'You were born for this very moment'
I received an email from Kathleen this morning. I wanted to share it with you, as she has a full update on her status (many of you have been asking) and she thanks the many people who have carried her. This extends to YOU - the many people Christoph and I have met who have helped us during the campaign in donations, prayers, well wishes and overall support. You have made such an incredible difference - thank you.
The letter from Kathleen reads...
This Monday will have been six weeks from surgery and I can't tell you how better I felt especially last week. Unfortunately, I felt so much better that I challenged myself a bit too much... so I learned. Or, ugh, I am learning... the hard way... I am confined to bed or a recliner for 4 days. Possibly more unless the Dr. tells me otherwise.
The healing process is much longer than anticipated, so a new surgery has been set for this Thurs. at 10AM. He said I was about 3 weeks behind. The Dr. will take the scabs off and drain fluid etc... (is this grossing you out?). I didn't ask any more questions for the first time in my life... I just couldn't know anything else other than this procedure will take about 1.5 hours or less. Minimal discomfort.... Ha ...that is what he led me to believe about the groin surgery!!!!!
All in all this should speed up the healing procedure enough for me to have Chemo within a month.... verses about another 6 months without surgery......which leads me to say that I found my Oncologist. He was the first Dr. that examined me and said I was in no condition to start... if I had, I would have been seriously jeopardizing the original Tram Flap surgery to the point of losing the breast. So.... once I am totally healed, I will start the Chemo process.. [in about one month] I need 6 treatments in 4 months, thus every 3 weeks. He wants to pull out the strong stuff because of my age and cancer type. This was the 4th Oncologist opinion and he was the first to not only examine me but order tests; ie- heart and lung scans that will give him a base line. No other Dr. even mention or ordered such tests. ALSO and this is the biggie...... He understands and recongnizes my world of natural support for the immune system. Not only this.....he is knowledgeable of what supplements I am currently taking and feels that it would provide me with better energy and has seen studies that in NO way would my supplements interfere with his program! This was very contrary to ALL other opinions and of those other opinions no one was interested in reading reports proving otherwise or open for discussion.
I feel very confident in going through this process especially now. God has given me the peace of mind and provision with the right people.
The only negative side to this whole situation is that my original schedule has been delayed by about one month. But that is it. Once I start Chemo after my first treatment, I will be able to manage work and therapy just fine [Chemo treatment on Friday and in bed Fri, Sat and Sun, then back to work] . In addition, after Chemo.. I will be starting a Herceptin treatment for one year-- no fatigue or side effects! Since I have a 30% margin of potential recurrence/more cancer in other areas [70% margin of excellent health], Herceptin combined with Chemo will take that 30% margin and reduce it to 1.5% concern-- that's almost 100% cancer free instead of the 70% mentioned above. So, because I am young I will go through this.
originally, I did not think that my margins would be that wide [30%]. This is the first Dr. that showed me the %'s. Thus.. the program will begin, once healing from surgery is complete.
This whole process has been very trying. The greatest gift I have received is that I didn't feel like I could do this and you all held me up and carried me when I couldn't myself.... As I told my Dr Cox from the first surgery.... 'You were born for this very moment' as I believe you all were, as well, to aid in carrying me.
;-) thanks for being here....
Love,
Kathleen
I received an email from Kathleen this morning. I wanted to share it with you, as she has a full update on her status (many of you have been asking) and she thanks the many people who have carried her. This extends to YOU - the many people Christoph and I have met who have helped us during the campaign in donations, prayers, well wishes and overall support. You have made such an incredible difference - thank you.
The letter from Kathleen reads...
This Monday will have been six weeks from surgery and I can't tell you how better I felt especially last week. Unfortunately, I felt so much better that I challenged myself a bit too much... so I learned. Or, ugh, I am learning... the hard way... I am confined to bed or a recliner for 4 days. Possibly more unless the Dr. tells me otherwise.
The healing process is much longer than anticipated, so a new surgery has been set for this Thurs. at 10AM. He said I was about 3 weeks behind. The Dr. will take the scabs off and drain fluid etc... (is this grossing you out?). I didn't ask any more questions for the first time in my life... I just couldn't know anything else other than this procedure will take about 1.5 hours or less. Minimal discomfort.... Ha ...that is what he led me to believe about the groin surgery!!!!!
All in all this should speed up the healing procedure enough for me to have Chemo within a month.... verses about another 6 months without surgery......which leads me to say that I found my Oncologist. He was the first Dr. that examined me and said I was in no condition to start... if I had, I would have been seriously jeopardizing the original Tram Flap surgery to the point of losing the breast. So.... once I am totally healed, I will start the Chemo process.. [in about one month] I need 6 treatments in 4 months, thus every 3 weeks. He wants to pull out the strong stuff because of my age and cancer type. This was the 4th Oncologist opinion and he was the first to not only examine me but order tests; ie- heart and lung scans that will give him a base line. No other Dr. even mention or ordered such tests. ALSO and this is the biggie...... He understands and recongnizes my world of natural support for the immune system. Not only this.....he is knowledgeable of what supplements I am currently taking and feels that it would provide me with better energy and has seen studies that in NO way would my supplements interfere with his program! This was very contrary to ALL other opinions and of those other opinions no one was interested in reading reports proving otherwise or open for discussion.
I feel very confident in going through this process especially now. God has given me the peace of mind and provision with the right people.
The only negative side to this whole situation is that my original schedule has been delayed by about one month. But that is it. Once I start Chemo after my first treatment, I will be able to manage work and therapy just fine [Chemo treatment on Friday and in bed Fri, Sat and Sun, then back to work] . In addition, after Chemo.. I will be starting a Herceptin treatment for one year-- no fatigue or side effects! Since I have a 30% margin of potential recurrence/more cancer in other areas [70% margin of excellent health], Herceptin combined with Chemo will take that 30% margin and reduce it to 1.5% concern-- that's almost 100% cancer free instead of the 70% mentioned above. So, because I am young I will go through this.
originally, I did not think that my margins would be that wide [30%]. This is the first Dr. that showed me the %'s. Thus.. the program will begin, once healing from surgery is complete.
This whole process has been very trying. The greatest gift I have received is that I didn't feel like I could do this and you all held me up and carried me when I couldn't myself.... As I told my Dr Cox from the first surgery.... 'You were born for this very moment' as I believe you all were, as well, to aid in carrying me.
;-) thanks for being here....
Love,
Kathleen
posted by Priscilla at 1:55 PM
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