Happy New Year

I am blessed to end 2007 with an "all-clear" report from Dr. Patel; the PET scan, Tumor Marker blood test, and annual mammogram all indicate that I am tumor free. Dr. Patel said he predicts a healthy 2008 for me.

On January 10th I am scheduled to meet with the geneticist to determine if I should be tested for hereditary genes - BRAC 1 and BRAC 2. As far as first-line blood-related females there was only my mother and she did not have breast cancer; however, all three blood-related maternal and paternal aunts had breast cancer.

Randy and I do have a big change in our lives - our household has grown. We were able to convince my father and oldest brother to come and spend the winter with us with the hope that they would decide to stay permanently. My brother is disabled and so my 80-year old father was caring for a mentally and emotionally four-year old in a 60-year old man’s body – it was time for my father to have some help.

I believe that they truly are here to stay – two weeks ago Randy and my dad bought matching recliners for the living room. Dad is great about loading and unloading the dishwasher and when something is not in its right spot we just search the other drawers and cabinets knowing that eventually he will learn where everything goes. Both he and my brother are great about making their beds and keeping their rooms clean and Glennis helps to clear the table every night. We have all settled into a cozy and companionable routine and it feels completely normal that both of them are here with us. I am blessed to have a husband who willingly opens his heart to share our home and I am very happy that my grandchildren will get to know their Papa and Uncle Glennis.

My brother Glennis is a perpetual child – in order to understand him you must ignore his physical age and remember where he is developmentally; he is a young child with the same basic needs as any other child. He wants to know that he is cared for and that he is important; he receives this assurance through communication both verbal and non-verbal - he wants to be smiled at; he loves a pat on the shoulder or even better yet a hug; and he wants and needs human contact – he wants eye contact and to talk with people and for people to talk with him. As any parent knows, having a young child around 24/7 is not always easy and the same is true with my brother.

From as far back as I can remember I have always felt that it could have been me – I could have been the child my parents had who was born with birth defects. And as an adult, I am very aware that at any time I could suffer an injury or other debilitating condition that would require the type of care my brother needs. My brother keeps me humble and he reminds me to keep life simple – I take care of him like I would want him to take care of me if our roles were reversed. My brother is another one of life's blessings for me.

Blessings

Here are some interesting quotes and/or thoughts I found about blessings.

A newspaper subscriber commented: Since reading that report, I've made a conscious effort to recall my blessings nearly every hour. Instead of dreading the drudgery of cleaning house, I express gratitude for my home. I've found so many things to be grateful for, little things like running water and electricity. A few weeks ago, I complained because my knees ached; now I say how grateful I am that I can walk. I think it's important to express our gratitude out loud. The positive focus on gratitude has pushed out of my mind the negative thoughts that were dragging me down. Unknown

We once visited in a beautiful home just at sundown. We looked out of the large window and remarked what a magnificent view they had with the setting sun. "Oh," said our host, "why, that happens so often we don't even see it any more." I wonder how many of us are like my friend is with his view of the sunset. We have so many blessings that we never take time to look at them or count them. Unknown

How many times do we miss our blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Unknown

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us. Socrates (469 - 399 BC)

It is good for us to think that no grace or blessing is truly ours till we are aware that God has blessed some one else with it through us. Phillips Brooks (1835 - 1893) Source: Sermons. Purpose

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shapes of pains, losses and the disappointments; but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

Source: http://quotes.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/blessings?page=3

Tests, Tests and More Tests

I love my new oncologist - Dr. Ravi Patel - and I am very blessed to have him.

First of all it is important to say that Dr. Patel has told me that the chemo, radiation, and biologic treatment I received was exactly what he would have prescribed. Before I even began treatment I had researched the recommended courses of treatment and chemo options for my particular type of cancer and I had concluded that I would be receiving the most aggressive course of treatment. It is good however to hear another oncologist confirm the treatment.

What I love about Dr. Patel is that he is not going to stay within the follow-up protocol. He said that he feels that my cancer was so aggressive that we cannot afford to only run tests every six months to one year. Therefore, I will have CT and Bone Scans every three months and I will see him for a physical exam every six weeks. Additionally, every four weeks when I go in to have a port flush blood will be drawn and checked for tumor markers.

So, once again I received a blessing when I have experienced something that I thought was not good. What I mean is that I really loved not working but I had to go back to work in order to have insurance because eventually my time on COBRA would have ended. Because I went back to work I had to change insurance companies and I really did not want to do that because it required that I change oncologists - my first doctor was through an HMO. But, if I had not have gone back to work I would have stayed with COBRA and therefore the HMO for probably another year. The HMO was great for the treatment portion but the follow up care could not compare with what I will be receiving. So, if you followed this you will understand what I mean about the blessing ... doing something I did not want to do resulted in something that was much better for me. Seems like I have heard something like this from my mother! Ha

Furthermore, Dr. Patel is referring me to a geneticist; if I meet the statistical threshold I will be tested for the inherited genes BRAC 1 and BRAC 2. If I test positive for either one of these genes I face an increased risk of the cancer returning - either to the remaining breast, the uterus or ovarian cancer. To decrease this risk the prescribed course of treatment would be the removal of the breast, uterus, and ovaries.

In late November I had a CT and Bone Scan and everything looks great. I especially loved hearing and reading the results that the lymph glands look good. The flip side of these tests is that you find out other things about your body such as my left hip is in bad shape and I have kidney cysts. But hey, I've faced worse.

Earlier this month I had a mammogram, PET Scan, and a blood test to check the tumor markers; I will be informed of the results later this month when I have the six week check up. I am a little anxious to learn the results of the PET Scan as it is a test that examines metabolic changes in cells and is therefore highly effective in identifying cancer cells. I balance my anxiousness with a dose of common sense - if the PET Scan detected cancer cells I would have been called with an appointment to see Dr. Patel sooner rather than waiting until later this month.

I continue to count my blessings every day ... I hope you do as well.