Time to #BStrong!

It's quite the emotional roller coaster that I tend to go through as the surgery draws closer.  The initial adrenaline rush of fight, fight, fight has had time to fester and it gets replaces with feelings of fear and dread.  I try to stay fairly positive as I go through each day, but sometimes the fear wins out and I get stuck wide awake in the middle of the night wondering what life will be like once the surgery is complete.  Those are the times when I have trouble convincing myself that things are going to be OK.  Today we are feeling good about what is to come and are very hopeful that the surgery has a successful outcome and we can continue on for a few more years.  The word of the day is RELAX, and the theme of the week is BE FLEXIBLE.  
Everything is now set and we know what lies ahead...well, sort of.  I will report tomorrow morning at 5:15 am and the surgery is scheduled to get started about 7:30 am.  We met with the plastic surgeon this morning and anesthesiology this afternoon.  Jessica was very displeased with our dear friends in the plastics department, but our appointment with them was awesome and we learned a lot more about what to expect and what could possibly happen.  If everything goes as planned, they will remove portions of both clavicles, the top two ribs on either side of the sternum and the top portion of the sternum itself (the manubrium).  Once the resection is complete, the reconstruction can then begin.  The most optimistic of plans is to "simply" take my left pectoral muscle and fill in the hole that was created and then we are finished.  That is a very simplistic view of it, but that is what we hope happens.  There are all kinds of other options that I have given them my consent to undertake should it become necessary, but everyone is very hopeful that we can get through this without the more dirty options.  It was comforting to hear him say that I should be able to do everything physically that I can right now even after the surgery.  I needed to hear that today.  We actually walked out of plastics feeling really good about everything and I have been pretty calm about what is to come all day.
I currently have 3.5 hours until I need to "get up" for surgery, I doubt much of that time will be spent sleeping.  I am not overly worried or anxious or nervous or any of the usual emotions that I would normally be experiencing.  Instead I just feel really lucky right now and thankful for all the wonderful people that I have in my life.  I am currently at my mom's house in Houston, here with me are my parents, my wife and my brother and sister.  It feels awesome to have everyone here under the same roof where we grew up together and I hate the reason that we are here, but I love the fact that it is happening.
Anyway, just thought I would get one last post out there before the surgery commences.  I am rather tired and just discovered the most incredible cable channel at my parents house, Chiller.  I think it was made just for me.  
Just a quick word about tomorrow...Jessica will be updating my blog throughout the day with news as she gets it.  She has done an amazing job the last two surgeries of chronicling the day and I can't imagine that this time will be any different.  I will pick back up when coherent enough to do so, but for the next day enjoy what she has to say.

I can't thank everyone enough for their support throughout this journey, it helps keep me going on a daily basis.  Tomorrow, I just have to show up, let the doctors do what they do and wake up cancer free for the first time in 3 and a half years.  I shall do my best.