Friday, February 11, 2005
Biopsy all done...
Sneaking in while Dan's dozing downstairs, and before the surgery pain meds wear off.
It went fine. They didn't have to put a drain in it, although they want me to keep my head elevated as much as possible thru the weekend. It is a surprisingly large incision....I look a bit like Frankenstein.
The anaesthesiologist (sorry, can't spell right now) was very cooperative and worked around all the meds I can't tolerate and ones that cause excessive dryness (a no no for Sjogren's). She even wrote down what she used so that if I ever have another surgery, I'll know what to request. All the staff was good about using paper tape since I'm allergic to the other kind.
They did the IV up in the inside of the elbow instead of in the hand where it hurts so much. Got it on the first try, too.
I was allowed the option of a morphine shot while I was still there, and I took it. My pain level is down to a 2 everywhere except the surgery site, which is about a 3. How I wish I could have this low pain level every day!!
I am fairly clear-headed considering I only got home a little over an hour and a half ago. I am to take it easy for five days, no neck strain at all. I see the ENT for the results of the biopsy next Thursday.
Let's see, what else....oh, the reason they took such a large sample is that they will be running several tests to try to determine what's going on with the lymph nodes. It may be cancer, it may just be Sjogren's causing the swelling, or the cells may be abnormal in some other way. That's what pathologists are for.
Ok, can't think of anything else right now. Better get downstairs before Dan discovers I'm on the computer.
It went fine. They didn't have to put a drain in it, although they want me to keep my head elevated as much as possible thru the weekend. It is a surprisingly large incision....I look a bit like Frankenstein.
The anaesthesiologist (sorry, can't spell right now) was very cooperative and worked around all the meds I can't tolerate and ones that cause excessive dryness (a no no for Sjogren's). She even wrote down what she used so that if I ever have another surgery, I'll know what to request. All the staff was good about using paper tape since I'm allergic to the other kind.
They did the IV up in the inside of the elbow instead of in the hand where it hurts so much. Got it on the first try, too.
I was allowed the option of a morphine shot while I was still there, and I took it. My pain level is down to a 2 everywhere except the surgery site, which is about a 3. How I wish I could have this low pain level every day!!
I am fairly clear-headed considering I only got home a little over an hour and a half ago. I am to take it easy for five days, no neck strain at all. I see the ENT for the results of the biopsy next Thursday.
Let's see, what else....oh, the reason they took such a large sample is that they will be running several tests to try to determine what's going on with the lymph nodes. It may be cancer, it may just be Sjogren's causing the swelling, or the cells may be abnormal in some other way. That's what pathologists are for.
Ok, can't think of anything else right now. Better get downstairs before Dan discovers I'm on the computer.
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