(((Pegita)))
Praying for you.
Posted on 02/02/2004 11:20:25 AM PST by Pegita
Giznort Update - One week after Surgery From giznort | 02/02/2004 1:22:55 PM EST new
Dear Fellow Freepers;
Hi. I'm back home. Outlook not very good, as I had feared. I've been home since Thursday and have been concentrating on healing from the surgery and spending time with my husband and cats. However, I feel a very strong need for your and other freepers' support. What I've done is type up a brief summary in Word to fax to my co-workers relatives and friends, and after having done so, would like to pass this on along to you, asking for your prayers. I've drawn strength from you posts in the pasts and don't want to be too needy, but if you don't mind and could find the time, I appreciate your support in your prayers. God bless all of you and thank you.
Here's my "report":
Good Afternoon, All:
This is the most wide broadcast email that I have ever sent.
I just wanted to let you know that I had surgery on Monday for removal of a large mass on my right ovary, was released from the hospital on Thursday, and have been resting comfortably since at home. As you may or may not know, the surgery itself went as well as could be expected, and my recovery from the surgery is almost miraculous. I see great gains every day. I even walked down and up the basement steps on Friday. When my tummy gets a little sore and achy, I am lucky to get relief from one measly ibuprofen of the humble over-the-counter variety. My body lets me know if I stand too long, so I’m still a little weak, but getting better every day.
Unfortunately, that’s not the end. That is to say, the mass turned out to be cancerous, so an entire hysterectomy was required. Subsequent examination of the cancerous mass and removed tissue found that the ovaries, uterus, etc. were all healthy and not cancerous. However, due to the information available at the time of the surgery, this was not known and the hysterectomy was mandatory. Prior to my release from the hospital, Dr. Boruta, an OB oncologist, told us straightforward that this tumor appears to have grown on the blood supply to the right ovary, and not on any of the reproductive organs themselves. The mass is cancerous, and a very, very rare one at that.
Bear with me, as this is hard for me to write. I hope I am recalling our discussion as accurately as possible. It was quite a bit to handle, and still is. Please accept my apology for not calling or emailing you any sooner, but I am trying hard to face this head-on and deal with it in a positive fashion, and have been sticking my head in the sand the past couple of days.
Without getting into the medical terms at this point, Dr. Boruta made it clear that this cancer is not what he has dealt with as an OB oncologist, and that from his preliminary research, there is simply no data available on treatment of this cancer. I didn't ask for odds or survival rate info, but he said as he learned more, he was going to be up front with me and not sugar coat anything, which I agree is best.
He told me that a positive attitude, faith, and support of my loved ones is the best immediate action while he does his research. I have an appointment this Thursday afternoon with him for removal of my staples (stitches) and for consultation as to what treatment he feels will be best.
I ask for your prayers for my physical and spiritual healing and comfort, and for the arrest of this cancer, if possible, and for guidance to Dr. Baruta to the sources of possible treatment. Thank you for respecting my initial request for privacy, as I suspected the worst case scenario going into this and hoped for the strength to deal with whatever the outcome. Thank you for you kind thoughts and prayers, and I will keep you posted.
God bless.
Rachel
P.S. I didn't proofread this, but just wanted to get this out without further delay, so please excuse the typos!
P.P.S. I am amazed that certain little miracles seemed to have taken place to help us. Starting with replacing me at work, who would have thought that the lady who held the job prior to me, who had moved out of state, had moved back to the area and was looking for employment, and was in a position to step in immediately and take over? Add to that, the first nasty (make that normal) winter to hit the region in the area, with bitter cold and measurable snowfall. How did this affect things? Ken’s outside job rarely gets a break, but in weather extremes, he occasionally gets laid off. This hasn’t happened much in the past 10 years, but as luck (?) would have it, he was laid off last week, and even more profound, last night his boss told him that due to equipment needs on other jobsites, he’d be laying Ken off this week as well. It makes me stop and think that there are greater powers at work behind the scenes here. I’m very grateful
I really can't give you any comforting words of my own. Luckily, I don't have to:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11)
No matter what happens, Rachel, it will be OK. God will make it OK -- forever.
Thank you, Pegita, for posting this update.
Thanks for the ping, BG. : )
BUMP
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