Countdown to Surgery

Tomorrow is the day that I have been waiting for since April 23rd when I was first diagnosed. It is the day that I will entrust to the surgical team to remove the cancerous tumor in my pancreas. It will be the day that I hope so very much that I will be able end by saying "I am CANCER FREE!"

On Friday, about a half an hour before the rehearsal dinner, Dr. Adam's nurse called to say that she got the MRI report back. The most important news she gave me was that there is NO EVIDENCE OF LIVER INVOLVEMENT. That is huge news! HUGE NEWS! If there was, surgery would more than likely not be happening. She said that the tumor is 2.3 x 2.1 centimeters in size. The very first MRI on April 22nd showed that the tumor was 1.8 centimeters. When I had my pancreatic scan prior to starting radiation on May 17th, the tumor had grown to 2.5 centimeters. Although it did not shrink much from chemo and radiation, IT DID SHRINK. Most importantly, it did not grow. It could have been an aggressive tumor that did not respond at all to treatment. The Catoctin Singers/Dancers and all of the prayers that I have received from friends, family, and quite honestly strangers, made this tumor shrink. Thank you to ALL that helped make this happen.

We need to be UVA hospital at 7:30 in the morning and surgery will be at 9:30. It will last between 6 and 10 hours. Many of the decisions that have to be made will be during the surgery, i.e. vein dissection. I know that the surgical team will take the very best care of me. I ask that you pray specifically for the surgeon, Dr. Adams, tomorrow that God may guide him in making me healthy again.

My oldest son's girlfriend, Val, will be updating my blog. I asked her to share everything that the surgeon tells my family tomorrow. She will also be updating during the week. First by information that my husband gives her about how I'm doing. Later in the week, I hope to be able to share information with her myself.

Information that they gave me said that I will likely stay in the hospital 6-10 days. They will have me out of bed on the first day after surgery for a short walk. I will be on a pain pump that will be around the nerves in my back (epidural). I'll have a catheter in my bladder and 2 drains inserted for drainage. I will not have anything to eat or drink for the first few days after surgery. Once my intestines start to recover, I will have clear liquids and then advance to solid food. My blood sugars will be monitored closely because the pancreas is in charge of regulating your blood sugar. If my stomach doesn't wake up and respond to food, I will have to have a feeding tube until it does start to empty.

With that being said, I think that I am going to splurge tonight and have a steak and cheese sub!!!!!

Until I'm home, I leave you in Val's hands!