July 18th The grapefruit is gone!

Dominique was a little angel all morning before her surgery.  Even though she ended up fasting since 9PM the night before because she wasn’t interested in any applejuice or water in the morning.  The surgery was on time (thank God).  I suited up and mentally prepared myself to bring Dominique into the operating room to be there while she was put to sleep.    She waved goodbye to Sylvain (this gave me tears) but neither of us cried in the operating room while she was peacefully put to sleep. 

The surgery took longer than expected.  11:45am to 2:30pm.  Dr Skarsgard came and told us that the surgery went really well, done through the scope (thoroscopathy).  He said they removed about a 3cm x3cm piece of tissue.  It was then that I said ” I thought the tumor shrunk from the chemo”  and he informed us that the tumor was the size of a GRAPEFRUIT when they did the biopsy 5 months ago.

We didn’t get to see Dominique until 4:45pm because she was sleeping most of the time.  The surgeon cancelled the request for ICU and Dominque went to the regular Post Surgery Unit.  When I saw Dominique, I couldn’t take my eyes off her chest and actually cried tears of joy to see her whole chest exposed without her central line.  Even Sylvain was amazed at the looks of her chest without bandages and tubing.

The Anethetist (Dr. Stevens) informed me that she had some trouble collapsing Dominique’s lung during the surgery and getting and IV started in her foot which is why the surgery took longer.  Dominique was moved up to room #5 in 3C  (shared accomodations unfortunately).  She has been sleeping most of the time and is on strong morphine doses for pain.  When she is awake she has been very cranky and irritable & in pain which is tough to see.  But according to how her biopsy went the last time,  I am sure she will drastically improve tomorrow when her chest tube is removed (it drains the excess blood from her chest).

Time spent in the hospital on that day: 12 hrs

July 18th The grapefruit is gone!
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