home from hospital

Made it home from the hospital this morning and survived my surgery, which is always a good thing. :) :) :)

These GORGEOUS flowers came from my wonderful parents. Thanks Momma & Pop!!!! They are really the prettiest flowers- LOVE LOVE LOVE the sunflowers and the autumn colors and the ribbon. Looking forward to being home to enjoy them these next few days.

So the short version is the "thing" is out of me. It was very large- about the size of a grapefruit. I have 25 stitches and steri-strips to show for it. There was a nerve wrapped up in the tumor- believe me I felt that! It was a wee bit painful at times and I could feel some cutting, but I made it. I kept telling myself, "I can do all things through Christ." and "I'm saving myself an anesthesiologist's bill this way." Barbara gave me her dog, Red, to take with me and I squeezed that poor thing to death a couple times. He has been to every family surgery since I bought him for her when she was three and had her tonsillectomy, plus he has traveled on all family trips and many of my adventures too. He went to Asheville with me in August for my work retreat. I woke up this morning to see my beautiful, compassionate 20 year old standing beside the recliner with Red in hand waiting to give it to me. I LOVE that girl o' mine!!!

I hated being away from my students; I had to work really hard yesterday afternoon to not cry in front of the kids because I could see the sadness and worry in their faces, words, and actions. One girl brought me a special personal belonging that she wanted me to have to think of her. Yeah, that almost made me cry too. They didn't want me to go and kept asking me this week, "Mrs. Thomas, is your back better? Are you going to be okay? ...." Barbara said they missed me today but did a pretty good job for the sub. They're going to be disappointed on Monday when I'm not there, but I hope I can make it back in on Tuesday with lots and lots of hugs (gentle, avoiding the back kind of hugs, but hugs anyway).

So now I have pain meds and a wonderful family to take care of me. I'm home until Monday anyway and pray that there are no complications in the hole in my back. Here's to hoping I feel better soon.