Surgery was a success

Yesterday I went in for a lumpectomy, also known as a partial mastectomy. I wasn't nervous or worried as I had been through a similar surgery already. In fact, I have been through so many surgeries in the past few years that I was beginning to feel like an old hand at it. When asked if I had any questions, I said, no, I've done it so many times that I know what to expect.

Fortunately, there were no glitches. I got into the operating room talking about hamburgers (that's what the anesthesia does to you) and came out of the anesthesia with a sore throat from the breathing tube. They sure don't give you much time for recovery. As my IV was being removed, the nurse kept telling me to keep my eyes open and not fall back asleep, I'm sure because they couldn't release me if I wasn't conscious.

So they hustled me out to the entrance where Oscar and my friend, Heidi, were waiting. It was so sweet of Heidi to come see me. She got all of 3 minutes to say hi and give me a hug and then we were off home.

I walked in the house, fell into bed and Oscar had to remove my sunglasses. I slept for a while and felt fine. We started off slowly on the food just because the nurses told us to but I was famished from fasting since midnight the night before. When Oscar wasn't looking, I went into the kitchen, ate about 20 tortilla chips, a huge bowl of yogurt with berries, and made myself another cup of tea. Luckily, I had no nausea and didn't throw up, because that would not have been pretty.

The boys came home and were glad to see me awake and able to take hugs. Oscar urged them not to touch my torso because not only do I have the wound all bandaged up, but I have a drain. I was hoping to avoid having a drain this time, but since there was a cavity left from my last surgery, Dr. Roeder said that it was necessary. Besides it's better to have a drain than to have to go back to the hospital to have the wound draind there.

So, now the boys desperately want mommy to play "Show & Tell" where I let them see the bandages and the drain. I said that they had to wait til later on today when I am feeling more up to it. They will love it, cuz it's pretty gross and little boys love that stuff.

In the mean time, I have watched four episodes of Michael Palin's "Around the World in 80 Days." I am also just devouring "100 Years of Solitude" and all the New Yorkers I can get my hands on. I am working on some short stories of my own and responding to my email. And when I get tired of doing all those things, I take a nap. So no need to worry about me, unless of course I run out of reading material.

Thanks for all the calls and good wishes. I am well cared for and I feel really loved. I miss all my friends and family who I don't get to see often but I am thinking of all of you. I will write more soon, but it may not be about cancer. Til then .....