I guess breasts are limbs...
Cari is recovering in the Limb preservation unit of the hospital. She is doing well, considering. Today is supposed to be the worst day for pain and she may need to get a little blood. She is in good spirits and has had a steady stream of famliy vistors helping her through the day. I am able to get wireless in the hospital and she is reading your comments to help stay positive.
The surgery went well and the results are pretty incredible, new breasts and a flat stomach. The reconstruction surgeon must have even more ability to focus than Cari considering an 11 hour surgery using a microscope for most of it. Cari was able to get up twice yesterday and may be able to take a few steps today.
We hope she will be able to leave the hospital either Tuesday or Wednesday. But first she needs to be able to sit up and stand on her own, the pulse in her breasts needs to stay there (they check it every hour), needs to be able to take pills, eat foods, and get unplugged from the mess of cords (oxygen, pain drip, IV, leg messagers, etc).
We appreciate all you all have done for us and our family during this difficult year.
Jim
posted by Carolyn @ Sunday, July 30, 2006
26 comments
26 Comments:
Hi Carolyn,
I loved getting to talk with you on the PHONE on thursday!! You sounded so perky. I love that. Like you suggested, I started sending you happy thoughts across the oceans ahead of time so you could feel them before your surgery even started!
So pleased to hear that your surgery went well and that you are doing alright.
Thank you, Jim, for the update. I am thankful that you two have such a strong support system for each other. Think how fortunate the boys are.
Get some good sleep.
Love you loads.
Mary in Lanka
Thank you so much for the updates. I've been keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers during this part of Carolyn's journey. I am glad that things are going well for all of you.
All the best to ALL of you - Carolyn's "village" ROCKS!!!
Jim thanks for the update on Cari, tell Cari, she's in my special thoughts. Know it wasn't an easy thing to get through, but the end results will bring great comfort to you and you deserve to have that. Bless you dear....AJ
Hi there,
Thanks for the updates! I hope the rest of the time in the hospital goes smoothly... I am sending you all my best thoughts. And please let me know if you guys need anything. I am around!
And let me know when visitors are welcome.
Please keep the blog updated when possible... And know that we are all thinking of you.
Love,
Christine, Bret, Maggie and Finn!!
So should we start calling you Dolly?? :)
Or maybe Angelina.
You are constantly in our thoughts, and I'm so glad to hear things are coming along.
What else to say here? You are a monster--and I know you'll come out running yet again after this stage.
Love and healing,
bmc :)
GO CARI!
May the force be with you...
(and, who can beat new boobs and a flat tummy?)
Lor
Hi Cari and Jim, I've been thinking about you guys a lot and am glad the surgery went well! Sounds like very painful stuff! She sounds tough as always and as though the recovery is progressing OK. Big hugs, Cari! Jewell
Thanks for the update! I keep checking back for new news. I'm glad to hear all went well....keep on chugging Carolyn....the worst is over and the best is yet to come! You are amazing and so is your village.
I hope you can get off of the oxygen, IV, pain drip, etc soon, but I'd say hold onto the leg messagers....that sounds nice!
Keep us posted....you are in my thoughts constantly for an easy and speedy recovery!
--kara
Thank you for the update- glad the surgery went well, and hopefully you'll be home soon! You are in our thoughts for health and happiness :-)
Jonathan & Karlynn
Thanks for the update, Jim. I'm glad Carolyn is doing so well.
One more thing to check off the list and be one step closer to moving on with life. I'm sure the "noobies" and the new you will come out stronger than ever.
Best to you all -
Jeannette
Can't wait to see the "new" you!
Glad everything went well and you're recovering nicely.
Keep it up!
Phil
Hi Carolyn -
Happy Monday from your A#1 Fan in Pasadena. It is wonderful to know that you are doing well and have a posse of people to take good care of you. Even Superheroes like yourself deserve extra care and attention from us mere mortals. I'm guessing the e-mail police will start counting the number of times I refresh your site and get suspicious. Oh well, it's a risk I'm just more than delighted to take!
Well, as you know, you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. You even made it into the church bulletin recently compliments of my mother so a very small town in NY sent you an extra dose of prayers and happy thoughts.
Hang in there! We are all behind you.
RBW Fan Club President - Pasadena
i suspect the email police will be escpecially perplexed - as not only will the pasadena chapter president, but the OKC chapter president (and I suspect a few more) be checking in frequently over the coming days!
glad things went well - as always loads of prayers coming your way!
OKC Chapter Prez!
Carolyn -
Keep getting better and stronger day by day! The great thing about surgery (I hope you feel it too), is that you can feel yourself getting better and having less pain, sometimes on a hourly basis. While I wish you didn't have to deal at all, I hope you appreciate the difference between this and all those icky toxins running around your bod, draining you. Keep up your spirit, take those few steps and in no time we will be headed to the zoo again. I can't wait!
Continuing to send you all of our positive thoughts,
Kar & J
Hang in there!
Hang in there Cari!! It's only going to get better from here on out. Thanks for trusting me to hang out with you last night. It was actually a great opportunity to catch up :-) Keep taking those drugs and don't forget to breath.....1, 2, 3, 4!!
Hi Carolyn - we've been thinking about you! Sounds like there are a lot fewer things to dread these days and a whole lot more to look forward to! You (and family) are doing great!
Cindy R
Cari,
I'm thinking of you often! Though you (the royal "you", that is) must be brave and strong yet a little longer, I'm feeling deeply grateful you've been able to come so far so well. Here's to a swift and increasingly tolerable healing process!!
Regards from another fan club member,
airscrubber
So very happy to check in and see the updates.
I picture Jim fighting off a long line of cute interns wanting to check the breast pulse every hour.
Texas size hug to you and your family.
RBW Fan Club - San Antonio chapter
Hey Cari and Jim,
Hope you're getting lots of those baby Cokes--I always figure that while in the hospital, you need to eat and drink all the free stuff you can to help make up for the bill. In your case, I guess you need to rob the hospital of a lifetime's supply, and I'm not sure that would even do it.
Anyway, we all went fishing Saturday and thought about you. We were bitching about no fish, and then realized we were glad to be fishing! I was thinking that your next blog entry could be called, "The New Standard of Crappiness", i.e. the rest of us are frequently saying "Man, today sucked, but it could be worse--at least I wasn't in surgery/chemo/doctor's office today!!" :) :) :) Actually, that title might have been more appropriate about 6 weeks ago.
I know it's still uphill right now, but not for much longer, right? I am truly amazed that you could linger under anesthesia for 11 hours, and go home just a few days later. Awesome. I know that you will be chasing the boys around again in no time. Speaking of which, Megan has managed to run across the street three times this week. How soon we forget... She has also eaten a hair tie and the corners of most of her board books. Whatareyagonnado, I tell ya.
Take good care (and drugs), and save some percoset for me. :P
Lots of northwest love, the cleanest and eco-friendliest love in the world!
bmc :)
recommended reading - zen shorts.
not clear if pertinent, but comes to my mind. not sure who enjoys it more - me or the kids.
you are doing great.
sometime from now you really won't think about this everyday - well honestly it won't be your main focus.
-the starbucks drinker
Cari - All our thoughts and prayers are with you as you are sitting and standing again and recovering one breath at a time. You are truly wonderful, you know!
Some day this will just be a memory.
Jim and Lisa thanks for the updates.
Lots of love, good karma, extra strength and happy thoughts are headed your way - Teri & Dejan
Ohhh Sweet Cari- I think about you almost every hour...I can't wait to be a witch doctor for you. Carol is supposedly working on our ID's (or Larry??) so we can park for free in the doctor's parking lot. As another one of our friends (with an accent) would always say "You must "fuckus" on getting well!! I am thinking healing thoughts...can't wait to see you ..love, Francie
Top O' the mornin' to ya (and rest O' the day as well). Hope you awoke today exponentially better than yesterday.
In the immortal words of Bob Marley, "Get up, stand up!! Stand up for your right!"
:)
Keep on 'em.
bmc :)
hi Cuz, my dad and i were backpacking the day of your surgery. it was a beautiful hike on an equally beautiful day. we thought about you frequently and tried to channel the wonderful outdoors to you. i know that you and jim would really like obsideon falls and sunshine meadow, where we stayed. When life has calmed down, please come visit us so we can take you there! I'm touched by your reflection on honesty being the key beyond being brave. i'm glad that your honesty has brought you the village you need and deserve. it has also helped me feel connected and like i can contribute something positive to you (in my own little way). much love :) a
you should have put the boob-pulse check on your calendar for sign ups... that could 've been fun! Wish I were close enough to take advantage :) Hope those limbs are preserving well and that you're able to go home and 'relax' soon, if you're not already there. My entire Team has been praying for you and your whole team and sending you all hugs and kisses. Take care of yourselves. You are special.
Much love,
Meghan and Team Sobo
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