When it drains it pours

Returning back to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for my follow-up appointments, I knew it was going to be a long day.  We set out on the open (read: traffic) road at 8:30 am.  The first appointment was with the plastic surgeon at 10:45 (read: showed up at 10, didn't go in until 11:30), followed by a chest x-ray at 12:30, followed by another appointment with my main thoracic surgeon at 1pm, followed by ensuring my apartment was in one piece, followed by driving (read: me sleeping in the passenger seat) home.  It was a process to say the least, but the goal was to get it all done in one shot.  

While my main incision has been really healing nicely, and the percocet has been holding up it's end of the bargain taking care of the internal pain, the most annoying thing about my condition is that I have two drainage tubes in my back.  They make sleeping, sitting, moving around, etc. a pain because they are not exactly in the most convenient place.  My big goal with these appointments (besides obviously being told I am doing well) was to get these tubes removed and finally be detached of all things foreign to my body (except for the mesh and cement that now serve as 4 of my ribs, of course).  Well, the doc took a look and made the executive decision that one of the tubes can be removed, but the second one needs to stay, at least for a few more days.  

So, while I thought my energy level has risen to a near-normal level, this trip to NYC landed me comatose in my bed for 4 hours upon immediate arrival back home - and I need to do it all over again on Thursday.  However, I understand that things must be kept in perspective and they could be much much worse.  The main surgeon was very pleased, and, in fact, told me he didn't need to see me for another 5 or 6 months; for another CAT scan to ensure the tumor is not growing back.  The pathology report confirmed that the tumor was a desmoid cancer, but it also confirmed that removing it ridded my body of that cancer.  Maybe I'm being a drama queen about having to make another day trip into NY for a dr's appt.  It's not so bad.