I AM HOME!!

I just got home not that long ago...... took a LONG shower and put on my comfy jammies. I am about to go climb into bed. I feel FAR better than what I expected. It is hard to swallow and I have to keep my head down and to the right for the most comfort (the incision site is tight). Other than that I feel pretty normal, not too much dizziness or nausea. In the hospital I was only allowed 3 liquid meals so anyone who knows me knows that we had to make a pit stop at my favorite MCDONALD'S on the way home! :-) MUCH BETTER!

Here is the run down of what happened yesterday and today:

• Got to the hospital and checked in at 5:30am


• Went back to the prep area and went through all the usual pokings and prodding


• At 6:30am Chad Strader came by and prayed with us (what an amazing person!!)


• I was rolled back and the next thing I remember was opening my eyes and my family walking into my room


• They took out my thyroid & the cancerous lymph node but not the para-thyroid


• I couldn't really talk for about an hour (or that is how I remember it)


• I was really groggy but comfortable (mostly from the morphine)


• As the day progressed my voice became more normal (it is a little scratchy still but good)


• I had a rough night with the swallowing (my fault for not wanting any more of the good drugs)


• My saving grace was my ipod!! It relaxed me!!


• I slept probably a total of 3 hours


• This morning all the docs came by and my blood pressure stayed around 102/50 all day and my calcium level was low but stabilized and they agreed to let me spring out of that joint


• I had many wonderful visitors!!! Thank you all so much!


• The day before surgery I weighed 141lbs.... today I am 146lbs!! I am sure it is from all the liquids but this will be interesting to watch.

I came home to a VERY clean house (my sister hired 2 maids for 4 hours!!) and it was also filled with flowers and gifts (I just might have to do this more often! HAHA). Grandma Sandy took Peter to the Children's Museum and the Museum of Natural Science to see the dinosaurs so Jen & Gene could take great care of me!! We also had a great visit from Jim the night before surgery.... we all had a great dinner - my favorite shaggy dog rolls and they had them sing Happy Birthday to me with a dessert... it was HILARIOUS! I needed that laugh!

Here is what is next:

1. Apparently my natural hormones will last in my body for up to 8 days (meaning I won't be sluggish until those are gone)


2. Then I go to the Endo doc on 5/5/08 and get the exact date for the radiation


3. I will start my permanent medication after radiation

Right now the crucial thing for me is to watch for my hands to tingle, if they do I have to go get a blood test ASAP at the surgeons office or the ER, this is a sign that the calcium is to low (did you know that if your calcium gets to low you stop breathing?? Either did I!!)

So.... ALL IS WELL!!! Everything went great!!

WE ARE HALF WAY THERE!!!

The surgery was to get rid of the parts feeding the cancer, now the radiation will KILL the cancer and hopefully that will be the end of MADGE!!!

GO MOMO!!!