Kicking Cancer Ass - Version 2.0

(Before anything else, my apologies are given to all of you who have been waiting anxiously for news of how the surgery went. Unfortunately, computer access at the hospital is not as readily available as it is at the clinic and it hasn't been easy to find time to break away to search out a terminal. Thanks for your understanding.)

Sometimes, a new, unexpected detour must be taken on the journey you have planned. A detour can be a bit startling and unsettling at first if there is no signs alerting you that it is coming up ahead. But the brilliant thing about a proper detour is that it brings you to the original destination nonetheless.

Karen's cancer conquering journey had such a detour on Monday. None of us, including the surgeon, saw any signs alerting us to the detour, but when all was said and done, we're still on track. As Karen so appropriately told Dr. Boughey, "We kicked some cancer ass!"

The tumor was removed and Dr. Boughey is pleased that the second excision she made came back from Pathology with clean margins (cancer cell-free allowances around the tumor). Unfortunately, Karen's hope that the sentinel lymph nodes would be clean and thus allow her to keep her under arm lymph nodes was not realized. But what did come from the removal is that those cancer cells were removed from her body and do not have to be contended with any longer.

Removal of the lymph nodes meant the surgery was more involved and Karen was kept over night. It was difficult to manage her pain, and it required she be admitted a second night. After a team meeting though, we were able to coordinate a care plan to address the muscle tightness, pain and lack of continuous sleep. She had two, solid four-hour blocks of sleep Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and has done much, much better today. The doctor hopes to discharge her this evening.

We will stay in Rochester until tomorrow, just as a precaution. Then, Karen's friends Wendy and Chuck have graciously offered to have Karen in their home while she recuperates.

There are certainly more details I could relay, but I do want to get back up to the room. But I felt it important that I not delay this post any longer either. Oh, and I understand that some of you have had difficulty posting comments on the blog recently. I'm sorry for this. I think it may have something to do with trying to preview your comments before posting instead of just posting, but, if you'd rather just email Karen, feel free to send them to me at janiskelley at hot mail dot com and I'll print them out for her and forward them to her as well.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been sending your thoughts, prayers, support and positive energy. As a family, we continue to be touched by the depth and breadth of your kindness and love. Thank you hardly seems enough, but thank you.