Frequent surgery "flyer" miles, please!

All week long I was sure I was having surgery today. Last Friday it began at my check-up with the surgeon who performed my my bi-lateral mastectomy in 2009 - because last week I felt something suspicious in my left breast (details in previous post).  When she said she wanted to take it out she said "how's next Friday for you?" so then Friday was on the brain.  Her assistant later handed me a sheet of paper that had Thursday's date. I didn't notice that date corresponded with Thursday (not Friday).  I got a call Wednesday morning from the UCLA surgery center to confirm my surgery for the following morning. "What?!" LOL  I fumbled through my paperwork and there it was. Oops.

I checked in with the surgery center earlier than my call time because lately L.A. traffic has been worse than usual and I nearly missed my biopsy appointment on Monday due to awful traffic (a 30 mile drive took me 2 hours!).  They took me in right away though and my surgeon was ready to go so I got to get in quickly, not before asking the check-in clerk to credit me with some "frequent flyer" points. OK OK so they don't award those but she smiled and replied "sorry, we're fresh out of those today."

In pre-op, I did the usual and tried my best to make everyone laugh and smile. I firmly believe that surgery goes smoothly and we're set up to be surrounded by the best possible energy when we connect with our care providers in a positive way. I have had umpteen surgeries in the past two+ years on this journey and my blog followers know it's paid off for me so I'm sticking with that philosophy. :)

It was a quick surgery, one hour, followed by an hour of recovery. I had general anesthesia for this lumpectomy.  By the way, I never imagined I'd have a lumpectomy once I had a bilateral mastectomy over 2 years ago.  However, it's an important reminder to all that even mastectomy surgery can not remove ALL breast tissue and about 1% is left behind. And, if you have reconstruction involving transplanted tissue (fat) like I had in June, that tissue also needs to be examined for abnormalities as well.

When I woke up, my surgeon informed me she is 99.9% sure that the benign biopsy results will be confirmed by pathology now that she's seen and removed the lumps. She said she's sure it was fat necrosis (dead fat) which makes sense given the timing and nature of my last surgery.

I was actually able to walk out of the hospital (first time I've done that after all the many surgeries I've had) on my own without a wheelchair assist and Bob drove me straight to Starbucks, followed by Whole Foods, so I could get my organic soy latte and something from WF's gourmet hot bar for lunch.  I'm so blessed that anesthesia doesn't make me sick to my stomach and I can eat right away. :)  Amazing blessing that is!

I'm home recovering well. No major pain. Just a little sore and tired.  I'll be at church on Sunday and back to work on Monday. God is sooooo good!

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes!

Oh, and one other thing -- Bob surprised me this morning with the news that he nominated me and I was chosen as a finalist for an incredible survivor victory challenge contest!!!  I'm one in three finalists!  Will you please consider voting for me (by midnight Monday - winner to be announced on Monday)?  Here's the link:

Please click here to vote for me in the Otterbox Survivor Victory Challenge

Thank you so much - and please, if you're inclined to do so, I'd appreciate you passing the link along.  Our house and morale could use the TLC after two years of focusing our energy and time elsewhere (obviously).

Love and blessings,
Julie