"...In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or
brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."

~ Anonymous
(taken from Matt Erbele's, It Takes Time to Get Good)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

He's Radioactive!

I can't help but think of that song whenever we talk about radiation therapy.


I feel it is my job to get obnoxious songs stuck in all of your heads as you run. It is one of my more simple pleasures. You don't have to thank me. *smirk*

Today my hubby had his radioactive seed placement surgery (brachytherapy). Today was also graduation day at my school. Needless to say I was not there. It is the first graduation I have missed. I also missed the last day of finals. The school year feels very undone. I am more than a little sad about it.

A gift from my awesome, fantabulous students: the most awesomest, fantabulous coffee mug EVER!


Ok, I possibly go a little overboard. They also bought me a crown, saying 'a proper Drama Queen needs a crown.'
'Cha. As if!

The surgery went very well and hubby is recovering where he belongs, right next to me. And besides the 2 liter bag for collecting urine dangling between us, all feels pretty normal right now. Normal and almost as if he does not have cancer. I have lots of times like this when I think 'he can not possibly have cancer. Look at him. Hot as ever, riding his bike, going to the gym, walking the dog. He looks healthy as a goddamn horse!' But he does have cancer, and this surgery marks the official beginning of the battle against the errant cells that are trying to kill him.

I decided to tell this like a race report, since it is a race of sorts. Just a race, unlike the 'racing' I do, that is really, really fucking important.

Pre-OP

In my world, humor gets us through just about everything. I don't actually think my husband finds me all that funny. I think, however, he is hilarious. Sometimes our humor is... umm.. less than appropriate. The 70-ish year old nurse told us we were having too much fun for the surgery floor and let out an audible gasp when I smacked his bare ass in the pre-op room. (If he is going to shake it, I am going to smack it. I am just sayin')

Waiting for check in. You may notice my hair is significantly blonder in this picture. Err...Yeah, I will get to that little midlife crisis in another post. For now, we (and by 'we' I mean G) will ignore it. Moving on.


Checking stock quotes. *eyeroll*


Rockin' the lunch lady look.
"Why, yes" *giggle* "I would love some more peas"

Surgery

Here is the part that makes me a horrible wife. Hubby's anesthesiologist was ridiculously hot. I mean, like 'melt your fucking mascara' hot and, it is a little known fact, but I am a bit of a flirt. I know, you are shocked. I hide it well.

Anyhoo, hubby typically finds this amusing. Mostly, I am sure, because I married WAY out of my hotness league, and he is never threatened by it. This time he was telling the nurses (who were SHAMELESSLY flirting with him, like, 'hey lady weren't you wearing a bra earlier?' type flirting. Whores!) that he needed an older, fatter anesthesiologist, due to a 'conflict of interest'. Hoo! Told you he was funny.
It was hard to let go of his hand and let them wheel him away. They had to tell me to let go. Twice.

I waited in the outpatient surgery room and got some work done while they injected 40 radioactive seeds into my husband's prostate. The surgery only took about 50 minutes and after he recovered a bit they brought him back down to me. I felt like my heart started beating again, when I saw his smiling face and knew he was ok.

Recovery

He was clear headed and feeling pretty good already. He said there was some burning where the seeds were injected and, of course, the urinary catheter was uncomfortable, but other than that he was virtually pain free.

When we got home, he wanted a cheeseburger, that has to be a good sign and we settled in for a movie marathon: Wolfman (update: Meh. But not as bad as they said. I think it is worth seeing), Shutter Island (update: Awesome. A must see if you like psychological thrillers), Valentine's Day (update: Stupid, but not as bad they said.)

Post op check up, second hormone therapy injection, and urinary catheter removal this morning (gosh, it won't seem the same without our little yellow bag to snuggle with)

Current score:

Mr. RBR 2 Prostate Cancer 0

24 comments:

Ginny M said...

Here's to Mr. RBR's kicking cancer's ass!

ShirleyPerly said...

So glad to hear all went well with hubby's surgery!!!

And that coffee mug is awesome. They must really love you after all.

Hope your summer continues to go well.

Generation X (Slomohusky) said...

Fun posting again RBR. Great attitudes through this all and an example to all of us.

Kate Geisen said...

Good luck to your husband and prayers for both of you. And you are clearly a fantastic teacher if you can be crabby and hard on them and they still love you in spite of/because of it.

KJ said...

I have been praying for you guys. I love your honest posts and the fact that you are sharing this race with us. If he is as stubborn as you are, kicking cancer's ass will be easy.


http://knitten-kittens.com

Bootchez said...

Gotta love the hot anesthesiologists . . . dishy, loaded, AND they have all the best drugs! Dammit!

It has always been a question . . . with the "seeds", is he gonna grow a new prostate? (I know, I know, but STILL)

Diana said...

Seriously, your humor in this whole thing cracks me up. To find a urine bag fun to snuggle up to-nice!
You are carrying the best attitude towards all this. Humor with a touch of seriousness!
I remember having to let go of Jared at the age of one when he had eye surgery-OMG, just rip my heart out of my chest, stomp on it a few times and call it a day. It's absolutely the most horrible, most lonesome feeling you can have-not having any control while someone wheels your loved one away from you to cause them pain.

Like that score card so far-keep up the great fight-prayers and thoughts coming your way till this is all in your past as a distant memory!

Aka Alice said...

You are just awesome RBR...just the best.

I don't care where you are, a hot, shakin', bare ass always requires a good smack. You were just following the rules.

Am I the only one who giggled at "He said there was some burning where the seeds were injected..." (it's wrong and I'm going to hell...I know.)

Hang in there both of you. He's gonna beat it all the way. I just know it.

Jo Lynn said...

I'm glad it went well, I was thinking of you. I wanted to send a text to let you know but I thought I'd be intruding. It's great to see him smiling pre-op. ;)

I saw Shutter Island when it first came out. I was a tad bummed about the end but now I kind of want to see it again.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Seriously, this all seems to bode really well for Mr. RBR (I can't quite bring myself to refer to him as "Mr. B*tch", mostly because he looks as though he could kick my ass) and you. Full Recovery, Here You Two Come!

Okay, I won't call him "Mr. B*", but I will call him Dagwood because look at you in that there pic, Blondie! I thought Chic Young was dead, but apparently, he just moved Blondie to Cali and turned her into a Tranny!1! Hahahaha! (That's a reference to you, in case you didn't get it. I know how you blondes are, gray matter-wise.)

Other random thoughts: "Radioactive" is actually a great song! I will not hold it against you. But if I told you your body was "Radioactive" would you hold it against me? Or are you still going out with that tree limb?

TWO liter urine bag? MINE'S BIGGER!1!

The checking stock quotes pic: Hahahahahahahaha! Classic! I canNOT believe that anyone who wears glasses like that could ever produce two liters of urine!

Relatedly: What the FUCK is a liter? Where are we? Kanadia? Speak AMERICAN!1! How many pecks are in two of these so-called "liters"?

I think it is incredibly sweet that you didn't want to let go of his hand.

Get well soon, Mr. RBR!

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

O, and with regard to the ass-smack that you and AQA ALEECE are both still lasciviously salivating over:

Mr. RBR has a MIND, too, you know!1! He's not just some brainless hunk of beefcake!

P.S.: I'm the brainless hunk of beefcake and I'm holding my bare ass up to the computer screen right now. SMACK AWAY, ladies!1!

P.P.S.: Am I turning you on, ladies?

Carly said...

Yes, glad to hear the surgery went well. I hope evreything turns out great!

Pam @ herbieontherun.com said...

Prayers sent up right this second!

SteveQ said...

You don't think Hubby finds you all that funny? I'm sure he does. I'm also sure he's thinking he married up in the hotness category, just as you think you did. I'm also pretty sure I'm never going to have a coffee mug nearly that cool.

Cancer aside, pretty sweet life you got going there. Bitch.

Regina said...

Glad your man was/is recovering nicely. I am pulling for him, as everyone is.

Nothing like a little O.R. humor to lighten things up. I will smack a bare ass hanging out the back of a hospital gown no matter who's it is!

Here's to your hubby kicking some cancer ass.

Lindsay said...

go team RBR!! love the humor - glad you are finding a way to cope, but don't ever be ashamed to let those mushy feelings out either.

your students don't seem that bad. i never bought my teachers end-of-the-year gifts. ok, well some classmates and i did get a cake for our stats teacher that had some (forgotten) stat-lingo on it.

Tina Mickelson said...

Sounds like you two are laughing those mean old cancer cells right out of his body. Glad the surgery went well and he's feeling better! I've been worried about you two. (not that you would know that because I lurk better than comment) but you guys have been in my thoughts and prayers!

Maryland Girl aka Michelle said...

You are probably one of the best teachers those kids have. If they are getting you fun stuff - they love you.


I hope that treatment does the work. I am routing you guys on in this most serious of races.
Your humor is awesome! Keep it up. You can laugh until you cry and then laugh some more. It is quite helpful!

Christi said...

I love the scorecard. You husband will keep rockin' this things butt and heal in to time!

F#$K Cancer!

Southbaygirl said...

Cancer SUCKS!!!

I really am so very sorry Mr RBR and my dear RBR are going thru this-but in true fashion, humor conquers all!

Please give hubs a hug from me!!! He is a very lucky man to have you by his side, along with his urine bag!!!

Stay positive and happy!!! Good vibes can do more than anyone thinks!!!!

And I LOVED that you smacked his bare ass! Hell YES!!!

C said...

You guys are awesome. I can only hope I have this kind of attitude when confronted with an issue like this. You are both my heroes.

Keep kicking the big C's ass.

Isela said...

I am glad the surgery went well. I wouldn't have been able to let go either. Sending good thoughts your way guys.

RoadBunner said...

Go Mr RBR!! Woo hoo!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that mug!

JenericFN said...

My father-in-law had seeds implanted for his cancer 14 years ago. Today he is happy and healthy, playing tennis every morning and enjoying his grandsons. Considered completely cured. You are just at the beginning of the story with the same happy ending. Keep up the happy thoughts!