Surgery & Recovery

Well round 1 with this battle is over. Surgery & reconstruction did not go as planned. During the lymphnode part of the surgery they doctors discovered that things were not as previous test had shown. The cancer has spread. Due to it spreading and there now being no doubt that I will have to have chemotherapy and radiation, they did not begin reconstruction because the risk of radiation with implants was not one they were willing to take. I will not be able to get the implants. The only slim chance I have of ever having reconstruction done would be at 1 of 2 centers in the United States at Duke or another center in Louisiana. There is only a small chance that either of those centers would be able to do a reconstruction from fatty tissue in my stomach. Even if they can, they could not begin until all of my treatments are completed. And I am not sure that even if they can do it if it is something I am willing to go through at the end of this battle I am now facing. So for now the whole reconstruction has been pushed aside to concentrate on fighting for my life. I will be have chest x rays and bone scans in the coming weeks to see if the cancer has spread beyond the lympnodes to anywhere else in my body. We are still waiting on the more extensive biopsy results from my surgey, they should be back next week. I will be starting chemo in the next 3 to 5 weeks, followed by radiation. For now I am just waiting to have the last of my drain tubes taken out, as they are very uncomfortable. I am having some pain and numbness issues with my right, arm but these are normal for the surgery I had. Kenny ,the girls, and my mommy have been taking turns caring for me. They also have taken on all my responsibilities around here as I still am not allowed to lift anything. I have spent alot of time resting and recovering. It's hard for me to sit back and let everyone else do everything. I never imagined being my age and having to be bathed by someone else because I am unable to lift my arms enough to do it for myself. Everyone has been so incredible to me! My church and friends have arranged several diffrent benefits for me. I have recieved so many cards, calls and visitors, there have been so many offers to help. I am truly blessed to have so many caring family members and friends in my life.My focus has shifted now to fighting for my life. My doctor looked me straight in the eyes and told me they are going to do everything they can to make me a survivor. So with their commitment and my determination let's get ready to fight and win round 2!!!!!! Cancer may have changed my appearance on the outside ,but I refuse to let it rob me of my spirit on the inside!!!!!!...Please continue to pray for my family ... Till next time...........

Surgery Date Set

Hello everyone, I have not updated for a bit because I have been waiting till I had all the info. My surgery is going to be on Sept 21st. , bright and early at 7 a.m. I will be in the hospital 24 to 48 hours if everything goes well and there are no complications. After all the results are in it has been decided with the findings of more cancer than the original tumor, that I will be having a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction to begin immediately as long as I can keep my other diabetes levels under 180. I will not know what treatments I have to take until after the surgery. They will be doing the sentinel lymph node biopsy during my mastectomy surgery. I am so ready to get this over with and get on that road to recovery so I can feel normal again. On the other hand as it approaches I worry about I am going to cope with it all when I wake up and my breast are gone. I know that's probably crazy to feel that way, because this is going to save my life, but I can't help but wonder.

I went back to the diabetes clinic yesterday and had all my medicine adjusted. I am back on a sliding scale for my 3 of injections each day and on a standard 35 units, at bedtime of a second insulin. I am glad they finally did this, I know they were trying to keep me from having so many shots each day, but this was the regimen I was on a few years ago that worked well for me. And I am proud to say with me cutting out all the sugar I possibly can, and almost eliminating bread from my diet as well as restricting my carbs to between 9 and 10 a day, and eliminating my one dr.pepper a day I used to have, has brought my sugar down 300 points in a month. And my weight has dropped 18 lbs.

Today is my last day of work, and it has been alot more difficult than I had imagined it would. I thought I would be ok with not working, because I have been ready for some time off but it has been tear filled already. My clients daughter bought me a beautiful new breast cancer hope mug to have my hot tea in this fall while I am recuperating, and a beautiful things of scriptures and a new bible. His wife cried this morning as we talked, she said she knew I would be back but it was just so hard to let go. It means so much to me to know that I have affected their lives in a positive way.

Well speaking of work I need to get back and get a few things finished up. I still have a few things I need to go over with the man that I have hired to work for me while I am absent. Many thanks to everyone who has called and visited me and left me such inspiring messages. Each and every one of you brighten my day!