The girl with tears, Friday, after derby

When I walked into Swedish Medical Center on Friday, next to the hospital where I was just a week ago, a young woman, close to my age, was leaving in with red, blurry eyes in tears. I was hoping that wasn't a sign of my appointment to come. I had been "well cross that bridge when we get there" kind of attitude the whole week with my the diagnosis of my rotten omentum. Sure there was a chance it was cancer. Sure the doctor rarely took out bad omentums. Sure most bad omentums were tied to cancer. But there was no reason to worry until you were told it was cancer. However, about an hour before I left work for my doctor's appointment, my adrenaline was rush and I had "nails in my mouth" - I was so nervous.

I filled out the paperwork and didn't have to wait more than a few minutes before I was called in. Lara came with me, with the hopes that it was only good news, but with the knowledge that it might very well not be. Dr. Garnette was sitting in his office, he looked over at us and said, "Well, I just got your pathology report - ten minutes ago. And it looks like I have very good news for you." The rest of the appointment went about 15 minutes with him looking at my stitches (healing just fine), making sure I wasn't over doing it (I was only working 1/2 days), giving me the go ahead to go back to my sports (April 1st) and pulling out a dusty book to show me exactly what he did (took out all my omentum - at least he believes they got it all.) At the end of it all, he said, basically, he's never taken out an omentum that looked that bad that wasn't cancer. I was an odd duck and a mystery but I definitely didn't have cancer. I shook his hand, said it was great to meet him and left on a complete high.

And then freaked out when I got out on the street. I was pretty sure that there was nothing wrong but that 10% of doubt and the doctors major doubt had stressed me out. I texted my team and called the people who were waiting to know what the results were (obviously there were many more people way more worried than myself). I was so relieved. I was near tears. I wanted a beer to celebrate. I wanted to go home and take a name. I wanted to eat some lunch. I wanted to walk around. So I did all of it. I walked around - ordered some belated birthday gifts. Lara and I went to the Hi Life for a beer and sandwich. I dropped Lara off and went off to my hair appointment. What a great way to end a Friday.

Except it wasn't the end - I went with a bunch of friends to Burlesque in the Round - a part of the Moisture Festival. I loved it! It has as many wonderful and creative acts as last year. No one fisted a donkey pinata but there were a few more guy acts and some beautiful costumes and routines. I was telling one of my friends that this is what what I would do in my post derby career. She said she couldn't imagine a post derby career. I told her I didn't think about it often but I knew there would be an end and when that did come, the Moisture Festival would be the thing to take up my time. I love it. I love that I live in a city with such a lively underground of performers, variate, circus acts, burlesque, etc. It's another reason it's an awesome place to live.

**me and Monkey taking a nap