Countdown in 3, 2, 1....

Well, went to the Mayo today to see the surgeon. The Mayo is huge! Not like I didn't know that, but it seems to be a cross between a train station, a hospital and a mall. We had a 9:30 appointment to see Dr. Jones. Parking was a bitch. We drove up to the ramp a it switched to "full" and had to back out and find another parking ramp. It was -7 at this time and I was ill prepared in a long sleeve shirt and my thick hoodie. You think after so many years I would figure this cold thing out. I must have thought I was going to be admitted that day and it didn't matter. Nope.

The doc walked in with three other people. There was a resident, a surgical nurse (this is a guess since she was all dressed up but I think they called her a nurse), an office nurse and the surgeon herself. She did a short but extremely uncomfortable exam in which she didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. She was very positive about it being benign (though malignancy cannot be ruled out before pathology). She was sure I would be able to keep my other ovary and uterus. She said it was a smooth walled tumor that didn't seem attached to anything else. She dicated her notes to an dictation service over the phone, and we found out a lot of info that way (serves to inform us and put it on the record).

Next we headed down to registration. I was asked a couple of questions, but not too many since I had already given them most of my info. The clerk asked me if I wanted a private or semi-private room. I asked what the difference was. "A private room costs you $35 dollars a day out of pocket". Hell, sign me up! Cheaper than a hotel room and I wouldn't have to listen to someone else complain, snore, or hold "get well soon" parties. Of course, it is first come first serve. Which sucks. I just hope I have a nice early surgery!


I had 2 appointments after this. One for blood work at 11:00 (tech said they get 900 patients a day in her department!), and another for a chest X-ray (which my Mom says is to make sure my heart & lungs are clear and good for surgery).

We didn't have to be in X-ray until 1:30 so we stopped at the cafe to eat. I had an egg salad sandwich, piece of cake, & apple juice.

We stopped at the pharmacy to fill my poop prescriptions. One half gallon of insta-laxative and two dulcolax pills as a chaser for tonight. Yeeee Haa!

The X-ray experience was funny. It was all one dept for womens x-rays. I think most of the women there were for mammograms. They call you in in pairs, me and my x-ray buddy. They take you to this hallway with a bunch of stalls, like a dressing room, but all the doors are old and wooden. The nurse gave both of us the same instructions after asking our full names and dates of birth. You go in to this little wooden stall and there are instructions for what to do:
1. take off your shirt and bra and all jewelry.
2. locate the paper smock in front of you.
3. put your left arm through the left armhole, pull across your back, put your right arm through the right armhole, pull across front, put your right arm through the right armhole. Am I the only one who becomes confused after the third action?
4. when you are ready, flip the light switch.
5. when attendant is on the other side of the door, you may unlock it and walk out.

Not included in the instructions is that you get to lock your stall behind you and keep the key around your wrist as something to nervously play with as they line you up to sit on a bench with other women similarly clad. Of course I was the last of the five to be called in. It was a simple "lean up against the X-ray machine and point your elbows out", and then a profile...up until then I was sure that they had tricked me into a mammogram...Another conversation about how the X-ray techs sister had an ovarian cyst removed and she was out the next day (everyone has had a baseball sized cyst removed, it is getting annoying to constantly repeat that mine is different), another comment about how no, I will be staying longer than a day.

After that Tom went to get the car as I waited at the front entrance. A woman sat down next to me and started telling me how she just had a new brainscan done and her tumors are back. Shit, what do you say to that? Merry Christmas?

After we got home, I took an hour nap to prep for the cleanout. I have heard some say that they get really sick from this stuff. So far I am doing fine. Clean as a whistle, had to skip a big family meal, and am still hiding in my cousins den as I alternate typing this blog and running to the loo.

Should be a fun day tomorrow.