" I implore you, my child; observe heaven and earth, consider all that is in them, and acknowledge that God made them out of nothing (ex nihilo), and that mankind comes into being in the same way..." 2 Maccabees 7:28

Friday, March 14, 2008

Details...

I realize that I have been giving you my musings, but not much as far as factual information. So this will be the situational update.

I was released from the hospital on Saturday, and have been recovering amazingly quickly. I have been off painkillers during the day as of Wednesday, and I think I am going to go drug free tonight for the first time (hate to waste those Vicodin...). I have been up and around, to the farmers market, walking to church, and I will drive myself home from Larkspur to Campbell tomorrow (another reason to lay off the Vicoden tonight).

I have an appointment Monday to (I assume) discuss the results of the biopsy and set the dates for chemo to start, etc. At this point, I know nothing more about what the surgery revealed. I suppose I could call, but I think I'd rather be sitting down and in a calm place to hear the news. If there is cancer in the lymph nodes, I may have to have some radiation treatment as well, but chemotherapy is inevitable at this point due to the fact that the invasive tumor had blood circulation, which means that the blood could have carried it to other places whether or not the lymph nodes are involved.

I don't know when chemo will start; I am hoping for Good Friday, but that may be too soon for them to get everything together as I will be transferring my care from Kaiser San Jose to Kaiser San Rafael (and living at home with my parents).

I have some friends coming down from far away places to be with me during some of the chemo sessions- we haven't worked out the details but I am very excited. BroRo even bought a new board game for the occasion! Yay! I am hoping that during the chemotherapy session we can just bring all our petitions and we'll pray the rosary for all the intentions we have received. My dad likes the idea, but is a bit concerned as to how many rosaries that will equal, as a chemo session can last several hours. So many people have told me they wanted to be with me during the sessions! I am so excited (well, sort of... you get the idea). I feel like praying the rosary during this time with friends close will give this experience shape and meaning.

Don't know what I would do without the floods of support I am receiving from family, friends, total strangers.. it is awe- inspiring and humbling. I always saw myself as one who GIVES support, here I am in a position where I can only receive. I will let you know more as soon as I find out more from the docs.
Love Faith



F

2 comments:

hopeyg said...

Hey papes,

Wish I could be there to go to the chemo visits with you. Hey maybe if they last long enough, then I'll get to go with you this summer, but I hope you won't have to have chemo that long. I love you Papes. I'm praying for you along with half of Rome, the pope included :)

Love, hoper

Anonymous said...

I saw a disturbing bumper sticker today on my drive back to the Bay Area. it was a pink breast cancer ribbon which caught my attention and it said "Save The Haw-Haws!" Wierd. I also drove past a pasture full of eues and about 20 frolicing baby lambs. I made a u-turn to take a picture. I did not take a picture of the bumper sticker. Love Charity