I keep thinking that I am going to have fewer doctor visits and treatments. Yiddish proverb: "man plans and G-d laughs"

I am going to meet R2D2 tomorrow. About a year ago a papilloma was found during a scope of my throat. Although it hasn't grown the dr wants to remove it as a precaution. He was going to use laser but will be doing it robotically. He has told me that Dr. Iforgethisname from NY - major actor in robtics for Head&Neck - and Dr. Raju Thomas of Tulane will be proctoring (watching). Dr. Thomas devolped the use of robotic surgery for the prostate here and he is the dr I see for my kidney.
I want to take in my camera and take photos for my long term "Still Live Project." This is a collection of drawings, works in different media and photos of the various places, equipment, portraits of medical personel, etc. involved in my long journey.

Malka,

I wish you well tomorrow. It is wonderful that you can have this taken care of with robotic surgery. It's a brave new world.

I am also intrigued by your "Still Live Project". Is this something you share with others? Up until a few months ago, I kept Clark's mask. I thought of doing something (sculpture?) with it but he really hated looking at it. I wanted so much to use my creativity, preferably through painting, to unleash and express the experience. So far, I have been more successful in writing poetry.

Anyway, I'd love to know more about your venture if you are open to sharing it.

All my best�
Anita

I'll be thinking of you Malka!

Malka, you have been an inspiration to me and others on here. I always watch the Medical shows on TV and just watched one about the robotic surgery and saw them do a couple of surgeries with it. I pray it works as well for you as for the ones I saw performed on the Tube.

Updating

THanks for the good wishes.All went well. I'll see Dr. tomorrow and expect a good report. My ears hurt and yesterday I had to take the liq pain med because I could barely swallow breakfast. I am not sure if that pain and the sinus pain are related to the surgery or something else. For almost two months I have been suffering from the effects of "the cough" which has been going around here. I hope that I didn't do permanent damage to my vocal cords from violent coughing. I am no longer squeeky but am still having vocal problems. My voice gets hoarse and fades.

Anita: I have been amassing material and ideas but have not done a lot for the "still live project." One photo of equipment in the mamogram room was in the past student exhibit at the Art Academy here. I have done a lot of sketches of people in waiting rooms and taken a few photos w my phone to get ideas. This is like doing research for a term paper without a deadline.
I encourage you to write and express your self in painting. It helps to process al that you are experiencing. Why not start with illustrating some of your poetry. Last year there was an exhibit of "mask-art." Lily Company sponsors an annual cancer related art competition and touring exhibit. If you ggogle it you may find inspiration there.

Thank you, Malka!

Malka, glad to hear your surgery was successful. Hope you feel better soon and that you have a speedy recovery.

Went for followup today and was told all ok. I am healing well and biopsy was neg.
It seems that the pain doesn't set in until a few days after this type of surgery. I was told that I would begin to feel pain Sunday and was given rx for liquid loritab. All seem to be going well except that for some sinus pain and earache. So Mon and Tue I didn't take any. Wed AM I had awful earpain and could not swallow breakfast so I went back on it. Today Dr. F Told me that Dr. Smith said that it seems to be common for pain to be delayed by several days after the robotic surgery. I guess mine was delayed longer than I expected.
Next appointment in 3 weeks.

Good news, Malka! I hope your discomfort is less each day.