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Like last time, Shannon seems to be rebounding from this surgery at amazing speed. Buddy and I just got to visit her and Jason for a bit and they are both in good spirits. Today Shannon was freed from all the tubes and wires that she’s been connected to since surgery, and she has been up and walking around a little already. Dr Sawaya stopped by for a visit and was happy to report that her post-surgery MRI is “beautiful!!”[...]
Jason and I were able to visit with Shannon in the post-op recovery room, and she’s doing great, the sassy Shannon we all know and love. Her only complaint was “I have a headache” 😂 They are already moving her up to a regular room and we should be able to see her again in an hour or so. If things go similarly to last time, she will probably get to go home on Friday![...]
We just met with the awesome Dr Sawaya and he’s all done! He said the surgery was very successful and he got all of the tumor (plus a bunch of dead/necrotic tissue that was hanging out after the radiation). Shannon made it through like a champ and they are closing her up now. We should get to see her in about an hour in the recovery room.[...]
Got our first update from the surgical nurse, Shannon is doing well. They started surgery at 9:38. Right now they are working on removing the bone flap to get access to that damn Tammy. We should get another update in a couple of hours, but all is going well so far.[...]
The awesome team at MD Anderson welcomed Shannon back to pre-op and we kept them entertained for about an hour. Various people come in and out of the room to get her ready for surgery. They put fancy compression socks on her, ask lots of questions, test her motor skills and finally put in an IV to deliver her “I don’t care” medicine (i.e. Versed). She has the same anesthesiologist as last time, which is great! And of course, the best neurosurgeon in the universe, Dr Sawaya. They wheeled her off to the operating room and now Jason and I are hanging out in the waiting room. Dr Sawaya said the surgery takes about 5 hours, but last time he was much faster than that. :-) We are supposed to get an interim update from the nurse around 10:30, so for now we wait.[...]
We are checked into the surgery center, hanging out in the lovely Freesia waiting area. Shannon woke up with a rockin’ hairdo this morning.
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Later today my mom will arrive to stay with Aidan and then Jason and I will leave for Houston. I got up around 7 and started coffee. I guess I woke Jason because he came in asking me why I was awake. Must be anxiety. Aidan had a cross country meet this morning but he hurt his knee yesterday and we decided it's better to allow it to heal than to run on it and make it worse, so those two went back to bed. The morning is still and quiet, the calm before the storm.[...]
...TAMMY! The council has met (Kim, Jane, Katy, & me). We have discussed many names for the nub. Let it be known that from here on out she shall be referred to as Tammy, the daughter of Crystal. And she too (like Crystal before her) will be evicted next Wednesday. [...]
So much has happened since my last post that I'm going to do two posts in one. The first part will cover everything since the last post and a conclusion to Chapter 1 of this crazy journey. The second part will introduce LIving La Vida Glioma Chapter 2.[...]
