Day One Surgery...

Day 1 - Surgery
3:00am comes pretty quick when you don't get to bed until midnight! Off to the races by 3:45am for the arrival at the hospital around 5:15am. Little did we know but the whole house was up by 4:00am hypnotized by the electronic baby sitter. Marcus and Maximus took Mattheus downstairs for an early morning matinee...

Pre-OP went well.  Imelda was off to surgery right on schedule and was out like a light by 8:10am. Re-enforcements showed up at the surgery waiting room (Pete and Lisa, Mark's dad and sister) and we were in full force with Imelda's parents by 1100am. The surgery lasted a little longer than expected because of some scar tissue on Imelda's right side from the initial lymph node removal back in August. The doctor and his staff were phenomenal and it was truly apparent God was at work through their hands.  By 2:45pm she was out of surgery and well on her way to recovery.

The doctor briefed us all around 3:00pm and the total time of the surgery was about 6.5 hours. The entire thyroid was taken out along with 5 or 6 lymph nodes on the right side and only 1 or 2 from the left side. We expect to be in the hospital through Friday.

Indiana University Hospital & Outpatient Center, 550 N. University Boulevard, Indianapolis, In. Room # 3740. There is a parking garage on University and North. If heading west on Michigan, turn right on University and left on North. That will put you at the main entrance with the parking garage to the right. Valet parking is pretty cheap and very convenient with a flat rate of $5, available from 7:00am to 4:30pm.
Imelda finally got to her room at 4:45pm and was still pretty groggy to say the least. She is a little nauseated from the anesthesia but overall is doing well. Hopefully she will be up for visitation by tomorrow afternoon! We will keep you posted.

That's it for now - thanks again for your prayers and support!