Day 15 – Friday (9/07/18)

UPDATED!!!

I did a quick post before surgery.  I have now finalized this day in history within the blog to include the surgery (starting on paragraph 3).

Hi Everyone!  Today is the next big day in my adventure.  I will be heading to the hospital in a little while, but this was my only moment to quickly type something.  As I mentioned yesterday, I won’t have time tonight to update the blog, so I will fill in details tomorrow.

I have received a lot of texts and notes from blog readers praying for my procedure today.  It is greatly appreciated.  The Lord willing, we should have a good sample by the end of the day, which the pathologist can use to get some final answers.

I arrived at the hospital, for my oddly specific surgery time of 3:42pm.  Check-in went super quick, and we sat down in the waiting room (at this time, just my mom and wife.  My dad, pastor, and in-laws were coming shortly).  Within what seemed 30 seconds, they called for me to come back.  I got up and started back, and my wife was like “Hey”!?!  Whoops… strike one.  Things went so quick I didn’t tell her bye, give her a hug and kiss… nothing.  I quickly turn around and return to where she was sitting.  With me standing and her sitting, things were awkward, and what came out was a pat on the shoulder and a kiss on her forehead with a quick “I love you”.  Strike two…  I quickly left the batter’s box knowing that I was down in the count, and scurried after the nurse.  At this point I realized I had ignored my mom too.  Strike three… and I wasn’t even in the box to take the pitch.  (Baseball fans, forgive me… I probably butchered the analogy…  I’m not exactly a sports guy).

Once I got to the back room, they got me all prepped with a flattering open-back hospital gown, an IV, and a TV remote… hmmm… maybe I’ll be in here longer than I thought?  (I would soon realize how correct this thought was).  At this time, my family and pastor were able to come back, two by two… Noah style.  THIS time, I made sure I didn’t screw up the hellos and goodbyes.  Praise God for second chances!  My marriage was saved.  My wife was able to stay in the room with me until they came to take me to surgery.  So much for 3:42pm…  I finally went back to surgery about 5:10pm.  In the time between, we did utilize the TV remote.  Big mistake.  Do you know how many commercials there are for food!  Not good for the guy chewing on a coffee stirring stick to keep from being hungry!  (Irony… flash forward to after the surgery… I was so nauseous; those same commercials would disgust me).

The anesthesiologist wheeled me back to the surgery room.  Big lights, table of sharp tools, about 7 people rushing around.  They got me shift over to the operating table.  The anesthesiologist gave me a “shot” in the IV and said this will just help get you started calming down.  Not sure if the trick was on me or on him… because that is all she wrote.  That is the last thing I remember.  The next memory I have is what felt like 4 different people saying my name.  I hear them say we need to move him upstairs since he isn’t waking up quickly.  Then boom!  Its 10:00pm.  Wow, that was an interesting time warp.  I finally come to my senses and I’m able to sit up.  Quick, get me a bowl!  I thought for sure I was going to throw up, but I was able to restrain.  I got some soda crackers down and some ginger ale, and the nurse gave me some nausea medicine, and this seemed to help my stomach calm down.  I had a slight headache, probably from not getting my coffee all day, and they gave me some $100 Tylenol tablets (haha).  I had to hang out for around 1 more hour while they watched my oxygen level.  Apparently I was low enough they had put me on oxygen while I was out.  Hmmm…  There are tubes in my nose.  Cool.  Strange I just now noticed!  They stepped me down off the oxygen, and made sure I was holding above 92% before they let me go.  My parents drove us home and I ate some ice cream and went to bed.

Note:  I did not personally get to hear anything from the doctor, but he did speak with my family.  He said that everything he saw was what he expected.  He got a good sample from blobby, and also took out two lymph nodes.  We are guessing… not sure… these may be the two that looked suspicious on the PET scan?  I’m assuming, if so, those may also help hold some answers as to whom blobby really is.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You so much for all of the friends, family, co-workers, etc  I have praying for me.  Please be with the doctor as he is going through his day.  I pray that everything is going well for him, and that he will be focused and ready at the appointed time for my procedure.  Please guide his hands and help us to get a good sample of Blobby.  Thank you for helping me find a coffee stirrer stick at work to chew on that has really helped me not feel hungry today!  Sometimes it is the little things that make a big difference.  I love you Lord, amen…….  Amended (post procedure)…  Thank You so much Lord for helping the surgery go well.  I was getting antsy as the 3:42 time came and went, but You helped me stay patient.  I don’t know what the hold-up was, but if there were complications in the surgery before me, I pray that You are helping that individual in whatever their current needs are.  I continue to pray that the samples collected are pristine, and that we can have some answers this coming week.  You are an awesome God.  Amen.