Karla's Health Update - 10/05/08

Dear Family and Friends,

It’s been three weeks since my last update and my second mastectomy. I’m doing much better than I did after my first mastectomy, in April. The first time, I took narcotics for pain after surgery. I had a prescription, so I thought I was supposed to use it! What did I know? This time, over-the-counter pain meds have been adequate. I haven’t been as groggy, and I can drive. That’s been good, though that the seat belt is not my friend. Sometimes I have very definite pains, but generally it just feels like something a little warm and scratchy is wound around my chest too tightly.

I’ve wanted to celebrate the removal of the post-surgical drain, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m still draining too much. Hopefully, it will come out tomorrow, October 6. When it’s out, I will be able to wear different clothes—outer and inner apparel.J More than that, getting it out represents to me that this surgery is in the past. I love the thought of being one step closer to the finish line. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about my new figure (or lack of same), but I do have lots of saline in my temporary tissue expanders and haven’t been called “Sir” yet. I will get 60ccs more saline injected on each side as soon as I get rid of the drain. (Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you, tomorrow, you’re only a day away…)

No cancer was found in the breast or lymph nodes—and there is no need for more chemo. We are thankful! The breast had so many microcalcifications that cancer detection was unreliable, so I’m not sorry I made the choice. Soon, the port through which the chemo was administered can be surgically removed, too.
The post-surgery pathology report was puzzling. (1) It began by saying that “the female patient” travels internationally. I have no idea what that has to do with breast microcalcifications, but I will be glad to travel again. (2) It mentioned that the radiologist recommended this course of action, which is true, but his role was not to make that determination, his recommendations were oblique, and his written reports never said so. I was surprised to see it in the report. I think a more integrated and direct approach would be best for patients. (3) The pathology report never mentioned that donor (cadaver) tissue had been used. You may remember that I was shocked by the recovery room nursing giving me a paper to thank the family of the deceased for my transplant.

Update on the “transplant”: I was shocked, but now I actually like the innovation. It is called acellular dermal matrix. They used a small patch of tissue (collagen) that will eventually dissolve. It provides structure to stretch the muscle wall and hold in the tissue expander. It won’t be able to be rejected by my body, and it isn’t tissue in which cancer can grow. Those were my concerns. The doctor agrees he should have told me about it. To adapt to the idea of wearing someone else in my chest, I thought of naming my Right side Ralph, but Char suggested Regina. If they use it on the Left, Susie suggested Leticia. Since it’s is going to dissolve, I will just skip the naming ceremony.

I’ve been working at home off and on since April, but on my own schedule, not commuting in the heat. Last week, I was able to go back to the office four days in a row. Thank You, God! I felt like Wonder Woman. I cleaned up my very neglected office to make room for a much-anticipated co-worker. It felt good to bring some order to chaos. Exciting times are beginning! Guerino and Elsie arrive from Haiti in two days. Guerino and I have worked together for nearly twenty years, and we both had “amputations” this year. He lost a leg to diabetes, so his adaptation has been much more challenging than mine. Jack, Guerino, Elsie, and I will join fifty people from fifteen countries October 12-23 for Harvest’s staff conference at a camp in the mountains. I still have to prepare some responsibilities for the conference. Your prayers are appreciated. I will need energy beyond my own resources.

Since the left side of my bra has been filled with pillow stuffing since April, I thought it would be funny to exchange the stuffing for a soft squeaky toy. I would then tell people (medical personnel) I was having some unusual symptoms and wanted them to listen! Well, a couple of days after my September surgery, Adrienne arrived with a meal, some homemade apple butter, and a Victoria’s Secret bag—with a secret even Victoria could not have imagined. The bag contained two squeaky doggie-toy cheeseburgers. My chest is still a little too sore to wear the cheeseburgers, but I have modeled them a couple of times. J

On a less squeaky note … Within a very short time period, Georgia called from Colorado to say that I had been the focus of the prayer time at her “Girlfriends” group. Jack came home from a meeting where people at his table prayed for my healing. I opened an e-mail from cousins in Wisconsin who said they pray for me every day. Every day! And I had a beautiful two-hour conversation with Henrietta in Canada, who called to say she has been praying for me since April. I can’t begin to list the prayer support I have had. I do not deserve it—and that’s the point. I could never deserve God’s goodness, but He has cared for me graciously and generously. He has walked through the storm with us. I could never deserve the support you have given me, and I would be weaker without it. Bottom line: We do not walk alone! In fact, I saw a license plate a couple of days ago that really touched me. Next to the pink breast cancer ribbon was the license plate number … IWLK4U.

Are there ways we can walk with you?

Blessings,
Karla