Tuesday 10.13.09 evening

My long-time friend, Martha (whose son and my son were in Suzuki violin together when they were 4 and 5 and now old men at 36) and I attend Bible Study together on Monday nights. When I was in Chicago last night, Connie shared with the group what I had learned on Friday. Martha said that in the last 12 hours she realized that she needed to call me to shared her experiences with her mastectomy. I so
appreciate her calling offering good solid advice about what she knows. She had her last radiation treatment today. Please send healing thoughts to Martha. Here’s her advice.

*Stay overnight *Request a visiting nurse who helps with measuring
the drainage, wrapping your chest, plan to take it easy as anesthesia can make you feel tired for several days *Take a valium for the MRI for claustro-phobia *Hydrate alot so your veins are up and you won’t suffer with your IV,
*Keep your arms up for better circulation follow surgery and you won’t get lymphedema *After 2 weeks, insurance will pay for a lady at Kimball 2-3 times a week to massage your wounds with E oil.
*Dr. Duven is excellent.
*He’ll give you arm exercises.
*Why did it take 3 weeks to schedule my surgery when yesterday would do?
*Dr. V, MD was my anethesiologist.
*Don’t be in crowds and use sanitizers.
*Pray and ask for healing.
*Dr. Sing was my Oncologist and I had researched and he was schooled at Columbia U. With 12 sessions of chemo, he had
found products so I had zero effects on my diabetes and HBP.

We ended up with her affirming me that my health coming into this is
good. She recommended to save energy. I was putting this message together and meanwhile I had sent her the previous Health Updates and she had read them and written back already. I must share this with you.

Hi Ann: I just finish to read your emails, you are also a great writer another talent I did not know, I was filling I was in your presence, sounds you are in the right track, chousing Dr. Duven it was very wise, he is the only one who does only breast surgery and remember:
– Dr. Sing (oncology)
– Visiting nurse.
– Dr. Foens ( radiology )
– Dr. Vemullapali ( anesthesiology )
– lots of liquids so your veins will be up.
– lots of funny movies and documentaries.

I did a research on all of those physicians and they are the best.

Prayer Before Surgery
Loving Father, I entrust myself to your care this day; guide with wisdom and skill the minds and hands of the medical people who minister in your Name, and grant that every cause of illness be removed, I may be restored to soundness of health and learn to live in more perfect harmony with you and with those around me. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Into your hands, I commend my body and my soul. Amen.

For Healing
Lord, You invite all who are burdened to come to You. Allow your healing hand to heal me. Touch my soul with Your compassion for others. Touch my heart with Your courage and infinite love for all. Touch my mind with Your wisdom, that my mouth may always proclaim Your praise. Teach me to reach out to You in my need, and help me to lead others to You by my example. Most loving Heart of Jesus, bring me health in body and spirit that I may serve You with all my strength. Touch gently this life which You have created, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer After An Surgery
Blessed Savior, I thank you that this operation is safely past, and now I rest in your abiding presence, relaxing every tension, releasing every care and anxiety, receiving more and more of your healing life into every part of my being. In moments of pain I turn to you for strength, in times of loneliness I feel your loving nearness. Grant that your life and love and joy may flow through me for the healing of others in your name. Amen.
Big Hug,
Love Martha.

My last piano student of the night was the daughter of the Inamdar’s.
When the parents (the Dr.’s I referred to in an earlier update) came to get her, he asked when the surgery would be scheduled and I explained
that the MRI reading comes back on Thurs. Mrs. Dr. was assuring me the in situ was a good sign, and Mr. Dr. gently corrected her that it was infiltrating and I added that Dr. Waid had emphasized multifocal, too. They said that should I need anything from them, they would drive over right away to help. They reflected that their daughter will be taking from me for 10 years and I was one of the very first people they met upon moving to CF.

So contained but not certain as to the spread. Martha had asked me the size and Dr. Duven said he didn’t see it on the report but would surmise about 1/3 of an inch which sounds like a boulder to me. Martha said she had to have 9 lymph nodes removed and I’m hoping that when they check that I’ll be clear. Dr. Duven surmised that it hasn’t gone into the lymph nodes, but until that is checked, there’s no way to know for sure. We’ll have to see.

Both Marc and James called today to see how the MRI went. I’m so sorry that this is consuming so many peoples’ psyche when time could be better spent. But at the same time I appreciate the sense of care and concern from everyone. Marc wanted to be on tomorrow’s consult with Dr. B as well. Jessica recommended today that it be taped so I can listen back later. Loren promised to set it up for Teresa to do that tomorrow.

While I was arriving at Medical Park, my friend Jennifer called and it was
good to talk to her as I know she has walked in my shoes, not with cancer, but with facing traumas and leaning into her faith. The MRI went well. It was strangely easy, although I found there was no real preparation given for it verbally or in any reading that I did.(I’m trying not to get sucked into too much internet searching at this time). I signed papers, and then they quickly sent me to the lab to have blood drawn to see if my kidneys could handle the dye, then I was told to put on that wonderful capes that ties in the front. Luckily, I had thought ahead to dress in warm socks and in slip-on pants and and not jeans. Denise gave me about a 3 minute overview–warning me that if I moved, then the whole thing would have to be redone on a different
day. So I complimented her on the room which was very peaceful, nice blue sky ceiling tiles and green trees. She said that her supervisor was claustrophobic and had designed the room. She said the other place where MRI’s are done has a very small room, no windows. She also said that scheduling at Allen was much more efficient. I was impressed that Denise had done this for 19 years! I have to say I went at 9:30 and I was in the room at my scheduled 10 am time and walked out of there by 10:40 through a very full waiting room. How lucky am I!

I thought I would describe the MRI a bit so that later when I reread this I can have captured some of the thoughts. There was an overall sound in the room of regular rhythms that sounded like tom tom drums. She asked me what kind of music I wanted to listen to and I chose classical. (Has anyone ever seen the movie “Soyant Green?”) I lay facedown on the bed, my forehead rested in a form, elbows supporting some of the weight, and she positioned sheets under my shins as to my liking. Very skilled actually. She put the headphones on me, put a panic ball under my left hand, arms laying above my head. She exclaimed how bruised I am from the biopsy and I laughed saying,
she should have seen it last Thurs! I credit Shaklee C +E cream that it looks so much better today.

And we began.

It was loud sounds. First the repetitions sounded like Dough, dough, dough,then dah, dah, dah, and there seemed to be a stereo effect from left to right. The I believe she imaged everything through first and then inject the dye into the IV and did it all again. She said that the two will be compared, then subtracted to give the results. She said the sequences were about a minute each with a break in between. The 2 1/2 min. segments at the end. I think what I didn’t expect
was how loud it was, to the point it has to harm your hearing.

The Lamaze method of childbirth has always served me well when I feel
stressed for breathing and visualizing. I actually almost fell asleep at the end, except for the sheer volume of the sound. I imagined this was a very contemporary rock band, keeping pretty good rhythm with lousy melodies.

Although she told me that I could eat and drink normally, I’m feeling a tad bit hyper tonight. Maybe the dye? Am just about ready to go upstairs and get some of my favorite concoction of Physique and Energizing Soy Protein and the other stuff.

I want to thank everyone so much. Lori and Mary for your input to quell my concerns about Dr.’s. Not that I’m worried, but the stressors are the unknowns. When we can move an unknown into a known, it just helps cut down on the length of possible diversions. I decided to let each family in my piano studio know as I saw or talked to adults. First student out of the chute today called for a reschedule. When I told him the news, and he asked what he could do, I answered, “Don’t call to reschedule, please show up.” I did appreciate that he called when I didn’t respond to his email this morning from my MRI perch.
And my plans to be on an 8 pm Phone party, and 8:35 Team Up call was replaced by doing a makeup lesson and then talking to Martha. It’s all good!

Ann