Post Op Results
Well I made it out of surgery and when I was waking up in the recovery room, I had a very hard time breathing. My lung didn't hurt but I had immense pressure in my back and lung area and I felt as though every muscle in my back was pulled and I could not get a breathe other than 1/8 capacity of my lungs. I was very uncomfortable and the Dr's gave me all types of pain meds but nothing was relieving this feeling in my chest/back. I finally asked if they could give me a muscle relaxer to ease the discomfort and as I started to awaken more, I just realized it was something that I was going to have to live with for a while until I came out of the anesthesia better. I had minimal pain and my lung and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to deal with that pain on top of the small breaths and tightness and muscle spasms in my back. I kept telling Dustin and Jami that my lungs weren't in pain but my back and the pressure in my lungs was excruciating. I didn't pick up on it immediately because I was still groggy from the anesthesia, but Jami was holding back tears.
I didn't realize what my two children had to endure during my surgery. I had friends and family at the hospital supporting myself and Dustin and Jami and some really tough decisions had to be made from them as to who would be present when the Dr's came out to deliver news that wasn't expected. I am so proud of both of them for how they handled everything but I wouldn't wish this on anyone's family to have to put their children through that hardship.
It turns out that the Dr's informed them that what they thought was Stage 1A or possibly 1B cancer was in reality Stage IV because it had metastasized into the chest wall lining and into some of the surrounding lymph nodes. They held that to themselves until I was able to understand what was being said because I don't remember the Dr telling me all of this after surgery. Later that night they both sat down beside me and told me the news. I asked if the Dr had given any indications on what they thought a time frame would be for life expectancy and Jami teared up and Dustin said they did not say anything like that to them. I knew they were both thinking the same thing as Jami teared up when I asked, but I knew Dustin would tell me the truth no matter how difficult it might be, so I felt good that no news is good news, plus only God knows when it is our time to leave this earthly life so I was good with that prognosis and so very proud of them both for being there for me and having to endure what they did.
Later that evening my brother came in from California and surprised me and said he was staying at my house to help take care of me for a while.
