Dad and I put on quite a few miles today while mom was in surgery! She checked in at 9:00 a.m. and was brought to a room to disrobe and be asked a number of questions. The nurses took her down to the surgery room at approximately 10:10 a.m. and she did not actually begin surgery until 12:00 p.m. She had finished with the lumpectomy and the removal of lymph nodes (unsure of the total count at this time) at 4:00. She arrived at the hospital room around 5:45 p.m. and was fairly groggy.

The nurses tucked her in and got her all set up to eat a little snack. She ate some jello and had some really good coffee! She said she talked to the surgeon prior to beginning the procedure and the doctor felt like she would be able to get everything with the lumpectomy. The doctor also told mom that she would be much happier 10-15 years down the road with the procedure they have chosen! Mom really liked the doctor and was very happy to see she still had cleavage when she awoke from surgery.

Well, I am off to be with my wonderful mother before she hits the hay! I also think we may be coming home on Saturday!!

Well, I made the long trip to Rochester today and the drive was really not all that bad until I left Minneapolis. I kept asking myself, out loud of course, "I have to be getting close." I took a wrong turn, but was easily corrected as the ramp to return to the interstate was directly across from the off ramp. I really do not think that I could live in Minneapolis, as my knuckles would be permenately white, and my fingers would be so far imprinted in the steering wheel. I would then probably develop arthritis from gripping the steering wheel so tightly each day. I also believe that most people in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area are a little brake happy, and if they would not be up the person's butt in front of them, they would not have to apply the brakes!! I was taught there is a three car length rule, which allows a person to stop in time if something should go wrong, and I don't believe they teach that rule when issuing licenses to the people in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area!

When I arrived in Rochester, mom was patiently waiting for me on the curb. We then went to dry my mom and dad's clothes as the dryers did not work at the hotel. Mom was not sure if she could get used to hanging bras over the rolling racks at the laundromats. She did not hang hers out of course, but she saw some large over the should boulder holders and felt a woman's privacy could go right out the door at those places.

We arrived back at the hotel around 9:00 p.m. and dad drove me down into the parking garage underneath the hotel. I began feeling quite closterphobic and if I have to find my way out alone, I will be driving in circles for days.

My mother has surgery at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, so it is off to bed for some good rest!

I just spoke with mom and she did have another biopsy this morning, as planned. The biopsy was done using the MRI machine because the doctors did not believe that they had biopsied the appropriate spot last time. Mom said that everything went well and that the doctors would like her to be the poster child because they have never had anyone quite like her; she felt she might be a little to old for this. Mom did indicate that she was concerned with the fact that they were waiting so long to remove the cancer, and the doctor stated that this type of cancer, although aggressive, is very slow moving. She sees the oncologist, the reconstructive surgeon, and receives the results from the biopsy on Friday.

On the other hand, Toby and I still have Harper and Lady. Dexi is beginning to warm up to them, but is still struggling with the whole transition of having others in her domain! Toby has really taken a liking to Lady, and I often find her laying on his chest watching TV with him. Toby did not want the dogs sleeping with us, but the dogs got their way last night; they slept in between us the whole night!