We totally took advantage of the fall weather and the fact that I' m pretty well recovered from surgery by doing some fun things together as a family this weekend. In between soccer games on Saturday we visited our new favorite place, the E.L. Johnson Nature Center. It has been so highly recommended to me, and I am now crazy about it. (Tame deer, clear water, nature paths, so close by...wow.)
On Sunday after soccer game/church, we visited Westview Orchards. We definitely had our fill of apple products, and we almost spent enough time with farm animals to satisfy my needs. Almost. I really need to get my own farm!
The outside/farm time spurred some leaf raking activity at the Lucken household... I am crazy about fall chores, and determined to play around in the yard as much as I can in between all of these doctor's appointments/surgeries! (Tomorrow I go for my Zometa infusion...next week I meet with the breast surgeon and the gyn. oncologist for follow-ups, and if everything goes right, I should have my next surgery November 7th to put a chest expander on the right side. I'm not excited about the flurry of appointments and surgeries again, but it is good to progress.)
I uploaded some new pictures of our fun on Flickr...You can see them if you click on Fall Family Fun, under Favorite Family Links (how is that for alliteration?).
10/19/08
10/17/08
Look what my little sister is doing tomorrow...
Julie just found out that the American Cancer Society "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk was happening this weekend in San Francisco, and signed up. Natalie is going to join her for part of the walk!
It means so much to me that she is doing this walk, and that her friends have been kind enough to support the strides she is taking against breast cancer. Emma, Katie, and Nathan are so lucky (as are Bill and I) to have family and friends willing to donate their time and resources towards the study of this disease! We love you, Julie!
It means so much to me that she is doing this walk, and that her friends have been kind enough to support the strides she is taking against breast cancer. Emma, Katie, and Nathan are so lucky (as are Bill and I) to have family and friends willing to donate their time and resources towards the study of this disease! We love you, Julie!
Putting on God's whole armor - special prayers and thoughts today
There are so many things to hope for these days...and so many people who could use prayer.
But, especially on my mind today is Cari, a very funny and wonderful mother-of-three who lives in Minnesota. She and I have been in contact through our blogs a bit, and it is so nice to know her.
I am sure God will keep her and his family close to him through all of their challenges, but can't I ask for just a bit more - or a lot more - the "complete and total restoration of her health"? (A woman I met in the Ikea parking lot a few weeks ago told me she would pray for this for me.)
Bill and I are sending all of our thoughts, hopes, and prayers to her and hope you will, too.
But, especially on my mind today is Cari, a very funny and wonderful mother-of-three who lives in Minnesota. She and I have been in contact through our blogs a bit, and it is so nice to know her.
I am sure God will keep her and his family close to him through all of their challenges, but can't I ask for just a bit more - or a lot more - the "complete and total restoration of her health"? (A woman I met in the Ikea parking lot a few weeks ago told me she would pray for this for me.)
Bill and I are sending all of our thoughts, hopes, and prayers to her and hope you will, too.
10/16/08
Quick notes!
It's hard to write when one's already-chemo-addled brain is ALSO on painkillers...hard to even think, really. I do find it such a shame to have my little brain trying to work so hard and getting so little done. Happily, I am on the mend and off the killers of pain, so I've got a better chance of saying something lucid. Good thing, because there is nothing like knowing your plastic surgeon and pediatrician (and their wonderful staff) have seen your blog when it comes to feeling writer's block!
But, some thinking and mental recall needs to be done - if only to keep track of this crazy year for myself! SO I am going back to quickly writing things down to get them off the smaller-than-ever brain.
I am so amused that a person can go home directly following surgery. That post-surgery haze when I am feeling like I am operating fully, but then realize later I don't remember what the recovery nurse looked like, how I got my clothes on, and all of my discharge instructions (guess who thought she was supposed to take OFF her steri-strips? Someone who will have slightly larger scars than she would have otherwise! But I don't mind. I AM glad to be off the killers of pain just so that I can make better decisions from here on out, though!) Remind self next time, Pam - bring a tape recorder, or at least 2 extra people to the discharge instruction! It is too much for just me and my loving and totally-stressed husband to handle!
My incisions are tiny, like 1/2 inch or so...two on my left side and one on my right. I believe the top incision on the left is where the camera went in. My abdomen is still swollen, but things are all working properly. I was speaking to dear chemo buddy Missy today, and she joked that instead of sending flowers following a surgery requiring general anesthesia, we should send Miralax and prune juice!
For about the past week I have been almost entirely consumed with my bowel habits. Lovely, isn't it? First, I was worried about the Great Bowel Cleanse of 2008, which was totally easy. (Ellyn, you were totally right...the Gatorade/Miralax mixture was not bad at all.) Since I generally tend to use the bathroom more than anyone I know (is this sharing too much?!!), it wasn't even much of an increase in output. Post-surgery, I have been concerned with my regularity as if it was my job, and working non-stop to ensure the success of that mission. Mission Accomplished!
Here are some other funny notes to self about the week -
But, some thinking and mental recall needs to be done - if only to keep track of this crazy year for myself! SO I am going back to quickly writing things down to get them off the smaller-than-ever brain.
I am so amused that a person can go home directly following surgery. That post-surgery haze when I am feeling like I am operating fully, but then realize later I don't remember what the recovery nurse looked like, how I got my clothes on, and all of my discharge instructions (guess who thought she was supposed to take OFF her steri-strips? Someone who will have slightly larger scars than she would have otherwise! But I don't mind. I AM glad to be off the killers of pain just so that I can make better decisions from here on out, though!) Remind self next time, Pam - bring a tape recorder, or at least 2 extra people to the discharge instruction! It is too much for just me and my loving and totally-stressed husband to handle!
My incisions are tiny, like 1/2 inch or so...two on my left side and one on my right. I believe the top incision on the left is where the camera went in. My abdomen is still swollen, but things are all working properly. I was speaking to dear chemo buddy Missy today, and she joked that instead of sending flowers following a surgery requiring general anesthesia, we should send Miralax and prune juice!
For about the past week I have been almost entirely consumed with my bowel habits. Lovely, isn't it? First, I was worried about the Great Bowel Cleanse of 2008, which was totally easy. (Ellyn, you were totally right...the Gatorade/Miralax mixture was not bad at all.) Since I generally tend to use the bathroom more than anyone I know (is this sharing too much?!!), it wasn't even much of an increase in output. Post-surgery, I have been concerned with my regularity as if it was my job, and working non-stop to ensure the success of that mission. Mission Accomplished!
Here are some other funny notes to self about the week -
- I had a burst of energy and was bossing the family around, making them get their stuff together, rattling off information, etc. and Emma indulgently smiled at me and said, "You ARE back to normal, Mom!"
- Yesterday, after quite a busy day of being both Dad and Mom (though he had quite able assistance from my sister Amy, and even a little from me), Bill was totally wiped out! He was lying on the couch, telling jokes, and not able to move. He kept saying that his internal clock had gone off, telling him it was time for me to yell at him, and he didn't know how to function until it happened. Poor husband!
- Why is it that the fleeting absence of a fairly constant physical pain can bring out such delight? If I found a good position and the pain subsided for just a minute, it was like I was in heaven! You'd think I'd still be in pain mode, but no...I sometimes find myself just so in love with life right in the middle of it all. The juxtaposition of pain/no-pain can bring out happiness so readily, where regular life's lack of this juxtaposition just doesn't always bring out that high.
10/13/08
Pam is laparoscopically ovary-free..Yay!
I have three new small incisions on my belly, and 2 less ovaries! The ovaries looked normal but they'll be sent to pathology anyway.
I'll be interested to get the specifics from Bill as to how long I was in surgery, when I came out, but I know I was on my way home at 12:10pm because I updated my status on facebook at that time!
I had a good nap, some great conversation with my sister (as usual), my house is tremendously clean, we have clean laundry, we are fresh off a great weekend of fun because Jeff and Bonnie and Paige were in town...all in all it has been a nice day!
I'll write more when I'm not totally loopy from the drugs!
I'll be interested to get the specifics from Bill as to how long I was in surgery, when I came out, but I know I was on my way home at 12:10pm because I updated my status on facebook at that time!
I had a good nap, some great conversation with my sister (as usual), my house is tremendously clean, we have clean laundry, we are fresh off a great weekend of fun because Jeff and Bonnie and Paige were in town...all in all it has been a nice day!
I'll write more when I'm not totally loopy from the drugs!
10/10/08
Check in for my ovaries to check out: 6am Monday morning!
My procedure is scheduled for 7:30am on Monday morning...but I check in at 6am. That's nice since the Great Bowel Cleanse of 2008 will probably have me pretty hungry and thirsty on Monday morning!
So here is my personal discussion with my soon-to-be-departed body parts - "Goodbye ovaries and tubes! Thanks for a great working relationship over these past 35 years. I could always count on you to work the second I felt like having a baby (or even when I wasn't quite planning on it, as in the first time around)! I'm thanking you in advance for not being cancerous yet...I hope I'm not going to have to retract this statement in a few days!"
On another note, I tried to make Bill promise me that if I'm healthy and happy in a few years and start missing my fertility, I could adopt a baby. This is a far cry from the Pam he dated who for about 6 straight years told him to "break up with me, I'm never having kids." Isn't life so funny! Anyway, he knows exactly how to play these cards...he says ok (or in this case, handily averted promising anything) and lets life take its course.
There are always options, though, if I do wish I could have another baby. I'm writing them down to read in the future if I feel that craving:
So here is my personal discussion with my soon-to-be-departed body parts - "Goodbye ovaries and tubes! Thanks for a great working relationship over these past 35 years. I could always count on you to work the second I felt like having a baby (or even when I wasn't quite planning on it, as in the first time around)! I'm thanking you in advance for not being cancerous yet...I hope I'm not going to have to retract this statement in a few days!"
On another note, I tried to make Bill promise me that if I'm healthy and happy in a few years and start missing my fertility, I could adopt a baby. This is a far cry from the Pam he dated who for about 6 straight years told him to "break up with me, I'm never having kids." Isn't life so funny! Anyway, he knows exactly how to play these cards...he says ok (or in this case, handily averted promising anything) and lets life take its course.
There are always options, though, if I do wish I could have another baby. I'm writing them down to read in the future if I feel that craving:
- Be glad I have the 3 that I do! Mother them even harder. (Ha, like that is possible. I'm the classic "helicopter mom.")
- Steal my nieces and nephews. By the time I am out of the cancer woods, there will be some more babies and maybe their moms will let me steal them! And if I can't steal them forever, maybe I can steal them for a weekend or so here and there while their parents take vacations.
- Convert my crazy house into an in-home daycare. I have the toys and the space...but the structure of that kind of life might kill me, so I am striking it from the list.
- Become a teacher. I may never get a job, though...at least not in Michigan and I don't think my husband and children would appreciate it if I move out-of-state without them (it would sort of ruin option number 1, also).
- Get more pets. HA HA HA! I put this in here to drive Bill crazy.
10/9/08
Here are some very pretty survivors...
MSN did a gallery feature of some high profile breast cancer survivors... I have to say, there is a very big plus to having had this particular diagnosis now, at a time when people are so open about breast cancer. I was able to show my girls pictures of Kylie Minogue, have them watch Sheryl Crow sing, and tell them, "See, she had breast cancer, and look how beautiful she is, and how well she is doing!
(I ignored the fact that they started out being more beautiful and talented than me, when I told the girls I expected to come through this year just as well as the superstars did...ha ha!)
(I ignored the fact that they started out being more beautiful and talented than me, when I told the girls I expected to come through this year just as well as the superstars did...ha ha!)
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