The Pup – all blond hair and big blue eyes – innocently (or not so innocently – you make the determination haha) asked me a couple of days ago: “Gramma, have you had the GF yet?”

Ha ha ha ha – funny child that she is.

Under “Things they forget to tell you BEFORE you have surgery”:

1. Just how much it HURTS to have the GF after abdominal surgery. Now, I admit that my incisions (count them -FIVE incisions) were not at the same level as daughter Lessa’s C-sections, but it STILL hurts to try to have that first quiet – or not so quiet – toooooot. And, they won’t FEED you until you have it – of course, you don’t really feel like eating anyway.

2. Just how quiet your bowels really can be – even after the GF occurs. I mean, REALLY, folks. I’m not all that regular anyway (does this post remind anyone of some of Dooce’s posts, btw?) but, holy cow! I left the hospital all plugged up.

3. Just how MUCH of the loosening up stuff is required BEFORE moosie becomes unplugged! I took THREE doses before I felt things begin to gurgle and move around.

4. Said loosening up will continue for several days until you are forced to take the OTHER stuff to quiet it down enough in order to go to work for an hour or so.

Okay, friends, if you are still with me after all that, I thank you.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you and heart you and am just so blessed that you will all come and play in my comments. You are welcome at ANY time to do so. 😉

Dr. visit went well yesterday – and, yes, Faith I kept the staples. They were remarkably clean, but I will disinfect them before doing anything with them. I’m thinking of making them a part of a cute chain or something. 😉 We’ll see who has the coolest idea and the skills. lol

The diagnosis was cancer, BUT, the margins were clean and the doctor feels that I am a survivor in every sense of the word. I do not need chemo or radiation and I am most thankful for that.

Follow up plans include a CT in three months, a CT and chest xray in six months and another CT in twelve months. Barring any recurrence, I am a healed woman.

To top all of that . . . I have not taken my BP meds since entering the hospital. In fact, my pressure went so low at one point they thought they might have to intervene to bring it up. It has since leveled out. However, I am going to see my regular doc this morning to get his blessing on discontinuing the meds at least temporarily, or to start taking them again. Besides, he needs some Christmas cheer, too, I will bet. He will LOVE to hear the Christmas miracle he began when he sent me off to have a “hernia” taken care of, don’t you think?

Okay, I gotta get off here. 15 minutes online to me these days seems the same as 5 or 6 hours online used to feel to me. It’ll come back all in good time, though.

Thank you again for your comments, emails and snail mail cards. I heart you all!!!!