The time between the meeting with Dr. Weingart, where we came up with the surgery plan and answered all the questions to the evening before my surgery on the 23rd was a pretty chill and fantastic time. I had some hard conversations sharing the news with folks, and there were a lot of tears and emotions involved. Still, the groundswell of support very quickly became strong in the best and most genuine way, and my body responded to the steroids that Dr. Weingart prescribed to prepare me for the surgery.
I went on short walks with family, I rested up and watched a lot of TV snuggling my peoples, I unabashedly asked for and ate my favorite meals, created Wolverine (note to my Michagan State folks this is Wolverine the tough X-man with a healing factor NOT an Appalachian State opponent). Most importantly, I read and learned absolutely nothing new about what was coming. I just felt great about the plan. This was when team Rex came together, and it is 100% the fuel that keeps me in such a healthy and happy headspace today.
It was pretty heavy saying goodbye to the children Tuesday afternoon so that Jenn and I could be alone Tuesday evening and ready to leave for surgery at 5 AM Wednesday. We ended up settling in to watch two more episodes of the Last Dance, the Michael Jordan documentary that I absolutely love, and ordered the world’s largest two-person Taco Bell Doordash order.
If Dr. Weingart ever gives up my case, my fear is it’s driven by the present that I left him on the operating table after that Taco Bell decision, but if that’s the case, it’s a trade I would make again. It was the perfect evening that ended with Jenn falling asleep with her head on my chest, and I slept like a baby.