Sunday Surgery Smiles

What a difference a week makes!

This time last week, I was drinking broth, eating Jell-o and prepping for the surgery I would have on Monday morning. It wasn’t fun. I was dreading having surgery and the possible outcome.

I am glad that this past week is over…. what a relief!

I am still not feeling very well. It has been 32 years since my last abdominal surgery and I forgot how painful it is. I really am not up to blogging, but I have so much to to be thankful for that I just have to share my smiles with you.

Early Monday morning, we went to the hospital.   I was glad that the time had finally arrived. Waiting 28 days for the surgery was hard on me, my family and friends.

I was smiling that the long wait to have surgery was over.

I was smiling that Mindy came to be with me. 

I hated for her to have to get get up so early to be with me before the surgery but she wanted to come.  Having her there was moral support for me and for John.  She said that it made her sad that she couldn’t be with me when I was in the hospital in Utah…. and she wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. How I love this dear daughter!

(She didn’t get in this picture, but I was thanking the nurse who got my IV in on the first try. I have stubborn veins that don’t like to be poked and it usually takes several tries to get the IV in and working.)

I was also smiling that my dear friends, Sil and LouAnn  came to spend that day at the hospital with me too.  (I didn’t get a picture with them before the surgery because they would only allow one person at a time visit me and I didn’t have my camera when they were there. )

I was smiling that Dr. Hayes was my surgeon.

I have never had such a caring doctor. She treated me like a friend…. not just a patient that needed fixing.  At my pre-op appointment I told her that I was a religious person and I had faith that God would be with me during my surgery.

Dr. Hayes remembered that. She took my hand and right after this picture was taken she asked me if I would like to pray with her. Of course I said yes.

She said the sweetest prayer, asking God to bless me and help me during the surgery. After she said “Amen” I told her I would like to say a prayer too.  I thanked God for her and asked him to guide her hands and open her mind that she would know clearly what needed to be done during the surgery. After my prayer, her eyes were moist and she said it was the first time a patient had ever prayed for her. I told her that many of us were praying for her.

Ha… I am afraid that I didn’t have much of a smile after the surgery…. but I thought I was smiling in this picture with Sil. Sil came back after I got home from the hospital and spent 2 days with me.  What a sweet friend.

My surgery was 2 1/2 hours long, but it was 6 hours from the time I left for surgery until family and friends could see me. I took me a long time to wake up in recovery and be taken to my room.  It was a long wait for them.

We were all smiling at the good news….

They did not find any cancer cells…. Yeah!!!

Even though my ovary was attached to my bowel, Dr. Hayes did not have to cut into my bowel…. Yeah!

Dr. Hayes was able to do it laparoscopy….Yeah!   I only have 4 small incisions  instead of one big one which is much less painful and has a much faster recovery time.

…

I am still in a lot of pain and feel yucky…. but my heart is over flowing with thankfulness. I appreciate each of you who have expressed concern and prayed for me.

I feel very blessed and happy with the results of my surgery.

I hope that each of you are doing well too.   Gloria, I am praying that your mom’s surgery went well.  I look forward to getting back into blog world and reading about you as soon as I feel a bit better.

Until then…. I am sending you hugs and best wishes.