Email Diary

March 8, 2000 - Almost Normal Life (for the Moment)

What a wonderful three weeks of "normal" life I have had. Thanks to all the prayers and encouraging words, and the grace of God, it's been fantastic. I was able to accompany my husband, Roy, to Miami to hear him keynote the Information Technology Services Summit. He was great! I am so proud of him! Then I was off to Norfolk for the NSA Eastern Winter Workshop. Roy joined me on Friday night. Seeing so many of you and collecting hugs in person made my weekend! And the excellent programming made it even more memorable.

The 28th I saw my surgeon for my one month check-up. He was extremely pleased - "...turned out better than even I had hoped for," he said. It seems that the incision made by the first surgeon for the biopsy was misplaced and made for a difficult challenge during the mastectomy. I am so glad I took the responsibility for my own well being and got a second opinion before having surgery - who knows what might have occurred if I'd kept the first surgeon. Knowledge IS power.

Tuesday I went for my pre-op admissions testing. The one thing they do not tell you is how COLD all these examining rooms are! Another EKG, more blood pressure readings, more blood tests. The lab at Lucerne is not equipped to take blood from a porta-cath, so my poor right hand had to endure several more "sticks" until they had the blood they needed. I seem to again be disgustingly healthy except for the need for the hysterectomy.

Tomorrow, Thursday, I report to the hospital at 5 AM (again) for the preparation for surgery. Surgery is scheduled for 7:30 AM. The surgeon will take the "suspect" tissue out first and have a frozen section done to test for cancer while he is completing the rest of the hysterectomy. The whole operation is expected to last about 1 1/2 to 2 hours followed by time in the recovery room until I wake up. If it's like last time, I'll be in my room around 1:00. I am told that I'll be in the hospital for three to five days, so I'll be unable to give you an update until around Tuesday.

My Mom and Roy will be answering our home phone (407-856-4541) if you are curious as to the outcome. The doctors have told me that the recovery from this one is four to six weeks. Of course, they told me two to four weeks for the other one and I was playing golf after six days! Let's hope I recover as quickly this time. I need to be up and somewhat mobile because I start chemo on March 20th.

God is good - friends are great to have. My friend, Christie, is staying all night with me tomorrow night (all the rooms in the women's wing at Lucerne are private rooms!) and another friend, Eva Marie is staying with me Friday night. I am so blessed!!

The one unfortunate event in all of this is that my email is down! I've not received any mail for three days. If you write to me, please send mail to positiveconnections@worldnet.att.net for the time being. Perhaps I'll be able to receive mail there! Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts and encouraging words. I could not do this without you!

Hugs!

Deb