Hi Fred,
You've been through so much, it's no wonder that this pending surgery is overwhelming you. I could go on and on about the injustice of our insurance system in this country, and my heart goes out to you that you had to be concerned about that at all while you were in treatment. My dad had the RND, and though it looked scary at first, I came here, posted my fears, got the knowledge I needed, and those who've had it that talked to me, really did let me know that it looks worse than it is. They were right, the drains came out within a few days, the scars melted away, and I can hardly tell he had it now. He does say that there is some numbness, but he has good mobility in his arm and continues to get better and that it was a life saving procedure that he's glad he had and that it was not the worst part of his treatment. I hope that they understand your metabolism now, and can manage any pain that you have better.
My best to you,
Deb