Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Phase III
It’s official. Surgery date is a week from Thursday, on February 1, at 9:45 a.m., at Duke Health Hospital in Raleigh. (This hospital used to be Raleigh Community on Wake Forest Road.) I had a very long talk with my surgeon, and he agreed that it’s time to do this, if we’re going to. And so we are. All I have to do is show up, and he’s going to do the hard part. There are several parts to the surgery, which will take 3-5 hours. The first part is a bronchoscopy, which is a tube down my trachea to look into my lungs. The 2nd part is a diagnostic thoracoscopy, which is a camera in the chest to biopsy the lymph nodes. (It’ll get there via the hole for the chest tube.) The 3rd part is the thorachotomy, which is the incision for the removal of the lower lobe of my left lung. (The incision will be on my back, between my shoulder blade and spine.) The 4th part will be the installation of the intercostal muscle flap, which is a procedure where Dr. White will cut off a piece of rib muscle and use it to seal the severed bronchial tube to avoid infection, much like patching a tire. The last part will be the dissection of the lymph nodes. And then I’ll get all stitched up, and Phase III is done.
Once again, I’m getting my ducks in a row, and this time, they’re going. I guess they’ve been lined up so often that they’re used to it by now. Let’s see what’s on the list: Get house clean. Make living arrangements for the boys while I’m in the hospital. Check on bus schedule for youngest son. Stock up on easy-to-cook food and snacks for when I’m home. Make arrangements for the dog. Pay bills. Wash all the clothes. Get the list of errand-runners. Schedule the food-bringers. I’m sure there’s more, and probably something big that I’m forgetting. It will probably come to me the morning of surgery, when I can do nothing about it. You know, I’ve known that this surgery was coming, from way back in August. I’ve recited the order of events so often that it was my mantra. And now that it’s here, I’m a little panicky about it. My mind is racing with all the big things I need to do, and all those little details to attend. Oh, I’ll be fine later, but right now, I’m just a little testy. Imagine that!
So there’s the latest plan. I wanted to give as much info as possible so that everybody knows what’s happening. And that way, when (not if) I forget, y’all can remind me. Thanks. ¶ 5:41 PM
It’s official. Surgery date is a week from Thursday, on February 1, at 9:45 a.m., at Duke Health Hospital in Raleigh. (This hospital used to be Raleigh Community on Wake Forest Road.) I had a very long talk with my surgeon, and he agreed that it’s time to do this, if we’re going to. And so we are. All I have to do is show up, and he’s going to do the hard part. There are several parts to the surgery, which will take 3-5 hours. The first part is a bronchoscopy, which is a tube down my trachea to look into my lungs. The 2nd part is a diagnostic thoracoscopy, which is a camera in the chest to biopsy the lymph nodes. (It’ll get there via the hole for the chest tube.) The 3rd part is the thorachotomy, which is the incision for the removal of the lower lobe of my left lung. (The incision will be on my back, between my shoulder blade and spine.) The 4th part will be the installation of the intercostal muscle flap, which is a procedure where Dr. White will cut off a piece of rib muscle and use it to seal the severed bronchial tube to avoid infection, much like patching a tire. The last part will be the dissection of the lymph nodes. And then I’ll get all stitched up, and Phase III is done.
Once again, I’m getting my ducks in a row, and this time, they’re going. I guess they’ve been lined up so often that they’re used to it by now. Let’s see what’s on the list: Get house clean. Make living arrangements for the boys while I’m in the hospital. Check on bus schedule for youngest son. Stock up on easy-to-cook food and snacks for when I’m home. Make arrangements for the dog. Pay bills. Wash all the clothes. Get the list of errand-runners. Schedule the food-bringers. I’m sure there’s more, and probably something big that I’m forgetting. It will probably come to me the morning of surgery, when I can do nothing about it. You know, I’ve known that this surgery was coming, from way back in August. I’ve recited the order of events so often that it was my mantra. And now that it’s here, I’m a little panicky about it. My mind is racing with all the big things I need to do, and all those little details to attend. Oh, I’ll be fine later, but right now, I’m just a little testy. Imagine that!
So there’s the latest plan. I wanted to give as much info as possible so that everybody knows what’s happening. And that way, when (not if) I forget, y’all can remind me. Thanks. ¶ 5:41 PM
Comments:
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How is it this can sound so very easy and so very hard all at the same time... just a nip and tuck and you're done??? all except for a hole or two? Hmmmm, you are some girl, Ms. Margaret! You know we're here for you, just waiting for you to call us in! You do that now, you hear! Sending all the good vibes I have your way :) Ann.
# posted by 
: 1:30 PM
: 1:30 PM
Sounds like your ducks are all in good order. Yes, it is coming up fast, but it sounds like you're getting ready to meet it head on.
And we're here for any hand-holding you may need. Or even a really bad pun, if that's what you want. You go, girl.
Brenda
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And we're here for any hand-holding you may need. Or even a really bad pun, if that's what you want. You go, girl.
Brenda
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