Hi Everyone,
Hoping you had a great 4th of July! We did...although I'm still a bit slow and get tired, Jim and I were lucky enough to see our local parade and Front Street celebration (in sunny, beautiful but windy weather by the sea!) with Damian and Sarah, Mike and KC. It was so good to see them all and to get caught up on the news. We decided not to go to the fireworks (hmm, actually I was asleep on the couch before 8:30 p.m.)...and it turned out to be the only non-foggy display since we've been here! Oh well...
Life is progressing along and I feel lucky to have an extra ten days before starting chemo. The last drain came out on June 30 - thank heavens! - and I decided to stay on the previous chemo schedule with a start date of 7/12. Not looking forward to it, but I am really appreciating the break from travel and medical stuff and just staying at home.
Jim and I got an email from a colleague yesterday asking us to speak at the Relay for Life kick off dinner this Friday. I've been thinking about it and we've agreed to do it...but I feel a bit of a fraud. This is, I think, the survivor's dinner - women who've actually been through the whole experience and come out the other side with some time under their belts. I'm in the middle of this whole process and am clearly not an expert or a survivor of much more than a few surgeries and life in general. I was awake last night trying to figure out what to say...it'll come to me eventually.
Continued many thanks for all the good wishes and support! You are all great blessings in our lives! Susan
Showing posts with label Drains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drains. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Plans Change 6/26/2010
Hello on this fine Saturday!
We know with this invader that nothing can be easily planned or considered the final word. All parts of this equation are moving at all times. And, what was to be a few tests, some doc appointments and starting chemo last week has been re-ordered.
After surgery (6/11/10) I left the hospital with three drains in place. Two were removed at my one week check-up and I came home with one. The drains are in place to remove excess fluid as swelling and other surgical injuries heal. The volume of drainage has to be below 30 ml in 24 hours for a drain to come out. The third drain is still significantly above that level and it couldn't be removed on Friday as anticipated. It's somewhat of a risk for infection and other complications to start chemo with an open drain in place, so the chemo has been postponed. We're hoping that the drain can be removed next week. Right now, I'm scheduled for chemo starting on 7/12/10.
We're home again...hooray! Our pets are pretty cling-y. They don't know what's up, just that we're gone a lot lately. Plans for today are to watch tennis (Wimbledon), watch World Cup soccer, unpack, walk the dogs, rest, knit...got the idea? Being lazy is high on both of our lists this weekend.
Many thanks to all of you for the good wishes, love, and support...Jon, Kathy, Joy, kids, Dan, Marianne, Susan, Patti, Geneva, Eugene, Anne, Carol, Damita, Rachel, Michele, Rick, Robin, Stacey, Jill, Kevin, Laura, Kevin, the noon Rotary, Marie, Joe, Karen, Sandy, Susan, Michelle, Kelly, Melody, Linda, Mike, KC, Jeff, Debra, Sarah, Jessie, Leapha, Margaret, Dick, Dot...I know I've missed many names and I'll try to add more later. It's been overwhelming - the support, the love, the prayers, the offers of help, the kind words, letters, emails and cards. If you don't see your name here, it's my fault...please know that your words and thoughts are so much appreciated.
To those of you who've walked this path or are walking it now, I'm sure you know about the phases of emotion and thinking that you go through with this diagnosis. Many of you have offered to share your experiences with me, to help me know what to expect at many levels. I'm a pretty independent cuss and, with my love and best friend at my side, haven't felt able to reach out yet to talk about experiences of others or to talk about mine. I know you know that everyone does this journey in their own way and hope you know that I have your names in my pocket as important folks to be in touch with when my head is ready. I know you are there and I so appreciate your willingness to dive into this with me. You will likely hear from me at some point; i'm just not sure when that point will arrive.
Our love to all of you! More soon. xoxoxoxoxSusan
We know with this invader that nothing can be easily planned or considered the final word. All parts of this equation are moving at all times. And, what was to be a few tests, some doc appointments and starting chemo last week has been re-ordered.
After surgery (6/11/10) I left the hospital with three drains in place. Two were removed at my one week check-up and I came home with one. The drains are in place to remove excess fluid as swelling and other surgical injuries heal. The volume of drainage has to be below 30 ml in 24 hours for a drain to come out. The third drain is still significantly above that level and it couldn't be removed on Friday as anticipated. It's somewhat of a risk for infection and other complications to start chemo with an open drain in place, so the chemo has been postponed. We're hoping that the drain can be removed next week. Right now, I'm scheduled for chemo starting on 7/12/10.
We're home again...hooray! Our pets are pretty cling-y. They don't know what's up, just that we're gone a lot lately. Plans for today are to watch tennis (Wimbledon), watch World Cup soccer, unpack, walk the dogs, rest, knit...got the idea? Being lazy is high on both of our lists this weekend.
Many thanks to all of you for the good wishes, love, and support...Jon, Kathy, Joy, kids, Dan, Marianne, Susan, Patti, Geneva, Eugene, Anne, Carol, Damita, Rachel, Michele, Rick, Robin, Stacey, Jill, Kevin, Laura, Kevin, the noon Rotary, Marie, Joe, Karen, Sandy, Susan, Michelle, Kelly, Melody, Linda, Mike, KC, Jeff, Debra, Sarah, Jessie, Leapha, Margaret, Dick, Dot...I know I've missed many names and I'll try to add more later. It's been overwhelming - the support, the love, the prayers, the offers of help, the kind words, letters, emails and cards. If you don't see your name here, it's my fault...please know that your words and thoughts are so much appreciated.
To those of you who've walked this path or are walking it now, I'm sure you know about the phases of emotion and thinking that you go through with this diagnosis. Many of you have offered to share your experiences with me, to help me know what to expect at many levels. I'm a pretty independent cuss and, with my love and best friend at my side, haven't felt able to reach out yet to talk about experiences of others or to talk about mine. I know you know that everyone does this journey in their own way and hope you know that I have your names in my pocket as important folks to be in touch with when my head is ready. I know you are there and I so appreciate your willingness to dive into this with me. You will likely hear from me at some point; i'm just not sure when that point will arrive.
Our love to all of you! More soon. xoxoxoxoxSusan
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