Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore?

Tired of me already? Haha! Too bad!

Cheers to another great day...

First, I was able to go to a lunch meeting to meet a potential candidate for the Board of Trustees of West Denver Prep. It was a very small group, but still a good meeting. I feel like I have been withdrawn from my activities on the Board and also on the Parent Council since I started this "I don't feel good" business, but I have no intentions of letting go. This school means too much to me. So hopefully I will be able to get back on track and get my head in the game again. Today was a good start.

Second, I had my pre-op appointment. I met with Theresa Capaci, PA. She is awesome! I had finished my initial intake and was sitting on the exam table waiting for her to come in. She knocked on the door and I sang "come in" and gave a big smile and "hello" as she walked in. My look must have said something like "So good to see you again" because she asked if we had met before and when I said no, she said "Wow, your so bright and happy - especially for what you are going through." And I commented, "Yeah, I think a lot of my friends think I'm crazy."

She went on to mention a guy who was recently seen on an episode of Oprah called Death and Dying. The guys name is Randy Pausch and he is suffering from pancreatic cancer - having been told by doctors he has only a few months to live. She said his philosophy on his time left (in a very small nutshell) is "Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? Choose!" She said I looked like a Tigger. I feel like a Tigger.

Now, I don't believe for one minute I only have months to live. And the information given to me from my doctors is good enough to support I have great chances of not only living, but of being cured! The sad truth is, some people might hear the news cancer - and maybe they can't help but be Eeyore's. There was one in my chemo class in fact. She was an older lady and by herself. And every question or comment she made sounded exactly like something Eeyore would have said -

• "I already feel nauseous" (after hearing it may be a side effect of chemo and that drugs are available to combat the feeling).
• "With my luck, I will be the 1%" (of people who die from complications of a drug).

Yikes. It made me so thankful that I haven't got there - even if someday I do, thank God it's not the way I'm starting this journey!

Anyway, Theresa and I talked about my 'cute' surgeons and she even tracked down a chart with pictures so that I could point out the one I met on my first ER visit. Talking and laughing with her made me feel like I was reunited with a high school friend. She recommended a book "Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips" and just left me feeling warm and fuzzy and once again - amazed at the kindness of total strangers. I'm about fed up with co-pays I have to say - but today's was totally worth it.

About the surgery...
I thought I would be getting a local anesthesia on Thursday, but found out it's the real deal. General anesthesia will be administered to complete this surgery, so I will be out for the count. I think I'm feeling pretty good about that. I check in at 7am, surgery is scheduled for 8am and should last no more than an hour. Recovery about two hours and I should be home in the afternoon. All this to install a central line so that they don't have to poke my veins each time I go in for chemo. Praise God!

Noticing the "good stuff" -
[x] West Denver Prep
[x] nice people (who make me laugh is a perk)
[x] Tiggers for their bounce, and Eeyore's for making us thankful for Tiggers
[x] Anesthesia
[x] Blogspot! (haha! insert evil laugh here)
[x] Ms. Dai