Sunshine

It's been a very busy day. I had an appointment with my friend Casey to wash my hair. And we successfully figured out a way to do it with my head bent over into the bathtub while she used the hand sprayer to shampoo and condition. Didn't really know why I need that hand sprayer until now. It worked great. Then Casey set me up in my favorite chair for a blow dry and style. After a week of putting it back in the scrunchie this was a big improvement! Plus, even though Mark has been doing a tremendous job taking care of me, hair styling is not one of his strong points. I have had to talk him through it. Putting in a scrunchie for an attorney is just overwhelming. He will have to keep practicing until I can reach my hands over my head.

Took a slow, short walk down the block ... would have made it to the corner but ran into Karen  so stopped to chat. It felt great to get out. Beautiful day!

I saw Dr. Hackert (plastic surgeon) yesterday. She is in charge of monitoring my wounds. She said everything looks good, almost better than expected. Next week I can have the drains taken out. I have an appointment with Dr. Eaker (cancer surgeon) next week for followup with ... not sure what. Although I have referrals with other doctors no appointments yet. My left side seems to be healing much faster than my right. Doesn't make sense to me as the cancer was in the left so that is where they took out muscle and more lymph nodes. But I am healing lopsidedly (is that a word?). I have to eat with left hand and do more typing with left. Can't reach my arms over my shoulders yet but can lift light objects.

(Side note... to my english major friends... if I don't get all the grammar and spelling right, no criticizing allowed. Remember I am on drugs!)

One story from surgery. I had to go to nuclear medicine before surgery where they put in the radioactive dye which eventually leads to the sentinel

lymph nodes. (A sentinel node is the first lymph a tumor drains into. So, it’s the first place that cancer is likely to spread. And they are different for each of us.) These will be the nodes they remove first during surgery to test for cancer. Anyway, not at all a comfortable procedure, but my friend, Carol Michael, who joined the cancer club three years ago really wanted to be there with me and my wonderful nurse Mary was there too. We excused Mark, he couldn't stand watching them hurt me. But the point is that while this procedure was going on we were all talking about Loretto closing ( for those not in town they announced that this Catholic girls school was closing in May for good). Nurse Mary's daughter had gone through Catholic schools her whole life and of course is connected with this group. It turns out that Mary has a daughter who is a Freshman at USF and her daughter, Jacqueline, knows Calvin's girlfriend Molly. Small world??  

Was also very lucky and so happy to have Winnie Gaines from Trinity Cathedral with me prior to surgery for a prayer, love and support. (Winnie is my sister-in-law Clare's mother and I have known her forever.) Again, you have all been so incredible. It's too hard still for me to respond to all your notes, calls, emails and gifts but I will get there. Hopefully soon.

Love you all!