Pre-op appointment day, meeting other MALS patients, and self care

Pre Op appt at St Vincent's Medical Center
(Lena's representing her High School with her "Letter Cardi")

Self care is important = French pedis for all

Ahhhh.  But this made us too late to visit the animal shelter :-/

HIGHLIGHT was meeting "Abe" who was just 4 days "post op"

Not gratuitous.  No "girls gone wild" here. 
Just a simple "pre totally HUGE scar" pose.
104 pounds (she lost 17 pounds in 2 months)

Bonding with "Stella" the Unicorn (pillow)

7 May 2019 - Tuesday

• I wake up and forage for food Lena can eat
• Pre Op appointment at St Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport, CT), meeting Dr. Tamasdin, and feeling "prepared"
• Starving 
• Pedicures
• A restful night at the Ronald McDonald House

Jen's version of 7 May 2019

• Foraging:  Soooo pretty soon into the trip I discovered that the three things Lena CAN eat, that she had left out on the counter for me to "put in my bag"...I didn't grab off the counter and put in my bag.  Since she can't drink water or really eat regular food - I needed to strike out early to find a grocery store.  Plus there were the (less important but nonetheless needed) vanity equipment pour moi (hair spray, root lifter, other hair stuff, you think this just "happens" without equipment?)  So I find the local "Stop and Shop" and find a box of mini saltines, Life Cereal, some bottled water and my hair stuff.  Make my way back in time to get ready and leave for the pre op appt.
• St Vincent's Medical Center - About a 30 minuted drive from New Haven, St Vincent's is an older, smallish hospital building.  Bridgeport is not quite as clean looking at New Haven (the RMH is just hop, skip and a jump from YALE University...)  I drive around the St Vincent campus exactly 3 times (we were told to "valet" park, yet no valet in said signed area....)  Finally I drop Lena off, and park in the structure.  By the time I make it in, Lena's already been checked in an sent to the "pre testing area".  I arrive as the pre testing lady notices the registration lady did not put "the bracelet" on Milena.  Alas we are caught in a tidal wave of "where IS the bracelet?" and we usher ourselves back to registration where an apologetic lady complies and takes full responsibility for the mistake.  Soon Lena is filling out the paperwork.  She's ahem, an ADULT and so she needs NO help from me.  I make her show the paperwork to me.  Yeah, she got it all, heh heh.  Lena gets two vials blood drawn (amazingly quick albeit slow flowing from my dehydrated girl..) with a very sassy yet kind nurse who "was supposed to be on her break".  We then talk to Anesthesia nurse (no big concerns), and head upstairs to visit with the Pain Management Doctor.  
• On the way upstairs, we stop to meet Lena's "Surgery buddy" whom we had become acquainted with via our MALS closed FB group.  Don't try to join.  This is a "SPECIAL" club only for those lucky enough to need this super invasive surgery....  But we met Jessica G. and her mom Carol G. (names initialed so they don't sue me for letting the world know I know them...)  The mom gives me a SUPER big hug....which I need since she is the ONLY OTHER PERSON I have ever met who has a child with this issue.  Well, as of then.  Jessica is beautiful and they are on their way to another appointment.  We agree to touch base in the morning as Jessica's surgery is right before Milena's.  
• Although we both listened to the directions, Lena and I walk up and down the short hall like three times looking for the right area....A short wait later we meet the LOVELY Dr. Tamasdin.  She goes over all of the pain management information and answers all of our questions.  We were done about 30 minutes later.  My thoughts as we left the hospital were literally, "I could NOT feel more comfortable about this situation."  I think we both felt ready. 
• The starving journey to Carol's Nails - Welp, since super smart me had emptied all the trip snacks into the RMH room, and only grabbed Lena's box of mini saltines...I realized I was really hungry.  And well, since Milena really can't ever eat, exept the saltines, she is ALWAYS really hungry.  I proceeded to steal most of her box of saltines, pretty apologetically on the way to an appointment at "Cindy's Nails".  I said things like, "You can't eat too many anyway right?"  but I think she was pretty anxious that I was gonna finish the entire box of mini saltines (they are VERY VERY cute sized mini crunches of special goodness if one does not eat crackers regularly).  For those of you who are aware of my self imposed dietary restrictions, I decided I get a "free pass" this week.  So a few crackers, breads, and sweets are gonna happen.  We make it to Carol's Nails in East Haven, and THANK HEAVEN'S there is a Subway next to it.  I get a rotisserie chicken Caesar on spinach wrap (cause I needs my protein), Lena finds a Gatorade...  Lena sinks into the Pedi chair, and the above photo is her happy, but exhausted and hungry face.  She got a decent pedicure, but her man manicurist was decidedly irritable and spent like half the time on her as my little lady did on my feet!  We headed back to the RMH ready to rest up for the next day.
• Back to the RMH and we make contact with a family staying there who have a son who JUST was discharged from the hospital.  (Dr. Hsu operated in two locations, so "Abe" had his surgery in Stamford.)  Meeting Kendra (his mom) was like honey for my SOUL.  Finally people who "get" our medical mystery tour.   (Kendra and Abe please tell me if you don't want info or pic on this page..)  Abe showed us his scar, and after hanging out and laughing with them for an hour I felt so, so comfortable about what we were about to do the next day!  Off to another good night of sleep....