Note from the Cave

Thank you so much for your prayers and caring for me and my whole family. It truly is more than I can say or even know. But simply, thank you. It is so good to be home.

Tonight, I peek out of my little cave - or cocoon. I will pop back in soon. I am on a tight schedule. I never realized recovery was such complicated work. Glad work, of course.

I have been working on refining my schedule today. Some things just seemed impossible, like taking thyroid medicine and iron both on an empty stomach and one hour before food, but four hours away from each other (the iron needs to be taken twice in the day). It boils down to, I cannot just wake up or eat when I choose. All the meds and other tasks need to be coordinated very closely.

You might not know this part. Two conditions of my coming home Saturday night were that I wore home my catheter and that I have a home health care nurse. Our first visit was Sunday. My bladder needs "retraining" (not uncommon for this kind of thing). So I am on a schedule of clamping the catheter off for three hours and leaving it open one hour.

As for intake... At night, I pour into a pitcher my next day's allotment of water, so as soon as I get up, I can get the first pill and be on my way. I started out drinking way too much water, thinking that was a good thing, and wreaked havoc, with the "training" schedule of leaving the cath clamped for three ----- whole ----- hours. When I called in discomfort, the doctor's message was to follow directions Exactly. Drink 6-8 glasses fluids....which by the time I take my meds does not leave much for pure pleasure or wetting my whistle if I talk too much. I asked my family, that unlike our usual schedule, to try to have most conversations with me before 8:00 p.m. when fluids are stopped for the night.

We see Dr. Malviya Friday to see how things are doing.

In the meantime, I am trying to lay low, walking around some (to prevent clots, etc.), while today, also keeping my feet up part time because of leg swelling.

My parents drove down to see me today, and are staying at Allan's (my brother) in Novi. Carrie is also still here, managing to work a lot by phone/computer while also helping John care for me. James and Sarah planted his herb garden kit (Christmas gift from Carrie) here tonight... My life at home ... I love it.

And now, back to my cave, where one of my goals is still to sleep through the night, because there seems to be no time left in the day for naps!

Thanks for your patience in my time tucked away. I know you are there, and I appreciate it. I am between a place where I really want to write and do more... and a place where I need, beside prayers, quiet and peace and time away from the world for this first week of recovery at home.

I am still here.

Home

The only person who could be more thrilled about the doctor discharging Laura from the hospital than me would be Laura. She is thrilled.


At the time of this writing, we are awaiting final instructions from her nurse. Then she will dress in the new sweats that we purchased last week for this occasion, be released from Providence Hospital 3 South, feel the cool of the air and smell the new-fallen snow as she climbs into the car.

God is good. Home awaits her. She smiles.

More Progress, and Some Results

Today Mom continued to make progress with her post-surgery recovery and is feeling better. Her walks were longer and quicker moving. She is also very glad for ice chips! Diet is still restricted to popsicles. They’re working on returning her body to normal basic functioning. She’s also becoming much more independent, getting in and out of bed like a pro. It still hurts to laugh, though, which was tough to avoid today with all the joking around!

We also did receive some (but not all) of the pathology reports this afternoon. Dr. Malviya explained the information he had so far, and also made some recommendations for next steps. He is still waiting for some cytology reports to be released. Karen DeBenedet (parish nurse) was able to be present for this. It was helpful for Karen to be there, as she was able to ask specific questions and explain things in common terms to my parents and to me.

The cancer type is papillary serous adenocarcinoma. It is a complex type of cancer that can look well-differentiated, yet doesn’t behave that way. The up-side is that the cancer likely has not spread much, if any, based on the reports we have so far. The doctor is waiting to receive the remaining results before determining the stage of the cancer. Regardless of those results, he is recommending chemotherapy to treat any lingering cancer cells if they exist.

Her spirits were further lifted by a visit from family friend Marsha Woolley, who is a pastor in Livonia. Marsha had offered prayer before Mom’s surgery on Monday. She also stayed most of that day with Dad along with several other family members and friends. Her prayers in the hospital have been joined by the visits and prayers of sister Bonnie, brother Allan, friends Tom and Sherry Hartley, friend and District Superintendent Tom Macaulay, and cousin Judi Fidh.

She asks her family and friends to STAY HEALTHY. That means all of us need to eat nutritiously and get good rest. The prospect of her getting sick would interrupt her schedule, which might reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.

Overall the results of today were encouraging to Mom and to the rest of us. And although we know there is work to be done, the goal is a cure.

Called by Name

Today Laura's husband, John, gets a turn to tell Laura's story of the day. Carrie drove from Philadelphia to Northville on Tuesday, just in time to beat the wind storm and dropping temperatures. Carrie and I arrived on Laura's floor at 10:30 in the morning, only to see her finishing her third walk of the day. The goal for the day the nursing staff had given was to take four. She had received a couple units of blood during the night and again had little sleep.

More flowers had arrived, blessing the floor with color and fragrance. Laura's sister, Bonnie Case, continued to provide special care as she has since Laura's surgery on Monday. We've been so grateful for her presence. Seeing Carrie also brightened Laura's day from the beginning. Then, a number good things continued to happen over the course of the day.

Dr. Malviya came and ordered her NG tube be removed, enabling her to suck ice chips and popsicles. Laura's gynecologist, Dr. Hakim, came for a second visit. On Tuesday he gave her a full assessment of their observations during surgery, which suggested that we may be dealing with a more complex cancer than had been hoped. This was a sobering message. On this day, his visit offered good grounds for realistic hope, an encouraging word that aimed at a cure of the disease. Then, interspersing these visits and additional walks Laura (she over-achieved by taking five "walks in the park") Laura started taking some solid naps. It was amazing to see a healthy color return to her face.

We have received such warm expressions of love from so many people: members of our church family, dear friends of ours and colleague friends of mine, a call and a prayer from Bishop Keaton, prayers and wishes of hope and healing from friends and family members all around the world, as far away as Shanghai and South Africa and as close as the nursing staff at the hospital and friends who have come and taken Laura's hand.

One of our friends, Rev. Kent Clise who is Pastor of our neighboring First Presbyterian Church of Northville, stopped by for a pastoral visit. During his conversation with Laura he asked her if there was a passage in the Scriptures that she was holding close. She told him, "Isaiah 43 - 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" Kent added that the passage also speaks of God's promise: "When you pass through the waters, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." And he said, "This God who loved and protected Israel to such lengths also loves and protects you and calls you by name."

And so God does. We have seen it in the blessings Laura lived in today.

The Recovery from Surgery

It’s now the day after the surgery, and Mom is beginning to heal from it. Today she has dutifully been doing her breathing exercises to keep her lungs clear and healthy. Her goal was to get up for four walks today, and true to form, she did succeed. She was also to receive two units of blood transfusion this evening, which is sometimes needed after surgery.

Mom would like everyone to know how much she appreciates the cards and flowers, and is also grateful for the support (both emotional and edible) everyone has given to our family.

Post-Surgery Update

Hi everyone – Carrie here (Laura’s daughter). Mom asked me to write an update while she’s in the hospital.

She came through the surgery very well this morning. It lasted around 2 ½ hours. No transfusions or other complications. The procedure went as planned. It was a modified radical hysterectomy, and as expected some lymph nodes were also removed. She’s in recovery now.

Based on the physical exam today, the cancer seems to be more complex than we had hoped. Pathology tests will be performed on the removed tissue, and the results should come back in about 3-5 days. We are waiting for those reports before any conclusions or follow-up recommendations will be made.

I also want to thank you for the love, support and prayers you have given. It means more than you can know.

I Have Called You

Laura... Laura
What time is it?
2:30.
(Oh good, I did not oversleep the alarm)
This is my time.
I have called you by name;
you are mine...
I have loved you with an everlasting love.

Holy God
Great is your faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.

Many years ago
when my dad had cancer
I told him I was thankful for all the healthy cells.

Today, I am thankful for all my healthy cells
and for all the ones that used to be.
And for Dr. Hakim who said they need to come out
And for Dr. Malviya who said they need to come out today.

This uterus, these Fallopian tubes, these ovaries...
Through them came my babies
My wonderful amazing babies
This womb that carried them
Time to say good-bye
Good-bye

I am thankful for all the healthy cells
And I thankful for my mother's womb
That carried me and my brother and my sister

I am thankful for this morning
for this time with you.

Come see what the Otts gave you
Yes, Lord...
Come...
Ah, my bed feels so good
Here next to my husband..
A-hem. Did you just call me Lord?
When Dr. Malviya ordered the rectal contrast
did you not say you would do whatever he said?
Oh, yes...
A psalm gift...

Psalm 27:4-5
"One thing I asked of the Lord,
that I will seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock."


I have called you by name
You are mine
I have loved you with an everylasting love
I have called you by name
You are mine