Countdown: 10 days

10 days to go.

On the 22nd, I check into the hospital and go under the knife at 1 pm. I love my doctor and I love my surgeon, and I know this is absolutely the right medical decision for me. I will come out of this minus one uterus and one cervix, with stitches holding the middle parts of my guts together, and I will no longer feel like I have a pistol cocked at the back of my skull. Two or so days in the hospital, and then home for 6 weeks of not doing much (and doing absolutely nothing for 2 weeks). Mom was very hesitant about agreeing to come since Kristen's radiation treatments will be finished about the same time, so we are making plans to handle this without her. Still no contact from Kristen. I don't expect anything.

I am absolutely humbled by the number of friends who have offered food, visits, support, and even cleaning help! I think we have at least 3 weeks worth of food coming via delivery and takeout and gift certificates. Lyd has been a godsend (as usual). Talking though things with her always helps.

FIL has signed on for pickup duty as much as we need, and possible sleepovers. The stepmonster was predictably awful for the discussion last night ("my surgery was much worse than yours, you'll be up in no time, I don't know why they told you to take 6 weeks off, you don't need that, you don't need antidepressants, you shouldn't blah blah blah...). For the record, she had her ovaries removed. Similar, I guess, but not the same. What a wretched load of crap from her.

I feel like I have things pretty well organized for the kids, as our neighbor down the street will take them to school for us (she runs the early morning program at school), they go to the Y 3 days a week, and the other two FIL can pick up or I can call on multiple people close by to bring them home. This way Steve can get to work on time and come home, and he will have time to run to the grocery store or the drugstore, run a load of laundry, or whatever.

This will all be okay. I will be fine. I will get through this and I am looking ahead -- months and years with goals in mind.