My Surgery October 13, 2010

We arrived at the Huntsman Hospital at 7 am.  We checked in on the third floor and they took us right back to a room. I changed into a gown and they took care of my belongings.  They got me a pretty pink bracelet with my name on it and  started an iv by accessing my port, so far pain free.

We met the anesthesiologist team.  They explained what hey would do.   They promised to not leave my side and take good care of me. We met the surgery nurse, she would call Shane and give him updates.  Dr Randall's team came in, he greeted me by calling me beautiful.  H e looked at my arm, noticing the protruding tumor and said, " we will not miss this one."  He marked an X on my arm.  H explained what He would do. They gave me a drug through the iv and I don't remember anything else.  Shane says that I got goofy.  I asked if we were on time as they wheeled me out, it was 8:36, just a few minutes behind.

It was just after two o'clock that I woke up in the recovery room.  I was not in a lot of pain.  I was breathing well. My arm was in a sling that holds it close to my body and does not allow the new bone to move away from the shoulder joint.  They came in and took X rays.  That was my first challenge, He removed my arm from the sling and slide the big screen under my back. I had to hold it in position while he took the x-ray.

The anesthesia team came in and gave me a nerve block.  They used ultrasound to find the nerves to my arm.  they inserted a catheter into the area and attached a baby bottle to the end of it. In side what looked like a baby bottle was a balloon filled with medication that would numb my nerves.  This nerve block was a life saver for me.  I felt very little pain and did not have to take narcotics.  By four o'clock I was taken to my room where I was joined by Shane and Britney. 

Later Dr Randall came in, again calling me beautiful.  H explained that the surgery went well.  They were not able to get all of the tumor out because of how involved it was with the muscle, blood vessels and nerve.  I ask how much he thought he got.  He explained about 98 to 99 percent but by not having wide margins it will require follow up treatment of radiation and chemotherapy.   He asked if I had a post op x-ray and if they took me out of the sling.  He was very upset that they had moved my arm.  He has lectured on the reasons they cannot do that.  He ordered another x-ray to be sure that the new bone had not been moved out of position.   I love Dr Randall for his passion and that he calls me beautiful,  He has given me quality of life!