Had to be up and at the hospital by 8 AM to complete pre op stuff.  Did the preadmissions things, had blood work, a chest X-ray, met with the anaesthetist, watched a video and bought a parking pass.  All took about 4 hours!  Grabbed a quick sandwich and soup.....typical hospital food I'm afraid....basically was quite tasteless but I needed to eat before noon because as of noon I was ordered off of all solids and am restricted to clear fluids and a nasty draino product to clean me out before the surgery.  Met Jim and Colleen for a rather poor lunch (they ate....I watched) and then headed home to have a shower and scrub my belly with a sponge disinfectant they gave me at the hospital.  I have to shower twice before tomorrow and need to scrub down each time with this stuff.  Very different prep than I had for my first surgery.  Oh well, you do what you are told, right?

So it will be early to bed, early to rise!!!  By this time tomorrow it will be all over!  Kelli will post something tomorrow if you are following along on this journey!

I have not relinquished my blog to Kelli yet.  She will take over on Thursday when I go in for my surgery.  Up until then I will keep you all posted on my doings.  Up and at it today.  Bill was in the middle of painting the house on Monday when we got the call about my surgery so his project was to complete the painting before we left for Edmonton.  Although I was "promised" the bathroom reno would be complete by Christmas it has been pointed out to me that it is my fault he has had to renege on that promise.  Guess he's right but it's a renovation that is now going on two years!  In any case I had important things to do too.  Gerry dropped by with a Christmas gift I had had delivered to their place in Whitefish and we had breakfast and a visit.  He left and Dad arrived for a quick hug and a short visit.  Dad left and Maureen and Duane arrived, again a short visit.  Once they were gone I decided to iron my Christmas table cloth and get my last few gifts wrapped and ready.  Even decided to clean the bathrooms.  I'm thinking I had a case of nervous energy!  Bill kept looking at me and kept saying "What the heck are you doing now?"  Just seemed to have the need to keep moving.  We finally finished things up around 12:30, loaded Boomer up and took him over to Jenifer and Garys' and then went to Friends for a quick sandwich.  Margie (the owner) packed us a care package for the road trip to Edmonton.  Bottles of water, juice, ice tea and an assortment of goodies just in case we got hungry on the drive.  She is such a good person.  After I had my first surgery she sent me containers of home containers of delicious home made soup!

We arrived in Edmonton in time for supper.  Dick and Joannes' dog is adorable!  I always talk about Boomer not having a loyal bone in his body.  Maybe I'm the same.  Ben and I have bonded!  He is a Sheltie and is so smart!

We have to be at the hospital at 8 AM tomorrow for 4 hours of pre op stuff then will try to hook up with Colleen for lunch!  Don't know what time my surgery is on Thursday but imagine we will get all those details tomorrow.

Yesterday I was overwhelmed by how many of you took the time to email me or call!  Thanks so much.  I'm not sure if you all understand how much those messages mean to me!  Your prayers, positive vibes, white rabbits, etc. lift me up and give me the resolve to beat this thing!  You are the wings beneath my feet!!!

Well, some people will do anything to get out of a final exam!  Guess I'm that someone.  Got the call from Edmonton today and we are heading north tomorrow!  Tomorrow!  I can hardly get my head around that thought!  I will have all the pre op stuff done on Wednesday and my surgery is scheduled for Thursday!  This came out of left field as I had it my head I would be going up next week or the week following Christmas.  Instead it's tomorrow?  Did I say that already?  Tomorrow!!!   The sad part is I had actually studied for my final photography exam and was feeling pretty confidant I was going to pass it! Of course I was going to pass it, especially now that I know I can't write it!   Brenda told me last night she was going to copy my answers!  I can't tell you how flattered I was!  No one ever copies my answers!  So sorry friend....you're on your own but you'll do just fine!  The surgery is about three hours and the average hospital stay following this particular surgery is 5-7 days so with a little luck (and I actually have lots of luck from all those rabbits you guys have been sending my way) and I've got lots of positive vibes and prayers as well...I should be home for Christmas barking orders at Kelli and Lindsey from my recliner on how I want that turkey done!

Today Maureen picked me up and we headed out to Cochrane where we met our pal Vicki.  Maureen, Vicki and I go back to grade 7!  They have been my friends for over 40 years!  Maureen and I have stayed in touch over the years but we had lost touch with Vicki.  Vicki and I always did the Christmas letter thing so had stayed in touch once a year via letter but that was about it.  Then out of the blue Vicki called me a year ago and we have managed to meet for lunch a couple of times.  The most amazing thing is we have just picked up our friendship where it left off!  Vicki and I used to ride together and have so many memories of happy times we spent riding our horses on Nose Hill!  Vicki has stayed true to her western routes and lives on some land out near Cremona with horses and dogs!  When I get better she has invited me to come out and go riding!  I can hardly wait!  It's been awhile since I've been on a horse but once a horse lover, always a horse lover!  Today we were laughing about some of the totally "dumb" things we used to do as kids.  Before we had our own horses we used to go up to Nose Hill and catch any old horse, wrap a piece of binder twine around its' nose and then we'd go flying across the pasture not stopping until we reached the furthest fence of the pasture.  The shetland ponies were our favourites but they were nasty little critters!  We weren't scared of the horses, but we were terrified of the guy who managed the pasture.  If he came driving up in his truck we were gone like streaks!  Later, we got our own horses but the stupidity continued.  We loved to race our horses full speed alongside John Laurier Blvd. or we'd take them down to the Bow River and swim with them.  Vicki on Bucky,  me on Mars Bar!   I also remember laying on the ground under a jump and Vicki would jump the fence (and me) with her horse.  So cool to see the underbelly of a horse as it flies over you!  Honestly, I would totally KILL my kids if they pulled these stunts.  God help us if our parents had ever known what our idea of fun was!  Some things are better kept as secrets.  I know my Dad reads this blog though so he will be totally shaking his head tonight!  Sorry Dad!  I suspect, however, you will find these things a little bit amusing!

On that note I will sign off.  Once I have the surgery Kelli will take over my blog once more and keep you all posted.  Love you all!

Last night we hit the bowling alley to celebrate my friend Maureens' birthday.  Great fun but I have lost my touch!  I seriously think she has been sneaking up there and practicing before inviting everyone to her "bowling party."  She cleaned our clocks!!!  What a great way to spend an evening though followed by supper out.  We wanted to try out the new Keg in Crowfoot but there was a two hour wait so went next door to Tony Romas.  Great supper and great company!  Thanks Maureen, Duane, Mark and Danielle!  Had a blast!

Today was a domestic day beyond belief.  Kelli asked me to give her some cooking lessons and wanted to make up some meals she could put in her freezer.  I think she's getting just a little tired of chicken fingers and salmon burgers.   So we tackled lasagne and burritos!  We made 10 lasagnes and 10 burritos!  My kitchen definitely looked like a hurricane had hit as it always does when I get going on the cooking train.  We finished up these dishes,  as my bread maker made a loaf of seven grain bread.  Sat down and had a cup of tea and a snack then back at it.  Granola bars for Lindsey and Geoff and a batch of Jamaican Farewell (a rum based coffee add in for Christmas time.)  Definitely a treat a person who is looking at a liver resection should be indulging in!  NOT!!   We pretty much spent the entire day in the kitchen and it was a lot of fun doing it together.  Now I'm just putting my feet up for a minute before hitting the shower.  We are going to friends for supper tonight for a little pre-Christmas get together.  All round a great day!

Hoping to hear in the next couple of days when my surgery is scheduled for.  On the one hand I'm hoping for ASAP.  On the other, I wouldn't be too disappointed if I was scheduled for the week after Christmas.  I have always loved Christmas and this year would have been great as all the "kids" have Christmas off this year, something that won't often happen I'm sure when you are dealing with people who work shift work in the health care field.   In any case we will make Christmas work however it happens.  Late, early or on time.......being together is the important thing!  My family all keep telling me that the important thing is for me to get this done and get better.  That would be the best Christmas present ever!  I'm doing everything I can to make this happen!

Better hit the shower and try to do something with the chick fuzz!  Might be a good night for the wig!  Although my hair is hanging in there it will not do a thing I try to make it do!  My answer to this problem is to just not look in mirrors!  Actually quite a good solution to the problem.  Avoidance and denial!  In any case.....better get moving or we'll be late!

A pretty quiet day today.  You don't realize how stressful these appointments and scans are until they are over.  Feel a little draggy today and to be honest have not done a whole heck of a lot.  Thanks to all of you who sent me emails.  I learned something about a lot of my friends....many of you are glass half full people!  Very few looked at this latest development as something bad....most of you are giving me the thumbs up and agreeing with my decision to go for it.  I thank you for that!  As for the odds I honestly never pay any attention to them anyways and would actually prefer not hearing them.  Somehow the doctors feel they have to give you that information.  Every time they do I just look at them and say nothing but I want to say "But you are dealing with me!"  Although I am not naive about surgery anymore, I still think I will come through it with flying colours and will hopefully be home by Christmas to bark instructions to all my family on how to cook a turkey!  It's about time they learned how to do it anyways and I do love being bossy!

Today is my friend Maureens' birthday.  We are going bowling!  I feel like I'm ten again and very excited to do this!  What a great idea. Bowling and then out for supper!  Should be a blast!  I haven't even been down to the bowling lanes at the Winter Club in years so this should be an interesting experience all round!  Hopefully will have some pics to post tomorrow.

I am being reminded gently that it is walk time!  Yuk......don't enjoy having a dog in this weather. He is not at all bothered by this cold.  In fact he loves it and is anxious for us to hit the trails.  So guess I better bundle up and get out there!  Brrrrrr......