icarus: Snape by mysterious artist (Icarus icon)
icarusancalion ([personal profile] icarus) wrote2004-08-19 09:25 pm

An open letter to Wilderness Guru

An Open Letter to [livejournal.com profile] wildernessguru.

Sweet Pea, I love you and I miss you terribly. When you went to call your sister about your mom -- you left. I don't know where you went.

I waited, but you didn't come back. I went outside and the car was gone. I thought the worst, that you'd called your sister and the news was bad about your mom, that something horrible had happened. So I called your sister, oh, I don't know, a lot of times.

I'm sorry I yelled at you to call your family. I know I need to let you do things in your own time and your own way. I was just worried sick, you know? I love her, too. I've worried all day. I've said, "Wilderness Guru is worried but I'm fine" and that's just horseshit.

Your sister just called me back, and your mom is fine. She hadn't spoken with you, so you must have reached her voicemail, too. (I know how you hate voicemail and would not have left a message.)

They could not have hoped for a better outcome. The anesthesiologist, who's done 2,000 of these operations, said this went completely smoothly. As routine as you can get. The doctors at Stanford University Medical Center are among the best in the world. She had a team of three doctors operating today, three young women at the top of their profession.

It's likely she'll have to follow up with chemotherapy, because it was an aggressive stage II cancer, but this afternoon she was up and cracking jokes.

To be on the safe side they took out everything that could be effected, uterus, ovaries, you name it. Your mom and dad wise-cracked that maybe they should take out the appendix, anything else useless you can rid of - while you're cleaning up in there. The doctors howled and said, "we like this family!"

Stanford will have their tumor board (something like 20 top doctors) go over her biopsy next Wednesday and decide on her treatment.

They have your mom on self-administered morphine, and an epidural straight to the incision. They believe in No Pain at Stanford. They won't let her sit up until tomorrow, and she's going to be pretty darn hungry - she couldn't have anything but ice today.

I got her phone number, so you can call her tomorrow. She probably won't be discharged until Monday.

Apparently she had this before when she was 17 and had one of her ovaries taken out. They didn't think she'd be able to have kids - instead she had three on one ovary. The doctors are puzzled at the scar tissue there though, it's a medical curiosity, they can't figure out how that was done. (Your sister joked and I joked that this surgery was done back in 60's -- they used chain saws then. We also wise-cracked about "that's why we women have two ovaries. Back up systems!")

Please come home, Sweet Pea. I miss you terribly. And I want to tell you the good news.

ETA: He's home! He was mad at me so went to his friend's house. He had his sister's home phone number instead of her cell, so didn't reach her.

*is tremendously relieved.*

He's home!

Я рада что с мамой все в порядке!!!

[identity profile] vichka.livejournal.com 2004-08-19 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
It's good to hear that she is fine and that everything went smooth! Surely, she is in great hands. I hope that everything will go good from this moment on!

Re: Я рада что с мамой все в порядке!!!

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-19 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Me, too!

You should see what this looks like on a computer that doesn't have cyrillic characters. *goggle-eyed*

Icarus

Re: Я рада что с мамой все в порядке!!!

[identity profile] vichka.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
:)

[identity profile] noblerot.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
This post has me smiling ear-to-ear. Operation went well; mom-in-law is awake and cracking jokes; Wildernessguru is home.

Sometimes things work out just so.

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
This post has me smiling ear-to-ear. Operation went well; mom-in-law is awake and cracking jokes; Wildernessguru is home.

While the phrase mom-in-law makes me grin, too. Thank you. This has really been helpful to hear from you.

Icarus

[identity profile] ragnhildholm.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
I'm SO glad to hear it went well...

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:50 am (UTC)(link)
*heavy sigh* Talk about a load off.

Icarus

[identity profile] abigail89.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
I am very relieved that WGMom is fine and is in such capable hands.
And that you're both okay. Blessings!

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you. *oh boy... what a relief.*

Icarus

[identity profile] adred.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
*relief*

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. *wipes sweat off brow*

Icarus

[identity profile] jaig.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
*hugs you both*

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 12:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmm. I wonder why my previous comment didn't post?

Anyhow, thank you.

Icarus

[identity profile] wanderingscribe.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:46 am (UTC)(link)
[relieved] Glad to hear things all worked out. ^_^

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 11:48 am (UTC)(link)
Isn't that great? She's still not out of the woods. There will probably be chemotherapy, but this is such a load off. WG is going to call her today (he tried earlier, but she was asleep).

Thank you. All these messages have really helped, and WG has been quite touched as well.

Icarus

[identity profile] wanderingscribe.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, it is. Chemo will actually be the toughest part, I think, but from what my mother tells me about radiation, it's the best way to go.

Oh, tell WG that she'll probably be sleeping quite a lot now. He'll have better luck trying to visit her in person if she doesn't live too far off. ^^;

And eheheheh, it's no big deal. I just said what I felt and I'm just glad I didn't come across as a jackass, despite my natural tendencies.

Keep us updated on how she is, okay?

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay. She's a plane-flight away, so he'll just hope he reaches her when she's awake.

Icarus

[identity profile] bella-the-dark.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad things are going well and to have good dr's is a bonus. The hard part is next and she will need lot's of support. (the chemo is always so hard on the body but so important to the treatment)

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-20 09:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. We're both kind of wrung out and tired at this point, but the whole family has come together. WG hasn't been able to call her though. The switchboard went offline at noon. (He's really frustrated about that.)

Icarus

[identity profile] merrycontrary.livejournal.com 2004-08-21 11:14 am (UTC)(link)
Hugs and well wishes for you, WG and his mother. I was so sorry to read these posts, but it all seems to be going as well as can be expected.

[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com 2004-08-21 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, he talked to her this afternoon. She's very, very groggy and quite worried about chemotherapy. WG regaled her with bear stories and talked about cats (she loves our kitty, whom she calls her 'grand-cat') and he's going to call her again tomorrow.

We're quite frazzled, but okay in all.

Icarus

[identity profile] merrycontrary.livejournal.com 2004-08-21 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Wish I could say there was nothing to worry about with chemotherapy. I will say that my best wishes are still with you all.

My auntie used to say she had given up on the idea of grandbabies and was content with her grand-dogs. Then, out of the blue it seemed, she had a bouncing baby grandson. Most spoilt baby ever. But she still loves those dogs.
loup_noir: (Default)

[personal profile] loup_noir 2004-08-22 04:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Good thoughts for WG's mom.

Sweet Pea, sniff, that is adorable.

So much love has to help everyone, correct?