What's New?

Happily it has been close to four weeks since my surgery and three since I was last in the hospital.

Today I had a bone density test. Other than being placed in some rather odd positions the test was rather uneventful. I did manage to catch a glimpse of one of the X-rays and it was pretty interesting. I could see my lungs and all of my spine. Since science has always fascinated me and we don't often get the chance to see the inner workings of our own bodies I found it pretty cool. The test is being done to assess my personal risk for developing osteoporosis.

Friday I started taking my Aromatase Inhibitor. My ONC prescribed Armidex. I think it is fitting that the icon identified with this particular AI is a set of hot pink boxing gloves. I like the symbolism -- this medication is further insurance that I have knocked out the cancer and am doing what I can to prevent it from coming back. If all goes well I will be on this AI for five years so in October of 2013 I will be celebrating being done with it -- That is something to truly look forward too.

Tomorrow I will follow up with the reconstruction surgeon to see if I will be scheduled for phase 1 (expander surgery) in late December.

Ancora Imparo
Marla

Are you there G-d? It's Me, Marla...

I have always been proud of being Jewish and I consider myself more spiritual than religious. I feel like my faith is a large part of who I am and something that is deep inside of me.

During the recent high holidays (a time for celebration and reflection) I found myself celebrating in far different ways than I have in the past.

For starters I was readmitted into our local (Catholic) hospital. I never gave a second thought when asked about my religious preferences. I told the admitting nurse that I was Jewish. G-d forbid if I was ever in a situation where it became medically necessary to acknowledge my religion I take comfort in knowing that my Rabbis are a phone call away and that the hospital has a staff of Jewish Chaplains.

Thirty minutes before high holiday services began at our temple Rabbi J called to tell me that he was thinking about me and that he knew that next year I would be in the synagogue with Mike and Sully. I hung up the phone and was so deeply touched that he took the time to call.

While fellow Jews around the world were enjoying the tastes of the holiday (apples dipped in honey and round challah) I was taking laps around the hospital floor with my IV in the hopes it would reawaken my bowels so I could finally graduate to a liquid diet. While Jews were making their pilgrimage to synagogue to hear the sounds of the Shofar I was listening to a CD that one of the Jewish Chaplains had lent me. "The Birthday of the World: A Traditional Rosh Hashanah Service" narrated by Leonard Nimoy and featuring a glorious choir. I laid in my hospital bed and meditated to the melodies coming from that CD. I was transported to that synagogue. Being lent that CD was a magnificent gift. The sheer beauty and familiarity of the melodies will forever stay with me. It was a very moving way to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

In addition to the call from my Rabbi and my own private high holiday service I also had the pleasure of having my very own shofar blower come to my room specifically to share in the mitzvah of blowing shofar. The group from our local Chabad that came to the hospital did so because of their connection with G-d and I received this mitzvah because of my connection with G-d.

I was discharged and sent home several days before Yom Kippur. Once settled in I listened to a very sweet message from Rabbi S.

Thankfully I felt well enough to attend services for Yom Kippur. Sully sat with Mike and I. Hearing my name as it was shared on the Mi Sheberach list and reciting the prayer for healing along with the rest of the congregation was deeply profound. I held onto Mike's hand and looked into his loving eyes.

These are truly high holidays that I will remember.

We all have our own beliefs which is what makes us all so incredibly special and unique. I am simply grateful to continue to have so many blessings of life and love around me.

Ancora Imparo
Marla

The Sound of Rain...

On Tuesday, thanks to my friend and personal chauffeur C, I had the opportunity to go back to weSpark and participate in the creative writing class.

While we listened to the sound of rain I wrote the following:

Rain falls outside my window and off in the distance I hear thunder which reminds me of my personal journey and my path to see rainbows and sunshine.

The dark days are a normal part of this process. The road to recovery has been paved with a lot of love and support but it is the portion of this journey that I must travel alone that is at times the most difficult. The moments where I reach into the very depths of my soul and confront the events that have transpired and work through how I have been forever changed. It is not the physical changes that I write about although I suppose those are constant reminders. It's the internal changes -- the spiritual and emotional.

I know that I will continue to hear the sound of rain but I also know that sunny skies are within my reach.


Ancora Imparo
Marla

Won't You Join Me...

Many friends sent me the link to Dr. Susan Love's latest quest Army of Women.
A few moments on the website and you will see that we can all make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Her goal is simple. Create a database of 1 million women from all ethnicity's in all age ranges -- from survivors and those with no history of breast cancer.

Please take a moment to look at her site and register. If we all work together we can prevent another woman from having to tell her loved ones she has Breast Cancer and find a cure for this disease.

http://www.armyofwomen.org

Ancora Imparo
Marla

Odds and Ends...

So I meant to call the last post "The Illeus and My Odyssey" but I had a post Chemo moment and couldn't remember it until now.

It has been wonderful being home and getting back into the swing of things. I truly feel now that my recovery can officially begin. I celebrate the fact that my treatment with the exception of being on an Aromatase Inhibitor is behind me now. The months really went by very quickly and I am seeing the signs that my body is fighting back and rebuilding itself. My hair is growing back -- my nails are growing -- all signs that my healthy cells are working their magic! At my oncology appointment this week I will most likely be told what Aromatase Inhibitor I will be starting and am hopeful the side effects will be minimal as my body adjusts to it. I am hoping that I will be back to driving later in the week. In the meantime I am taking it easy(ish.) Listening to my body and trying to not overdo it. Post surgery complication aside I have to say the pain from the hysterectomy is beyond minimal.

Yesterday Mike and I took Sully to his very first Tae Kwon Do competition. He competed in both forms and sparring. It was amazing to be a part of something so much bigger than our local Do Jang. Mike and I were so incredibly proud of our little guy. He has been practicing his forms diligently and did amazingly well. He took home a Gold medal in forms and a Bronze medal in sparring. He truly relished every moment and is wearing his medals with great pride. We all had a great time rooting for his fellow classmates. I was so truly grateful that I was able to be there.

This morning I took Sully to continue on his popcorn selling quest. We went door-to-door and he sold his little heart out. I marveled at the fact that a few short days ago I was still in the hospital taking laps around the 7th floor.

I continue to feel so incredibly blessed.

Ancora Imparo
Marla

I Pooped!

As my most wonderfully amazing husband, Mike, shared in the last post my hysterectomy was uneventful.

And I am truly thankful for that. I was discharged from the hospital Saturday evening. On the condition that I return to the hospital Sunday twice for infusion treatment as a preventative measure for my bleeding disorder. My homecoming was short lived as I began feeling really sick in the middle of the night. To the point where Mike had to phone Dr. K and let her know what I was experiencing. Since I had to be back at the hospital in the morning the thought was we would access the situation there. We did just that.

I ended up being readmitted to the hospital on Sunday. At one point in between a round of super intense abdominal pain I quietly told Mike I felt like I had "shit poisoning." It turns out that what I did have was a Postoperative Ileus. (A temporary paralysis of a portion of the intestines typically after an abdominal surgery.) The best way to treat this is to be taken off all food and water until sound can be heard in your abdominal cavity. So me and my IV got to be best pals for a few days. I was then put on a liquid diet and then moved to the soft/bland diet where I got the chance to order off of the hospital menu. Just a side note; since when are smothered Pork Chops soft and bland? I opted for the Manicotti.

With actual food in my belly my mission was to poop as that was my ticket to freedom. It is truly amazing to me that with all of the medical advancements that we have made it comes down to something as rudimentary as going #2! Thankfully I was able to do that early this morning and be discharged shortly thereafter.

I am so very grateful to be home.

Ancora Imparo
Marla

Great News! Hysterectomy is Hystory!

Hello Everyone,

Special guest blogger Mike here. I'm looking forward to actually sleeping tonight, so I'll keep this short.

First and foremost, I am VERY happy to report that Marla's hysterectomy went excellently. She is recovering and, although in some pain, she says it is not terrible. She is obviously spending the night at the hospital tonight -- we're not sure if she'll also be staying Friday night.

The day went pretty smoothly. We checked in at 8:15am, moved through the paperwork process and got to the pre-op room rather quickly. Surgery actually started on time (12:30pm) and I was very happy to have Ron, Sherry, Becky, Aaron, and Julie there to keep me company during my usual surgical angst. What can I say -- I'm just not a huge fan of hospitals. They smell funny and the food sucks. But at least we were at St. Jo's again -- and they always take good care of Marla.

About two hours later, (2:30p) Dr. K (not sure I'm allowed to mention actual names) came into the waiting room to give us her report. She said that when it came to the removal of Marla's ovaries, uterus and cervix, everything was routine -- in fact she was delighted to describe Marla's pelvis as "boring." Although I was totally delighted to hear this WONDERFUL news, I must argue the point -- I personally have never found any of Marla's parts "down south" to be the least bit "boring."

The second part of Marla's surgery today was to remove her porta-cath which came out "easily" and "uneventfully." So, everyone, get ready to join me a collective "thank god" as this marks the official conclusion of Marla's chemo treatment. Ready...here we go... "THANK GOD!"

So a very positive day -- and one more step towards our circumnavigation of this bump in the road. I am so proud of my Marla. I am proud of her strength. I am proud of her optimism. I'm also proud that I just used the word "circumnavigation."

As always, we are so grateful to all of you for your prayers, light and love. Life is a blessing sweetened by the presence of all of you.

Ancora Imparo.

Mike