Overall, I am making great progress day by day, I even was able to get my drains out this past Friday. It is difficult to express how much better I feel without those drains, I am sleeping better and feel more like "myself." I am still pretty tired though. I was able to take a shower for the first time today since surgery. I was so exhausted afterward that I slept for two and a half hours.
I am writing this post to ask you to pray specifically for the healing process where my left breast was and will eventually be again. That side is where the cancer was and it is healing more slowly than the right side. There is one area in particular that looks like the blood supply is not being established like it needs to be, the skin is sort of black and the incision there is still oozing a bit rather than scabbing over like all of the rest. Sorry to those for whom that was way too much information, but I really need specific prayer for this to heal.
Thank you for joining us in praying for total healing and restoration of the blood supply to the skin in that area!! Blessings to you, we are so very grateful that you continue to stand with us in prayer.
I see the oncologist tomorrow, Tuesday August 12, to go over the pathology report and make final decisions on the chemo treatment, etc. Please pray for wisdom and that Ron and I would be able to think of any questions we need to ask as the doctor explains everything to us.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Great Weekend
Sorry for the long silence over the weekend. Ron, Karyn and Hannah were down in Rancho Cucamonga, near Los Angeles, for Michael and Heidi Warren's wedding! Ron performed the ceremony and Hannah was a bridesmaid. I was supposed to help with the ceremony, but had to stay home for obvious reasons. I heard that the wedding was beautiful, Walt Pelot gave an opportunity for people there to give their lives to Jesus, Mike was handsome and Heidi beautiful, and Hannah looked lovely. Mike and Heidi did something that so blessed us. Rather than spend money on wedding favors, they decided to use that money to give as a donation to the fight against breast cancer. Ron and I both teared up, that was amazingly thoughtful and precious to both of us.
Meanwhile, I could not travel and still needed considerable help with drains, meals, etc. So, my dear friends, Mary Forsythe from Texas and Beth Clark from Tennessee, flew out and stayed here at the house and took care of me. They were amazing and we had a great time together. Mary's education was as a pharmacist, though she now has her own ministry, and she was able to help me sort out my medications so that my pain has been managed much better over the past several days...a huge relief! Karen Greschel was also on hand to help out, so I was in great hands. Both Mary and Beth ministered at our church on Sunday morning and Mary preached. What a blessing they are! Thanks so much, Mary and Beth, for coming all the way out here to care for me. I loved being with you!
I am continuing to get stronger day by day...thank you so much for praying.
Meanwhile, I could not travel and still needed considerable help with drains, meals, etc. So, my dear friends, Mary Forsythe from Texas and Beth Clark from Tennessee, flew out and stayed here at the house and took care of me. They were amazing and we had a great time together. Mary's education was as a pharmacist, though she now has her own ministry, and she was able to help me sort out my medications so that my pain has been managed much better over the past several days...a huge relief! Karen Greschel was also on hand to help out, so I was in great hands. Both Mary and Beth ministered at our church on Sunday morning and Mary preached. What a blessing they are! Thanks so much, Mary and Beth, for coming all the way out here to care for me. I loved being with you!
I am continuing to get stronger day by day...thank you so much for praying.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Post-op appointments with surgeons
I saw Dr. Ghorbani (plastic surgeon) yesterday and Dr. Kerlin today. Both doctors said everything looks good. The only problem is that the incision on the left side had a little place that is healing more slowly than the rest, would you please pray that the healing process catches up and keeps moving forward. Thank you.
Because the healing is going a little more slowly than expected, they are keeping the drains in on both sides for a few more days. Also, Dr. Kerlin said we may need to postpone chemo for another week or two depending on how the healing process continues. Again, please pray for swift, complication-free healing. I am hoping they are amazed at how much quicker things are healing the next time I go into see the doctors.
Since Friday, I have only been taking Tylenol and Advil for pain because the other drugs were making me very sick with pretty violent vomiting--not good after surgery! This is a whole lot of surgery for just Tylenol and the pain level has been higher than is conducive to healing, so today I spoke with Dr. Kerlin and we are trying another stronger pain medicine tonight. Please, please pray that I am able to handle this medication, that I do not get nauseous and that it will control my pain better. I think it will help to speed up the healing process.
I forgot to mention that they also put a "port" in my chest to enable the chemo treatments to be infused directly into a major vein rather than through smaller veins in my arms. That is healing beautifully.
I really wish I knew how to better express my extreme gratitude to all of you for your faithful prayers, encouragement, Scriptures, meals and gifts. You all have been such a tangible expression of God's loving grace, comfort and care to me and my entire family. Thank you so very much. with much love to you, Leslyn
Because the healing is going a little more slowly than expected, they are keeping the drains in on both sides for a few more days. Also, Dr. Kerlin said we may need to postpone chemo for another week or two depending on how the healing process continues. Again, please pray for swift, complication-free healing. I am hoping they are amazed at how much quicker things are healing the next time I go into see the doctors.
Since Friday, I have only been taking Tylenol and Advil for pain because the other drugs were making me very sick with pretty violent vomiting--not good after surgery! This is a whole lot of surgery for just Tylenol and the pain level has been higher than is conducive to healing, so today I spoke with Dr. Kerlin and we are trying another stronger pain medicine tonight. Please, please pray that I am able to handle this medication, that I do not get nauseous and that it will control my pain better. I think it will help to speed up the healing process.
I forgot to mention that they also put a "port" in my chest to enable the chemo treatments to be infused directly into a major vein rather than through smaller veins in my arms. That is healing beautifully.
I really wish I knew how to better express my extreme gratitude to all of you for your faithful prayers, encouragement, Scriptures, meals and gifts. You all have been such a tangible expression of God's loving grace, comfort and care to me and my entire family. Thank you so very much. with much love to you, Leslyn
Pathology Report
The pathology report came back with the results from the tissue taken during the surgery and the news is good. The results, in light of the PET scan and MRI, were what the doctors had hoped would be the case. The doctor said several times that we absolutely made the right decision to take both breasts. The right breast was completely clear of cancer, praise the Lord, but the tissue was full of pre-cancerous cells that were ready to turn. It would have been like having a time bomb in my body waiting to go off. I am so grateful for the wisdom of the Lord.
In the PET scan and MRI, it looked like the left breast had a 10 cm tumor in it covering most of the lower half. The oncologist said he HOPED that rather than a solid mass, that the surgery would show that there were small tumors spread throughout the lower half of the breast with clear tissue in between them, which the scans could not differentiate. That was exactly what they found in the pathology report! The largest tumor, and it looked like there were two or three of them, was only 2 cm (a MUCH better scenario than one very large tumor). There were many tumors, most of which were only a millimeter and some were microscopic.
Only one lymph node had cancer, which was what we were hoping for based on the scans. The doctor said she was amazed that it was contained there because the whole node had become a tumor. They took the two centinal nodes on either side and a "packet" of 15 nodes as well from the surrounding area and all of them were completely clear of cancer!! Thank you, Jesus, for keeping that cancer contained! The doctor said usually when they see the cancer that far along in a lymph node, they find it in the other nodes too. I really believe the Lord answered our prayers to keep that cancer contained and that He did not allow it to spread. I see that as being a miracle.
Thank you so much for praying and for contending for my life and fully restored health. Based on what we knew going in, this was the best possible medical outcome. I am so grateful.
In the PET scan and MRI, it looked like the left breast had a 10 cm tumor in it covering most of the lower half. The oncologist said he HOPED that rather than a solid mass, that the surgery would show that there were small tumors spread throughout the lower half of the breast with clear tissue in between them, which the scans could not differentiate. That was exactly what they found in the pathology report! The largest tumor, and it looked like there were two or three of them, was only 2 cm (a MUCH better scenario than one very large tumor). There were many tumors, most of which were only a millimeter and some were microscopic.
Only one lymph node had cancer, which was what we were hoping for based on the scans. The doctor said she was amazed that it was contained there because the whole node had become a tumor. They took the two centinal nodes on either side and a "packet" of 15 nodes as well from the surrounding area and all of them were completely clear of cancer!! Thank you, Jesus, for keeping that cancer contained! The doctor said usually when they see the cancer that far along in a lymph node, they find it in the other nodes too. I really believe the Lord answered our prayers to keep that cancer contained and that He did not allow it to spread. I see that as being a miracle.
Thank you so much for praying and for contending for my life and fully restored health. Based on what we knew going in, this was the best possible medical outcome. I am so grateful.
something changed
On the second morning in the hospital, I was awakened to the already familiar sound of the vital sign machine coming into my room at 4:00 AM. I was wide awake by the time the very kind nurse left my room (I did have AMAZING nurses day and night, I KNOW some of you were praying for that specifically...thank you so much!!).
As I looked out the window of my private room (another answer to prayer!) the dawn began to break over the mountain. Admittedly, I have not seen a lot of sunrises in my life and so I watched carefully, knowing God was wanting to speak to me. Dawn breaks so slowly, the darkness finally receding after a long, dark night. At times it seems that no progress is being made at all, though the sun is relentlessly rising all that same. The sun doesn't just POP! up over the horizon, it takes a long time but by the time the sun does rise up fully, the darkness has vanished. Dawn is a gentle wakening, like a mother waking her child slowly and lovingly, not by harshly flipping on the lights. I pondered these aspects and more as I watched the transformation the sun brings to dark and cold places.
As I watched, I began to realize that since having the cancer removed two days before, I felt totally different inside. Over these past nine months, I have been running a fever and feeling really sick. I have known deep inside that there was something really wrong with me. I realized that morning that the deep sense of well-being that I normally feel had returned. Though I still am hurting from the surgery, am tired and have a long way to go, down deep inside, I feel so much better. I feel "well." I truly believe that all of my symptoms were my bodies way of fighting the cancer and trying to warn me that something was very wrong and needed attention. My fever is already going away, not everyday, but most days I am fever free and my heart is healing too. My cardiologist already dropped the dosage of my beta blockers by half because of the improvement.
My family and I have experienced many instant and amazingly miraculous healings over the years. Sometimes God moves instantaneously and other times through a process. That morning I began to sense the "dawn" of God's healing slowly breaking over my body, pushing back the darkness that has hung over me for months. Dawn breaks slowly but when the Son rises fully, the darkness must vanish.
As I looked out the window of my private room (another answer to prayer!) the dawn began to break over the mountain. Admittedly, I have not seen a lot of sunrises in my life and so I watched carefully, knowing God was wanting to speak to me. Dawn breaks so slowly, the darkness finally receding after a long, dark night. At times it seems that no progress is being made at all, though the sun is relentlessly rising all that same. The sun doesn't just POP! up over the horizon, it takes a long time but by the time the sun does rise up fully, the darkness has vanished. Dawn is a gentle wakening, like a mother waking her child slowly and lovingly, not by harshly flipping on the lights. I pondered these aspects and more as I watched the transformation the sun brings to dark and cold places.
As I watched, I began to realize that since having the cancer removed two days before, I felt totally different inside. Over these past nine months, I have been running a fever and feeling really sick. I have known deep inside that there was something really wrong with me. I realized that morning that the deep sense of well-being that I normally feel had returned. Though I still am hurting from the surgery, am tired and have a long way to go, down deep inside, I feel so much better. I feel "well." I truly believe that all of my symptoms were my bodies way of fighting the cancer and trying to warn me that something was very wrong and needed attention. My fever is already going away, not everyday, but most days I am fever free and my heart is healing too. My cardiologist already dropped the dosage of my beta blockers by half because of the improvement.
My family and I have experienced many instant and amazingly miraculous healings over the years. Sometimes God moves instantaneously and other times through a process. That morning I began to sense the "dawn" of God's healing slowly breaking over my body, pushing back the darkness that has hung over me for months. Dawn breaks slowly but when the Son rises fully, the darkness must vanish.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
I'm Back...
Oh thank you, thank you, thank you for standing with me in prayer. I could profoundly feel your prayers lifting me during the past week. It will take a few posts to get you all caught up on what all has gone on, I know some of what I have to share will be direct answers to many of your prayers. I will have to go slowly, so just a couple a day, because I can't type very long yet, my arms are still pretty sore.
Thank you to all who prayed on the day of surgery, God's grace was truly amazing.
First, the morning went so smoothly, there was such peace on our home that it was tangible. I was ready early and was able to send out a few emails before going to the hospital. I felt such love and gratitude for those of you praying for me that I sent just had to send out emails to as many of you as I was able.
It was so sweet to have family and friends at the hospital before, during and after surgery. The doctors commented on what a large family I have and how nice everyone was. You all are great and I heard you had a great time complete with snacks, and yummy cookies!! What a great idea!!
In pre-op they allowed Karen Greschel to come in with us to pray for us, she was able to stay much longer than we thought which was really a comfort.
For me, the most nerve racking part of surgery is being wheeled from pre-op down the hall, through all the people in hallways, to the surgical room and having to switch tables and see all of the machines, etc., so I had told the Lord about that concern that morning. So as the time to go to sugery approached, the anastiologist came in and injected something into my IV (which by the way stayed viable the entire time I was in the hosptial, that was an answer to prayer). I said, "Wow, I can feel that!" Ron leaned over and kissed me and we said, "See you soon." I closed my eyes and suddenly saw a picture in my mind's eye of a huge grassy meadow filled with flowers. Far away in the distance I could see a huge, beautiful waterfall. Standing next to me was Jesus, He looked down at me and took my hand, pointed away at the distant waterfall as if to say, "Let's go over there and look at that." We began to step forward and that is all I remember until I woke up in the post-op recovery room. I have NO memory of going down the hall, of switching tables or anything or anyone in the operating room, I got to skip all of the stuff that is usually hard for me. I was so blessed by God's grace and kindness to me. Even after I got put in my room in the hospital, as I would fall asleep, I would remember seeing Jesus pointing to the waterfall.
My brother Rich said that when I was sleeping in my room in the hospital that I always looked so peaceful and had a little smile on my face. I must have been running through that meadow and playing in the waterfall!!
Thank you for praying!!!!!! More to come.
Thank you to all who prayed on the day of surgery, God's grace was truly amazing.
First, the morning went so smoothly, there was such peace on our home that it was tangible. I was ready early and was able to send out a few emails before going to the hospital. I felt such love and gratitude for those of you praying for me that I sent just had to send out emails to as many of you as I was able.
It was so sweet to have family and friends at the hospital before, during and after surgery. The doctors commented on what a large family I have and how nice everyone was. You all are great and I heard you had a great time complete with snacks, and yummy cookies!! What a great idea!!
In pre-op they allowed Karen Greschel to come in with us to pray for us, she was able to stay much longer than we thought which was really a comfort.
For me, the most nerve racking part of surgery is being wheeled from pre-op down the hall, through all the people in hallways, to the surgical room and having to switch tables and see all of the machines, etc., so I had told the Lord about that concern that morning. So as the time to go to sugery approached, the anastiologist came in and injected something into my IV (which by the way stayed viable the entire time I was in the hosptial, that was an answer to prayer). I said, "Wow, I can feel that!" Ron leaned over and kissed me and we said, "See you soon." I closed my eyes and suddenly saw a picture in my mind's eye of a huge grassy meadow filled with flowers. Far away in the distance I could see a huge, beautiful waterfall. Standing next to me was Jesus, He looked down at me and took my hand, pointed away at the distant waterfall as if to say, "Let's go over there and look at that." We began to step forward and that is all I remember until I woke up in the post-op recovery room. I have NO memory of going down the hall, of switching tables or anything or anyone in the operating room, I got to skip all of the stuff that is usually hard for me. I was so blessed by God's grace and kindness to me. Even after I got put in my room in the hospital, as I would fall asleep, I would remember seeing Jesus pointing to the waterfall.
My brother Rich said that when I was sleeping in my room in the hospital that I always looked so peaceful and had a little smile on my face. I must have been running through that meadow and playing in the waterfall!!
Thank you for praying!!!!!! More to come.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Pain and Recovery
Three days into recovery at home there has been a mixture of good days and very bad ones. The first day back Leslyn did okay, she was extremely tired, but was talking and eating okay. However, yesterday she spent the day with horrible nausea and threw up for most of the day...which feels bad anyways, but on top of having your chest muscles cut in half, it's just a painful experience. The surgeon said it was likely her body having an adverse reaction to the pain killers, so they have completely taken her off of them. This, thankfully, has stopped the nausea and today her stomach has been much more settled. Unfortunately, she can now only control the pain with advil and tylenol...so she is much more sore than she has been before. Please continue to pray for the pain as we are trying to keep it under control as best we can with the medication we have available and that the nausea will not return.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers, there is no way we could be doing this without you.
~Karyn
Thank you all for your faithful prayers, there is no way we could be doing this without you.
~Karyn
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