Monthly Archives: January 2011

Commentary

Megan McNeil

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Megan McNeilI don’t know if any of you have heard of Megan, but she was a young lady from North Delta, just a few blocks from where we live. She was diagnosed with cancer at 16. She went public with her battle and wrote a song called Will to Survive. When music producer Garth Richardson (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback, Motley Crue) heard the song, he immediately wanted to be involved.

Megan McNeilIt’s a touching song, about struggling with childhood cancer. Megan donated all the proceeds of the song, available on Itunes, to a couple of agencies doing research into childhood cancer. I was not aware that much of what is done for adult cancer, doesn’t really apply to childhood cancer.

Megan’s website points out that twenty years ago, only twenty percent of children diagnosed with leukemia survived. Now that’s up to eighty percent! She thinks that if Terry Fox were diagnosed today, not only would he be alive, but he probably wouldn’t even have lost his leg!

Sadly, Megan lost her battle with cancer on Friday, at the age of twenty. RIP sweet child. I hope you’re in a better place, because you made this world a better place!

Her website, The Will to Survive, contains her blog, the agencies she helped and other information. Maybe you can help, too.

Health Issues

Pre Op Assessment done today

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Hi everyone,

Well I had to go back to the hospital to have a pre op assessment done. I’m having a second surgery Feb 1 for the Right lymphadenectomy (where they take out all remaining lymph nodes in right under arm) and so I had to see the pre op assessment nurse, and have a history done, vitals and some teaching.

Then I saw the physio, and she went over some arm exercises I will have to do post op  (reps of 10 each , 3 x a day… ) there are about 5 that I do first day post op, so Wednesday.. and then there are about 5 more that I do when the drain comes out…  again reps of 10 – 3x a day…  So that was good to know those. The aim is to strengthen the arm and to keep joints and muscles moving so I don’t get a frozen shoulder or stiffness, and to help with drainage of area to help prevent lymphedema.. something that can happen when there are no lymphnodes in the arm to help drain sweat and toxins from the body. We went over some thing I need to be wary of, and to try to prevent getting bite or stung or cut on right arm, as that increases my risk of infection..   She also took about 9 different measurement around finger (middle), around hand and wrist and up the arm in about 5-6 spots.. she took them as baseline measurements of right and left arm.  I’ll have to see physio at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months post op.

Then I saw the anesthetist and had a pre op check done as well. He listened to my heart, and lungs, took my vitals, and looked in my mouth and throat and made sure I didn’t have any loose teeth or false teeth. I said to him my teeth are my own 🙂 and they are not loose.. crooked, yes, and I have a couple of crowns on back ones, but other than that…  A ok.

He said I didn’t need another ECG or Xray today so that was good news…  once I saw him I was free to go 🙂 So that took from 0745 – 12:15 ish.. I had some wait between physio and seeing the anesthetist, so I went and read in the cafeteria and had a coffee. I read on my new eReader, a gift from the gals I work with. 🙂

As an aside: I had a weird thing happen last night. I went to bed around 11:30 pm to try to get a decent sleep as I knew I had to be at the hospital early, but I had trouble falling asleep. It was early for me and I wasn’t tired. I was just laying in bed trying to sleep.. I started to have a wee spell of weeping where tears were falling , I guess it was me feeling sorry for myself, but I really had not been thinking of the cancer then, so I don’t know why I started to cry. M was there and asked me if I was crying and I said a little. He put his arm over me and gave me some kleenex and just having him there holding me was what I needed. 🙂 I got all warm and fuzzy and was able to sleep.

Next stop? Feb 1st   Surgery time  12:10

…Pam…

Health Issues

Update: Jan 20th Surgeon's visit

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OK. I just got back from the surgeon’s office and the family Dr.  We were hoping for an all clear margins and lymph. Well, I got half of my wish.  The margins, the area around the original tumor, were clear, so that’s good news. I get to keep my breast. Also the the tumor is estrogen and progesterone positive which is also good news. That means the cancer will respond to treatment by something like tamoxifen.

Short version of the bad news though is that one of the 3 sentinel lymph nodes shows positive for metastatic cancer. There are two small tiny spots, like about the size of a pencil dot on a paper,  1.0mm and 0.5mm,  so very tiny. Which means I have to go back for more surgery and have to have all lymph nodes taken out of right axilla. (should cut down on amount of deodorant I have to use lol)

Anyways second surgery is already booked for Feb 1st. We’re not sure of the time yet, but probably another all day affair. I’ll type up the whole pathology report and send it when I finish letting people know the news.

I will see cancer clinic four weeks post op, and that is when radiation will also start apparently. Family Dr feels I will most likely have to have chemo but that’s up to the Cancer Clinic. Radiation, which I will have to have no matter what, should start around first of March or so. I am off until Feb 21st. Then, when I do go back, it will be for eight hour nights only if and until I’m feeling better. I see my Family Dr on Feb 10th and she and I will assess how I am doing and if I feel I can go back to work by Feb 21st .

It is OK to share this news if anyone asks. I am doing OK. I consider this just another hoop to jump through in this fight to get the cancer out of me. Maurice has been my rock and came with me to the Dr’s office. He had a few tears in the surgeon’s office and car. It’s hard to be brave when you don’t know what it is exactly we have to face yet, but for the most part we are doing OK. At this point, I remain positive and still hopeful.

So not the greatest news; not out of the woods yet. Thanks for thinking of me. 🙂 Thank you everyone for the posts, emails and calls.

If anyone is interested in what the pathology report says, send me an email and I’ll send you it to read.

…Pam…

Health Issues

Dr's Appt in about 40 minutes

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Well we will be leaving in about 15 minutes to go to the Dr’s appointment with the Surgeon. We expect that we will get staging results today. We hope so anyways, at least then we will know what we face.  Maurice is coming with me 🙂 It snowed throughout the night, and it’s still snowing as we got up this AM at 0800. The appointment is for 09:05  so either way, good or bad news, I’ll come on and post the results.

Thanks everyone for keeping me in their thoughts. You most certainly have been in mine. 🙂 I appreciate all of the support, emails, visits, candles lit, prayers and phone calls, flowers, and most recently the gift I was given by some co-workers/friends at the other site where I work. 🙂 All of this has made me feel very spoiled 🙂 but in a good way. Thanks again, and I’ll post any news, soon.

It’s 8:30 now… we will leave home in about 10 minutes. 🙂 How is that for an up to date, blow by blow description of what is happening!? lol

The incisions are starting to heal up to the point where they are now itching me 🙂 they are covered with steristrips so I imagine the surgeon will yank them off today. The drain site has a little drainage. when I took the bandage off this AM to clean it and redress it before seeing Dr, there was a small bit of congealed blood that pulled away on the dressing. so once I see Dr and get the all clear to stop wearing the binder I had put on me during the surgery (for support) I’ll start wearing a sports bra. I wasn’t before as I didn’t want it rubbing along bra line in axilla. I have my list of questions for the Dr. Hopefully I get the answers today! Waiting is a bitch..

Health Issues

Weekend update

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It’s just after dinner here on Sunday night and I noticed we haven’t had an update posted on the blog for a couple of days, so I thought I’d just jot a few thoughts down.

Pam was surprised and happy when Maggie came by with a gift from the nurses she works with… an Ipod touch! It’s a very nice gift and she’s hardly set it down since she got it. She’s got a bunch of her songs installed, and she’s quickly learned to download books into the Reader program. She’s grabbed Sherlock Holmes, some Bronte sisters, and lots of others. She can even user her email and her MSN messenger from the Ipod touch.

Saturday was a tough night for Pam, pain wise. The drain had been removed, but she had trouble sleeping, even just getting comfortable. She’s described the pain as having marbles in her armpit! She’s worried about appearing to be needy, I think, and trying very hard to be brave. And of course she HAS been VERY brave, but I told her it was ok to feel pain, and it didn’t make her a wimp just because she hurt! So after a few tears, we held each other close and drifted off to sleep.

She’s better today, taking fewer pain pills, but still having some discomfort in her arm/shoulder area where the lymphs were removed. She’s been snuggled in her chair reading her books!

I tell you Maggie: you couldn’t have picked a nicer, more thoughtful present for her! Thanks to all the girls who thought of her…

Health Issues

drain out Jan 14/11

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Hi there,

I just wanted to add that today I called homecare, and initially the guy who answered said that it would not be out today, to try calling back tomorrow. I braced myself for a couple more days of the drain. Then Veronica called an hour later, and asked me about the drainage. I told her that I had been measuring it q12h, had milked the tubing to ensure it was not plugging up, and gave her my totals. She agreed that it sounded like it could come out, and said she would be over to do that shortly.

So she’s been and gone, and now I am just wearing the supportive binder they give you (which is nice, to not have the girls flapping in the wind) and have the 2 incisions and the drain site. She put a mepore over the drain site. She said it is a bit reddened, so I’ll keep an eye on it and make sure that I don’t get an infection there. I’m just so relieved to have that damned drain out. I can’t tell you how uncomfortable it was…

She seemed surprised that I was managing the pain as well as I am. I told her that I’m a tough cookie 🙂   So the weekend seems like it will be alot more comfortable now with the drain out. She commented on the Kareoke machine, and so I sang her a song to show her how it works… I think she is going to buy one for her husband. 🙂

…Pam…

Health Issues

Jan 14th = 3rd day post op

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Morning 🙂 It’s friday Jan 14th and I’m on day 3 post op. I still have the drain in, but I am hopeful it can come out either today or tomorrow. I have not heard from the homecare nurses yet, so I’ll call them today to see what is up. I had a pretty good sleep last night. Went to bed around midnight I think, and got up around 6:30. I took a pain pill and came downstairs. M’s have a sleep in with Max.

Pain is manageable. I am taking pain meds every 5-6 hrs now, just 1 tyl #3. I will feel alot more comfortable with the drain out, that much I know. I’ve been pretty amazed at how many people have been emailing or phoning or posting on the blog. It’s been pretty awesome. I have been keeping in daily contact with my mum and dad, and have talked with M’s mum a couple of times. 🙂

Maggie is coming into town for another visit, and that is always fun. We can catch up on stuff and have a coffee and a gab.

This has all happened so fast, it almost seems like it’s a dream or something. I keep expecting to wake up and not have a bloody drain sticking out of my armpit, no incisions… but it’s no dream. I can’t say it’s been a nightmare either.. it’s been handled pretty efficiently from what I can tell, and let me tell you, once you get the diagnosis of cancer.. things start happening pretty quickly. My family Dr told me that they would.. that my surgeon did not like to wait around, and her madate was to get the cancer out asap.  I’m really lucky to have such a great family Dr.  To all of my friends/family… I can just say Thank you all again. I appreciate all of your support.

…Pam…