I really wanted to write a journal sooner to let everyone know what's been going on with me but the hard drive on my laptop fried the night before my surgery and my parents' (who I'm staying with while I recover) don't even own a computer. I'm borrowing a friend's computer for a couple of hours so I can try to sort through the tons of email and other messages I've had piling up for me these last several weeks.

First, I'd like to thank everyone who has commented and sent wishes/prayers my way. The surgery went well, though there are several reasons for the title of this journal. Once I woke up after the surgery, my doctor came in to tell me that she'd encountered a few surprises during the three hours she was working on me. The tumors, though benign, were larger, denser and more widespread than all of the tests had shown, so it took her longer to remove them from me. They'd completely screwed up my insides to the point where even the body parts I was keeping had to be disconnected, then reconnected after the tumors were extracted. What my doctor found after clearing out the tumors was the real unpleasant surprise. I was in the initial stages of ovarian cancer. Apparently, the tumors were so densely packed that they completely blocked the cancer from showing up on any scans. Luckily, I had already approved removal of any and all "bad" things, so my doctor was able to take everything (tumors, cancer, all affected body parts) out at one time. I am extremely lucky. The National Cancer Institute estimates that this year alone there will be 21550 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed and it will claim the lives of over 14000 women. I won't be one of them.

So, now I've been at my parent's house for a week-and-a-half. I'll be here for another six weeks. I'm still bleeding and in a bit of pain, but considering what might have been the alternative... I'm doing great. Not a whole lot of energy, but that's okay. They sent me home from the hospital with a huge list of "Things Not To Do". No housework, no lifting, no climbing stairs, no driving, no "strenuous" activity of any sort. The toughest thing they want me to do for the next several weeks is try to walk a bit, at least three times a day. I caught a cold last week and it quickly progressed into my chronic bronchitis, so I'm just trying to get over that. Thought I'd be able to work on some crafts, but the pain in my abdomen completely prevents that. Even sitting up hurts and, OMG, how I dread having to go to the bathroom! Yikes!

Anyway, I'd better end this here so my friend can have her computer back. Just wanted to touch base with everyone and thank you all for the waves of good karma I know I've been getting. They've made a world of difference! I'll probably be back when I can borrow my friend's computer again, since I won't be able to do anything about my own dead hard drive until I'm better. Talk to you all later! Love ya!