Surgery update...

Surgery Update
I made it to my appointment at 11am, and had to wait in pre-op until almost 1pm. My surgery lasted about an hour and it worked on the first try! I guess they did an XRay in the operating room to make sure the line went to the right place. I woke up in the OR, and I remember talking to the doctors and people in the room, but I don't remember about what. Then the next thing I know, I was in recovery and felt like I just woke up from a good nap. It was 2pm. I stayed in recovery for two hours and then was able to go home on some extra strength Tylenol :o) We stopped for lunch/dinner on the way home and I wasn't nauseous at all. So it was a good day.

Other News
Hey, I talk about my little cousin Taylor on my blog and I'm posting a 9News story that she was interviewed on. If you have three minutes, take a look. Isn't she beautiful!

Third times a charm???

I just got home from my pre-op appointment. Yep, that means the winner is - the Central Line or Hohn Catheter. Yay. I really mean YAY! cause at least I will be given anesthesia. I don't know what the difference is between the PICC and the Hohn - but for some reason the PICC can be installed with only a numbing agent and by a nurse. But the Hohn requires surgery. Since I have chemo on Wednesday, they had to scramble to get it scheduled, but it's set. I go in on Monday at 11am and this should allow me to stay on track with my treatments. Another YAY!

Soooooo, I'm a little nervous. This is the third time I'm having a line installed. I'm starting to feel like Swiss Cheese. Each of the previous times it had to be done twice! For some reason, my anatomy didn't lead the line to the right place on the first insertions. Soooooo, my praying friends - I wouldn't mind if you put in a good word or two that this goes right the first time!

Onto brighter news... I just read my cousin Taylor's most recent blog entry and it looks like they are having a party. It's called 2008 Miracle Party and it's honoring several kids battling with cancer, including Taylor. Please visit her site http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylormorgan or the 2008 Miracle Party site for more information if you might be interested in attending.

Where's my banana phone?

Last Thursday, I told my mom that she could drop me off for the central line surgery and then go back home to take Darren to school. Then I told her I wouldn't be out until about 11 if she wanted to wait to come back till then. The thing is, I wasn't out-out the whole time and I didn't realize how much I would notice that I was alone. Thank God Mondo walked in (unexpectedly) when he did. It was right before they told me about the minor complications. I think I might have had a breakdown if he weren't there. Instead, I laughed. And he took a picture of me bundled in warm blankets.

So honestly, I'm a bit freaked out. I went in on Friday for the class on my central line, and I am not sure what I was expecting... I guess I thought that they were gonna show me how to clean the lines with Heparin (which I am okay with) and maybe show me how to connect and disconnect the banana phone (aka, the pump, which I still haven't seen)... but I found out I have to change the dressing on my own once a week, for the entire time. The nurse was stressing how it had to be sterile cause the line went straight down to my heart and an infection could.... what?!?!?! The first time I have to change it is Friday and I asked Sheila, who is a nurse and who has been going with me to appointments, if she might help me and make sure I don't kill myself.

My first round of chemotherapy is this Wednesday. Two days. I wonder if I will use it as a measure of time? Like, before chemo and after chemo. I do that sometimes... Oh man, we're really going now aren't we?

Minor complications... Ouch! That hurts!

I just got home from the Franklin Medical Center where my outpatient surgery was performed. I am feeling really tired and the area of the incision and my arms hurt a bit, but other than that - doing well.

So, you know how before you go into surgery the doctor comes in and discusses the possible complications... like you have a 1% chance of the such and such puncturing your lung. Or you have a 1% chance of the blah blah blah...

"In this procedure we will create an incision just below your left collar bone. We will push a wire down the vein towards your heart. That's where we want it to be. Then we will push a catheter piece over the wire and pull the wire out. There is, however, a small chance that the wire will go toward your other arm or your neck - in which case we will need to redo the procedure."

Guess what... My wire started out where it was supposed to be. The doctor said it "tickled my heart". He knew this from an EKG? readout. Anyway, I guess at some point, it flipped around and started up towards my neck. This wasn't discovered until after an X-Ray was taken, after I had a few animal crackers and a drink of gingerale. So that meant, not only did the procedure need to be corrected, it had to be done without anesthesia. Yay!

Haha. It wasn't really that bad. They numbed the area a bit and since the incision had already been made, I just had to deal with the discomfort and pressure of the wire being taken out and reinserted. I'm not gonna lie, it hurt. But I was able to get through it just fine. The whole surgery team was sooooo nice and joked with me, which was just what I needed.

So, here I am at home, ready to pass out - but of course, not before I blog. I'm off for a nap.... sweet dreams.

Noticing the "good stuff" -
[x] Jello pudding pops
[x] My funny anesthesiologist, Dr Natalie Conrad
[x] Imperial Dragon Chinese Restaurant

The Big Day - Part II

When I woke up in recovery, it was to a lot of pain. I was trying to move and figure out where I was and what happened. I was reaching out, I don't know what for - and crying... and asking "what time is it?". Where is everyone at? Did they leave me? I don't remember how long I was in there, or what order things happened in, but they adjusted my medication and the pain lessened enough for me to get ahold of myself. After some period of time, I was able to move to my room.

Mom & Dad, Mondo and Mike Norris came in to see me. They stayed through the whole surgery and recover time.

It was such a blur. Dr Vaughn came in. "Not diverticulitis... Removed the tumor... Sending to pathology... should get results in two days... possibly cancerous... oncologist... chemotherapy..." What?

My evening continued to be a blur. More visitors. I'm sorry, I know I wasn't able to have coherent conversations. I probably tried. I remember talking to Sammi and I think I probably dosed in and out, but she said that if I lost my hair through chemo, she would shave hers off too! God love Sammi and so do I! Kristie had brought Darren back - she had picked him up while I was in surgery and taken him to the zoo. I really don't remember what happened that evening. All I know is that it was just the beginning of such an incredible week. I had so many visitors. So many calls and emails and messages of "we're praying for you and your family." AND, lots of flowers and goodies too!

The Big Day - Part I

I'm not really nervous. Not as nervous as I would think I would be. The day is finally here and I am actually happy.

Mom is not ready, so Mondo, Darren and I head out on our own. Mondo's back went out last week, so he is limping and can't drive. Therefore, I am driving myself to the hospital - again. This time, I think it's really funny because we pull up to drop the car off at Valet Parking and I jump out to rush in to be on time for my check-in at 8:15am. Mondo is behind me, wriggling himself out of the backseat, barely able to walk. And I think, the valets probably think Geez lady. The guy is having surgery today. The least you could do it wait for him.

I see why they ask me to come in two hours early for a surgery that is scheduled to begin at 10:15am. I waited at least a half an hour until they called me to complete my registration. Thank goodness I had done most of it by phone already. By this time, my mom and dad had got there, and so had Pastor Pat and Mike Norris. We all go up to the surgical floor where they're directed to a waiting room and I am taken to Pre-Op. Hugs and kisses from all but Darren. He's already run ahead to the waiting room. Talk about hurry-up and wait.

It's about 9:40am and I'm just putting on my last piece of surgery garb - an aluminum looking puffy hat, that looks like one of those popcorn tins that open up real big when you heat it over the stove. Before microwave popcorn, I don't even know if they still make them. When my family and friends are brought in, Linda Chisholm is here too. They surround me and take turns saying a prayer. My dad is crying. I have a tear or two in my eyes as well. Not for any nervousness now, nor for any fear. Just for the thankfulness and amazement at being loved so much.

At 9:50, I am in the surgery room. Scooting over to the surgery table. Here comes the anesthesia. The anesthesiologist is making small talk. I can't really respond. I look up at the clock. It's 9:58am. Guess we're starting early.....

Did he say "possibility of cancer"?

Thursday, March 20th was supposed to be my last full day of work before I was going to take a couple of vacation days and then go out on short term disability for the surgery. On Wednesday, March 19th - in the evening, my abdominal pain came back - with a vengeance. I didn't know how I was going to make it to work, but there were a few things I had to get done. Ugh.

Right away, I edited my vacation response for email and recorded my voicemail. I closed up open issues and I think just in time. I had to leave. I was in tears. Called Dr Vaughn's office, who immediately sent another prescription for some more antibiotics. Had Mario walk me out to my car and managed to drive myself to Kaiser to pick up new meds. Went home and spent the rest of the day and the next vacation day in bed.

Dr Vaughn called me on Friday, March 21st to see how I was doing. This is how I remember the conversation, it is definitely not word for word.
Me: A little better. It seems like the meds are working pretty fast.
Dr V: I got your results from the (Pre-Op Procedure) and there is an abnormality. If you were older, I would be concerned of the possibility of cancer. The technician would like for you to come in for an Endoscopy, but I don't think I want to put anything into your body right now to risk a (lesion?). I don't want to risk the infection. I recommend we stay on schedule with the surgery.
Me: Sounds good to me. Did he say "possibility of cancer"?