Surgery

The operation started on time, 1:00pm. A medical inventory was taken before he went to surgery and several nurses noticed DH wasn't on any drugs, had no prior medical problems until this - he started just about right at the top urology speaking.

He was in surgery for quite a long time. He was still in recovery around 9:30 but just about on his way to ICU. One of the surgeons let me go into the recovery area so I could see DH before he went to ICU. They said he was breathing on his own and his urine output was good - both positive signs. DH weakly said he loved me and squeezed my hand - the hand that looked like a pin cushion with tubes and tape everywhere. They needed to use blood during the surgery but that wasn't unexpected. They also used a morphine spinal drip for pain and said it would help over the next 24 hours. It will be apx 3-4 days before we get the pathology reports and learn if the cancer had spread or if it was only in the bladder.

While in the waiting room I met a mother who had just discovered her 22-year old daughter had tongue cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes. The mother was beyond distraught. The daughter's operation was expected to take about two hours and ended up being closer to five.

Twenty-two, her only child and she thought she caused it because she had her later in life. I hope she has a good prognosis.

I've only seen DH scared of two things: lightning and this surgery. He had a childhood friend that was struck and killed by lightning and never got over it. The surgery itself is now behind us and we can begin to deal with what is and move on. DH has been very brave through all this and is my hero. Right now I'm beyond tired.