* Background is here if you need it. Several people have asked how I’m doing after being released from the hospital.

My short answer is I feel a whole lot better than I thought I would after a long Friday afternoon/evening surgery to remove a larger than expected tumor. I’m experiencing some pain, but that’s almost totally associated with a few specific body movements. I was so tired yesterday, but I chalked that up to not being able to fully rest while in the hospital. Nausea crept in, but I’m told that’s probably related to the surgical anesthesia.

Tomorrow, I will start to learn what further treatment is needed. My surgeon is confident she removed the entire tumor, but some sort of follow-up chemo has always been expected. That plan will be mapped out by Northwestern Hospital’s ace specialists in the coming days. Those folks are quite something to behold.

* I am blessed to have some great friends who have helped me get through this, including taking hours out of their days to assist.

And I’m triply blessed to have Isabel on the job. Isabel seems to have found a reserve of true grit during all this, starting in June when my mom (her grandma) died from cancer. Her grandma would be so proud of her, but while all of us within the family and friends circles are impressed, none of us are surprised. She’s always been an extraordinary person. That’s why I hired her in the first place.

* To sum up: I’m in a bit of pain, but it’s manageable; There’s still a road ahead of me to fully beat this thing; My friends, family and Isabel have been key to getting me to this point and they and others will be particularly important in the coming weeks.

So, a big thanks to everyone, even if it was just a brief email to ask how I was holding up. I thought it was a bit trite to say before my diagnosis, but you really can feel the love in times like these. It’s far more important than I ever understood.

Big hugs to all!