Hello dog, kids, diagnosis. Goodbye depression!

9/8/23

The results are in: a P.E.T. scan for cancer and the biopsies have proven now that it's a reoccurance of the endometrial cancer from 2021, though it is still shocking to MD Anderson that it reoccurred so quickly and almost immediately spread to other organs.

Lynch Syndrome at its best and worst.

Kev and I made the prayerful decision to adopt a companion dog for emotional support to keep my mind focused on something other than cancer. We've scratched any travel plans for the upcoming rest of my life, so we got Maddie (short for "Madison") a 2- or 3-year-old mixed breed firecracker with loads of energy and affection. The dog misunderstood, thought I wanted an exercise buddy; she’s dug under the fence twice and disappeared. So I’ve given chase (HARD!) and helped Kev reinforce weaker wooden fence areas and gates with metal fences.

We’ve eaten lots of crow from neighbors who saw her mid-flight and actually said they think we’re starving her -- quite the contrary! She was a stray and was really underweight at the animal shelter, but now has food available 24/7 and is eating like a horse. But she’s still very lean and muscular in the back. She does almost make me forget about the cancer because she keeps all eyes on her most of the time! And I love my shadow dog dearly already.

THEN, on Wednesday, Summer and grandson Patrick arrived, and she’s been a tremendous help. Brook is flying in tomorrow with her son Alex, so what a blessed week this is turning into!

Wednesday, I had a Mersa test (negative) before meeting with Surgeon Dr. Justin Rose to explain the risks of Thursday’s port surgery to prepare for chemotherapy. I signed consent for everything short of (and including) death. I picked up Summer and Pat at the airport while Kev stayed home with the dog, and we had a nice quiet dinner at an area restaurant before entering the frenetic welcome area of Maddie.

Thursday morning early, I had general anesthesia and Dr. Rose implanted a port into my upper right chest area with a tube snaked under my skin into my neck that goes into a vein to my heart to deliver the chemo and immunotherapy treatments. Friend Dottie brought us all a wonderful Mexican dinner (and a microwavable teddy for cold nights)! I actually felt pretty great after the surgery, as the nerves had been cut by an earlier port placement, so it was painless, except getting used to the tube snaking up on the inside of my neck skin.

I will have a brain MRI on Monday (not looking forward to THAT, but I requested it as I'm worried the cancer could be there, too, where they haven't yet scanned!).

The three chemo treatment infusions will begin on September 18th. On the Friday before, and then every Friday, I’ll have labs to test if I need transfusions, if chemo is working, etc., ect. The first lab will be on Sept 15.

It's crazy to look forward to chemo, but it's been a long battle to get it, and so bring it! I'm ready.

Jody