The date is set...

I met with my surgeon on Friday. The date for my mastectomy has been set for Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015.  10 days away.  Yikes! The surgery itself is about one and a half to two hours in length. From there I go to the recovery room for another two hours and then a final room where I will be for approximately another two hours. It is there that I will be picked up to go home. That's right! A mastectomy is day surgery! In and out! Who knew? Take a whole body part from me and I go in at 8:30am and leave that afternoon. I couldn't believe it. I also know that I will feel sore for about three days and be not too bad by the end of a week. After two weeks I will feel pretty good and after three weeks I should be fully recovered. Wow! I have a pre-op appointment in four days where they will go over all the do's and dont's and review the procedure and times with me one more time. With my mastectomy, the doctor is taking all of my lymph nodes on the right side. This probably scares me more than anything because I have a chance then of developing lymphedema as a result of removing all the lymph nodes. As it was explained to me lymph nodes help your blood flow through your body kind of like a filter system. When all the lymph nodes are removed from one area, that area may not work properly. Lymphedema happens when the blood flow is not working properly. I have a 25% chance of this occurring. If I do end up having lymphedema, my right arm - including my hands and fingers (it is the lymph nodes on the right side that are being removed) will swell regularly (oh no, I love all of my rings and bracelets), it is suggested that I avoid lifting anything more than fifteen pounds with my right arm, I will have to go for and learn to do my own physiotherapy on my right arm, and if I fly anywhere, I will have to wear a compression bandage on my arm (probably something I should do anyway even if I don't develop lymphedema). Something I have going for me is that I am younger and in fairly good shape. That will hopefully help my odds of NOT developing lymphedema. The date is set. Only time will tell...