Dad's Surgery Update

My father's surgery went very well. It was a long and difficult surgery (5 hours) according to the soft spoken surgeon who came to talk to us, but he sounded very optimistic about the outcome. The tumor was very large, and most likely took a couple years to grow to that size. The radiation seemed to do a very good job, most of what they had to work with was scarring due to the radiation, and they didn't see any signs of metastases. (translation: It didn't look like the cancer had spread.) He said the margins looked clear and that they sent the specimen (most of the stuff from the colon on down) to pathology where they will be testing it to learn more about the tumor and also see if any of the margins(edges) actually were infected, and if it's likely or not if he has cancer elsewhere nearby. But from what we know, it looks like they got all of it.

We finally got to see him about 8:30 at night, and he seemed tired, but lucid, and not in pain. (epidural, morphine on demand.) The hospital rooms at the university have been revamped since the last time I was visiting someone there. The room is private, and looks more like a tiny hotel room, wood floors, actual wallpaper, his own TV. He'll be at the hospital for about a week.

So, it was a good day yesterday. Emotionally stressful, but good. I got to spend the day with my family. Mom, Brother, Uncle Jim, Grandma, and Grandpa, and a family friend, Steve was also there to keep us company. Mom, BJ, Grandma and I played several hands of Hearts with the cards on loan from the surgery waiting area desk. (Can you believe someone had actually marked the Queen of Spades?) Somehow my brother only got about 16 points in roughly 7 hands. How did he do that? It was a good distraction though. Spending the day at a hospital is always strange, the hours run together. We were at the hospital from around 8am to 9:30pm.

I did get to call on bloodlossgirl which was a nice change too. It was nice to see a friendly face in the strange maze that is the University Hospital.

Things should get better from now out. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. It was really nice to read the little notes you left me.

Dad's Surgery Update

My father's surgery went very well. It was a long and difficult surgery (5 hours) according to the soft spoken surgeon who came to talk to us, but he sounded very optimistic about the outcome. The tumor was very large, and most likely took a couple years to grow to that size. The radiation seemed to do a very good job, most of what they had to work with was scarring due to the radiation, and they didn't see any signs of metastases. (translation: It didn't look like the cancer had spread.) He said the margins looked clear and that they sent the specimen (most of the stuff from the colon on down) to pathology where they will be testing it to learn more about the tumor and also see if any of the margins(edges) actually were infected, and if it's likely or not if he has cancer elsewhere nearby. But from what we know, it looks like they got all of it.

We finally got to see him about 8:30 at night, and he seemed tired, but lucid, and not in pain. (epidural, morphine on demand.) The hospital rooms at the university have been revamped since the last time I was visiting someone there. The room is private, and looks more like a tiny hotel room, wood floors, actual wallpaper, his own TV. He'll be at the hospital for about a week.

So, it was a good day yesterday. Emotionally stressful, but good. I got to spend the day with my family. Mom, Brother, Uncle Jim, Grandma, and Grandpa, and a family friend, Steve was also there to keep us company. Mom, BJ, Grandma and I played several hands of Hearts with the cards on loan from the surgery waiting area desk. (Can you believe someone had actually marked the Queen of Spades?) Somehow my brother only got about 16 points in roughly 7 hands. How did he do that? It was a good distraction though. Spending the day at a hospital is always strange, the hours run together. We were at the hospital from around 8am to 9:30pm.

I did get to call on bloodlossgirl which was a nice change too. It was nice to see a friendly face in the strange maze that is the University Hospital.

Things should get better from now out. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. It was really nice to read the little notes you left me.

Some other things

Yah, they are shipping my iBook now, it's on its way from Taiwan, apparently. The delivery estimate says Friday, I can hardly believe it!

My printer from apple should be here sometime today.

Yesterday morning, in the shower I pinched a nerve in my neck. It was no fun to be in pain all day yesterday. Ibuprofen and a little massage helped a bit. According to my uncle though, my back was one big knot. The knots were so tight I couldn't even feel them until after he massaged them a bit.
I took a long hot shower last night before I went to bed, which helped a good deal, and I am sore and achey today as well. Stupid stress. ;) At least I'm not in as much pain as yesterday. I'm at work. Really would love a nap though.

~~~~(edit: wanted to say more)

OH yeah, last weekend rocked! I did art almost all of the weekend, and it was wonderful. I drew a really cool elf pinup thing on Friday, which I do plan on coloring, and Saturday was a huge Studio Anti Thesis work day. I toned page 7, which is now online (yah!) and finished the pencils for page 8. I hope to get that toned early this week. This was our big push for our next zine, and it's going to rock so hard. Color cover, incidental art, bit from 4 or our comic series, plus a brand new fiction story and a letter home to all parents, on the warning signs of their child being a magical girl. It's going to blow our last zine outta the water, and we are all very very thrilled.

I also got to hang out with my family friday night. It was nice just to be there with my Dad, Uncle, Brother and Mom, before the big surgery.

Some other things

Yah, they are shipping my iBook now, it's on its way from Taiwan, apparently. The delivery estimate says Friday, I can hardly believe it!

My printer from apple should be here sometime today.

Yesterday morning, in the shower I pinched a nerve in my neck. It was no fun to be in pain all day yesterday. Ibuprofen and a little massage helped a bit. According to my uncle though, my back was one big knot. The knots were so tight I couldn't even feel them until after he massaged them a bit.
I took a long hot shower last night before I went to bed, which helped a good deal, and I am sore and achey today as well. Stupid stress. ;) At least I'm not in as much pain as yesterday. I'm at work. Really would love a nap though.

~~~~(edit: wanted to say more)

OH yeah, last weekend rocked! I did art almost all of the weekend, and it was wonderful. I drew a really cool elf pinup thing on Friday, which I do plan on coloring, and Saturday was a huge Studio Anti Thesis work day. I toned page 7, which is now online (yah!) and finished the pencils for page 8. I hope to get that toned early this week. This was our big push for our next zine, and it's going to rock so hard. Color cover, incidental art, bit from 4 or our comic series, plus a brand new fiction story and a letter home to all parents, on the warning signs of their child being a magical girl. It's going to blow our last zine outta the water, and we are all very very thrilled.

I also got to hang out with my family friday night. It was nice just to be there with my Dad, Uncle, Brother and Mom, before the big surgery.