Wheee! Riding the roller-coaster ...

I could have also called this entry the ode to the surgery that almost wasn't ... at least, not on Jan. 10. But after a few phone calls, it's all good, I found out this morning. Phew!
I don't know if I misunderstood (possible) or what happened, but on Monday when I went down to the hospital's Center for Health and Healing (a brand new facility on the waterfront), I was shocked and dismayed to discover that my surgery was scheduled for Jan. 17.
There was a (not so slight) problem with that date: My co-worker, Dawn, had already graciously moved her vacation to another date to accomodate my Jan. 10 date. This was going to throw a major wrench in the works. I had resigned myself to a new surgery date in late February. But ... that didn't happen. Someone who had planned to have the surgery on Jan. 10 had canceled, and I slipped right into the spot.
I spent one night worrying about having to wait. I didn't think I would chicken out, I just wondered how long I just don't like waiting. Those who know me, realize how impatient I can be. Toe-tapping, arm-crossing and drawn-out-sighing are not out of the question ... hehehe.
My day at OHSU on Monday consisted of the pre-surgery medicine (blood work, an EKG, urine test and vitals). Then I got to meet the surgeon. A friend had told me that Dr. Robert O'Rourke had a terrible bedside manner. I asked Rick what he thought of the doc, and we both agreed that he seemed fine. Honest. I like honest.
He told me that I needed to lose more weight, but did not set a goal. He said the main reason to lose more weight is to free up the liver of any excess fat that you are able. During the surgery, this vital organ is lifted out of the way in order to access the areas that they need to staple and re-section (the stomach and intestine). Some patients have been known to have problems from the liver being lifted in such a manner. One woman I know from an online forum (called the Thinner Times Forum http://www.thinnertimesforum.com/index.php? --- it is a site that I recommend to anyone who is considering the surgery because of the level of experience that the members there have) reported having her liver "crack" during surgery because of last-minute binging. Ummm ... I'm not interested in that at all.
Dr. O'Rourke laid out the risks. He has done 500 surgeries, and has only had one complication ... from which the patient did die. It was a leak in the intestine, which is rare but happens, he said. I try not to think about it.
The doc also decided that since I had an old heart attack that shows up on my EKG (when it occurred, I really have no idea ...), he wants to have a cardiologist sign off on me. So, on Dec. 20, I go back to OHSU to see one of the specialists there.
Things are on track, and I am down to 26 days. It still feels unreal. As I sit here, I am listening to the song "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. It's what's been ringing in my mind for a couple of days now.
"Today is ... where your book begins: The rest is still unwritten."
Yeah, I totally get that.
Have a great day!