I made an error in my photo in the last post as to my preparations. I do not need to take any enema today! But I need to drink two bottles of magnesium citrate, one at noon and one four hours later. I need to take a lot of antibiotics today, and am into that process. The last two days, and today, I am taking a pill that relaxes the neck of my bladder. Apparently when a male has surgery in their pelvic area it is often hard to urinate for a few days. In an effort to not need a catheter, they use this pill as part of the preparation. Trust me, if I need a catheter, you will know …

I have spent the last few hours making many trips to the toilet. The inside of my colon, I am sure, is bright and shiny right now. My stomach is not so great from the antibiotics, and there are more to come. I still need to take my shower with the surgical scrub, tonight and tomorrow.

I think I am set. I have very high confidence that I will wake up from surgery, I have every time in the past. That is the next milestone, followed by getting my butt back home, hopefully by Monday. That depends on my stoma working well and my working well with the stoma. We are going to be dear friends.

Inanna is incredible. My mom traveled to here and my sister lives here. Being co-chair of an organization whose membership is overwhelmingly women caregivers is helpful! And we have some wonderful nannies (our word for the personal care attendants) working with the girls.

I am not scared, because there is nothing tomorrow to be scared about. I am anxious about the pathology report but that will be days away. I have come to terms with the stoma, and I am practicing to make a good first impression with it. I hope it likes me.

Should start posting again tomorrow. And yes, I have lots to say.

I went for a CT scan today at 10:15 in the morning (and that post will be up soon about that boondoggle) and then met with my oncologist and the surgeon at 2:30. This is the first scan since the “treatments” and is very important to see if the cancer has spread. I will have such testing every three months for two years, then twice a year.

Punchline – the scan was clear, no evidence of cancer anywhere. And my blood test for the CEA marker (want it under 5, was 31 when all this started) is 1.7. I am cancer free. Today. Also, as of today, I have an 80% chance of survival, which is statistical shit that does not really mean much, but is nice to hear. Every day I am cancer free that number goes up.

Cancer free.

That necessitates another shot of slivovitz, don’t you think?

(But there is a ways to go, more surgery and even a colonoscopy in three weeks, no prep needed …)