thanks to everyone who has been praying and keeps my recovery in their prayers. i also want to thank my work peers for staying in touch; my neighbors as well, and my church family who have been awesome in coming by the cleaning my front yard and demossing my lime-green driveway! :)
being at 4 weeks postop, i'm doing ok. this has been a long road, i will not lie. a couple of days ago my friend found a blog site written by a man who had a similar surgery as mine in which he validated all the ills i've had since being home till now. it was such a God send as it totally validated the condition, my condition is in. :)
i continue to be very weak; does not take much to wear me out. i have driven myself to church, which is less than a mile down the road! :) and a friend has gotten me out to a movie. i still don't have an appetite and my digestive system is completely foreign to me now.
but there is good news....i have prayed double triple hard for the Lord to heal me, as only He can. and i am helping the best i can be eating as healthy as i can. so i have adjusted my diet to only 'alive' things: fruits/vegetables, organic, etc. not only in an effort to help God heal my body, but to also prepare my body for chemotherapy, if i opt to use it. i would want to/need to start working at some point and can't do so if i continue to be as weak as i am. so prayers along this line are very helpful. :)
in the meantime i am beginning a journey of how to let people help me. i have been in a giving position for all of my career as a nurse, and has a human being. and now i need help from others: grocery shopping, vacuuming, staking wood, cleaning my yard...sheesh! but the toughest part will be in opening my hands and letting people help. so, here i go...
here's to good health! and here's too receiving love!
God bless everyone
cathy
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
updated surgeon and oncology information
just a note for updating everyone on what has been going on the last week, for me.
debbie, after staying with me for a month, went home on friday evening. and then my eldest sister, sally, came into town the next day. over the weekend my brother and his family, from seattle, came back down to visit and to laugh and support. that was fun. my sister, sally, will leave this coming saturday.
as i have probably let everyone know, i was trying so very desperately to go to Florida on saturday to walk the Breast Cancer walk in West Palm with my niece, cristal and my sister, nancy. but i had to cancel the trip as i am not strong enough to travel. at least, not without a nurse with me :))
this past week i saw the surgeon for my first post op visit (after 2 weeks post op) and though weak, rediculously tired, freezing cold and without appetite and 15lbs down, she states i "looked great!" and am "exactly where i ought to be at" for only being 2 weeks post op. debbie and i thought for sure i'd be back in the hospital. but her comments gave me inspiration and i felt as good as she thought i looked. so i bundled myself back up in all my layers and debbie drove me home :)
the next day, friday, was my appt with the oncologist; of which my sister, janet, came with me. he is a very smart man and i really enjoyed my visit with him. he states it is moderately recommended, as compared to low and or highly recommended, that i have chemotherapy, even though the colon cancer that i had was a stage 2.
he added there is not enough research/case studies for stage 2 colon cancer patients; there is mainly stage 3 research. but that the chance that i will not have recurring metastasis for colon cancer to my other organs is 75%. which is very good odds. he added, however, that with chemotherapy this is raised by 10%, even given the risks of chemo.
though i am only stage 2 colon cancer, i am still at high risk because i am positive for lympho-vascular involvement, even though i have 0/24 lymph node involvement; also that the tumor had invaded the wall of the colon by the time it was removed.
the chemo that i would be receiving is provided in the onology clinic every other week for 6 months. it is a combination of 2 drugs and is called folfox (Folinic Acid, Oxaliplatin and Fluorouracil). one drug is administered in the clinic, via a central line into my body; the other drug is put on a pump and will run into my body via the same central line for 2 days with my returning to the clinic for it's removal.
the oncologist states some people are able to work, at least modified schedules. i have talked with my employer briefly this past weekend and he states that could be the same for me. but i need to talk with them further.
they do not start chemotherapy until 6 weeks post op so this will not begin until mid february.
after saturday, i have no other family/friends coming to stay with me. but will definitely be using all the wonderful offers of help and assistance as the next 6-7 months unfold.
God bless
cathy
debbie, after staying with me for a month, went home on friday evening. and then my eldest sister, sally, came into town the next day. over the weekend my brother and his family, from seattle, came back down to visit and to laugh and support. that was fun. my sister, sally, will leave this coming saturday.
as i have probably let everyone know, i was trying so very desperately to go to Florida on saturday to walk the Breast Cancer walk in West Palm with my niece, cristal and my sister, nancy. but i had to cancel the trip as i am not strong enough to travel. at least, not without a nurse with me :))
this past week i saw the surgeon for my first post op visit (after 2 weeks post op) and though weak, rediculously tired, freezing cold and without appetite and 15lbs down, she states i "looked great!" and am "exactly where i ought to be at" for only being 2 weeks post op. debbie and i thought for sure i'd be back in the hospital. but her comments gave me inspiration and i felt as good as she thought i looked. so i bundled myself back up in all my layers and debbie drove me home :)
the next day, friday, was my appt with the oncologist; of which my sister, janet, came with me. he is a very smart man and i really enjoyed my visit with him. he states it is moderately recommended, as compared to low and or highly recommended, that i have chemotherapy, even though the colon cancer that i had was a stage 2.
he added there is not enough research/case studies for stage 2 colon cancer patients; there is mainly stage 3 research. but that the chance that i will not have recurring metastasis for colon cancer to my other organs is 75%. which is very good odds. he added, however, that with chemotherapy this is raised by 10%, even given the risks of chemo.
though i am only stage 2 colon cancer, i am still at high risk because i am positive for lympho-vascular involvement, even though i have 0/24 lymph node involvement; also that the tumor had invaded the wall of the colon by the time it was removed.
the chemo that i would be receiving is provided in the onology clinic every other week for 6 months. it is a combination of 2 drugs and is called folfox (Folinic Acid, Oxaliplatin and Fluorouracil). one drug is administered in the clinic, via a central line into my body; the other drug is put on a pump and will run into my body via the same central line for 2 days with my returning to the clinic for it's removal.
the oncologist states some people are able to work, at least modified schedules. i have talked with my employer briefly this past weekend and he states that could be the same for me. but i need to talk with them further.
they do not start chemotherapy until 6 weeks post op so this will not begin until mid february.
after saturday, i have no other family/friends coming to stay with me. but will definitely be using all the wonderful offers of help and assistance as the next 6-7 months unfold.
God bless
cathy
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
whew, anyone get that truck's license plate!!??!!
...what a long 2 weeks this has been! whew!!
today, i am 2 weeks post op, and have been home for a week.
unfortunately, while trying to prepare myself for the thought of surgery, i forgot to include recovery. so, it hit me hard.
but, today, i am feeling like i am beginning to be on the other side of "it". thankfully, and i owe it all to my best friend, debbie, for caring for me in the flesh and God for healing me with the Holy Spirit.
this past week i have spent, mostly, in bed as i have had no energy at all to speak of.
i apologize that i have not called and or written. but energy just for these things were depleting.
tomorrow i see the surgeon for staple removal...Hallelujah!
and friday i see an oncologist to know The Plan, of which by all indications will be just fine.
today my goals are to take a shower! again, Hallelujah! and to stay out of bed until tonite when it's suppose to be Time for bed. :)
thankfully, i have turned a corner.
thank you, everyone, for prayers and continued love and support.
i'll update as i know anything
love
cathy
today, i am 2 weeks post op, and have been home for a week.
unfortunately, while trying to prepare myself for the thought of surgery, i forgot to include recovery. so, it hit me hard.
but, today, i am feeling like i am beginning to be on the other side of "it". thankfully, and i owe it all to my best friend, debbie, for caring for me in the flesh and God for healing me with the Holy Spirit.
this past week i have spent, mostly, in bed as i have had no energy at all to speak of.
i apologize that i have not called and or written. but energy just for these things were depleting.
tomorrow i see the surgeon for staple removal...Hallelujah!
and friday i see an oncologist to know The Plan, of which by all indications will be just fine.
today my goals are to take a shower! again, Hallelujah! and to stay out of bed until tonite when it's suppose to be Time for bed. :)
thankfully, i have turned a corner.
thank you, everyone, for prayers and continued love and support.
i'll update as i know anything
love
cathy
Thursday, January 7, 2010
escaped - Wednesday 6pm
whew...thought we'd never do it...escaped/discharged from the hospital. while my surgeon's collegue scratched his silver head pondering if my being discharged home with nausea, constipation and literal inability to rest was a detriment to coming home. out of the other side of his mouth, he agreed, that i would fair much better at home with my caring for myself despite that they've done about as much as they would do for me. afterall....i could pass gas (yippee me!), and i've had a least one BM (ROCK STAR! and always to be remembered for), then why the heck else stay in the hospital. it'd been 7 days for goodness gracious.
and in those 7 days, i saw 2 families come and go that were my roomates in my hotel room....both as loud and abnoxious as the other family. see, told you i was in a hotel?
talk about peace and quiet being tatamount to healing........well, i advise not to count on it in the hospital. there was never more sounds of things being dropped; conversations between people right outside your door; machines buzzing and beeping; and constant interruption both by human and audible assault.
as far as the surgery i had. they removed a 2.9cm tumor along with the right side of my colon and reconnected both ends.
biopsy report shows that of all 21 lymph nodes, 0 were infectected with cancer.
the report says the tumor did grow outside of the wall of the colon, so discussion needs to still occur with oncology with what that means; and the plan. nothing in relation to chemotherapy (if the plan) would occur till after i've healed from this surgery.
healing! that is my mantra now....my beautiful sister, janet, and sweet niece caitly, helped me escape from the hopsital last night. and i have been sleeping ever since. though not have any energy at all to speak of i made myself take a shower in my shower (as my best friend cleaned it and i wanted to feel beautiful again).
debbie also cleaned by bed and sheets...so it was a double dream to slip into my wonderful huge/soft bed. thank you very much family and friends.
i'll have staples removed from my belly later next week, but till then plan on eating slow, eating orgainically, and drinking alot of fluids. i am meeting my new digestive system for the first time and am having problems figuring out what turns her on and what makes her giggle :)
love and hugs to everyone through this process. i'm still real slow, and i'm still real tired, but have plans on reconnecting and writing, etc. soon.
cathy/semicolon
and in those 7 days, i saw 2 families come and go that were my roomates in my hotel room....both as loud and abnoxious as the other family. see, told you i was in a hotel?
talk about peace and quiet being tatamount to healing........well, i advise not to count on it in the hospital. there was never more sounds of things being dropped; conversations between people right outside your door; machines buzzing and beeping; and constant interruption both by human and audible assault.
as far as the surgery i had. they removed a 2.9cm tumor along with the right side of my colon and reconnected both ends.
biopsy report shows that of all 21 lymph nodes, 0 were infectected with cancer.
the report says the tumor did grow outside of the wall of the colon, so discussion needs to still occur with oncology with what that means; and the plan. nothing in relation to chemotherapy (if the plan) would occur till after i've healed from this surgery.
healing! that is my mantra now....my beautiful sister, janet, and sweet niece caitly, helped me escape from the hopsital last night. and i have been sleeping ever since. though not have any energy at all to speak of i made myself take a shower in my shower (as my best friend cleaned it and i wanted to feel beautiful again).
debbie also cleaned by bed and sheets...so it was a double dream to slip into my wonderful huge/soft bed. thank you very much family and friends.
i'll have staples removed from my belly later next week, but till then plan on eating slow, eating orgainically, and drinking alot of fluids. i am meeting my new digestive system for the first time and am having problems figuring out what turns her on and what makes her giggle :)
love and hugs to everyone through this process. i'm still real slow, and i'm still real tired, but have plans on reconnecting and writing, etc. soon.
cathy/semicolon
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