| [Monday, Sept 3, 2007] Hi Everyone, I know many of you are wondering how Shelsi is, so here's the latest. After Surgery they kept her in ICU for about 30 hours, after which they moved her to oncology, 4th floor South at Cedars Sinai Room 4910. Unlike ICU they do allow flowers on that floor. While Eric, Ric, Jamin, Kira and I were in the waiting room during Shel's surgery, Brad Garret (Everybody Loves Raymond, Till Death) was also there. Then later Eric saw him on the ICU floor where Shelsi was. He told Shelsi that we all saw him and she said "I want to see him." Right around the time Shelsi was preparing to move out of ICU and into her new room, Kira ran into Brad (At the time I was the only one in ICU with Shel). Kira briefly explained about Shelsi and within a few minutes Brad was at her bedside. He walked in, said " Shelsi ?" She replied thru a little smile, "Yes." He said, "hi, I'm Brad, I'll be your new doctor." He was a very gracious man, taller and better looking than he is on T.V.;-) just funny enough not to make Shel laugh so hard it would hurt, and just compassionate enough to make us both feel very comfortable. We gave him the address to the website and then he asked for her address so he and Ray Romano could send her something. That was cool! After Surgery, Shel's pain was so severe that heavy pain medication only lasted a couple of hours. By day 4, though, she was on a much milder dose: only about every 12 hours. Saturday they took her bandages off and we were able to see her incision which went from ear to ear across the top of her head. The doctor had just shaved a thin line of hair for the incision so there is hair in front and hair in back of the incision. It looks like she is wearing a headband. She is still bruised and a little swollen but it's improved significantly from the first day. Tomorrow she begins her first of 8 rounds of chemotherapy. She will be hospitilized for five days after each round which will be every two weeks. Pathology has not come back yet because of the long [Labor Day] weekend, but they said it does look like lymphoma again. I just spoke with Shel and she said the doctor told her if pathology isn't back by tomorrow, they will post-pone chemo until it does. We are taking turns keeping vigil at her bedside 24 hours a day. Last night Kira stayed with her. Tonight Eric will stay so he can be there for her first round of chemo tomorrow. Eric brings his laptop to the hospital and thus Shelsi can get email. I have been forwarding your messages to her but feel free to write her directly. In this heat I'm so happy Shel is in a nice air conditioned environment where she is getting all the help and support she needs and not having to fix all her own meals. That's been the hardest part of not being closer to her - not being able to help her with all that kind of stuff when she was just too tired. Thankfully, her appetite has been strong and she's been eating well. Small miracles continue to occur, like Eric and Shel's friend Mike Seay, after finding out that Shel was about to have brain surgery, called the O.R. and found out his personal friend, Ray Chu, was doing the surgery. He said "take good care of her she's a personal friend of mine". Even though some of these amazing events aren't the kinds of miracles we might prefer (the kind that would bring her instant healing) they remind us that there is a higher power at work here helping to comfort and sustain us as we go through this with her. Again, thank you all for your love and concern. Gratefully, Sheri 
Three days post-op 
Bandages off and up and walking around |