The Night Before...

By this time tomorrow night, if all goes according to plan, I should be nestled all snug in my own bed with all the surgery behind me. And from what I've been told, I shouldn't be in too much pain - nothing Tylenol can't handle.

Tonight I am surrounded by loves - all three of them - my children. As expected, my daughters are here - and surprise of surprises, my son is, too, much to everyone's delight. Can't remember the last time I had all three children to myself. It's a very comforting feeling.

Have to be at the hospital a little earlier than planned - because I learned today that my booby has to be injected with radioactive stuff to track the path of the carcinoma. When I found out that the plan called for an injection without any numbing stuff, I said unh, unh! NOT gonna do that! The Lidocaine shots for my biopsy were enough to put me through the roof, and I refuse to have another needle stuck in there while I'm awake and feeling. So-oooo, we go in early so that I can sign consent forms and talk to doctors while I'm still conscious. I'm told the anesthesiologist has a great sense of humor - which I'm looking forward to - and then he'll give me the Versed, euphemistically called "conscious sedation." Conscious, hell! It's a lovely sleep.

The lady in the hospital registration office told me the surgery is scheduled to take one hour and 40 minutes. I asked if someone stands over the surgeon with a stopwatch - and if we go overtime, do they just throw me out on the lawn? Or maybe finish the surgery out in the hallway? And if we get finished early, do I get a discount? She was laughing so hard, she nearly dropped the phone!

And now it's time for bed - the waiting is almost over, thank God. I'm going to take my last shower for awhile - a "port" will be installed in my chest, so there will be no swimming or showers until after the port comes out.

I'm going to take everyone's loving messages and prayers and hold them close - and pray God will see all of us through this. I'll get back to the keyboard as soon as humanly possible. Good night and God bless.