Happy holidays everyone! Hope your Christmas was warm and cheery! Everyone made it back home to MN safely and on time despite all the snow. We had a great and thankful few days spent together with family.
Mom has been feeling great the last few weeks and is even back to work full time. Her hair has been growing back sporadically- so on Saturday we took turns and ended up shaving it all off (lathered her up with shaving cream and bic'd it!). Now it can grow out evenly and fee of toxins from the chemo!
Taylor needed a bit of medical attention himself on Saturday... he was playing in an annual softball game out on Lake Minnetonka and was hit in the forehead with a flying metal bat! Thankfully he didn't loose consciousness and just ended up with a swollen forehead with 7 stitches in it!
On Monday mom had a quick surgery to remove her port that was used for chemo. She's a bit bruised and swollen, but happy to have it out!
Our next hurdle to tackle will be mom's radiation. She will start next week most likely. She will have treatments 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Each treatment lasts about 10 minutes and everyone has said it will just make her tired- shouldn't be bad compared to the chemo, I'm sure she'll continue to get through this next phase like the champ she is!
It's been great looking through everyones Christmas cards and letters! We have so many people in our lives to be thankful for. We love you all, thanks once again for the continue love and support! Take care~
Love The Petersons
p.s. Congrats to the UW Badgers for winning the Champs Sports Bowl tonight, woo hoo!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Chemo Conquered!
So good news everyone, we are officially done with the chemo phase, woo hoo time to celebrate! Mom completed her 4th round of chemotherapy today like a champ. Dad, me (Andrea) and Mom headed to the clinic around 8:30am this morning, slightly delayed due to the dusting of snow we received. That was quite a rude awakening for me this morning after not seeing the nasty white stuff since pre-Hawaii last December! We snuggled into our room by 10:00am after finding out Mom's labs were perfect yet again and getting the go ahead from our practitioner Heather. It is surprising how "routine" this has become after just 4 rounds even though chemo is something you never truly want to get used to. Roxy was our nurse today and she was fabulous. She loved listening to Mom's stories, which is a blessing since Mom was talking a mile a minute, which we are contributing to her steroids! ("Yeah right says Dad, she always has a motor mouth!") We read magazines, surfed the Internet, did word puzzles and Dad even got some work done. Lindsey came a little later and brought us a tasty Subway lunch and a cake for dessert in celebration! And that was it. We are so blessed to have had such a positive experience through all of this. Our prayers have definitely been answered.
So whats next you ask? Mom will hopefully relax these next 3 weeks and let this final chemo work its course. We are all looking forward to a wonderful Christmas at home together. Then on Dec 28th, Mom will visit North Memorial and Dr. Mestitz again to have her port removed. She will need to heal for a couple of weeks and in the meantime will have the mapping done and tattoos placed in preparation for radiation. Mom will most likely start radiation therapy the second week of January, which will consist of 5 treatments a week for about six and a half weeks. So there you have it. We ask for your continued prayers for strength, healing, and no side effects for the next few weeks. We also pray for safe travels as Lins is heading back out to Vail on Monday for the ski season and me back to Chicago. While we are at it I also ask for prayers for Mom and Dad as they rediscover empty nesting! We hope this update finds everyone well and you all had a great Thanksgiving. This holiday season we have so much to be thankful for in all of you. Have a great day.
Love,
The Peterson's
So whats next you ask? Mom will hopefully relax these next 3 weeks and let this final chemo work its course. We are all looking forward to a wonderful Christmas at home together. Then on Dec 28th, Mom will visit North Memorial and Dr. Mestitz again to have her port removed. She will need to heal for a couple of weeks and in the meantime will have the mapping done and tattoos placed in preparation for radiation. Mom will most likely start radiation therapy the second week of January, which will consist of 5 treatments a week for about six and a half weeks. So there you have it. We ask for your continued prayers for strength, healing, and no side effects for the next few weeks. We also pray for safe travels as Lins is heading back out to Vail on Monday for the ski season and me back to Chicago. While we are at it I also ask for prayers for Mom and Dad as they rediscover empty nesting! We hope this update finds everyone well and you all had a great Thanksgiving. This holiday season we have so much to be thankful for in all of you. Have a great day.
Love,
The Peterson's
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
We're Good!
Dr. Londer saw us this morning after mom had some lab tests drawn. The labs looked good, praise the Lord, that was what I was a little worried about. They showed that her immune system is working and will be able to fight off whatever little bug is 'bugging' her! The doctor gave her a quick exam and said nothing looked concerning. The only thing they could put her on would be tamiflu, but since she's been feeling better and the labs were good he decided to just ride it out and let her body do the work. I'm glad she doesn't have to take another prescription medication, but I'm happy they brought her in to be on the safe side. So mom can stick with taking ibuprofen to help with aches and take it a little easy while she gets better. We should be on track for her last chemo next week, woo hoo! Lots to be thankful for! Happy early Thanksgiving everyone!
Monday, November 23, 2009
A Potential Bump...
Hello-
mom has been doing really well, had a great time with her sister who was here for 10days and has continued to do lots of projects!
Wanted to sent a quick note though- she started spiking some low grade fevers later last night and this morning and has been having some aches and a cough too. She contacted the clinic this morning and heard back from them after lunch. She's scheduled to head in to see Dr. Londer at 9:30am tomorrow. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but I'm glad they're being cautious and I will feel much better once they look her over! Please keep her in your prayers tonight!
Thanks, we'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
mom has been doing really well, had a great time with her sister who was here for 10days and has continued to do lots of projects!
Wanted to sent a quick note though- she started spiking some low grade fevers later last night and this morning and has been having some aches and a cough too. She contacted the clinic this morning and heard back from them after lunch. She's scheduled to head in to see Dr. Londer at 9:30am tomorrow. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but I'm glad they're being cautious and I will feel much better once they look her over! Please keep her in your prayers tonight!
Thanks, we'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Right on Course!
Round #3 is done! The actual infusion day isn't too bad- it's a long day, but kind of fun (I know call us crazy)! We got to the clinic by 8am, mom had her port accessed and labs drawn without any problems. Then we met with a nurse practitioner who was standing in for Dr. Londer as he was at his satellite clinic today. We were back in the treatment room by 9am, waiting for lab results to come back. Everything seemed to run smoothly along though, chemo started by 10am and we were out of there before 1pm. Mom's sister Diane was along today and it was nice for her to experience the process mom goes through first hand. She was very impressed and surprised by the whole thing (she was worried about passing out :) now she believes me that it really isn't all that bad or scary! Today the time flew by as we watched the classic 'chic-flick' Notting Hill, so good! Mom will continue with her steroid and nausea medicine through the weekend and take her occasional dose of ativan to try and counteract some of the steroid side effects that make it difficult to sleep. We anticipate the usual fatigue to set in by Sunday and we'll see how long it lasts this round. Hopefully we can get mom to take it easy this week, that's been the toughest job for me and dad so far! She has completed an unbelievable amount of projects this past month and half, she isn't your typical chemo patient that's for sure! Thanks everyone for checking in, we'll keep you posted through this next week. Love to all!
Lins
Lins
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Almost half way!
Hi there-
hope this note finds everyone well! We are doing pretty good on this end. This round was definitely a little more tiring for mom, proving the warning true that chemo does have a cumulative effect. But she was back on her feet by Halloween and even got to get out of the house and hangout with some friends!
Fatigue is the only real significant side effect she's had besides the hair loss. She's been wearing a cute little night cap or beanie around the house to keep her head warm and then her wig in public that you have to look twice at to even notice!
Overall things have been going well. She's sticking around home most of the time, but feeling pretty good and getting lots of projects done. Thank the Lord that she has been able to stay healthy too, since I had a nasty cold and dad was sick with the stomache flu.
Thursday will bring Round #3- getting excited to get this part of the journey over with. Mom's sister Diane is flying in from San Diego tomorrow, it will be great having her here this time around for added support.
Thanks for checking in once again :)
The Petersons
hope this note finds everyone well! We are doing pretty good on this end. This round was definitely a little more tiring for mom, proving the warning true that chemo does have a cumulative effect. But she was back on her feet by Halloween and even got to get out of the house and hangout with some friends!
Fatigue is the only real significant side effect she's had besides the hair loss. She's been wearing a cute little night cap or beanie around the house to keep her head warm and then her wig in public that you have to look twice at to even notice!
Overall things have been going well. She's sticking around home most of the time, but feeling pretty good and getting lots of projects done. Thank the Lord that she has been able to stay healthy too, since I had a nasty cold and dad was sick with the stomache flu.
Thursday will bring Round #3- getting excited to get this part of the journey over with. Mom's sister Diane is flying in from San Diego tomorrow, it will be great having her here this time around for added support.
Thanks for checking in once again :)
The Petersons
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Hanging in there
Quick update for ya...
Mom has been trucking along like a champ since Thursday. She says she feels more tired this round, but still manages to get projects done here and there to keep from getting too bored. She also had some pretty killer heartburn and a few back spasms again, but still no nausea to speak of. Lots of little naps have kept her going pretty strong and healthy. The hair continues to come out, she's been keeping her head warm with a little night cap her friend Jane gave her. She'll be laying low through the weekend, continuing to gain some energy. Dad too has been spending quite a lot of time napping- he came down with a bad stomach bug on Sunday and has been out of work all week. He's done a great job quarantining himself and sanitizing to keep mom from getting sick! Hopefully he will be back to normal soon.
That's about it, I'm off to Chicago to spend the weekend with Andrea! Take care, until next week!
Lins
Mom has been trucking along like a champ since Thursday. She says she feels more tired this round, but still manages to get projects done here and there to keep from getting too bored. She also had some pretty killer heartburn and a few back spasms again, but still no nausea to speak of. Lots of little naps have kept her going pretty strong and healthy. The hair continues to come out, she's been keeping her head warm with a little night cap her friend Jane gave her. She'll be laying low through the weekend, continuing to gain some energy. Dad too has been spending quite a lot of time napping- he came down with a bad stomach bug on Sunday and has been out of work all week. He's done a great job quarantining himself and sanitizing to keep mom from getting sick! Hopefully he will be back to normal soon.
That's about it, I'm off to Chicago to spend the weekend with Andrea! Take care, until next week!
Lins
Friday, October 23, 2009
Second Round DOWN!
Hello hello.
We apologize for taking so long to write. We have been too busy, are you surprised?! So yesterday Mom underwent her second round of chemotherapy. It was another long day, but went really well. I (Andrea) was back for this one. It was nice for me, and hopefully for Mom too, to be here for support and to experience exactly what she is going through. I must say, the Hubert Humphrey Cancer Center is a beautiful facility and we are treated like royalty there. All of the staff members are incredibly friendly and we are blessed to be able to be treated there. I was really impressed.
Mom had labs drawn around 8:30am and her counts were better than normal! Jean our nurse specialist wanted to copy Mom's lab results and frame them! She wished all of her patients could have levels like Mom's! Then we met with Dr. Londer a little after 9am. He checked Mom over and couldn't be happier with how she is feeling. He gave her the go ahead and made no changes to the plan from here. It was great for me to be able to meet him as well. He really seems to know what he is doing. Then we headed back to our little room where Mom gets to sit in this big comfy lounge chair with her feet up and wrapped in warm blankets while she gets her infusions. The room has a TV and there were people constantly checking up on us to see if we needed anything. Our nurse Wayne was cool and got us going about 10am. Mom received the same chemo she did last time, cytoxan and taxotere, as well as zofran, an anti-nausea medication. After the medications, they flush her system with a half liter of fluid to keep her well hydrated. All of this took about 3.5 hours to infuse. We kept busy by chatting, reading magazines, doing sudukos, and eating soup! Dad was there as well and was busy with work stuff. We got out of there around 2pm, which wasn't too bad. Then Mom and I ran errands for about 2 hours. I couldn't believe how full of energy she still was. She truly is incredible and not your average chemo patient. Again, are you surprised?!
We enjoyed another nice dinner last night and stayed up to watch a movie. Then this morning we headed over to Grandma Marie's to see my cousins Casey, Lori, Erin and her two kids Preston and Ella. We had a great time visiting and it was so fun to see the little ones. We have also been to the fabric store twice in the last two days to get materials for more house projects. Mom is really enjoying the time she has now to be crafty and get things done around the house. I'm not too sure Dad feels the same way, however, as Mom has a list for him about a mile long for things he needs to fix and finish! It's pretty funny. I also need to say happy birthday to our old man Dad today! He does not wish for me to disclose his "young" age! However, I will add he can offically start collecting social security now, hint hint!
Well Lindsey is complaining I'm writing a book so I will stop boring you all! I hope I conveyed my point that Mom is doing so awesome and we couldn't be more proud of her. She really has taught us that when life throws you lemons why not just make lemonade! Her attitude towards all of this has been nothing but positive and I truly believe that is why she is doing so well. Again, we love you all and thank you for your continued support and prayers. Please keep them coming! Enjoy your weekend.
Love,
The Peterson's
PS- There is only a few more days left in October, which is Breast Cancer awareness month. Please support each other and ladies, touch those boobies (aka do your self breast exams)and get your mammograms!
We apologize for taking so long to write. We have been too busy, are you surprised?! So yesterday Mom underwent her second round of chemotherapy. It was another long day, but went really well. I (Andrea) was back for this one. It was nice for me, and hopefully for Mom too, to be here for support and to experience exactly what she is going through. I must say, the Hubert Humphrey Cancer Center is a beautiful facility and we are treated like royalty there. All of the staff members are incredibly friendly and we are blessed to be able to be treated there. I was really impressed.
Mom had labs drawn around 8:30am and her counts were better than normal! Jean our nurse specialist wanted to copy Mom's lab results and frame them! She wished all of her patients could have levels like Mom's! Then we met with Dr. Londer a little after 9am. He checked Mom over and couldn't be happier with how she is feeling. He gave her the go ahead and made no changes to the plan from here. It was great for me to be able to meet him as well. He really seems to know what he is doing. Then we headed back to our little room where Mom gets to sit in this big comfy lounge chair with her feet up and wrapped in warm blankets while she gets her infusions. The room has a TV and there were people constantly checking up on us to see if we needed anything. Our nurse Wayne was cool and got us going about 10am. Mom received the same chemo she did last time, cytoxan and taxotere, as well as zofran, an anti-nausea medication. After the medications, they flush her system with a half liter of fluid to keep her well hydrated. All of this took about 3.5 hours to infuse. We kept busy by chatting, reading magazines, doing sudukos, and eating soup! Dad was there as well and was busy with work stuff. We got out of there around 2pm, which wasn't too bad. Then Mom and I ran errands for about 2 hours. I couldn't believe how full of energy she still was. She truly is incredible and not your average chemo patient. Again, are you surprised?!
We enjoyed another nice dinner last night and stayed up to watch a movie. Then this morning we headed over to Grandma Marie's to see my cousins Casey, Lori, Erin and her two kids Preston and Ella. We had a great time visiting and it was so fun to see the little ones. We have also been to the fabric store twice in the last two days to get materials for more house projects. Mom is really enjoying the time she has now to be crafty and get things done around the house. I'm not too sure Dad feels the same way, however, as Mom has a list for him about a mile long for things he needs to fix and finish! It's pretty funny. I also need to say happy birthday to our old man Dad today! He does not wish for me to disclose his "young" age! However, I will add he can offically start collecting social security now, hint hint!
Well Lindsey is complaining I'm writing a book so I will stop boring you all! I hope I conveyed my point that Mom is doing so awesome and we couldn't be more proud of her. She really has taught us that when life throws you lemons why not just make lemonade! Her attitude towards all of this has been nothing but positive and I truly believe that is why she is doing so well. Again, we love you all and thank you for your continued support and prayers. Please keep them coming! Enjoy your weekend.
Love,
The Peterson's
PS- There is only a few more days left in October, which is Breast Cancer awareness month. Please support each other and ladies, touch those boobies (aka do your self breast exams)and get your mammograms!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Almost to round 2
Hi everyone- just realized it's been almost 10 days since our last post, oops! Not sure where the time has gone this past week or so.
Mom continues to do well. She's been back at work for a couple shifts to counter the boredom, but more importantly to see her great support group and NBICU family. Dad and I have been busy too and we all are gearing up for the second chemo session. We've been blessed with good health, no sick germs around here! Mom's blood counts were even really high, we think thanks to the neulasta medication.
We were anxiously anticipating the annoying yet inevitable hair loss, and last Thursday the 'shedding' began. For many reasons this is a difficult step of this process, I think largely because mom wasn't feeling like a cancer patient, but now she will have to look more like one, despite feeling fairly normal. She dealt with it well all weekend, and today we headed back to the salon were we had bought the wig and had them cut her hair down to just an inch in length. This way as the remaining hair comes out there won't be as much of it to leave an annoying trail. So starting today mom will be sporting a very cute and trendy synthetic haircut, just like a champ! And under the wig she took advantage of the head-shaving opportunity to boast some Badger spirit and sports a proud 'W' carved in... top that Tay!
The next few days we'll spend preparing for Round #2 and enjoy the possible last day of nice weather before winter really settles in. Thanks gang- I promise to post again later this week!
Mom continues to do well. She's been back at work for a couple shifts to counter the boredom, but more importantly to see her great support group and NBICU family. Dad and I have been busy too and we all are gearing up for the second chemo session. We've been blessed with good health, no sick germs around here! Mom's blood counts were even really high, we think thanks to the neulasta medication.
We were anxiously anticipating the annoying yet inevitable hair loss, and last Thursday the 'shedding' began. For many reasons this is a difficult step of this process, I think largely because mom wasn't feeling like a cancer patient, but now she will have to look more like one, despite feeling fairly normal. She dealt with it well all weekend, and today we headed back to the salon were we had bought the wig and had them cut her hair down to just an inch in length. This way as the remaining hair comes out there won't be as much of it to leave an annoying trail. So starting today mom will be sporting a very cute and trendy synthetic haircut, just like a champ! And under the wig she took advantage of the head-shaving opportunity to boast some Badger spirit and sports a proud 'W' carved in... top that Tay!
The next few days we'll spend preparing for Round #2 and enjoy the possible last day of nice weather before winter really settles in. Thanks gang- I promise to post again later this week!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
SNOW, huh?
Wow what a surprise it is to see the white stuff on the ground already...I had to check the date, it's only October 10th! BURRRR. I'm at work so I got an early confirmation of what the weatherman was predicting; I honestly didn't believe it would happen. Gotta love Minnesota! Now the new skis I bought will come in handy a little sooner than I thought!
Nothing much to update you about in the cancer department. Mom has been feeling great- the back spasms went away, not sure what they were about and neither did our nurse Jean. Yesterday she had tons of energy- she got her garden all cleaned out (wearing gloves of course Auntie Diane :), just in time for the snow! She also baked cookies and checked lots off her to-do list. I'm sure mom is getting pretty bored all cooped up in the house trying her best to avoid germs, but she's being a trooper. Today she will have some labs drawn to see how her counts are doing mid cycle. Can't believe we're already half way through this cycle, only 3 more to go, we can do this!
Thanks again everyone, enjoy the frigid weekend!
Nothing much to update you about in the cancer department. Mom has been feeling great- the back spasms went away, not sure what they were about and neither did our nurse Jean. Yesterday she had tons of energy- she got her garden all cleaned out (wearing gloves of course Auntie Diane :), just in time for the snow! She also baked cookies and checked lots off her to-do list. I'm sure mom is getting pretty bored all cooped up in the house trying her best to avoid germs, but she's being a trooper. Today she will have some labs drawn to see how her counts are doing mid cycle. Can't believe we're already half way through this cycle, only 3 more to go, we can do this!
Thanks again everyone, enjoy the frigid weekend!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
New Application to Blog
Hi everyone.
I know some of you have been frustrated with not being able to post comments, so I added a place where you can do that now. It is called a "Guestbook." You will find it on the right side of the page, towards the middle where is says "Sign Marilyn's Guestbook." Click on the pink hyperlink that says "Guestbook" and it will open a new page where you can write Mom a note. I've used this on other people's blogs and its pretty cool to read the messages everyone leaves. Plus it will give Mom some positive thoughts to read as she is resting on the couch! When you are finished with your message, click on "Post message" and your note will show up on the top of the page. To navigate back to Mom's blogsite, go to the bottom of the page and hit "Back to the website." If you have any questions, please let us now. Thanks for checking in! And Mom continues to do great! Love you guys.
Andrea
I know some of you have been frustrated with not being able to post comments, so I added a place where you can do that now. It is called a "Guestbook." You will find it on the right side of the page, towards the middle where is says "Sign Marilyn's Guestbook." Click on the pink hyperlink that says "Guestbook" and it will open a new page where you can write Mom a note. I've used this on other people's blogs and its pretty cool to read the messages everyone leaves. Plus it will give Mom some positive thoughts to read as she is resting on the couch! When you are finished with your message, click on "Post message" and your note will show up on the top of the page. To navigate back to Mom's blogsite, go to the bottom of the page and hit "Back to the website." If you have any questions, please let us now. Thanks for checking in! And Mom continues to do great! Love you guys.
Andrea
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Riding the chemo wave
We're sitting here cheering on our Twins! It's been a great sports week- the Badgers beating the Gophers in the new TCF stadium (Tay,dad and I got to go!), Vikings and Favre stomping on the Packers and now a huge playoff tonight with the Twinkies! Come on Twins, mom needs another series to watch!
Things are still going well around here. We know things aren't totally normal per say, as mom has no desire for a beer or glass of wine with dinner, ha ha! She's still been able to eat and drink without problems, and isn't too terribly tired, just enjoying short naps here and there. She doesn't sleep great at night though, so naps have definitely been needed. Other than a few back aches, she is really doing well and looking good too.
Today we started our cycle of when mom's blood counts will be the lowest, the Nadir. These next 10 days we have to be even more cautious and take super-precautions when it comes to germs. Hopefully mom won't get cabin fever too bad, as she has to stick around the house so she doesn't take any chances risking exposures to something.
That's about it, the prayers are definitely keeping us all going strong! Take care everyone, until next time.
The P's
Things are still going well around here. We know things aren't totally normal per say, as mom has no desire for a beer or glass of wine with dinner, ha ha! She's still been able to eat and drink without problems, and isn't too terribly tired, just enjoying short naps here and there. She doesn't sleep great at night though, so naps have definitely been needed. Other than a few back aches, she is really doing well and looking good too.
Today we started our cycle of when mom's blood counts will be the lowest, the Nadir. These next 10 days we have to be even more cautious and take super-precautions when it comes to germs. Hopefully mom won't get cabin fever too bad, as she has to stick around the house so she doesn't take any chances risking exposures to something.
That's about it, the prayers are definitely keeping us all going strong! Take care everyone, until next time.
The P's
Friday, October 2, 2009
Feeling good surprisingly!
Thought I was going to get a relaxing, pajama day on the couch with mom, but she's been feeling great and we've been getting lots of stuff done!
Her port site isn't even that sore any more; it's nice and bruised tough. Yesterday was long, to be expected for your first round I guess. We had numbed up her port site with some lidocaine cream, so when they accessed it with the needle she didn't even feel it! It took awhile to get going, but once she was all hooked up the medications flowed with no problems. It was weird seeing her sitting there getting chemo- all this anticipation became a reality. We kept busy in our little room reading and using the computer. We met some of the oncology nurses who were great and got a visit from Jean. After infusion was complete, the pharmacist met with us and sent us home with another bag of medications- it's crazy all the drugs you get to take! But with that said, we are very thankful for each and every one of them and what they do.
To be honest, I didn't believe the healthcare team when they told us mom wouldn't have any nausea or vomiting after chemo. They said if it was going to happen it would probably show up around 12 hours postchemo infusion, so I was not really looking forward to 1 AM. But 12 hours have passed and we are now at the 24 hour mark with no real complaints. The steroids have boosted her energy, but haven't caused any 'crazy steroid induced emotions', or at least not yet! Having worked in the hospital with patients who have had organ transplants, I have seen the many side effects they can have, but thankfully we haven't had to deal with that.
At 1 pm I got to give mom her Neulasta injection- a little shot in her belly that will help keep her white blood cell count from dropping too low. Usually patients have to go back into the clinic to have this done, but since I'm a nurse the pharmacy dispensed it to us and I got to poke her! I was gentle, so she didn't cry too much, just kidding! But she wouldn't pay the in-home nurse administration fee either, darn it!
So we're holding strong for now, we will keep you updated over the next few days. Have a great weekend everyone! GO BADGERS ;)
Lins & mom
Her port site isn't even that sore any more; it's nice and bruised tough. Yesterday was long, to be expected for your first round I guess. We had numbed up her port site with some lidocaine cream, so when they accessed it with the needle she didn't even feel it! It took awhile to get going, but once she was all hooked up the medications flowed with no problems. It was weird seeing her sitting there getting chemo- all this anticipation became a reality. We kept busy in our little room reading and using the computer. We met some of the oncology nurses who were great and got a visit from Jean. After infusion was complete, the pharmacist met with us and sent us home with another bag of medications- it's crazy all the drugs you get to take! But with that said, we are very thankful for each and every one of them and what they do.
To be honest, I didn't believe the healthcare team when they told us mom wouldn't have any nausea or vomiting after chemo. They said if it was going to happen it would probably show up around 12 hours postchemo infusion, so I was not really looking forward to 1 AM. But 12 hours have passed and we are now at the 24 hour mark with no real complaints. The steroids have boosted her energy, but haven't caused any 'crazy steroid induced emotions', or at least not yet! Having worked in the hospital with patients who have had organ transplants, I have seen the many side effects they can have, but thankfully we haven't had to deal with that.
At 1 pm I got to give mom her Neulasta injection- a little shot in her belly that will help keep her white blood cell count from dropping too low. Usually patients have to go back into the clinic to have this done, but since I'm a nurse the pharmacy dispensed it to us and I got to poke her! I was gentle, so she didn't cry too much, just kidding! But she wouldn't pay the in-home nurse administration fee either, darn it!
So we're holding strong for now, we will keep you updated over the next few days. Have a great weekend everyone! GO BADGERS ;)
Lins & mom
Thursday, October 1, 2009
1 Down... 3 to Go
Hi everyone.
I just got the update from home that everything went well today. Mom, Dad and Lins just got back from the clinic after her first round of chemo about an hour ago. It was a very long day as they were there by 8am, but overall things went good, which is what is important. Mom felt fine throughout the whole thing. She is sore and bruised around her port site, but is able to take some pain meds and ice it now so hopefully that will help. She has an anti nausea, a steroid, and a sleeping pill to take as well. Hopefully they all work great and she can relax so the chemo can do its job. She is headed for the couch as I write to rest and cheer on the Twins! We love you all very much and felt your prayers today. Please continue to pray that Mom can rest comfortably, is pain free, and doesn't have any nausea or vomiting too. Also, please be patient with us if we are slow on returning calls and emails. We will continue to update the blog as much as possible. Take care everyone and we will be in touch soon. We love you guys!
The Peterson's
I just got the update from home that everything went well today. Mom, Dad and Lins just got back from the clinic after her first round of chemo about an hour ago. It was a very long day as they were there by 8am, but overall things went good, which is what is important. Mom felt fine throughout the whole thing. She is sore and bruised around her port site, but is able to take some pain meds and ice it now so hopefully that will help. She has an anti nausea, a steroid, and a sleeping pill to take as well. Hopefully they all work great and she can relax so the chemo can do its job. She is headed for the couch as I write to rest and cheer on the Twins! We love you all very much and felt your prayers today. Please continue to pray that Mom can rest comfortably, is pain free, and doesn't have any nausea or vomiting too. Also, please be patient with us if we are slow on returning calls and emails. We will continue to update the blog as much as possible. Take care everyone and we will be in touch soon. We love you guys!
The Peterson's
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A port is placed
I'm writing sitting next to mom in the recovery room, gotta love technologies like Blackberries!
We both worked the last several night shifts, so when the hospital called this morning to ask us to come in earlier due to a cancellation we didn't quite get the message since we were asleep! After an hour nap mom got up though and we headed over to North Memorial.
Preop went very smoothly this time, IV on the first try and all the doctors and nurses we ready for her, so she rolled on back to the OR with versed warming her veins a half hour ahead of schedule.
The half hour was wasted though when mom, in her sedated state, reached up to scratch her nose and contaminated the surgery site- Oops!
Dr. Mestitz did an excellent job once again and placed the port just under her right collar bone without any complications. She has no subcutaneous fat in the area, so you can see the lump under her skin and it will be a little sore for awhile with nothing to pad around it. It's about the size of a quarter and already has worked efficiently (good blood return).
Well mom's already feeling great and ready to get home for some much deserved couch time... I better help get her dressed and go get the car!
I'll update again tomorrow night and let you know how chemo goes. Please pray that mom tolerates chemo well with little side effects.
As always, thanks for being with us on this journey, we couldn't do it without you!
Love mom and Lins
We both worked the last several night shifts, so when the hospital called this morning to ask us to come in earlier due to a cancellation we didn't quite get the message since we were asleep! After an hour nap mom got up though and we headed over to North Memorial.
Preop went very smoothly this time, IV on the first try and all the doctors and nurses we ready for her, so she rolled on back to the OR with versed warming her veins a half hour ahead of schedule.
The half hour was wasted though when mom, in her sedated state, reached up to scratch her nose and contaminated the surgery site- Oops!
Dr. Mestitz did an excellent job once again and placed the port just under her right collar bone without any complications. She has no subcutaneous fat in the area, so you can see the lump under her skin and it will be a little sore for awhile with nothing to pad around it. It's about the size of a quarter and already has worked efficiently (good blood return).
Well mom's already feeling great and ready to get home for some much deserved couch time... I better help get her dressed and go get the car!
I'll update again tomorrow night and let you know how chemo goes. Please pray that mom tolerates chemo well with little side effects.
As always, thanks for being with us on this journey, we couldn't do it without you!
Love mom and Lins
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Chaos before Chemo...
Hi guys~
It's official, chemotherapy is in our plan. Our meeting with Dr. Londer and nurse Jean went well this morning. It was a bit overwhelming the wealth of information we received, but after reviewing our notes I think we have a good handle on what we're signing up for.
Monday mom will have another general checkup and surgery preop appointment with her primary doctor. Then next Wednesday she will have a 'metaport' placed. As Andrea already explained, it's a type of IV, but more permanent and sits right under the skin under her collar bone. The port will be accessed with a needle whenever it needs to be used and that way medications can be given and blood can be drawn through it.
The protocol we will follow is the 'TC Regimen'. Mom will be administered two different chemotherapy medications, Taxotere and Cytoxan. She will also take a steroid, Dexamethasone, for a few days around chemo to help prevent fluid overload and nausea.
Next Thursday, October 1st, will be our first of four rounds of chemotherapy. She'll have it once every three weeks. The treatments, including lab draws, doctor visits, etc. last between 4-5 hours. The day following chemo she will have to go back to clinic to have a small injection called Neulasta, that helps stimulate white blood cells to grow.
Other side effects from treatment are weight gain, bone pain, insomnia, fatigue and hair loss. We won't know how severe mom's side effects will be, we'll just have to wait and see and then tackle them as we go. Hair loss is inevitable however, so today after the doctor appointment we went and got a really cute wig! It looks great, actually very natural!
Mom will also have to take extra precaution not to get sick during chemotherapy. This means all of us around her have to be careful too. She got a flu shot today and I picked up some extra hand sanitizer! We'll have to be very diligent with keeping the house as germ free as possible, avoid crowds and especially anyone who's ill or not feeling well.
We've got lots to do these next several days to get as prepared as possible for what's to come. Mom will mostly be pretty fatigued and not feeling well for the first week after chemo. Then she'll hopefully feel ok during week #2 and 'good' week #3 before the cycle starts over again. If all things go as planned our last chemo treatment will be December 3rd and we'll be done and feeling good by Christmas! Then after the first of the year we'll move along to radiation.
That's the scoop for now- we're happy we can get the ball rolling soon and be closer to putting this cancer thing behind us. Like Grandma Marie said, this is our journey- and we are ready to go!
It's official, chemotherapy is in our plan. Our meeting with Dr. Londer and nurse Jean went well this morning. It was a bit overwhelming the wealth of information we received, but after reviewing our notes I think we have a good handle on what we're signing up for.
Monday mom will have another general checkup and surgery preop appointment with her primary doctor. Then next Wednesday she will have a 'metaport' placed. As Andrea already explained, it's a type of IV, but more permanent and sits right under the skin under her collar bone. The port will be accessed with a needle whenever it needs to be used and that way medications can be given and blood can be drawn through it.
The protocol we will follow is the 'TC Regimen'. Mom will be administered two different chemotherapy medications, Taxotere and Cytoxan. She will also take a steroid, Dexamethasone, for a few days around chemo to help prevent fluid overload and nausea.
Next Thursday, October 1st, will be our first of four rounds of chemotherapy. She'll have it once every three weeks. The treatments, including lab draws, doctor visits, etc. last between 4-5 hours. The day following chemo she will have to go back to clinic to have a small injection called Neulasta, that helps stimulate white blood cells to grow.
Other side effects from treatment are weight gain, bone pain, insomnia, fatigue and hair loss. We won't know how severe mom's side effects will be, we'll just have to wait and see and then tackle them as we go. Hair loss is inevitable however, so today after the doctor appointment we went and got a really cute wig! It looks great, actually very natural!
Mom will also have to take extra precaution not to get sick during chemotherapy. This means all of us around her have to be careful too. She got a flu shot today and I picked up some extra hand sanitizer! We'll have to be very diligent with keeping the house as germ free as possible, avoid crowds and especially anyone who's ill or not feeling well.
We've got lots to do these next several days to get as prepared as possible for what's to come. Mom will mostly be pretty fatigued and not feeling well for the first week after chemo. Then she'll hopefully feel ok during week #2 and 'good' week #3 before the cycle starts over again. If all things go as planned our last chemo treatment will be December 3rd and we'll be done and feeling good by Christmas! Then after the first of the year we'll move along to radiation.
That's the scoop for now- we're happy we can get the ball rolling soon and be closer to putting this cancer thing behind us. Like Grandma Marie said, this is our journey- and we are ready to go!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
A bump in the road, but we will get over it
Hi guys, Andrea here. Lins is on vacation in Colorado and Mom and Dad are busy cheering on the Badgers in Wisconsin this weekend (GO BIG RED!) so I'm updating the blog today! I'm not as well versed in this stuff as Lins is, but I'll try to explain things to the best of my knowledge, so here it goes. Last Thursday, Mom received a phone call from Dr. Londer regarding her Oncotype DX results, the one we have been desperately waiting for. Basically we needed this test before determining Mom's final treatment plan. Specifically, this test yields a recurrance score of 0 through 100, which correlates with the likelihood Mom's cancer would return in addition to indicating whether or not Mom would benefit from chemotherapy. 0 through 18 suggests a low chance of recurrance and that chemotherapy would not be beneficial. 19 through 30 indicates a moderate chance of recurrance and that chemo may be beneficial and over 30 states that chemotherapy would most likely be beneficial. With that said, Mom's results were unfortunately not what we were hoping and praying for. Her score was 28 with a 19% chance of recurrance. We assume this higher score is due to the fact that Mom's cancer cells are grade 3, the most aggressive type possible. This news was quite shocking to us all, including our doctors and practioners. There have been tears and feelings of anger and great disappointment. Mom really really really didn't want to have to go through chemo. So what does this mean? Well, basically we need to meet with Dr. Londer, our oncologist, next week, but he will probably leave the decision up to us whether Mom does chemo or not. With the results we got and a score of 28 being very close to 30 with a 19% chance of recurrance, how could we not decide to go with the big guns and kill this son of a bitch all the way. We probably will go ahead with chemo. We have talked a lot about it and feel that we don't want to have any regrets throughout this and want to give Mom every percentage we can possibly get towards a better out come. We will meet with the doctor next Wednesday to discuss our finalized treatment plan from here on out. It will most likely go something like this: Mom will have a port surgically placed in her chest, which is a large catheter that will be used for blood draws and chemo administration. It will stay in until her treatment is completed. She will most likely have 4 rounds of chemo, 3 weeks apart, totaling 12 weeks. Then will do radiation after that. Its going to be a long journey, especially through the holidays, but Mom will be fine. She is so strong and such a trooper. Please pray for us that we are making the right decision, for Mom's strength throughout this, for her health overall, and that the side affects of the chemo are minimal. We want to thank everyone again for their continued support. We need you guys to help us get through this. Have a great weekend and we will be in touch soon.
love,
the peterson's
love,
the peterson's
Thursday, September 17, 2009
So sorry it's been so long :(
Hello everyone!
I know what you’re thinking, ‘they’ve abandoned the blog!’ Nope, just haven’t had much to update and not a lot of time to do so! That being said, yesterday was a busy one in the cancer department…
We had our follow up appointment with Dr. Londer the oncologist at 11:30am- tough getting up to go since mom and I had both worked 12hr night shifts! Unfortunately he was running late, very late and almost wasn’t going to be able to see us before our next appointment with the radiologist oncologist scheduled for 1pm. But since this appointment was for us to find out the oncotype dx results, it was imperative for us to talk to Londer first (this test result would determine whether or not mom would need to have chemotherapy, which would have to be done first before radiation). Eventually he was able to get us back into a room, when it was unfortunately discovered that the oncotype results were not back yet- such a bummer. They tried to call the company in California, but still they weren’t going to be available for at least another day. We’ve all been a little uptight about getting these results since it could significantly impact the course of treatment; we just want to know what the plan is! So after a few wasted hours, Dr. Londer still advised us to go see Dr. Nisi, the radiologist oncologist, because he’s 90%sure that the results will come back with good news, meaning mom won’t have to do chemo (Dr. Nisi also thinks this will be the case).
Trying not to be too disappointed, we walked down the hall to Dr. Nisi’s office. We first met with a nurse who educated us about radiation, told us tons and tons of information and gave us paperwork that reinforces everything. Then Dr. Nisi came in and we talked more about what to expect, side effects, etc. It was all very informative and great to meet another member of our cancer butt kicking team!
Mom is scheduled next week to have her Radiology Mapping done- it’s a series of XRays, Catscans, etc. to determine a 3D image of her chest and chest wall so they know exactly where to administer the radiation. We did learn that they irradiate the entire breast for 28 treatments and then the last 5 they give a ‘boost’ to the tumor site.
So pending no surprises from the oncotype dx results, mom will begin her 6 weeks of radiation on September 28th (she’ll have treatment every Monday through Friday for a total of 6 weeks) and finish a little before Thanksgiving. She even got the 9am spot she was hoping for!
Thanks everyone for checking in- shout out a few big prayers for a low recurrence score on the oncotype results! I’ll update when we have the them.
Love you all, we can never thank you enough for the continued support you all bless us with!
The Petersons
I know what you’re thinking, ‘they’ve abandoned the blog!’ Nope, just haven’t had much to update and not a lot of time to do so! That being said, yesterday was a busy one in the cancer department…
We had our follow up appointment with Dr. Londer the oncologist at 11:30am- tough getting up to go since mom and I had both worked 12hr night shifts! Unfortunately he was running late, very late and almost wasn’t going to be able to see us before our next appointment with the radiologist oncologist scheduled for 1pm. But since this appointment was for us to find out the oncotype dx results, it was imperative for us to talk to Londer first (this test result would determine whether or not mom would need to have chemotherapy, which would have to be done first before radiation). Eventually he was able to get us back into a room, when it was unfortunately discovered that the oncotype results were not back yet- such a bummer. They tried to call the company in California, but still they weren’t going to be available for at least another day. We’ve all been a little uptight about getting these results since it could significantly impact the course of treatment; we just want to know what the plan is! So after a few wasted hours, Dr. Londer still advised us to go see Dr. Nisi, the radiologist oncologist, because he’s 90%sure that the results will come back with good news, meaning mom won’t have to do chemo (Dr. Nisi also thinks this will be the case).
Trying not to be too disappointed, we walked down the hall to Dr. Nisi’s office. We first met with a nurse who educated us about radiation, told us tons and tons of information and gave us paperwork that reinforces everything. Then Dr. Nisi came in and we talked more about what to expect, side effects, etc. It was all very informative and great to meet another member of our cancer butt kicking team!
Mom is scheduled next week to have her Radiology Mapping done- it’s a series of XRays, Catscans, etc. to determine a 3D image of her chest and chest wall so they know exactly where to administer the radiation. We did learn that they irradiate the entire breast for 28 treatments and then the last 5 they give a ‘boost’ to the tumor site.
So pending no surprises from the oncotype dx results, mom will begin her 6 weeks of radiation on September 28th (she’ll have treatment every Monday through Friday for a total of 6 weeks) and finish a little before Thanksgiving. She even got the 9am spot she was hoping for!
Thanks everyone for checking in- shout out a few big prayers for a low recurrence score on the oncotype results! I’ll update when we have the them.
Love you all, we can never thank you enough for the continued support you all bless us with!
The Petersons
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Happy belated Labor Day!
Hi everyone-
hopefully you all had wonderful long weekends and enjoyed the beautiful weather! I apologize for not 'blogging' for so long- I've been back at work and on a long stretch (4 down of 6 nights in a row- all you nurses out there know what that's like!).
There really isn't much to update- things are actually feeling semi-normal around the house. It's still tough to mention the 'C' word, but we're getting a bit more comfortable dropping it here and there. Mom is doing fabulous- she even fit in a couple nights of work too. I know she was anxious to get back and see her work crew and get some much needed adult interaction aside from Dad and I!
Her incisions are healing up well (she's been showing off her scars!)- we go for a follow up appointment with our surgeon Dr. Mestitz on Thursday. Tomorrow mom will have her bone density scan done to establish a baseline before hormone therapy begins. We learned that the Arimidex medication won't actually start until after radiation. Hopefully today we'll schedule our next meetings with Dr. Londer and also a Radiologist oncologist- the MD appointments are never ending!
Lets see, what else? Oh yeah a couple quick things to mention...
1) Part of our oncology team includes a wonderful woman named Jean Pupkes- she is an oncology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who has practiced for over 30 years. She spent time with us last week going over all the information Dr. Londer had presented and also talked with us about a support group and an a program called 'Pay It Forward Fund.' This non-profit organization was started by a breast cancer survivor and helps women around the Metro area with living expenses while they undergo breast cancer treatment. I want to encourage everyone to visit their website: www.payitforwardfund.net. It is a really cool organization!
-Sidebar: Another great organization out there for women only, is the 'Avon Army of Women'. You can learn more about it at: https://www.armyofwomen.org
Please join!
2) I wanted to mention too that we are very thankful for all the great phone calls and messages! We are so very lucky to know so many amazing people and have everyone checking in on and supporting us. Just want to say that if you called and we have not called you back, SORRY! All 3 of us could spend hours visiting on the phone, but we're trying to catch up on the rest of our To-Do lists too! So we apologize for our untimely return calls, we are kinda backed up, but we won't forget you!
Have a good short work week! I know we're looking forward to this weekend and celebrating at 2 weddings! Lots of friends and family coming into town the next few days- prayers for safe travels and great MN weather! Until next time...
Love Lins
hopefully you all had wonderful long weekends and enjoyed the beautiful weather! I apologize for not 'blogging' for so long- I've been back at work and on a long stretch (4 down of 6 nights in a row- all you nurses out there know what that's like!).
There really isn't much to update- things are actually feeling semi-normal around the house. It's still tough to mention the 'C' word, but we're getting a bit more comfortable dropping it here and there. Mom is doing fabulous- she even fit in a couple nights of work too. I know she was anxious to get back and see her work crew and get some much needed adult interaction aside from Dad and I!
Her incisions are healing up well (she's been showing off her scars!)- we go for a follow up appointment with our surgeon Dr. Mestitz on Thursday. Tomorrow mom will have her bone density scan done to establish a baseline before hormone therapy begins. We learned that the Arimidex medication won't actually start until after radiation. Hopefully today we'll schedule our next meetings with Dr. Londer and also a Radiologist oncologist- the MD appointments are never ending!
Lets see, what else? Oh yeah a couple quick things to mention...
1) Part of our oncology team includes a wonderful woman named Jean Pupkes- she is an oncology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who has practiced for over 30 years. She spent time with us last week going over all the information Dr. Londer had presented and also talked with us about a support group and an a program called 'Pay It Forward Fund.' This non-profit organization was started by a breast cancer survivor and helps women around the Metro area with living expenses while they undergo breast cancer treatment. I want to encourage everyone to visit their website: www.payitforwardfund.net. It is a really cool organization!
-Sidebar: Another great organization out there for women only, is the 'Avon Army of Women'. You can learn more about it at: https://www.armyofwomen.org
Please join!
2) I wanted to mention too that we are very thankful for all the great phone calls and messages! We are so very lucky to know so many amazing people and have everyone checking in on and supporting us. Just want to say that if you called and we have not called you back, SORRY! All 3 of us could spend hours visiting on the phone, but we're trying to catch up on the rest of our To-Do lists too! So we apologize for our untimely return calls, we are kinda backed up, but we won't forget you!
Have a good short work week! I know we're looking forward to this weekend and celebrating at 2 weddings! Lots of friends and family coming into town the next few days- prayers for safe travels and great MN weather! Until next time...
Love Lins
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Good news!
Sorry to anyone who has anxiously awaited this post... we've been going non-stop since before 8am!
I'm going to try and sum up as best I can the wealth of information that was imputed into our brains today- most everything was fairly technical too, so I'll do my best to explain it in a way that makes sense. Here we go!
We received the final surgical pathology report from our oncologist Dr. Londer (he's great by the way:), and reviewed it in detail with him. Our prayers were answered again and final results confirmed the lymph nodes are cancer free and negative margins were achieved during the lumpectomy last Friday (this means the tissue removed from mom's breast has no cancer cells in the outer edges of the sample, so there should not be any remaining cancer cells left in her breast). To quantify things, mom has Stage 1A breast cancer: it's a small tumor (<0.5cm) and there is no metastasis (hasn't spread beyond the breast).
Other results: her tumor is estrogen and progesterone positive- meaning the hormones estrogen(ER) and progesterone(PR) are necessary for this type of cancer cell to grow and divide. This is a good thing! With ER/PR + cancers, hormone therapy is recommended (this type of therapy is considered 'systemic', which like chemotherapy would kill any straggling cancer cells anywhere in her body; where as radiation is a 'localized' treatment that only kills cancer cells in a specific area on the body). Since mom is post-menopausal, the medication Arimidex is our drug of choice- mom will be prescribed Arimidex and will take it once a day starting now, and continue to take it for 5 years (at least this is the recommendation based on current research). There are some potential minor side effects, for example hot flashes, fatigue, nausea and osteoporosis; so she is going in to have a baseline bone density scan next week; but if the side effects end up effecting her too much, there are other drugs on the market to try- this one just happens to be the most researched and has shown to prevent recurrence the best.
Other good news: the tumor cells are HER2 negative- HER2 is a protein and if the tumor cells have this it tends to be a more aggressive type of cancer, and harder to treat. Don't have to worry about that!
With all this information so far, Dr. Londer says that chemotherapy would not be necessary. This conclusion was reached using the 'Adjuvant Treatment plan' for breast cancer- it's a standard tool doctors use to determine how different treatments will benefit you- it's really complicated, so in general it shows that chemotherapy would not benefit mom. The only minor hesitancy here is that the cancer cells are 'grade III' (graded I-III). This means these cells are very different looking from healthy milk duct cells and tend to multiply at the fastest rate; the only negative so far in this journey. We learned there is one other test that can be done, called 'oncotype DX'. The really smart scientists of this company created a test that assesses 10 year breast cancer recurrence risk; it also sheds light into the benefit of certain types of chemotherapy. Mom, Dad & I decided we want to have this test done in order to better quantify the grade III cells and be more confident with the current treatment plan- we'll hear from our insurance company tomorrow if the test will be covered (it costs $3,500) and if it is we'll get results in a few weeks.
I'm sure by now I've thoroughly confused everyone! I'm going to stop here and recap: for now the plan is to 1) do radiation therapy that will start in about a month and last 4-7 weeks; and 2) start hormone therapy with Arimidex now. Potentially the oncotype DX test results could change this, but for now this is what our treatment plan is. We will meet with a Radiologist Oncologist in 2 weeks to discussed the details of radiation.
I'm beat, and heading to bed! Thanks again everyone, we'll be in touch soon!
I'm going to try and sum up as best I can the wealth of information that was imputed into our brains today- most everything was fairly technical too, so I'll do my best to explain it in a way that makes sense. Here we go!
We received the final surgical pathology report from our oncologist Dr. Londer (he's great by the way:), and reviewed it in detail with him. Our prayers were answered again and final results confirmed the lymph nodes are cancer free and negative margins were achieved during the lumpectomy last Friday (this means the tissue removed from mom's breast has no cancer cells in the outer edges of the sample, so there should not be any remaining cancer cells left in her breast). To quantify things, mom has Stage 1A breast cancer: it's a small tumor (<0.5cm) and there is no metastasis (hasn't spread beyond the breast).
Other results: her tumor is estrogen and progesterone positive- meaning the hormones estrogen(ER) and progesterone(PR) are necessary for this type of cancer cell to grow and divide. This is a good thing! With ER/PR + cancers, hormone therapy is recommended (this type of therapy is considered 'systemic', which like chemotherapy would kill any straggling cancer cells anywhere in her body; where as radiation is a 'localized' treatment that only kills cancer cells in a specific area on the body). Since mom is post-menopausal, the medication Arimidex is our drug of choice- mom will be prescribed Arimidex and will take it once a day starting now, and continue to take it for 5 years (at least this is the recommendation based on current research). There are some potential minor side effects, for example hot flashes, fatigue, nausea and osteoporosis; so she is going in to have a baseline bone density scan next week; but if the side effects end up effecting her too much, there are other drugs on the market to try- this one just happens to be the most researched and has shown to prevent recurrence the best.
Other good news: the tumor cells are HER2 negative- HER2 is a protein and if the tumor cells have this it tends to be a more aggressive type of cancer, and harder to treat. Don't have to worry about that!
With all this information so far, Dr. Londer says that chemotherapy would not be necessary. This conclusion was reached using the 'Adjuvant Treatment plan' for breast cancer- it's a standard tool doctors use to determine how different treatments will benefit you- it's really complicated, so in general it shows that chemotherapy would not benefit mom. The only minor hesitancy here is that the cancer cells are 'grade III' (graded I-III). This means these cells are very different looking from healthy milk duct cells and tend to multiply at the fastest rate; the only negative so far in this journey. We learned there is one other test that can be done, called 'oncotype DX'. The really smart scientists of this company created a test that assesses 10 year breast cancer recurrence risk; it also sheds light into the benefit of certain types of chemotherapy. Mom, Dad & I decided we want to have this test done in order to better quantify the grade III cells and be more confident with the current treatment plan- we'll hear from our insurance company tomorrow if the test will be covered (it costs $3,500) and if it is we'll get results in a few weeks.
I'm sure by now I've thoroughly confused everyone! I'm going to stop here and recap: for now the plan is to 1) do radiation therapy that will start in about a month and last 4-7 weeks; and 2) start hormone therapy with Arimidex now. Potentially the oncotype DX test results could change this, but for now this is what our treatment plan is. We will meet with a Radiologist Oncologist in 2 weeks to discussed the details of radiation.
I'm beat, and heading to bed! Thanks again everyone, we'll be in touch soon!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Big Day Tomorrow...
It's late, sorry this might be short :)
Tomorrow will bring our first appointment with our oncologist, Dr. Londer. We have anxiously awaited this day for awhile now. We will receive the final pathology results from the tissue and nodes removed during the surgery and will hopefully begin to develop our treatment plan. We know things won't get started for at least another 3 weeks (the skin/tissue has to heal around the incision sites before mom can be submitted to more invasive therapy such as radiation), so this time should bring some normalcy back into our lives; we're really looking forward to the 2 weddings we have 9/12 because mom will be feeling great and we'll get to celebrate with many of you in person!
Tomorrow holds alot of anxiety too because at this point we don't know what the future will hold, so it will be somewhat of a relief to have a bit of a plan to look forward too (that doesn't quite sound right 'look forward to', but this waiting for the unknown is so tough). We don't expect these next steps to be easy, but we are ready to face them, one day at a time, and beat breast cancer!
We'll update later tomorrow with the things we learn from Dr. Londer. Thanks for checking in, talk to you soon!
The P's
PS- thanks for the cards, etc that keep flowing in! And we've had great dinners this week thanks to some special chefs! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!
Tomorrow will bring our first appointment with our oncologist, Dr. Londer. We have anxiously awaited this day for awhile now. We will receive the final pathology results from the tissue and nodes removed during the surgery and will hopefully begin to develop our treatment plan. We know things won't get started for at least another 3 weeks (the skin/tissue has to heal around the incision sites before mom can be submitted to more invasive therapy such as radiation), so this time should bring some normalcy back into our lives; we're really looking forward to the 2 weddings we have 9/12 because mom will be feeling great and we'll get to celebrate with many of you in person!
Tomorrow holds alot of anxiety too because at this point we don't know what the future will hold, so it will be somewhat of a relief to have a bit of a plan to look forward too (that doesn't quite sound right 'look forward to', but this waiting for the unknown is so tough). We don't expect these next steps to be easy, but we are ready to face them, one day at a time, and beat breast cancer!
We'll update later tomorrow with the things we learn from Dr. Londer. Thanks for checking in, talk to you soon!
The P's
PS- thanks for the cards, etc that keep flowing in! And we've had great dinners this week thanks to some special chefs! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Not much to say...it's a good thing!
Mom woke up today feeling great- she hasn't taken a thing for pain all day, not even Tylenol! We canned a few tomatoes this morning (they are overtaking the garden!) and kind of just bummed around the house. We were going to make our first post-surgery public appearance to Target, but mom wanted to take a 'little' nap first- over an hour later I decided to go for a run and I guess mom slept for over 2 hours! She still hasn't mastered 'laying low' and I think it has caught up with her a bit!
The only bad thing today was that Andi and Tay had to leave :( Tay starts his junior year at UW-Madison on Wednesday and Andrea moves into a new apartment in the Wicker Park area of Chicago tomorrow. We were all very blessed and glad to have them here these last few days, I know I'm really going to miss having them to lean on. Andrea will be back soon for a couple weddings and hopefully we'll be able to make it to Madison for a Badger football game or two this fall.
Thanks again for the flowers that just keep coming (McClures, Jensens, Chuck & boys, Heather & Frank)- our house looks and smells like a flower shop, it's so uplifting! All the cards too have brought many smiles to our faces day after day.
That's about it for now- one quick prayer request though...my friend Steph was diagnosed with breast cancer a week or so before mom and she has to have a second surgery tomorrow and an infusion port placed for chemo- please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, she really needs strength and peace during this difficult time. Thanks again everyone, we love you! Until next time...
Lins
The only bad thing today was that Andi and Tay had to leave :( Tay starts his junior year at UW-Madison on Wednesday and Andrea moves into a new apartment in the Wicker Park area of Chicago tomorrow. We were all very blessed and glad to have them here these last few days, I know I'm really going to miss having them to lean on. Andrea will be back soon for a couple weddings and hopefully we'll be able to make it to Madison for a Badger football game or two this fall.
Thanks again for the flowers that just keep coming (McClures, Jensens, Chuck & boys, Heather & Frank)- our house looks and smells like a flower shop, it's so uplifting! All the cards too have brought many smiles to our faces day after day.
That's about it for now- one quick prayer request though...my friend Steph was diagnosed with breast cancer a week or so before mom and she has to have a second surgery tomorrow and an infusion port placed for chemo- please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, she really needs strength and peace during this difficult time. Thanks again everyone, we love you! Until next time...
Lins
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Message From Marilyn
Well, here goes my first blog entry! It has been a whirlwind these past few weeks. I think I have surprised a lot of people including myself with this news. I am still having a hard time saying "I have breast cancer." I want to say "I had," not have.
The prayers, love, and support I have received from all of you has been mind boggling. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and group of friends. I can't even begin to name everyone who has called, sent cards and flowers, and brought over treats. I could feel all of your love and prayers the day of my surgery. I was very at peace. Even my blood pressure was the lowest it has been all week! I guess I was giggling and laughing too when they wheeled me off to the OR! I must have known everything was going to be okay.
So now I will praise God for helping me to be strong through this. And also for my wonderful family, relatives and friends. I have so much to be thankful for. You are all the best!
Love ya all,
Marilyn
PS- My next doctors appointment is scheduled for Thursday morning. This will be the first time we meet with my oncologist. We should find out the final pathology results of my lumpectomy and node removal. They study them microscopically to make sure there are no "straggling" cancer cells floating in the nodes and that there are no cancer cells near the margins (edges) of the lumpectomy. We should also find out what my treatment plan looks like from here. We will keep you all posted!
The prayers, love, and support I have received from all of you has been mind boggling. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and group of friends. I can't even begin to name everyone who has called, sent cards and flowers, and brought over treats. I could feel all of your love and prayers the day of my surgery. I was very at peace. Even my blood pressure was the lowest it has been all week! I guess I was giggling and laughing too when they wheeled me off to the OR! I must have known everything was going to be okay.
So now I will praise God for helping me to be strong through this. And also for my wonderful family, relatives and friends. I have so much to be thankful for. You are all the best!
Love ya all,
Marilyn
PS- My next doctors appointment is scheduled for Thursday morning. This will be the first time we meet with my oncologist. We should find out the final pathology results of my lumpectomy and node removal. They study them microscopically to make sure there are no "straggling" cancer cells floating in the nodes and that there are no cancer cells near the margins (edges) of the lumpectomy. We should also find out what my treatment plan looks like from here. We will keep you all posted!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Happy Days
Mom is almost back to her usual self already. She is babying her right arm a little bit as it hurts to lift it, but thats about it. She is already weaning herself by taking her percocet pain meds every 6 hours vs every 4. The most difficult part of today has been trying to keep her low key! She is up and about not exactly taking it easy. Are you surprised?! Of course not! She always has something to get done! Mom still has her bandage on from surgery so we are not exactly sure what the incisions look like. She has 2, 1 longitudinally in her outer armpit where the nodes were removed and 1 laterally across the top outside of her boob where the lumpectomy was done. Thanks again for every ones phone calls today to check in. Shes been on the phone about 3 hours already! Thanks to the NBICU for the beautiful flower basket that was sent. We also received amazing flowers from Jess, Christy, Emily, Gigi, Jamie, Kelsey, Katy and the McClures. Our house smells so good! And thanks to Aunt Donna as well, who had the prayer shawls sent for Mom and Dad from Immanuel Lutheran Church, they are beautiful. Thanks for checking in everyone and we will keep updating you.
Love lots,
The Peterson Fam
Love lots,
The Peterson Fam
Friday, August 28, 2009
Yeah, surgery is behind us
Hi everyone.
Well we are all asleep on the couch except for Mom! I'm not surprised she is the only one that still has the energy to stay up and cheer on the Twins! It was a long, but good day. As I wrote before, we received some extremely good news today. The pathology results from her sentinel nodes found no cancer. In addition, the surgeon only had to remove 2 nodes total where sometimes they have to remove 4 to 5. He said that Mom's sentinel nodes were "very easy" to find and he was confident that he only needed to remove the 2 because they were the only ones near the tumor. Again, all really great news. And Mom did wonderful throughout the entire day. The wire localization wasn't that bad she said, probably thanks to some extra numbing medicine! And there were no complications with the surgery including no nausea afterwards, which she was a little worried about. She was up walking around and eating and drinking within an hour after surgery. She was ready to leave, but had to "patiently" wait for the nurse to discharge her. Lets just say she was so ready to go we helped her get dressed, took her off the monitor and she started to remove her own IV- that's what you get I guess when the patient and her 2 daughters are all nurses! Overall, things went very smoothly and we couldn't be happier. We were even blessed to be graced with familiar faces when our nurse Kelly from our biopsy last week was along for mom's wire localization and another girl we grew up with was her nuclear med tech- God took care of us and comforted us throughout every step of today. Thank you to all of our doctors, nurses and techs that did a wonderful job. And most importantly, thanks to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. You gave Mom the confidence she needed to face this day with strength and courage and all of our prayers were answered thanks be to God. Thanks Grandma Marie for your homemade chicken noodle soup too, yum! Good night and we love you all SO much!
The Peterson's
P.S. The little girl Lindsey has been taking care of all summer was well enough to come home from the hospital today too, another answered prayer! It really has been a great day!
Well we are all asleep on the couch except for Mom! I'm not surprised she is the only one that still has the energy to stay up and cheer on the Twins! It was a long, but good day. As I wrote before, we received some extremely good news today. The pathology results from her sentinel nodes found no cancer. In addition, the surgeon only had to remove 2 nodes total where sometimes they have to remove 4 to 5. He said that Mom's sentinel nodes were "very easy" to find and he was confident that he only needed to remove the 2 because they were the only ones near the tumor. Again, all really great news. And Mom did wonderful throughout the entire day. The wire localization wasn't that bad she said, probably thanks to some extra numbing medicine! And there were no complications with the surgery including no nausea afterwards, which she was a little worried about. She was up walking around and eating and drinking within an hour after surgery. She was ready to leave, but had to "patiently" wait for the nurse to discharge her. Lets just say she was so ready to go we helped her get dressed, took her off the monitor and she started to remove her own IV- that's what you get I guess when the patient and her 2 daughters are all nurses! Overall, things went very smoothly and we couldn't be happier. We were even blessed to be graced with familiar faces when our nurse Kelly from our biopsy last week was along for mom's wire localization and another girl we grew up with was her nuclear med tech- God took care of us and comforted us throughout every step of today. Thank you to all of our doctors, nurses and techs that did a wonderful job. And most importantly, thanks to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. You gave Mom the confidence she needed to face this day with strength and courage and all of our prayers were answered thanks be to God. Thanks Grandma Marie for your homemade chicken noodle soup too, yum! Good night and we love you all SO much!
The Peterson's
P.S. The little girl Lindsey has been taking care of all summer was well enough to come home from the hospital today too, another answered prayer! It really has been a great day!
FABULOUS NEWS!!!
THE SENTINEL NODES ARE CLEAR, I REPEAT THE NODES ARE CLEAR!!! Hi it's Andrea here and we are sitting in the waiting room as I write! We just got paged to the info desk where they had a message from the OR. They wanted to let us know that the pathology results on Mom's nodes are back and they are clean of cancer cells! This is SO important and our prayers have been answered! THANK YOU GOD!
It's been a busy morning filled with lots of waiting! Mom has been a little tired, but upbeat all day. Before surgery, she had to have a wire placed in her breast to mark the borders of the tumor. Not such a pleasant procedure, but she was a trooper and didn't complain of pain at all. Then they had to insert another needle and inject a blue radioactive dye, which the lymph system absorbs so the sentinel nodes will be highlighted and then the surgeon knows which ones to remove. Again, Mom did great!
Ok so she is still in surgery where they are doing the lumpectomy, but she should be in recovery soon. Keep the prayers coming because they are working well so far! Thanks again to everyone. We will update again later. Love you all!
Andi, Lins, Tay and Dad
It's been a busy morning filled with lots of waiting! Mom has been a little tired, but upbeat all day. Before surgery, she had to have a wire placed in her breast to mark the borders of the tumor. Not such a pleasant procedure, but she was a trooper and didn't complain of pain at all. Then they had to insert another needle and inject a blue radioactive dye, which the lymph system absorbs so the sentinel nodes will be highlighted and then the surgeon knows which ones to remove. Again, Mom did great!
Ok so she is still in surgery where they are doing the lumpectomy, but she should be in recovery soon. Keep the prayers coming because they are working well so far! Thanks again to everyone. We will update again later. Love you all!
Andi, Lins, Tay and Dad
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Get 'Err Done!
So the next step in this process will soon be upon us. Surgery, here we come! We are all a bit nervous, but ready to have tomorrow over and done with. Mom said she feels really good about tomorrow and is ready to "get err done" so she can tackle whatever comes next! Her spirits continue to be high and she is still her goofy and optimistic old self!
Wednesday we had mom's pre-surgery checkup with Dr. Anderson our primary care doctor (whom we love so much, she is amazing!). She did a quick head-to-toe assessment, EKG and blood test to check her cell counts to make sure she was 'A OKAY' for surgery. Everything checked out great and we got the go-ahead. The other plus about meeting with Shelley was that she had the MRI results... and it was good news as everything else looks to be clean! As far as they can see on the MRI (however this is only preliminary and not definite), the nodes look normal and there were no other 'questionable areas' noted in either breast; which means we are in agreement to stick with the scheduled lumpectomy. All great news thank God! We are still praying for confirmation of no lymph node involvement and will find out after surgery tomorrow if those prayers are answered. Please keep praying!
Andrea and Taylor made it home last night- we are all glad to have them here! We've had a productive day today getting more projects done around the house and had a nice dinner together complete with a pink boob cake for mom!
The support from all of you continues to amaze us. From the cards and flowers, to homemade soup and sweets, to all the phone calls, and happy hour get togethers, we are overwhelmed by your love and support! And mom got a special surprise today when she walked into the hockey locker room before practive to find all of the other 'chicks with sticks' wearing pink in honor of her! How cool!
Another quick thing I wanted to share about is in regards to the diversity of our support group. Co-workers and friends come from many different faith backgrounds and everyone has bonded together with prayers to their God for mom and our family. One women even shared that she was burning tobacco in the lake for mom. We are feeling incredibly blessed!
Well we better get to bed, it's going to be an early and loooooong day tomorrow. We have to be at North Memorial Hospital at 8:15am for a couple of procedures and then surgery is scheduled for 12:00pm. Please let us all be together in thought as we send up some prayers at that time! Please pray that everything goes smoothly, that there is no cancer in the nodes and that mom will experience minimal pain.
We will do our best to call people, but please don't be worried if you don't hear from us until later in the afternoon- you can always count on hospitals being behind schedule! And of course we will do our best to update the blog too.
Love you all and have a great night!
Lins, and the rest of the gang
Wednesday we had mom's pre-surgery checkup with Dr. Anderson our primary care doctor (whom we love so much, she is amazing!). She did a quick head-to-toe assessment, EKG and blood test to check her cell counts to make sure she was 'A OKAY' for surgery. Everything checked out great and we got the go-ahead. The other plus about meeting with Shelley was that she had the MRI results... and it was good news as everything else looks to be clean! As far as they can see on the MRI (however this is only preliminary and not definite), the nodes look normal and there were no other 'questionable areas' noted in either breast; which means we are in agreement to stick with the scheduled lumpectomy. All great news thank God! We are still praying for confirmation of no lymph node involvement and will find out after surgery tomorrow if those prayers are answered. Please keep praying!
Andrea and Taylor made it home last night- we are all glad to have them here! We've had a productive day today getting more projects done around the house and had a nice dinner together complete with a pink boob cake for mom!
The support from all of you continues to amaze us. From the cards and flowers, to homemade soup and sweets, to all the phone calls, and happy hour get togethers, we are overwhelmed by your love and support! And mom got a special surprise today when she walked into the hockey locker room before practive to find all of the other 'chicks with sticks' wearing pink in honor of her! How cool!
Another quick thing I wanted to share about is in regards to the diversity of our support group. Co-workers and friends come from many different faith backgrounds and everyone has bonded together with prayers to their God for mom and our family. One women even shared that she was burning tobacco in the lake for mom. We are feeling incredibly blessed!
Well we better get to bed, it's going to be an early and loooooong day tomorrow. We have to be at North Memorial Hospital at 8:15am for a couple of procedures and then surgery is scheduled for 12:00pm. Please let us all be together in thought as we send up some prayers at that time! Please pray that everything goes smoothly, that there is no cancer in the nodes and that mom will experience minimal pain.
We will do our best to call people, but please don't be worried if you don't hear from us until later in the afternoon- you can always count on hospitals being behind schedule! And of course we will do our best to update the blog too.
Love you all and have a great night!
Lins, and the rest of the gang
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Here we GO!
So where to begin… I guess I’ll just get going and see where we end up!
If you’re reading this then you already know our news- Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer Tuesday August 18th, 2009. The initial ‘abnormality’ was found on her annual routine mammogram. Since there is always a possibility of a false positive with diagnostic technology, she headed back to the clinic for a follow up mammogram. Once again there was a questionable area found- this was described as a small cluster of calcifications in her right breast. We learned that these calcifications can be benign, but the recommended next step was to have a biopsy done. So mom and I headed to a new place, the Hope Chest Breast Center of North Memorial last Monday. It wasn’t a pleasant procedure, but mom did great and our nurse Kelly was amazing. With mom’s zero breast cancer risk factors and statistics showing 80% of these biopsies to be negative, we were nervous, but very doubtful we had anything to worry about.
Tuesday we went about our business, only mom and I were aware of the pending results because we didn’t want to worry anyone for no reason, especially dad! We had plenty to keep us busy as we recently extended and refinished the hardwood floors in the house and therefore decided to take on many more projects including painting the living room!
The news unfortunately didn’t come at the best time- mom was running errands by herself when our nurse Kelly called her. She was told an appointment was scheduled for the following morning with a surgeon to discuss what now. Mom then shared the results with me and informed dad too. Tuesday had its share of tears, hugs and ‘I just can’t believe this!’ And may or may not have included an adult beverage too!
Wednesday morning the three of us headed back to North Memorial to meet with Dr. Mestitz, a general surgeon. We couldn’t have asked for more from him, he was so great! Very professional, intelligent, patient and helpful, he got us on track to start to wrap our heads around what we were faced with. A slight bump came when he shared his plans to head out of town to take his kids back to college, so the soonest he personally could operate was Friday 8/28. We liked the repore we had with Dr. Mestitz, so we got on his surgery schedule for 8/28.
The rest of Wednesday was tough- we broke the news to Andrea and Taylor, and other family and friends. The news of mom’s invasive ductal carcinoma was a shock and I’m sure hard to take for my siblings as they are not in Minnesota- I felt helpless enough, but could still give mom a hug at least! The both of them thankfully will be able to head home Wednesday before the surgery; we are looking forward to all being together.
Thursday brought another appointment, this time to the outpatient imaging center for a pre-op MRI. It’s debatable whether or not an MRI is necessary, since it has the potential to ‘look worse than it is’ as the doctor put it. Sometimes areas show up on an MRI that looks questionable, but they could just be blood vessels for instance. None the less, it was one more hoop to jump through to add more detail to mom’s case for Dr. Mestitz. We won’t have any results until later this week some time.
Mom has been so strong through this difficult week- one of the first things she said was “I can’t have cancer, I don’t have time for this!” You know her, always running in a million directions! She didn’t skip her hockey practice- 1.5hrs on the ice and she said now her hurting legs will keep her mind off her hurting boob! She has remained her positive self and hasn’t been afraid to laugh, sing and joke around- an inspiration to us already. And she’s thankful she looks good in pink too!
In between the many appointments, phone calls (thanks so much for the outpouring of support, we have the best family and friends!), working on getting the house back together and trying to pool as much information and research on this foreign diagnosis, the week has flown by. We are emotionally drained and sleep deprived, but hanging in there. I’m thankful for our medical backgrounds to help us better understand what the doctors are telling us, but sometimes it can be tough to ignore the other personal experiences our jobs have given us, and not think negative thoughts of what cancer can bring. But I do believe it has helped teach me some helpful coping mechanisms I can hopefully pass on to my family.
This week is full of organizing and getting ready for surgery- including one more pre-op MD appointment Wednesday and of course getting this blog up and running! We want to be able to post updates to this site so that everyone can get news in a timely manner- phone calls some times are tough to get done fast because we all love to chat so much!
We are anxious to get this next step over with and begin our fight to beat breast cancer. We also are looking forward to finding out more about the stage of the cancer- we’ve been praying for ‘No Nodes!’ and hope to find out Friday during surgery that the cancer hasn’t spread to her lymph nodes. If it has, then we will go from there, but for now NO NODES PLEASE! Once we get all the pathology results from Friday’s surgery, we will be able to begin to determine the treatment course and will meet with Dr. Londer the oncologist Thursday 9/3.
Thanks again to everyone for all the love and support and offers of help in infinite ways! We will definitely let you know if we need help with a meal or to whom ever offered to clean toilettes, we will keep you posted! Thanks also to our family and friends who have unfortunately been down this same path before us, their wisdom and help is invaluable. And thanks to another friend for graciously stepping up to assist with future lump checks- haha!
We are and will continue to be in high spirits and not let this cancer be a burden. We find strength and motivation in each other and most importantly in God our Father, who in the face of trials brings us love and encouragement. We have not choosen to be in this situation, and it has forced us to examine ourselves and our role on this so-called human journey. I have been forced to take a step back and leave my habits of planning and organizing and realize how little I know about the future and the things in store for me. The strategies we have for our lives can be shattered in an instant and the fact is we really aren’t in control of our destinies, but in deed in control of how we choose to react to them. Things do happen for a reason. People and relationships really are the most important things we have and life would be pretty darn shallow without them. I read on a website that cancer reminds us to “hug a little tighter, love a little longer and always thank God for the gifts He has given us!” Hopefully we all can remember to do that!
To close this inaugural blog I’ll leave you by saying “Life isn’t necessarily fair, but it’s still good!” We will keep you updated as best we can Friday as we are all brought together in the common bond of prayer for mom’s surgery to go well. Thanks again for EVERYTHING!
Love Lindsey (and Mom, Dad, Andrea & Tay!)
If you’re reading this then you already know our news- Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer Tuesday August 18th, 2009. The initial ‘abnormality’ was found on her annual routine mammogram. Since there is always a possibility of a false positive with diagnostic technology, she headed back to the clinic for a follow up mammogram. Once again there was a questionable area found- this was described as a small cluster of calcifications in her right breast. We learned that these calcifications can be benign, but the recommended next step was to have a biopsy done. So mom and I headed to a new place, the Hope Chest Breast Center of North Memorial last Monday. It wasn’t a pleasant procedure, but mom did great and our nurse Kelly was amazing. With mom’s zero breast cancer risk factors and statistics showing 80% of these biopsies to be negative, we were nervous, but very doubtful we had anything to worry about.
Tuesday we went about our business, only mom and I were aware of the pending results because we didn’t want to worry anyone for no reason, especially dad! We had plenty to keep us busy as we recently extended and refinished the hardwood floors in the house and therefore decided to take on many more projects including painting the living room!
The news unfortunately didn’t come at the best time- mom was running errands by herself when our nurse Kelly called her. She was told an appointment was scheduled for the following morning with a surgeon to discuss what now. Mom then shared the results with me and informed dad too. Tuesday had its share of tears, hugs and ‘I just can’t believe this!’ And may or may not have included an adult beverage too!
Wednesday morning the three of us headed back to North Memorial to meet with Dr. Mestitz, a general surgeon. We couldn’t have asked for more from him, he was so great! Very professional, intelligent, patient and helpful, he got us on track to start to wrap our heads around what we were faced with. A slight bump came when he shared his plans to head out of town to take his kids back to college, so the soonest he personally could operate was Friday 8/28. We liked the repore we had with Dr. Mestitz, so we got on his surgery schedule for 8/28.
The rest of Wednesday was tough- we broke the news to Andrea and Taylor, and other family and friends. The news of mom’s invasive ductal carcinoma was a shock and I’m sure hard to take for my siblings as they are not in Minnesota- I felt helpless enough, but could still give mom a hug at least! The both of them thankfully will be able to head home Wednesday before the surgery; we are looking forward to all being together.
Thursday brought another appointment, this time to the outpatient imaging center for a pre-op MRI. It’s debatable whether or not an MRI is necessary, since it has the potential to ‘look worse than it is’ as the doctor put it. Sometimes areas show up on an MRI that looks questionable, but they could just be blood vessels for instance. None the less, it was one more hoop to jump through to add more detail to mom’s case for Dr. Mestitz. We won’t have any results until later this week some time.
Mom has been so strong through this difficult week- one of the first things she said was “I can’t have cancer, I don’t have time for this!” You know her, always running in a million directions! She didn’t skip her hockey practice- 1.5hrs on the ice and she said now her hurting legs will keep her mind off her hurting boob! She has remained her positive self and hasn’t been afraid to laugh, sing and joke around- an inspiration to us already. And she’s thankful she looks good in pink too!
In between the many appointments, phone calls (thanks so much for the outpouring of support, we have the best family and friends!), working on getting the house back together and trying to pool as much information and research on this foreign diagnosis, the week has flown by. We are emotionally drained and sleep deprived, but hanging in there. I’m thankful for our medical backgrounds to help us better understand what the doctors are telling us, but sometimes it can be tough to ignore the other personal experiences our jobs have given us, and not think negative thoughts of what cancer can bring. But I do believe it has helped teach me some helpful coping mechanisms I can hopefully pass on to my family.
This week is full of organizing and getting ready for surgery- including one more pre-op MD appointment Wednesday and of course getting this blog up and running! We want to be able to post updates to this site so that everyone can get news in a timely manner- phone calls some times are tough to get done fast because we all love to chat so much!
We are anxious to get this next step over with and begin our fight to beat breast cancer. We also are looking forward to finding out more about the stage of the cancer- we’ve been praying for ‘No Nodes!’ and hope to find out Friday during surgery that the cancer hasn’t spread to her lymph nodes. If it has, then we will go from there, but for now NO NODES PLEASE! Once we get all the pathology results from Friday’s surgery, we will be able to begin to determine the treatment course and will meet with Dr. Londer the oncologist Thursday 9/3.
Thanks again to everyone for all the love and support and offers of help in infinite ways! We will definitely let you know if we need help with a meal or to whom ever offered to clean toilettes, we will keep you posted! Thanks also to our family and friends who have unfortunately been down this same path before us, their wisdom and help is invaluable. And thanks to another friend for graciously stepping up to assist with future lump checks- haha!
We are and will continue to be in high spirits and not let this cancer be a burden. We find strength and motivation in each other and most importantly in God our Father, who in the face of trials brings us love and encouragement. We have not choosen to be in this situation, and it has forced us to examine ourselves and our role on this so-called human journey. I have been forced to take a step back and leave my habits of planning and organizing and realize how little I know about the future and the things in store for me. The strategies we have for our lives can be shattered in an instant and the fact is we really aren’t in control of our destinies, but in deed in control of how we choose to react to them. Things do happen for a reason. People and relationships really are the most important things we have and life would be pretty darn shallow without them. I read on a website that cancer reminds us to “hug a little tighter, love a little longer and always thank God for the gifts He has given us!” Hopefully we all can remember to do that!
To close this inaugural blog I’ll leave you by saying “Life isn’t necessarily fair, but it’s still good!” We will keep you updated as best we can Friday as we are all brought together in the common bond of prayer for mom’s surgery to go well. Thanks again for EVERYTHING!
Love Lindsey (and Mom, Dad, Andrea & Tay!)
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