I don't remember much about that day of surgery, except that I went into surgery smiling, relaxed( no meds) and with a peace beyond all understanding. Once again God showed up, there is no other way to explain that peace.
The operating staff asked more than once if I understood what I was having done! "We don't normally have such, friendly, happy, relaxed patients before this surgery." All I could say is God's got this. They did all their pre-op stuff, and check lists, I met all who would be in the room and then the anesthesiologist asked "are ready to take a nap?" Yep I'm good to go!
I awoke from surgery feeling better than I anticipated. Unbeknownst to me, at the time, I was waking up, not from robotic surgery but from both a robotic and full open chest surgery. That first day I think slept most of the day. I had no pain.
The next day the Doctors and Nurses made their rounds. They explained the expected 1"x2" mass they expected to be an easy removal , aprox 2 hours, turned into a five and half hour open- chest surgery. In three and a half months, the mass had grown and spread throughout my chest; attaching to my chest wall, main vessels and up the left side of my neck . The Doctor said if I had not informed him of my history of growing things fast in the past he would have been shocked.
They were able to remove it all and sent it in for a biopsy. The biopsy results would determine the next treatment steps. And the waiting game began.....
I ended up being in the hospital for a week. I had sutures from the robotic entrance in my left side, two drain tubes, and an incision down the center of my chest, covered with a large padded band aide colored dressing. By far the tube in my left side was the most painful and uncomfortable.
Day 2- walking and physical therapy begins- oh yippie! LOL
About the 3rd day I started leaking Chyle fluid (lymphatic fluid) into my tube. Ugh! Now I have two choices: another procedure or try a strict Chyle Leak Diet..... um... diet Please! That was a no- brainer, but not as easy as one might think. It consisted of 28g carbohydrates and .5g fat ( yes a HALF of gram of fat) at each meal, 3 meals a day, for 6 weeks! YIKES! They would start the diet immediately and would know in about 3 days if it MIGHT work.
3 days later- Thank God, it seems to be working, by day three I had very little Chyle Fluid in my tube. Now only five and half weeks to go and then determine IF it worked or schedule another procedure.....
About day 5 the first tube (left side) comes out. Yay! Good riddance I'm so happy to see it go!!! It had been causing muscle spasms on my left side. Stair therapy begins.
Day 7- dressing removed from center chest, tube from just below my rib cage in front above stomach is removed and I am headed home that evening. Happy dance!!!
Thank-you to all the U of M Doctors, Nurses, Therapist, X-Ray Techs for your wonderful care!! I appreciate you all!
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