Looking Toward the Future

This morning, T and I headed for the hospital where her surgery is to be performed.  She had a pic line installed in her right arm.  It was the final hurdle in this run up to Tuesday -- the actual date of the surgery.

Now, there is nothing to do but wait, and try and cheer her on as she lives through the just awful, liquid diet that is required for these last five days. 

We are, each in our own way, anxious -- this is a very big deal surgery with some very real and scary risks.  We have done everything we know to do to give our T the very best shot at having this be successful.  The surgeon is one of the best in the area.  She has been cleared by our cardiologist, after some very thorough testing. 

We will, most likely, spend a quiet weekend here together.  There are some movies that we want to see together, and we will find some time to do that.  It is probably going to be a good long while before we are ready to go see movies together again. 

Tuesday morning will start very early.  We are to be at the hospital very early.  The surgeon estimates that the actual surgery will last between two and five hours.  Figure another hour or two in the recovery room, and we should have her back in her room, with us, by about 2:00 in the afternoon.

Once she is through surgery and on her way to recovering, we'll get her home as soon as we can.  We'll tuck her in nice and comfy in her favorite chair, and get to work helping her through the beginning days of post surgical eating.  The digestive system shifts that the surgery creates are monumental, and it is a very slow process to reintroduce foods.  In fact, it really seems that Himself has only begun to eat pretty much normally in the last 4 -- 6 months, and His surgery was over four years ago. 

I am working hard to be positive and hopeful and upbeat about this.  We are so aware of what can go wrong with this surgery, but I also know how much can go "right," and I am focusing on that.  This will be good, and my sister-heart will come through with flying colors.  By this time next year, we'll be hanging out at the pool together so she can show off her new cute, little self.

swan