Surgery went well

Two lines of stitches under the steristrips.  The one on my arm is less crosswise to my arm motion than I feared.  The armpit one is the lymph nodes--the radiation procedure in the morning to identify the sentinel nodes took less than an hour and two nodes lit up.  In pre-op they had to bring in the expert to start the IV, but I don't have a big bruise from the unsuccessful attempt.

When the surgeon came to talk to me before the surgery I reminded him I was a swimmer.  He again said he preferred to have me completely out with inhaled general anesthesia.  I again said unless there was a strong reason, I preferred to have IV deep sedation (they gave me both Versed and Propofol).  He didn't argue, and he took my iPod to play my calming music during surgery (his view was while I would not be conscious, my unconscious would react).  During my pre-op appointment last week I asked the anesthesiologist about whether he was comfortable with deep sedation for the procedure and he said "we do it all the time."

I am so happy that I was able to do the surgery with the deep sedation.  No general anesthesia hangover, no sore throat from the breathing tube.  The surgery was at 1 pm.  I got home around 6 still feeling a little unsteady, but I was hungry for dinner and by the time I was done dinner I was feeling good if I didn't move much.  I woke up early this morning when the pain medication wore off, but Naproxen is all I needed this morning--no pain unless I stretch the arm (which I try to remember not to do).

I can shower once 24 hours have passed, but the instructions are very strong that I am not to put anything on the wounds.  I regret that--I've been convinced by the newer practice of keeping wounds moist.  But I will follow instructions at least for the first week.