one month from today

sorry it's been a while since I've posted.  Nothing much has changed wrt my arm.  Actually, that's not entirely true.  The swelling has gone, the pain has mostly subsided.  I'm onto my second round of peeling.  But it's within the realm of tolerating.  Most of the time, it's fine.  Itchy, occasional flashes of heat or hurt, but no big deal.

One month from today is my scheduled surgery.  Still scary.  Still planned.

MD Anderson did change my appointment with the plastic surgeon so that I see him not the day beforehand, but the week beforehand.  That makes more sense to me -- I would like him to be thinking about this in advance.  Especially since I realized it's not David Chang, the full professor who has published articles about extremity reconstruction, but Edward Chang, an assistant professor, who's published about necks and mandibles (jaws, right?).  Still, I know this is the guy Satcher wanted.  He's young, super smart and I'm sure I'll be much relieved and encouraged when I do meet him. 

Meanwhile, I've been spending lots of time trying to figure out the logistics of being in Houston w/ multiple different people over a two-plus week period who have different interests and needs with the right kind of lodging in the right location, etc.  Very time intensive.  I wish there were a single website that would have the answers, but it's a challenge, especially not knowing the neighborhoods.

And, also meanwhile, my mom was here this weekend.  We got off to a bit of a rought start, when I ended up driving down to DIA twice on Friday b/c she missed her flight.  I arrived at the airport to discover she wasn't on the flight I'd booked for her.  She had written down the wrong departure time, so arrived at the airport late.  But I wasn't going to wait at DIA for 4 hours -- better to drive home (thankful for the hybrid) -- and back and have two hours at home.  She did leave a message on our home phone, but of course I didn't get that until I got back from trip #1.  It was a gorgeous weekend here, and I really appreciated her coming out -- it's a big effort for her.  Another of her friends (our neighbor growing up) died last week.  From that standpoint, she's doing great.  But she's tiny (she conceded she weighed less than she ever had as an adult), like a china doll.  You just want to protect her.  She said she'd come out after the surgery, but I worry that her being here would add to Bill and Ben's burden -- to take care of her as well as me -- so that's a little tricky.  We'll see.