brunobaby

The surgery went well, and I have been instructed by my doctor to say that "the frozen (preliminary) is negative." He's seen this diagnosis reverse between the "frozen," which they take in the middle of the operation to see if they have to slice out more of you, and the full biopsy report, which comes about three to five business days later. He's seen it reverse about two to five percent of the time. So I've been walking a thin line between being relieved and being terrified of taking any odds for granted.

I've been back since yesterday afternoon. I was originally supposed to leave on Friday, but my lung hadn't fully reinflated. It was like when the Astroboy balloon loses air during the parade and his hand flaps or there's a dent in his head.

When they have to reinflate your lung at the end of the operation, they do it by slipping this tube that's like a bicycle pump between your ribs. It suctions all the air and fluid out of your chest cavity and into this little suitcase. After they've disconnected you from everything else you've still got to carry this thing back and forth to the bathroom, the dayroom, etc. "Say hello to my leetle frien'!" "Hi, I'm Melinda and this is my blood."

With all the technology that exists today, they still haven't come up with anything that works better than this medieval torture device.

They were finally able to take it out Saturday night, and it was too late to process my discharge papers and all, so I stayed overnight tube-free and got the first decent night's sleep in days. Right now, I'm zoned on pain killers but they're doing the job. Still anxious, though, until I get the final report.