Pre-op Day!

Boston was a chilly 20 something degrees this morning. We walked about a block to the hospital and were able to get a wheelchair to go to all of my appointments. This hospital is amazing and overwhelming all in one! Sweet Saint Francis needs some inspiration. Makes me want to make SFH better! Dr. M (actually his amazing secretary) had all of my appointments scheduled for me. I basically walked in, gave them my name, and they took me back. I had a series of tracheal x-rays, a chest x-ray, and met with my doctors PA to go over my history and physical and sign my consent. We grabbed some lunch at the hospital then came back to the hotel for a little rest. The PA said that there are several factors that will stop him for doing the surgery since it is a one-chance deal and that Dr. Mathisen is very careful to do it when the tissue is best ready for the resection. I hope that I meet all the criteria to go forward.

They will take me into the OR in the morning. I have to be there at 7:30 and my surgery is scheduled for 10. They will sedate me and do a broncoscopy. At that time he will check everything. If everything looks good, they will go ahead with the surgery. They will cut horizontally across my neck and remove the diseased part of the trachea and reattach top to bottom. I will be intubated with a special type of tube that I have never seen before. They will pull it back slowly as they suture everything closed until it is out. They will then place a chin stitch that is about 3 inches from my chin to my chest. That will remain for my stay in the hospital (about 7-8 days). The surgery will last for about 5 hours and then another hour in recovery before anyone can see me. The stitch will keep me from extending my neck upwards and dehissing the wound and surgical site. At the end of 7 or 8 days they will take me back to the OR for another bronch to check swelling and the site. If everything looks good at that time then they will cut the chin stitch and I will be able to discharge to our hotel room :)

I will have to stay in town for a few days to make sure I am ok. Post op includes a total of 6 weeks no talking.. Yes, I know...that is CRAZY! Jason lucked out on that one! So what this means for all of my friends is that they better talk while they can because I may not shut up once they let me talk again. I will also have to limit my neck movement during that time. Dr. M said no driving, lifting, or talking. I will diligently follow ALL of those rules. He also said that this is a 99% success rate if no Wegners shows up and I follow all the rules.

Mass General Hosp. is directly behind the brownish building and extends outward.

MGH- the beautiful tall building and all the little ones in front of it!

That is probably WAY more then anyone really wanted to know but it is a good rundown if I do get to have the surgery. If the tissue is not ready we will have to return in a few months and do this all again. It is encouraging that at all the appointments we have had today, every person has went on and on about how Dr. M is THE MAN or how he is very picky and does amazing work. It is comforting. Also, we have had so many messages and text that are making this so much easier. Thank you everyone. We are so overwhelmed with all the love we have been shown. Thank you will never be enough to express how we feel.

 We are planning on dinner at Legal Seafood with my parents tonight. My one outing :) We love seafood and several friends recommended this place in Boston. Don and Donna,  our friends, mentors, and also a elder/wife in our church, will be in this evening. We can't believe that they came to be with us. We are so blessed. Thank you all again. Hopefully Jason will be updating you tomorrow on a successful surgery...and a very sedated Sarah :)

The following pics are a few from the top of our hotel looking out! Enjoy :)