The Dream Team

PROOFED by Jessie Cobley

I will start off with a writers note.  I have been considered the blogger of not only this blog, but also hannahcobley.blogspot.com, or more commonly known as hannimaltheanimal.  Truth be known, there was a lot of family editing throughout.   That editing was not recognized.  Well I want to do that now.  With my upcoming surgery, I may be typing things that don't make sense (at least I will blame it on the drugs) so editing will be necessary.  I want to turn this into a family blog.  From this point on, the family blogger will identify themselves as the writer in the title or opening line.  If I write it and it needs to be edited/proofed,  I want you guys to know what Cobley edited it.

That being said,  the DREAM TEAM of surgeons is finalized, and the surgery date has been set.  Dr. F is the lead surgeon, Dr. W is the thoracic surgeon, and Dr. T is the plastic surgeon.  They all have very specific jobs, and will be "tagging" the next one in when it is their turn.

Over the last week or so, the details and the order of the surgery have been finalized... Here are the details.  After the initial incisions, Dr. W will cut a circle in my rib cage and cartilage in a circle about the size of a coffee can.  That circle of tissue which will contain the tumor will be popped out of my chest like a cork on a wine bottle.  Dr. W will then be tagged out by Dr. F.  Dr. W is done, he can hit the showers.

Dr. F will then place the robo skeleton in.  While not as elaborate ate the picture above, I will be having titanium ribs placed in my body.  Kinda cool, sort of super hero like.

Dr. F and Dr. W will take about 3.5 to 4 hours to finish their part of the procedure.

In steps Dr. T, specializing in breast reconstruction, not cosmetic, but fixing those that have gone bad.  While I do not have breast cancer (please hold the jokes) this part of the surgery is very similar to what a breast cancer patient has done.

When Dr. T was explaining this to me, it was obvious that the Dr. T was concerned with how I felt about scarring.  The scarring can be bad, and obvious.  The scar on my chest will look like a football (very fitting I think).  The tissue that is used for the muscle and skin graft will come from either my back or my stomach.  I told them I prefer the stomach, and to lypo me while down there.  If more skin is needed that will come from my side.

All that being said, total surgery time will be about 8 hours.  Long time for my family and friends to be sitting around waiting, but since I will be asleep, I will not care.

The date of the surgery is September 28.

The last several days have been hard.  The waiting... I am not scared or worried.  I just want to get on with it.  I have felt like an athlete that is ready to go, and keeps having the start of the game postponed.

Now that it is scheduled, I am good to go.  The Cobley's are good to go... God is good and in control, lets get this done so we can move on to Sarah and Seth's wedding in October.

Eucaristia