SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2008 - COUNT DOWN TO OVER IT!!

Hello All Dearest Ones,

Well, the final count down is ticking away!! On Thursday, November 20, I am hoping and praying that I will undergo my last surgery of my life time!! Good Grief!! There is little else they could possibly figure out to do!!

I should have realized long ago, that having to have my tonsils and adnoids out twice as a child that I was predestined for multiple surgeries!! And, this past September, marked the second time my bowel was resected!! And, looking back, I have had countless numbers of surgeries for my mylenoma cancer. There was the large tumor in my left cheek bone and the reconstructive surgery for it!! And, then we went into the gallbladder rupturing before surgery could be performed and I was on operating table a bit over six hours and I had to spend 40 days in the hospital!! And, then there was the massive fibroid tumor and malignancy of my ovaries that resulted in a complete hysterectomy.

And, then in 2000, more of the evasive gall stones showed up, and they had taken up residence in my liver duct!! I had been on my feet all day taking care of Patty as this was the day she entered the hospital for a quick D & C. This soon escalated into a full adominal hysterectomy which was abruptly stopped when it was discovered she had massive cancer!! Her surgery was stopped to try and get her enough strength to be taken to the University of Iowa Oncology Unit in an attempt to remove the cancer. I had promised to stay with her for that "same day surgery" until she could be discharged and would recuperate at my home!! Well, that plan went down the toilet real quickly!! About midnight, the pains I had been having all that day just literally took my breath while helping Patty up to bathroom again. This bout of pains took me right to the hospital floor my self!! I was promptly picked up and taken down to the Emergency Room where the on call doctor diagnosed me as having "sympathy pains" for my dear friend, Patty!! He admitted me and had me placed in the other bed in Patty's room!! A few hours later, Patty was at my bedside as I was being rushed to emergency surgery to unblock my liver. I was one sick puppy!! Patty was taken to Iowa City, examined and treatment began. Yet, Patty was back at my bedside before I was discharged from the local hospital!! It was fast going into the holiday season and the many holiday balls we went to back then. Both of us had decided there was no way we were either going to miss the big Holiday Ball we both looked forward to each year!! And, the big Holiday Ball was the first time either of us ventured out!! I can remember so well how both our dates were so skeptical of taking us any where as we both walked kind of stooped over. But, we both danced almost every dance of the night!! Then, right after the New Year's Eve Ball we both had to go back into the hospital again!! Patty went back to University Hospital for her hysterectomy and I went back in locally to have the stints placed in my liver removed. After this, things went pretty well until the first bowel resection.

NOW, I have to go into the hospital on Thursday to have all the bits and pieces that used to be my teeth removed!! My RSD illness coupled with the many medications I must take for any quality of life have been taking a major toll on my entire body, however, they really took out my teeth. A few months ago, my teeth began disinigrating and all had crumbled within a ten day period!! I made arrangements in July to have my teeth removed, however, my stomach had other ideas. Thus, in September, I was taken in to the hospital for emergency surgery, however, it was for another bowel resection!!

In between all these surgeries, it finally became very apparent that I needed a port catherer placed in my chest for IV access!! I went into the local hospital to have this Port placed in my chest and ended up with the dumest anesthesiologist on this earth. I came to right as the surgery began!! I really had night terrors for months over this!! You always hear of such tales and think they are just that "tales"!! But, they definitely are NOT!! I can only remember the Surgeon just becoming instantly lividly mad!! The Surgeon ordered every thing stop and he had a nurse making transfer arrangements to Davenport, 50 miles south of us, even before I was taken from the Operating Room!! I was taken down to Genesis Hospital and taken back into surgery and the Port was quite successfully and easily placed!! What an ordeal!!

So, Thursday is D-Day for my teeth and mouth. The Oral Surgeon has been a real nice man!! He volunteered to make the 50 mile drive north to Clinton and perform the surgery locally so I could be near my home and friends!! This Surgeon thought it would be easier on me to not have to travel my self and to be close to home as he would like to see me stay in the hospital for a few days!! The plan is to take out all my teeth and then reduce four bones in my upper gums.
I have never been such a big chicken in my life!! I have been waking up with night terrors of this surgery and recuperation. My local General Practitioner is to take over my care after the surgery. The Oral Surgeon was concerned about many things and very cautiously started to ask about the possibility of my going into the hospital and be put completely out!! I told him that it was absolutely NO problem as I was not going to have it done any other way!! I definitely want to be put out for this operation and I want to stay put out for about two weeks!! I do not think or can remember being so apprehensive and upset about any surgery as I am about this one. However, most of my surgeries were all emergencies and I had little time to think about any thing!!

And, my most significant surgery, was one of the very first for nasal polyps. It was up at Dubuque Finley Hospital. I know it was one of first and I feared it like nothing else in my life!! I had a very nice Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist for a doctor and surgeon. At one point, he bargained with me to get me to consent to this procedure. I had been admiring one of his staff's beautiful earrings. She informed me they only came in pierced version. I was telling her how badly I wanted my ears pierced, but was way too CHICKEN to do so!! The doctor overheard us talking, and he presented bargaining of his piercing my ears while out with anesthesia if I allowed the much needed polyp surgery to take place. Well, now he was talking some thing I could understand and I sure signed on that dotted line real quickly!!

And, I am looking at this present surgery's pay off also!! I have requested all my teeth, or pieces of them, be returned to me after this surgery! The pre-op nurse is quite upset by such a request, however, my anesthesiologist assured me that even in spite of her he was assuring me the full return of all my teeth after the surgery is completed!! "WHY"? "What possible reason do you have for them"? was the reaction I got from the pre-op nurse!! Well, last I knew one tooth was worth at least $1 from the tooth fairy!! I think they said 26 teeth would be coming out and that is quite a nice little sum to haul!! And, I further told her that I always vowed to go to my grave with my own teeth!! Well, albeit in my pocket, but my teeth are going to my grave with me!!

I have been stitching all along, but afraid this has to be a secret!! It is appearing to be one of my very best projects ever, but it is also my "12 Days of Christmas" Exchange stitched piece so it has to be a secret for a bit yet!! Just wish me luck on finishing of this piece!!

I am hoping to get a whole lot of stitching done while down recuperating from this new surgery!! I am being assured from my General Practitioner, that he will make sure I have whatever morphine levels I need to attain complete pain control and I am going to keep him at that promise!! I can do any thing, if I don't have to deal with pain!!

Well, my STASH TO GO has had tremendous response!! I am so glad these pieces are going to good homes!! I have posted some 115 pieces thus far and I have a total of 185 ready from this clearing. I have two more large clearings after this one. I wanted to get this one out of the way if at all possible as soon as possible!!

Well, ladies and gents, please keep me close in good vibrations and prayers all week, but especially Thursday!! Thursday morning that I get out of this home, Thursday afternoon as my Surgeon begins my procedure at 1:00 p.m. and Thursday evening, that I will be as good as can be and missing my little Miprezious and will want to come home first thing in the morning!! And, pray that little Miprezious does not chew through the rest of my entry door in the kitchen and that she does not have too bad of separation anxiety problems this time!!

And, what do you think my chances of going for the second hole for earrings this time? I really have always wanted permanent diamond studs in a second hole!!

Love and Hugs,
Deborah
and
Miprezious, too!!