First things first. I am deeply grateful for all of the support. I want to list each of you by name, but my brain will inevitably leave someone out. So…Thank you so much to those who participated in the chat while I was in the hospital:)Thank you to everyone who sent things from the wish list.Thank you to those who have shown up at my house to help.Thank you to those who are caring for my animal companions.Thank you to those who have venmo’d, zelle’d or handed me complimentary yums.Thank you to those who have emailed or commented on posts.Thank you to those who have prayed and sent good thoughts.Thank you.Thank you.Thank you.Now on to the episode!

This episode was recorded on my second or third night at the hospital after my LAR- rectal resection with an ileostomy loop. It’s very raw and goes into details about the surgery, after-effects of surgery, learning how to use an ostomy bag, and the anxiety of going home. I don’t even remember what I said, but I knew that it needed to be recorded. I am not including show notes here. It’s short- have a listen or check out the transcript. *For some reason, my transcript AI cannot figure out how to spell my name, and I don’t have the oomph to correct it.

Love gifts are still welcome- and will be for quite some time. So keep on sending them along if you are inspired:)venmo: jenni-tooleyZelle: jennitooley@gmail.com

You are loved!Jenni

Hello! Hello!I’m here! I’m alive! Robots are going to chop up my rectum in 7 days! Please send love, send sanity, send whatever you like! (venmo: @jenni-tooley zelle: jennitooley@gmail.com)

Thank you so much to Brian and Steven for sending some love$, to Vicki & Melvin for animal help, to Dalton for puzzle hours, Belen for bevvies, and my mom and dad, just cuz:)

Reminder: Transcript available:)As you know, my goal is to keep these podcast posts manageable and as simple as possible, so here we go!

Rectal surgery in 7 days? What’s a girl to do? Get her s**t together- and avoid everyone else’s!

Getting s**t together deets:

* navigate disability denials, talk to lawyers, fill out paper work, fill out more paperwork, write and notarize your will, advance directive, and power of attorney, get lab test, figure out how to communicate with friends and family during surgery and hospital stays, get stuck with some more needles, eat everything I can get my hands on that I won’t be able to eat for awhile, more paperwork, go to the pharmacy, restock the kitchen with low fiber high protein bland food, find an outlet that has good pudding, try to get ahold of nurses who should have already called you to share information with you, fill out some more paperwork, set up Google Calendars, attempt to avoid governmental systemic thinking that is confusing and really wants to reward you not for healing and positivity but negativity and victimhood.

Whew! Was that simple enough for you?

Thank god I’ve spent my life learning how to thrive in chaos.

More to come…love you!Jenni

Help feed the rectal robots. Become a paid subscriber:)

Here we are with exciting news for Cancer Chronicles, S4 Ep2. I’m cancer-free! Whoop whoop! Get out your pom-poms! Cue the Sousa marching band! Pop open a…wait, what’s that you say? I still have to get surgery?Grrrr. Argh.

This is one of those moments where I must pause and celebrate this milestone* even if the journey must go on.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I appreciate and love each and every person, place, and thing that has gotten me here today!

Now, let’s talk about the rest of it. You can listen to the episode or read the transcript at www.jennitooley.com if you’re not already there:)

Here’s this episode’s breakdown:

* I thought if we shrunk the tumor down to nothing, we would be done. I was wrong.

* The reason why I’m choosing to have rectal resection surgery even though I don’t want to.

* Colon lips: To poop or not to poop.

* How “Bless it or block it” helps me make decisions and keeps me moving in the “right” direction.

* We’re coming up on a year now since diagnosis. Surgeries will take another 4 months or so.

* Staying present, healthy, and as joyful as possible while acknowledging I’m tired.

I’m on the two-week countdown to surgery. Support via prayers, good wishes, flowers, live plants, gift cards, massive amounts of dark chocolate, and cold hard digital cash via Venmo (@jenni-tooley) and Zelle (jennitooley@gmail.com) is appreciated.

That’s all for now! You are loved- never doubt it.Jenni

You have the power to keep this podcast alive and free to all who need it by sharing with friends and becoming a paid subscriber or founding member:)

*You can reference my Chaos Management Series post about the Science of Celebration here.