Monday, August 16, 2010

Day Before Surgery. Unraveled Spices. Poll Results.

So what does a girl do with herself during the days before surgery? During the days leading up to the time when she knows that she’ll not be feeling real great for a week or two?

Well, this girl spent the last few days giving into my “nesting” instincts, trying to get things cleaned, organized and arranged so that I can spend time recovering without worrying about a million things that need to be done.

Don’t laugh, but I even alphabetized my spices! I’ve actually done that in the past but in the last few weeks, the alphabetization had started to unravel a bit. And there’s nothing worse than unraveled spices! I must say that it is wonderful to be able to find a spice in an instant. (Is it so obvious that I’m very easily entertained?)

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I also got the bright idea of using the walls in my (fairly small) pantry for storage. That helped to free up lots of drawer space. And free drawer space makes me a happy woman!

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The pantry got a little pre-surgical attention as well. Because we all know that one can not go into surgery until one’s pantry is clean! (I think they mentioned something about that in the pre-surgical instructions.)

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Earlier this morning I also took my last bike ride for a while. I never thought I’d say I’d miss exercising, but when exercising takes me into lovely places like this—well, I can’t help but miss it.

The pictures below are from another one of our bike trail destinations.

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As for the surgery itself, its scheduled for 8:45 tomorrow morning. We’ll have to leave the house about 5 am to get there in time for all the wonderful pre-surgical activity. And of course, I can’t eat or drink anything so I’ll probably be dreaming of oatmeal with blueberries the entire trip.

The surgery will last somewhere between ninety minutes and two hours. The surgeon will open up the incisions that are already there, take out the expanders and put in the permanent silicone implants. Even though he and I have had a conversation about sizing options, he will still have several sizes of implants in surgery so that the final decision can be made as to which is the “best fit.”

I’m not quite sure who makes that decision. The surgeon? The nurses? The anesthesiologist? I have this wacky picture in my mind of the whole team surrounding me and having a long discussion about which implant they think is best. Maybe they'll have some coffee and pastries while they're doing it. Maybe they'll sit down and put their feet up and have a long conversation.

Or maybe they could just wake me up momentarily and get my opinion. I mean, I’m the one who has to live with those things, right?

But the really good news? No drains!

I am so ecstatic about that little piece of info that I think that I shall leap up off the surgical gurney and entertain the assembled troupes with a No Drain Dance. Happy, happy, happy!

I’ve already gotten my four prescriptions filled (two pain, one nausea, one antibiotic) and have printed out the Med Schedule Sheet that Steve made up for me after my mastectomy.

So now that I have a med schedule and an organized spice rack, what more could I possibly need? I'm good to go!


In closing, I’d like to thank everyone who participated in last week’s poll.

Here are the results

There were 621 votes cast in the age category.

Readers are who 18 years old or younger:
5

19-25
45

26-35
183

(Oops! I left out this category earlier but I'd already erased the poll so I couldn't go back to find the figures. Instead, I added up the other categories and subtracted them from 621 and came up with 183. Sorry to overlook you wonderful folks!)

36-45
181

46-55
178

56-65
7

66-75
19

76-85
1

85-110
2 (One of these votes was my husband!)


For the male vs. female poll, 513 voters out of 522 were women.

To the brave guys who venture by here occasionally, let me just say that I’m glad you’re here!

Okay, that’s it. My To Do List for the day is longer than you can imagine so I’d better run. Steve or Sarah will update tomorrow as soon as they can.

(By the way, stop by Sarah’s site when you have a moment and read about a special family memory we made before her bone marrow transplant.)

15 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Anonymous said...

What happened to 26 to 35? :-) That's where I was!

Praying for surgery tomorrow!

Lisa in SD

Anonymous said...

will be holding good thoughts for you and your surgery tomorrow.

mrs pam

Anonymous said...

You can add 1 more reader to the 56-65 age group. My wireless card wasn't working right last week, so I didn't get to vote.

My prayers will be with you tomorrow during your surgery. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

By the way, this is the first time I have posted on your blog. Many times I had planned to respond, but never did.

Martha in SW PA

Sue G said...

Blessings to you as you head off to surgery tomorrow. I am confident that you will do well after the procedure and that each day will find you stronger and in less discomfort.

Just think: Soon you will be up and about and ready to go bra shopping to celebrate those new puppies!

Praying, believing, and expecting the best for you.

Anonymous said...

sending some prayers your way this morning and hope you are doing well and "pain free"!

judi mitchell, franklin, mass

Anonymous said...

Know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers (as usual) but especially tomorrow. Hope all goes well and you wake up to find you are "just the right size" (VBG)
I hope the surgery goes extremely well and you don't need many of those pills you have. Hugs to my favorite Smith family. Linda in Pittsburgh

Anonymous said...

Keeping you in prayer, Becky! As long as the medical staff is drinking coffee & eating pastries and not downing Mint Juleps along with a few beignets, your girls will be perfect!

Love
Guerrina

Anonymous said...

Celebrating already this awesome healing step and seeing for you a very smooth drainless recovery!

In loving light,

Eva

Anonymous said...

Certainly will keep you in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. another roller coaster to hang onto for awhile but should be smoothing out around the next bend. Best wishes for a smooth day in surgery and an even smoother recovery

Jean C.

Anonymous said...

Becky:Thinking of you on your surg. eve. It's been a long road, but you're almost done with it! YAAAAY! Jojy Smith

Anonymous said...

Becky,

Sending good thoughts and prayers to you for tomorrow. I am so glad to hear that you will be without the drains after this surgery, and hope that recovery goes smoothly.
Mostly, I am glad that you can put this behind you as just a bump in the road that you made it over!

Debbie H. in Sacramento

Anonymous said...

Good luck tomorrow - this surgery will be MUCH easier than the mastectomies/expander placement. You'll be having to remind yourself not to do the things you're not supposed to do. :)

And YAY and HAPPY DANCE for no drains. Drains are awful.

Stefanie in St. Louis

LizW said...

Just finally got to a computer since mine died, but wanted to wish you well tomorrow. My prayers are with you!

Ann Martin said...

Just to let you know I'm praying for you this morning (8 AM) and the medical team. Wish we could be there but things just didn't work out for that to happen. God bless Steve and Sarah as they wait. Will be checking back this afternoon as I'll be volunteering until 1 PM and not near a computer.

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