i had surgery last Wednesday, (January 23) and it went great! i know it was from all the prayers, and God moving. There is no other explanation!
During the pre-op meeting with my surgeon, i was still recovering from my respiratory virus, and laryngitis. She noticed i was having trouble with my breathing still, and we also talked about the iv/anesthesia issues i had with my last surgery. The plan was basically to go in for the chip and any tumor that was left, check the lymph nodes and then check the tissue around the original tumor area. If anything looked bad, or there was a question, she would take care of everything then, and probably keep me overnight for observation.
My surgery was scheduled for 7:45am. The first one of the day. (did you know there was a 4:30 in the middle of the night? ha ha) Everyone was great! i had a team that was working to make sure i came out the anesthesia with as little problems as possible. i’m not exactly sure of the times, but we were prepared for a 1-2 hour surgery, with about an hour of recovery before they called my family back. All in all, hoping to get out of recovery, and probably to a room by around 12’sh.
i was out of surgery around 9:30. That time included finding and removing the marker, radioactive seeds, any mass left, double checking the margins to make sure they were clear, and sending biopsies of my nodes to the lab . (Only waiting on the lymph node biopsy. i should get that on thursday-January 31. That will be my first followup.) And they quickly determined i didn’t need to stay at the hospital overnight. i came out of anesthesia better than any other time in my life. i woke up quickly with no real pain. Was able to eat some peanut butter with graham crackers right away without getting sick, and we even picked up some chinese food for me to eat when i got home. However nausea has started back up again, sometimes really debilitation. i am hoping that if i don’t have to do anything else, it will start to fade away as well.
In the meantime i have spent the last few days sleeping, checking to see what my body wants to eat, and general taking it easy. i really want to be done with all this, so i am following doctors instructions very explicitly!
i will be posting on Thursday evening, after i hear what the results of the biopsy are, and if there is going to be any followup treatment. You know, in words of that great philosopher we need to “nip it in the bud!” 🙂
Thanx for the continuing prayer for dad and i. We went to his hearing aid appointment yesterday (Monday, January 28), and when we got home he twisted around to say hi to someone, and rolled right down. Thankfully he went down over by the side steps, so we were able to stand up him up pretty easy. i am not able to lift anything over 5 lbs until cleared, so i helped with my right arm, acting more like something he used to balance on. He is still a little sore today, but nothing a couple of tylenol can’t help. We are both keeping an eye on him right now as well.
Please pray for the clear nodes! Very little, if any, followup treatment. My strength to return quickly, and everything needed to finish this fall into place!
Thank you all again for your prayers! Hoping we are approaching the end of this journey. And starting my next journey!