Blog update

So, I have not made an entry here for a long time. Silly me, thinking we were done with the blog and didn't need it any more as a communication tool. Ha! That will teach me.

As a quick tale, to bring everyone up to speed, I received a new, third if you can believe it, cancer diagnosis the first week of February. I was with a group of my favorite guys in Pittsburgh when I got the call, working on a project. After calling Bert and the girls, we finished the meeting and they took me for the usual conciliatory martini (or two or three, ok, maybe four...) Thats what friends are for!

Bert went to work finding us a new medical team in Seattle, and we selected the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, were everyone and everything we need, just about, is in one building in Seattle. I kept working in Virginia while Bert got all the priliminary information taken care of. On the 4th of February, I flew into Seattle and met with the new team. Oncologist, surgeon, radiation specialist, all at the same time. It was a long day but we felt fully informated and ready to move forward by the end of the day. We decided that I would have a mastectomy on the next available day the surgeon had, February 10.

You used to hear people talk about drive-by mastectomies, I had a fly-in one. Arrive from our convention about 9 pm on the 9th, Bert and I went out and had a next dinner before I had to start fasting, went home and got a quick nights sleep, and were at the hospital at 6 am the next morning.

Surgery was at 2, and I was back in my own nice private room by about 5 PM. (I think that was it, I was pretty sleepy...) Mr. Lefty has been donated to scientific research. They also completed a biopsy of my lymph nodes during the surgery and found that the cancer was in those as well, so they were removed. I now have to have my blood pressure taken in my ankle which is pretty interesting.

I was pretty sleepy and the team wanted to make sure the surgical drains that are installed were working well, so they asked me to stay overnight. I didnt' really argue, but I am always a fan of getting the heck out of those hospitals as soon as possible. Rachel, Michal and my friend Lisa kept me company, and even Baby Kenley came to say hello, although she was not a fan of the hoses and tubes, and basically was having none of it, so she didn't stay long. She did make me a very nice get well card, though.

So, Friday I went home, and my at-home team has been doing a great job of taking care of me. Resting and being feed good food has been the prescription for feeling better. Friends have stopped by to help recuperation, bringing more yummy food. I was getting up and getting out for a walk and a bit of a work-out, but the Dr. put a stop to that at my follow up appt. So, haven't been out much, until the drains come out. Apparently, exercise makes the drains fill up. And, here I was trying to be so good!

Last Friday, my Mom and sister Cathie came for a previously planned visit to celebrate our common birthday. We had a lot of gabbing and visiting, and a quick outing to Nordstrom's of course for some birthday (and Kenley...) shopping. But, we didn't make it much farther than that. Yesterday, a nice birthday lunch at Michal and Jason's favorite neighborhood restaurant that just reopened after burning down. Everything is shiny new now! Then Cathie and Mom flew home.

Today, Michal and Bert are working on my birthday gift while I sit and type: a makeover of my home office, with new paint, furniture and Michal and Rachel creative touches. I can't wait to see it all finished.

Tomorrow, plastic surgeon appointment. Thursday, diagnotics all day at the SCCA building.