Things I am looking forward to.....

It's been a very long year and a half since we started on this journey. During this time I have prepared in so many different ways, some so that I would healthier going in to a rather lengthy surgery and some just very superficial. So, when I am back home and on the road to recovery these are some of the things I am looking forward to:

1. Cutting my hair. I have been growing it so that I can pull it back in the hospital when I can't wash it and not worry how awful it looks. (yeah, pretty superficial).

2. Drinking coffee. I gave this up months ago. Caffeine constricts blood vessels and since the surgery is all about connecting blood vessels from one part of my body to another, I thought it would be good to quit. Plus the deal is that after surgery I can't have coffee for 6 weeks anyway. The last thing I wanted to add to my recovery is withdrawal from caffeine. But what I wouldn't give for a coffee coolatta about now.

3. Eating like a normal person. For months now I have been 'feeding the flap' trying to gain and keep weight so that the plastic surgeon has enough material to work with. I can't really complain about the food - it's been great.

4. Having a glass of wine. Not a big deal, but would like to watch Survivor one night with a glass of wine. (Okay, superficial).

5. Not worrying when in a room of people coughing and sneezing. Now typically I don't really notice that type of thing, but when you really don't want to get sick you can't help but become a bit paranoid. If I get sick before the surgery it will have to be postponed. It was postponed once already and that really freaked me out.

6. Not thinking about surgery looming in my future. I think the biggest relief will be having this behind me. It is hard to wrap my mind around the whole idea of  having a 'tough couple of weeks'. I don't like pain, but if that's what I have to endure to reduce my risk to 2%, so be it.