Y’all. The last couple of weeks have been SO BORING.*

Which is, well, AWESOME.

This has been our first 3 week stretch without a procedure or chemo since September. P had a quick check up with Dr. Parsons and a pre-surgical appointment at UNC, but other than that, we’ve just been going about our routines. Family dinner. Trips to Marbles Kids Museum. Street festival downtown. Low key hangs with friends. We even went to dinner and a show at DPAC last night.

Preston went on a 6-mile hike the week after his last lung surgery. It has become clear to me that he is a mutant.

Or perhaps a smartass, cancer-surviving super hero. (though more like Ryan Reynolds before all that creepy scarring. Also, his hair has gotten so much thicker!)

Now, of course, after this weekend, it’s 3-5 days at UNC for a liver surgery, but these last few days have been lovely. Preston has felt good enough to help around the house and we’re nearly to “Laundry Zero.” I even had time to work outside in the yard some on Saturday while the boys napped.

I’m apprehensive about re-entry into the world. I fear that the waiting between tests and blood work will be stressful, but I keep reminding myself that it is SO MUCH BETTER than doctors appointments, surgeries and especially chemo.

I have renewed a focus on my own health after being so focused on P’s for the last 9 months. As a bit of an emotional eater** I have been making excuses for lots of yummy let totally unsatisfying treats. I’m hoping to find some more balance, and P is 100% supportive. He even helped me prep my lunches for the week which was a huge help.

An added bonus, eating a healthy diet is a critical success factor in avoiding recurrence of colon cancer.

I try not to get wrapped up in my weight, but I do want to be able to run and play and hike and tap and that is all harder if you’re not at least a little bit conscious of your weight. Accepting your body and weight and all that is fantastic – I’m a fan of radical self-acceptance! – but that really doesn’t work if you can’t physically do the things you want to do.

As always, thanks for your support during the hectic times and we look forward to being able to spend more time with everyone as soon as we’re through this last surgery!

 

 

 

*I did get strep throat in there somewhere, and Conor tested positive but had no symptoms, but even that felt mundane.

** A bit? #understatement #let’sbereal,girl.

And with that, Preston no longer has visible cancer in his lungs – hooray!

Dr. Parsons, pearl-loving badass, removed a fairly small (like, maybe a centimeter) cancerous lesion from the left lung yesterday. She only needed to make two very small incisions and got clear margins. Because such a small piece of lung was removed, the chest tube didn’t have to be so high, and Preston has mutant-like healing ability, he is doing very well.

It’s something else to see him joking with the staff and being his usual happy self while still in the hospital. Y’all, he is so strong.

 He should be leaving the hospital tomorrow and will have a nice long break before tackling the liver lesion on May 30th. I wouldn’t be shocked if they actually move that one up – we’re all eager to get past the surgical stage.

As of now, he shouldn’t have to do “mop up” chemo – which is good, because P said he would rather have surgery than have chemo. Which should tell you a lot about chemo.

Thanks for your dinners, well wishes, visits, cards, texts, messages – all of it. Oh, and thanks for  rocking your pearls yesterday! Dr. Parsons thought the whole thing was HILARIOUS but was also really really touched by the gesture. She said today that “will go down in Parsons Surgical History.” 🙂

 

Oh, friends – what an exhausting week it has been. I’m sorry that I haven’t been quite so good at keeping the blog up to date. Some days it is hard just to get the laptop out of the bag!

I hope you’ve been following along on Facebook or Instagram (feel free to send an invite to me if you haven’t already!) and know by now that Preston’s surgery went very well. Much better, in fact, than expected. They only had to do a “wedge resection” – that means they didn’t have to remove the lower two lobes of his lungs. They got “clear margins” meaning the lesions are completely out of there.

Recovery has been tricky, but y’all, my husband is such a trooper. I know he’s uncomfortable, but he powers through and doesn’t want to worry anyone. He’s nearly off his pain medication, and has been much more his cheery self. He said chemo was worse – which should tell you a lot about how hard that process was. Lung surgery is no piece of cake!

The care team at Rex is amazing. I swear, there are dozens of brilliant people working to make sure he gets better. Dr. Alden Parsons (and her affinity for pearls in the operating room), is my new favorite. She and the others are saving Preston’s life – I guess it makes sense that I would adore them a bit.

We have just a few more precious days to breathe before we literally do it all over again. The left lung is supposed to be much easier, and because it is less invasive, it should be an easier recovery. Ditto for the Liver, which has now been moved to May 30th. (see, nothing stays the same for long.)

I hope you know that we feel the love – your prayers, meals, support, texts – they make a difference. Thank you.