Bald is beautiful?

3 weeks today since surgery. They took out 40% of my liver, and also my gallbladder. Why the gallbladder, I asked.  "It was in the way."   Just glad that my heart is in the right place.

(This blog was interrupted by the aroma of freshly baked bread, made from wheat that my husband B. ground earlier today, then topped with grape jam that B. made from grapes grown in our backyard this summer. Yes, I am spoiled.)

Ok, back to blogging.   Grateful that the healing is going well, grateful that my liver is functioning. I even got out of the hospital 2 days early. They put me in the surgical ICU for 2 nights post, op.  My room's window opened to a bus stop about 5 feet away, at the level as my room -  not a lot of privacy.  

I was treated well.  But an ICU is full of weird noises and lights day and night, and with me having 2 iv's, a central line, a second central line by the port implanted in October, nasal cannula for oxygen and a Foley and automatic pressure cuffs on both lower legs, oh, and an arterial line, it was not a relaxed setting.  How do people without any medical experience cope with these things?   At least I knew the names of all of the lines, so I had the treasured illusion of some control and normalcy.  I was not really scared until I woke up with all these attachments.   Hydromorphone, take me away! 

Now back at home, walking 1-2 miles per day, I am really doing rather well.  There is a lot of fatigue - it takes a while for the liver to regenerate.  Lots of naps. Mmmm, delicious naps.

Portland's weather is mostly cloudy and rainy, but there was some cold days, with lows in the teens (Fahrenheit) and some snow. But now there are blue jays and robins and daffodils starting to bloom, and trees budding...  and no chemo for another 1-2 weeks.

The overriding feeling has been gratefulness.  Hope all is well with you, too.