Had a busy weekend, a minor setback Saturday night and I'm sticking to an easy pace now. Drove the boys to school this morning and got up at normal time... now it's time for another nap. Found a note from my days in the hospital when I was w/o computer with a coherent joke... What do you call a compulsive emailer/blogger with no computer access? Textually frustrated ;-P Ba da bing! And that was even on pain meds.
The BRA chix are mobilized and have a plan to take care of Joanne's family - we are good on a regular day, but when we are really in the zone, WE ROCK! All I'm doing is errands and laundry for the next two weeks, then after we return from South Dakota, I'll be up for more serious duty. Ian is enjoying the play room, library and other amenities at Mary Bridge and taking in his chemo. Parents weathered the first weekend of duty swapping well, we got their freezer stocked with food, lawn mowed and support persons alerted and scheduled.
Planned to go in to work one day this week, but it may have to wait until Saturday when someone else can transport and I only have to use the brain while I am there. I'm a one-trick pony these days, either drive or complete a task, not both. People keep telling me to pace myself and I felt great Saturday and over extended - walked 1.5 miles with Joe, baked, tried to get by with no naps to improve night sleep - and it backfired big time. Panic attack at 3 a.m., confused pain meds., insomnia, pain - not a good mix. I slept all of 3 hours and then went to church - which was actually the best thing for me. I got energized just being in my faith community, lots of love for me and our family in that building. We are blessed!
I'm not on the computer with photo access, so the Australia photos will continue tomorrow.
Peace and blessings!
Michelle ;-P
Monday, June 16, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Time for a Vacation Break
By request, no bad news today and more Australia photos, with explanations. We are going to start from day 1 and go forward as long as it takes. So, these are from my first day in Cairns. I was the wacky gal walking down the street pinching herself because I could not believe I was finally here! I was just amazed at the public art on the Esplanade, the tropical flowers that we only see in documentaries and just the smell, the feel, the sound of tropical birds making a heck of a racket from every tree - and these birds do not keep banker's hours, they make noise whenever the impulse arises.
Some kind of trailing orchid???
Public art at the play area on the Cairns esplanade.
My first hostel, not bad, but things got better as the trip progressed. The first night I needed a hotel within walking distance of where my tour met at 7:00 a.m. the next day. This photo is from the departing hotel just across the street.
Just a street in Cairns, my point for the boys is that it doesn't look much different except for the palm trees.
Play ground on the Cairns Esplanade.
This will be good therapy to go back through my trip day by day. Tomorrow will feature the tour group and going to the Great Barrier Reef - it was cold and cloudy that day, so the photos are not fantastic. Energy level is good today, Joe and I walked 1.5 miles this morning with only 3 short stops. I slept 10 hours last night and feel some semblance of normal except I feel like someone stabbed me in the lower abdominal region from time to time. It's getting better every day, I'm getting stronger every day and tomorrow we party!
Peace and blessings!
Michelle ;-P
Some kind of trailing orchid???
Public art at the play area on the Cairns esplanade.
My first hostel, not bad, but things got better as the trip progressed. The first night I needed a hotel within walking distance of where my tour met at 7:00 a.m. the next day. This photo is from the departing hotel just across the street.
Just a street in Cairns, my point for the boys is that it doesn't look much different except for the palm trees.
Play ground on the Cairns Esplanade.
This will be good therapy to go back through my trip day by day. Tomorrow will feature the tour group and going to the Great Barrier Reef - it was cold and cloudy that day, so the photos are not fantastic. Energy level is good today, Joe and I walked 1.5 miles this morning with only 3 short stops. I slept 10 hours last night and feel some semblance of normal except I feel like someone stabbed me in the lower abdominal region from time to time. It's getting better every day, I'm getting stronger every day and tomorrow we party!
Peace and blessings!
Michelle ;-P
Friday, June 13, 2008
It takes rain to make a rainbow...
Just got a call from one of the BRA Chix. Ian went in this a.m. for a bone marrow draw and he has leukemia. He will stay at Mary Bridge and have chemo for the next 10 days and then we reassess to see what the next steps are. Joanne is staying at the hospital for now, Paul will do the home thing with their other child, Rachel. The BRA Chix are having a mobilization meeting by 3-way phone call on Sunday. Between the 3 of us, we'll get it covered and do what we do best, take care of each other for as long as it takes, doing whatever it takes.
I really wish the outcome were different. I just had a feeling that 2 positive oncology reports were just not possible in the same week, darn it. My own experience has taught me a great deal and we'll learn even more from this journey.
Please continue to pray for good outcome for Ian, strength and rest for Joanne, patience and grace for the rest of the world in dealing with the Bridges family. Love, peace and blessings - and there are small blessings even in this experience, we just haven't found them yet.
Michelle ;-P
I really wish the outcome were different. I just had a feeling that 2 positive oncology reports were just not possible in the same week, darn it. My own experience has taught me a great deal and we'll learn even more from this journey.
Please continue to pray for good outcome for Ian, strength and rest for Joanne, patience and grace for the rest of the world in dealing with the Bridges family. Love, peace and blessings - and there are small blessings even in this experience, we just haven't found them yet.
Michelle ;-P
Thursday doc recap in a little more detail...
http://www.babycenter.com/0_cord-blood-banking-an-overview_1362261.bc
Information about cord blood donation - forward to anyone you know who is pregnant or making efforts to get that way.
This week is a good news/bad news: Pal Ian is having bone marrow draw Friday morning. Seventh circle of hell for his parents and more of that infernal waiting for results. PRAY! I will not complain about pain today in honor of Ian. I wish I could drink Bailey's in honor of Joanne. Later...
Had the idea of researching cord blood donation and it looks like it has made great progress since I looked into it when pregnant with Nick. At that time, there was no way to donate the cord blood and the placenta was "medical waste"; unless of course, you wished to pay a private company $400/yr to store it for your private use. If Ian ends up needing bone marrow transplant it looks like this is the new trend instead of finding cooperative matching live donors. Less invasive, less costly and less chance of rejection. Interesting how something we have always wasted can be recycled.
The status of my doc visits yesterday is "it's all good". Surgeon removed 12" of my large intestine including some areas of diverticulitis and 27 lymph nodes, good margins to check for other spread of cancer. All came back negative. Healing is going well, I will be able to resume most all activities, exercise, even work in mid-July. Except housework - vacuuming, hauling heavy objects - that needs to wait 8-10 weeks. Darn. I had a long list of questions for the surgeon and he went down the list answering each one fully and completely, even with humor on some. He was THRILLED the pathology news was so good and seemed proud of his work on my abdomen. I'm thrilled even with the scars, and may even proudly wear my bikini from Australia this summer... in the privacy of my own back yard ;-P
The oncologist doesn't have all of the pathology tests back yet, so I need to go back in mid-July for those. The ones he has back look good, it was a Stage 1 T2 tumor and he's checking to see if it has an 18Qminus marker as well as if it is diploid or anuloid. HUH? The tumor had grown into but not through the muscle wall and was contained from spreading to lymph nodes. The other tests will show if it is genetic mutation and if it was a rapid or slow growing cancer. The thought of both docs is that it could have been there from 3-10 years before starting to show symptoms. Since some people NEVER show symptoms, I was actually lucky. Recurrence rate based on those results put me in about 10% chance of recurrence within 5 years. I will have to have annual blood tests, CT scan and after 5 years will be considered cured with no recurrence. Should be a piece of cake if I follow through on my plans to make me a more hostile host to cancer cells - the old diet and exercise game.
I finally feel like I can breathe again. Sleep is a bit elusive - note the time of this post - but will get back to normal. I feel I need to find a purpose for why this occurred and what I'm supposed to do about it. For now, that is support Joanne and her family while they help Ian.
Getting the whole family in on that act. My dad was sent to Archie McPhee's last week to collect stuff 8yo boy appropriate - who better for the job. The only place in town to get propeller beanies, chicken catapults and other wacky stuff. Mom and I spent Monday separating items into mailable boxes and apparently, he has already received 3 - way to go, TEAM PHENICIE!
Looking forward to celebrating with my faith community on Sunday! It's been a rapid and bumpy ride, but seems to be smoothing to a dull roar now! AMEN!
Feeling lots of PEACE and many BLESSINGS!
Michelle ;-P
Information about cord blood donation - forward to anyone you know who is pregnant or making efforts to get that way.
This week is a good news/bad news: Pal Ian is having bone marrow draw Friday morning. Seventh circle of hell for his parents and more of that infernal waiting for results. PRAY! I will not complain about pain today in honor of Ian. I wish I could drink Bailey's in honor of Joanne. Later...
Had the idea of researching cord blood donation and it looks like it has made great progress since I looked into it when pregnant with Nick. At that time, there was no way to donate the cord blood and the placenta was "medical waste"; unless of course, you wished to pay a private company $400/yr to store it for your private use. If Ian ends up needing bone marrow transplant it looks like this is the new trend instead of finding cooperative matching live donors. Less invasive, less costly and less chance of rejection. Interesting how something we have always wasted can be recycled.
The status of my doc visits yesterday is "it's all good". Surgeon removed 12" of my large intestine including some areas of diverticulitis and 27 lymph nodes, good margins to check for other spread of cancer. All came back negative. Healing is going well, I will be able to resume most all activities, exercise, even work in mid-July. Except housework - vacuuming, hauling heavy objects - that needs to wait 8-10 weeks. Darn. I had a long list of questions for the surgeon and he went down the list answering each one fully and completely, even with humor on some. He was THRILLED the pathology news was so good and seemed proud of his work on my abdomen. I'm thrilled even with the scars, and may even proudly wear my bikini from Australia this summer... in the privacy of my own back yard ;-P
The oncologist doesn't have all of the pathology tests back yet, so I need to go back in mid-July for those. The ones he has back look good, it was a Stage 1 T2 tumor and he's checking to see if it has an 18Qminus marker as well as if it is diploid or anuloid. HUH? The tumor had grown into but not through the muscle wall and was contained from spreading to lymph nodes. The other tests will show if it is genetic mutation and if it was a rapid or slow growing cancer. The thought of both docs is that it could have been there from 3-10 years before starting to show symptoms. Since some people NEVER show symptoms, I was actually lucky. Recurrence rate based on those results put me in about 10% chance of recurrence within 5 years. I will have to have annual blood tests, CT scan and after 5 years will be considered cured with no recurrence. Should be a piece of cake if I follow through on my plans to make me a more hostile host to cancer cells - the old diet and exercise game.
I finally feel like I can breathe again. Sleep is a bit elusive - note the time of this post - but will get back to normal. I feel I need to find a purpose for why this occurred and what I'm supposed to do about it. For now, that is support Joanne and her family while they help Ian.
Getting the whole family in on that act. My dad was sent to Archie McPhee's last week to collect stuff 8yo boy appropriate - who better for the job. The only place in town to get propeller beanies, chicken catapults and other wacky stuff. Mom and I spent Monday separating items into mailable boxes and apparently, he has already received 3 - way to go, TEAM PHENICIE!
Looking forward to celebrating with my faith community on Sunday! It's been a rapid and bumpy ride, but seems to be smoothing to a dull roar now! AMEN!
Feeling lots of PEACE and many BLESSINGS!
Michelle ;-P
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Check up with surgeon and oncologist today
Surgeon/Moore: All looks good, I can drive next week. No hot tubs, swimming or bathing for a month; but I can shower, so no need to stand upwind.
Oncologist/Dong: No chemo necessary, come back in 1 month for more pathology results. Run blood tests and CT scans annually and to check for any recurrence (less than 10% chance), after 5 years of clear checkups I'm cured. No more lab/blood work necessary for either doc.
Good, because they stuck me 3 times and I was not cooperative. Didn't get enough blood to run a chem panel, but enough to do a blood count. Probably due to being tired and dehydrated from being up all day. I should sleep well tonight. Didn't sleep until 4 a.m. last night.
Tired, going to bed at 7, and will update the blog in the a.m. Just getting the basics out to the masses tonight. It's been a LONG day... ;-P
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Is it Wednesday already?
American Cancer Society Information about Colo-Rectal Cancer:
http://acs.p.delivery.net/m/p/acs/email/preview.asp?cid=12766623636&pid=724&mid=1099756672&msf=H
This seems like a long link, but I have been looking for a quick link for colon cancer information and POOF! This morning it appeared in my email box. I'm having a hard day, more pain waiting for that first... evacuation of the system and I'm a little tense. Those of you who have given birth know the feeling. "Whew, glad that's over. What? You mean I have to poop before I can go home?! Yea right, those muscles are in Tahiti right now and don't wish to be disturbed." Anyway, same general feeling, different situation.
Yesterday was busy and I may have overdone it. Dan was my babysitter on a flex-day from work and we made 2 lasagnes and delivered to Jenny (of the two kids having tonsilectomies BRA Chix). She greeted me at the door with "Aren't we supposed to be bringing YOU food?!" It was a good outing and good to get out of the house, but for some reason my Tylenol PMs did not work to let me sleep last night, so I'll be catching up today. Tomorrow is full of Dr. appts and I'll be in Seattle all day. I may have Joe type the update when I get home and dictate from the couch. Sounds like a plan.
Questions about services at St. C
1) Attire - come as you are - Bra Chix, let's leave the bras INSIDE the clothing for formality sake... we can take a photo out of doors afterwards if the spirit moves us.
2) Bring - yourself, any family, and a celebratory spirit. If you really must bring something make it a non-perishable food item for the food bank. We've noticed they have no cookies, something Dan set out to change yesterday. Peanut butter, tuna, soups, chili, etc. are always in high demand.
3) How formal is the service? Formal? St. C.? Not at all. We give it a good attempt at Easter and Christmas or if the Bishop visits, but flexibility and openness is what clinched it for us. We have a 3 yo Mason who wanders throughout the whole church sitting on various laps of his fans, it is a very open layout and relaxed, no kneelers, no pews, comfortable chairs. Try it, it will be a good fit.
4) Do we have to commit an offering? Not required. If you feel moved to, that is between you and God.
5) How long do you plan to party? I plan to be home for a nap by 12-12:30 at the latest and will be pooped from just getting dressed, getting there and participating.
Peace and Blessings, my first nap of the day is calling...
Michelle ;-P
http://acs.p.delivery.net/m/p/acs/email/preview.asp?cid=12766623636&pid=724&mid=1099756672&msf=H
This seems like a long link, but I have been looking for a quick link for colon cancer information and POOF! This morning it appeared in my email box. I'm having a hard day, more pain waiting for that first... evacuation of the system and I'm a little tense. Those of you who have given birth know the feeling. "Whew, glad that's over. What? You mean I have to poop before I can go home?! Yea right, those muscles are in Tahiti right now and don't wish to be disturbed." Anyway, same general feeling, different situation.
Yesterday was busy and I may have overdone it. Dan was my babysitter on a flex-day from work and we made 2 lasagnes and delivered to Jenny (of the two kids having tonsilectomies BRA Chix). She greeted me at the door with "Aren't we supposed to be bringing YOU food?!" It was a good outing and good to get out of the house, but for some reason my Tylenol PMs did not work to let me sleep last night, so I'll be catching up today. Tomorrow is full of Dr. appts and I'll be in Seattle all day. I may have Joe type the update when I get home and dictate from the couch. Sounds like a plan.
Questions about services at St. C
1) Attire - come as you are - Bra Chix, let's leave the bras INSIDE the clothing for formality sake... we can take a photo out of doors afterwards if the spirit moves us.
2) Bring - yourself, any family, and a celebratory spirit. If you really must bring something make it a non-perishable food item for the food bank. We've noticed they have no cookies, something Dan set out to change yesterday. Peanut butter, tuna, soups, chili, etc. are always in high demand.
3) How formal is the service? Formal? St. C.? Not at all. We give it a good attempt at Easter and Christmas or if the Bishop visits, but flexibility and openness is what clinched it for us. We have a 3 yo Mason who wanders throughout the whole church sitting on various laps of his fans, it is a very open layout and relaxed, no kneelers, no pews, comfortable chairs. Try it, it will be a good fit.
4) Do we have to commit an offering? Not required. If you feel moved to, that is between you and God.
5) How long do you plan to party? I plan to be home for a nap by 12-12:30 at the latest and will be pooped from just getting dressed, getting there and participating.
Peace and Blessings, my first nap of the day is calling...
Michelle ;-P
Monday, June 9, 2008
It was STAGE 1 !!! GOOD NEWS !!!
Phone call today from surgeon at 12 p.m. says the pathology shows the cancer was in stage 1 which means contained in the tumor/tissue which was removed from my large intestine. Very likely no chemotherapy or radiation will be necessary. We go to oncologist appt. Thursday to cross t's and dot i's, but that should be the end of this adventure.
I have spent most of the day on the phone, emailing and texting the news to anyone and everyone. Feeling more relaxed now, that I can let out the breath I have been holding to see what comes next.
Mom was here when I received the call and she is visibly relieved. It has been a heck of a last 30 days for my family as well. The boys were glad to hear the news but no real reaction. Everyone else has been very excited and relieved after I explain what exactly that means.
So, as promised, there will be champagne, mimosas and cake after the 10:00 Mass at St. Columba's Episcopal Church this weekend. All are welcome and the mood will be festive, we won't tell your deity of choice, if you wish to join in the celebratory atmosphere. St. Columba's is located at 26715 Military Road S., Kent, WA 98032 (253) 854-9912. No need to RSVP or let us know you plan to attend, just be there! Mass starts at 10 and we adjourn to the reception room for refreshments about 11:30-11:45.
I have spent most of the day on the phone, emailing and texting the news to anyone and everyone. Feeling more relaxed now, that I can let out the breath I have been holding to see what comes next.
Mom was here when I received the call and she is visibly relieved. It has been a heck of a last 30 days for my family as well. The boys were glad to hear the news but no real reaction. Everyone else has been very excited and relieved after I explain what exactly that means.
So, as promised, there will be champagne, mimosas and cake after the 10:00 Mass at St. Columba's Episcopal Church this weekend. All are welcome and the mood will be festive, we won't tell your deity of choice, if you wish to join in the celebratory atmosphere. St. Columba's is located at 26715 Military Road S., Kent, WA 98032 (253) 854-9912. No need to RSVP or let us know you plan to attend, just be there! Mass starts at 10 and we adjourn to the reception room for refreshments about 11:30-11:45.
We'd love to see you Sunday and celebrate the blessings of friends,
family, good health, living in a country with access to excellent health care
and all the wonderful things life entails! This will be a celebration of life and a
celebration for all who supported us during this time of challenge.
family, good health, living in a country with access to excellent health care
and all the wonderful things life entails! This will be a celebration of life and a
celebration for all who supported us during this time of challenge.
Feeling a little weak, a little pain, but VERY, VERY blessed today!
Peace and blessings!
Michelle ;-P
Peace and blessings!
Michelle ;-P
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