Halloween Day 2008

Another Day, Another Walk:

Our test today was to face the drizzle!  The sky was partially light and partially dark-- with a big southwestern rain cloud touching down in the direction of Ft Clatsop.  We got some crazy rain gear on and set off about noonish.  It did rain, but it was not too bad.  

On the return trip, the sun emerged and every leaf shimmered like fabulous diamonds because the sun was back-lighting the tiny rain drops covering the trees and bushes.

Also, on the return trip Dave found 2! salamanders crossing the trail.  He released both into the damp leaves and strangely, the second salamander used his little arms to hold onto Dave's fingers.

Heather had a change in plans for her pumpkin carving.  Heather, Rachel, Mike and Dylan went out trick or treating.  We took the camera over to them in the Coast Guard Housing Complex.... That is the place to be.  The sidewalks were full of families in costume.  The weather was perfect.  Usually Halloween is rainy and the costumes sometimes melt!  I remember Heather had a tall witches hat one Halloween that got wet and the dark color was streaking down her face - very weird looking!

Dylan was dressed as a baseball player.  He is just over 2 years old and he immediately figured out how to go up to doors and get candy.  He even said 'chocolate'.  So CUTE!

He said 'Thank you', too,.... he is such a fine little gentleman!

I have 2 tests at OHSU in the morning on Monday November 3rd, and then I am off again until the next Monday; that is, unless they call me and make a change in the plans...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Love,

C.

Again, the Weather

Dave was so nice, he pretty much sacrificed his lunch hour so that we could do the walk out at Ft Clatsop today...   (Ft Clatsop is the National Park that honors the site of the winter encampment of Lewis and Clark in the winter of 1805 and 1806)  The river out there is named for them - the Lewis and Clark River.  Actually, the photo at the top of this blog is a photo I took of the Lewis and Clark River just the other day.

The weather was nice today, but a bit overcast.... then, the haze burned off (it turned really sunny on the return part of our walk).   Suddenly, it's Summer!

Dave found a frog on the trail and gently took the little stunned creature over closer to the river.  We think Bodie might have bumped into him.  We are going to believe that the frog will be OK!

We had to pass an elderly couple with a beagle on a leash.... we had Bodie on a leash too.... Wow that beagle just went crazy - barking and jumping around!  I was thinking that if they could get the Dog Whisperer , Cesar Millan (sp), to help them that it would be a really good thing!!!  The people were pretty embarrassed!  Bodie all of sudden seemed well trained! (HaH!)

Love to All.

C.

Linda

Linda,  Take Care and Get Well- soon, OK?  Love, C.

The Weather

The early morning sky today was that type of bright white that happens on those overcast days when you are predicting that the white sky will become wonderfully blue.  And the day was glorious!  C.

Pumpkin carving and Dylan's costume

Very glad that there are NO MORE tests and procedures at OHSU scheduled for this week.  Will be so much fun to see Dylan in whatever cute costume Rachel figures out for him.  We are going over to Heather and Corey and Luka's to carve pumpkins on Oct 31....Thanks for the invite, Heather!  Cydelas

OHSU and All That Jazz

Update for my family and friends~~

OHSU has been great, and my Docs are great...

I am just going with the flow ~ 

don't know what to expect ~

am enjoying every day like I never have before ~ 

it's strangely calming for me in this situation~

I don't know why~

except that it is all going to be OK~

Of that I am SURE.

The tests and appointments up to this date:

July 17, My Doc, Astoria

Aug 14, Columbia Memorial, Astoria, Mammogram and Ultrasound

Oct 1, OHSU, Core Needle Biopsy

Oct 9, OHSU, Fine Needle Biopsy

Oct 14, OHSU, PET/CT Scan

Oct 27, OHSU, Meeting for Surgical Biopsy to be done Nov 11, 2008

The only definite answer I have had so far was given to me over the phone on October 6th, 2008 and it was when OHSU called to tell me that I did indeed have cancer.  They said it was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  ( A type of Breast Cancer)

The Core Biopsy of Oct 1 and the Surgical Biopsy to be done on Nov 11 have this in common:

Both of them provide tissue that the pathologist tests: then you get the answers.  The pathologists seem to be the final word, everything else seems to be educated guesses....

I told my Docs at OHSU that I was not in any huge rush... and that I was patient.

They told me that they have found that if you are patient, you will most likely have a better outcome.

(I hope that makes sense: Patient patients and all that...)

I can assure you that my type of cancer is slow growing, and the more truth they extract with their tests, the better it is for me and for those who follow after me who have cancers like mine.

Usually you hear of the Surgery (mastectomy or lumpectomy) being done ASAP after finding a cancerous lump.

My Docs and I think it is SMART to do the Chemo first, because that way we can find the right chemo drugs and/or combinations of drugs which hopefully will make the tumor melt down.... 

That way we can have the actual physical demonstration of the right drugs while the tumor is being assaulted by chemo while situated in your body------ INSTEAD of guessing about the right chemo drugs AFTER the tumor is cut out and studied in a lab or whatever they do.....and then wondering if all the little 'starts' might form-up new cancers because they were not wiped out properly at the beginning.....

Makes perfect sense to me!

No matter if the tumor shrinks or not, I WILL have something like a mastectomy, some time after the Chemo.

The Chemo will have to wait until after this newest surgical biopsy of Nov 11, 2008 and after a few weeks of recovery time.  Timeframe: first part of December???

The Chemo is planned at this time to consist of 8 treatments, given every 2 weeks, to last a total of 16 weeks.

Maybe that would be: something like December, January, February and March for Chemo and then the mastectomy surgery.

OK?

Hope that helps everyone --- 

In the meantime, I am determined to get out and exercise as much as I can.... I know that will help me more than any other thing besides having a positive attitude.

Thanks so much for telling me I am in your prayers.

I am returning the favor, and praying for all of you!

I am getting a lot of comfort reading the Bible lately and enjoying Nature....

Heaps and Heaps of Love to All,

Love,

Cynthia

Note: I have been at the Docs in the Day today, and I have written two posts, the first of which I did delete, because even though I thought it was funny, Dave thought it was too black-humorish.

I think he was correct, and I hope this post is a lot better.

But I want to say, that because I had to rewrite, I have now arrived at the Day October 28 --which is the day that my Mother died at Emanuel Hospital in Portland Oregon.  Her name was Ruth Elaine Frances Johnson DeWitt, and she was buried at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Sherwood Oregon on November 1, 1985.  It was 23 years ago today that we witnessed our Mother dying -- all of us were there.  It was the most intense spiritual experience EVER, and since that time, I have not had a fear of death.  Thank you to my Mother for showing us courage and fortitude, you will not be forgotten.