The Journey Continues

There is a reason why fantasy writers have series of books. It's because the Hero's Journey just keeps on going and going. Today I met with the gyno-oncologist. One of the known factors about the BRCA1 gene is the carrier has an increased probability (35 to 40 per cent greater than the average woman) of developing ovarian cancer. After having an examination and discussing the possible risks, including the early onset of menopause, we have decided to pursue prophylactic surgery to remove the ovaries and uterus.

The biggest issue at hand is, unlike breast cancer, there is no proven screening technology available for ovarian cancer. Too often women who develop this disease discover it too late. Rather than constantly worrying about it and wondering, I've decided to hedge my bets and have it all removed...let's face it, I'm not using it anyway.

My doctor wants to wait until all the radiation is complete and my body has a chance to recover, so it will be late in the year or even early in 2010 before I have surgery. The surgery itself takes two to three hours, with one night in hospital and three to four weeks for complete recovery.

Meanwhile, my co-worker Socrates, is just getting home from a eight-day hospitalization (complete with five blood transfusions) because his body and immune system were too weak to fight a common cold. He's doing better now, but it does go to show the myriad complications and pitfalls a cancer patient faces.

I received a couple of cards yesterday. One was from friends of Rob's family, Irma and Vernie, and my Aunt Pat sent along greetings and included a little angel (whom she asked to watch over me and minimize my hot flashes...hope it works).

What a Weekend

This past weekend is the kind of weather we should have had all summer. Of course maybe we wouldn't have enjoyed the long weekend as much if we were used to three solid days of sunshine.

Rob and I stayed busy, taking advantage of the sunshine. We made a road trip to the Valley on Saturday to pick up a canoe we purchased. We stopped at a farm market and bought our veggies for the week -- fresh corn, beans, cauliflower, beets and new apples. Saturday night Ian and June visited and brought the fixings for supper. I turned over my kitchen and let them cook. I have to say once it sunk in that nothing was required of me except for my presence, and directions to the large pot, I quite enjoyed myself.

On Sunday we took the dogs for a hike on an old logging trail and then we drove deeper into the woods where we saw a bear crossing the road. What a thrill. We were both excited by the sight; I'm sorry I didn't have my camera with me, but Rob got a good view with the binoculars before it ambled away.

Yesterday we left the dogs home and went to a historic village about an hour away (1930s & 1940s era). It was enjoyable touring the old buildings and reading/listening to their history. Plus we ate the cookhouse lunch offered to visitors -- baked beans, egg salad sandwich on homemade brown bread and delicious gingerbread. Then we took the canoe for its inaugural paddle (I just sat up front looking pretty). Good news...it doesn't leak.

Needless to say I'm feeling good. I am still a little tender and I had a blocked drain on the weekend which compounded the tenderness. With a little manipulation I finally got it cleared and the drain flowing again which brought immediate relief. There is still a fair bit of fluid coming out, so it is questionable as to whether the drain will come out tomorrow. I have to call my nurse in the morning and we'll discuss. I'd like to get them out by the end of the week...we'll see. I'm sure I'm going to get tangled in them yet.

I've been doing my exercises so my arm movement is coming along quite well. Today I haven't taken any Tylenol and I'm feeling good. I'll try not to take any until bed time...we'll see how the day goes.

I got a slew of cards last week -- Helen, Aunt Carol, Debbie B, Kathy E, Southville Chuch of Christ and Marion (who also sent a warm cosy sweater for me via Kelly who was out Friday). Thank you again all of you.

A Drainage Delay

We just returned from vising the Breast Health Clinic. It's been a week since my surgery and it was time to have the dressing removed and the drains examined. We were hoping the drains would come out today, but there is still too much fluid. At this rate it will be next Wednesday before they come out. Monday is a holiday, I'll call on Tuesday and get an appointment for Wednesday. This works out well because I have an appointment Wednesday to see the gyno-oncologist too.

On the up side, my nurse today was very impressed with how well the scars are healing. She said they were the best she's seen and told me I was a good healer. Removing the dressings wasn't as bad an experience as I had expected. I'm now free and clear to shower (heading that way shortly) and they gave me some pads to remove the dressing residue.

I still have two small band aids where the drains go in, but that's a lot better than the huge pad I had strapped to my chest all week. I'm a little less sore today than I was yesterday and hopefully by next week the worst of the pain will be over. I expect I may still get twinges now and then because the nerves in the area were traumatized, but we'll see.

I'm planning on enjoying the long weekend regardless. Kelly is coming to supper tomorrow night and Rob and I plan to make a day-trip to the Valley on Saturday.

Life Rolls On

I had an email this morning from one of Rob's sisters. She was checking in because I hadn't blogged and was worried I was feeling off. The truth of the matter is I feel pretty good, and I didn't really have anything to say. But her comment made me worry there are others out there reading who are also concerned because of the lack of updates.

I've basically been taking it easy. I'm doing a lot of sleeping, a lot of reading and watching TV. I even played a video game for a little while. I've been doing my exercises and checking my drains (every day a little less fluid is expelled). I would say mobility on the right side is probably somewhere around 80 per cent of normal, whereas the left is still around 60 or so -- which makes sense when you consider the lymph nodes being removed on the left.

I sat out in the sunshine for a bit yesterday with a book and even got a little color on my skin. Last night Rob and I went for a drive along the coast. The sunset was stunning and the rising moon brilliant.

Today I plan to take some rapidly ripening tomatoes and some roasted peppers and make a salsa to freeze. I made supper last night (although I had to have Rob lift the cover from the barbecue).

The mail was overflowing with cards -- Rob's parents, Aunt Myrt, Aunt Al and Megan all sent messages wishing me a speedy recovery. I have an early appointment at the Breast Health Clinic tomorrow. Hopefully the drains the bandages will be removed then and I can get this itchy tape off of me.

Blessings Abound

Firstly, thank you to each and every one of you who said prayers or sent positive energy my way over the past week, heck the past months. Your ongoing support has given me (and Rob as well) strength and courage throughout this journey.

I'm doing well. I'm not too sore. I've been describing the pain as feeling like I've done too many arm exercises at the gym. If I move too quickly I get a twinge. I sometimes feel like I have electricity running down the back of my left arm...I think this is because the nerves are stressed/damaged from the surgery. I find I'm bothered most at night when I try to get comfortable to sleep. I'm a belly sleeper and trying to fall asleep on my back is next to impossible. I've finally figured out a way to sleep on my right side with a pillow supporting my left arm...it is workable. My biggest concern is getting tangled in the drains or blocking them inadvertently while I sleep. Hopefully they are removed on Thursday as expected.

The drains are attached to me by long, thin, clear tubes and they're a little bigger than a large egg. I have to empty them three times a day and record how much fluid they contain. I'm afraid of bending one of the tubes in my sleep and having the fluid back-up somewhere. I'm sure wherever that is, won't be good. I've been given a pouch to keep them in. I sling it across my body and for the most part it keeps them out of the way.

I'm bruised on my left arm; I assume this is due to the removal of the lymph nodes on that side. I've been doing my exercises. I have to be able to raise that arm and tuck it behind my head before I go to the radiation lab to get marked for the next course of treatment. That session is only a few weeks away.

Everyone has been amazing. I've received numerous notes through Facebook, the comment section on my blog, plus emails and phone calls. I went out to supper with some people from work on Wednesday night and Lucy gave me a big bunch of flowers. Rob's parents sent a second bunch to the house when I got out of hospital. I also received a card from Beth, Deb and Linda from work. Plus we've been eating extremely well. Debbie and Dianne brought boxes of food with them. Kelly gave us jars of her special Alfredo sauce and a casserole her dad made. Marion gave us an M&M Meat card.

Going back to the original analogy of the Hero's Journey, it is fair to say I've reached the cave and found the elixir. Now I just have to learn to understand it before I can move back to my own world. I still have a long way to go. Radiation will take five weeks this fall and I need to build up my strength again. In September I also meet with the gyne-oncologist to discuss the options surrounding my ovaries and the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. But I know with the support Rob and I have behind us that we can get through all the remaining hurdles.

Home

Hi, Rob again. Sue's home, but she's not quite up to blogging yet so I said I'd fill in. She's doing well. They were a little concerned with the amount of fluid in one of her drains last night, so they took some blood to measure her hemoglobin levels. Turns out they're fine, but it did delay her release a bit. She was seen by a resident this morning, who wanted her to stay until the end of the day to make sure everything was going OK. It was, and they let her go around suppertime. She's a little sore, but not too bad, considering. We stopped and picked up some over-the-counter pain relievers on the way home. Amazing that plain ol' Tylenol can handle post-surgery discomfort, but it seems to be doing a pretty good job.

There shouldn't be any major changes in the next couple of days, so the next update can probably wait until Sue's feeling up to the task. If anything happens of note, one of us will post an update. Thanks again to everyone for the thoughts, prayers and encouragement!

"It went like a dream. Couldn't have gone better."

That's a direct quote from the surgeon who operated on Sue this morning.

We got to the hospital shortly after 6am and took care of the check-in and paperwork and such until around 7:30 when they took her into the O.R. The operation was supposed to start at 7:30 and end around 11. Instead, they didn't actually start operating until 8:30, and by 10:25 Dr. Ginny was delivering the good news. Since the operation was shorter than anticipated, so was the stay in recovery. We (Deb and Di were waiting with me) were waiting when Sue arrived in her room, groggy and nauseous, around noon. She did vomit a few times then and again later when she got up to go to the bathroom (anesthetic drugs, I would assume), but she managed a few quick naps over the course of the afternoon and got progressively stronger with each one. Barring any unexpected hiccups, she should be released tomorrow morning.

We'll have to wait on the pathology report to see exactly what was in the tissue they removed, but Dr. Ginny said she could only identify one lymph node affected by the cancer. She also said there didn't seem to be any tissue damage from the chemo, although the anesthetist did have to put the intravenous in her left arm because of the chemo damage to the veins in her right. It also appears she only has two drains instead of the expected three.

I can't begin to describe the feeling of relief that washed over me as the doctor shared the good news. Up to that point I had been handling things pretty well, but it was all I could do to hold it together as she spoke. I knew on some level we were both stressed over this operation, but I had perhaps underestimated the weight of the load.

I'll let Sue take it from here, except to say thanks again to everyone for their calls, cards, emails, Facebook & blog posts, etc. over the past few days. Thanks so much to my sisters for being there with us this morning. Admittedly, I'm more than a little introverted and independent, and find it exceedingly difficult to admit that I might need some support, but it was very much appreciated.

- Rob