Star Wars-Mayo Clinic Version

Well friends, I surprised everyone today and was able to do outpatient surgery! I'm still a little groggy from anesthesia, so I'll keep this short and to the point...Lydia-1 point, Blood Pressure-0 points. Mua ha ha ha!My fabulously wonderful doctor went into my salivary gland (under my tongue) with a teeny-tiny endoscope, played a sweet game of Star Wars, blasted my stone into oblivion and pulled out the pieces. My neck and throat are pretty sore from the surgery and breathing tube, and I've decided that it is an absolute crime that Rochester doesn't have 7-11 stores where you can get a slurpee. Tragedy. Regardless, I am back in the hotel, don't have a 4 inch gash on my neck and I'm not spending the night in the hospital. Score!

In other good news, the Mayo Clinic has gotten used to having a celebrity around and they've decided they just can't part with me, even for a short time. I got a call about an hour before my surgery that I've been accepted to the Rehabilitation Center and I'll start...next Thursday. They were super impressed with my motivation (um, hello, I haven't had food in a year...of course I'm motivated) and want me to get started right away. I am a little bit bummed because I have certainly been getting more and more excited to go home next week, see my husband (novel concept), sleep in my own bed and have more than 1 week's worth of clothing to choose from for my daily wardrobe. However, I know that the opportunity to get into this program right away is unheard of (ya know, celebs only) and it might have been more of a tease to go home and have to turn around and come right back. Now I'll begin the program February 9th, finish on March 2nd and fly home on March 3rd!

All in all, a very successful day. My hiking bags are packed and I'm ready to lace my boots and start the climb.