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Dear Faithful Praying Family & Friends,

A REVIEW:

Three weeks have passed since the most difficult evening of my life, June 28, the night before my surgery.  During that time, your prayers for me were efficacious:  Into my memory came the words of ancient Hebrew Scripture, assuring my troubled mind that my present circumstances do not diminish the character and nature of Almighty God!   During that long night, I meditated upon the words of Psalm 121 [Levavi Oculos].  With the words, came the memory of a composition by Mendelssohn, a tune set to the words of Psalm 121:  “He watching over Israel slumbers not nor sleeps.”  The truth of that ancient Hebrew Scripture strengthened my mind and eclipsed anxiety, doubt, and fear.  Will you continue to pray for me, as I enter the next phase in my journey toward health?  I will need your prayers in order to endure!

 THE NEXT PHASE:

Today, I met with Dr. Mabry, Hematology/Oncology, Tallahassee.  The good news is that I will have no radiation.  However, I will have four rounds of chemotherapy, each round separated by three weeks.  Yes, I will lose my hair. Dr. Mabry will order an anti-nausea drug, which I will take one-half hour before each chemotherapy session.  After these four rounds are completed [12 weeks] I will take [for one year] Herceptin, which targets the HER/2 biomarker, an oncogene for which I tested positive and which is over-expressing.  [This represents the most problematic aspect of my pathology report.]  I will also take Tamoxifen, an anti-hormone, as my tumor tested estrogen-receptive positive; five years is the standard protocol.

I imagine you are disappointed, as I am, that I require further treatment.  However, I am thankful that the treatment will significantly decrease the risk of the recurrence of cancer.  The goal of treatment is to increase my survival.  Here are the details about my path report:  Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage One, Grade Three, Nottingham Score 8, Estrogen Positive, HER/2 Positive.

 PLEASE PRAY FOR ME DURING CHEMO:

*No serious side effects, complications, or allergies.

*No illness that would compromise my suppressed immune system.

*That the anti-nausea drugs would work!

*That I would remain strong in mind, heart, soul, and strength.

*That I would learn to love God with ALL my mind heart, soul, and strength.

 NO REGRETS!

You remember that I opted for bi-lateral mastectomy with no reconstructive surgery [RS]?   Although I have no regrets about either of those two decisions, it was great to hear this confirmation:  Last week, my surgeon and two nurses confirmed that, if I had agreed to RS, I would have been out of commission for five to six weeks AND that I would never have been able to swim as well after the RS as before!  

I am now swimming better than before my surgery!  One, I have the companionship of Stephen and my friends, Steve & Margie Gibbons.  Two, [perhaps] I have less “drag” in the [ahem] chest area and I weigh less!  Third, I am extremely motivated and consider it my focused “job” to stay strong, mentally and physically. Not only am I able to perform the full range of motion for all the strokes, including butterfly, my stamina is also increasing.  Last night, I swam 1000 meters with only a few rest stops. 

A RESPITE:

The good news is that my treatment will not start until August 19^th!  Next week, Dr. Crooms will surgically implant a “port.”  For the next two weeks, I will not be able to swim.  However, I WILL be able to go to the Blair Clan Family Reunion in Beech Mountain, NC.  There I will see my two sisters and their families plus Daniel, Haley, and Benjamin, who will fly in from Waco, TX.  I hope Garrett can join us but he just returned from a two-week vacation to Europe!

I heartily thank you for reading and praying as I go the distance!  Your encouragement and support will keep me afloat!  I will update the blog about once a week and will report any significant news and I’ll post some more photos for your enjoyment! 

Benedictus es, Domine.

Coram Deo,

Margo

Yesterday, I posted a photo of our first grandchild, Benjamin Daniel Stewart.  That specific photo was the one which Haley sent me on the day after my surgery.  That smile seemed to say to me, “Marmee, you did well and I’m proud of you! “

Benjamin was born 02.08.09 to Daniel & Haley [Payne] Stewart, married 05.28.06.  During the first week of August, Stephen & I will be travel to Beech Mountain, NC for our annual family reunion. Daniel, Haley, and Benjamin will fly to NC from Waco, TX:  Benjamin’s first trip to the mountains!  Looking forward to this trip has been a powerful motivator for me to get strong!  Stephen & I continue to do laps at the pool almost every evening.

The nurse gave me the OK to return to swimming and on this past Thursday evening [10 days post-surgery] Stephen sat by the side of the pool, as I took my first plunge.  It was glorious!  I let my legs do most of the work but I did gentle, warm-up motions with my arms.  It was a beautiful evening and I didn’t want to get out of the pool.  Stephen took photos.  We returned to the pool on Saturday & Sunday evening, with friends, Steve & Margie Gibbons, and all four of us enjoyed warm-up laps.  By Sunday, I was able to do the “freestyle” stroke, albeit not as powerful as before surgery, but that IS progress, right?  The Paynes and Gibbons are getting ready to go back to the pool this evening!  Well, perhaps you may remember the motto of the Paynes:  The Fun Never Ends  . . .

 Check back with this blog and I’ll include a report from visit with Dr. Mabry, Oncologist [07.22.09].  Hopefully, we will have an indication of future [if any] treatment.  I won’t consider myself as having “reached the other side” [of the pool, remember?] until I have learned about that.  So, please keep praying for me, until I reach that other side, OK?

And, for a special treat, this week, I’ll be adding a photo to this blog, introducing you to Benjamin Daniel Stewart, our first grandchild!  He has been a real bright spot in this rather uncertain six weeks of our lives but, then, so have all of YOU been a bright spot! 

Thanks again for your visits, emails, comments, phone calls, snail mail, greeting cards, letters, snacks, beverages, homemade bread, lunches, suppers, giant salads [thanks, Kris!], flowers, and gifts — but especially for your prayers!  I am blessed beyond measure because of your friendship!

Dear Faithful Praying Family & Friends,

I looked over my post on 06.22.09 to see how many prayers have already been answered. ALL have been answered save for one: further treatment, which is unknown at this time. Over the next three weeks, I will be meeting with oncologists in order to find out the answer: minimum treatment or none? I will write on my blog as soon as I have any new information. In the meantime, keep praying toward no treatment, will you?

Again, I must express my gratitude for your faithful prayers on my behalf! Of course, you know the lymph nodes were clear, the margins were WIDE and clear, there were no complications after surgery, and my recovery has gone exceptionally well.

Here is what you may not know: I have NOT become unglued as I adjust my eyes and mind to my new [ahem] chest. I did a lot of honest weeping & grieving before the surgery but post-op, I shed not a tear over my loss. I HAVE wept over the overwhelming generosity and kindnesses of my care-takers, family & friends, however!

You who read this blog represent many, many of those family & friends. Words cannot adequately express how much your reading the blog [and leaving comments] and praying for me has meant. You have walked along side me in this journey and I thank you with all my heart.

Love,

Margo

I went to the surgeon’s office today for my one-week post-op appointment. The surgeon was in the OR but Karen, the nurse, attended me and removed the drains and staples.

Karen gave me a copy of the final pathology report and Stephen & I are celebrating the good news:

– The lymph nodes ARE clear!
– The margins around the tumor ARE clear!

My dear friends & family, you who have so faithfully prayed for me during this long journey, I sincerely thank you and ask you to please join me in proclaiming:

“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, it is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen, Amen!”

Margo

When I think of all the prayers that have been offered on behalf of my needs, I am filled with gratitude to recount how many prayers were answered last week.

Only a few requests remain, dear family & friends:

– That the final pathology report would confirm that the sentinel lymph nodes are clear.
– That I would require no further treatment.
– That I would continue to recover to full and complete health and resume exercise.

My sister, Amy, leaves for home tomorrow. I’m sad to see her go! What a blessing she has been!

Stephen & I are so grateful for your continuing care & concern for us, expressed in so many ways!

Margo

Sleeping & eating well. So happy to be home! Still on Tylenol but no significant pain. Gaining freedom of movement in arms. Still no word from surgeon on results of “official” pathology report. Amy will drive me to surgeon’s office on Monday PM for appointment. Hopefully, he will remove “drains” and will also have pathology report to discuss with us.

Stephen & Amy shampooed my hair and Amy helped me with bath. Bliss.

Thank you for continued prayers for my full & complete recovery to health.

Margo

Dr. Crooms came to see mom at 8:30 this morning.  She will be discharged today at 12 noon.  She’s off all pain meds, off catheter and IV, walking halls, eating solid foods — since yesterday evening.

Garrett