Project 365, Week 40

This week had lots of New York trips in it but we also had some resolution to my on-going saga. Never dull around here!

September 30

Even though Shaun and I had gone to the city on Thursday for all the testing, they were unable to get me an appointment with the surgeon until this Monday.

This is my Awesome Amy. She's always there in the trenches with me and takes such good care of me. She's borne so much of the burden of me being sick over many years and has stepped in a filled so many gaps for our family over and over. She's a show-up kind of friend and I'm so grateful for her life and love and friendship. 

We waited a ridiculous amount of time to see the surgeon so we ended up staying for dinner to wait out rush hour.

October 1
Annoyingly, we were back to Sloan, at a campus just outside the city, for pre-op EKG and bloodwork.

It was a quick in and out, other than the drive, so we were back for Amanda's game. She's so strong and athletic.

October 2
Super hero buddies, waiting for the bus. I wore my shirt to will strength. :)

Its been so mild and nice and sometimes you just need to take some moments to breath and be by the water.

October 3
You'll Miss This Someday #147: found on the kitchen counter in the morning.

October 4
Shaun, Amy and I left for the city well before the sun was up to beat the traffic and get checked in for surgery....we've all done this before. I keep saying it, but I'm just so grateful!!

*the #1 cancer hospital within driving distance *a reliable car *flexible work *health insurance that affords quality care *the sun that rises, again...a sign of God's faithfulness *the best people who stay by my side. And it just goes on!

"Been there, done that" was kind of my attitude toward surgery....I had very little anxiety, I was just really hoping for no complications, because my body tends to do things the hard way. My surgeon who I had through cancer even dubbed me "Complications Girl".

Took some doing to get the IV in, but once we were situated, we watched some Jim Gaffigan, specifically about having his appendix removed (a must see!), even though we had no idea my appendix was about to be removed! When the doctor came in to check on me and answer any last questions, I had laughing tears streaming down my face.

Worth mentioning again...as I was coming out of anestheisa, the first words I heard my nurse say were "NO CANCER". A big sigh of relief!! Shaun and Amy came in to see me and reported that the doctor was pleased with how it went.

I was beyond happy to be going home the same day as the surgery, though the 3-hour ride was tough. But it was also SO pretty and I just love that both brutal and beautiful are woven together in moments and days.

October 5
Day after surgery...survival day for me, single-parent weekend for Shaun. He sent me this photo with a sweet note while they were all hanging at Target after church, the girls shopping and the boys...not shopping. :)

October 6
Shaun and the kids were going to be gone all afternoon, so before they left they helped me get downstairs and turned on the TV for me (which I have no idea how to do on my own). I laid on the couch and watched football for many, many hours. It was actually quite nice.

It was one of our first chilly days, so the kids got cozy...so cute in their flannel pants and fuzzy socks.