"No Place Like Home!"

Boy, Dorothy sure was right on target in her assessment about "home." No place like it!

And, that's where I am - once again. Arrived back in the olde homestead about 10 p.m. Sunday night and damned pleased to be here too, I am!

My son (Clate) and younger daughter (Mandy) arrived at the hospital about 6 p.m. yesterday to return me to my proper place and after a short stop in Brookville at the truckstop there for coffee and a bit of food, we got back here about 10 p.m. Not a minute too soon in my book.

My granddaughter seemed very happy that I was back - did a big dance of some sort -her version of the jig I guess - in her playpen when she saw me waltz in the door but then, it took her about an hour before she would come over to the edge of the playpen and extend her arms to give old Grammie a hug and a kiss! Guess she was getting even with me for being gone from her for a week's time without getting her approval first, huh?

But, when she did finally make amends with me again, it was worth the hour's delay cause it was the sweetest hug and kiss that little one has ever given me! Or maybe it was because old Gram was just so darned happy to be back home with her babies around her once again.

The results of my week-long stay down in Pittsburgh are as follows: I now have a colostomy. However, I am not quite sure if this is a permanent type or is the kind that might be reversible at some point in the future. I have to go back for a checkup with the surgeon in two weeks, so maybe I will be given a little more feedback and information as to what to expect at that time. The surgeon did inform me on Friday though that he had the lab results of all the biopsy stuff he did on Monday and all the tests came back with not a trace of Cancer there so that sounds pretty darned positive to me.

Right now, I'm still learning how to operate with this lovely contraption on my belly - lovely little bag, it is! Not exactly something appealing to deal with at times - especially when it is time to clean the thing, change the bag and the barrier, etc. But, I will say this much - so far, compared to other surgeries I have had, this is a bit lower on the pain scales but that is probably because I don't have any major incision and loads of stitches or staples to contend with. Just a hole in my belly with a little cap and bag that goes over top of it all and catches all my leftover bodily residue as it passes out of my system. Just gonna take a little bit of getting used to the whole deal you know!

Today, it's my understanding that the home health nurse is to come here and that will be interesting since we were told it will be the same nurse I had three years back when I had a pic-line and chemo running 24-7 for about 6-7 weeks then. It will be nice to see Susie (the nurse) again, catch up on gossip from down in the area where she lives (where I worked 20 years ago) and just in general, to see her again!

More postings to come about my week in the hospital - some things not so hot, in my opinion, some that might gross folks out too, so beware, and just a little bit of this and that about my little time away from home and family.

When my son went to leave last night, as is his way, he leaned over to kiss the top of my head and hugged me, saying "Welcome back home Mamma! I'm so glad you're back here!"

And, my response to him was "I'm very pleased that I could oblige!"

Yep, sure is great to be back home once again! Oz has nothing on this place nor does Kansas!