WEEK 48 Pre-Christmas Surgery at the Huntsman!

On December 20 Rich and I went to Rexburg for my next Herceptin IV. We got there early so we met up with my family members to have lunch at Fong's first. I must say, getting together with family has been the one good perk of having to travel for all of these treatments! After my IV, we headed on to Provo Utah where we spent the evening with Chase. The next day it was back to the Huntsman in Salt Lake for my pre-op appointments. In my visit with Dr. Agarwal, we decided to change which surgery I would have. Because the expander has caused me so much pain, I worried that I wasn't a good candidate for the Latissimus flap procedure because it involves a small implant, which I felt my body might want to reject. That is why I had chosen the longer, nastier DIEP flap procedure which takes skin & fat from my belly. Dr. Agarwal assured me that I was just as good a candidate for the Latissimus as anyone. So, the day before my surgery, we changed the procedure I would have. In some ways it was a relief, because I went from an 8 hour surgery to a 4 hour surgery, and from a 5 day Hospital stay to a 3 day stay. That meant I wouldn't be spending Christmas day at the Huntsman. I would be getting out Christmas Eve instead! Course that meant that we needed to come up with some alternate plans for those days, since we weren't going to go straight home. It ended up taking most of the day to see my surgeon, and then the anesthesiologist. We decided to get a motel room just a few blocks from the hospital, since we needed to be there early in the morning.

December 22 we headed to the Hospital at 8 a.m. Originally I was suppose to be there at 6 a.m., but changing to the shorter surgery allowed both me and my doctor to sleep a little more. I have to admit I was "sick to my stomach" nervous. The thought of getting cut on again really had me anxious. I felt that at least this time I would be better prepared. I found out with my Mastectomy that morphine does not do a thing for me. So my first night and morning was absolute misery. When the doctor changed the order to dilauded, I was back to being a real person again. So he said they would just start me on dilauded this time. My surgery started sometime after 10. Another good thing this time was not having to get poked 8 times trying to put an IV in. They were able to just use the port in my chest. What a relief! Surgeries are a very weird thing. The anesthesiologist is there talking to you - he puts something into the IV and starts to wheel you down the hall, and the next thing you know, you're waking up in the recovery room.

I guess "good drugs" help, but that first evening, dang, I was feeling pretty good. My sister Cynthia stopped by soon after I got to my room, having just finished a surgical shift at LDS Hospital nearby. She was expecting me to be dopey and dosey, so she figured she'd just say "Hi" and go on home. She ended up having to stay for a few hours so I could talk her leg off!

The next day, December 23, the soreness of a big honking incision on my back, having muscle cut, burrowed under my armpit and pulled out through my chest and attached to my pectoral muscle, all kicked in. Getting up and going to the bathroom was a challenge because I felt dizzy and nauseous when I'd get up. But when I was laying in my bed staying relaxed I didn't feel too bad. Eating was a bit of a problem. Between no appetite and cotton mouth I couldn't seem to eat anything. My dear "Eldest" brother Tim stopped by to visit. I ended up making him eat my sandwich since I couldn't do it myself. Thanks for the visit Tim! He and Kay were the first ones there last time I had surgery. Hey - our hairdo's are almost the same! Tim's is more gray though! Ha

Cynthia came by for another visit bearing gifts! I had mentioned that when we were getting ready to come down, I had a few big, long, baggy button-down shirts hanging in my laundry room to grab and bring so I would have those to wear after I got out of the Hospital. Since I'll have these disgusting drain tubes w/ fluid-grenades attached to me for several weeks, I need shirts that will cover them. Well, I forgot them! So Cynth went and did a little shopping for me. She bought me 3 shirts and a vest! Wow! Thanks Cynth! The denim one is so soft and comfortable and cute, I can tell already it will be one of those "wear it to death" shirts!

My younger sister Barb also stopped by for a visit. We got to chat for quite a while. And while Barb was still there, my Bro & Sis-In-Law, Eric and LeAnn stopped by to visit. I so appreciate those who take the time and effort to come by and visit, cause it truly does take some time and effort! While Barb & LeAnn & Eric were there, the nurse came in and told me it was time to go for a walk, so I had 3 friends to take my walk with me. I had to hobble along like a little old woman hanging on to my IV machine as my walker. But, I went a little farther each walk!

Later in the afternoon Rich's Aunt Fern also came by to visit. Somehow I managed to miss getting a picture of Fern, dang it! She let us know that we were very welcome to come and spend a few nights at their house through Christmas after I get released on the 24th. Nobody throws a party like the Hill's, so there was no place we'd rather be!

On Christmas Eve Day, Dec. 24 I managed to go for a good walk all by myself. Rich spent the night in Provo with Chase, and they were waiting for Chase's car to get fixed, then they were going to come and pick me up, since the Doctor OK'd me leaving. After my walk I took a shower, also by myself! Yeah, it's a big deal to be able to shower oneself! Then I laid on my hospital bed and watched TV until Rich and Chase arrived to "spring me". I got to watch 2 old classics: "A Miracle on 34th Street", and "White Christmas". Haven't seen either forever, so it was fun to see them. While I was laying there, two adorable families stopped by and asked if they coud give me a blanket as a gift, and sing me a few Christmas Carols. There were at least 10 or 12 kids in those two families, from teenagers to little ones. They said that they have had cancer in their family, so it has become a family tradition to go visit Cancer patients at the Huntsman on Christmas Eve. They gave me a nice green fleece blanket, and then they sang a few songs for me. It was so sweet. I was totally touched!

Speaking of being touched by sweet gifts, Collin & his sweet Tiffany had the topper! Before they took off for California for Christmas, Tiffany put together a "6 days of Christmas" box for me. They gave it to cousin Julie who occassionally works at the Huntsman. Julie gave it to a nurse friend, Bryn, who would be working on the 22nd when I came in. Bryn brought the box into my room right away. Collin told me on the phone to go ahead and open it then. Inside was a little gift and note for the next 6 days. Originally I was going to spend 5 days in the Hospital, so Tiffany wanted to make sure I was covered with a little gift for each day. The Day 1 gift was a little Christmas tree made of paper, so I could have a tree in my room! The Christmas Eve gift were 3 adorable little stockings Tiffany made so me and Rich and Chase would have stockings for Christmas Eve! Also among the gifts were Christmas candy, Tiffany-made hot pads, and a funny Picture Story book of Landon. So here's a fun pic that includes one of the shirts Cynth gave me, the green fleece blanket the sweet families brought, and some of Tiffany's fun work. You know, Thanks to Family and new friends, Christmas Eve at the Huntsman wasn't too bad!