Positives and negatives

I don't know if I have really gone into detail explaining my upcoming surgery.  HERE is a good site  to learn more on it.  It does a better job then I could explaining it all.  My only problem with it is the last sentence; "Patient satisfaction with this surgery is high and with both ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis patients, their disease is cured!"  Unfortunately for FAP patients our disease is never "cured".  I will always have to under go monitoring by scopes multiple times a year.  Polyps can grow in my pouch and duodenum (which we all know I already have).  FAP patients also have a 80% chance that polyps will grow in their stomach.  Other areas that can grow tumors are skin, bones, thyroid and abdomen.  The abdomen tumors are called desmoid tumors.  20% of patients will develop desmoid tumors after a colectomy.   So basically what this tangent was all about is, I will never be cured.  

Sorry to be so doom and gloom.  But that is the truth of FAP.  After I recover some from this first surgery, I will meet with a genetics counselor.  Then we will begin to have a better understanding of the rest of my "risks".   

In other news, yesterday I made the appointment with the ET (enterostomal therapy) nurse.  I will meet with her early monday and she will mark me with sharpie where ostomy site should be.  Everyday it becomes a little more real.  

Have I shown you guys where I'll be recovering yet? Check this place out!  It seems more like a resort than a hospital!  Scott can't get over how excited I am about this.  But hey when you're in my shoes you have to relish in all the positives you can.   All I have to say is they have a meditation labyrinth, outdoor healing garden, complementary holistic therapies (ie.  acupuncture) wifi, plasma tvs, and it is LEED-certified (basically means that it is a 'green' building).  Silly the things I get excited about, huh?  

*Yeah I know the chance that I'll get to experience these things while I'm there is slim to none, but it doesn't mean it isn't cool.  

**Did you like how this post went from all doom and gloom to positive?  Yeah I'm good at that.