My surgery is twenty days from today. I am excited, in a weird way. I know there will be pain, although hopefully, much, much less than past surgeries (I have become known for having a difficult time recovering from surgery . . . longer hospital stays than expected, difficulties getting the pain under control, not eating for quite some time after surgery . . . in fact, I lost 14 pounds with the last surgery I had in May). Prior to the May surgery, I gained about 10 or 11 pounds, on purpose, knowing that I would lose some weight post-op. This time I have put on about 8 pounds (still a healthy weight, I am not overweight or underweight).
The last surgery it took about a week and a half before I ate any food at all and even then it was very limited. I think it has to do with the pain medications (narcotics) that they have put me on. Those always seem to make me pretty sick and I can’t eat or keep anything down.
I think things will be better this time. I hope so. My new surgeon up at Cedars Sinai tells me that he uses a non-narcotic pain reliever and that his patients do quite well with it. I hope to be one of those patients 🙂 That would be great.
The worst part of the surgery last time was the pain and being so drugged up. I don’t like it. The drugs affect me quite a bit and I really suffer with taking these narcotic pain relievers. I am not a very big person and these drugs just seem to really wreak havoc on me. Chemo was much the same . . . not that one is expected to sail through chemo . . . but, I was very sensitive to the chemo meds whereas everyone else I saw in the chemo room was able to get through their infusion without having to stop the infusions during the day, get extra steroids, slow down the infusion rate (my chemo rounds took 7 to 9 hours each time . . . these were only supposed to take 3 to 4 hours . . . but, my body would just not tolerate the normal infusion rate). I have small veins and probably just a small system in general . . . there is something that is different because I definitely react to the “normal doses” of things in a less than normal way.
Anyway, I am feeling pretty good (still have pain in the area where my next surgery will be performed, but, that is to be expected).
I was pretty active this weekend, sort of. Went for a long walk in Newport yesterday, about two miles I think. Walked out on the pier. It was a beautiful day, windy, warm, but, not too warm . . . just beautiful. I walked with one of my best friends, it was really a nice afternoon.
Lots to do today. I have a lot to do before surgery. First thing though is to try to get in a walk or walk/run. I am heading down to the beach right now and hopefully will get in a little exercise.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
Love,
Lisa
cancerfree2b 
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