D DAY ARRIVED

today was busy starting at PMH at 715am in Day Surgery unit on 18F, vitals (BP, TEMP ETC) assessed, escorted for 9am to X-ray for wire guide into the tumour under Ultrasound imaging, then  escorted to Mt. Sinai Hospital through a walk through (no outside as I am in a patient gown) to Nuclear Medicine Department. Radio active blue dye is injected into breast and over the next 20 minutes the journey of the dye is tracked by a series of pictures to discover the first lymph nodes to receive the dye (these nodes are called Sentinel nodes and are known to be the first place the cancer will spread). A permanent marker X is put on the skin over the nodes to guide the surgeon to remove them with the tumour.
Back to room on 18f
Escort arrives to give me a ride on  the stretcher to the Operating Room, I am starving, have headache as no morning coffee and really really wanting food, any kind will do. I get teased that the four letter f word will not be uttered in my presence (food) lol  you thought it was my frequently used four letter f word...I got you  lol
An elevator trip down to 3f, in holding pattern to see anaesthetist (the anaesthetic claims that she will be offering a cocktail she call 'gin and tonic' x 2 plus sedative gas through a mask, no big tube down my airway to put me to sleep, I had concern about my teeth retainers and other points of interest about my teeth and they will not be at risk yipeeeeeee), get IV in and a NICE WARM FLANNEL BLANKET, talk with the surgeon (Dr. McCready) to establish that we are both on the same page about what is going to take place.(in R breast to take out tumour and sentinel nodes). yep we are both on the same page. after a little wait .... ride the gurney into OR (no cheering like on Palm Sunday), onto the table. get another warm blanket (YES, LIFE IS GOOD!), get my cocktail (the best trip I have taken in a very long time) plus the mask and I am in dream land.
Operation take about 70 minutes and I am back sorta to the land of the living, very drunk with the anaesthetic medication, shortly after the discomfort sets in, a bit of pain medication in the IV, aah .....relief, and then, in an hour or so, ready for travelling to my room on 18f for FOOD!!!!!!!! AND DRINK   tbtG
eat, drink, be merry and become fully awake and off to home by 530pm to devour take out Swiss Chalet supper as cooking is not on my agenda.
Comments:
- Kirk and Tanya were invited to go to all the stops and wait with me +++ a real bonus to have their support
- staff were consistently great, friendly, informative
- hospital food was actually ok

I continue to say that PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL is a very well oiled machine for Cancer Care. We are very privileged to live in a city and a country that provides world class health care in our backyard and, we need to be thankful.

Here it is 1245 am, feel great, still no pain and I am off to bed.
Thanks to all for prayers, support and caring.