Phew!

I had my consult with the surgeon this morning and he feels confident this is not a hernia and I am not in need of surgery immanently. I'm also free to resume regular activity. So that's all good news. 

He thinks it is simply a lipoma (that is causing discomfort because it is attached to my chest cavity...like perhaps was inside my chest cavity...and then slipped out...I dunno...because it wasn't there before and now it is there). Whatever the case, I probably will have it removed eventually because it is uncomfortable to, like, lie on my stomach, for example. 

Plus, he can't guarantee it's benign so suggests eventual biopsy and the way they would biopsy a growth like this is to...remove it. 

But I don't have to squeeze in a surgery in the next 15 days...so that's good, good news.

In other news, we left this morning before any of the kids woke up. They all knew the plan this morning (that Benjamin and Zoë would be collectively in charge), but I left them a reminder note on the table, just in case:

We got a series of phone calls from Zoë while I was in my appointment, so Andrew called the kids back as soon as we got out. Turns out it was all Phoebe. The big kids weren't even awake, but Alexander and Phoebe had gotten up and were checking in on us. 

By the time we got home they were happily eating waffles (from the freezer) and Benjamin and Zoë were still sleeping.

Phoebe made this little note for us and left it on the table beside my note:

It says: 

Phebe—Dad—Mom [Phoebe—Dad—Mom]

I MS YO [I miss you]

To Mom A Dad [to Mom and Dad]

And it has a bunch of hearts drawn on it because she loves drawing hearts. 

Overall, I'm feeling much better about things, especially getting all our suitcases through the airport. I'm glad it's not a hernia, though I'm not entirely happy to have any weird lump at all. And it means that my stitch in my sides from exercising was just a stitch in my sides from exercising after all...I guess...so I just have to, like, breathe better or something.