L'amore di vita!

Balmy Bliss

We went to the Maymont Easter fest today. This event was really for kid's entertainment - and it was packed with the little rug rats having a ball. ;)

We had a terrific time, too. It was nice to get out. Fickled mother nature couldn't decide what to do with the weather though - rain cloudy sunny cool warm...and then did it all over again - all morning. But the sunshine finally won out.

I took my Lensbaby. I love this lens!

Then we stopped at a local bakery and had a chocolate croissant. YUM!

My brother is doing good. MCV just moved him today from ICU to a regular room. He was pretty much out of it for the first 4 days in ICU. Now he's able to talk, but the side of his face where the surgery was done is still pretty swollen (but not nearly as much as on the day of the surgery, last Friday) and he's having a hard time pronouncing his words, which is a bit frustrating for him. He's ready to go home - that much I was able to get out of him. :) He's also very hungry since the only thing he's had to eat is IV nutrition since the surgery. He's lost a lot of weight. I've been going to the hospital every single day after work and at various times on the weekend and been able to see how much better he's gotten over the course of the last week - which is very encouraging. 

 

Relief.

HE DID IT!

Thirteen hours on the surgery table.

His right eye was removed, as we expected.
THE DOCTORS WERE ABLE TO EXTRACT ALL OF THE TUMOR. This is super fantastic news.
He has a solid patch of skin on his face just below the eyebrow down about 5 inches and about 5 inches wide. The patch is the skin that was taken from his left leg.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT INTO INTO HIS PALETTE AT ALL. This is also fantastic news.
There is a cut from his ear around to the front of his neck where doctors removed a few lymph nodes and connected veins to his new patch of skin.
And of course his leg was cut from the top of the thigh down to his knee to remove the skin for the patch. 

HE'S DOING GREAT.
Doctor(s) all said he did terrific. Every step was a success.

He's in ICU now, and will be there for three days. The first 48 hours are the most critical time for a surgery like this because there is a chance the body could reject the patch. If that happened he'd have to be rushed back into surgery.
After ICU he'll be in a regular room for a few days.
The he gets to come home. 

We were at the hospital from 5:00AM on Friday until about 1:30AM this morning. After they wheeled him into ICU this morning, we got to see him for a few minutes even though he was completely out from the anesthesia and sedation. 

Went again this morning, and he was still sedated. The doctors wanted to keep him completely still all day today. All went well last night. Some of the swelling has already gone down in his face just since yesterday, which is a good sign. He's got great color in his face and the patch is beginning to take on the color of the rest of his facial skin. I'm praying that this healing continues. 

Thank you to everyone who said a prayer for my brother!

I love Medical College of Virginia. Those people work miracles.

We'll head over tomorrow and this time he should be awake. 

 

 

Anticipation

I've mentioned that my brother has a cancerous tumor behind his right eye.

He's in a lot of pain. He takes meds for it but he says it doesn't help. He can't sleep. He doesn't eat much. 

Over the last few weeks he's been tested at the hospital in every imaginable way. He's just plain tired physically, mentally, and emotionally. He's overwhelmed.

His surgery is scheduled for early this Friday. The doctor said it will take at least 12 hours to complete. He and Mom will be coming to our condo on Thursday night because the hospital is just a few blocks away from us. We're all going to the hospital, including my other brother and his girl, who will meet us there.

He will lose his right eye during the surgery. The skin on the right side of his face will be lifted up and as much of the tumor as possible will be removed along with any muscle that could potentially have tumor cells.

Muscle will be taken from his right thigh to replace what is removed from his face. That means a large cut will be made down his thigh to remove whatever tissue the doctor needs. He's lost a lot of weight and the doctor is concerned that he might be too thin for this procedure.

Lymp nodes will be removed from his neck.

There's a possibility a hole will need to be drilled in his mouth where his palette is located.

He will need some reconstructive surgery on his face over the next year. He will also get a glass eye as soon as he's well enough after the surgery.

He'll get six weeks of radiation therapy. Every day, M-F.

Surprisingly, he's doing OK. His spirits are good, but the pain is tough. He's having a difficult time knowing that he'll lose his eye. I think he can take almost everything else, but that is getting to him.

It all sounds so....severe. I can't think of another word for it. We're all being strong because we believe he's going to do well and be able to eventually put this behind him, but there are times when it's overwhelming. It's difficult...knowing what he'll have to go through to get there.

But he will get through this. And he will be well again. And even with everything that will happen to him on Friday, afterwards when all this is over, he will have time to enjoy the rest of his life.

I've been praying every day. Thank you, if you've said a little prayer too.

Mom with a Headcover

Mom & daughter day.

We were out shopping and stopped in a second-hand store where I asked her to hold the album cover in front of her face for a photo. She thought I was certifiable - but easily agreed to pose. She knows by now that when it comes to photography, nothing is off limits. :)

Then I treated her to a nice home cooked meal at her place. Love these days with Mom.

Cleanse

Last night for dinner we headed to a local place instead of eating at home. As usual when dining out we indulged in too much food and libations. Me...wine. The hubs...martini. The place served water in these lovely recycled wine bottles - we went through almost two of them.  Lots of salad, raw oysters, and sushi mixed in between.

The hubs likes to cook so we don't eat out often, but when we do we order things that he doesn't like to make - like oysters and sushi. :)