Goodbye 2012...Hello 2013

Well, it's been quite a while since I updated so I thought today might be a good time.  I guess after a month of doctor appointments, testing and surgery and then a month of recovery I just kind of got caught up in living "normal" again.  Life got back to busy very fast and I wouldn't trade it for the world!! 

My work schedule got back to more regular hours right around Thanksgiving time.  I was able to stop the pain meds and was only taking a valium at night to help sleep.  Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be helping that sleep part very much, but did help with the muscle relaxation.  The sleeping part has been somewhat of a struggle, but definitely seems to be getting better.  I've been taking the Tamoxifen (hormone blocker) for almost two moths now.  My sister had mentioned that it took almost 8 months before she started with any side effects...I was not so lucky!!  In the third week I started with hot flashes in the middle of the night.  I'm usually always cold, so very rare for me to get hot, but it would alternate through the night...hot, cold, hot, cold.  That has now changed some and I typically wake between 3:30 - 4:00 in the morning just hot or almost sweating...yuck!!  Not looking forward to the full fledged side effects that will come.  Another friend has said she experiences hot/ sweat flashes during the night as well as a few late in the afternoon.  I'm sure it effects everyone differently, but I'm sure I haven't seen the worst of that.

This is a medication that originally I was told I would be on for 5 years; however, the oncologist had informed me that a new study was in progress and the results of that have recently been published.  The results indicate that she'll more than likely have me take it for 10 years instead of just the 5 years.  I've included the link for anyone interested http://www.chron.com/communityblogs/atmosphere/article/Longer-tamoxifen-use-cuts-breast-cancer-deaths-4097374.php

The first week in December I had follow appointments with both my oncologist and the plastic surgeon.  All went well and I'm free of dr. appointments (unless there's a concern) until June...YAY!!!  I tried getting the oncologist to do a brain scan as they didn't do that originally.  She continues to tell me that my type of BC doesn't typically spread to the brain.  I think I was just concerned because I was talking somewhat crazy for a while.  My head definitely seems to be much clearer now, so I'm some of it was still for anesthesia and of course pain meds.  Actually, as I'm writing this blog, I've realized I haven't had to "backspace" nearly as much as I used to...LOL  My typing and spelling is much better these days!!!  I'm not quite sure when I'll do another CT scan, but at least not until this summer.

As far as the reconstruction part, things are still healing a bit internally.  My left side (BC) side has been a little slow at EVERYTHING!!!  It was the more troubling side after surgery and it still causing me pain off and on.  At times, it feels as if someone has a hold of my skin and is pinching and twisting...NOT A GOOD FEELING!!!  Doc says the tightness on that side will loosen up with time and "help".  I've realized that stretching my arms behind my back, which sends a constant burning sensation on the backside of my arm/ shoulder area helps relieve the pain.  I just noticed last night, that the left side is finally starting to drop into place (it's been a slow process as I mentioned before). 

The feeling on the backside of my left arm and in my armpit is finally starting to recover from the nerve damage from the lymph node removal.  It's so super sensitive though.  At times, even the my clothes rubbing against my skin irritates me.  Keith keeps asking me how it feels and the best description I could come up with is when your foot is asleep and you try and stand/ walk on it and it tingles and sends the shooting pains through the foot...that's sort of what it feels like.  It doesn't bother me as much if I touch it, but if other touch it...NO BUENO!!!  I noticed in December that most everyone seemed to touch me on that side and behind that arm and I "gritted my teeth" through many hugs this month.  I am glad to be getting the feeling back though, as mnay have told me they haven't.  I've actually come to realize how fortunate I am that I've come as far as I've come with just one surgical procedure.  Many friends, acquaintances and people I have met have went through so much worse...my heart feels for them.  I know what it was like just going through what I went through and many of these women have went through so much more and then chemo on top of that...HATE THIS CANCER!!!

So with all that said, I am more than ready to say Goodbye to 2012 and all it dealt.  I pray that cancer got the best of me it's EVER gonna get in 2012.  I'm ready for a New Year and I know God has great things in store for me and my family!!  I'm looking forward to bringing in the New Year with my beautiful family and some wonderful friends tonight.  Hello 2013!!!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!!

Dana

44 Days and counting

Sorry, I haven't blogged in a while, but we're now about 44 days post surgery and things are starting to get somewhat back to normal (whatever that is; right?).  After 43 days of sleeping in the recliner in Keith's man cave, I finally tried my bed out last night.  It was very nice to stretch out and the bed itself was very comfy (especially since we've added like a 2 1/2 memory foam pad to it), but I just couldn't get real comfortable.  I tossed and turned quite a bit, which made two night of not sleeping so well.  So I can honestly say, that I came home from work today around 3:00, changed into some comfy lounge wear and crawled into my bed and didn't get up until around 7:00.  The pain is gone and so is the energy!!!

This is my first week back to work on a daily basis.  I'm still only working 4 - 4.5 hours, but I just get fatigued so easily.  I'm just trying to work my way back up to regular hours and am just blessed that my employers are so understanding and supportive!!  We are actually participating in a volunteer opportunity tomorrow at the Houston Food Bank (3 hours shifts).  I'm excited about having my chilidren participate as well, but I could end up being the professional photographer for the day...LOL  Me and Ryleigh together might be considered one person...HAHA!!

So as I mentioned, we're just trying to get life back to normal.  The great thing is that the kids have really not seemed to have been bothered by the entire process or at least they haven't really showed it.  I know they never let up on me much!!!  But I'm truly blessed that they stayed so strong and didn't let it get them down or affect their regular routine.  And, of couse, I was thrilled to find out about not needing to do chemo treatment as I know that is the hardest part for the kids as that makes it seem so "real" to them.  It's often hard for them to understand that things are going to 'look' worse before they look better.  As much as I may say they give me a "hard" time (the little ones), I am so very proud of them!!

Rance is keeping busy with his fencing and doing well in school (could do much better if he actually studied - our big challenge with him).  He's ok with "getting by" and I'm like, "think what you could do if you really applied yourself!!"  I think he'll end up in sales like his dad, he's a go-getter when it comes to that kind of stuff.  His school just recently had their fundraiser and he was one of the top two in sales - it was a tie!!  He got several different prizes, but there was a $100 cash award for the top sales person and he received half of that yesterday - he was pretty stoked!!!  He brought home a nice crisp $50 bill.  Below is a picture of him this past Saturday arriving at his fencing tournament...not quite awake as it was early in the morning ;-)  This is only his third Houston Cup to attend and he's getting better and better every time!!!

Ryleigh, of course, is staying busy with gymnastics, school work and trying to maintain a social life.  She's in the gym for 12 hours a week and often does her homework in the car and has a homework day on Thursday with her best friend as it's both of their "off" days from gymnastics/ cheer.  They really enjoy their Thursdays together :-)  She has had a tough year with a broken hand and then moving gyms just four weeks before her first competition this season, but she fought her way into the top 10 competitors in the South State Texas meet and will compete at the State meet in December amongst the top 20 Level 5 gymnasts in her age group.  We are very proud of her!!

Our oldest daughter Jourdan is doing well, working and just moved into a rental house.  She is preparing for our granddaughter, Annibelle's, first birthday this Saturday, November 17th.  Can't believe it's been a year already!!  She's definitely keeping mom and dad on their toes now that she's mastered the art of walking :-)  She had her first visit to the zoo and it looks like her and mom had fun monkeying around...LOL

Thank you all for your continued support, encouraging words, thoughts and prayers.  They do not go unnoticed!  It means a lot to me to have so many of my friends from many walks of my life come by and visit, send a sweet card in the mail or even a little trinket that I can cherish.  You guys are the BEST!!! 

And BTW, thank you notes are a "work in progress" and will go out soon!!

Love and Belief!!

Dana

GOOD NEWS!!!! Praise the Lord!!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise Him. -Psalm 28:7

So basically, two months after I found the masses in my breast and just over one month after surgery, we found out today:  NO CHEMOTHERAPY NEEDED!!!  Praise the Lord!!!  Thank you all for your prayers...God listened and He answered!!  He gets all the GLORY!!!

We are, of course, thrilled by this news and we greatly appreciate all the prayer warriors out there that have been praying for me, my family and for God's will to be that I will be pure and whole again!!  I am so thankful for how far cancer/ breast cancer research has come throughout the years.  I  hated watching my sister go through her chemo treatment, but I was prepared to do the same if need be.  I was prepared to fight this fight with or without hair, but I am truly happy that my sister does not have to watch me go through what I watched her go through.  We both still have a battle ahead of us and we're attacking it "head on" and attacking it "together"!!!

My oncotype DX test showed a very low risk score (13) of breast cancer recurrence within 10 years and chemotherapy treatment only changed that number from 9% to 6% (not enough benefit to undergo the treatment).  There will be 5 years of hormone therapy involved (my poor family) and there are studies going on right now that may increase that timeframe due to so many younger women being diagnosed.  She did say that the percentage will actually go down as I age (to perfection, of course)...that sounds like a pretty good deal to me ;-)  I was thinking the opposite.

It's been a long two months and it's been a long, but exciting day!!  I'm wore out and need a nap, but I wanted to get this out to everyone as I know so many of you have been praying and been messaging me and I can't thank you enough!!  I am truly blessed to have you in my life!! 

Go Pink!!!!

Love and Belief!

Dana

Busy weekend

Just a very quick update and prayer request as Tuesday approaches!!  I ask that you all be in prayer over the next few days as we await the results of my oncotype test.  This test will determine whether or not my cancer will benefit from undergoing chemo treatment or not.  Apparently, the biological makeup of my breast cancer is the "best" you can ask for...so to speak.  Out of this type of cancer 90% do not benefit from chemo treatment, therefore leaving only about 10% of cases that need it.  We pray I am among that 90%...pretty good odds, but you just never know.  Regardless, I am in this fight to win and if chemo is what it takes, then that's what we'll do!!

It's been a pretty crazy, busy weekend!!!  I would have to say that this past Friday was one of my longest days yet since surgery.  I worked for about 4 hours...I tell you, after taking a shower and driving to work, I was ready for a nap!!!  It just takes so much out of you.  I already take an hour to get ready and now an additional 15-20 minutes at that.  I left work at 2:00 to pick up Rance from school as we had a long evening/ weekend ahead of volunteer hours at Ryleigh's gym (they hosted 3 gymnastics meets this season and it takes a lot of work to put that together and run it - kind of like a swim meet).  YAY, us!!!!  We really picked great sports, didn't we???  LOL  Left Rance's school just before 3:00 and then headed down the road to pick up Ryleigh's gym buddy as we were taking them to gym.  Literally, got home and within 10 minutes the whole family, including Mandy (Ry's bud) was back in the car headed to the gym, which is located in the Champions area.  Yes, a 40 minute drive from my house.  We dropped the girls off for gym at 4:30 and Keith, Rance and I enjoyed dinner at Gringo's.  Then, back to the gym by 6:30 to start set up.  I, obviously, didn't do a much.  I did a lot of tearing off tape for other as they were taping down plastic as to not ruin the floors.  Keith and Rance were both a great big help.  We were out by 8:30 and back to the house.  I will say that I no longer got home, got changed, got my faced washed and teeth brushed and I was out!!!

But guess what???  Keith and I were so luck to get to be up at the crack of dawn and back at the gym by 7:30 to work another volunteer session.  The deal is we have to commit to so many volunteer hours (24 hours) within the season to be a part of the booster and benefit from "way" reduced meet and coaches fees.  Well, the very first meet our gym hosted was the weekend after my surgery and we got "ZERO" hours that meet.  Hence, us putting Rance to work on Friday and he was a trooper and did a great job!!!  As a parent, it's actually pretty cool as we worked as the beam tabulator (me) and beam timer (Keith).  You learn a lot about things sitting between two judges.  It really opens your eyes a lot to how just hundredths of a point makes a huge difference in stuff like this....we're talking an unpointed toe...LOL  It's about a 3 1/2 volunteer spot and then we were back home by lunch time.  I ate and I was OUT!!!  Like a light!!!

Once I woke up, we actually did a kid swap and both kids had sleepovers.  Rance spent the night out and Ryleigh had a friend over for the night.  They started watching a movie and were out in about 10 minutes.  All kids were swapped back my lunch today and then it was reality!!!  Chores!!  The kids had a bunch of clothes to put away and rooms to pick up.  I tell you, they haven't let up on me one bit.  They complain and whine about housework, probably more now than they did before.  I was working on some donation items that I had put away in an extra room and had felt fine all day and WHAM, BAM...PAIN!!!  Once again, pain mainly in my left side.  As they said, it's just the next phase of healing.  As I'm not starting to feel better and do a little more, things are just stretching and moving into place...I HOPE!!!  It sure doesn't feel good.  But even with that I had to get out of the house today for a little peace of mind.  Retail therapy always helps!!!  Got a little bit of Christmas shopping out of the way :-)

Once I got home, the kids and I drove up to Montgomery (Conroe Lake area) to visit my sister, niece and my mom was there.  We all had a nice dinner together and the kids had some time to visit.  My sister and brother-in-law just got their pool all put in and they had invited us up to come check it out...looks nice and once they can turn the heater on it will be nice, but tonight it was way too cold for me to even put my toe in it...LOL  I really enjoyed my time with my mom and sister.  We don't seem to get enough time with just us!!!  Wish my mom would move out of Baytown and move closer to us...she could always live with them...HAHAHA!!!  You're welcome, brother-in-law...hehe!!  All joking aside, I actually loved having my mom here with me.  I sure couldn't have done those first few weeks without her and Keith's work has just been so busy with a new job in the last year and a half...just crazy times!!

Well, I'm back home and ready for bed.  It's sure to be a crazy week.  The plan is to work Monday, Wednesday and Friday for about 4 hours.  My doctor appointment is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:15a.m. so I will be sure and update everyone Tuesday evening.  I can't thank you all for your support, prayers and encouragement...it is very moving to have so many consistently checking on me.  Love you guys!!

Love and Belief!!

Dana

Recovery - Slower than expected, but making progress

So the plan for the week was to work from home Monday, Wednesday, Friday and go into the office for a few hours Tuesday and Thursday....well, that office thing has been pretty much a BUST so far!!  I have been able to get some work done at home, which is nice, but the systems couldn't have been moving any slower on Monday with ole Hurricane Sandy on the East coast.  Our systems were running so slow and not to mention that I'm running it through my home computer and have limited access to the stuff I need.  But at least I'm able to get some things done here.  Keith also drove me to vote, I got back home and worked some more while he took Ryleigh to gymnastics. We both went to take Rance to fencing and then enjoyed a quick sushi dinner at Uni and then ended back up at Rance's fencing academy to watch him the last 20 minutes or so of class.

The day actually went pretty well...right up until bedtime.  Remember, I am still sleeping in my bed (the recliner).  But typically, I lay down with the kids for a few minutes right before they go to sleep.  We have some of our best laughs at that time and I won't go in to many details on that, but some great conversations, expressions, learning experiences and belly-aching laughing that I absolutely LOVE!!!  Well, basically, Ryleigh and I were laying in her bed and I told her I had to show her my cousin, Kyle's Halloween costume.  He had dressed up as a bottle of Honey Boo Boo Child's "Special Go Go" Juice - he totally cracks me up!!  So as I showed it to her from my phone in her bed she starts imitating her, "My special juice is gonna make me WIIIIIINNNNNNN!"  LOL  We couldn't stop laughing and of course, I had to make a video of it and send it over to Kyle.  So we kept watching it and we kept laughing and all of a sudden I started HURTING!!!  Like major pain on my left side and I hadn't felt pain in almost a week at that time.  It hurt!!!  I went down and asked Keith to lay with her since I just couldn't do it.  Still just can't lay flat back very comfortably.

So as I go down stairs just to check the area where I was hurting, I'm thinking that maybe I'm beginning to retain fluid as that was the same side that they had to insert the second drain tube in a week or so prior.  The skin seemed a little soft/ mushy in that area to me so I was definitely concerned.  So Tuesday morning I called into the doctor and luckily he was going to be in the office all day...YAY!!!!  What are the chances???  I drove myself all the way to the Med Center!!!  Yeah, it was a different experieence as I really hadn't driven since surgery, but I'd been off my pain meds for right at a week and only taking one valium at bedtime.  I was actually driving the speed limit, so you could say it might have HELPED the situation!!  LOL  I was so very thankful to find out that NO fluid buildup at all.  Just normal healing process!!  They said it was my internal sutures...that, by the way, are attached to my ribcage...sounds LOVELY; huh??  They just told me that as I'm healing and starting to be a little more active I may reach a certain way or do something that pulls until everything settles and heals.  They suggested some Ibuprofen to help with the inflammation, so I've add that to the nighttime medicine routine.  I can't thank you all enough for the prayers that day!!!  I was really nervous about possible infection.  Actually had a great time at Dr. Boutros' office that day sharing with them about how the pain came about and showed them Ryleigh's video...we were all laughing.  He is such a great doctor and never makes me feel like he's rushed to get out to see the next patient.  He commented, "You're a totally different person today than the day we met!"  HA!!!  Ya Think???  I'm sure I looked like a deer in headlights that day...just trying to figure out what my options were, but he even that day was so great at explaining everything, answering all my questions, and never rushing me whatsoever!!!

Well I didn't make it by the office to work that day, but I did stop by after my doctor appointment to pick up a few more things I needed, get some questions answered on some of the things I was working on and to see how they started using my office as a storage area...HAHAHA...just joking!!  Bruce, thought I was too giddy and shouldn't be driving...LOL  I told him it's just because I hadn't been around people for a while, but I was actually driving okay (as long as I was going straight).LOL  Those darn curves were a little tricky, but I got better at it :o)  I was just in a great mood due to the GREAT news from the doctor's office :-)

Wednesday went pretty good and I was able to get a lot more work done as the systems were running a little better today.  It does get pretty boring though...I do miss not having my momma around.  I kind of got used to her being around those first few weeks.  That was really nice!!!  Now it's just me, but I did get a quick break with a friend across the street during lunchtime.  She was babysitting for another neighbor and I went over and we got to chat for a few minutes.  And, of course, I love those babies.  I got to pass down Ryleigh's very first gymnastics hoodie to her oldest (2 year old) daughter.  It was just too dang cute!!!  My little Ryleigh is actually growing...WOO HOO!!!

Of course, it's Halloween day and I'm thinking the kids are going to be all wound up when they get home, but it actually worked out great!!  Ryleigh still had gymnastics, but they cut it short and they got out at 6:30.  I drove her to gym that day and, of course, she was freaking out!!!  "Mom, you're NOT supposed to be driving!!"  OMG!!!  People, I CAN DRIVE!!  It was pretty funny though.  Well, she actually went home with one of her gym buddies and got to trick or treat with her in the Champions area, while Rance hung out with his buddies in our neighborhood.  We passed out candy until it was all gone, which was right about the time Keith had to leave to pick up Ryleigh, which was at the same time gym usually ends so it worked out great!!  They were all happy and I didn't have to walk any kids around the neighborhood and I didn't have to listen to any arguing...YAY, ME!!!!

Rance and his neighborhood 'boyz' morphed out!!  He's in all black!

Ryleigh and Mandi 'MOO' Campbell, her gymnastics buddy!!  They could pass for sisters, well in that first picture anyway...LOL

So today is Thursday, my wonderful husband's birthday!!! Happy Birthday, Baby!!   I really wish I could have planned something for him this year.  I had the intentions, but as we all know...things don't always work out to OUR PLANNING!!!  He did get a real dinner today as today was the first day I actually cooked anything (well besides scrambled eggs the other morning), but it was a crock pot meal...the best ones!!  His gift...well, he got that a little early.  He'd been asking (well, needing) a new coffee pot as his had pretty much gone kaput!!!!  Monday morning he stood in the kitchen talking about how he had such a hard time making coffee Sunday morning because of his coffee pot.  So as he's talking and preparing  to make a pot of coffee, he hits the on/off switch and "NOTHING" happens.  Ryleigh (she's the only one awake at the time) just looks at me with this 'look'.  He keeps hitting the button and NOTHING happens.  So I go upstairs to wake up Rance and tell him what's going on and that it looks like we've got to break out the gift a little sooner than expected.  So he and Ryleigh presented daddy with his new Keurig Platinum coffee maker....and yes, he LOVES it!!!  And I've enjoyed it too :-)  I have definitely been blessed with the most wonderful and supportive husband!!!  He's been so good through all this, but I can't tell you how much it killed me to see him so "hurt" when we got my original diagnosis.  He was hanging on to so much hope, although, I already knew I had basically been diagnosed even before the biopsy results.  That day will forever be embedded in my mind...he just looked as though he had been totally kicked in the gut!!  The news definitely hit him the hardest out of all of us that was there (me, my mom, my sister and Keith).  But, if the tables were turned, I'm sure I would be the same way!!!!  So on this day, the first day of November it definitely makes me thankful and blessed for so many great memories!!  Not just with my wonderful family, but with friends: old and new.  A video had been made last year for my 40th birthday and I never did share it and I've decided to share it so you guys can share my SMILES with me.  It truly makes me smile all over!!! 

I'm pretty technologically challenged at times so I hope it works!!  You might have to actually just click on the link if you choose to watch it, but I will warn you...it's 40 years wrapped up into about 11 minutes :o)  I especially love the picture that's of me and Rance from about two years ago after I did my first Warrior Dash - it says "WARRIOR"!!!  NO DOUBT!!!

 

Love and Belief!!!

 

Dana

Finally, catching up

I know!!!  I'm falling behind on thig blogging thing.  It's been several days and not alot going on, well, just some ups and downs.  So last time I posted on Tuesday I really felt I was 'on the road to recovery'.  Drain tubes got removed and I was doing the happy dance!!

Wednesday, I decided to make a run of going back into the office for the second time this week.  My co-worker  picked me up around 8:30 and I got all the last minute details that needed to be taken care of for Thursday night's seminar (which they told me went great)!!  I really felt bad about not being able to go, but just knew I wasn't up to the socializing part of it.  I had made arrangements for my friend to pick me up around 12:30 and we stopped and ate lunch at Puffabelly's in Old Town Springs on the way home.  I love that place!!  I really did have a puffa-belly afterwards!!  Got home and got some much needed rest.  I can definitely tell when my body needs the rest and honestly, I listen!!!  I really, really do!!!  When I went to bed, I took all my meds like I have been doing: pain, nausea, valium, anitbiotic and slept great!!

Thursday started off a little rough with a phone call that kept trying to come through - like 5 times -  between my home phone and my cell phone.  And, of course, when they finally answerd to my "hello" it just kind of went bad from there.  Yes, it was a bill collector on an account that always gets paid and it really set me off!!!  Typically it gets paid mid month and is due on the first.  Okay, so the last two months have been rough and apparently, I got "off"...can't imagine how that happened???  Anyway, once I looked back online I realized that it was my mistake so I got that all figured out and set back to the right date.  But I was WIDE AWAKE at this point!!! 

So now that I'm at the computer I started on some real work...the kind I get paid for (Thank you Bruce and Cain)!!!  Ameriprise Financial teams up with food shelters within their local area (Houston Food Bank for us) for a National Day of Service, which is scheduled for Friday, November 16.  We'll be working in the warehouse boxing up food that will go out to shelters for Thanksgiving.  I'm pretty excited to have my kids participate in this event as well (so for any teachers out there reading, my kiddos will be early released that day for a real life educational experience)!! I had a lot of work to do on this event as it had kind of got pushed aside a bit so I spent several hours this day confirming times with the food bank, talking and emailing with our community relations department and trying to get a lot of questions answered.  During this time I was able to take a nice lunch break with a friend, Angela Block.  What a sweetheart!  She's visited me twice for lunch during all this and we've had the best conversations.  She keeps asking me if there's anything (bring dinner, bring lunch, help with the house, etc.) she can do to help...and inside I'm laughing because I know she'd probably LOVE to just get a hold of my house right now...LOL  I know she could do wonders with getting it ALL cleaned up and ALL organized ;-)  Let's just say it has fallen by the wayside for sure.  As long as I keep taking my Valium I think I can deal with it ;-)  Well, as rough as that morning started off, I had a fantastic day and realized later that I had not taken my meds all day.  Had no intentions of just quitting them cold turkey, but had been weaning myself off during the day for the last several days with only taking them maybe twice a day and then at nighttime.  Well, unfortunately, I totally forgot to take my meds Thursday night.  I slept great, no problems, didn't wake up through the night, but OMG!!! 

I woke up Friday morning and felt as if I had been rolled over by a truck...just a few times!!!  My body was completely exhausted!!!  I do remember kind of waking up in a sweat and realized I hadn't taken my meds the night before.  I had things I needed to finish for work from the day before.  I actually got woken up a second morning in  a row by a phone call.  This time a very nice gentleman from  my home office calling to answer my questions from the previous day.  I had scheduled some time with my co-worker for me to walk her through a few things that I couldn't do from home, but then realized I had to get all the information from the home office before I could do that and I had asked him to call me back a little later when I was actually awake.  My mind was in no functioning mood at that time.  I tell you it took every bit of my being to get stuff done that day.  I absolutely had no energy whatsoever!!!  Thank goodness for the recliner I have here in my home office, because between calls that's where I was...laid flat out!!!  I felt so bad because this was the day I had planned on scheduling appointments for one of my advisors.  There was no way I could have called a client the way I felt and sounded...they would have been SCARED!!! 

Then to top it off, I had forgotten that we had air conditioning people coming in to change out something in our attic - 3 flippin' hours!!!  So all I could do was lay in the recliner in the office, but not really go to sleep.  And, of course, my ferocious dog (HAHAHA!!!) act like she was going to attack them every time they walked downstairs or back into the house.  No rest, no peace...IT WAS AWFUL!!    Then my mini-me shows up from school.  She pretty much has this same little regimen that she goes through 3 days a week and because today, of all days, her halloween costume came in she wanted to try it on instead of get ready for gym.  And honestly, on this day, I didn't even have the energy to help her get her snacks together...she was on her own, but she was arguing with me about why she couldn't put her costume (morphsuit that looks like a skeleton) on when she barely has enough time to eat a snack, pack a snack for gym (she's only there for 4 hours), get her hair up and get changed.  I finally gave in and decided after she got all her stuff done she could try it on...she actually wore it to gym (can't believe i didn't take a pic) and passed out Halloween candy sticks to all her gym buddies!!!  This girl truly is a MESS!!!  She's one I definitely have to pick my battles with and lately I'm not doing a very good job!!

I called the doc to try and figure out this whole medicine thing.  Really didn't want to take the pain meds as I really wasn't in pain...well, I mean I could self-inflict pain if I wanted, but I wasn't feeling pain by just regular movement or activities.  The nurse informed me not taking the pain meds was fine, but the valium was a must.  That although I'm sleeping good, my body is having muscle spasms and that's probably what's making my body feel so exhausted...AHHH!!!  That makes since.  You'd think I'd learned my lesson about that valium stuff the first go round.  Takes me a while...I'm just a little hard headed...LOL  The problem is the valium didn't help me sleep.  I think that was my worst night of sleep since surgery.  I slept for about three hours and then I was up and just slept off and on.  Finally, in the wee hours of the morning I figured I would take another and it might help...no difference!!  That was discouraging, but still with less sleep I had more energy on Saturday.

Started out Saturday with a very good breakfast (Thanks Babe!!), and then a very lazy day.  I can honestly say I don't remember much about it other than a little neighborhood Halloween get together that we do every year in the late afternooon/ evening.  The back of our neighbohood kind of blocks off the street in front of their houses since they all participate and everyone brings goodies, kids dress up, play games (big kids even did a little spook house for the little kids this year) and the Jennings' family always makes up some YUMMY gumbo!!!  Well, I think they all got started around 5:00 and I text Keith to come get me around 7:30ish.  I ate me some YUMMY gumbo, hung out for maybe 45 minutes, ate a few sweets (I've been eating way too many of those lately) and then called it a night.  If I remember right, we were headed back to the house by 8:45.  Yes, I was a party pooper!!  I'm still a night owl, but I'm not much for partying. 

My husband and I were actually considering a trip to Austin this weekend....what a joke!?!?!?!?!  Well, weeks ago he sent me a text saying, "get well soon, I want to take you to Austin for a relaxing weekend on the 27th overlooking the lake and a concert at a friend's house."  Back then the 27th seemed doable.  I'll be feeling better by the 27th...NOT!!!  The day after my 2nd worst day since surgery.  I hated to inform him that there was just no way I could make that trip and surely would not be up to partaking in the event...and the worst of all....I had to admit that he wasn't married to SUPER WOMAN!!!  Now that was a shocker!!!  For both of us...LOL 

So, finally, today is Sunday...I'm all caught up now...SHWEWW!!!  As much as I would have really loved to have gotten up and made the drive to be with our Baytown church family, it just didn't happen!!!  I do hope we can plan to do that next weekend.  This weekend was, again, just too soon!!!  I pretty much laid in my quiet, dark room most of the morning.  I did clip coupons from about 4 weeks of newspapers (they're almost expired by then) while watching  Snow Buddies with Ryleigh.  What a cute movie???  I guess I had never seen it, but thought I had.  My friend Shelleen sent a text to see what I was doing and I told her I was getting ready to take a nap, but I'd really like to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.  She mentioned sitting on my front porch as we often do with a glass of tea.  I was sure glad she sent me that text.  I probably needed that nap, but I really needed the fresh air, the breeze, the butterflies flying all around my flowerbeds, the noise of the water feature, great conversation and the kids playing in the front yard.  After she left, Rance and I took the dog around the block for a walk and then I was done for the day.  Back to laziness!!!  I know it's late and you guys are probably wondering, "What the heck?", but I am a night owl and this post has been a "draft" for way too long.  I had to get it out tonight!!  I had a wonderful day and I'm praying that this is a big "HEALING" week.  I am planning NOT to overdo it, but I do plan on trying to work in the office about 4 hours for at least two days.  I'll also get some things done from here during those other days, but plenty of rest as well.  I can't tell you how supportive my bosses have been with all this.  They have treated me so well and have been so encouraging...never pressing me to be back in the office as much as I know they LOVE to have me around ;-)  Now they might have been stressing a little this past week, well, at least one of them anyways (no names), but he never let's me see him sweat...LOL  He should know I'd never let him down!!

Looking forward to a great week, cooler weather and hopefully a trip to Baytown on Sunday for church and a visit with my mom, daughter and grandbaby :-)  Make it great!!

Love and Belief!!

On the road to recovery

First of all I have to say with all these spell checks, grammar checks, auto word corrects and all that jazz, they should have created some kind of program to correct those that are typing under the influence of narcotics.  I can't hit a correct key to save my life...LOL  So for all you grammar freaks out there (I can say that because I'm usually that person), just look past it all.  I will write  a post, read it and re-read it for errors and then realize afer I post it that there are a ton of errors.  LOL

So I braved going back to work yesterday.  Of couse these kind of things always happen...we planned an educational seminar back like 6 months ago for this Thursday.  A phenomenal speaker and hosting it at Brix Wine Cellars, a venue I really wanted to experience.  Well, that's not going to happen!  Don't think I wil be in the socilizing mood, but that is one of the main reasons why I realy needed to get some hours in the office this week.  I've been trying to do a few things here from the house, but that's very limited and honestly, I had no idea I would still be this "down" after surgery.  My co-worker picked me up and we were at the house office by 10:00.  The plan was for Keith to pick me up on his lunch hour and drop be off at the house.  We were thinking maybe 1:00, but it ended more like 2:00 and needless to say I was wiped out and ready for a nap!!!!  The rest of the afternoon was honestly all a blur even though the kids had activities: Ryleigh gymnastics and Rance fencing.  Thanks to my neighbors for stepping in to help!!!

The plan was for my mom to drive me to my dr. appointment today, but Jourdan had also asked if there was anyway we could help with getting little Annibelle's pictures made for her first birthay coming up this November...can you believe she's going to be one on Novemer 17...crazy!!!  So since Jourdan had to work last night, Nana waited so Jourdan and Annibelle could ride over with her.  So around 10:00 p.m. I was wide awake with some wonderful visitors.  I was so excited to see my sweet Annibelle and of course she was excited to see her Nonnie :-)  She's just recently started standing good and taking a step or maybe two, but last night she took about 5-6 steps to me...made my day!!!  She's such a little ham and it kills me not to be able to pick her up, but that doesn't keep me from loving all over her.  She was wide eyed and bushy tailed and ready to wake up the house.  She did wake up her goof-pa, but Ryleigh never budged.  She came home from gym and crashed for the night!!

So thank goodness Nana was back this  morning to help get the kids off to school.  I got up to and helped with lunches, ate some yummy over easy eggs mom made so I could take my meds and then I was back out once Ryleigh was out the door around 7:20 a.m. I must have hit that recliner and passed out because Rance didn't even come tell me goodbye (not  normal).  Once I woke up around 9:00 Jourdan told me he said to tell me to have a good day because he knew I was OUT!!!!  He's my sweet boy!!

I got up and spent a little time with my punkin' before I had to get ready to go.  Mom and I always spend way more time in the car than we do at the dr. appointment, which i can't complain.  They are really great about getting me in and getting me out.  I got the BEST news ever...at least for today!!!  The drain tubes came out...ALL OF THEM!!!  I am tube free and I couldn't be more happy!!!.  I think the original one wanted to stay, like the skin was just starting to grow around it (I know that sounds gross and it is, but that's also what was causing so much pain).  It seemed every time I would move a certain way it would try and pull from the skin and just gave me the weebey jeebeys!!! 

Of couse I rested the best I could on the way home as we were going to take Annibelle just down the road for some pictures.  They turned out good and I was so happy that she even got to take a picture in one of her Aunt Ryleigh's old dresses from when she was little.  The turned out adorable and I was glad the dress got at least one more use out of it ;-)  Just a little snapshot I got of her it in :o)

So now we can take more steps toward weaning myself off the pain meds.  I sure don't like the way they make me feel.  My equalibrium has been off lately and I see at least triple of everything??  I don't go back to the plastic surgeon until early December and hopfeully the new girls will be better in place by then.  The next step is back to Dr. Naqvi, the oncologist on November 6 for the oncotype test results.  That will determine whether we move forward with chemotherapy or just do hormonal medication.  The oncotype test just determines which cases of breast cancer that I have will benefit from chemo or not: 90 % do not benefit and only 10% do.  So we pray that I fall in that 90 percentile.

Thank you all again for your continue support, prayers and encouraging words.  Please be in prayer for my complete healing process as I try and venture back to work...slowly but surely.  Yes, don't worry, I will listen to my body, but it's definitely nice to get out of the house even if just for a few hours...and of ourse I know my co-workers just don't kow what to do without me...HAHAHA!!!!

Well, I'm back off to bed.  It was a long day and my body pretty much shot down once we got home from the photo shoot.  Nana, Jourdan and Annibelle loaded up and headed back to Baytown.  I took my friendly little  meds and crashed hard!!!!  I'm pretty sure I slept for about 4 hours and don't think I made a bit of sense to anyone that walked in to check on me.  I was definitely in my own little world.  I have the most craziest dreams on this medicine and I usually catch myself just before I say somethig really stupid!!!  So, it's back to lala land for me.  I hope you all have a great evening!

Love and Belief!

Dana

Time flies when you're having fun....NOT!!!

I know I haven't posted in quite a few days...I guess because it's been kind of boring.  Seems like my days are pretty much the same: sleep, eat, take meds, sleep, maybe get up for a while and get outside for some fresh air, eat, meds, sleep!!!  I cannot believe that tonight is going to be my 20th night sleeping in my new bed (the recliner).  I have to say it has gotten much easier to get in and out of it that's for sure.  The hardest part is not having my hubby by my side :-(  But he's just a phone call away...LOL  I honestly did have to call the house phone the other day from my cell phone to get him.  For some reason I have this one bottle of medicine that I just can't seem to open...drives me crazy!!!

I have slacked off some on the pain meds, which is good, but I'm still having quite a bit of pain on my left side which is the side that I now have "two" drain tubes on.  It would be so great to get them both out on Tuesday when I go back to the plastic surgeon, but he only gave me hope of getting the original tube out....I'll take what I can get, but I'll keep praying!!!

Believe it or not I made it through my daughter's Distirict Championships gymnastics meet yesterday...like wild horses could have kept me away; right??  I have to admit I was dozing in and out as she had the early morning session and I had to take my pain meds to get through it.  I will tell you this...For the first time in three years I was actually able to breathe while she was doing her beam routine and I owe it all to the valium :-)  I know I joke a lot about that, because for those of you that "know" me know that I am not a medicine taker.  I have a pretty high pain tolerance and so if I'm taking pain meds, I'M IN PAIN!!!  I went the whole first week after surgery only taking the pain meds and not the valium because when I hear that I think "DRUG" and I can honestly say that I've lived 41 years drug-free and plan to keep it that way.   I don't like feeling LOOPY!!!  The valium though has made a huge difference in the tension I was carrying in my shoulders and upper back...it definitely relaxes me.  I might have to save me two of those at least for the next two gymnastics meets ;-)

So tomorrow is a big day!!!  I'm going to try and make it into work for at least a few hours.  I was able to get a few hours of work in this past week here at the house.  It's just hard trying to squeeze stuff into the few good hours that you have in the day.  My bosses couldn't be more supportive and I wish I was able to do so much more, but I am so thankful that they are so undrestanding of my situation and just truly concerned with my well being!! 

I tell you that today I absolutely did nothing!!!!  I woke up in the wee hours of the morning and looked at my phone with one eye open and one eye closed trying to make out the very blurred words until the one open eye got so tired it finally shut.  If I remember right my daughter fell asleep in the TV room with me and I heard her get up around 8:00ish and I went right back to sleep.  I woke up to a text message coming through to my phone from my neighbor around 10:30ish asking if my son could walk down to her house as he was scheduled to attend her son's birthday party today.  I peeled myself out of my recliner and stumbled to the doorway and to my amazement, he wasn't even close to being ready (as if he didn't realize he was the one that made the plans with her the night before).  I have to say that my kids have taken all this rather well...they still yell "MOMMA" from upstairs, from my bathroom and as soon as they walk through the door as if I'm going to come running to their rescue in a matter of seconds.  It just goes to show you that everybody needs their MOMMA!!!  I know I sure do!!!   My momma has made the last three weeks bearable!!!  I don't know what Keith and I would have done without her help!!  We have many people to thank, that's for sure, but she has really picked up the slack and kept our house a home :-)

So it's late and I should be in bed (a hard lesson for a night owl to learn) so I will retire to my recliner now.  I just pray the Good Lord gives me the energy to get up and get ready in the morning (that's the biggest challenge).  Luckily, my ride is not picking me up until 9:00 and I will work until a little after lunch time.  Don't worry...I'M NOT DRIVING!!!!  I'll keep you all posted on how my first day back to work goes.  I'ts going to be a slow process back as I have a dr. appointment on Tuesday so I probably won't make it in at all that day and then I'm at the mercy of some helpers until I can totally get off these meds.  I mean my vision is not at all like it was when I was 21, but boy I surely can't function seeing triple...LOL

Love and Belief!!

Dana

One vey long day!!!

The day started around 6:30 as I got up to check on Ryleigh as she had a little knee injury last night during gymnastics (fell on her knee on the beam doing her cartwheel - OUCH!!!)  Decision was made for her to stay home from school to keep it iced and rest it as she has her District Championship meet this week.  Needless to say I had a mental breakdown on my hands befoe bed last night.  Lucikly, she comes from a long line of tough women and she was feeling better, but not well enough to be walking around on it all day.  My mom drove her to Baytown to stay with her sister as mom had an appointment of her own and Keith was going to be chaufering me to my doctor appointments.

It was my first morning to take a shower, dry/ fix my hair and put make up on all in one day...LOL (Don't get me wrong, I have showered and bathed and washed my hair, just not all in one day and definitely not within an hour).  It actually felt good...made me feel a little normal (whatever that means)?!?!  Keith and I  headed out the door once we got Rance off to school. I drank my yummy smoothie on the way and made sure to take ALL my meds prior to arriving at my first appointment.

First stop:  Dr. Jo Pollack's office the breast surgeon.  We were provided with very good news!! Surgery went as planned with new technology (it's totally amazing what they can do).  I uderwent a bilateral skin and nipple sparing mastectomy with implant reconstruction.  Originally, my options were to have a lumpectomy with radiation or a unilateral mastectomy (both equal to the other).  I informed them from the beginning that I was not opposed to having a bilateral mastectomy.  I can't personally imagine doing a unilateral mastectomy and not a bilateral mastectomy (What's the point??).  For whatever reason and with lots of prayer I felt at peace with chosing to do a bilateral mastectomy.  My biggest concern was that the three masses that I FOUND only 3 1/2  months after a routine mammogram were not detected by that procedure.  My thought was: What if there is something else that hadn't been detected and that I hadnn't found??  What if there was something in my right breast that had not been detected and I had not felt or found???  And if for some reason I chose to do a lumpectomy, would I be so lucky to find or detect something as soon as I did this go round should someting return.  Well, today I KNOW that I made the right choic!!!  There was, in fact, a 4th cancerous mass found in the same breast (great news was that all four masses were individual mases and not linked in any way by microscopic cells which considers each mass as State 1 caner).  It was in the same vacinity as the other three, but not as close together as the others.  I specifically asked Dr. Pollack if had I chose to do a lumpectomy instead of a mastecomy would she have seen/ noticed and been able to remove the 4th mass.  Her reply: I don't know.  God guided my heart in making this decision and He deserves all the praise and all the glory!!!

Next stop:  Dr. Shagufta Naqvi's office the ocologist.  She was thrilled with the pathology reults.  So positive, which is so encouraging.  She's so knowledgable and so thorough in explaining everything.  Although we went there thinking we were going to leave with a treatment plan, we still have three more weeks to wait on those results.  The reason being is had the lymph nodes that were removed (3 total) during surgery been positive for cancer, chemotherapy would not have been an option - it would have been a necessity!!  Due to the lymph nodes beng negative (Thank you, Lord), she now has to submit that pathology to the insurance compamy to request the oncotype test to determine whether or not my type of cancer would benefit from chemotherapy.  This type of cancer has basically a 90/10% chance split.  Ninety percent of the cases will not benefit and only ten percent of them will.  We pray that I fall within that 90 percentile.  We will get these results back on November 6.

Had a little break to re-energize and get some lunch with my husband and my sister.  Also needed to remedicate myself before my last appointment with Dr. Boutros the plastic surgeon.  So I have now had two doses of all my meds and no nap...I'm starting to crash, but feeling pretty relaxed.  That's a good thing/ considering the idea is I'm going to the plastic surgeon's office to have my drain tubes removed.  Especially, since I almost passed out on them last week.  Well, we did make some progress, but in a very small way.  Thngs are looking good and I did get one drainage tube out of the right breast; but I had to trade it for a second drainage tube for the left breast.  Yep, I now have two drains on the left side.  It just doesn't seem to be draining as well and is holding fluid pockets toward the bottom of the breast.  He did, in fact, extract a small amount of fluid from the right breast with a syringe and removed the original drainage tube.  But he placed another tube in the lower part of the left breast, which automatically drained about 30cc of fluid immediately - YUCKKKK!!!!  I am definitely irritated, but i am willing to see this through.  Infection is definitely NOT welcome.  If for some reason infection were to set in, the implant comes out.  Please be in prayer for no infection.  I'm scheduled to return back there next Tuesday and the plan is to for sure remove the original drain on that side and determine a game plan on the new drain. 

I realize some of this may be TMI for some of you and I hope you can understand that this blog is not just for me and not just for you, but for others that might be fighting this same fight.  I read many blogs durng the weeks while I was waiting and undergoing testing.  I know the internet is definitely not always the best place to go when you've been diagnosed with someting because so many people are different, diagnoses are different and body's react so differently to treatments.  I just want others to know they are not in this alone and they're Faith has to be bigger than their fear in this journey!!  If any one thing I post can help someone have a better understanding of the journey they face or help to give them the courage to make a very difficult decision a little easier than I have done the job I set out to do with this blog.

I would almost bet that each and everyone of us have been somehow directly affected by this. disease so I would enourage each of you to defintely schedule your yearly exams/ mammograms, but even more importantly, KNOW YOUR BODY!!!  Do self examinations and trust your instincts.  I have had two cases of skin cancer and now this. I have detected all three at a very, very early stage.  I would even go so far as to say they were detected by God's hand as I was led to them so early.  Both skin cancers that I had checked out by the doctors felt at the time they were not going to be anything.  Please, please, please do not ignore your instincts!!!

Love you all and thank you for your continued prayers and throughts!!  The cards, flowers, dinners, desserts and personal messages have been so overwhelming and heart-felt!!!

Love and Belief!!

Dana

No news is good news; right??

So it's been a few days since I've blogged as things have been pretty boring...which is a good thing at this point!!!  I've actually been feeling pretty good the last few days and I owe it to the Valium ;-)  It really has made a differnce in the tension, which I believe was a contributor to all the nausea I had been experiencing.  Even with all the nausea, I had been very blessed to not get "sick" up until Friday night.  Keith and I dropped Rance off at fencing and stopped for one errand and then we were going to grab a bite to eat through the drive through.  I had left the house with a slight headache, but it actually seemed to be a little better as I got up and walked around some.  As we got in the car to head to the drive thru I mentioned I wasn't feeling well (felt like I could puke).  YEP!!!  I was right!!  Luckily, we were in a very convenient place for me to pretty much almost bail out of the car as Keith was on the phone (he quickly got the point and pulled over).  Boy did I feel much better after that!!!  LOL

I am sleeping much better through the night (still in my recliner) and have been able to cut back a little on the pain meds.  Definitely still in pain, but not as bad as before.  Just certain little movements that really get me and mainly on my left side, which was the side that the cancer was on as well as the side that the lymph nodes were removed from.

I am excited to report that I was able to get my tax information together and they will get filed on time...YAY!!!  Also, I was able to get a little work done from home over the last few days, which at least makes me feel a litte productive.  I just feel so bad that my poor momma is working her tale off around my house to keep up with my Thing 1 and Thing 2....oh, and don't forget Thing 3.  She has been a true ANGEL!!!

So tomorrow is the BIG day!!!  Not one, not two, but three doctor appointments!!!  Seems I've had a few of these very looooong days this month.  I meet with the breat surgeon tomorrow morning first to get the full pathology results of the mastectomy.  We were notified after surgery that all cancer was removed and lymph nodes were clean.  I'm sure they will also check all tissue removed even from the other breast.  In addition, I'm assuming she will be the one to let me know whether or not all three masses were individual masses and not joined together by any microscopic cancer cells (that's the prayer).  Should for any reason they be connected, it could possibly then be considered a Stage 2 cancer due to the size of the masses.

Next, we go to the oncologist who is located in the adjoining office.  She will walk us through and explain the full treatment plan.  At this point, chemotherapy boils down to what is called an oncotype test.  Due to the type of breast cancer I have, there is only 10% of cases that are responsive to chemotherapy and that's determined by this oncotype test.  We pray I am in the 90% group.  Please be in prayer for this!!  I do know that regardless there will be some type of hormone blocker treatment that is recommended for 5 years.  I'm not real excited about this and I am actually looking into some alternative treatments regarding this medication.  Because my type of breast cancer is driven by Estrogen and Progesterone, the goal is to have the body produce ZERO Estrogen.  HAHAHA!!!!  I don't think there will be any volunteers wanting to live in my household for the next five years!!!  LOL  My poor family!!!

That last appointment of the day is with the plastic surgeon.  As much as I want these drain tubes removed, I want more to make sure no infection develops.  My prayer is that they are ready to be removed, but regardless, I will be a very good patient (I know that's hard to believe) and do as the doctor orders.  The valium definitely makes them much more tolerable.  It's a darn good thing that nurse told me it was part of the muscle relaxer and I really needed to be taking it or I think I might would have removed them late last week...it was just unbearable - so annoying and irritable I just couldn't take it any more!!!

I thank you all for your continued support, prayers and encouraging words.  I've always been a pretty strong and independent person, but you guys make it so much easier!! I know that the Good Lord has placed each and every one of you in my life for a reason and I'm so honored to be able to call you all friend!!  I want you all to know that I have been at peace through my journey to this point...my FAITH is definitely bigger than my fear!!!  I know my God has a plan for me that has yet to be fullfilled and I'm looking forward to understanding that plan and letting His light shine through me every step of the way.

Continued prayers are appreciated and I will update you all tomorrow with the results.

Love and Belief!

Dana

Feeling some relief!!

I am so happy to report that I am starting to really feel some relief.  I have a feeling the valium gets a lot of the credit for that;-)  I might would have felt better sooner if I were a better patient...I'm pretty sure I get that quite honest!!

Yesterday started out very early as I had to be back at the plastic surgeon's office by 8:00 a.m.  Due to the fact that I needed breakfast, which called for a stop at Chick-fil-A, we were definitely running a bit late.  Lucky for us, so was the doc and all worked out well and we were in and out in literally 20 minutes....a nice 2 hour commute for a 20 minute appt., but it was worth it!!  He was able to extract the fluid pockets that they could see and drained 9cc from each breast.  They also gave me a different pain RX, which so far is not making me nauseas at all YEAH!!!

On the way home, mom and I made a quick stop by my office so that my co-workers could see that I really am among the living.  They have been so good to me and so supportive.  I couldn't be more blessed to work for a better group of people that really value me, my health and my family.  Thank you Bruce and Cain.  I know Judy and Kathy are doing a great job of picking up the slack and hopefully now I can get a few things done from the house which will help them out as well.

Of course a much needed nap was needed when I got home so I was able to get some good sleep before my mini-me got home from school.  Jill Lott's family brought over some yummy Pit-Masters BBQ: chopped beef sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad and mac-n-cheese.  Something for everyone!!  The night before we had a to-die-for taco ring made by Stephanie Provo (need that recipe).  Funny because last week we were full of chicken and this week beef, but absolutely no complaints because we've had some great meals!!  Not sure what the ole' family is going to do when the meals stop...LOL  I can't tell you all how much we appreciate the meals...they are a tremendous help!!!

I did make the ride with mom last night to take Rance to fencing and then a stop by Bed, Bath and Beyond.  A very nice getaway!!  You can only take so much in the same four walls of your house.  I'm an outdoors person anyway and love spending time on the porch, but it was nice to get some walking exercise out of the heat and out of the house.

 
I would have to say that I've probably felt the best today than I hve felt since before surgery.  Got up with the kids to get Ryleigh ready for her Boosterthon Fun Run today.  She loves this fundraiser and always goes all out. 

My son wore pink today for his momma after he wore pink last night at fencing for me and won his open fencing tournament.  LOVE IT!!!  I think he might have found his new color ;-)  Real men wear PINK!!!  Especially for their momma's <3

After we got him out the door, I took my meds and got a morning rest as I was expecting company before lunch.  One of my best childhood/ neighbhorhood friends and her mother came by to visit me (Melinda Henscey Broussard and Charlotte Henscey).  I really enjoyed my visit with them.  We have a lot of miles together through the years: chool, neighborhood play, softball, basketball...you name it!!!  Although our lives get so busy as adults, it's nice to reconnect with a friend and juct pick up like you never left off.  I am so very blessed to have so many friends in my life that I can do that with at any given time.  I probably graduated with at least 30-35 friends that I've know since Kindergarten or first grade...wonderful small town living :-)

They brought me a prayer quilt requested by them and created by the Prayer Quilt Ministry at Eagle Heights Fellowship.  What a sweet guesture and something that I will always cherish!!  I have attached a picture of the letter (hopefully you can read it) and a picture of the beautiful quilt they made me.  Each knot tied on one of the quilit panels represents a prayer that was said in my name.  A true act of giving and selflessness.  Thank you!!

I then ventured out to Ryleigh's school for about a half hour to watch her sweat her booty off at her Fun Run.  It was a scorcher!!  I did my best to stay in the shade, but had to walk a few laps with my sweet baby!!  I couldn't stand not going.  She came home early with me and I got me a much needed nap before she had to head off to gym.  So now she's gone to gym until 8:30 and Rance has plans with a friend until around 9:00ish so Keith and I can just have some quiet down time.  We haven't been alone since our stay in the hospital.  That's been okay, because we are so grateful for the added help, especially during such a difficult time. 

I'm off for the evening.  I hope you all have a wonderful Friday evening!!  Enjoy a happy hour drink for me and have a blessed weekend!!

Love and Belief!!

Dana

The ups and downs!!!

Well, the last two days have been full of ups and downs!!  Praises and disappointments!!  I definitely feel like I'm on a roller coaster...and I just want to get off!!

Yesterday I felt pretty great most of the day; however, I didn't get nearly as much rest as needed due to a repair man being in our house for several hours mid-day.  Once he left I was able to get a much needed shower which felt great and removed all bandages (a very nerve-wracking task) instead of just switching them out.  My skin was just getting so irritated from the tape and it felt great just letting all my skin breathe!!  I'm so thankful to have my momma here to help with all that and take care of me :o)  I know it's not an easy thing for her to watch her daughter go through, but she's been a real trooper!!

My late afternoon nap was just what I needed and I woke up around 6:30 feeling much better.  Enjoyed my dinner provided by the Osina family (Thanks, guys!), watched some Monday Night Football, took some more meds and back to sleep.  Unfortunately, I just did not sleep well.  I was so very uncomfortable and so "tense".  I went to bed looking forward to my doctor appointment set for today with the plastic surgeon as he had mentioned that I would have drains in after surgery for approximately 7 days. 

My day started off rough as I was just exhausted from "on and off" sleep all night.  Mom got the kids ready for school, which she's done all week - she's been my angel!!  I had scheduled to get my hair washed and dried by my wonderful hairdresser Jade again this morning as to just feel a little more alive since I had to actually get out in public.  I even put makeup on for the first time in over a week, which I was hoping would "pick me up", especially after getting my hair done.  I actually looked decent for a change ;-)  Unfortunately, it didn't matter what I looked like on the outside, I was struggling on the inside: mentally, physically and emotionally :-(

So off to the appointment we go with total hopes of getting my drain tubes removed as they are where most of my current pain and discomfort is coming from at this point.  Needless to say, that didn't happen and boy was I disappointed.  I know it sounds silly, but it really crushed my spirit today!!  What I thought was going to be a great appointment, turned out to be just the opposite.  There was definitely good news involved too, and I am very thankful for that!!  The details of the appointment are as follows (detailed and could be a little gross if you don't want to read):

Drains are doing their job and the fluid has decreased; however, the drainage is still red/ bloody instead of what they want to see is a more urine colored drainage and definitely nothing thick, which would mean infection.  They need the drains to remain due to the fact that with implant reconstruction, there is no natural breast tissue remaining to hold the implants as in a breast augmentation surgery; only skin which stretches.  Therefore, they have to insert an internal "bra shelf" to hold the implant.  Basically, a foreign material which they need to make sure the body will accept and not reject.  For this reason, the drains need to remain in place until they can make sure the body is "accepting" this procedure.  One more week!!  Disappointing for sure and seems like forever, but considering I was on bed rest for 3 months with each of my children, I figure this will be a piece of cake...I hope!!

The nurse noticed some fluid pockets that she tried to physically move toward the drain.  In addition, she attempted to remove the fluid with a syringe, but said she obviously did not go "far enough" in and wanted the doctor to take a look at it. He was in surgery so I head back in on Thursday for him to do that...ugghhh!!!  I did not go to this appointment thinking I was going to get prodded with more needles.  HAHA!!  Also, ended up with a phenergan shot for nausea as I had a bit of a panic attack during that little procedure.  It didn't hurt; I didn't feel a thing!!  I think it was just the thought of it all...made me sick to my stomach and made me feel as if I was going to pass out.  They informed me to make sure I was taking my valium RX, which I have not been taking.  And to definitely take it before my Thursday appointment.

My stitches were removed and just replaced with steri strips.  That process was pretty much painless and very quick.  The physician's assistant that was there and who was also present during my surgery said that everything went well in surgery and that the skin sparing and nipple sparing procedure they used was a success and that there should be no complications with that...a true blessing and praise report!!!

I have to say I could not get home from this appointment and get into my recliner soon enough.  I was totally WIPED OUT!!!  Mom made me some scrambled eggs and toast to eat and once I got that down, I took ALL MY MEDS and was OUT!!  I defintely woke up a different person :-) 

Now that dinner is done - PIZZA (thanks Lindsay and Fred) I, unfortunately, have to conquer a few things for taxes tonight as Keith heads back out of town in the morning for just a few days so it has to get done tonight.  I will then be introduced to my new pain med (got different RX today) and my new friend valium and then off to beddy bye!!  Praying for a restful night!!

Love and Belief!!

Dana

Pain, Pain go away!!!

WOWZA!!!  After a pretty good day the pain really caught me by surprise this evening!!! 

The day didn't start out so good as I've been waking up the past few mornings with a headache.  I think probably from the pain meds.  I've kind of changed up the way I was taking all the meds, which has really seemed to help with the headaches and the nausea; however, when I wake early morning (around 5:00 the past few mornings) and take the pain medication, I am not taking the nausea meds.  Hence, the reason maybe the headache???  I'm going stick to the daily regimen if I wake early morning and see if maybe that eliminates the headache tomorrow morning.  I pray it does!!

My 7:00 a.m. waking consisted of some tylenol and an ice pack for my head.  Slept great until around 9:00 when Keith came in and checked on me.  The headache had pretty much subsided by then and he made up a very yummy protein/ fruit smoothie (seems to be my normal breakfast these days).  Got that down and took pain meds and then back to sleep (OOPS!! I slept right through the movie I was supposed to be watching with Rance) and woke up feeling pretty great!!

Had a pretty awesome lazy day with great weather!!!  I absolutely LOVE these kind of days...laying around on the couch with the windows open, enjoying the cool breeze and listening to the kids play with their friends outside.  Even enjoyed it all for a while from the front porch with a glass of sweet ice tea as I was feeling very little pain most of the day.  Had a delicious lasagna lunch and watched the making of a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader (well, started too).  I was blessed with some wonderful visitors late afternoon so I definitely didn't mind the interruption.

Leesa (the kid's nanny from a few years back) and her son Stephen dropped by and treated us to some yummy peanut butter bars!!  Just what I had been craving all day...something really sweet!!  Later, one of my college friends Sherry Flores and her son Ryan came to visit from Baytown.  It was great seeing her as we haven't really visited with one another since we moved from Baytown back in 2008.  Next time I better not have to have surgery to get a visit ;-)  LOL (and she was the one that mentioned that, not me). 

Dinner tonight provided by our sweet neighbors Allen and Julie Hynes....chicken spaghetti, salad and cookies.  Great minds think alike as Sherry also brought a tray of chicken spaghetti.  You guys should have stayed and joined us for dinner...there was PLENTY!!!  Also had a quick visit from neighbors Shelleen and Ella :-)  Just popping in to check on me.  I have truly been blessed with some great friends throughout the years and couldn't live in a more supportive community.  LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Now it's quiet time!!  Visitors are gone, kids are down for the night and momma is medicated up and ready for some much needed rest!!  Please continue to pray...they are being answered!!  Pain is slowly going away, but the pain that is still there is in very specific areas (not just all over now), but very intense.  I go see the plastic surgeon on Tuesday and the drains that were inserted during surgery will be removed...oh, what a relief I think that will be.  One of those things I'm looking forward to having behind me.  My appointment with the breast surgeon and the oncologist has been changed to Tuesday, October 16th where I will receive the full pathology report from surgery and know the full treatment plan ahead of me.

I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend.  I would have loved to have had the opportunity to take my kiddos to a Fall Festival...perfect weather for it!!  Hopefully, very soon we'll be back at it.  Goodnight for now!!

Love and Belief!

Dana

Slowly, but surely starting to enjoy the little things again...

AHHHH!!!  Slowly, but surely I'm starting to feel a little more normal (HA!!  no comments necessary).  I finally started feeling some of the pain subside yesterday and today.  Funny thing is, when there's not pain all over, the pain in specific areas seem to be so much worse at times...go figure!!

Yesterday was a pretty lazy day...not that I haven't just been laying around every day since Monday, but it was the first day I wasn't so "out of it" and just enjoyed being lazy.  My mom went home for the day/ night so my cousin, Kevin gave me a ride first thing that morning up to my hairdresser's salon and I was able to get my hair washed and dried.  AHHH!!  The little things.  My friend, Melissa picked me up and drove me to the drug store for some Benadryl (the pain meds have my skin crawling...ugghhh!!).  Once I was home, I took my meds, got as comfy as possible in my new bed (the recliner in the TV room) and turned on the TV.  Yes, you heard me right!!  I actually turned on the TV.  The first time since I've been home.  Those of you that know me probably know that I very seldom ever turn on the TV.  After a very nice nap, I was able to enjoy a Matthew McConaughey Movie Marathon :-)  Yeah, he's pretty easy on the eyes!!!

A fajita dinner was provided by the Pardue family and it was so yummy!!  I was glad that Frankie decided to stick around, visit and eat dinner with us.  We also had a visit from Colleen and Kristen Ellison, who brought us a lasagna dinner to freeze.  I actually think that will be tomorrow's lunch :-),  Can't wait!!  I'm glad to be feeling "up to visitors" after a not-so-good Wednesday and Thursday.

This morning was great as I didn't wake during the 2:00-3:00 a.m. hour.  YAY!!  I actually slept in until 5:30ish.  That sounds pretty funny...slept in, but woke up at 5:30...that's so not me!!  I love my sleep, but the longer I lay there the stiffer I get.  Got up and did the rounds: restroom, water, meds, etc. and back to the recliner.  Back to sleep I went until I heard the kids around 8:30 a.m.  This time I woke feeling nauseas...so tired of that feeling.  I've been lucky to only feel it coming on, but so far no sickness from it.  Keith made me a yummy fruit smoothie, which hit the spot.  I took a very quick trip down the road with Keith just before lunch to pick up Rance from fencing.  I was hoping to watch him fence a few bouts; however, they were finishing up :-(  It turned out to be one of those things that seemed like a good idea until you realize it's not...LOL  Once I was there, I could hardly keep my eyes open.  So once I was back home, I did the normal routine: eat, meds, rest!! 

You realize in times like these just how much we take all the little things for granted...LOL  Many things just don't come so easy after surgery.  I've been able to shower, but it's not the easiest thing to do.  A shallow rince bath has been easier so that's what I've been doing.  Today, I even had the energy to shave my legs, but the under arm thing has been rather difficult and pretty much impossible for me.  So.....Keith and I got to have some bonding time today as he had the privilege of shaving my armpits :-)  Now that's true love ;-)  And I have to tell you this...that little gesture MADE my week!!

I was happy to have more visitors today.  Shana, one of my dearest, childhood friends came by to visit and brought me a nice little care package with some magazines and movies.  She's the sweetest!!  We've been friends since the age of 5/6.  Later in the day my mom returned and my sister and niece came by to visit and enjoy dinner provided by neighbors Luke and Nicki.  Thank you both so much as I know your life is busy with the twins.

All in all things are definitely getting better and easier.  I'm so glad to start enjoying the little things again: pulling the lever on the recliner, shaved legs/ arm pits and clean hair.

Thank you all for the flowers/ plants, cards, dinners, thoughts/ prayers and encouraging words that I continue to receive.  Your overflowing of support means so much to me!!

Love and Belief!

Dana

Day 3 - Post Op

HA!!!  When you think things can't get worse...they do!!  I woke up this morning in excruciating pain, a horrible headache and the nausea was just about unbearable!!  I just wanted to cry...so I did :-(

Then, my mom, the sweet thing that she is got my kiddos up and spoiled them with breakfast (bacon and eggs).  Sounds wonderful; right?  But not to the one suffering from nausea.  I got 'kicked' out of the house...LOL  I couldn't stand the smell and just knew I was going to be sick.  Luckily for me the weather was nice out and a breath of fresh air did me some good :-)

I took some advice from my wonderful friend, Amy, who has also been down this road and it seems I did a little better with the meds today and was not as nauseated as yesterday.  In addition, some shoulder rolls and the breathing exercises helped release some of the tension.  After a nice mid-morning nap I felt much better.

While Nana had lunch with Rance at school, I had a nice visit with my neighbor Shelleen who was nice enough to take our dog down to the groomer for us today.  The Good Lord is definitely working on my "asking for help" skills in all of this.  All of my neighbors have been so wonderful and supportive.  They have meals planned out for our family through next week.  What a BLESSING!!!  They are definitely spoiling us for sure!!

I left the house for the first time today since surgery.  No worries; I wasn't driving with my triple vision!!!  There was just no way I could send her out into the 'great unknown' to try and pick up our dog.  She gets lost on the 610 Loop so I surely couldn't send her into The Woodlands...LOL  We dropped Rance off at fencing and picked up the dog and then returned home for some yummy chicken and wild rice soup (thanks, Caron)!!

Ryleigh kind of flew in and out of the house like she does best.  I am really glad that they both have taken all this so well.  She's having her first "school night sleepover" with her best friend KK tonight.  Tomorrow is their third grade field trip and they are super excited!!  They have their matching clothes and need matching hair tomorrow, of course!!  That's what BFF's do ;-)

Keith has dinner plans tonight as the boss is in town for the rest of the week. Looks like it might be a movie night for me, Rance and Nana...if I last that long.

Many of you have asked about the next step.  I am not scheduled to receive my full pathology back from surgery until October 15th.  I will then have the results of the oncotype test and know whether or not chemotherapy is needed or not.  The oncologist has said that there's a 10% chance that I would need it and a 90% chance I wouldn't.  Please continue to pray, but regardless, I will get through this!!

Love and Belief to you all!!

Dana

Day 2 - Post Op

Yep!!!  The second day is always worse!! 

There's just nothing like being in a deep sleep when the dog starts barking at the Fed Ex man knocking on the door delivering flowers!!!  But regardless, I'm up now!!!  The pain is definitely worse today and the pain meds make me nauseas.  YUCK!!!  My "superwoman" - my mom is heading down to the drug store now to pick up another RX.

Hopefully it will settle the nausea quickly so I can get in the shower and feel a little more refreshed.  Pleaese continue to pray!

Love and Belief!

BTW - Thank you Bill Saunders (co-worker) for my beautiful flowers!!  And thanks to Grandma Vann for Ryleigh's birthday flowers!!

Day 1 - Post Op

After a pretty late start (surgery was scheduled for 2:00 yesterday and we didn't get started until shortly after 3:30) surgery is COMPLETE!!!  What a relief to know it's gone!!  Praise be to God that all was removed and lymph nodes were clean :-)

I expereienced the most pain ever yesterday...the stinking IV placement.  I kid you not, that was the most pain I have ever endured.  Now granted, once I came out of surgery I had forgotten all about the IV, but it felt as if she was wripping my skin off my hand when placing it in and I let her know about it.  It was my first time ever to scream out during an injection/ IV placement of any type!!  So glad all that's over!!

Arrived home today around 10:45.  So happy to be home!!!  Even more happy that my mom is here to help!!  And couldn't be more blessed with wonderful neighbors that have planned meals for us over the next two weeks :-)'

I can't thank you all enough for your prayers, love, support and encouraging words!!!  My poor husband trying to keep up with all the messages...he said he was so confused as to whose phone/ FB account he was on at times. 

Now we wait on pathology testing to come back regarding the oncotype.  This will determine whether or not chemotherapy is necessary.  Doctor had said that only 10% of this type of cancer benefits from chemotherapy.  Please continue to pray!!!

I just wanted to give you all a quick update to let you know that I'm home and I'm healing. 

Love and Belief!!

Dana