5/19/95
First Cancer Surgery

5/19/95:

Loved ones:

I'm doing fine today -- kind of in-and-out, due to the drugs (tried to Bogart my way out of taking them, but that didn't work). I feel like Dolly Parton -- where did these enormous things come from that bump into everything and get in the way of everything? Can't wear a seat belt, or take groceries out of the cart, or anything.

OTHER THAN that, all is well. The surgeon is very optimistic, based strictly on visual clues. Did I remember to tell you he looks like Alan? NOT encouraging, haha, but he turned out to actually be quite sane. I taught him about the internet while he was operating, he had a lot of fun.

The hospital was extremely crowded that day, a real zoo. The confusion was so bad that they started to wheel me down fully dressed (they hadn't been able to get a changing room for me), and the nurse began yelling "no, no, you can't do that!", (I am not joking), and I said, look, I can change in the bathroom, no biggie, so they put me in an X-ray room for prepping. I kept worrying that they'd mix me up with someone else, what with all the mayhem and crowding (as you see so much in the news today), so I was glad I didn't have to have general. I kept telling everyone, "I'm Lehua! Leave my left one alone! Leave my kidneys alone!" etc. Seems to have worked.

Well, I have no idea if I'm making sense or not, so 'nuff for now. Carry on the good work, or just carry on.

Pencil graphic from Hee Yun's Graphic Collection