It's 7:45 after an interesting night. Cathy is doing well, but neither of us slept much because there was a girl next door who really didn't want to be in the hospital, wanted to have nurses working on her even less, and wasn't bashful in telling the entire hospital about it in no uncertain terms. All of that aside, the night was ok. Cathy had her catheter removed, he pain pump removed (which she only used a couple of times), has gotten up to walk around and use the restroom, and is feeling pretty good. The abdominal pain is considerable, of course. Her potassium is low, which is becoming a theme with Cathy, due to all the fluids she's received. She'll get two bags of K over the next four or five hours and then we should be on our way home.
Cathy is a bright spirit and kind soul. She's tough, determined, and strong willed. I'm sure she'll be functioning at full speed soon.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Surgery Update
This morning we arrived at the hospital at 5:30. Cathy was quickly moved to prep and had a gown on in no time. We met with anesthesia and Dr. Bowling before Cathy got loopy from versed. Cathy was in surgery by 7:30 and out a little after 9:00.
Dr. Bowling said that everything went according to plan. Her ovaries had slight adhesion to her uterus, so Dr. Bowling took a little of her uterine tissue along with the ovaries to make sure that all ovarian tissue was removed. Her mysterious pains on her right side will remain a mystery. Ever since her appendectomy she has had strange pains in the vicinity of the right ovary. When her appendix went crazy it became fused to her ovary and a cyst and they all had to be separated when her appendix was removed. Dr. Bowling saw nothing particularly strange in that area, so I guess we'll never know.
Cathy will stay overnight at Christ tonight and go home some time tomorrow. She's still asleep. I'll update again when she's talking.
Dr. Bowling said that everything went according to plan. Her ovaries had slight adhesion to her uterus, so Dr. Bowling took a little of her uterine tissue along with the ovaries to make sure that all ovarian tissue was removed. Her mysterious pains on her right side will remain a mystery. Ever since her appendectomy she has had strange pains in the vicinity of the right ovary. When her appendix went crazy it became fused to her ovary and a cyst and they all had to be separated when her appendix was removed. Dr. Bowling saw nothing particularly strange in that area, so I guess we'll never know.
Cathy will stay overnight at Christ tonight and go home some time tomorrow. She's still asleep. I'll update again when she's talking.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Cathy's Oophorectomy
It's been a long time since I made a blog post. No news is good news, right? Life and cancer recovery have been going along well for Cathy. Tomorrow is a next step, though. It is one we have planned for over a long period of time, but it doesn't make it easier. Tomorrow, Cathy will have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. This is a prophylactic surgery. While there will be pathology on the tissue that is removed, there are no indications that she currently has any cancer in her ovaries or tubes. The procedure is a planned course of action due to her BRCA1 gene mutation, which was a culprit in her development of breast cancer and has a strong correlation to ovarian cancer.
Since I haven't posted in quite a long time, let me give you an overview of recent times that led us to where we are now.
Friday before Memorial Day, 2012 - Cathy found a pea sized lump in her right breast
Saturday - Monday - Wait impatiently
Tuesday after Memorial Day - She went to her OBGYN who ordered an ultrasound
Wednesday - Ultrasound
Friday - Biopsy on the lump
Saturday - Sunday - Wait impatiently
Monday - The bad news comes. Breast cancer diagnosis.
First week of June - We learn more about the cancer. It is triple negative. She has genetic testing. She is BRCA1 gene mutation positive. These things are important to know in developing a treatment plan. She will have neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by bilateral mastectomy. Radiation TBD.
June 18 - Cathy has her first infusion of chemo: adriamycin, cytoxan, taxotere. She has six infusions, one every three weeks.
October 1 - Cathy finishes chemotherapy treatments
November 1 - Biopsy of lymph nodes. All clear. She will not need radiation.
November 13 - Bilateral mastectomy and tissue expander implants. Complete bilateral mastectomy is the choice because BRCA1 gene mutation means a high likelihood of recurrence if any breast tissue remains. Successful mastectomy, problems with the expanders. One expander leaks and is empty in a few days.
January 4, 2013 - Tissue expanders are replaced with permanent silicone gel implants.
February 2013 - Cathy develops capsular contracture, a hardening of the scar capsule around her implants.
April 23 - Cathy has her silicone gel implants removed and replaced with saline implants.
The last year - Cathy has regained strength, stamina, dealt with psoriasis and arthritis, planned for this upcoming oophorectomy, become dependent upon yoga for good feelings, went through menopause, came out of menopause, and has been a great mom.
Tomorrow Dr. Marcia Bowling will make 5 small incisions in Cathy's abdomen and then use robotic techniques to remove her ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a small portion of the tendon connected to the fallopian tubes. Apparently ovarian cancer most often develops in the tubes and travels to the ovaries, hence the need to take a portion of the tendon, as well.
Thank you all for hanging with us through all of this. We have felt the love all along.
Since I haven't posted in quite a long time, let me give you an overview of recent times that led us to where we are now.
Friday before Memorial Day, 2012 - Cathy found a pea sized lump in her right breast
Saturday - Monday - Wait impatiently
Tuesday after Memorial Day - She went to her OBGYN who ordered an ultrasound
Wednesday - Ultrasound
Friday - Biopsy on the lump
Saturday - Sunday - Wait impatiently
Monday - The bad news comes. Breast cancer diagnosis.
First week of June - We learn more about the cancer. It is triple negative. She has genetic testing. She is BRCA1 gene mutation positive. These things are important to know in developing a treatment plan. She will have neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by bilateral mastectomy. Radiation TBD.
June 18 - Cathy has her first infusion of chemo: adriamycin, cytoxan, taxotere. She has six infusions, one every three weeks.
October 1 - Cathy finishes chemotherapy treatments
November 1 - Biopsy of lymph nodes. All clear. She will not need radiation.
November 13 - Bilateral mastectomy and tissue expander implants. Complete bilateral mastectomy is the choice because BRCA1 gene mutation means a high likelihood of recurrence if any breast tissue remains. Successful mastectomy, problems with the expanders. One expander leaks and is empty in a few days.
January 4, 2013 - Tissue expanders are replaced with permanent silicone gel implants.
February 2013 - Cathy develops capsular contracture, a hardening of the scar capsule around her implants.
April 23 - Cathy has her silicone gel implants removed and replaced with saline implants.
The last year - Cathy has regained strength, stamina, dealt with psoriasis and arthritis, planned for this upcoming oophorectomy, become dependent upon yoga for good feelings, went through menopause, came out of menopause, and has been a great mom.
Tomorrow Dr. Marcia Bowling will make 5 small incisions in Cathy's abdomen and then use robotic techniques to remove her ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a small portion of the tendon connected to the fallopian tubes. Apparently ovarian cancer most often develops in the tubes and travels to the ovaries, hence the need to take a portion of the tendon, as well.
Thank you all for hanging with us through all of this. We have felt the love all along.
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