Although I had suspected cancer for some time (and kept putting off a visit to the Doctor) I was numb after hearing the news from my Doctor.
Early on the morning of December 14, 2012, I went in for a CT scan. When I returned home, the news of the Sandy Hook School shootings was just beginning to be televised. I watched in horror as details of the 20 sweet little lives that were lost and the heroics of the adults who were killed trying to protect them emerged. Watching this tragedy unfold helped suppress my own feelings of "why me" - after all, I had lived 60 years and these precious little one's lives were just starting. In the next few weeks, every time I started to ask "why me", I just remembered the Newtown parents coping with their grief over losing their children and I thanked God for the blessing of a full life.
With Christmas approaching, I decided to wait until after the holidays to tell my 3 daughters about my cancer and my upcoming surgery. Somehow, I managed to get through the holidays and on December 31, decided to tell my daughters. Telling them was one of the hardest things I've ever done - it isn't often that we are truly faced with our own mortality. I was very frightened that I might not make it through the surgery itself and I was also afraid the cancer may have spread to my lymph nodes.
My Radical Hysterectomy took place on Friday, January 4, 2013, and I stayed in the hospital until Monday, January 7th.
Dr. S called me on Thursday, January 10th to let me know that my cancer was Stage II (it had not spread to the lymph nodes) and she recommended Chemotherapy.
I took it in stride that I might need Chemo. I bought several hats on clearance and ordered an inexpensive wig. I spent quite a bit of time reading about Chemotherapy on the Internet and was afraid the harsh chemicals might have severe reactions in a person as sensitive as I am, so I was very thrilled when I visited my Oncologist and he told me that he only recommended Radiation Therapy. He told me that I would probably have treatments five days per week for five weeks of External Radiation and then several Internal Radiation treatments called Brachytherapy.
A few weeks later when I visited the Radiation Oncologist, he recommended 6 treatments of Brachytherapy three days per week over a two-week period. The treatments ended on March 8 and I have had virtually no side effects, although quite serious side effects from Radiation Treatments can appear even several years after treatment.
No person can go through cancer and remain unchanged. I never asked God to spare my life, but I am very grateful that God gave me a new life spiritually 40 years ago and gave me a new chance at life after cancer! I now start each day with gratitude to my Creator and strive to make a difference for Him!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
The Big "C" - Part I (My Cancer Story)
On December 11, 2012, I received the long awaited phone call from my Doctor.
A week before I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound in which a mass was visible in my uterus. That day as I waited for the Doctor to come into the Examination Room I could hear him talking to a colleague outside the door..."cancer...blah, blah, blah...cancer...or it could be a polyp..." As they were talking, all I could think was "how unprofessional" - shouldn't they be having this conversation somewhere else? Some place where I didn't have to overhear it. I was quite certain that I had cancer, but at this point I wasn't ready to accept the harsh reality and certainly didn't want to hear the Doctor discussing it so impartially.
The message on the answering machine said, "This is Dr. B. I have the results of your biopsy. Call me at 000-000-0000." I hadn't recognized the phone number on the digital display, so I hadn't answered the call. With shaking fingers, I returned Dr. B's call. He wasn't available, so I left a message with his nurse. About a half hour later, she returned my call. "Dr. B wants you to come in to the Office."
I almost dropped the phone. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew the reason he wanted me to come in to the Office was to tell me in person that I had cancer.
I drove to Dr. B's Office and rode the elevator to the third floor. I had to wait about fifteen minutes for him to come in to the Examination Room where the nurse had told me to wait.
"The Pathologist bungled your biopsy," Dr. B. said. "Does that mean I need another biopsy?" I thought to myself. "They redid it and that's what took so long," he continued; "Squamous cells are present. You need a Radical Hysterectomy. Nobody in Northern Colorado does that kind of surgery. You'll have to go to Denver. Here's the phone number for Dr. D." (he chuckled because the Doctor to whom he was referring had the same last name as me). Dr. B also said he would order a CT Scan because I needed one before the appointment with Dr. D. I'm sure I asked him some pertinent questions, but I can't remember what I said. I do remember him saying he would do my follow-up after the surgery.
I drove home and thought, "That's it? I have cancer and that's all the Doctor says... Shouldn't I be referred to some kind of Cancer Support Group? Shouldn't the Doctor kind of... ummm...care?"
A week before I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound in which a mass was visible in my uterus. That day as I waited for the Doctor to come into the Examination Room I could hear him talking to a colleague outside the door..."cancer...blah, blah, blah...cancer...or it could be a polyp..." As they were talking, all I could think was "how unprofessional" - shouldn't they be having this conversation somewhere else? Some place where I didn't have to overhear it. I was quite certain that I had cancer, but at this point I wasn't ready to accept the harsh reality and certainly didn't want to hear the Doctor discussing it so impartially.
The message on the answering machine said, "This is Dr. B. I have the results of your biopsy. Call me at 000-000-0000." I hadn't recognized the phone number on the digital display, so I hadn't answered the call. With shaking fingers, I returned Dr. B's call. He wasn't available, so I left a message with his nurse. About a half hour later, she returned my call. "Dr. B wants you to come in to the Office."
I almost dropped the phone. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew the reason he wanted me to come in to the Office was to tell me in person that I had cancer.
I drove to Dr. B's Office and rode the elevator to the third floor. I had to wait about fifteen minutes for him to come in to the Examination Room where the nurse had told me to wait.
"The Pathologist bungled your biopsy," Dr. B. said. "Does that mean I need another biopsy?" I thought to myself. "They redid it and that's what took so long," he continued; "Squamous cells are present. You need a Radical Hysterectomy. Nobody in Northern Colorado does that kind of surgery. You'll have to go to Denver. Here's the phone number for Dr. D." (he chuckled because the Doctor to whom he was referring had the same last name as me). Dr. B also said he would order a CT Scan because I needed one before the appointment with Dr. D. I'm sure I asked him some pertinent questions, but I can't remember what I said. I do remember him saying he would do my follow-up after the surgery.
I drove home and thought, "That's it? I have cancer and that's all the Doctor says... Shouldn't I be referred to some kind of Cancer Support Group? Shouldn't the Doctor kind of... ummm...care?"
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Cape Lookout National Seashore and Lighthouse
My youngest daughter and her husband moved to North Carolina in 2010. We helped them move out there and the four of us visited the outer banks briefly one day. The brief visit was good because it left us wanting to return. In April 2011, my daughter and I took a two-day trip and visited Manteo, the Currituck Lighthouse, Whalehead Club, Bodie Lighthouse and Cape Hatteras Light on the Outer Banks. In September 2011, my husband, daughter and son-in-law visited the Oak Island Lighthouse.
In August 2012, I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law and we took a two-day trip to the Cape Lookout National Seashore and Lighthouse.
My daughter had to work in the morning, so we didn't get a very early start and had to drive several hours to get to Harker's Island where we spent the night.
The bridge to Harker's Island. (I feel like a kid sitting in the back seat).
Unfortunately, the lighthouse is open for tours on a limited basis, so we were unable to climb to the top of the lighthouse. We could drive to Harker's Island, but we had to ride a ferry to the Cape Lookout National Seashore. It was a small ferry which went very fast.
In August 2012, I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law and we took a two-day trip to the Cape Lookout National Seashore and Lighthouse.
My daughter had to work in the morning, so we didn't get a very early start and had to drive several hours to get to Harker's Island where we spent the night.
Unfortunately, the lighthouse is open for tours on a limited basis, so we were unable to climb to the top of the lighthouse. We could drive to Harker's Island, but we had to ride a ferry to the Cape Lookout National Seashore. It was a small ferry which went very fast.
The ferry Captian stopped so we could see the wild horses on the Shackleford Banks.
View of the Lighthouse from the dock.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters.
Beautiful beach where we spent the morning and had a picnic lunch.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Wakefield-Scearce Galleries
On a recent visit to Kentucky to see my daughter and her family, my son-in-law took us to the most amazing place. I should have started this post by mentioning that Kentucky (as well as all the other Eastern states) are really amazing to Coloradans like me. Here in the west there are few buildings more than 100 years old, and antiques older than 100 years are few and far between, so when visiting Eastern cities the old buildings and their furnishing are amazing to see.
Getting back to the point, my son-in-law took us to the Wakefield-Scearce Galleries which specializes in fine English antiques. A visit to the place would be amazing any time of year, but beginning in November, they decorate the whole place "to the nines" for Christmas. Fortunately, I was totally captivated by the Christmas decorations (not to mention that I was keeping up with a certain little someone who was leading me through the maze of rooms) and wasn't tempted to buy any of the gorgeous antiques!
I didn't get a very good picture of the building, because it was so huge and I couldn't get far enough away...
Here is a view from the second floor...
Beautiful, huge Christmas tree...
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Costello Street Coffee House
Last summer, my husband and I stopped at the cutest, most quaint coffee house I've ever visited. It is located in the small mountain town of Florrisant, Colorado. Besides coffee and a variety of baked goods and breakfast items, it also serves a brunch (at least on Sunday) and several interesting sandwich concoctions. We arrived there at lunchtime, so we each ordered 1/2 a sandwich (since they were rather large). My husband ordered a BLT and I ordered a grilled vegetable and cheese sandwich. Unfortunately, since I was soaking in the ambiance of the place and we were fortunate enough to have a dining room to ourselves, I forgot to take pictures of the food, however; here are pictures of Costello Street Coffee House (I didn't know they had a website)...
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