Post surgery - resting when i'd rather be running like Mister!

Mister at the dog park!!

So yesterday I went in for surgery ... my fourth left breast excisional biopsy in the past 2+ years: the first was in 5/2009, then 12/2009, then 10/2010 and  finally 8/1/2011. The first 3 surgeries involved removing a lump in the same area of my left breast. A couple weeks ago I noticed a new lump had formed in my left breast again ...  I noticed it shortly after discovering my dog Ahnung's lump in her fourth left mammary gland (which was then diagnosed as breast cancer) ... guess we are more connected than I ever imagined.

The surgery yesterday was to remove this new lump. All went well yesterday and my surgeon said that I could possibly have the results of the pathology report on Wednesday, but definitely by the end of the week. She asked me to followup with her office Wednesday afternoon if I haven't heard from her and she will track it down. She's off on Friday but said she would have them fax it to her house on Friday if it's not ready till then so that I don't have to go through the weekend wondering ... i just love my surgeon. I also recently discovered her shared passion for dogs!! Right before surgery she's showing photos of her new puppy ... and her face is beaming .. a new mom. She said she took 2 weeks off from work when she first got him ... she called it 'maternity leave." :)

For some reason I wasn't nervous at all about this surgery ... maybe because I've gone through this particular surgery so many times and have never had a problem with it. Somehow, the surgical biopsies are much easier for me and I don't have complications like I did with the 2 MRI-guided breast biopsies and my recent heart ablation. So far (knock on wood!) no bleeding episodes. I was given pain pills to take if I needed it but like previous surgeries have never had to take any. Last night what woke me up in the middle of the night wasn't the pain from the surgery but my heart doing the crazy flip-flopping again. I'm just hoping and praying that my electrical heart problems aren't going to become symptomatic already ... i know it's bound to happen but would like for at least a few more weeks of restful sleep!!

So this weekend was a busy weekend in animal rescue as I 'prepared' (actually, distracted myself) for surgery. In early May I became involved in helping the dogs up at Leech Lake reservation (an American Indian reservation about 3 hours north of the Twin Cities). To learn more about efforts to help a very dire situation check out the Leech Lake Legacy blog. On Saturday, I had the good fortune of meeting dogs transported down from Leech Lake reservation to be given a second chance ... a chance all of them so deserve. One of the pups, Hickory, reminded me of my boy Mister when he was a pup.... he was also just as vocal as Mister (who at 4 years of age is still pretty vocal). My boy Mister is such a wonderful reminder to me on a daily basis to live life to the fullest extent and to play hard!!!

Hickory

For photos of all the pups that arrived on Saturday from Leech Lake reservation check out my flickr site. 

Then on Sunday I got to welcome Smiley and Brill who came in from Red Lake reservation (about 6 hours north of here). My sweet girl Ahnung was originally rescued by Karen Good up at Red Lake reservation. I had the good fortune of meeting Smiley when I went up to Red Lake in early July and just fell in love with this boy. Ahnung and Smiley got along really well ... there's a very sweet and gentle soul in Smiley. Smiley is being taken into Pet Haven's foster program so i will be able to keep very close tabs on this sweet boy!!! :) Smiley arrived with the pup Brill who has a serious case of mange (probably among other things). He was rescued at a dump in Ponemah (a part of Red Lake reservation) and he has ended up at another rescue, Act V Rescue and Rehabilitation, where my good friend Vicki is a vet and is a part of the rescue. Brill is in wonderful hands now ....

Brill giving Smiley
a kiss :)

Smiley -- will be up for adoption
soon through Pet Haven

Brill ... will be up for adoption through
Act V Rescue & Rehab.

For more photos of Smiley and Brill check out my flickr site.

So these beautiful, innocent creatures who need for us humans to be a voice and an advocate for them will continue to keep my heart full and my mind busy over the next few days .... which in turn, will hopefully take my mind off of waiting for that call back from my surgeon with the pathology report results. I will keep everyone posted ... I have received so much love, support and prayers with all of my health issues (and Ahnung's) ... for that I am extremely grateful.

Have a beautiful Tuesday!!

with love and gratitude,

Marilou, Ahnung, Missy, Mister ... and all the animals rescued and needing rescue up at Leech Lake Reservation, Red Lake reservation, Pet Haven Inc of Minnesota, People for Pets and all other rescues and shelters ....