Well, tomorrow I go under the knife to have my parathyroid gland removed. I'm a bit nervous - just not knowing how I'm going to feel afterwards. During my pre-op appointment, the nurse went over the procedure and told me all the possible things that can go wrong. It's a bit scary.
I will have about a 1 inch scar on my neck. My voice to begin with is going to be very hoarse. I may feel like I have a huge lump in my throat - kind of like having strep throat. I won't be able to turn my neck - so I can't see to drive. They don't want me lifting more than 10 pounds - I probably won't have the strength anyways. My calcium level may drop causing me to get a tingling sensation in my lips, toes, fingers where I will need to take a Tums to bring my level up again.
I have to be at the hospital at 10:45 am. At 11:45 am, I go in for nuclear medicine where they inject me with a radioactive dye. Then, at 1:30 pm, I go in for surgery. The surgery is about 1.5 hours and I'll be in recovery about 1.5 hours. Then, when I'm strong enough to walk again, I can finally go home!
Robert and I went grocery shopping so we at least have food for tonight and tomorrow. My mom is coming in on Tuesday morning to take over for Robert in taking care of me. It's going to be great to have her here helping out.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Happy Moon Festival!
Today marks the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in China. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year). Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs, such as:
* Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
* Putting pomelo rinds on one's head
* Carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on towers, floating sky lanterns
* Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang'e
* Planting Mid-Autumn trees
* Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
* Fire Dragon Dances
* Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
* Putting pomelo rinds on one's head
* Carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on towers, floating sky lanterns
* Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang'e
* Planting Mid-Autumn trees
* Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
* Fire Dragon Dances
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