Pathology Report

This evening I got “the call” from the surgeon with the pathology report from surgery.  Everything came back clear!!! Praise the Lord!!!!  She said that means the cancer was completely contained in the ovary!  We couldn’t hope for better news.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers.

I see the oncologist on February 3.  The research would indicate that I will still need chemo because the tumor cells were so active.  So I’m assuming that will be the recommendation.  There may be the option to decide whether I have 3 or 6 treatments. Help pray that we make wise decisions.  I’ll keep you posted.  

Meantime I’m recuperating from my surgery.  Those of you who have had this type of surgery know that it is slow.  But, I can see improvement every day.  Healing is amazing – another “God thing”!  It doesn’t “just happen” – not that I really wanted to observe it from such close proximity! :-)  Just another chance to realize that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.  Thanks again for your love and concern!  I wanted to call the whole world with this news, but opted for a blog entry!

Update 1-23-11

(I came home from the hospital yesterday (1-22-11).  I am very  happy to be home.)

Eleven Things I Learned in the Hospital

1.   God is there.  I felt peaceful as I went to surgery.  Chaplain Chuck Barsamian, who is in our small group Bible study, came to the surgery prep area to pray with me.  I'm not sure a prayer has ever meant so much to me.  He knelt by my bed, held my hand, and "talked to the Lord" about my situation.  Even though He (the Lord) already knew, we have been told to ask and we will receive.  I know He heard that prayer and I'm so thankful.  I appreciated Chuck's prayer that morning and his subsequent visits and prayer so much! 

2.   Twenty-one and a half years ago (but, who's counting?) when Steve said, "in sickness and in health", he really meant it.  He stayed with me every night.  He helped me in and out of bed innumerable times.  He walked the halls with me at all hours.  He only left during the day when he could "tag team" with Gary (my brother) and Daddy.  He was and is a wonderful caregiver and I'm so thankful and blessed.

3.   Gary and Daddy were there too.  Gary worked from the hospital every day.  Daddy was there to offer moral support - which he does best!  Most anytime the nurses came in my room during the day, there were 3 men there.  Gary suggested we might do a movie, "3 Men and a Lady".  Having Gary around after abdominal surgery is not a good thing.  It is not a good time to "split a gut" laughing - which is what I usually do when I'm with him.  Anyway, we haven't decided for sure if we'll follow through on the movie idea.  I might want to be able to move around a bit better before we debut!!

4.   A scar that looks like it's a foot long when it is seen in the hospital is really only 9" long!

5.   This kind of surgery for me takes 2-2.5 hours  with a 1 hour recovery - shorter than the expected time.  Thanks to everyone's prayers.

6.   I do not thrive on a liquid diet.

7.   Ibuprofen on an empty stomach after surgery is a very bad thing.....

8.   Friends who visit or call on the phone make the hospital stay much more palatable.

9.   The Dr. doesn't expect any surprises with the pathology report; however, if there are, the follow-up treatment would still be the same.

10.  I do not like those boots on my feet that inflate and deflate.

11.  After this type of surgery it is part of the healing process to retain fluid in the abdomen - the fluid bathes the area that has been injured.  So I can tell you I do not look "trim!  Steve was looking at me 2 days after surgery and said, "I don't think she got all of your fatty apron!"  I really wish he didn't make me laugh, especially after this surgery.  But, of course, he wants his money back!! :-) 

I learned more things  but you don't want to hear about those! :-)  I was repeatedly thankful for my situation as I saw so many people with much more serious health issues, in lots more misery than I was in (is that good grammar?)  I am thankful for good health care, thankful for competent doctors, thankful for friends who care, thankful for my family, thankful for you and your prayers....just thankful in general.

The next step is an appointment with the oncologist in 2 weeks.  At that time he will work with my gyn/oncologist and set the time for chemo to begin.  The plan is to begin in 3 weeks.  That will be determined by how quickly I recover from my latest adventure. 

Thanks again for your interest and support.  It means more than you'll know.  I'll be spending the next 3 weeks trying to do what the Dr. said to do to recuperate.  After that I'll move to the next phase and hopefully the last phase of this treatment. 

Update 1-14-11

Well, what a difference a week makes!  My appointments keep being changed so my flexibility is at its best! :-)  Because of the weather, I postponed the styling and pick-up of my wig that had been scheduled for this past Tuesday.  That is rescheduled for the 29^th, with the hope that I would still have hair by then. 

 

My “chemo class” which was scheduled for last Friday was moved to Wednesday of this week, so I did that on the 12^th.  The class was well-organized and informative.  It wasn’t as frightening as I thought it would be, but then I guess they wouldn’t want to scare off all their potential patients!  I actually walked out of there thinking, “I can do this!”  I would guess that’s how they want people to feel after their class.

My appointment yesterday at Wash U was a bit of a “game changer”.  It was actually very reassuring.  The Dr. told me exactly what the other two doctors here had told me.  They reviewed the pathology slides and confirmed that although the initial identification of the tumor during surgery was different from the final analysis, the final analysis was correct.

The only difference in the treatment recommendation was that his bias (the Wash U Dr.) is to do surgery before chemo rather than after.  I won’t give you all his rationale, but it made sense.  I have since spoken with Dr. Crowder (the gyn/oncologist here) and she concurs with his recommendation.  Both of them have said there is no wrong answer to this dilemma.  I just have to go “with my gut”.  (Somehow I don’t like that terminology!) So I also called Dr. Scoles (my primary care physician). He was very favorable about the proposed change in the treatment timeline.  The Wash U Dr. calls my Dr. here “Sara” and said I couldn’t be in better hands.  So, long story short....I have talked with Dr. Crowder (Sara).  I am scheduled for surgery this coming Wednesday, January 19.  I will be in the hospital two nights.  If all goes well, they will start chemo three weeks after surgery. 

Needless to say, my head is spinning.  I feel good about my decision.  This way when I finish chemo, I’m finished.  Also, by doing the surgery first, they know for sure there’s nothing “bad” left in there.  Dr. Crowder is really pretty sure they won’t find anything that will change the cancer stage or the prognosis.  But, there’s no harm in getting that information for sure.  The Dr. at Wash U (his name is Dr. Zighelboim – that’s why I keep calling him the Wash U Dr.!) said that the chances of finding my tumor at the stage it was found is like the chance of winning the lottery!  Can I doubt that God is taking good care of me?  And I am sure He will take care of me through surgery and chemo.  I can only do it through His strength and one day at a time.

On another positive note, they say they will take out “the fatty apron” over my intestines.  I had noticed that I have what looks like a fatty apron :-) – had no idea they could “take it off”.  But, since they want to and, since it has the word “fatty” attached to it, I figure this can’t be all bad.  I may be bald, but I’ll be “trim”! 

 

Thanks for your interest, concern and for your prayers.  I will especially appreciate prayers on Wednesday, for safe surgery and a quick recovery.  The doctors tell me I won’t bounce back from this one so quickly.  I’m praying for God’s healing that will surprise even the doctors!

Update 1-5-11

Just a quick update on this week's happenings (hopefully there won't be anymore!).  Today I had an appointment with the oncologist who will administer the chemotherapy.  The visit went well with no surprises.

The appointment I had scheduled at Wash U was postponed from the 6th to the 13th.  (The Dr's wife had a baby and he apparently thinks that's more important than seeing me!  If he only knew! :-))  Dr. Crowder (gyn/oncologist here) thought the delay for the Wash U appointment wasn't significant since they can't begin chemo until 4 weeks after surgery which won't be until the 10th anyway.  So, I will get the 2nd opinion on the 13th, then the wheels should start turning pretty quickly.  I will have to have a port "installed" which will be the next step.  I go to an orientation class this Friday so after that I should know more than I want to know about chemotherapy. 

I ordered a wig yesterday and will go next week to get it styled.  I considered red, really wanted dread locks, tried on a brown one, but settled on one that's similar to my natural color. :-)  The one I tried on made me look like a little old lady (according to the guy who was fitting me) - thanks a lot!  So, he ordered one with more length and he will trim it down to look like my current style.  He said he could fix me up so nobody would ask for my AARP card.  I didn't tell him they don't ask anyway (probably there's no doubt in their minds!).   When I left, he shook my hand and said, "You're really going to look good!"  We'll see how accurate he is with his assessment!  I'm still a little nervous now that Steve is realizing how much money he will save on hair salon expenses - not cuts, no styling, no hair products.  I'm afraid he may develop a great appreciation for the benefits of "no hair" - especially once he invests in a wig. :-)  I may be signing on for a permanent life style - JUST KIDDING!!!

Thanks for all your prayers.  The Bible verses that I read this week that spoke to me were Romans 12:1&2.  I have memorized them, and have read them how many times in my lifetime?  But, this time it resonated when I read, "Because of all You have done for me, I present my body to You as a living sacrifice for this day.  I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, affirming that Your will for me is good and acceptable and perfect."  It's not my idea of a fun time to submit my body to the "abuse" it's going to get, but it's not my body anyway.  So if God wants to use my body in this way, I am willing to do this - knowing that His will for me is good and acceptable and perfect!  Amen!

First Dr. Visit

December 28, 2010

Several of you have asked me to keep you posted on my “situation”. So, here’s the latest.

Yesterday I went to the surgeon for my 2 week check-up. She released me and said all was healing well. I feel great! I was depressed after that appointment because that was all there was supposed to be – a short recovery and life would go on. But, that’s not what the Lord had in mind.

So, today I went to the gyn/oncologist. She said my case is a bit confusing because the stage of my cancer appears to be the earliest possible stage. But the tumor was the worst possible kind. So, even though it was caught early, the treatment needs to be the same as if it were later stage. The tumor was totally contained – which is still miraculous. She said she rarely sees people in her office at lower than stage #3. Based only on the pathology report from surgery, it appears I’m at the earliest stage – Stage 1.

Sooooooo the short story is I should do chemo as soon as possible. I will then have surgery to remove the uterus out and some lymph nodes.

I have an appointment at Mayo Clinic on January 20 for a 2nd opinion, but I really don’t want to wait that long. So I asked the Dr. if she could get me an appointment at Wash U (in St. Louis). And she did. I am going there on January 6. They are #17 in the U.S . in cancer treatment so I will feel good to get their opinion.

I feel peaceful about all of this. The Dr. said that most of her patients do well with chemo. She said I am healthy and YOUNG (she said that twice – makes me question her eyesight, but it made me really like her!) and she thinks I will do fine. So I am ready to do this. I don’t look forward to it, but it is what God has chosen for me to do to celebrate my 60th birthday. So, I will do my best to be thankful during the next few months.

God has his hand on me or this wouldn’t have been caught so early. I’m confident He will give me the strength to get through this. Like I told my friend, Vicki, the Bible says “His strength is made perfect in my weakness” so this is His chance to shine because I’m definitely weak! :-) It wasn’t my goal in life to look like my bald headed brother, but I guess there are worse things!?? :-)

Thanks to all of you for your love and prayers.

Surgery and Pathology Report

December 20, 2010

I wanted to let you know what’s going on around the Cozette household. I had surgery on December 13 – laparoscopic – to remove my ovaries. My right ovary had a mass on it, but all the Drs. who looked at the pictures were convinced it was benign. So, the surgery was just something that had be “be done”.

We got the pathology report from the surgery on Friday, December 17. The report came back that the tumor was malignant. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the report indicates there was no evidence that it had spread and appears to be contained. The other bad news, though, is that to be certain all the cells are dead, they are going to recommend further treatment. We will know for sure what that involves after we consult with the oncologist next week on the 28th.

Needless to say, we were hoping for a different report. But, I am confident that God is in control. It’s a total miracle that the tumor was found. Dr. Scoles, who is our general physician, said that this type of cancer typically isn’t found until it is in much later stages. God was watching over me and helped me to “sense” that something wasn’t right.

We are going to take this journey one step at a time during the next few months. I’m looking forward to spring when this will hopefully all be behind me. In the meantime, I need your prayers. I’ve never been sick in my life so this is a new experience! As I approach my 60th birthday, I’m going to finally have to “grow up”!! :-) Pray for Steve too! He’s a great nurse, but I’m sure this will be a long haul for him too. After all, he might have to miss a racquetball game once in a while! :-)

I’m thankful that the Gary McClanahans (my brother and family) have decided to come for Christmas “on their way” to North Carolina to see my sister-in-law’s family. They are bringing all the food and doing all the cooking. I’ve been instructed not to do anything. So we should have a wonderful Christmas celebration! I wish the same for each of you!