So - The good news is that Part 1 of Stacey's surgery is done.
The Great news is that afterward the surgeon could not say enough good things about how well it went. Her insides seem to be clean as a whistle and there doesn't appear to be any lingering cancer. There is one lymph node, quite far removed from any of the pre-existing cancer areas, that was swollen and showed up as positive on the PET scan. However, the surgeon doesn't seem at all worried as this is the same lymph node that swells and would show positive on a PET scan for any normal person with a cold, the flu or virtually any other basic illness. In short, 99% sure there are no worries on that score.
She is recovering in the hospital tonight but will be coming home tomorrow to spend the rest of the weekend and then it's back to the hospital bright and early Monday morning for the Main Event. Part 2 is the actual Esophogectomy (I think I got that right... hmm).
Good. The serious news is out of the way. Now for the good stuff. I told Stacey I'd dish...
First - Stacey would make an excellent drunk! The anesthesiologist gave her a shot this morning and told her that she'd feel like she'd had a couple of Bloody Marys in no time. Sure enough, knocked her right into Loopy Land. Unfortunately, no embarrassing incidents to report - a bit of slurring, a bit of silliness, but that's about it. Instead, when the surgical nurse came to wheel her away to surgery, she started asking Cary anxiously for her wallet. She had decided the surgical nurse needed to see her beautiful boys (there is a picture of her boys on the outside of her wallet) and she couldn't relax until the nurse had Stacey's wallet in hand. The nurse was lovely. She took the picture into the light where she could see it better, examined the picture carefully and then came back to talk to Stacey about her beautiful family. Stacey was able to relax and head down the hall to surgery.
Second - The hospital needs to be careful about their entertainment offerings or thay're never going to get people to leave. After reading the TV channel lineup, I'm not sure we're going to be able to convince Stacey to come home! She and I were looking at the published hospital channel line up while waiting for the admittance clerk and have decided that we are uncertain how we will divide our time next week. We'll have to figure out when to watch the Cardiology Channel and when to change to the Board of Governors' Comedy Channel. We're pretty sure they will be equally riveting.
Finally - I'm posting a couple of pre-surgery pics of Stacey for your viewing pleasure. I thought these were fabulous- though I'm not posting the one I took in the waiting area before she was in surgery garb (sans makeup and trying to look annoyed...unsuccessfully). I'll hold onto that one for blackmail purposes later.
Please continue to keep Stacey, Cary and the boys in your thoughts and prayers. Her results are remarkable so far - and I have no doubt that you are all contributing to her progress.
You know - I don't think this one was taken after the Loopy Juice... It's just Stacey! :D
'Nuff said.
