Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Breast Lump removal

I am not sure how long I had this lump. It felt just perfectly normal to me, like it was supposed to be there> I don't even remember how it got there but should be sometime after I started breastfeeding or stop breastfeeding.

However, it got to my attention when it started hurting me from inside out until I could feel the hard lump or the nerve making an appearance on the top side of the breast.

After two three months of enduring the pain, I could not take it any longer, worrying each time what it was that hurts me so and so I decided to let the professional take over.

It was time to head over to the doctor and asked for their professional diagnosis.

First, I headed over to my gynae because I did not really know where to start and since I had to do my annual pap smear test, might just as well and he referred me to his colleague, who specialises in lumps, Dr Kwan.

Dr Kwan then checked me thoroughly with the presence of a female nurse. He then sent me for an ultrasound scan of the breast to find out if it was a lump or two and how big it was inside me.

Turned out to be about3.8cm big in me and he gave me two options. To take a needle poke test or surgery to remove the whole thing and sent it for testing. Dr Kwan was actually very informative and patient with someone like me, such a bimbo when it comes to understanding scientific terms and all sorts, so don't ask me if it is malignant, benign or cystic. I still don't know the difference between malignant and benign till now!

I opted for surgery as that would mean removal of the whole thing.. TAKE IT OUT OF ME!!! and also I hate needles!

My doctor was nice enough to let me choose the date I wanted for surgery and I chose the day he begins work back after Chinese New Year. Well, also so I can attend Gwen's wedding without any wound dressing to worry about.

I drove to the hospital alone, which was just ten minutes away from my place. I got myself admitted into Tropicana Medical Centre with the admission letter my doctor wrote for me.

The service was superb! Top notch! Nurses were a cheerful bunch! My doctor came round about 9am to draw on me where he would cut me up. I felt like a pig going onto the slaughter table. =)

The anaesthesia doctor and the staff in the Operating Theatre too, were a cheerful bunch and well, I didn't even know how they knocked me out. All I knew was the lady calling my name, and everything was over.

My doctor was a caring one. He came round at least twice to check on me that day. There goes my money too! LOL just kidding but I really appreciate the service given by TMC's doctors and staff.

Well, one thing lead to another. When I was put under GA, my heartbeat went a little cuckoo for awhile and gave them all a scare but it was fine throughout the surgery and when they were about to end the surgery, my heartbeat did a little jiggy again. So Dr Kwan informed me when he came by and asked if he could refered me to the heart specialist to look into the matter, just to be safe... just in case this is the tip of the iceberg case.

The heart specialist, Dr Haizal came by about 830pm and told me about everything I need to know and asked them to send me for an ECG scan and Echogram the next morning because my earlier ECG scan still did a jiggy. It showed a T-Wave and boy, they were all surprised that I was only 27 and not 72.

They then decide to attach a holter to me to monitor my heartbeat for the next 24 hours just to make sure that there is nothing to really worry about my heart status. My echogram however, did show a beautful four room.. don't ask me what room but I remember I did learn about it in my biology class. I just didn't really pay attention.. but the only thing is that the echogram showed a very minor leakage when the valve is closing. Hhrrummpph!

BUT they did mention that that was nothing really big to worry about. Pretty common sometimes and Dr Haizal just have to test my IQ by asking how many beats does a heart beat in a day. *sigh* I feel so bimbotic! LOL

Anyway, I got discharged the next day after surgery as I seemed all fine, no fever and no more vomitting. Talk about vomitting, I think I started vomitting right after they wheeled me back to my ward room. All the water, milo, some porridge and last, the anti-vomit medicine they gave me.. that felt really so bitter that even the sweet pandan jelly didn't help at all.

Luckily for me, I had two kind visitors who provided me food and drinks. Joy, who came earlier to visit me and brought me vitagen and ribena! Yay! Something that really helped me got by my night, clearing all the bitter taste at the back of my throat and XiuYi who came over with McD even when it was already 11pm and she stayed in DJ.

I was really grateful for what both of them did for me. Don't ask me about my husband because he was busy taking care of Jaden and God forbid, I forbid him to bring Jaden to hospital ground just in case the boy catches any unwanted bacteria and get sick himself. So, it was rather unkind when one friend of mine commented that my husband should come no matter what.

My husband has the responsibility to keep the boy healthy while I am recuperating in the hospital and I don't need the boy to fall sick and add on to my discomfort. Well, I guess that was the last call I will ever make to that friend of mine because well, I learnt that the saying about true friendship, those you can count on and those you can't is really true.

YuMay did stop by in the morning before she went for work and well, helped me out when I was ready to be discharge. *sigh* God bless these three girlfriends of mine!

I had to go back the next day to remove my holter and to see Dr Kwan again, so he can check on my wound and also help clean and change the wound dressing to a water-resistant one so I could bathe in ease.

Next appointment, next week - and this time, both with Dr Haizal and Dr Kwan.

I really would like to sing high praises about TMC and their services. I can't say it enough. Of course, the price paid did not come cheap but well, they were worth the money paid with smiling, ever eager staff trying to make any discomfort I had better!


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi bubbly,

May i know the total cost of the operation?thank you.

Anonymous said...

Mind sharing ur email with me? there are some questions i would like to ask.. i just found that i have lumps in my left chest and it scares me...

blubbieMs said...

Hi Anonymous, sorry for the late late reply.

Do give me your email add and I will email you back then? In TMC, since its private, it costs me about RM6k-7k for the whole process, inclusive of staying overnight for observation but service at that hospital to me is really well recommended!