Mike is out of surgery, and I am sooooo relieved.

Dr. Engh told us everything went really well. But getting back to see him was what I needed most. By the time we finally got there, he was already up, moving around, and demanding cheeseburgers! He’s himself, he says he’s not in any pain, and I can finally breathe.

They obtained three good biopsy samples from the largest spot, with no bleeding seen while taking them. Dr. Engh made a small new incision behind the previous one, leaving the old scar and bone flap undisturbed.

The preliminary look at the samples showed mostly dead tissue, also called necrosis. That is not a final diagnosis. Tumors can also cause necrosis, so we still need the full pathology to understand whether we’re dealing with treatment damage, tumor activity, or a combination. Dr. Engh feels they got good samples that should help provide an answer.

Another reassuring detail: he didn’t think yesterday’s planning MRI looked substantially different from the previous scan.

The initial microscopic results should take about 48–72 hours. The genetic testing will take at least a couple of weeks, and the tissue may also get another look from specialists at an academic center. So we’ve cleared the surgery hurdle, but we still have some waiting ahead.

Tonight, he’ll stay in the hospital for monitoring. If everything continues to go well, the expectation is that he’ll come home tomorrow.

Thank you for the sweet texts, check-ins, love, and support. I’ve seen your messages, even if I haven’t answered each one yet, and they mean so much to us.

For today, Mike is himself. He’s comfortable. And I am one very relieved wife.

Burgers en route. Chipmunk currently standing down.