Alive

Hello everyone. Posting from my phone now in my hospital room.

Surgery took about 5.5 hours yesterday. I didn't get a ton of sleep last night but everything's starting to come back online. Dr Book says everthing went really well. I'm walking up and down the hospital floor in this very stylish gown. It's a good thing there are no small children around because I think a look at my neck would have them screaming and running away :)

I'm on the oncology floor at Penrose which has private and recently remodeled rooms. The nurses here are outstandingly nice and helpful.

I'm back on solid foods, swallowing feels a little weird for now. I really had no desire to do anything but lay in bed until they gave me the thyroid pill. Now I'm feeling fine... as long as I keep my head pointing straight forward :). I'm getting some painkiller by IV every 6 hrs. Last night I did ask for one round or morphine (which was allowed once an hour!). Dr Book says its my call on leaving today. I might just go ahead and stay another night to be safe. I'm detached from all the machines currently which is nice.

They removed a good bit of tissue and all the lymph nodes in my lower neck. He says the thyroid itself was barely swollen and they had to kind of guess at the cancer site. It's all going to pathology now. Dr Book called mom and dad from surgery twice to say how it was going. 2 major possible complications are out of the way because I can lift my shoulders and speak fine. My calcium levels are a bit low which is common immediately after traumatizing the parathyroid glands, but the doctor thinks they should be ok in the long run.

I'm doing well all considered!