Three!

#1 Node. The sentinel lymph node identified that showed heavy cancer cells in the final pathology report and the reason why my breast surgeon wanted to go back to remove the rest of my lymph nodes in that area.

#2 Node. This is the lymph node that was biopsied in January (after being identified as "large" during an MRI). This one had cancer cells and was the reason I had neoadjuvant chemotherapy for six months. This node was removed with Node #1 during my double mastectomy.

#3 Node. This is the single remaining lymph node that was removed during my follow up surgery. No cancer cells!

The average number of level 1 lymph nodes is anywhere between 8-15 nodes. My surgeon was expecting to remove 8-10. She and I were both surprised to discover that I only had three lymph nodes in that area. Dr. W excitedly reported, "Well, it looks like we got all the cancer out during the first surgery!" I was relieved. I have no regrets.

It has been two weeks since then. Other than right arm/shoulder stiffness, occasional shooting pains, and minor swelling in my armpit area, this recovery has been smooth. It has been a month since my double mastectomy, and with each passing day, I continue to heal despite the overlapping second surgery. I'm no longer taking pain medications. I'm sleeping better. After only being able to sleep on my back propped up for a month, it's fantastic to be able to sleep on my side again. By making a few modifications, I can perform all of my "activities of daily living" (showering, grooming, dressing, eating) without help. I still have numbness, limited mobility, and weakness in my right arm, but I trust that I will regain full use with time and physical therapy. I've been using my left arm more, and as a result, it has gotten stronger and feels 70% "normal." All is good.

Next up? Even though the tumor and confirmed cancerous lymph node are out of my body, I'm not quite in the clear. I can't say "I'm cancer-free" or "cured of breast cancer" just yet. All I can say now is, "I have no evidence of disease." The chemotherapy that I got before surgery was both a systemic and targeted treatment. The hope was it would shrink my tumor and "kill" both detectable and undetectable cancer cells roaming my body. We now know that my tumor had no response to chemo. Radiation is another type of targeted treatment to ensure all the small breast cancer cells in my right chest area are obliterated. I have my radiation "simulation" in a few weeks. I am told this is where they will do a "practice" run to make sure I'm positioned optimally to precisely target the area and prevent any harm to other sites (heart, lungs, ribs) during the actual radiation sessions. Once they get it right, I'll start my Mon-Friday radiation treatments for five weeks.

Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and support.