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Surgery update!!
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Surgery update!!

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Surgery update!!

  • Post
    • August 14, 2018 at 12:41 pm
    Savymoo23
    Participant

      Hello everyone, 

      Just wanted to update y’all on my surgery that happened yesterday. They first started my injections of some sort of radiation stuff around my biopsy site to get a good look and see where the cancer has spread (lymph node wise). That took about an hour and a half. They found that the lymph nodes under my right arm pit were lighting up pretty bright in the imaging. 

      They then look me upstairs for pre-op. They got my all jacked  up on drugs and I don’t even remember going into the OR room at that point. They did my SNB while I was under, then flipped me and took a good amount out of my back. I woke up feeling very sick and I threw up once and then got some more anti nausea meds. 

      I am now at home recovering for the week. Having a hard time sleeping just on one side because it’s hurting my hips and back. 

      Anywho, just wanted to keep y’all updated. I’ll have more answers on weather or not that lymph node is positive for cancer hopefully by the end of the week. 

      P.S: I had a question? When do you get your staging? I have no idea what stage I am. Just curious. Thanks guys! 

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    • Replies
        • August 14, 2018 at 1:43 pm
        lkb
        Participant

          Savannah, thanks for the update. I hope your recovery goes well. I wonder if your surgeon's nursing staff has some tips on sleep after your particular procedure, based on what has worked for others who stay longer in the hospital. For me, staging has been different every time. Lisa

          • August 14, 2018 at 3:36 pm
          marta010
          Participant

            HI Savannah – glad you're home and can begin the healing process.  My husband was diagnosed at Stage 4 right off the bat so have no idea how long typical staging results take from a SNB.  Get some rest and take care!

            Ann

            • August 14, 2018 at 5:27 pm
            Edwin
            Participant

              "They found that the lymph nodes under my right arm pit were lighting up pretty bright in the imaging.“  This does not indicate cancer. It just shows that lymph from your biopsy site drains to under your right arm pit.  Hopefully, biopsy of lymph nodes there will not show cancer.  After you learn your SLN biopsy results, you might ask your doctor for the stage of your melanoma.  I was told the stage of my melanoma, only when I asked for that information.

                • August 14, 2018 at 6:08 pm
                Savymoo23
                Participant

                  I know it doesn’t, that’s why I said we’ll know the results next week at the earliest. Thanks. 

                • August 14, 2018 at 7:36 pm
                KellyH
                Participant

                  Hi Savannah. I’m glad to hear surgery went well and you are home recovering.  It took 2 weeks for my sons SNB results to come back. His sentinel node was positive for microscopic melanoma. That made him Stage 3….he had to have another surgery to remove all the lymph nodes in his left neck and his parotid gland to further stage him…when that was negative he was given his final stage of 3a….it’s a long process but you are on your way….prayers that you get good results and for a speedy recovery!!! 

                  Kelly 🙂 

                  • August 14, 2018 at 8:57 pm
                  mandyjill
                  Participant

                    Staging can't happen until after they get the results of the SNB.

                    • August 15, 2018 at 6:17 pm
                    Edwin
                    Participant

                      I was told results of my Mayo Clinic SLN biopsy the day of that surgery: no melanoma.  The next day the surgeon telephoned me: looking more carefully the pathologist found melanoma in the lymph node.  So, I had surgery the next day to check more lymph nodes.  The day after that surgery I was told that there was no melanoma in the additional 13 lymph nodes removed.

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