Denver 35

Greetings Family and Friends!

As always, I like to keep everyone posted on my progress as we fight this avm! I was really looking forward to this trip, I just wanted to see "my people" that understand me completely! So here we go! It never fails, we got on the plane on an hour or two of sleep - we always seem to pack very late and last minute and have a very early flight! We had an empty seat between us from Dallas to CO - so Saba had her own seat! We arrive in CO @ 9:30 a.m. on Wed., Jan. 27 and the weather was nice! The sun was out and it was chilly enough for a light jacket! Picked up the car rental that Mark really enjoyed! It was an Infinity!

We headed toward Park Meadows Mall, as everything we needed to do was in that area! I figured we'd kill a little time @ Borders bookstore, then have lunch @ Mimi's Cafe and then go on to my appt. w/Dr. Hepworth's office in the same area! Luckily we got there early for the appt. because it turns out, our appt. was @ his other office, closer to Swedish Medical Center! At this point, Dr. Hepworth feels he can go in and debulk the mass under my chin without it interfering with what Dr. Yakes feels he still needs to work on some of the avm in my cheek/ear area! So at this point, the doctors are discussing what they will do w/me next! Here are photos of me @ Dr. Hepworths office - he is putting ointment on my scabby area near my ear and inside it as well! The other photo show Dr. Hepworths P.A., Kris Pacheco! She is super nice and we like discussing what books we've just read!

After this appt. we went to Safeway to try and find items we can't get anymore in Corpus - like my favorite spray starch that comes in a spray pump bottle! I also found some face wipes I like to wash my face with that are NOT premoistened, so got some of that! Headed to Whole Foods to pick up something for dinner before going to the hotel and calling it an early night! This was going to be our first stay @ this hotel, as the Four Points Sheraton we always stayed @ was being converted to an assisted living place. This new place was a suite, so it was nice having a refrigerator, microwave, an oven, coffee pot and dishes, glasses, utensils! There are time we aren't too hungry, so this will be convenient to have something like soup if that's all we want! Wouldn't you know that for whatever reason, there was none of my favorite corn chowder soup @ Whole Foods! The bed was very comfortable and we had plenty of pillows, so we got a good nights rest!

I had to be @ Swedish by 7:30 a.m. to pre-register for my procedure, so here I am, next to the car before we leave! Maybe an inch and 1/2 of snow fell the night before! I had dressed Saba in a pink onesie and a denim skirt - but before taking off on this trip, my friend Felice asked me to make sure I made it to the post office before leaving for CO! She had sent me a couple of things for Saba to wear! She knows what an Olympic fanatic I am, so she sent an olympic sweatshirt w/a hood that has little slits for her ears! She also sent a t-shirt that says USA and it has sequins on it! How cool is that?! Thank you Felice! Everyone commented on Saba's sweatshirt!

So, got pre-registered and headed to ambulatory care to get ready for surgery! One of our favorite nurses is no longer in this area, but went on to Maternity Ward, so no more Sue! Our other familiar nurse was there - we call her Boston, as she has a heavy accent, but her name is Mary! Here she is, along w/Dr. Yakes P.A. Kelly! Got a nice surprise visit from another favorite nurse, Rick! He works in recovery, although he wasn't working on this day, but it was great that he stopped by to say hello! One of the anesthesiologist stopped by, Wendy - she said she was thinking of me the night before and worried about intubating me, since she knew I couldn't open my mouth too wide. She was happy to see I had a trache now, so it would be easier and safer for me to be put under! It was finally show time, so I get wheeled to surgery! Got a few minutes to talk to Dr. Yakes. Told him to go easy on me and that I didn't know how much more I could take! He assured me that we were going to beat this avm and we were going to win!

Woke up in recovery and my back was really hurting from laying flat due to Dr. Yakes doing an arteriogram! I normally sleep w/pillows under my knees for support! So I grabbed on to the side rail of the bed and pulled myself on my side and that helped the back pain! Got some morphine and ice chips and I didn't feel as bad as I have in the past! The nurse told me she was having a hard time reaching Mark - that she was getting a recording that it wasn't a working number! She finally tried dialing slower and got through! By this time, it was time for me to get to a room and Mark met me up there! Shortly afterward, Eric, Dr. Yakes other P.A. stopped by to see how I was doing! He always comes by and gives me my prescriptions and dismissal papers, that way, we can leave first thing in the morning!

Had very good help as always - here is a new tech we met named Zufan and she is from Africa! Sweet and helpful! Since Dr. Yakes only used 8 cc's of alcohol, I wasn't too bad off, and he did not work inside my mouth, so as soon as I could sit up, I was drinking juice and having pudding! Just had some blood in my hair - but I was able to take a shower that evening and get it all out and felt better! Mark stayed with me a bit and we watched the Star Trek movie courtesy of Swedish! After Mark left, I dozed off a bit, but woke up @ 3:30 a.m. and I watched The Proposal and then some movie about a dog hotel! Of course I was missing my Hanzie, but we got updates from my brother-in-law Jim about how Hanz was having fun and falling exhausted at bedtime!

Next morning after Mark showed up, we got all our stuff and went to say hello to Sadie, Dr. Yakes Patient Coordinator! She does so much that is neccessary to get my appt. scheduled, so we like to stop by and touch base with her! Also, with Mona, Dr. Yakes office manager! These ladies have to deal with insurance and all sorts of paperwork to get me up there!

Soon as we left the hospital, we headed to Wal-Greens to fill a couple of prescriptions, then to Whole Foods again to get something to eat that we could take on the plane with us! Repacked all our stuff @ the hotel, checked out and headed to the airport! Here is a photo of me probably talking to Mom and telling her we were getting ready for take off!

As always, thank you so much for all your love, prayer and support! Still no telling how many more procedures I have left, but it's got to be done slowly. In May I will be going to see Dr. Yakes for 6 years! Yikes! Our plane was late getting home, as it had to be de-iced in Dallas! It was great to get to the house, but it didn't feel like home until we picked up Hanz the next day from Jim and Shelleys house! It's great to have out little family home together again! Take Care!

Love,

Mark and Cyndi