Day after procedure-9/26/09

Hi Friends,

Well I made it through the procedure just fine. Different outcome than I thought. But, it's all done and I am home. We had to wait forever it felt like. The procedure before me was more complicated than expected and I literally sat in pre-op for an extra 3 hours. I was fine though. I was not really nervous at all. Thanks for so many many prayers. I was so blown away by all the prayers that went around for me. I have got to know that all happened as the Lord intended.

When they were finally ready to get started he explained to me that he was going in from my neck with a camera down to the problem area. That way he could get an actual look at how things are right now. This is a much better look than the CT scan that they were going off of before. He saw that the vein was not as blocked as he thought it might have been. He thought it may have been as bad as 95%. He said it was only 70% and that there was good blood flow. From here he went ahead and opened up the vein with a balloon a few times. That was very uncomfortable. I was only on a synthetic morphine. I just felt a bit woozy. He needed me to hold my breath a couple times for a few pictures of the area. Maybe that is why they needed me awake? Overall I was pretty calm through the whole event. I was then taken to post-op and had to stay there for about 4 hours. They did feed me so that was nice. I literally left the hospital with a band-aid on my neck. Not bad huh?!!

I was a little shook up about some of the paperwork that was sent with me to bring to the doctors. It had info. on it about my recent scan and the findings. It talked about something on the top of my stomach and my lung which the doctors have not really discussed with me. But being unable to really understand all the doc-talk it's easy to get upset about things that might not warrant that. I have been having a lot of nausea and vomiting today so of course I think things are crazy with whatever the letter talked about my stomach about. I had to call my Dr. to get something called in to help me. I guess good nausea drugs are expensive and insurance companies are stingy. The one that works for me is only approved for me to have 9 every 28 days. I have nausea daily...so you do the math. When Dr. Kerr called me back I told he that I read something that I may have not been meant to read and it was upsetting. Without my file in front of him he had to rely on memory of the lastest reports, I was just in to see him last Tues. He remembered reading something about my diaphram and it being small. More of a point to keep an eye on rather than a problem. Sometimes things show up that are related to past surgeries or scarring. But they watch it and not always tell the patient. They don't want you to give up. Dr. Kerr is a Christian and it was good to talk to him today. He was able to calm me medically and spiritually. It all boils down to the fact that "If God is in the picture, there is always hope!".

I will continue to do my radiation and that should be all finished up about Oct. 6th. I had a few more days to do than I realized. And the machine broke once last week and I am taking next Fri off to somehow do our last Disneyland day before the tickets expires. Just being together as a family and having fun will be worth it. I might need them to wheel me around, but we will see. Right now we will just keep taking it all step by step and praying for the Lord to turn this all around. I have had enough of things going the wrong direction!

Love to all!!

Peggy

PS I thank the Lord for all of you often!