Hiccups and Leapfrogging

I am, at times, a confusing person to read and/or listen to. This will be no different - except maybe more so. See??  Scratchin' your head already, huh...

You see, I have been working on a post about my femur surgery that took place four weeks ago tomorrow, but due to being either in too much pain to sit at the computer, or too hammered on pain killers to find said computer, I never finished. Sooooo, I'm leapfrogging a bit.

Today is my next surgery. And a biggie.

This is what they call my "de-bulking" procedure - which sounds like a radical weight loss program, but is, in actuality, an operation to remove as much of the soft tissue mass as can be done without messing with things like nerves and the femoral artery. After this bit of ick is done, then radiation can begin.

This doctor doesn't have a name yet. Well, he has the name his parents gave him and that others call him - Dr. Samuel Lyons - but I mean the one that I give him. The first thing, though, that I though would be an issue is that he is a Stanford man. We are a USC family. But, he seemed to be okay and be able to communicate clearly, so I guess I'll trust him. This guy also looks like he could actually be in MY GENERATION!! Finally, someone who remembers the same bad fashion of the 70's and 80's.

Today almost didn't happen. Well, I mean today would have happened, but not the today that we all planned for. About 11:30 yesterday morning, I got a call from the pre-registration gal at Maui Memorial. In a concerned voice she told me that my surgery was CANCELLED!! It seemed that the insurance had not yet authorized it. I am not one who loses it on phones - or anywhere, actually - with people in this kind of situation. Oh, I'll go off and beat up pillows and teddy bears and my husband and stuff, but I'll not lose control with whomever I'm speaking about the situation. Except for yesterday. I was less than cool as I called Don, the surgeon's office, and anyone else I could think of. I also notified my prayer chain immediately. These are the prayer warriors that I cannot function without!!

Anyway, it turns out that a small hiccup last week turned into this major glottal spasm yesterday. Last Thursday I went in for my pre-op labs - blood tests, chest x-ray, and EKG. Once again, this was a fasting test (you'd think I'd be super model thin by now with all these fasting things, but...not so much), so I made the 45 minute drive over there thirsty and hungry, but thinking about the yummy breakfast I would treat myself to once it was done. But the power was out.

That morning, the power was out in most of the medical building where I was supposed to get stuff done, as well as the state building and county courthouse across the street. Nerts and a half. But I felt for these folks, because what was merely an inconvenience for me was a nightmare for them. These good people had to use their cell phones to call and cancel appointments for the morning - knowing that many were coming for pretty far away. At least I thought it was merely an inconvenience. Since Don and I were going to be in O'ahu for my follow-up visit on the femur surgery on the Friday, I would have to wait until Monday to get my labs done. Because the doctor can't schedule things until he knows I'm not going to bleed out, suffocate under anesthesia, or my heart explode, he has to wait until he sees the labs. Because of it being on Monday instead of last Thursday, the insurance people hadn't looked at it yet - thus, hadn't given it the okey-dokey. Egad. So, very long story not so short but not so long - after tow and a half hours of phone calls and tons of prayer, the insurance cleared it, the hospital scheduled it, and we're good to go!!! Yes, God is even more powerful than insurance companies and hospital red tape...

So, this morning...It is 11:38 right now. I check in at 2:00. I am so hungry and thirsty now that the little flower candle is looking good.....

But I'm excited to go. I truly am. We have been waiting for all these to get done so the next thing can happen - the next thing being the radiation which will begin reducing the tumors. Before chemo begins, we have our visit over Christmas with our family in San Diego!!  PRAISE GOD!!!

My next appointments with the entourage are on the 5th of November. Dr. Labradoodle is looking forward to finding out more info on this little bugger so he can use "exciting" medicine. I love this guy's enthusiasm! At this point, they are still thinking that this is a rare recurrence of thyroid cancer. I love being...rare...!

And I am still not scared! Granted, I would rather be doing other things with my day today, and I am not looking forward to using a walker and cane and hobbling around and such. Being nuked everyday for a few weeks, then having oogie chemicals pumped through me was never on my "What I want To Do When I Grow Up" list. But it isn't on anybody's. And I at least, did get to grow up.

Don and I have a great-nephew whom we have never met. Well...technically, he isn't ours, I guess. Our nephew, Kevin, and his lovely bride, Missy, have been foster parents for a while. Among their children is Jose - a little dude about 7 or 8 (sorry, Missy!!), who has been fighting leukemia. Jose underwent a bone marrow transplant this summer, which required him and Mama Missy to go from their home in Henderson, NV, to Children's Hospital in San Diego. Months of separation from family. Months of isolation. All on this little guy who so deserves a life filled with joy and peace and security. Jose knows more about medicine than any little guy should. And there are thousands more like him.

No, I'm not scared. I am grateful. God let me become a grown-up (okay...chronologically). God let me have an amazing life. And I know I still have more ahead. I know I am prayed for, fervently. Please add Jose and his family and all those like them to your chats with God.

ahhhh....Thursday....Gardeners are here...making a ton of noise outside my window. Time to go.

See you all in a few days!!