The plan is now in play

[annathepiper]

This past Tuesday I had my pre-op appointment with Dr. McMillan, the surgeon who's going to be working with me on the chest reconstruction. Lots of papers were signed, lots of obligatory disclaimers given. I realized on the way there that OOPS I'd forgotten to print off copies of the FMLA forms, so I had to do that once I got to work afterwards--but that was yet more paperwork to fill out.

But the plan is now in play, regardless. The surgery will be on the 18th, as previously scheduled. I'm supposed to call in on the 17th to get my checkin time, though it'll probably be at stupid-o'clock like last time.

The good news is though that chances are good we'll get a nice room like last time, where solarbird can spend the night with me. And since she'll be there, I can bring my computer and check in with y'all once I wake up from Stuff.

The less good news is that this won't be it quite yet. Once this procedure is done, I'll have to come in weekly for a while to have Dr. McMillan put saline into the tissue expander. After six months or so, I'll have to come back in for another procedure in which they'll take out the expander and put in an implant. Hopefully that will therefore be the last of it, but it does mean that the Medical Crap will overlap into 2009.

Emotionally I'm kind of okay with that just because this is an extension of a current situation rather than a new situation. Let's just hope that that is, indeed, THE LAST OF IT for a while.

And, just because it was warranted, I told the doctor "So, my favorite band is coming to town right in the middle of my recovery time, what do I need to do to make sure I still get to go to this concert?" Explaining, of course, that a Great Big Sea show is extremely bouncy. No real surprises here--as I'd thought already, I'm not going to be up for much bouncing and in fact will probably have to spend most of the show in my seat. Sniff.

I shall have to exert preternatural control to refrain from Vertical Movement during "Straight to Hell", I'm tellin' ya. And you'll know that it'll be this show wherein Misters Doyle and McCann will dial the swoonability straight up to 11, and therefore tempt me all the harder. ;)

But! At least I will be clear for three weeks recovery time, so I won't have to be showing up for work the day after the concert. So even though it'll probably wipe me out, I can then go home and sleep and dream pleasant dreams of musically spectacular Newfoundlanders.

Really, with that to look forward to, the actual surgery's going to be a piece of cake.

Comments

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

"what do I need to do to make sure I still get to ..."

This is such a great question to ask doctors to work with us on.

Good luck with your reconstruction and recovery!

[annathepiper]

It IS. And thank you very much! :)

[akadriver.livejournal.com]

The show in Buffalo was absolutely spectacular, and the boys were in fine form. I'm sure they'll be just as good, if not better, for your show. :)

[annathepiper]

I have every expectation that they will indeed bring the 100 Percent Organic Canadian Win, indeed. ^_^

Did they do the two-act thing at the Buffalo show? I'd seen Alan post before on the From the Road journal that they were going to do that again this time around... or did they actually have an opening act?

[akadriver.livejournal.com]

They actually had two opening acts - Samantha Stollenwerck, who was a surprise (and frankly, dull enough that I played count-the-clouds and then had a nice nap)and the scheduled openening act, Mason Jennings. GBS played one set and then the encore. It was a fairly long encore but not quite long enough to qualify for a second set, IMHO. I'm not sure if they shortened the second set due to Samantha playing or if it was on purpose. I do know that Alan mentioned that Sean had just taken a shower on the bus before coming out which opened up a lot of 'cleanest man in show business' type of jokes. He also kindly pointed out the full moon rising above HSBC Arena, which was admittedly very neat. :)

[annathepiper]

Huh, I wonder if we'll get an opening act up here then. Of course, I'm not sure if the proper Fortunate Tour has actually started quite yet... *checks Tour page* Hmm, I think the actual Tour is about to start, so the lineup may accordingly change. I shall have to monitor the OKP for data. :)

Sounds like they were in fine form as usual! Sorry to hear act #1 was dull; how about act #2? I've been making a point of further investigating folks who have opened for GBS, in search of further musical Awesomeness; this is, after all, what got me onto Carbon Leaf!

[akadriver.livejournal.com]

He wasn't bad - you could tell he was influenced by Dylan and Tom Petty and the set was fairly mellow. It worked very well since we were outdoors down by the waterfront on an absolutely gorgeous sunny day.

Here's the review off the website if you wanted to take a peek: http://www.greatbigsea.com/forums/thread/131703.aspx

[annathepiper]

Cool, thanks for the link! And hee, the reviewer pretty much nailed it: the audience energy, the overall character of the band, and the specific character of Bob. Yay, Bob! <3

[akadriver.livejournal.com]

And btw, good luck with the surgery. :)

[annathepiper]

Thank you very much. :)

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

I'll keep you company seat-side! :-) And! If I'm not working during your recovery time I'd be delighted to come and hang out and media-geek with you. We're behind on that! :-)

[annathepiper]

Yay for company! And we'll be a mere six rows back from the B'ys, so it ain't like we won't have a fine, fine view of them regardless. ;)

Also yay for media-geeking! I'd love to see you whenever you can pop up!

[framlingem.livejournal.com]

Hopefully that will therefore be the last of it, but it does mean that the Medical Crap will overlap into 2009.

This is "getting better" medical crap, though, as opposed to "getting sick" medical crap, and therefore better. *hug*

If 2009 brings anything bad for you, I am going to kick it. Yes. I'm going to find a way to kick a whole year. I know a Doctor Who writer, I'm sure he can help.

[annathepiper]

*hugs!* Aw, thank you.

And hee, I find that there are very few things in life that cannot be improved by liberal application of the Doctor.

[peregrine-ek.livejournal.com]

Anna, good luck with the surgery.

{{ Hugs and healthy healing vibes }}

[annathepiper]

Thank you very much! :) *hugs!*

[lickingtoad.livejournal.com]

The BFFN is powerless before our positivity. (I think I'm going to start saying that more often -- about more people. Whether it's the actual thinking or the you-know-people-are-rooting-for-you, it ... seems to have an effect(!))

David Lynch wholeheartedly believes that if he-and-others can fund a cooperative effort with enough people transcendentally meditating upon a world as one, *world peace* is the inevitable result. Whether or not David Lynch is a complete goddamn whack-job, I think that notion in his lecture sits pretty well with me.

*Feel my mental rays!* (OK, so it sits well with me because I can pretend I have healing superpowers. Is that so wrong?!)

Seriously: you are admired, adored, emulated and deeply loved. Let all of these things remind every cell in your body to function at their peak of disease-free Anna-ness. I don't know why it happens, I just get a warm fuzzy when I think about us as 'observers,' and that by observing your hardship, we influence its outcome.

Take *that,* string theory!