​TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP ME AS I PREPARE FOR SURGERY...

​1. Help me select a pre-op song.

With surgery a month away, the thing I find myself fearing the most is the moment when my family kisses me goodbye, I'm put on a gurney, and rolled off to the surgical room - alone. So I'm trying to think of a way to lighten the mood. (Yes, I've seen the viral videos and no, I'm not going to have my medical team break out into song and dance. Because quite frankly, am I the only one who thinks asking doctors to learn a synchronized dance is a lot to impose on already busy professionals? Not to mention I wouldn't even know how to broach the subject with them.) Having said that, I do like the idea of music. So I'm looking for suggestions for the perfect pre-surgery song.  I want something that will make me feel assertive and strong (think Eye of the Tiger.) Front runners right now include: Police and Thieves by The Clash, Raw Power by The Stooges and Ready, Steady, Go by Generation X. However, don't feel you have to limit your suggestions to punk songs. It can be gangster rap, an 80’s hairband, a song with lyrics ironic to the occasion, your favorite workout song, or if you know me well maybe a song tied to a good memory together. I would love your suggestions, as you my reader/friends, have been such an important part of this journey that listening to a song suggested by you will remind me of my support system.

2. Help with my kids.

The  thought that has been keeping me up at night is worrying about not being able to care for my daughters while I'm at the hospital and during the weeks that I'm recovering. I really don't want them to look back at this summer with sadness. So what I need from you this time friends, especially those of you who are local, is to let me know concrete days and ways you are available to help us out.  Can you take them to the beach, to a museum, a local park, or even out for pizza?  I need them to be able to look back at this summer as a time of joy.