Monday, September 24, 2012

It is a V.G.D.!!!

Let me just say that I don't think there's ever been quite as much Kirk Gibson arm pumping going on at Swedish Hospital as there was today... The PET/CT scan shows the cancer has not spread to other organs or other areas! WOO HOO!!!! Thank you Lord for your protection and help!
 
We still have a bone scan on Wednesday (at 6:45am - ugh!) that, according to our Doc, could possibly show some metastasis (spreading), but at this point it's "unlikely".
 
This is such good news! I didn't even realize I was tense about this, but it comes as a huge relief, and now we're all exhausted. Greg's napping and we're all just taking it easy for the rest of today. Our Doc is all-business so we stifled our ('inappropriate' my right ta-ta) explosions of glee until we had a few moments alone. Has anyone seen me tap dance? Well, you missed your chance today! Have you seen Greg grin really hard? (Hey, he's an engineer - that IS excitement for him!) Gwen is optimistic that "they can just chop it off then, right?" Nothing like cutting right to the chase there, kid.
 
Tomorrow brings a surgical call bright and early at 5:30 am (sometimes I wonder if they are trying to kill me! haha) and then I will be recovering the rest of the day at a lovely little historic hotel right next to Swedish. I'm having a port put in my left neck/chest area so that they can administer the chemo meds through it over the next few weeks (months, more likely) and not have to stick me over and over, and/or risk my veins collapsing. Hopefully Greg and the girlies can get out and about for some fun in the big city while I lounge on the couch watching SOCCER!
 
FYI, we are leaning toward heading back to Juneau for the chemo so we can be close to friends and church family, and to all that is near and dear to us, such as fresh air, clean water, peace and quiet, darkness, and our dog. This could of course change depending on the results of the bone scan.
 
 
As always, we'll keep y'all in the loop and ask you to keep us in your prayers.
BTW, VGD = Very Good Day!! :)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Thinking Positively



OK, so you all know I'm at Swedish. The weather is amazing, but I would not recommend a core biopsy. Ouch! and &%$#@!!!
 
I now have a clinical diagnosis of breast cancer, but the pathology results will be back tomorrow and we'll have a better idea of treatments at that time. So far, the surgeon recommends chemo first to shrink the tumor then surgery after that. Not sure on the timing at this point. He also recommends a masectomy on the right side for starters. I may get a double whammy out of this before it's all over.
That's the news from here. I'll keep you posted as I can. Blessings!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I got those biopsy blues

We're heading down to Swedish Hospital in Seattle for a while. Not sure what to expect, but we'll have results a week from today. Please keep us all in your prayers. Thanks!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Fingers Crossed for Pictures...

Amelia picking dandelions while Greg leaves for a spring bear hunt.


Gwendolyn picking dandelions in the rare sunshine.
Beautiful flowers from beautiful girls.

Back to our normal rainy days.

We took a homeschool hike to the flume where much of the city's water supply comes down from the glaciers.

More lovely flowers to pick.

Can't resist a scenery shot or two. Didn't see any bears this trip, but did see one porcupine munching away.



UAS Community Day found us with lots of fun crafts to do, sights to see, and music to hear.
Here are two girlies with a big, metal raven.

Congrats to both Gwen and Amelia for successful completion of Sunday School.

Both girls were given their very own  Bibles as reward for memorizing all 66 books of the Bible.

The depths of Auke Lake where we took a hike with some homeschool friends last spring, and where Greg and I did the swimming leg of the triathlon in August.

Auke Lake Trail

Auke Lake Trail