Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Improving each and every day.

It's amazing how much better I get every single day.  Had doctors appointments yesterday and today that went well.  (It was really nice to get out of the house!!!)  VERY gross stuff they did however.....lots of good stories tho!!!

Today the plastic surgeon took out two of the four drains which was wonderful, I walked around the block by myself, took a shower by myself, only took one pain pill.........life is good.  Lynn continues to be a wonderful live-in nurse.

I think after Friday morning, visitors would be nice especially short ones (not short visitors, just short visits)!  Lynn is here until first thing Friday so we have things going on over the next few days and I want to spend as much time with her as possible.  Please plan to call first just so I know when to expect you.  I should be around except for doctors appointments since I won't be driving for a while.  : (

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Hello there!

Yes I am alive and kicking...well not really kicking but I am doing remarkably better each and every day.  Sleep much of the time, love pain meds.  I am able to stand by myself.  Working on pulling up my own pants (no smart comments).  Connie and Lynn  are wonderful nurses.  Emptying my drains.....apparently I'm a "bit" squeamish because I can't do it or watch without feeling like I'll pass out.  Lynn even took a shower with me yesterday (again, no smart comments) and washed my incisions.

Have doctors appointments Monday and Tuesday but maybe later in the week visitors would be nice.  Will  let you know.

Got great news about the pathology report.  With the amount of cancer found in the breast and lymph nodes, they are saying that I am cancer free.  That is about the best news ever!!!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

BOY! THE THINGS YOU IMAGINE WHEN UNDER AN ANESTHETIC!



To Nancy -  I LOVE YOU, DEAR FRIEND!  PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!  Lynn

CELEBRATE!

Nancy's pre-op brochure said she needed "a RESPONSIBLE adult who is MENTALLY and PHYSICALLY CAPABLE of assisting her.". .... No such person!!
However, Lynn and I are attempting to make it a "team effort". We figured I was mentally capable (no comment). And Lynn was physically capable (whatever!)
We'll probably only get rights to this blog for 24 hours (if that) so here's the good news...
Nancy's surgery went well and was very successful. The chemo did what it was out to do and there were no visual signs of cancer left.
The plastic surgeon also had good news to report as that part of surgery was a success also.
Lynn says she thinks Nancy would say the highlite of her day was having the two surgeons initial her breast during pre-op!
Nancy will be in the hospital until Thursday or Friday. Thanks for respecting her wish for privacy. I'm sure she will be updating you during recovery. Connie and Lynn

Friday, July 15, 2011

Passing the time.........

Thanks to some great family and friends, the weeks are passing pretty quickly. E-mails, cards, phone calls, visits, lunches, trips to the gym, a movie, a walk in a park....... all are helping me so very much. Thanks friends!!!


Getting anxious for Tuesday's surgery. Have lots of emotions about it. Most are reasonable. A few are pretty crazy but that's the way it is I guess.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

A GREAT Weekend! (one more thing to be grateful for)

Spent a long weekend with my family, cousins, and their kids up at cousin Rob and Val's lovely home on Lake Leelanau.  There were 18 of us together for the first time in a very long time.  My Aunt Jan was my mom's sister and my very favorite aunt growing up.  She passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56 and I miss her so very much.  Her kids......Rob, Tim, and Kris have grown up into wonderful adults and have special families of their own.  Aunt Jan would be so proud of them all!!!  Spending time with all them (and my sister and brother) made for a  wonderful weekend.  We talked, laughed, looked at old family pictures......really great.

The kids ranged in age from 4 to 19 and I enjoyed getting to know them again too.  They are funny, smart, each has their own personality, and they are all so well behaved....another reason why Aunt Jan would be so proud.

Waiting for surgery is a pain but having this time together helped me tremendously to "forget" and appreciate the gift of family.  Memories of this weekend will be with me always.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

I'm sorry Tigers, it's not your fault!

Dan , Karen, Bob, and I decided to go to the Tiger game tonight.  We went to a game last year that was rained out.....or at least we left after waiting two hours for them to resume and it was only after we left that they played the game.

So tonight there was a "slight" chance of rain.  Well let me tell you, the monsoon delayed the game for over 2 1/2 hours.  I am not sure that I have ever been as wet as I was at this game.  My shirt needed to be wrung out it was so wet.

This is one of the times that NOT having hair was a benefit.....  : )  Didn't look like a drowned rat like many people did!!!  Ha!

The game that started at 7:05 and was delayed in the middle of the third inning, resumed at 10:40.  After the fourth inning the score was 12 - 0. Pathetic!  (final score was 15 - 3, oh my!) We left at that point.  Tonight was floppy hat night....hence the goofy looking people in the picture.  It was really a fun evening.  Good to spend time with friends.  People were in a good mood and just kind of going with the flow.  Not much else you could do.

I'm not sure that Dan, Karen, Bob, and I will be going to anymore Tiger games though.  We don't seem to bring good weather with us.  Maybe it's our fault they lost.  Oh my!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Doctors are interesting

Don't get me wrong, I think all of my doctors are excellent and I appreciate the things that have done and are doing for me.

That being said, I think sometimes doctors forget that even though they have done the things that they are doing hundreds of times, this is my FIRST time of going through it and I am scared, confused, and need help understanding what is going to happen.

I met with my surgeon today and she went over what will be happening on July 19th.  Ewwwwww!  Actually it sounds pretty ok.  I told her that I just wanted to wake up.  She answered all of my questions and I think I understand what will be going on for the most part.  I meet with the plastic surgeon on the 12th so that will answer the rest of what I need to know.

Now I just wait.......I don't like waiting.......at all.