Surgery Day

We were up at 4:30 AM and off to the HCI before 5:00. Laura’s surgery was scheduled for 7:00 AM and it all happened very promptly. I am now in Laura’s hospital room where she will be spending the night. The surgery went well. The tumor is out and where it belongs. Dr. Neumayer called my cell phone. I was sleeping in the van in the parking garage. Her part of the surgery was done by 9:30 AM. She said the initial biopsy of the sentinel lymph node was negative, but that is only about 90% accurate for lobular cancer. More conclusive testing will be done later. Laura was just wheeled into her room a few minutes ago, around 11:00 AM. Dr. Jayant Agarwal, the plastic surgeon, has just finished with his part.

Laura spoke to me and is alert, but in pain and sleepy. So, I will hang out in her room until she is more ready to talk. Her room is incredible for a hospital room. She is in a corner room on the 5th floor of the HCI and has two windows overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. I can see the U of U hospital below and have been watching the helicopters take off and land. Volunteers have been by to make sure I am comfortable. They have brought me juices, peanuts and chips.


Laura posed reluctantly for the picture. She looks pretty good to me. We are both relieved that this step is finally over. Laura just said "It feels like someone parked a truck on my chest".