Health Update #9

Hi,
So appreciate your support. Sorry this is long, just trying to address everyone’s questions here to help myself.

For the sake of anyone new joining on the health updates…here’s a quicksummary:
*End of Sept. routine mammogram with physical. Oct. 7 biopsy,
*told Oct. 9 showed two cancers infiltrated and multifocal in right breast. Early detection, average growing.
*Oct. 13, MRI done,
*Oct. 15 MRI read giving Dr.Duven a clearer read and diagnosis, for sure a mastectomy (lumpectomy not an option), they don’t take any muscle. It’s surmised that lymph nodes most likely are not affected and will know once I’m in surgery on Tues. the 27th.
*Presurgery work
Attempted for an overnight stay because of my own concerns about respiratory (lung function at 65%) but that’s not how it’s done and there isn’t a concern about my being able to come out of anesthesia according to my friends, Dr. Inamdar who conferred with a pulmonary Dr.

I’m being prudent in having the left breast removed as well to assist in my future treatment plan. Plans are to not have chemo or radiation although I expect that the oncologist will recommend it esp. if the nodes are affected. Having had a consult with Dr. Bevacqua who is a cellular, molecular biologist who specialized in cancer, and working with
Dr. Gelband in Chicago, and assisted by the medical professionals in my
Shaklee family…Kristi Gonzalez, P.A., my brother Larry (Dr. of Oriental Medicine), Harriet, Beth, Mary, and many others I haven’t talked with who are nurses I will be following a chemical free approach for post surgery.

Your prayers are helping me feel at peace. I feel your support and will enjoy talking with you by phone and possibly blog after surgery. Anyone local I would think that by Friday, Oct. 30 I’d be feeling like company if you wanted to call first. Because of diet restrictions, please NO FOOD. Cards would be nice.

Surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday 9 am at Medical Park on Ridgeway in Waterloo. My prep nurse, is my friend, Mary Clarke who is helping me negotiate the details of the anesthesiologist, and post surgery suggestions on Shaklee (she knows Shaklee thanks to being a member in the Schrock’s Shaklee group).

My cousin, Ron, from Alaska had called numerous times according to my
caller ID and no message and he didn’t reach me, so I called him. His
suggestion was to put everything I think I want to happen down with bullet points on one page for anyone to be able to follow my wishes. He also suggested that I should have a point person to direct visitors and also a person who can let everyone else know what’s going on. Kathleen’s suggestion, too. So the Dr. will call James following the surgery and tell him how it went. Marc will send out an email to everyone getting this email to let you know, probably Tues. night.

Thank you all for offers of help. Kathleen was about to fly out from Colorado, Linda tp drive up from Milan, IL., Kristi come from Des Moines, and Marc to come in from Texas. I’m driving some of you crazy for not seeming to be calling back or accepting help. You’re all very sweet.

Just know that life is already full for me AND you.
Thanks for caring, really. There’s no need for anyone to be turning their lives upside down. My former secretary, Tena, called, followed within minutes by my brother Bob and both told me to take it easy and slow down. To make that happen, I would have had to be way secretive. Instead, I’ve chosen a huge uptake of time to let people know as they we happen to talk. Some of you are hearing it for the first time right now. I really appreciate the friends who have sent a note and let me know they’ve been through a similar chapter in their life and that they’d be in touch later. I was backed up on 10 days of mail until last night, not to mention the emails and phone calls just as I slowly released the information. The level of dialogue is huge.
Mary Lou, thank you for the Cancer book that came yesterday.

So, thanks for understanding, making suggestions, knowing that since I can’t think of everything, you’re helping me out. And thanks for caring enough to get my attention on stuff. I’m hoping tomorrow to get everyone called that I have been wanting to call back since this all happened.

Several of you wanted to know how things will come down.
Monday –prep of my house, car, communication pieces to Marc and the church.
By midnight I have my last solids and can do clear liquids until 5 am Tuesday.
Tuesday
6:30 am I’m at ADI for node mapping. Check in at Medical Park at 8 for a 9 am surgery. It should be done by 10:30 – 11 and Dr. Duven will call James on the surgery report. Mary said that I’ll be in Phase One recovery while I get the effects of anesthesia, the bleeding, breathing, hydration stabilized. Phase two I can sleep or wake up better. I hope to move around to help get the anesthesia out of my system. That’s when I’ll be taking Herb Lax, drinking Performance, and eating my gluten free bread with sunflower seed butter so they can drug me up to assist with pain. Pam, the nurse that called me on Wednesday told me it would be 5 or so when James can pick me up and bring me home. He and Marc and I will talk by 3 way once I’m home. Kathy will be with me until 9. Ann P. will come at 8:30 and stay overnight.
Wed. I get to do little walks around inside my house, hydrate well, eat anything I want (that is healthy), sleep and hopefully not need too much if any of the pain meds. I KNOW that I’ll be drinking the CINCH Tea. It does wonders for pain.
Thurs.I am having my regular weekly massage, very recommended for getting better faster. I know Ann P. will adjust positions and pressure as needed. Then I have 2 well spaced students, and Diane bringing me a healthy supper. And if things are going well enough, I’ll listen in on a 9 pm Shaklee call with my Shaklee family.
Friday a student midday and otherwise sleeping, eating, walking, and checking my month end business on my Shaklee website. Sat. same and close out the month.
I’ll leave lights out for Halloween except for my 3 grandkids.

Sunday church and Mon. still a reduced schedule. And that’s a week of lots of taking it easy and slowing down. Just like all of you have ordered.

So next Tuesday you’ll hear from Marc for me.

Thanks!
Ann