Surgery done so ...

My friends and family helped make today happen - successful breast cancer surgery for my 25-year-old. We are waiting to hear if all the cancerous cells and enough lymph nodes were removed by the surgeon. Those tissue reports should be in Tuesday or Wednesday. The oncology team was thrilled that the chemo-prayer-good wishes treatment shrunk all of the tumors - the largest was 9 centimeters - so much that they were impossible to see today with the naked eye.

A specialist was able to use tumor clips put in the center of the tumors in Noivember with today's ultrasound and a zilion mammograms to insert new wires to mark where the tumors were for the surgeon.

She contributed to two more studies today, one that may help many patients who are put out do better. The other is more informal - the surgeon's use of a pain block. She's also been in a study that compares results of a newer MRI with a more common MRI. There's a fourth but suddenly I can't remember the details of that. (It has been a long day.)

My husband, her boyfriend, his mother and an aunt also were at the surgery. And, of course, many virtual connections. (how useful txting, Facebook, Twitter, myspace, email and the web are for the exchange of messages. Wonderful support.

My daughter is glad that surgery is over, even knowing there's more to come. She's actually fascinated by the draining right now - pain pills, I suspect, helping to foster that.

Meanwhile, since moms don't get the pills that calm you, I am frazzled and tired. My husband is taking the first shift, her boyfriend the second so I am forfeiting the Red Wings in search of sleep and its restoring powers.

Go Red Wings. Go L'Hermeties (spelling) goodbye