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The surgery for the Power Port went well.  We were actually at the hospital a little less than 4 hours.  It was all pretty easy, thankfully.

See!  My Own Dedicated Space!
Thanks Greg!

We arrived a little before noon and parked in my designated space.  See, I'm there so much that I have my own space now.  Well, not really - but I SHOULD have my own space!  After parking, we entered the hospital and checked in.  They told me that my surgeon, Dr. Gallagher, was running early!  Woot!  I was excited that they were going to get things going right away.  I went to have a seat in the waiting room just knowing they'd be calling me back any second.

30 minutes later...I actually got called back!  My nurse was the same one I had when I had my mastectomy.  Her name is Gaylen - but they call her Gay.  I love her!  She's so awesome!  I was thrilled to have someone I knew and she remembered me too!  She knew she recognized the name and she remembered me more when we started talking about my medical history (just confirming things because it's all already in the computers) and then she REALLY remembered me when she went to put the IV in!  My sad little thin rolling veins are hard to forget!

We went through all the usual stuff - bathroom break, donning the lovely surgical gown, medical history and questions and getting an IV.  The IV didn't hurt at all!!!  Gay is amazing!  I have never ever had an IV not hurt!  Plus she got it on the first try!  I really wanted to kiss Gay right then but I think they discourage that type of behavior in a hospital setting.

Then, as always in hospitals, it was time to hurry up and wait.  They brought Greg back and we sat and waited and chatted a bit.  But, it wasn't long before the anesthesiologist appeared.  And HE was the same anesthesiologist I'd had for my mastectomy!!  What are the odds?!  He also remembered me!  We had a great time chatting.  Dr. Gallagher stopped by too.

Things started happening pretty quickly and the last thing I remember is teasing the anesthesiologist about carrying syringes around in his pocket.  And then, I was out.  He must have liked my joke (or maybe not and he wanted to shut me up) because he knocked me out fast and good.  I don't remember Greg saying goodbye or kissing my nose.  I don't remember giving him my glasses.  I guess I even said something and giggled.  Sounds like me but I don't remember that either.  I thought I remembered arriving in the operating room, but I'm starting to question that recollection.

Then I woke up and I was in the same space in the recovery room as last time!!  The coincidences were amazing!  The clock was right in front of me and it was just before 3 p.m.  I was in pain and I had a SPLITTING headache!  They gave me Morphine and said, "Hmm, that's weird, this surgery doesn't usually hurt..."  What?  How is that even possible?!  They made an incision and put something in your body and it doesn't hurt?  What a bunch of fruitcakes!

Anyway, the headache was really unbearable.  So they gave me some liquid Vicodin as well.  Then, lots of water.  It took a bit for the headache to go away and the pain to subside but I started to feel better.  I was in and out of consciousness but I do remember Dr. Gallagher stopping by to say Hi and tell me everything went great.  They told him about the headache and he asked if I drink coffee - Nope.

I was wheeled to a different part of the recovery room and Gay came by to check on me!  Well, probably it was her job but I like to think she did that because she loves me and stuff.  Pretty soon, it was time to get dressed and go to the bathroom.  Greg helped me and when I came out of the bathroom, there was a wheelchair waiting for me and they were changing the bed.  I guess that was my cue to leave!  I told my nurse to tell Gay that I love her and that I wasn't just saying that because I was all drugged up.

Someone wheeled me out to the parking lot and Greg came and picked me up and we were on our way.  After stopping for the pain pill prescription and a NON-coffee drink at Starbucks, we headed home.  It was a bumpy car ride and I accused my husband of driving like "Ricky Racer" but he denied it and said he was going slow as possible.  I'm suspicious...but I was pretty drugged up so we could have been going 5 mph and I wouldn't have known the difference.  But, knowing my husband, we were definitely going faster than 5 mph!

I did quite a bit of sleeping when I got home but, other than that, I feel pretty good.  There's some pain involved but it's not terrible and I'm up doing whatever I want for the most part.  My chest is pretty sore and my left arm is sore but manageable - especially with my old friend Vicodin.

Even though everyone said I wouldn't have any special "powers," I tried things out just to make sure.  I concentrated on disappearing or becoming invisible but I'm pretty sure it didn't work.  Then I tried to make myself levitate but that didn't work either.

Darn!  I hate it when the doctors are right!

Tomorrow: Chemo!

People Outside of My Family Who've Seen my Boobs (or a lack thereof): 34