The Blue Dog Group...Coming To A City Near You!

The fur-kids (as Paula has so lovingly called them) decided yesterday that they wanted to start their own rock group, the Blue Dog Group. They figured two blue dogs playing instruments would be way more exciting than three blue men. I’m sure Edgar could learn how to play the zither and Ruekie could play the Dumpstulum - it would be an awesome act. Actually, Edgar got a hold of a pen today while I was sleeping and he lay down on the dog bed beside Ruekie and chewed it up. Of course by the time I woke up, Edgar had moved to a different spot, so poor Ruekie, covered in blue ink, got in a lot of trouble (the blue didn’t really show up on Edgar’s fur) - but then, a little while later, dear, sweet Edgar threw up blue (not on the carpet). Unfortunately, I do not have a good picture to show of the blue-ness, I will try to get one tomorrow.

I had my marathon day of appointments on Wednesday. They wore me out. I slept all day Thursday, except for when I got up to let the dogs up, and examine the pen explosion (which did not get on the carpet at all!!!) and I finally got up for a while to eat dinner and watch Grey’s Anatomy. I was just hurting a lot and popping lots of Vicodin because I have to talk a lot during my doctor appointments and that irritates the sore.

My first appointment was with Dr. Ory, the dentist, and this was in the morning. I got my fluoride trays and he gave me the molds of my teeth that were made from the impressions. Since this was my first time having impressions done, I was totally psyched about the molds!

My second appointment was with Dr. Pou and it was to do a lot of pre-op stuff. I signed lots of papers giving her permission to cut me up, as long as she promised to put me back together (As long as she didn’t put the cancer back in). We went over all the risks of the surgery and we talked about everything they were going to do me. Surprisingly, I’m okay with it all. Last week when I first heard everything, I was having a tough time with it all – but over the last week I’ve really come to terms with the surgery. The thought of being put under anesthesia and everything they are going to do to me still freaks me out, just because I have never really had any type of surgery in my life (I had a cyst removed above my eye at 6 mos and tubes in my ears at 9 mos.) so I don’t really know what to expect!

My third appointment was with Mell, the speech therapist. She was entirely too happy for me and she talked a whole lot, but I guess I will get used to her. She made me eat a graham cracker so she could see how I eat now with this ulcer in my mouth – which was kind of awkward because I don’t really like people staring at me while I eat, especially right now when I have trouble eating.

The surgery is scheduled to take 14 hours, but it could take up to 24, and I guess it could take less as well. I will be in ICU for 1 to 2 days after my surgery and then they will move me to my room, complete with a water bed, wood floors, and a hot tub - yeah, not really. You can check the hospital website for visiting hours, but I am going to request that you don’t come and visit until the weekend. I figure I will be pretty out of it the first few days, so instead of everyone rushing to visit me right after my surgery when all I can do is sit there and stare at you (and probably fall asleep and drool during your visit), I would prefer it if you all came when I can actually use my marker board to communicate with you! So, it’s nothing personal, but I want to at least vaguely remember the people who come to see me! Also, please do not come and visit if you are sick or have been sick recently. I do not want to take any risks of getting sick and complicating things since my surgery is so extensive! I want to have the quickest recovery possible and there will be plenty of time to visit me in the future - I won't be going anywhere too fast for a while!