Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Surgery Next Week

Hello All.



Just a brief update to let you know that next Monday is my surgery day. Tomorrow, 5/14, Annette and I are going up to Duke for my pre-op consultation. We'll be meeting with my surgeon again and the gas doctor (don't ask me to spell anesthesiologist - am I close?).



Then in the late afternoon we will be picking up Robin, my youngest daughter, who is flying into Raleigh (from Pasco, WA) and is coming to visit before, and after, the surgery. My oldest daughter, Jackie, is arriving on Saturday, and will also be here up until Wednesday after my surgery. I hope I do well, maybe I should study up some so I don't mess up while they are here. It will be nice to see them both and I want to thank them for making the efforts to come AND to their husbands, Mark and Rick, for watching their kids thereby allowing them time to come for a brief visit.



The surgery will be around 5 hours long. They will remove my esophagus and the upper 1/3 of my stomach and then reattach the remaining part of my stomach to the upper end of where my esophagus was. Sounds kind of cool huh? However, warning, don't try this at home. I am a little nervous but not too bad. We are very confident in the hospital and my surgeon, I just have a little chicken in me. I'm not looking forward to the feeding tube I will have temporarily installed, or the expected 10-14 days in-patient stay, but we will do what we have to do to get well. I/we still have a lot of living to do and might as well get started with it today!



I'll keep you posted on the back side once I can via the blog or e-mail. Annette will have her cell phone but probably only be able to have it turned on when she is not at the hospital. Her number, should you want it, is 910-286-3434. Thanks in advance for any positive thoughts and prayers you might send our way.



Oh, one more thing, we just took a brief trip south to visit Jackie's family and attend their oldest daughter, Emma's, First Communion. They live in Pensacola, Florida. Then we slipped over to Biloxi for a couple of days of gambling at a very nice casino there, the Beau Rivage. We had a good time. I will attach a couple of pics from the trip - see I told you I look marvelous! That's me on the rope swing!



Yours

Drew

4 comments:

  1. Rope swing...wow! I'll be thinking of you and sending my good thoughts and prayers your way.

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  2. Thanks for making the trip down Dad! We'll be up there soon and watching you make the world's fastest recovery. Will they let Guinney come in to make hospital visits? :)

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  3. Hey Drew!
    Your rope swinging reminds me of the days when you and Rock and Peter would swing on vines across the creek behind your house while I watched in terror and amazement! :)
    You will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers as you undergo surgery and recovery. I'm so glad both of your daughters will be there too.

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  4. Same old Drew! Having the time of his life. Keep it up. If you can be this "up" now, imagine what it will be like when you beat this thing. You know that you are in our prayers and in our hearts. Jeff (with Natina and Alex)

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