Journey with Cancer

Today we received another dinner delivered. For the last week families from Tricia’s lacrosse team, San Jose Extreme, have been bringing us some really delicious meals. In the 6 months since my diagnosis I have been blessed with meals, rides to and from doctor appointments, and other support from co-workers, Sharks hockey friends, my family, Tricia’s soccer teammates, RPG gamer buddies, neighbors, and long time friends (that might as well consider themselves family). It is just amazing. I am often brought to tears with the generosity and love from so many people. It is also pretty amazing that in some way I have touched the lives of so many people, and clearly in a good way. I must be doing something right with my life to have so much good to counter the bad. Thank you all so much.

And now I am getting support from strangers in the form of grants from some cancer charities. The oncology department at Kaiser has a social worker on staff to help cancer patients. She told me about a few charities to contact. Of course the local chapter of the American Cancer Society has helped, giving me a wig, a camisole to wear post-mastectomy, information about disability, SSDI, medicare and other financial things. A national organization call CancerCare in New York has sent me a check for $150.00 to help offset my co-pay on the many anti-neusea and pain medications I have taken and may send more. The biggest blessing is a local charity called FamiliesCAN - The Ronald Whittier Family Foundation. They have sent me enough money to pay off our biggest single bill - Tricia’s braces - almost $1500.00. That will lower our monthly bills by $150.00. They are also giving us some gift cards for Albertsons and Costco to help our grocery costs. Since state disabilty checks are quite a bit smaller than my normal paycheck these charities have been a huge financial help. Thank you to the wonderful caring people at these charities and to all who have supported them.

Links for these terrific organizations:
http://www.cancer.org/
http://www.cancercare.org/
http://www.familiescan.org/index.html

I have GREAT news!!! I got the pathology report today. There is no signs of cancer in any of the tissue they took out. Not in either breast or any of the 3 lymph nodes they removed. My surgeon says that it looks like I am a ‘complete responder’. That is a rare person whose cancer has been completely killed by the chemo. She will pass on the good news to my oncologist who will decide if I will still have radiation.

In the beginning everything was ‘rare’ and was bad news. Now everything is still rare but now all good news. I am not done. There are still things to do. Maybe radiation. Definately reconstructive surgery. Keep those thoughts and prayers going. They are working!!

Shauna

Stephanie here:
Shauna arrived home safe and sound yesterday. She’s doing really well, sounds strong and good. She can’t wait to get the bindings off, which may happen tomorrow (Monday) when she goes in to see the nurse practitioner to have the drains and bindings checked.

Craig is home with her for 2 weeks to help her get around and do the things she can’t because she can’t lift her arms.

Stephanie here:
Shauna is going to stay one more night in the hospital. She’ll be home tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. She’s off the IV so she has more mobility. She can lift her arms a little but, “they’re not goin’ over my head any time soon.” She says she feels pretty good.

Craig has been with her every step of the way, keeping watch while she rests.

Stephanie here:
Both Craig and Shauna called to tell me she was doing fine. She got out of recovery about 3:30. She said that she’s feeling surprisingly good. The doctors are going to let her decide when she goes home. If she feels all right, she’ll be released tomorrow (Friday). If not, she’ll stay until Saturday

That’s one more hurdle cleared!

We went to the Sharks game last night. It was wonderful to see some friends; Mike, Rene, Bruce, Pam, Norma and Dave K, they all came down to my seat to visit. That was the sweet. The sour was the game itself. Sharks played poorly and they lost. I didn’t win any jerseys or any other prizes (never have in all the years of going to the Fan Appreciation night). I hope they get things together before Nashville.

If I am not drugged out I will try to listen to the first playoff game on the radio on Friday. I already know that Kaiser doesn’t get Fox Sports or OLN on their TV’s. I just hope that radio reception is good. Worst case is Tivo ing and watching it when I get home a day or so later. Maybe I will do both. Go Sharks.

Stephanie here:
Shauna will go into the hospital on Thursday morning for her double mastectomy. Of course, I will blog the news from Craig as soon as I can.

In the meantime, continue with your prayers and positive vibes.

I’m also asking that we all redouble our efforts in helping the family with dinner and maybe some chores over the next few weeks. Shauna will not be able to lift anything, including her own arms, for a while. Craig will be home with her but I know that the extra help will be very appreciated.

As I am about to enter the hospital for my double mastectomy a friend told me about this bill. I urge all my friends and family to take a minute and go to the Lifetime website and sign the petition. The only info that you have to provide is your name and zip code. Thanks!

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html

I also found a terrific explaination of the condition in my lungs. It is from a doctor at the Mayo Clinic. Here is that website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/granuloma/AN00830

Shauna

I can’t completely detox my system but it has been over a week since I had any anti-nausea or anti-depressant medicine . Not nauseous if I eat every 4 hours. If I let my stomach go completely empty I get nauseous but if I eat a little something the nausea goes away. Every day I feel a tiny bit better and I get back a little more of my taste buds. I still can’t drink Pepsi but orange soda isn’t so bad. My feet and hands still hurt constantly. The pain may be more noticeable because the rest of me is starting to feel better, but I’m not sure. After each chemo round my feet and hands would get worse then get slowly better but it has never gone away completely. There is no guarantee that my hands and feet will ever be normal again. The thumb and first 2 fingers and the toes and balls of both feet are still tingly and painful all the time. I have to take vicodin at night in order to sleep. But right now it is the only medication I am taking and my body is doing its best to recover.

I always have more energy in the morning and am able to get a few errands done. I have learned to schedule my doctors appointments in the mornings. I still get tired by the afternoon and have to rest ahead of time if I want to go anywhere in the evening. I went to a funeral service for a family friend on Tuesday evening and went to a Memorial Service with my parents and siblings on Wednesday night. It was a challenge but I am glad I went to both. Saw some friends and family members and it was an uplifting time.

Craig and I will be going to the Sharks game on Monday April 17th. It is the last game of the regular season and I have been holding on to these tickets as a reward to myself and am so glad that I am able to go. Once I get to the seats I won’t be moving around during the game or intermissions. We will be in section 112 row 5 if anyone is there that night and wants to come say hi.

It is now official. The crap in my lungs is NOT cancer. Never was. That also means that I am not Stage IV, not terminal and never was. The nodules will need to be watched but will not require chemo or radiation or any of that. My doctor said that nodules like that can be caused by one of several things including tuberculosis - which they tested me for and I don’t have - or a serious lung infection that I may have had at some point in my life, or that sort of thing. There is a possibility at some point that they could grow bigger and cause breathing problems but for right now all I care about is that it isn’t going to kill me. They will of course talk about me at the tumor board tomorrow since I continue to be so rare and special.

Surgery is scheduled for April 20. Right now I am trying to wean myself from the anti-nausea drugs to allow my body to detoxify before surgery. I will still rest and try to build up a little more strength before surgery as well.

Do not let up on the prayers. I still have hurdles to get past.

Shauna