Well, we now have a date when Darilyn will go in for surgery. It is May 6. The oncologist will remove the right breast and some lymph nodes to check to see if there has been any spread there. The MRI she had showed that there is nothing in the left side and there really has been no spread beyond the immediate area. So the prognosis is good. After that is done, the plastic surgeon will begin the reconstruction of the breast using muscle and tissue from her abdomen. So there will be a tummy tuck in the process!!!! The surgeon will also finish the process of breast reduction which was the original plan that turned up the cancer. Thank good for small favors!! A device of some type will be inserted in the right side that will be increased in size weekly by injections of saline solution until enough space has been created in about 6 weeks so that an implant can be inserted. This is the plan. She will be at home for a while. I have taken time off from Wal-Mart to take care of her. I have only been allowed 2 weeks of this by my lady. We will see. She wants to get back to work as soon as she is ready. More power to her. It gives her something to fight for and a goal to focus on while recovering.
How is she taking it? She is meeting it head on and with a "stiff upper lip". But all is not always rosy. Tonight she dissolved into tears for the first time. She is afraid and who would not be. I am. But we will still be standing when this is done.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sunday PM
Time for another cut at this thing.
It has been an almost perfect day here in Pensacola. The sky was clear blue and sunny. The temp was upper 60's. Eat your heart out. Darilyn and I went for a long ride in the country and enjoyed the day immensely. We are taking as much time as we can to enjoy each and every day. Friday night we went to the auto races here. I have not done much of this in the past, but I will be doing it more from now on. The son of one of Darilyn's stepdaughters is racing his own car on a dirt track not to far away and we will go and support him. It should be a blast.
Baseball will be starting here in May. We have an American Association team here in Pensacola. They are not real great but who cares. They are our boys. We have watched them for the last couple of years. Now that the hockey season is over, we need something to do. Oh, we have a professional hockey team here as well. They are a farm team for the Blackhawks. And as we are in the south, there is always football around in the fall.
All else is going forward. We have some idea about what is going to happen with the surgery but more will be learned from pr-op visits to the doctors. No idea if chemo or radiation is going to be needed yet.
On another note, I have been thinking about a lot of things and pondering the imponderables. During some of my ruminations (is that the word??) it came to me that my dear sister Santini reminds me very strongly of our mother. Her ways and reactions to things are the image that I have when I think of mom. Maybe it is something genetic, but whatever it is, I felt it as my duty being the eldest and holder of the longest memory to bring it to light. (Yeah right)
Enough for now.
It has been an almost perfect day here in Pensacola. The sky was clear blue and sunny. The temp was upper 60's. Eat your heart out. Darilyn and I went for a long ride in the country and enjoyed the day immensely. We are taking as much time as we can to enjoy each and every day. Friday night we went to the auto races here. I have not done much of this in the past, but I will be doing it more from now on. The son of one of Darilyn's stepdaughters is racing his own car on a dirt track not to far away and we will go and support him. It should be a blast.
Baseball will be starting here in May. We have an American Association team here in Pensacola. They are not real great but who cares. They are our boys. We have watched them for the last couple of years. Now that the hockey season is over, we need something to do. Oh, we have a professional hockey team here as well. They are a farm team for the Blackhawks. And as we are in the south, there is always football around in the fall.
All else is going forward. We have some idea about what is going to happen with the surgery but more will be learned from pr-op visits to the doctors. No idea if chemo or radiation is going to be needed yet.
On another note, I have been thinking about a lot of things and pondering the imponderables. During some of my ruminations (is that the word??) it came to me that my dear sister Santini reminds me very strongly of our mother. Her ways and reactions to things are the image that I have when I think of mom. Maybe it is something genetic, but whatever it is, I felt it as my duty being the eldest and holder of the longest memory to bring it to light. (Yeah right)
Enough for now.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Finally, a date has been set.
As the title says, a date has been finally set for the procedure. May 6, 2008. The results of the MRI have been processed and there is no cancer in the left breast. The right side has to go. We report to the hospital at 0630 on May 6.
After hearing this, I went to work and began the process of getting time off to be with Darilyn. I found that I had anger and fear building in me during the process of my day. When I finally was able to figure out what was happening, it became quite evident that I was confronting the reality of what is going to be happening. And coming to grips with the reality that there is a chance, albeit very small, that I could lose my darling wife. And it was very frightening. I have gotten past the fear but the reality is still there and always will be. But this will not be the reason. NOT THIS TIME. And this will not beat me. Not now that I know what has tried to bite me in the backside.
As a very good man once told me, the one who wins is the one who is still standing at the end. And I am still standing up for us, Darilyn and I.
After hearing this, I went to work and began the process of getting time off to be with Darilyn. I found that I had anger and fear building in me during the process of my day. When I finally was able to figure out what was happening, it became quite evident that I was confronting the reality of what is going to be happening. And coming to grips with the reality that there is a chance, albeit very small, that I could lose my darling wife. And it was very frightening. I have gotten past the fear but the reality is still there and always will be. But this will not be the reason. NOT THIS TIME. And this will not beat me. Not now that I know what has tried to bite me in the backside.
As a very good man once told me, the one who wins is the one who is still standing at the end. And I am still standing up for us, Darilyn and I.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Monday, April 7
Now is the time to do another posting. We have no news on the medical front at this time. The oncologist is looking at the MRI data and we hope he is attempting to get something schedule, SOON. Darilyn has opted for the mastectomy on the right side. They will also take some lymph nodes to check them. She will immediately begin a reconstruction by the plastic surgeon and we go from there. There are some trying times and times of quiet fear. Life has the appearance of normality but how normal can it be with this in our heads. Oh, we will beat it. That is a given in my computations and with Darilyn as well. Just let us get at it. Why do we have to sit on our hands and wait for some other entities to make things happen???? WHY CANT THE WORLD SEE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET IT DONE!!!!!!
Sorry about the shouting. TT, have you heard from my eldest? She was looking for contact info so that her offspring could get to visit at St. Olaf this coming weekend. Would be nice to have some of my descendents back in the home area for a time.
We have found a YouTube video that is absolutely hilarious. A ventriloquist named Jeff Dunham has a series of pieces that has been saved and posted. We love the one about Achmed, the Dead Terrorist. We laughed until we cried. But we have always been a touch wierd.
Carl P. I just looked at your latest. I also noted from the images posted that you have a very strong resemblance to our dad. I like it. But that is just me. Oh, by the way - DONT TAKE SO LONG TO POST AGAIN!!!! Just kidding. ;o)
Sorry about the shouting. TT, have you heard from my eldest? She was looking for contact info so that her offspring could get to visit at St. Olaf this coming weekend. Would be nice to have some of my descendents back in the home area for a time.
We have found a YouTube video that is absolutely hilarious. A ventriloquist named Jeff Dunham has a series of pieces that has been saved and posted. We love the one about Achmed, the Dead Terrorist. We laughed until we cried. But we have always been a touch wierd.
Carl P. I just looked at your latest. I also noted from the images posted that you have a very strong resemblance to our dad. I like it. But that is just me. Oh, by the way - DONT TAKE SO LONG TO POST AGAIN!!!! Just kidding. ;o)
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