April 4, 2022

Hi, y’all –  Just a quick check-in before surgery day tomorrow.  I have been in doctor’s appointments since 7:30 am this morning but now I am officially done till tomorrow.  Today I had an ultrasound-guided needle procedure where they placed a needle directly into my breast tissue and set it against the marker that is there and then I was transferred to internal medicine where they injected a dye that needed some time to drain to the lymph nodes for the area where the tumor was.  These are the lymph nodes that the doctor will be removing during surgery tomorrow and testing them to assure that there are no cancer cells in these nodes.  As I informed you all before, there were no cancer cells found in my lymph nodes going into this so it’s highly unlikely there will be cancer found in my lymph nodes tomorrow, however, the only way to confirm is to remove the nodes and test them.  So bye-bye nodes.

I also saw my plastic surgeon today and she had a field day marking up my chest showing all the areas where she will be making incisions, and where she will be removing tissue.  I wish I could share a picture of what my chest looks like, but since I am not going to do that I will just leave it up to your imagination. I am marked up everywhere and she also has numbers written in different places too.  Hilariously enough I am not sure what the numbers represent but it must be important.  She also was not very gentle when she was moving tissue around to see what I would look like after she finished her masterpiece.  Mano and I have been in the room laughing at how the appointment went.  I swear y’all, she was smashing and viewing, smashing and viewing – well you get the picture. I feel like she thinks she is Picasso or something.  Let’s just hope that this masterpiece turns out the way she expects it to with all the marking up and planning she’s done.  Mano said he expected her to pull out a beret and put it on her head before she was done.  Too funny, I’m telling you.

The only thing standing in the way of me and my surgery now is the results of my negative COVID test.  I’m waiting for that and then we finally have the green light for surgery tomorrow.   

I should receive a call between 5-7 pm this evening to know what hospital to report to and what time surgery is tomorrow.  When they looked at the schedule in the plastic surgeon’s office earlier today, I was told that I am on the schedule for noon, which really sucks if you ask me.  We all know if you are not the first on the day’s schedule then everyone after that has the chance of being pushed to a later, or much later time due to delays from everyone else’s surgery.  I am praying that tomorrow they run as close to time as possible.  At this point, as you can all imagine, I’m just ready to get this show on the road and be done with this whole procedure.

Thankfully, I’m not feeling or experiencing any anxiety about tomorrow.  Mano and I are so blessed y’all because of all of you. We’ve received quite a few calls, visits, text messages, and emails from y’all praying over us, praying with us, and praying for us.  I KNOW this is why we are not feeling any anxiety about tomorrow.  (PRAISES!). Keep the prayers coming and I promise that we will provide a Caring Bridge update as soon as possible as to how I am doing after surgery.  If you are our Facebook friend (Mano’s, Nicky’s, Pat’s, or mine) I’ll make sure that they post updates there also.  Either way, just know that God has his hands all over this and I will be fine!!  

Mano said today.  I know that you will be fine.  You are in the best place as these surgeons are some of the best in the world and you know what?  He’s right!

Pray for safe travels for my sister.  For those who didn’t hear, her flight was part of the SouthWest Airlines debacle yesterday and she was not able to fly out here yesterday as planned.  She’s been rescheduled on a late evening flight tonight putting her in Houston just before midnight.  The good news is, that she will be here to help take care of me after surgery tomorrow.  (PRAYERS PLEASE).

I love you all and thank you all for continuing to lift me up in your prayers, good wishes, and warm thoughts.  I have the best village ever and will never forget it!  

Xo,

Tracy