Yesterday was my first post-op appointment with the surgical oncologist. She took out my 2nd surgical drain right away, and even though I again feared it would hurt to have those tubes yanked out of my torso ... just like the first one, I felt nothing. So glad to have both drains gone now. They were attached to me 24/7 and it took some thought when changing clothes how to handle them. I feel free now!
The pathology report showed that chemo did exactly what it was supposed to do (significantly reduce the cancer). Pathology results were on track with what the surgical oncologist had predicted from her gut feeling of what might be gone and what might remain. What chemo couldn't or didn't get was, in effect, largely removed by surgery. And now after I recover, radiation will do the rest of the work to eradicate any remaining cancer cells (if any) in the area. Cancer cells can be scattered and microscopic, so radiation helps treat an area that hasn't already been impacted by chemo or surgery.
I'm supposed to take it easy for another 10 days, and then start gradually easing back in to things. I'll see the surgical oncologist again in 10 days and she'll give me clearance to do some additional things that she prefers I not do quite yet. Honestly I could do a lot more than I'm doing, from a physical standpoint ... but I have been trying really hard to just follow her directions and keep physical activity to a minimum, in hopes that healing will be more on track by just doing what the doctor ordered.
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