The lump is gone

Sliced, diced and at the pathology lab to determine the identity.  Kind of like a tumor autopsy!

 It was so weird, a year and a half of knowing I had it and waiting for someone to take it off, then suddenly, one day after my appointment with the surgeon getting a call that I was booked for surgery one week hence.

The surgery was longer and they took more thyroid than they originally planned, due to more extensive involvement of the tumor with the thyroid.
My surgeon said I have a very short neck and they had to wrench and wrangle my head into a position which would allow complete and safe access to the tumor.  Owie. 
 I had pressure bruises on my chest when I came out of surgery. Owie.
 
My hospital stay was just two nights, thankfully, it is such a grind being in the hospital.  My room mate was loud and obnoxious.  With a crowd of people being rowdy.  Not fun for a drug addled brain to try and deal with.

 Nurses were lovely.  Morphine made me so constipated I was afraid my burps were going to start being backed up farts!
Thanks to the advice of my wonderfully constipated sister and the efforts of my darling husband, I was able to reverse that and things are freely moving again!!!  *before you think gutter thoughts, she suggested a tea and he ran out at 8pm in a snow storm to get some*

My mom took amazing care of the girls the whole time I was in hosp. and for a week afterward, until my stitches came out.  Gosh I am a lucky lady.  She just swooped in and took care of everything , leaving me to just get cut and get better.
 Nice.

 I'm a week post op now.  I have more movement in my head/neck and I am resting much better.  I ditched the heavy duty drugs *they contribute to constipation, which I never, ever want to experience again* and I'm up and around a lot more.

 The first few days after surgery, I had zero voice, due to the swelling in the area affecting my vocal cords and the nerve.
One of the biggest risks of the surgery was that the major nerve feeding the vocal cords is very sensitive, the slightest injury or stretching can permanently damage it *As in the horrible, tragic case of Julie Andrews*
 Time to heal revealed that I do indeed have a voice, it's quality and strength are yet to be determined by further healing.

 I have an appointment to find out the pathology results of the tumor, see the endocrinologist and my surgeon for follow up on April 11th. 
 I'm scheduled to be back to work on April 4th.

It is the start of spring break for  the girls today.  I'm so looking forward to spending some time vegging with them, before they go to the ass hat's place for 5 days.

Jaala turned 11 yesterday  O my crap, she is 11.  I might die.