Jess gets an operation

As we waited for news of the operation, we looked at the clock anxiously. It felt like a movie where you do not want to hear bad news but at the same time, you crave the news of how your loved one has done on the operating table. At 11:20, three hours and a half hours after the operation began, Dr. Chadwick talked to Marlene, Jess' mom.

The operation was a success although the tumor was larger than initially expected and its capillars where wrapped around about a foot of upper intestine. The surgeon decided to cut off that part of the intestine and rebuild the intestine using very strong staples to hold everything together.

The pathologist was very intrigued by the tumor since he had never seen anything quite like it. They will be running test for the next week in order to determine its pathology and more importantly whether it is benign or not. For the moment, all signs point to the tumor being benign but this can only be certain after a series of tests.

Jess is doing much better two days after the operation. She has been in no pain since the operation due mostly to a steady stream of morphine but yesterday, she walked and they took out the tube replacing her bowel movements. She is now drinking apple juice and gingerale and hopes to have some jello and puré today.

There is no definite date for her release but we are hoping for Wednesday. We will not be going to Waterloo next weekend for Easter and she will be taking an extra week off from work to recuperate. We are hoping to make it to Waterloo the next weekend. I'll update you with the latest news as soon as more information becomes available. Thank-you for your prayers and thoughts.