Finally, Goliath

Today is Friday. Today I get my port placement surgery, or as Dada laughed when he read the paperwork, "part placement" as someone's handwritten "o" ran right into the "r" so at first glance it looks like I'm having auto body work done. This, of course, led to mastectomy reconstruction jokes which then led to rolling of eyes and more giggles. 

This is what I've been most nervous about in a week that has hosted a lymph node biopsy and two days' of chemo treatments because the first session is so long they needed to break it up. Those medical adventure firsts were in addition to the Real Life stuff we were doing: two field trips done, one more today, a 15th birthday celebration, karate, school, you get the idea. Tonight is more karate and tomorrow is black belt graduation.

In hindsight, it may not have been the best night to add chicken to the crock pot overnight. I've been smelling those lovely wafts upstairs all night and I'm not allowed to eat, drink, chew gum, nothing until after surgery, starting at midnight last night. I'm pretending to be a Gremlin, but as I'm truly a Hobbit who will be missing breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, and perhaps afternoon tea, I'm certainly not going to be still pretending by the time the food gets to me! I am going to be one bona fide Gremlin. My stomach is already protesting. Might be a long day. I report to the hospital at 11:15 and the surgery begins at 12:45. I do already have my iv needle from the chemo still in my arm, so perhaps that will expedite the process. Or not. We shall see. If not, I might take a bite out of the bed in recovery.

I'd mentioned on Facebook about this being a Goliath of a week with many medical firsts for me amidst the Real Life stuff that needed done. Our good and wise friend Dave commented that we always look at ourselves as David in that fight, facing down the big and scary giant. He said the reality for Christians is that we are actually the Israelites and that our God is David. He is the one in front of us, always, armed and more than prepared to take on anything that comes at us. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to pivot my mindset to the fact that I'm not the one facing any of this by myself. So thank you, Dave, for passing along the words of wisdom. Especially before a day when I'm going in completely vulnerable. The surgery prep means no makeup (so no brave game face), no deodorant (so no hiding nervous sweat which is always worse than we-were-having-fun-sweat), no jewelry, no hair product, no food, no water, no nothin'! Eeeeeeek!

Long story short, please pray it all goes quickly (I'm sure the part where I'm under general anesthesia will be a blink) with no problems and that I have no reactions to anything and that I can eat! Lots!

Interesting tidbit I learned yesterday: breast cancer patients are the only ones inclined to gain weight as everyone, especially other women, want to feed you because that's one of the ways we love on people. I'd first been told to eat whatever looked and smelled good as apparently chemo can mess with tastes and smells. I was specifically told that if only a milkshake sounded right, then better to have the milkshake than nothing. Yesterday I was told that whatever my weight was going in to chemo is what it should be when I'm done. I admit I pouted a bit.

To back track a tiny bit, yesterday my Rita took me to chemo and to get my hair did, haha. My stylist washed it up which is always a highlight, chopped off many inches to donate, and then snipped the rest into a snazzy new 'do which Carrie declared looked just like hers when I got home. It looks very similar to how it was when Carrie was a tiny small soul. I love it and am a little sad that I'll only have it for 2 or 3 weeks, but it's always something to aim for once it grows back. 

I also got something similar to a glade plug in which infuses me with white blood cell booster magic. Later today it will give me a bee sting like injection that will prompt my bone marrow to kick up white blood cell production. Then I can "unplug" it and turn it in at my next appointment as it counts as "sharps" and I shouldn't just pitch it. 

Then I'll have both items out of my left arm and can sleep on that side again, too- wheeeeee!

I'll keep you posted. Dada might keep you abreast of the situtation. ;)