"Keep your head up!"

To catch you up...

Lena slept really well through the night Saturday...but also slept through the time she was supposed to take her "regular" non-narcotic pain med.  I snuck Daisy out for another walk and played 'chase-the-ball' on the grassy hill adjacent to the RMH.  We then walked a few blocks to a little market I discovered yesterday....

Here is The Yes! Market; they had ALL THE FOODS AND DRINKS I really love.  So, basically Daisy and I will be walking there every day, maybe twice a day while we are here.  I bought berry smoothies and sweet potato cake and pumpkin spice muffins and fresh cut fruit.  Then rushed back to our room, where Lena was up and "sore but not unbearable"....after basically missing her 6am dose (by now it was 10:45am).  

Later that day, Lena experienced several hours of nausea.  This meant she couldn't eat much.  It also meant she couldn't take her pain meds.  I was abe to get in touch with the neurosurgeon on call, and get anti-nausea meds called into the pharmacy.  She had them within a couple hours and was able to get enough down to take her NSAID pain meds with a little food.  She got decent sleep that night.

Monday wasn't too, exciting but I do have several thoughts and things that Lena and I have discussed.  We've been spending more and more time in the RMH room, which means Daisy has a lil' too much energy:

I MESSED WITH THE DRESSING on Saturday:

I did change part of her dressing.  At the base of her neck, where they pulled the straw-sized-diameter drain out, the opening had wept just a little.  It was clean though, no infection or even nasty dried blood.  I replaced a small piece of gauze and used the transparant "window" adhesive covering just like the PA showed me. I'm amazed that nothing is weepy or draining.  Especially for all the sitting up and movement she's done.  

"Keep your head up!"

We had a GOOD LAUGH last night, over one of Lena's friends messaged her to, "Keep your head UP!"  Lena explained to me, "Ha!  I have no CHOICE."  She can't turn her head side to side or look very much up or bend her neck down.  Even though she doesn't have the neck brace most of the time

Part of Lena's procedure was also a "bone marrow aspiration" from her right, lower back.  

So her back was a little sore for the last 3 days, she just took the band aid off.  They used her own bone marrow to "fuse" the vetebrae (see C1 and  C2 below in figure a):

Figures b, c, and d depicts the type of Occipital decompression surgery (for Chiari Malformation) that Lena just had last Wednesday.  The disclaimer is that these figures, I found on the Internet...they are not materials given to me by the neurosurgeon.  We had been warned prior to the surgery, that the "tools" you see above the ears on figures a & b might leave some skin breakdown ... so far we haven't seen any issues in the area the equipment was pressing on.  

    

"I didn't really think about my hair....."

I haven't recorded here yet, Lena's comments about her hair.  It was pretty much her 1st full day in the hospital, that the full gravity of how much of her hair needed to be shaved for the neurosurgeons to perform the procedures.  She was concerned (read: OBSESSING in her narcotic induced state...) about how to deal with the shaved part growing in.  We talked weaves and wigs and worrried alot for the next two days..

She was also instructed upon her discharge from the hospital NOT to shower or wash her hair... the incision shouldn't get wet at all.   She made it about 3 days before she was DONE with greasy hair.  So with the "if there is a will there is a way attitude".... we figured out a way to wash her hair....

Daisy sort of "helped"...

Lena was able to hold her head over the side of the tub, with her neck prone.  We made sure the wound was completely sealed off, plus she had a large, clean towel pulled over the area.  I was able to brush it out while Daisy provided some distraction...

And with her hair dry...it's like you couldn't even see her scar OR the shaved part...

After a couple days home and lots of wig and weave and hair cut discussion...Lena decided she was fine with her hair.   (Of course I think she's beautiful JUST the way she  is).

Later on, we changed her dressing:

There is virtually no weeping, and everything looks to be healing well. She seems to be having a little bit of a skin reaction to the adhesive covering... but it doesn't seem to be bothering her right now.  

Overall SUCCESS...

Lena STILL has complete function, feeling and strength on her left side.  No sign of seizures at all.  She IS frustrated with the lack of mobility in her neck...but then I remind her that she had surgery LESS THAN A WEEK AGO!  She is in very little pain...and she's getting very good sleep and rest right now.  

Feeling so, so grateful and blessed.  

First Full Day OUT of the Hospital...

Lena slept well through the night.  She actually didn't take any more of the narcotic pain medication.  She pretty much just on the non-steroidal anti-inflamatory medicaiton.  It's nice because that keeps her more lucid, and less loopy.  She gets up and around with no problem at all. 

I snuck out about 8:45am to take Daisy for a walk.  There was still very little light in the room and Lena looked very comfortable...

(The unicorn pillow was a gift from the LAST time we stayed at the Ronald McDonald House 

for Lena's MALS surgery in May 2019...)

I was SO glad the back and forth to the hospital part was OVER.

So Daisy and I struck out for a little exercise.  As we left the gates of the Ronald McDonald House, we heard the 9:00am bells chiming.  I turned to walk towards them, up and over a small hill.  And here is what I found...

There is a Fransiscan Monastary 

next door to the RMH.

I had been feeling a little sad that we weren't gonna be able to really do any sightseeing while we are here...even if she feels up to it!  But, THIS is right next door...

...and it looks like they own all the buildings on the street.  The St. Francis Church is just adjacent...and it's obvious the other houses on the intersecting street house the monks...

Most of the houses had really cool religious statues..

When Daisy and I got back, Lena was up and alert.  She wasn't in any serious pain...but she figured once she got up and moved around she might need her pain meds....

(I think we have hit the "please stop taking pictures" 

portion of this journey....)

Then, surprisingly...Lena wanted to get up and out.  She is not supposed to look "down" at electronics in her lap...so she ordered something from Amazon to hold her phone higher...and we were in search of a bed "table" ...

So we loaded up 

An area called "Columbia Heights" is about a 20 minute drive away....we saw this cool "Basilica of the Immaculate Conception" building....

....We found all we needed at Bed, Bath & Beyond...and Target...including Starbucks treats .....

For this one, Lena actually SAID, 

"Oh. No. You are gonna take a selfie aren't you....."

Back to the RMH about 90 minutes later.  Lena did great, but was ready to sit or lay down.

On the drive...she was eating a piece of lemon cake from Starbucks.  She said, "OH!  ...So you actually have to open it or move it to go down!"  I looked at her sideways.  She continued, "Now that I have a gag reflex....it's like you have to work to swallow the food!"  

Luckily we were in stopped traffic.  I showed her how I swallow..."Yes, you have to actively push it down...."  

She never had to do that.  She literally has been allowing food to "slide" down her throat her entire life.
"Wow.  That's a lot more work"....Lena said.



Back at the RMH we put our groceries away, and settled in for an early night.  Lena isn't too sore from our outing.  

So far so good.  Feeling so, so grateful.

Daisy's comment - These hoomans need me

Daisy's comment:

Nights timeys snoozles wif the old hooman not as comfy as young and needy hooman I used to.  Old one snores.  Dis morning I snuggled real close to old hooman's sniffer (cuz she forgot to bring my usual hooman home AGAIN...)

I was rewarded wif some tum tum rubs, but den my nose got sum snuffles and AAAACHWOOOOF!

Old hooman neededs a face shower anyways.

Dis big place nice tho...here's where I does my impawtant outdoorz in da grass bisnus...

Lena's full second day in the hospital started out with her being able to eat a little bit more than the day before.  She was extremely tired when I got there around 8:30am.  She was completely on oral pain meds by then though...and that can contribute to the fatigue.  She still hadn't needed to wear the brace since the morning prior, and she was getting in and out of bed and walking very well.  She could even kneel down to give Daisy some proper loves:

After she rested, I attempted some hair upkeep (lotsa dry shampoo) and managed to brush out one more "clump" and get it braided so it was out of the way when the doctor came in later in the day....

Maybe just a step down from pippi longstocking...but it got the job done.

Then we waited, and waited, and WAITED....for the doctors to visit.

Finally around 4:00pm, PA Bob came in...changed the dressing and talked with Lena a minute...

"You wanna go home TODAY?" He asked.  We both were suprised..."Yes!" Said Lena.

So he pulled that nasty looking tube (drain) out of her neck.  I watched it...it was about 2 inches buried in the incision.  He showed me how to put on the dressing again.  Lena noted to him that she still had feeing and strength on her left side.  She no longer is experiencing the tinnitus (ringing in the ears) she had before the surgery.  He wrote some prescriptions and approved for Lena to be discharged.

I decided I'd better go out and get the prescriptions filled, since it was 5:00pm on a Friday night.  We didn't want to be stuck overnight without any pain meds.  I set out to find a pharmacy nearby to fill them.  It was RAINING and getting very dark.  The first 3 places I went...did not have the quantity of the pain medication in stock.....ARGH.  My fourth stop finally could fill it. So dropped off the prescriptions and ran back to the hospital to get Lena.

She had eaten (a little) dinner and had her IV out and was changed and ready to go!  We waited a few minutes for the wheelchair, I ran back out to get the car and we loaded up.  I couldn't beleive it...less than 60 hours after her major surgery.  

Brace on for car travel and airplane travel...but otherwise she doesn't need to wear it!

BACK to the pharmacy to get the prescriptions, and Lena wanted to go in to grab some headbands.  She has been preocupied most of the day with how she is going to deal with that 3 inches of shaved area in the back of her head...for the short term, while she can't get it wet...headbands.

We went a little out of the way to celebrate with some SONIC.  Lena still is on some softer and smoother foods so a milkshake fit that order.   Then 25 minutes later we pulled up to the Ronald McDonald House.  Lots of rain.  And Lena's head was starting to hurt.

We rushed back into the RMH to find the elevator was out of order.  So up the stairs we went.  

THIRD FLOOR.

Honestly,  if that was the hardest part of the day, I'll take IT.  Lena went up once.  I went up and down twice to unload the car.  Then back up and down 3 more times to do laundry.  Workout....CHECK.

Daisy's comment:  

Dis da gud LIFE. I has two beds for da jumpings.  Old hooman finally bring da usual hooman home with us.  I clean everybodies toes pawfectly dis night.

The Simply AMAZING Day After...

Daisy and I got to the hospital a little after 8am.  They don't allow any visitors in until 8:00.  

The weather was a frosty 30 degrees...

and luckily I was able to use my trusty Costco Card as my window de-icer.

When we got up to Lena's room, she was sitting up in bed, trying to force down a few bites of breakfast.  I was WAY more excited than she was that grits were on her tray.  She apparently had already tried to take a few bites before I arrived and it had NOT gone well.  Her throat was inflamed (probably from the breathing tube that was inserted during surgery).  

See, prior to the surgery Lena was told that she had no "gag reflex".  She had no clue that her entire life, she lacked this reflex that everybody else experiences.  THIS morning, she was unhappily discovering what the gag reflex felt like.  So not much breakfast got down.  Then the nurse tried to give her a pile of oral meds, GAG.  She finally got them down with a bite of applesauce.  

Then the nurse attempted to apply a pain patch on her upper back.  As she brushed away Lena's hair, a HUGE clump just fell out.  Initially the nurse thought Lena's hair was falling out!  But it turned out that whomever shaved the back for surgery, simply left the wadded hair, mixed in Lena's still attached hair...for nurse Phyllis to discover.  Hee hee.

Lena's lame top knot would be MY fault.  

Lena reached out, grabbed my hand with her LEFT HAND and squeezed.  HARD.  It's amazing.  The strength and feeling had already returned to the left side of her body!!!  A miraculous blessing...this was one of the reasons she chose to have this surgery!

You might notice from the picture that she has a round plastic piece hanging down from the nasal cannula that covers her upper lip/mouth.  This detects her rate of respiration; If it dips below a certain number of breaths per minute, an alarm sounds to alert the nurse that she is having depressed respiration due to the pain medicatiol.  The LAST surgery she was on a Dilaudid pain pump, which  made her SUPER LOOPY and eventually caused severely depressed respiration.  Thankfully, the surgeon listened to us and put her on a Morphine pain pump this time.  Lena has been very lucid and her pain is really well managed.  

Shortly after the clumps of hair episode, the physical and occupational therapists walked in.  They announced that Lena needed to get up and walk, and Lena was MORE than ready to try.  But, a minute later the neurosurgeons came in.  It was like a huge party in Lena's room.  Doctors supercede the therapists and so they stood aside for a bit.

First, they pulled off the brace and started showing us the dressing, drain and surgical area.  

WARNING SLIGHTLY GRAPHIC PHOTO TO FOLLOW:

They shaved about 3 1/2 inches up from her hairline.  

The tube coming out is a drain, that will be removed tomorrow.

The incision looks to be about 5 inches?

Sutured with dissolvable stitches and covered in steristrips.

I was amazed that it looked as if she didn't have ANY swelling.  Dr. Narayanan and the PA, Bob confirmed that there wasn't hardly any swelling at all.  Lena had no problem holding her head up without the brace.  She isn't supposed to turn her head side to side, but rather to use what Dr. Narayanan called, "princess movements" where she keeps her head in line with her shoulders.  PA Bob showed me how to apply the dressing, and Lena left the brace off from that point on...she does fine laying back on a pillow or, simply holding her head up.  She says it's sore but not unbearable.  

They put in orders to switch her to oral meds by the end of the day, removed her "foley" (catheter), and ordered throat lozenges to help with her sore throat.  Both Dr. Narayanan and PA Bob stayed and talked for a bit.  Lena asked several good questions and clarified the use of the neck brace moving forward (in the car for 4 to 6 weeks, really any time the neck could have a hard hit or get jerked around).  

Once they left, the OT and PT came back in and before I knew it Lena was up and walking.  No hesitation, no issues, no dizziness or nausea.  

She walked around half of the hospital wing, unassisted 

(well, one of the therapists was helping with her IV tower...)

Ok, so I am NOT the best at getting video whilst working with the service dog....

BUT you get the idea....she was WALKING!!!

      

...And from that point on she didn't wear her brace for the rest of the day.  She knows that the more she allows those muscles in her neck to support the weight and do the work, the stronger she will get.  She didn't walk the halls anymore today...but she did get up herself a few times to use the bathroom and brush teeth, etc.

The rest of the day, was about resting and recovering.  She finally did watch some TV and she did alot of coloring and broke out her laptop.  She had more energy than I thought she would AND she sat up most of the day.  With the brace off, she was able to eat a little better, but it will take a little longer for her throat to heal.  

Daisy and I went for a walk about 3:00pm.  The hospital is located next to a lovely community of homes...and there is a road running through them that has walking paths on either side.  I didn't bother to take any pictures, but we walked maybe 2 miles.  The weather was yummy, around 58 degrees.  We saw squirrels and a weird dead thing that looked alot like a baby beaver?  Not sure.  But it felt like quite the adventure.  It was cool to have such a nice place to walk and enjoy the outdoors basically right outside the hospital front door!

When I returned to Lena's room, they had disconnected the pain pump...which meant she needed to start oral medications.  Kind of the last step, to see if she can manage her pain with oral meds prior to being discharged.  Lena called for the first oral dose a little while later...the nurse came in and gave her the full dose plus a "push" of Benadryl in her IV.  Lena started in on a little dinner, but only got a few bites in.  It took maybe 7 minutes before Lena's eyes glazed over and she said, "Ummmm.  That didn't take longggggggg....."  She got super loopy and laid down.  Didn't sleep, but made lots of comments about how maybe next time not TWO tablets.  

She was really still for about 90 minutes and then sat back up and resumed her activity.  She got to facetime her older brother:

Which definitely was a highlight.  The rest of the night ended quietly.  She's doing so well, I chose to return to the Ronald McDonald House so we both could get good sleep.  

It was an amazing, miraculous, and BLESSED day.  Could NOT have gone better.  😄

SURGERY DAY - On "Good Luck Road"...

 Woke up at 4:25am, got ready and drove 25 minutes to the hospital.  It was 28 degrees again...

Doctors Community Hospital....

Lena and I chuckled on the way to the hospital...it's located on "Good Luck Road".  

We could use some of THAT...

About 5:50am - The older lady at surgery intake desk was VERY concerned that we had Daisy with us.  She explained, "You can't have the dog here....cuz of the COVAC!"  I'm pretty sure that she meant COVID, but it struck me that she was gonna have to have a better argument than that ... or... at least sound like she knew what she was talking about.  

Lena went back and they prepped her over about an hour....and then they let Daisy and I in ....

About 7:00am - 

Daisy KNEW something was up.  Even though Lena was very calm...

I was starting some minor mom tears.  Daisy hopped up through the bars to snuggle Lena....

The anesthesiologist came in first and described the different medications in great detail, she had what sounded like a German accent (alot of "zee" this and "zee" that)...and I couldn't understand some of what she was saying.  But I did get the gyst of it...and the best was when she explained that there would be TWO anesthesiologists in there to monitor because, "...sometimez I needz to peez..." I wasn't sure I heard that right.  

Then Dr. Narayanan and Dr. Henderson came in.  Dr. Narayanan is a lovely woman that is very upbeat and focused.  Dr. Henderson was assisting AND the beauty was that he was the origional doctor that Lena had attempted to see in the neurology practice!  So even though he wasn't covered or the main surgeon...she got to benefit from his expertise during the surgery anyway!  Dr. Henderson is a bald, earnest man who said, "I got my COVID vaccine a few days ago!  You WON'T be getting it from ME!"  Both doctors spent time answering questions and making us feel good about what was about to happen in surgery.  Both are very knowledgable about EDS.  

Dr. Narayanan to me:  "You work in healthcare?  Are you a nurse?  You seem very comfortable...."

Me:  "Heh.  Heh.  This is NOT our first rodeo, we are used to this.  But, yes, I have some experience in healthcare....."

Surgery notes:  Dr. Narayanan explained that the surgery should take about 3 hours.  They would fuse the C1/C2 vertebrae in Lena's neck, using her own aspirated bone marrow and two screws.  "Using her own wonderful cells will be so nice!"  

Dr. Narayanan said, "...then she can go back to become a nurse and help us teach more people about EDS!"  She went on to explain that so many people do not understand what EDS sufferers go through.  Lena even added, "yes, when I explain the surgery or get imaging...the healthcare people always ask what accident I got in for my neck to be like this!"  There was NO accident or injury that caused these issues.  Simply her genetic defect causing connective tissue elasticity and hypermobility in the cartilidge and joints.  

Dr. Narayanan explained that Milena's neck didn't only have laxity when she nods up and down, but also when she turns her head side to side.  To have both is unusual, but common in those with EDS.  She then confirmed Lena would have a wound drain in the hospital and wear a neck brace for at least two weeks post-op.

About 7:30am -Then they wheeled her OFF.  I moped my way out the door and figured that driving somewhere to get breakfast would kill a little time.  Sometimes, when you use Google Maps to find a Tropical Smoothie Cafe...you get there 10 minutes later and there IS NO Tropical Smoothie Cafe.  But by then you really WANT Tropical Smoothie Cafe and so you take a chance and map the next closest one.  THAT one was real and I got my Berry Acai Boost (with pea protein) and my Peanut Butter Banana Flatbread.  Incidentally, I discovered these yums the LAST time Lena had major surgery (in Connecticut...you can read about THAT surgery at Milena's MALS surgery minutes... (milenasmalsminutes.blogspot.com)

10:00 am - Then I drove back to hospital with about 90 minutes left to wait.  I walked in, got settled, and Surgery Intake COVAC-concerned lady marched right over...."You know you can't be here, right?"  Hmmm.  Obviously I did not, or clearly I was going some serious hospital waiting room type of ROGUE on this fateful day.....

Since I knew I couldn't go back to the hospital until after she got out of recovery, which could be another 2 to 3 hours, I went back to the RMH and took a nap.  I needed it.  So did Daisy.  We got up 90 minutes later and waited and waited.  

12:30pm - By now, Lena had been in surgery almost 5 hours and I was gettng a little concerned.  I called the hospital and COVAC lady (who undoubtedly still had her concerns about my reckless waiting room assumptions) assured me she'd call or text once Lena was out.

12:55pm - I prepared to head back over, and then Dr. Narayanan called.  "Everything went beautifully!  The CON-struct is perfect!  Just how I wanted it!  She's not awake yet but she did very well."  WHEW.

I was comforted, but I had already had enough mom-ish stress to need to stop at Kentucky Fried Chicken for some comfort food.  I knew it would be a while until I could see her AND then I'd be stuck in her room after that so I figured I'd load up right then.  CHICKEN POT PIE.  Oh yeah.  Wait, no, TWO CHICKEN POT PIES.  Drove right into the hospial parking lot and ate them BOTH.  The weather was gorgeous and I had the windows rolled down with Daisy snoozing in the back.

2:00pm - Pretty soon I "neededz to peez" and so Daisy and I snuck BACK INTO the surgery waiting area with reckless abandon.  Deed done, we returned to the car.  I figured I could unload and get into the room by then...but the front lady at the Main Hospital Entrance had the same type attitude as Surgery Intake COVAC lady.  One eyebrow raised, she was like, "Ummm. Is she actually IN HER room?"  Um, no, not yet.  Sigh.  Back out I go.  

Looked up a dog park.  3 miles away, PERFECT.  Drove there, saw a big sign that said "YOU NEED A PERMIT TO USE  DOG PARK"... figured I'd continue my rogue rule breaking streak and entered anyway.  Daisy was on fire.  I took off her service dog vest and she turned into a ball chasing freak.  There were so many other cute doggies there, YAY!  (I'm pretty certain that most of the Washington D.C. police officers and the 15,000 incoming National Guard Troops wouldn't be too concerned about my little "animal control permit" offense....)

About 2:45pm - THEN the hospital nurse (the one that had ASSURED me that she'd give me 30 minutes notice before Milena was taken up to her room...) called.  "She's in her room NOW!"  Mmmmm.  Thanks nurse who LIES.  Daisy and I hightailed it back to the hospital, carted all Lena's stuff to the main entrance.  Main Entrance lady by then, had figured out I was legit (I didn't menton the recent dog-park-permit-offense)...and I was on my way to the 4th floor.

AND here she was:

Super sleepy, but answering questions.  Pain "not too bad, at a 6"...  She has a PCA controlled pain pump with Morphine for now.  She has the neck brace on, and so I haven't seen the incision yet.  The drain is working well, which is good.  She fumbles a bit for the pump but she is getting adequate pain relief.  

Daisy immediately jumps ON MILENA'S bed.  I shewed her off but GEEZ.  Daisy gives me this look:

This is obviously YOUR fault and I will hurt you while you sleep.....

About 4:15pm - Lena flipped to her side and about gave me a heart attack.  She isn't sure how to eat, but really isn't hungry and just wants to sleep anyway.  They've given her Benadryl to combat any itching from the Dilaudid (during surgery) or the Morphine (which can cause nausea).  

Lena's face is swollen, but the anesthesologist had warned us about this.  She was flipped on her stomach for the actual surgery.  We were also warned she may have some skin breakdown around her temples, due to an appliance they use during the surgery.  So far I don't see anything like that.  

She kind of jumps up every little bit and tries to find a more comfortable position, but really she always decides flat is best and just rolls from one side to another.  

5:45pm - I get her to take two sips of a Mango Smoothie and that's it.  She gives me one more pic for the day...

9:20pm - nurse comes in to give night time meds.  One of them is gonna knock her OUT.  I plan to head over to the RMH with Daisy to get a good nights sleep.

Yesterday Lena gently said, "Mom, I know you want to spend the night but....you snore.  LOUDLY."  Sigh.  Point taken.  Also, the night nurse said she is "allergic" to dogs.  (I actually know from my experience working in the assisted living facility that alot of african immigrants detest or are afraid of dogs...)  So, I'll quit the helicoptering and head out.  Until tomorrow's update.....

Getting TO Maryland and Washington D.C. from Dallas, TX & Preparing for Surgery

 We left on the afternoon of January 11th, on a nonstop flight on Southwest Airlines...

"Aww great....we are starting the pictures ALREADY?"

Daisy trying to stow herself under the seat...

We flew into Baltimore, MD since Lena had an appointment the following morning for "urodynamic testing" to rule out another diagnosis...  The flight was a little over 2 hours and pretty uneventful. 

The most eventful part of the whole process was the drama in the car, on the phone on the way TOO the airport.  We STILL didn't have insurance approval for the surgery...and on the way to our outgoing flight the doctor's office was calling to say not to come!!  But during the 40 minute drive...all was resolved, the surgery covered, and we had no more concerns about that.

    Drove about 30 minutes north of Baltimore and stayed in a groovy "Delta Marriott" Hotel.  The toilet clogged immediately upon our arrival.   I got Lena in the room and went out to pick up some dinner at a "Pizza Bolis"....shrimp fettucini Alfredo for Lena and Greek Salad for me.

This would be Daisy's "sexy hotel bed Tinder pose"...

Got up next morning for Lena's Urodynamic Testing appointment. BRRRRRRRRR...

 Drove about 10 minutes to....

Mmm.  Pelvic Neuroscience.  Betchya never heard of it right?  Yeah, me neither.  There were 10 people in the waiting room and ALL of them were 65 or older.  Many WERE much OLDER.  This is a specialist that treats urology issues, does vasectomies, and kidney problems, etc, etc.  

Lena knew this testing was going to be unpleasant.  I'm pretty sure the fact that she had to wait over an hour for them to get to it didn't help.  There were catheters in unmentionable places AND an antiobiotic shot in the leg.  We aren't going to talk abou this anymore...but both tests were "negative" and it is confirmed she does NOT have what they were testing for.

Then we were supposed to hurry to Lanham, MD right outside of Washington D.C. to the hospital for Pre-Op work.  But the hospital called on the way there, and said not to come.  Just show up early in the morning and they will take care of it then.  Ok.  So with our afternoon now free, we headed to the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Washington D.C. 

The weather warmed beautifully for our 40 minute drive and we arrived about 2:00pm at the RMH

No, there aren't any Big Macs or fries here....Ronald McDonald Charities have these type of "houses" that are basically hotels for people who are travelling for surgeries or illnesses.  We've been blessed to stay in one of these before!

We took naps and headed out for shopping at Target (needed some pillows and towels) and our regular "pre surgery" ritual...... PEDICURES (and a manicure for Lena)...

...Friggin are we done YET???

Back to the RMH for showers and packing and getting ready for our 4:30 am alarm to get to the hospital by 5:50am...  Calls from dad and brother, and mom's boyfriend....then Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz