If you think I was swollen before...

….you should see me now! I look like someone stuck a hose up my nostril and inflated me. Strangely enough, I’m not in pain, and it isn’t even because of good drugs. Well, my face isn’t in pain, that is…my friend downstairs, however, is another story! They decided to leave the catheter in since I’d be at less risk for infection than if they put another one in tomorrow. I am not well with this…that area should only EVER be treated nicely! The doctors told me that they were able to pump in far more of the solution into the VM than they had thought they would, so they’re quite pleased with how things went.

That’s the short update. Here’s the story. This morning, we stumbled across the street to the hospital after having been up until 2:30am, and checked in with the radiology department at 9am, which of course meant that I hung out filling out forms and such for another two hours. The family of the boy we met yesterday dropped by to visit us, and as it turns out, his case is 10 times more severe than mine, he’s just had a lot of work done already by Dr. Waner. Turns out his VM was on both sides of his face and he had a huge one in his neck. His situation was severe enough that his mother eventually had to start homeschooling him. The last surgery he had for his neck was for a VM around the carotid artery, so it is really amazing what this doc can do. His mother made me feel great about what can be done. I have a bit more confidence than I had before.

Want to hear something really strange, but totally true? I don’t know if this was my imagination or what, but when my nurse and one of the docs took me to the room where I was having the treatment, a rather terrifying room that looked just a wee bit like an S&M chamber for Star Trek, as I laid on the bed, I suddenly felt so calm. Something, I don’t know what, came over me, like an energy of some kind that was wonderful. You guys know I’m not exactly into a lot of hocus pocus, but I just felt that you were all with me somehow. And now I’m tearing up…maybe they have me on some good drugs after all. Of course, it could be that Rhoda went around the call center and got the CSRs and sups to remove the pins from the Christopher voodoo dolls they no doubt have stashed in their desks, and that is why I suddenly felt good. That Rhoda, he thinks of everything (and don’t think I don’t know how incredibly hard he’s having to work in my absence…I owe him bigtime).

And yet again, hottie doctor alert! My anesthesiologist for this morning was gorgeous, and the one for tomorrow who just visited me was even better! I can't imagine that people are hotter in L.A. than they are here (granted, I like the cerebral hotties more than the plastic perfect ones, so NYC is my place). Then I got a roomie, an older Latino minister. I’m hoping he won’t try to convert me…his family is sweet, and I love hearing them speak Spanish, reminding me of when I lived out west. I think the last time I heard Spanish was in a “film” Craig bought called “How The West Was Hung!”

They (and by they, I mean ultra-hot anesthesiologist) are picking me up at 7:30am tomorrow to knock me out for the big event. Again, I’m strangely calm at the moment, though I have asked for a sedative for tonight so I can get some sleep (you know how she likes to pretend she’s Karen from “Will & Grace”!). Craig will be one of the first to hear how it went, so he should contact my friends via e-mail. In case I haven’t told those of you who were sent this link, I love you all, and hope to talk to you tomorrow with news that I’ll soon be signing a contract to be the first male contestant on “America’s Next Top Model.”