final countdown

Less than 24 hours. Less than 18 until I kiss him goodbye for the day.  At this time tomorrow the surgeons will be saving Rico's life. We are grateful and terrified and sad and happy and everything we can possibly feel all at once.

According to his pre-op appointment, there is good news and less good news.

Good: The MRI shows that it appears the margins are solidly clean, and that the radiation shrunk the tumor by about 2 centimeters. This still leaves something the size of a deck of cards in his leg, but we'll take shrinkage over growth any day.

Less good: It has not shrunk away from the bone, and they can't see that area as well. Plus they may have to cut some nerves just to get to it, so we don't know what that means - and none of the three highly skilled surgeons knows what it means either - until they get in there.

He will not be at St. Mary's this time around, but is expected to be at Mayo for a couple of weeks minimum. We will update here as much as possible. Rico will not be reachable by phone for at least a few days.

Thank you all for following us on this journey. Your notes, your jokes, your love makes this whole thing less lonely and less scary.