I thought I would put in another request for well wishes, good thoughts and prayers for Trails. Her big surgery is tomorrow. I know this will be a very difficult one for her, but I also know that any extra positive energy always helps during these trying times.
I will be heading up there in a few hours, and won't be back home or on line until Saturday evening...but have promised to pass on any post-op news that I can to Trueblue before then.
I wanted to add how much I know your encouragement always means to Trails. She has been through so much already...yet her ability to rise to the occasion, no matter how unfair it seems...always impresses me.
Though it saddens me so much to see her suffer...I am always humbled by her courage and endurance.
Thank you so much in advance for holding her close in your hearts, for lifting her up in your prayers and for sustaining her through so much with your continual love.
All my best, Melanie
Posted by painted turtle (Member # 7801) on :
My prayers are with trails.
Posted by MagicAcorn (Member # 8786) on :
Trails,
Trails I hope this is your last trial for a while. You have been through so much. I'll be hoping every thing works out for you. Take care.
Hugs, Acorn
Posted by sizzled (Member # 1357) on :
Trails, many prayers and warm wishes for a positive outcome! Posted by northstar (Member # 7911) on :
Trails, Go get 'em!
Lots of prayers and helaing thoughts of your quick and strong recovery!
Northstar
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
I hope this will be the last surgery you'll have to go through for a long long time.
And tomorrow, my thoughts an dprayers will be with you
You take care!
Andie
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Trails,
Sending you positive thoughts and healing prayers.
God bless you.
Geneal
Posted by serendipity (Member # 8474) on :
Trails,
I will pray for a successful surgery and quick healing.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Trails ~ I wish I was better at writing just the right thing (or even posting the perfect picture).
Please know I am sending my well wishes, good thoughts and prayers to you for a wonderfully successful surgery and speedy healing.
We do want you PYP asap... (in a good way).
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Trailsey dearest,
I'm thinking of you, and hoping this is the last one for a while. Fingers crossed!!
Michelle
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
trueblue, what does PYP mean? new one for this lymie!
trails, this WILL BE THE LAST ONE! i'm confident in this as i type this now.
our thoughts and healing prayers will be on you all day long today! yes, your courage, steadfast ability to look your problem straight in the eye, is to be admired.
trails, you're like me....you will NOT GIVE UP without a fight. you're going to lick your problem this time FOR GOOD~
acorn, will keep you feeding you her nuts and squirrels; which we all love.
best wishes to you/partner at this time!
may god bless your surgeons hands as they perform this delicate surgery on you, and fixing any other damage done by mistake during the other surgeries.
melanie, looking forward to an update as you can please. Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Trails, Thinking of you and concentrating on sending all the good energy I can.
.
.
.
betty, sorry but you'll have to wait a little until Trailsy can explain the PYP (it's just a little something to make her smile when she see's it.)
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Prayers going UP in hopes of a swift recovery and NO MORE SURGERIES!!!
Posted by timaca (Member # 6911) on :
Hey Steroid Buddy~ You hang in there. You are in my thoughts and prayers....
Timaca Posted by TNJanet (Member # 10031) on :
The TRIALS of TRAILS.........
Too many, too many!!!
Sending you my most positive energy. Am so glad that you have some very good support. You need and deserve it.
Wish I could hop a plane and do SOMETHING for you, but since I can't do that, I am lighting candles for you today and until I hear that you are feeling like a human being again.
Many warm hugs,
Janet Posted by hopeful123 (Member # 3244) on :
trails,
sending a train filled with the best wishes for you and your recovery on a speedy health track. keep on keeping on.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Trails, Good luck, and may your recuperation be swift and uneventful.
Carol
p.s. Extend my greetings to Fillup and Peeter.
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Trails,
Keep tapping that incredible inner strength you have and recover quickly!
Prayers being sent up from San Diego!
Jill
Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :
If warm wishes and healing thoughts had there uplifting way,,,you would be soaring at 30,000 feet plus by now.
Get well, and hurry back,,,when it 'works ' for YOU!!!
Best wishes,,,always!!cuz ib --just don--
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Well kids it worked!
I just got word from Melanie that Trails is in Recovery. The surgery went very well, better than expected, and was all done by laproscope and not the open surgery (it was most likely going to be).
Um... can I just say... Yay!
I'm sure there's more news to follow but wanted to let you know our Trailsy is alright.
and thanks Ms Melanie for the timely news. Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
YIPPEE!!!
Thanks for that uplifting message, True!! I'm breathing easier already!
Go Trails!
Michelle
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Me too, Michelle. My initial reactions was, 'Phew, now I can exhale!'
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Great news, Melanie!
Please send all my good thoughts to trails!
Andie
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
Trails,
I will keep praying for a speedy recovery. You are blessed to have a friend there with you who understands. God Bless both of you. Hiker
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
Sorry I didn't see this post earlier
Hope you have a speedie recovery Trails
Will keep the prayer light on
Hugs & healing Dana
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yipppeeee!!! Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
thank god it's over and it went WELL! thanks trueblue and melanie for the updates..
TB, thanks also about pyp......i look forward to trails comments! Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
Good...a break finally. I've seldom seen anybody as upbeat as Trails in the face of all this invasive stuff....
Posted by serendipity (Member # 8474) on :
That is wonderful news. Trails, wishing that your recovery will be swift and painless.
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Good morning everyone,
I am certain that all of your wonderful messages of hope must have been heard! Our Trails really did have a ``Best Case Scenario'' surgical procedure Friday...and is now doing very well.
She went into this one rather concerned, knowing that the outcome could possibly mean pain or other complications for the rest of her life... BUT, finally, I do believe that the ``Powers That Be'' decided to give her a break, and the least amount of actual surgery necessary was preformed, and preformed very well at that.
The surgery time took longer than expected, because the doctors wanted to make sure that they did everything just so. It was the post-op recovery phase that was the most difficult on Friday.
She was held in the recovery area for several long hours while being worked on for pain management and other post-op procedures. When a room was finally ready for her to move into, and she for the room, it was well after 8pm.
I didn't make it back home until 11ish that night, but poor Trails was still experiencing many issues after I left, that made the day quite hard.
When I arrived again yesterday, she was looking and feeling SO much better! Her obvious full body swelling had dissipated, and she had already eaten and walked around the floor a little. She was completely coherent, and had only experienced a few periods of intense painful cramping that morning.
This was amazing to me... having seen her through other surgeries where her recovery time was much more delayed...and each and every small move was torture to her body.
Compared to those times, she was really healing quickly! Getting in and out of bed with no help, walking the long halls and navigating all of the obstacles there a few times, working her Cath like a pro, AND putting up with the noise of construction in the hospital and ME!
It just thrilled me to see her doing so well so soon!
We do not know at this point how long she will remain in the hospital. But, I am assuming that if things keep up at this pace, she will be released well before the expected time.
She has some great friends that are flying in for the next few weeks to help with her recovery there, and I will drop in a few more times myself.
So, that is all I have to report for now. I know that your messages warmed her heart when I relayed them to her, and I am sure she will come on to tell you more when she is able.
My most sincere gratitude to each of you for helping to see her through the last couple of days and for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers for the next few weeks.
All my best, Melanie
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
OH...there is one more thing that I want to relay to you!
Trails and I took two pretty long walks yesterday around the 14th floor that she was on. Both times led us to a wonderful solarium room way at the end of an adjoining hospital.
Our first time in there, the view, while amazing, was rather short distance, as the weather has been really foggy and raining for the last several days here. We could see a little bit of the surrounding area, but not too much.
A couple of hours later, when we arrived in the same place, the fog began to roll away, and the whole city of San Francisco magically appeared before us! The Bay with huge ships, the red Golden Gate Bridge and emerald GG Park, the surrounding hillsides with foliage dripping with sparkling raindrops, and the City itself off to the side was just an incredible picture postcard of manmade and natural beauty!
A short time later, Trails' friend, who had just flown in from New Mexico, and her partner, who had gone to pick up the friend, arrived and found us there.
For a brief time...the sun broke through the clouds and cast its rays on the building faces below. Trails said, ``I bet there will be a rainbow somewhere'', and almost as soon as she finished that sentence...
The most spectacular full arc rainbow appeared above the City!
We all stood in awe at the sights laid out before us...and were as giddy as children with the wonder of it all.
Trails said that it was her sign...and I had no doubt in my mind that she was perfectly correct. Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
Thank you for the updates on Trails. She sure has been going through more than her share.
Here's to hoping for an easier recovery than last time. Good luck to her.
Cathy
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Thanks for the update, Melanie!
Wow - what a visual treat, a total rainbow! I would consider that was put on just for Trails.
Keep hanging in there, Trails.
Love,
Michelle
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
melanie, yes, i loved the ending of the rainbow view with TRAILS being started at the end of it.
trails; so glad this surgery was successful and less painful than all the others, and you're doing well walking around.
continued good wishes for a complete recovery. come back when you feel up to it ok! Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
Glad trails surgery went well.
Sending healing thoughts to her. Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :
Indeed GREAT, no "AWESOME". Scope surgery is so much less painful. And the rainbow story---PRICELESS!!!
May ALL the days from here on out be surrounded in rainbows for our Trails!!!
Posted by Cassie (Member # 2106) on :
Trails, I am so glad the surgery is over and you are on the mend. My thought are with you
Take care your friend Cassie Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :
So damn gald the docs finally got it right!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs and light to you.... Trails, Melanie and Melanie.
robi the road warrior
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Thank you, Melanie, I just got to a puter to read the last installment, now. I'm glad our Trailsy is holding up so well. I hope it's all easy healing and feeling waaaaay better from here.
Go Trails!
(nice touch... the rainbow *nods*)
Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
Trails...
Looking forward to hearing from you and how you are doing.
HOw long will it take for you to recover?
Will you be up and about by spring?
If so, wishing you fields of wildflowers to walk through.
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Good evening everyone,
I was hoping that Trails would come on today and give you an update herself...and she still may...but I didn't want to leave you hanging any longer.
She was discharged yesterday afternoon, and is now, I hope, in her apartment recouping nicely.
I spoke with her twice yesterday...early in the morning and again late last night.
She was not a happy camper in the morning as she was still in so much pain- new pain- and we both thought that a discharge was NOT the right decision at that time.
But later, she began to get some of the pain under control again with different meds, and she was let loose.
I was much relieved to speak with her last night, and to hear in her voice that she was indeed feeling better about the situation.
I know that her recoup time will be lengthy, and she still could use any well wishes you would like to send her way.
Hopefully, she will join us when she is up for it, and give more details...but until then, I wanted to thank you once more for all of your wonderful words of support, love and encouragement.
My best, Melanie
Posted by hopeful123 (Member # 3244) on :
hey little trails,
sending some healing wishes your way.....one day at a time you will feel better.
Posted by trails (Member # 1620) on :
here i am everyone! how do I look?
I truly dont know where to begin. I am crying my little eyes out at each and every one of your heartfelt replies and prayers and all of the compassion and love I see here.
Somehow seeing all of you wishing me well and being so concerned about me makes it more real in some bizarre way. and to think that the worst is over makes me just flatout cry. I am not sure why. for joy? for the times that I couldnt cry? for the pain? for the times when I just had to be strong and keep going? For everyone else's pain? for those who continue to suffer or struggle?
Not sure...but this morning as the birds are chirping around the buddah in the back yard, i am feeling more lucky than I have in years. some would say blessed.
Melanie is an angel sent to me to help guide me through some of these roughest times--for sure. she suddenly was by my bedside when I was hospitalised in sept---and slept on a BENCH so that I wouldnt be alone. Since then we have leaned on eachother in ways i never knew an internet friend could. she posts for me when i am having rough times or surgery and updates everyone--that is the MINIMAL part of her "job" as my friend. She has gone beyond the call of duty here for me and it has made a HUGE difference in my journey--bringing much more comfort, loving kindness and joy than I had before i met her.
The rainbow meant so much to me it was hard to express it in words. My friend from New Mexico arriving right when it all happened. I havent seen this friend in years and it ws surreal that she could come help me when i was so in need. I coudnt express myself right---I was all doped up and dizzy and confused and I think just a TINY bit of that rainbow was actually my own expression of hope and thanks to everyone in that room for pulling so hard for me! not to mention the rest of the world.
At this moment I am still struggling and I am still trying to understand my limits and how to deal with them and my pain. Nights are the worst. Days are the best. the weather is cooperating. I got to walk on the beach for a tiny bit yesterday!!
I think melanie covered the basics. For those who want to know details---here they are---for those who want to skip the details what they actually did go to the next paragraph. they moved my bladder up and over to the right side in front of my uterus and then sewed it to my psoas muscle. then they cut the bad part of the ureter (burned in the ovary removal last June) and they re-implanted the ureter into the bladder. The two big things they didnt have to do were---open me up with large incisions and cut my bladder into a flap and roll that into a banana like shape to bridge even more space to the good ureter. they just moved my bladder---they didnt have to chop it to bits!!!
hooooray!
I loved looking up at my white board in the hospital and seeing melanie's writing that read-- "BEST CASE SCENERIO" I would just repeat that into my head when things were going wrong. we left it on the board when i left.
ummm...i better go now that i talked your heads off.
My love is going out to you all and my deepest thanks for all your energy that you put out there for me.
my lymenet family rocks, trails
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I understand completely what this board means to you. When I was hospitalized 1 1/2 yrs ago, my husband brought the replies to me.
I enjoyed reading them IMMENSELY. It meant so much to be cared for by Lymenetters. They understand what we're going through and know how rough it is just to make it to the next day!
Just know that we're always there for you and for anyone else!!
Good to see you back! Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Trailsy, you look Fabulous!
Ack, now you've got me crying too.
Posted by northstar (Member # 7911) on :
Welcome back ! Your pm is full now, though!
Northstar
Posted by serendipity (Member # 8474) on :
Trails, Thank you for posting during what is a difficult time.
Prayers that you will heal quickly and with minimal pain.
Sleep well.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
Trails thanks for posting & really happy that the surgury was not as complictaed as it could have been & hope you are up & around soon
Hang in there Dana
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
I'm so glad that your surgery went well and pray that your healing is speedy and pleasent Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
I'm so glad that your surgery went well and pray that your healing is speedy and pleasent Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
"Happy Trails!"
YEAH!!!!
Good to see the personal update, and I think Melanie is a SAINT!
But then, for YOU, who wouldn't be?
Michelle
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
trails, knock it off; you've got us all crying now? lol
so glad you were able to personally report to us all on how surgery went, and what they did.
yes, your rainbow story moved us all of us to tears; so maybe that's why wer're all crying with you right now too.
what a beautiful love note of internet friendships with melanie and rest of us! Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
Trails is alive and kicking...well typing.
Ah relief. Good to hear from you. Glad when this is behind you and it was best case scenario.
So glad Melanie and your friend were there for you and gave you much needed support.
RAinbows and birds singing....this is good.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Dear Trails,
I am so glad that you are home and are recuperating!
I always think of Rainbows as symbols of hope from God.
Will keep you in my prayers and thoughts for a speedy, painless recovery.
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