I had my vitals and blood taken yesterday - I was there 45 minutes before my appointment time and was admitted another hour after that - so, I think they're always busy.  After the wait, I was in and out relatively quickly - I spoke to a nurse practioner about my anesthesia.  Of course, when they drew my blood, I asked about what gauge needles they were using (21) in order to compare with what we bleed the rhinos (23).

Today was my lymphoscintigraphy - a process by which the lymphatic system is mapped through use of a radioactive isotope that was injected into my neck/jawline in four areas proximal to the melanoma.  The needles here were 25 gauge.  After several minutes passed - letting the isotope spread through my lymphatic system - a few five minute scans were taken using a SCENT CT (google failed me on that one) in order to find the sentinel lymph nodes (lymph nodes closest to the site of the melanoma and if my cancer has spread, the most likely to indicate as such).  I will not know if the cancer has spread (or not!) until the tissue and lymph nodes are removed during surgery and tested (I've been told results will take a week).  The technologist marked the two sentinel lymph nodes with blue paint (as shown below).  I then had a 20 minute 3D full body scan - during which I fell asleep...hehe.  This gives a much clearer image...blah blah blah.  I asked questions, but it was a lot of information.

Surgery is tomorrow at 7:15 am.  We have to be there at 5:15.  Yay!  My parents flew in just before my appointment today and we had a great dinner at Gino's.  I'm very glad they will be there tomorrow.  Time to pick out some cute underwear for tomorrow in case a nurse gets curious.  ;)  Who knows?  Maybe I'll meet the love of my life.

I'll post another update as soon as I'm home.

I suppose the alternative title for this post could be "I Had Cancer, Part 1," but that remains to be seen.  My surgery has been scheduled - it will be Friday 1/31 at 7:15 am.  My parents should be getting here on Thursday.  I have two pre-operative appointments this week - one on Wednesday for bloodwork and normal pre-op tests, and one on Thursday for lymphoscintigraphy - a procedure involving radioactive staining of my lymph nodes, so the surgeon can detect those closet to the melanoma site.  It appears to involve multiple stinging injections, so that sounds fun!  In any case, I'm glad I was scheduled so soon and hopefully all goes well and they do not find anything in the removed lymph nodes (though that apparently does not mean it hasn't spread...going to have to ask about this).