eleven days
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 10:27AM I just realized it's been eleven days, and so much has happened since the mack truck moment. I want to give you an update. More importantly, I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY PERSON who reached out to me over the past week. Whether it was by commenting here, or on facebook, or by email, or by phone...I was completely OVERWHELMED by your support, and your encouragement, your stories, your laughs, and your Kindess. For a girl who has a hard time letting people "in", and especially asking for help... I was bowled over. A million thank yous. xo
So, to get you caught up on "The Sitch"... we don't know much more than when I last posted. But I did have surgery on Friday. They took out the melanoma, as well as a lymph node (apparently you have lots of them). We'll know whether or not it spread by the end of the week. The doctor said everything "looked good". Whatever that means, I'll take it. Especially coming from my crusty, old Vietnam Veteran surgeon.
And I sound all brave when I wrap up the experience into the conciseness of "I had surgery". Closer to the truth is that I freaked, and begged Jason to ask his mom to come out with only a day's notice "to watch the kids". Mostly I was being a baby, and wanted a mom in the house. Thank you Maretta!
Then there was DD And Katy On The Day Of Surgery. They bounded through the door in the morning, and within 5 minutes, were on a first name basis with the entire hospital staff. Doing all kinds of inappropriate things, like taking pictures of my urine sample "for the scrapbook". And telling the nurse that they need to re-check me for illegal drugs, "especially crack". Katy held my hand while I had radio isotopes injected into my hip, even though she hates needles and her hand was as clammy as mine. The best was when the been-there-done-that-a-million-times surgeon came in. They asked him if he could "do a quick boob job through the lymph node incision"... then when he closed the curtain to check me alone, Katy yelled "Maile if you feel uncomfortable at any time, you just let us know!" I don't know what I would have done without them to take my mind off all that was happening. Especially toward the end, when my thumbs started turning in. Since I was a teenager, when I get really nervous, my thumbs uncontrollably turn into my hands. I never knew what it was until my third birth, when the nurse told me I was hyperventilating. Oh! Breathing helps. And so does that "twilight" medication they give you. All I remember is being very cold on a table, and then waking up with unfrozen thumbs. AND a bunch of nasty scars, that have forever killed my aspirations of becoming a bikini model. God, I was so close.
And that's where we are now. Still waiting, but optimistic. And also feeling the need to rant just a little about the medical system. Without going into tedious detail, I will say that in order to make this surgery happen, I literally had to stop working, and DEVOTE MY ENTIRE WEEK to making sure everyone had the paperwork they needed. WHO KNEW IT WAS SO HARD TO FAX A DOCUMENT?! And why are they not digital anyway?! Not to mention the asinine insurance prerequisites... like needing a referral from a primary care physician whom I've never even MET. Four hours of waiting for a FIVE MINUTE signature from a stranger, who is okay-ing a surgery she knows nothing about. I feel SO SORRY for people with on-going medical issues, who have to deal with this circus of a system on a regular basis.
Alright, that's enough, and this is getting long. But I do want to leave on a happy note. A lovely post here, that speaks of everything that has become so clear to me recently.
And today is my Annie Bean's 6th birthday! As my good friend Amber would say, "My teeny tiny little newborn baby is SIX!". And as my Mom always says, "I'm so glad you were born".
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETNESS. XO
Reader Comments (17)
We wish we were there.
Sending all our love to the Wilson home.
Nana and Papa
I feel like I should have known about this sooner so I could wish you the best. I am glad things look good for now. Just want to add my voice to all the supporters and tell you we are thinking of you.
Auggie, Gretchen and Baby Jack
how awesome to have them there to laugh you through it.
What a beautiful day for a birthday for a beautiful little gal named Annie.....Happy bubbles, ice cream cones and kites to you on this special day, Annie.