Hi to all my family and friends who have followed our blog.
Yesterday Dan and I made another long all day adventure to San Francisco to see the plastic surgeon. We take snacks and playing cards as we never know how long we will be there! The doctor was quite amazed at how well I am healing and we were able to review more of what went on during surgery, why things look and feel the way they do and see the pictures during surgery again. It is strange to see myself filleted wide open like that...those pictures are forever in my mind! He is recommending some gradual physical therapy for me. Dan and I are also going to start doing some short walks to try and get my strength back. The pain and discomfort are getting more tolerable. We will be seeing the doctors in two months and having a CT scan to check for more cancer in December. This will be the last of the blogs as I will slowly continue to recover and not a lot is new.
This whole ordeal has strengthened my faith, made me stronger and has shown me blessings that I have never known. I am so grateful for all of you who have been by my side the whole way, with prayers, cards, phone calls, meals, flowers, etc.
I love and appreciate you all with all my heart.
Hugs and Kisses XO Karen and Dan
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
THE FRIDAY NITE SMACKDOWN!!!
Well, a week or so ago Karen (we) ventured out of the house for a major non Doctor visit outing. NOT a good thing.
It was a weekend long double reunion. Friday being a "Grow" reunion get together. Followed by a Sat and Sun "friends I grew up with get together" reunion. All in the Hollister, Ca area. Karen lasted until Friday nite. Saturday and Sunday ............not so much. Friday started out with a 3 hour drive to Hollister. We though OK, it's the same as a drive to see the Doctor in SF. Reclined in the car seat .....no problem. Then it was sitting in a reclining lawn chair for a couple of hours while visiting with family ..........no problem. A slow walk across a baseball field to the visit the ladies room ......no problem. Then sitting at a picnic table for a bite to eat .........no problem. Then a slow walk to the baseball field to again relax in the recliner to watch a baseball game for an hour or so ......no problem. Then a return to a family members home to relax in a chair and the recliner to enjoy family once again at the end of the day ..........no problem. WRONG ........big problem! Too many insignificant little "events" added up to one big significant problem. She had a bad night Friday night, to say the least, so she spent the rest of the weekend "vegging" out in the recliner at my brothers house then the 3 hour trip back home. Needless to say I felt pretty bad for not recognizing what a long day Friday was for her. We thought she was set back a couple of weeks for sure. But she had friends over on Wednesday (her Birthday). They brought lunch and enjoyed a nice afternoon with her. And again on Thursday her sisters came over (with lunch) and she was able to enjoy another afternoon with them. All with no ill effects on her.
We then made another trip to SF on Friday to see the Surgeon. We had to leave at 5AM. for the 8AM appointment. I am happy to report that the Doctor said she will not be needing radiation or chemo treatments as the final lab reports show no evidence of any residual cancer cells. He reports that she is doing as good as can be expected and that all looks well.
We will be back in SF on the 23rd (2 month anniversary of the surgery) to visit the Plastic Surgeon. He may instruct us on possible therapy to help build her muscle strength and range of motion.
She continues to improve day by day but this is a long term project and expect full recovery to take upwards of a year or more. Please continue your prayers and thoughts on her behalf. We thank you all for your loving support.
Dan and Karen
It was a weekend long double reunion. Friday being a "Grow" reunion get together. Followed by a Sat and Sun "friends I grew up with get together" reunion. All in the Hollister, Ca area. Karen lasted until Friday nite. Saturday and Sunday ............not so much. Friday started out with a 3 hour drive to Hollister. We though OK, it's the same as a drive to see the Doctor in SF. Reclined in the car seat .....no problem. Then it was sitting in a reclining lawn chair for a couple of hours while visiting with family ..........no problem. A slow walk across a baseball field to the visit the ladies room ......no problem. Then sitting at a picnic table for a bite to eat .........no problem. Then a slow walk to the baseball field to again relax in the recliner to watch a baseball game for an hour or so ......no problem. Then a return to a family members home to relax in a chair and the recliner to enjoy family once again at the end of the day ..........no problem. WRONG ........big problem! Too many insignificant little "events" added up to one big significant problem. She had a bad night Friday night, to say the least, so she spent the rest of the weekend "vegging" out in the recliner at my brothers house then the 3 hour trip back home. Needless to say I felt pretty bad for not recognizing what a long day Friday was for her. We thought she was set back a couple of weeks for sure. But she had friends over on Wednesday (her Birthday). They brought lunch and enjoyed a nice afternoon with her. And again on Thursday her sisters came over (with lunch) and she was able to enjoy another afternoon with them. All with no ill effects on her.
We then made another trip to SF on Friday to see the Surgeon. We had to leave at 5AM. for the 8AM appointment. I am happy to report that the Doctor said she will not be needing radiation or chemo treatments as the final lab reports show no evidence of any residual cancer cells. He reports that she is doing as good as can be expected and that all looks well.
We will be back in SF on the 23rd (2 month anniversary of the surgery) to visit the Plastic Surgeon. He may instruct us on possible therapy to help build her muscle strength and range of motion.
She continues to improve day by day but this is a long term project and expect full recovery to take upwards of a year or more. Please continue your prayers and thoughts on her behalf. We thank you all for your loving support.
Dan and Karen
Thursday, July 21, 2011
BLA! .... ba .... BLA! .... BLA! .... BLOG!
Well I'm BACK!
It's been a couple of weeks now since my last update. I suppose it is time for another. We made our second post-op trip to SF last Tuesday. Karen made the trip this time without being cocooned in foam, pillows and blankets. I can't say it was a fun trip for her .......... a little extra drugs, in retrospect, would have made it easier. But she fared quite well. Also, there was no need for a wheel chair this time around once we got there. We arrived 45 minutes early so we devoured a meatloaf (thank you Sherry) sandwich prepared from the previous nights leftovers (yum), a slice of zucchini bread (thank you Suzie) and a soda(thank you safeway) then headed to the plastic surgeon's office. The doctor tells Karen he is very pleased with her progress. He said she is where she should be ........pain and all. Changed her bandages. Then answered a few questions like ..... what the HECK did you do to me and how did you DO it? He patiently (pun intended) explained. Karen asked if he took pictures? He said he did and asked "are you sure you want to see them?" Karen immediately said she did. So he pulls out his cell phone and shows us! ME-OH-MY! .......... (anyone for a fillet of fish!) At one point Karen asks "whats that?" He says ...... your INTESTINES. Ohhhh nice. I just hope the pictures don't show up on u-tube sometime. Overall we were pleased with the visit. He tells her again .... DO NOT USE YOUR ARMS for another month ........ yea..... we are half way. He did say she could wash her face, brush her teeth, comb her hair, etc. as long as it didn't hurt. ANY pain .... don't do it. Karen pops an oxycodone, hops in the car, we grab another meatloaf sandwich and we are off to Auburn.
We return to SF on the 29th of July to visit the Thoracic surgeon. He will advise us as to the need for radiation (he thinks it won't be necessary but is currently seeking the advise of a radiologist). He will take a few x-rays to check out his work and check her progress generally.
Thanks to all for an abundance of cards, flowers, meals, prayers and support. We truly love and appreciate it.
Bye again,
Dan and Karen
It's been a couple of weeks now since my last update. I suppose it is time for another. We made our second post-op trip to SF last Tuesday. Karen made the trip this time without being cocooned in foam, pillows and blankets. I can't say it was a fun trip for her .......... a little extra drugs, in retrospect, would have made it easier. But she fared quite well. Also, there was no need for a wheel chair this time around once we got there. We arrived 45 minutes early so we devoured a meatloaf (thank you Sherry) sandwich prepared from the previous nights leftovers (yum), a slice of zucchini bread (thank you Suzie) and a soda(thank you safeway) then headed to the plastic surgeon's office. The doctor tells Karen he is very pleased with her progress. He said she is where she should be ........pain and all. Changed her bandages. Then answered a few questions like ..... what the HECK did you do to me and how did you DO it? He patiently (pun intended) explained. Karen asked if he took pictures? He said he did and asked "are you sure you want to see them?" Karen immediately said she did. So he pulls out his cell phone and shows us! ME-OH-MY! .......... (anyone for a fillet of fish!) At one point Karen asks "whats that?" He says ...... your INTESTINES. Ohhhh nice. I just hope the pictures don't show up on u-tube sometime. Overall we were pleased with the visit. He tells her again .... DO NOT USE YOUR ARMS for another month ........ yea..... we are half way. He did say she could wash her face, brush her teeth, comb her hair, etc. as long as it didn't hurt. ANY pain .... don't do it. Karen pops an oxycodone, hops in the car, we grab another meatloaf sandwich and we are off to Auburn.
We return to SF on the 29th of July to visit the Thoracic surgeon. He will advise us as to the need for radiation (he thinks it won't be necessary but is currently seeking the advise of a radiologist). He will take a few x-rays to check out his work and check her progress generally.
Thanks to all for an abundance of cards, flowers, meals, prayers and support. We truly love and appreciate it.
Bye again,
Dan and Karen
Friday, July 8, 2011
OVER HILL, OVER DALE.....
It's been an uphill grind but now it should be a little easier. Or maybe I should say it's been a tough road so far but it will still be an uphill grind to full recovery...........but I'm sure you are reading this to find out about Karen ............so enough about me (JUST KIDDING!......geezz lighten up will ya). Anyway, it's going to be difficult to write something "new" everyday since her progress is going to be slow and go from now on. She continues to back off of pain meds (to less than half what she was taking when she first got home), she is more and more able to get up and sit down unassisted, shower without wound protection, eating practically anything she wants, no needs now from the in home nursing care,.......overall pretty darn good for being only 15 days out from major surgery.
Maybe you might like a little detail as to what she went through. Karen was diagnosed with a chondrosarcoma which is a rare form of bone cancer (give or take only about 1% of bone cancer cases) that typically grows out of the cartilage. So most Doctors see maybe one case in their entire career, if that. It was, in her case, pain free and very slow growing........hence the trap......we thought it was nothing for quite some time; until it was evident that it had definitely gotten bigger. (So all of you out there with bumps and lumps that don't bother you......... have them checked out anyway!) The surgeon removed the tumor which resided on her sternum directly over her heart. He also removed a "wide margin" beyond the tumor. That means about 5 inches wide and about 7 inches high overall. He filled the "gap" with a plastic type material similar to denture material (according to our dentist). It was embedded in a mesh which was sewn to her remaining ribs and etc. He then moved an ab muscle with skin attached up to the void. He said when it heals, if her stomach "itched" she would have to "scratch" her chest until her mind "figured things out". Right now it has no feeling. So until her rib cage heals and stabilizes she is not allowed to lift, pull, or push anything. So the better she feels the harder it's going to be to control herself. Anyway so this is the slow and go phase of things. I'll be back online with another post as significant events occur.
Until then,
Karen's helpmate
Maybe you might like a little detail as to what she went through. Karen was diagnosed with a chondrosarcoma which is a rare form of bone cancer (give or take only about 1% of bone cancer cases) that typically grows out of the cartilage. So most Doctors see maybe one case in their entire career, if that. It was, in her case, pain free and very slow growing........hence the trap......we thought it was nothing for quite some time; until it was evident that it had definitely gotten bigger. (So all of you out there with bumps and lumps that don't bother you......... have them checked out anyway!) The surgeon removed the tumor which resided on her sternum directly over her heart. He also removed a "wide margin" beyond the tumor. That means about 5 inches wide and about 7 inches high overall. He filled the "gap" with a plastic type material similar to denture material (according to our dentist). It was embedded in a mesh which was sewn to her remaining ribs and etc. He then moved an ab muscle with skin attached up to the void. He said when it heals, if her stomach "itched" she would have to "scratch" her chest until her mind "figured things out". Right now it has no feeling. So until her rib cage heals and stabilizes she is not allowed to lift, pull, or push anything. So the better she feels the harder it's going to be to control herself. Anyway so this is the slow and go phase of things. I'll be back online with another post as significant events occur.
Until then,
Karen's helpmate
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN...............FRAN.....................CISCO
Actually we meant to say "I left my PARTS in San Francisco" : Drains, drain tubes, drain containers, stitches and etc. Tuesday was a grueling day for all of us but especially for Karen. Getting ready to go, getting in the car, leaving for SF at 10:30AM, picking up Karen's sister Marsha near Sacramento, hitting heavy traffic in several spots along the way which delayed us nearly an hour and finally arriving at the Doctors with only 20 minutes to spare for a 2:45PM appointment. But it was an overall great news day. Pathology reports showed no cancer cells along the margins of the sternum and rib tips that were removed and that sufficient margins were removed beyond the tumor. Removal of the drain tubes (3) was a very painful procedure.....fortunately it didn't take long to do. It even hurt me and I was just watching......OUCH!! Removal of the stitches.........about a 100 or so, took way more time but not nearly as painful but no picnic either. He then put on a few band aids, answered a few questions, gave Karen a green light for a SHOWER on Weds (today YEAH!!) and we were "out-a-there" at 5:30PM. We expected long "commuter traffic" ride home but were pleasantly surprised with an "up to speed" trip all the way arriving here around 8:30PM. We answered a few phone calls, took a few pills (both of us) and hit the hay. WHEW!
Thank you Marsha for your company, your help, your expertise, and your sandwiches...they were delicious. We love you! Bye bye for now.
Thank you Marsha for your company, your help, your expertise, and your sandwiches...they were delicious. We love you! Bye bye for now.
Monday, July 4, 2011
ON OUR OWN NOW
Kelly left us bright and early Sunday morning. I have kind of gotten used to her here. Sad to see her go. But she has left me with charts and pills and medical supplies and instructions to keep track of and take care of her mom. I hope it all works.............. I already have forgotten to give Karen her pills exactly on time. I guess I need to have another list (and a few timers) to keep track of the lists and timers. Kristina is coming over to change out some dressings this morning. Great! That procedure is a little scary for me (and for Karen.........with ME doing it).
Well we'll be of to SF for a visit with the Doctors that performed the surgery on Tuesday. We are looking forward to having one or more drain tubes removed (she has three). This will hopefully leave us with a little less to have to worry about. We are grateful to Kelly's family for letting us borrow her for the last two weeks. She has been such a great help to us (along with the rest of Karen's family for keeping us fed and etc.).
WISH ME LUCK!
Well we'll be of to SF for a visit with the Doctors that performed the surgery on Tuesday. We are looking forward to having one or more drain tubes removed (she has three). This will hopefully leave us with a little less to have to worry about. We are grateful to Kelly's family for letting us borrow her for the last two weeks. She has been such a great help to us (along with the rest of Karen's family for keeping us fed and etc.).
WISH ME LUCK!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Good Bye from Kelly
Just a little note to let you all know that tomorrow morning I will be leaving mom and Dan and head home. Dan will be posting updates and keeping you all up to date on what's happening with mom. My only request is that you all continue to pray for pathology results to come back negative for cancer! I know that there are so many people willing to help with meal, errands, and anything else that's needed. I could not leave if I wasn't sure that there are dependable and capable people helping care for them both. Dan is most capable on his own along with mom's sister, Marsha who is an RN helping with dressing changes as needed. Thank You all for everything you do and have done to help my mom! XO Kelly
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