Surgery Results

As expected I received a call from the doctor’s office regarding the pathology of the tumor and lymph nodes taken out with surgery.  It was all good news; the margins around the tumor were wide and negative, and there were no tumors found in the lymph nodes.  I have the post-operative appointment with the surgeon next week, and the following week the appointment with the oncologist.  At the oncology appointment the course of treatment will be discussed.  Since this is the outcome that was expected based on the biopsy, the course of treatment will likely not change much from prior conversations. 


I am still recovering from surgery.  The incisions now look like I was knifed in a dark alley, so do not mess with me.  I clearly came out of the alley, not so much for the other guy, LOL.  I still have muscle soreness that I am working through, and focused on the exercise plan, and meal planning to stick to a more plant-based diet. 


I have had time to reflect on the last month and a half.  There are some eerie things that have happened, that make me wonder if a higher power exists or for those beyond us a way to influence what happens in this world.  My diagnosis came on Dec 29th, my mom’s birthday.  Mom had been saying to me over the last year, that I should not follow in my grandmother’s footsteps, burn the candle at both ends.  That it would not be good for my health.  Since this was caught so early, is she trying to make me slow down?  Then a very good friend called and offered me a ticket to Hamilton in NYC on Jan 18th, my father’s birthday.  Originally this was to be my gift to myself after the treatments were finished.  Instead it was landing in my lap before everything starts on Dad’s day.  It felt like a gift. 


All these things have really made me slow down and think about the little things in life that matter; family, friends, experiences, memories…  I am working on ways to make this year memorable for good reasons.  My hope is that my relationships with family and friends grow stronger, and that I get the breathing room to work on projects that are not time bound. 
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For my posse, I am doing great and I do not need anything, but I do have an assignment for you.   This week, look around your world, identify the most important people, tell then “I love you” at least once, and think about what matters to them.  Then identify a way to fill that need in the coming months.