All Is Well

I am at home after yesterday’s surgery, which went off without a hitch. No complications of any type. The General may be the city’s oldest hospital and a little “Old School” around the edges, but they still know how to throw a good cancer operation.

All is well, although I’m a little banged up. Thus, this entry will be short.

Dr. Dupont did his re-excision of the melanoma site and grafted it. As a result of this carpentry, I have the surgery area on my back, right shoulder blade and a HELL of a brush-burn on my thigh, where they harvested the skin for the graft. While I was asleep, he sent the excised tissue to the pathologist and there is every early indication that clear margins were obtained this time around. Of course, they still must confirm all that through some additional analysis, but the initial signs and portents are all good. Consequently, I am hoping that this unexpected high, inside health fastball is the last brush-back pitch I get for awhile because –believe me--- I’m ready to put a sharply hit ball in play.

The thoughtful, loving expressions of good will and support from so many have humbled me. There is no way to explain how it feels to receive kindness from friends JUST when you need it most. I appreciate it so much.

I will write more later, but here’s something interesting: When I awoke from the general anesthesia in the Recovery Room, I awoke singing. I have no memory of this but Aletha, my Recovery Room nurse, reported as follows:

Child, you was singin’ to beat the band.

Drugged up and slurring badly, she had some difficulty understanding what was on my playlist, however….and I have NO idea where this came from….it seems it was Dean Martin’s theme song, Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.

Ain’t that a kick in the head?

---J.R.