surgery today

Hi Everyone - Well, the day is upon us again. I will be leaving later this morning to begin prepping for surgery which is scheduled for 1:30 PM. I am so thankful that I had this extra month to garden. It would have really hurt to watch all my efforts dry up and die because I was unable to tend them. Since fall is just around the corner, I don't feel too badly that my flower beds may be a bit neglected.

I still have some beautiful things in the garden and they are such a delight to see while driving up my driveway or taking a peek over the deck railing. My husband will be home and available to help me during recovery. That is a blessing. There is already a list that he needs to do.

Yesterday I spoke with a carpenter friend of ours who is pricing a bay window with a ledge and a garden window for the kitchen. I gave him the go ahead to purchase them and we will set a date for installation later next week. It will be so great to be able to have more space for my indoor plants. I need to remember that I have plants added this year that will need to come in.

For Mothers Day, my oldest son gave me a sago palm. It has done really well this summer and has lots of new growth. It is in a large pot and will need a home indoors this winter. Can't think at the moment how many others will need to come in, but for sure it is more than I had at the beginning of the summer.

Well good people - I just wanted to check in and let you folks know that I am facing quite a day, week, month and no telling how long ahead of me. I was so appreciative of all the good thoughts, prayer and cards that were sent my way the last time that the operation was scheduled. I so enjoy being involved with this group and look forward to meeting some of you, hopefully in October.

Everyone else - Have A Great Day Today.

Ruby

Ruby: I wish you the very best of luck, and a very quick recovery. We'll all be thinking of you!

Our hearts are with you until you are back to talk with us again.

Many good wishes for a quick recovery to you, ruby.

Ruby, My thoughts are with you as you go through this time.
Take care as you concentrate on getting well.

A flower for your thoughts...

Feeling a bit blue?

Hope you're soon in the pink!!

Ruby,
All of our prayers and best wishes are with you. Keep us posted when you can. We will miss all of your wonderful posts.
Blessings,
Fay

Ruby...prayers going your way..but esp. in the next few hours!! Praying God will give you peace and strength and guide all the folks involved in the operation...praying for your comfort while you heal! God's got it all under control!
Hugs,
Chantell

We all have you in our thoughts and prayers this afternoon, Ruby.

Ruby, So glad you posted this today, I've been thinking about you today at work. Take care, Friend! @}--}-'----

Chris

Alright folks - Tis me. Yep, Chris guessed it would be four days before I got on computer. Nah! not me. It is now less than 24 hours since the surgery and I am at home and surprisingly doing better than I even thought I would be. Guess that I shouldn't be too surprised, because I am a big believer in prayer and know that is what is allowing me to feel as well as I do.

Another thing about doing as well as I am is that I have suffered with a chronic illness for 21 years. The physical and emotional pain that I am having today is in no comparison to living years without first off knowing what is happening to yourself, and secondly the sorts of headaches that I had were much worse than any of the knives I have been under. The knives include two caesareans, an abdominal hysterectomy and a tonsillectomy at age 28. And now this.

I feel lucky, in that yes I have cancer, but am told that if I have to have it, I have the best one to get. Before now, I knew nothing about cancer except that the word scares most of us to death. It is a real shock when the doctor tells you that you have it. I was in shock for several weeks I believe, just putting one foot in front of the other.

From what I gather, there are either four or five stages of cancer, with the higher numbers being the most serious. I have stage zero as far as they can tell so far. Another biopsy was done of a lymph node yesterday and we will have the results of that in a week. Stage zero means that the cancer hasn't spread and that it is not life threatening. I was told that only about 2% of stage zero's will ever become other types of cancer.

I still have some more things to do go through as I am going to have an implant done where my left breast was. That consists of a couple of months of going in and having a device that stretches the muscle and skin in the area so that it will eventually cover the implant.

I had or have had rather large breasts and they won't be making them as large as they were before. In fact, they are going to reduce my right breast at some point to make it the size of the implant. I will be wearing smaller size blouses I would suspect. So, this is not the end of it.

I feel a bit badly about coming here and writing such lengthy posts. I know that ladygardener1, Chris is dealing with much worse than I am and she hasn't been here going through each and every little thing. You all will be glad to know that I will begin attending some breast cancer support groups soon and will have another place to give my play by play.

I do thank all of you who have sent good wishes and prayers and do look forward to getting together soon with those who will be meeting to either swap or shop. Gardeners Are Special!!!

If I feel this well tomorrow, I will go out scouting the garden, not doing anything or than pulling a small weed or two. I am not going to push it, believe me. I am so grateful that I have had this summer to do this gardening gig. It has greatly improved my attitude and outlook.

I very truly blessed to be a part of this community. Take good care all.

Ruby

Ruby, I'm so glad you're doing so well. But, I have to fuss at you. Don't be pulling a weed or two. Don't be doing anything that might give you a setback in your recovery.

When my mom had cancer surgery 44 years ago (wow, didn't realize it had been that long until I did the math) she ignored the doctor's orders to do nothing to put any strain on her stitches. Ended up with problems with the stitches and 8 weeks added to her surgery recovery.

Yikes!!!!! And that also reminds me that I had to be re-admitted to hospital when I had the hysterectomy because the incision became infected. Yep, I hear you loud and clear. Will be getting on couch in front of tube shortly to veg out for a while. Thanks for caring and sharing.

Ruby

Ruby,
I was thrilled to see your update today!!! Puh-lez...take it easy...watch Oprah and Dr. Phil or something...but no physical activity. And we certainly don't mind the "play by plays" - you update us when ever you're comfortable doing so!! What a great praise report this is!!! Yip-eee!
((HUGS))
Chantell

Ruby, I agree with Chantell ~ Yipeeee!!! Having a great attitude is the best way to recover!
Know that God Is with you & he does not give you anything you cannot handle.....and you are handling ...just fine!

Still praying,
Joey

Thank you so very much Joey and Chantell. My husband and I are practicing with my camera. So far I have been able to take the pics and save them in a Snapfish album. In a while, either today or tomorrow, I will attempt posting them here. This has been a real mental block for me for several months. I didn't have the desire to mess with "learning" anything new. Now, I am ready.

Funny thing is that I used to use the camera and had a site on Ruby Lane Antiques and also sold on e-bay. Since that time I have been through several computers and wasn't looking forward to setting things back up again.

I am almost there in terms of being able to post pics, and the great thing is that most of my plants are in their prime.

Thank you both sweethearts.

Ruby

There you go, Ruby...now's a great time to learn new things!!!

There are a couple of other things that I have written down and want to do while recovering. I need to go through all of my old makeup, some of which is still in packages and toiletries and donate to the local Women's Shelter.

A couple of years ago I went a bit crazy buying craft items that have never been touched. I want to get that stuff together and donate to the Girl Scouts.

I figure that if I take it slowly and not pressure myself to get things done, and have a real excuse for going slow, that I might do the things that I have been putting off doing.



Ruby

Great idea, keep your mind a movin'. :D And you'll feel better about yourself ~ doing good things for others. (it always me feel better)

Here's to you, Ruby!

Ruby, you don't have to upload pictures to a graphics host to post them here. If you have them on a file on your computer, such as My Pictures, or on a CD, just go to the "image" below where you type a new post and hit "browse" and find the file or the CD drive on your computer and select the picture.

Here's one from a CD, a daylily photo I took a few years ago.

Hart - May I call you Sweethart? ha-ha. You are so much on the ball. I am trying to post a pic of my Autumn Joy Sedum. It is in a rock monument that my hubby built for me years ago when we were dating. He took this pic yesterday and you cannot get the beauty of his rock work. He said that after he mows grass today, we can take a pic of the whole bed.

Here I go.......

Oh Ruby...HE'S a keeper....that is beautiful!!!

Ruby, that is pretty! I love the rock work your husband did.

Ruby, that'a really nice! He does truly great stone work! :-))

I'd have married a guy who made that for me too. LOL He did a great job.