Reflections

I always knew this, but today, I realized how amazing the important people are in my life.  We watched 50/50 today and while I am not trying to compare my situation to getting cancer and going through chemotherapy with the eventual surgery on the main character's mind, I found ways to relate.  I nodded out a few times during the movie, but from what I saw, it was like a different perspective from what I went through a few months ago.  The first comparable moment was when the main character had to say bye to his family and girlfriend and remind them that he'd see them in a few hours - very similar.  The waking up in the recovery room with caring ones around, skip a few days ahead when the main character is already home recovering, his best friend had to help him put dressing on his wounds - my best friend did the same.

I'm mainly reflecting back to the first surgery.  The couple of weeks leading up to it were filled with anxious moments.  The day before my surgery, I wasn't allowed to eat anything, and had to follow a clear liquid diet.  While dealing with the stress before a medical procedure and being hungry, our region also experienced some crazy downpours  and a power outage.  I also had some errands to run, so with the stress, the hunger, and the rain, I was starting to look forward to waking up from surgery and starting recovery.  

I'm not trying to say that my surgery was more traumatic than any other surgery.  I consider the removal of a tumor higher on the scale of medical procedures than having a colon removed.  I only experienced this event as the patient, never the concerned family members, or the loving best friend(s), but I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you!  Sorry, the thanks are probably getting repetitive in every post, but is it wrong to be too thankful?  I tend to lean towards Zen ideologies, and right now, I am very aware of the care I've received.

By the way, this week I had a CT scan to determine if some abdominal pain was a hernia, and luckily or unluckily it turned out negative.  I mention luck because had it been a hernia, we knew a definite resolution.  Unlucky, because now I must test various habits(eating, drinking, exercise) and continue to work to get to 100%.  I thought I was getting close a few weeks ago since I was able to play basketball, but it was too soon, and could have contributed to my abdominal pain that was not a hernia.  I may have increase the amount of torn abdominal muscle from doing too much too soon.  This week I controlled my portion sizes, and monitored my exercise output, and I'm feeling pretty good.