After I met up with Dr Mona Tan on 21 September 2017, I managed to secure an appointment to do my first procedure the very next day to put the markers clips into my breast where the tumors are and also on my lymph nodes that were suspicious on my mammogram and ultra sound.
My girl friends all took turns to accompany me on that day from the time I get admitted till I get out of the procedure.
I went in for the procedure at 12pm, Dr Mona Tan and the other doctor (sorry I forgot your name) in charge of the mammogram. Dr Mona Tan took some of the cells from my lymph nodes for biopsy to see if the cancer spread there. For your information, when I was at Hospital H, the breast doctor said that the lymph nodes looked like the cancer cells had spread there but they would not be doing a biopsy on it as they were planning to do a mastectomy so they will just in their words “remove the lymph nodes as well”. #ireallyfeellikeananimalathospitalh
After taking the cells, Dr Mona Tan then proceed to inject local anesthesia on the 3 areas where the clips will be going in: the affected lymph nodes, the tumor that is seen on my mammogram, on my visit the day before, Dr Mona Tan saw a shadow under my tumor and she suspected there might be a second tumor underneath (something that Hospital H never told me, maybe because they are going to cut it off anyways) which was found on the ultrasound which was taken earlier before the procedure.
Putting marker clip is to “accurately locate and excise any residual cancerous tissue ” after chemotherapy.
Dr Mona Tan asked me during the procedure, which was more painful, when she was extracting the cells from the lymph nodes or the local anesthesia. I must say injecting local anesthesia hurts like mad.
After the procedure, I was brought to the mammogram room to take a mammogram to ensure that the clips were in place. I must tell you when the nurse took the mammogram, I wanna punch someone’s face. It was already painful when you didn’t have a procedure done on your breast after a procedure the pain is like 20 times worse during a mammogram. I was like telling the nurse, “it hurts!”. Thank God, this nurse was very experienced and she managed to get a clear picture at the first shot.
Maybe someone may asked why do I need to do the procedure at such a short notice. It was because I am meeting my oncologist on 24 September. Dr Mona Tan did asked me if I want to do the procedure after my first chemotherapy but because after chemo, immunity will be very low thus it will take a longer time to heal.
Side track… My wound started to hurt after a few hours and I was trying to push back the timing of eating the painkillers then one of my girl friends said, if painkillers is given to you just take to relieve the pain why I want to do that to myself. Hahahah I think its because I want to prove that I have a high threshold for pain. #jokela
Journey of Wendy 