Surgury Comming Up

Welp, I saw the surgeon today. It was pretty good. I feel extra confident about this whole thing. The surgery will be next Thursday, April 28 sometime in the afternoon at U of M in Ann Arbor. He will remove the tumor in the left side back of my brain. He expects the operation to last 5-8 hours, but he was very clear that "it will take as long as it takes". I absolutely LOVE this approach. He will go in, remove the tumor, then put a plate and small screws in my head before closing it all back up. Nobody is allowed to ask me if I have a screw loose either! haha.
Anyway, recovery shouldn't be too bad. I will not be allowed to have pain meds that make me tired because they need to monitor my nervous system and brain function when this is over. I will be in ICU for a day after surgery, then a regular room in the hospital for 2-3 days. So if everything goes as planned, I should be coming home on Sunday or Monday.
We were worried about the vision issue. He seems to think that I could lose my vision on my right side or even have a "black spot" in a focus area. If this should happen, it should eventually heal. After coming home, I should be able to walk around (with severe headaches) and the first week should be the worst. Week by week, things should get better. I will of course be restricted with activity and work type stuff, and I will not be able to drive for four weeks. Then things should be back to normalish.
The doc also said that after all that I have been through with my leg surgery and other meds that I have put my body through, this recovery should be quite rapid and simple. I am feeling like this will be really easy. I hope I am realistic and not too optimistic.
So, how can you help? I will need people popping by the house so I am not alone at least for the first week. After the kids get home, I will need help with rides too and from school and soccer stuff. I want the kids to live their normal lives as much as possible once they come home.
One more thing, I went back and read all of my blogs the other day, and I have failed to mention what kind of cancer I have. I can't believe that. In March 2005 I was diagnosed with Alveolar Soft Parts Sarcoma. You can google it as ASPS. If you are trying to tell others, it is cancer of the muscles and soft tissues. I apologize for that!
One more thing. I found out today that the surgeon can do this surgery without cutting, shaving or touching my hair. Many of you have raised funds for my family by promising people to shave your heads, so the head shaving party will go on. In appreciation and love for your fund raising and support, I will still shave my head (radiation will make the hair fall out eventually anyway). Please don't feel obligated to change your appearance for me though. BUT, still stop by the salon on Saturday for a Mimosa, laugh and hug. It would be nice to still see all of you before I go in for this surgery.
Please forward this, pass it on or whatever. Thank you for all of your support and enthusiasm through all of this. I had no idea how many of you would be so supportive! You all have been helping my family and I through this in so many ways it isn't imaginable! I don't thing I can thank you enough!
Well, this is God's next step in my life and I can't wait to see how He is going to use this later! See ya on Saturday!

Heather