I'm finally back....an update on my life

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I haven't been around in about a month now, as we lost our hard drive and were trying to pinch a few pennies before the holidays because of other things going on here at home. Just got the computer back on Saturday, so will try to give a brief update of what has been going on for the last month. We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with my stepdaughter and her three boys. It made for a few hectic, loud days, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. All three boys were talking about wanting to move closer to us, and I am now officially "Nanna" to all of them....I never imagined I would enjoy being a grandmother at 46, but I most definitely DO! Early in November, Barry's doctor decided he wanted to get a biopsy on a spot in his lung that had been troubling the doctors since he was hospitalized with pneumonia over the summer. After some preliminary testing, the procedure was set for December 13th...which, thankfully, was a Thursday and NOT a Friday! LOL The past several days have been pretty crazy. My mother came up last Wednesday, so we could make sure to get her visitor's pass to get on the AF base where our hospital is located. We all had to get up WAY too early on Thursday morning, after not sleeping much Wednesday night, since Barry had to check in by 6:15 AM. They took him to pre-op at 7 AM, and he went into the OR at 8 AM. The surgeon warned us in advance that it would be two hours or more before I would hear anything, but that they would call me from the OR as soon as they got the biopsy results. If it was benign, they would close up and be done, but if it were malignant, they would have to remove part of the lung, and it would be a couple more hours. Unfortunately, the news was not good, and Barry was in the OR for over six hours. Talk about a LONG day!! After it was done, the surgeon came down to talk to me about how things had gone. He thinks that the surgery will be all the treatment needed, and that Barry won't have to do chemo or radiation. We won't know for sure until they get all the lab tests back sometime this week, but we're staying positive for now. His recovery is moving along quickly so far, and right now we expect him to be released around Wednesday. I've been visiting with him every day, and talking to him on the phone several times a day as well. The doctors, nurses and physical therapists are all surprised and pleased by how quickly he seems to be bouncing back. Some of you may remember that Barry's bout with pneumonia over the summer resulted in a renewed relationship with his daughter. Well, Thursday night after I talked to her, and she called her brother to fill him in, I got a call from him as well, and he has already called twice more since then. Not only that, but he's planning to visit in February. So, once again, something good has come from a difficult situation. :) That pretty much covers the high points of things. Looking forward to catchign up with everyone, and VERY glad to be back online!! Teresa