Last Week's Appointments

Hello again. Just wanted to give you a quick update concerning my appointment last week with my surgeon. Everything went well, and he seemed nice enough. For the time being, my surgery is scheduled for the middle of May, providing all my counts are up enough to support recovery, which they should be.

Following surgery, I will progress to radiation (woohoo!). You know the real bummer about that? All these years I've avoided the tanning beds, gracing the presence of friends and family with glaring white skin, only to wind up with this crazy disease anyway, and be headed to the bowels of MD Anderson for radiation in a tiny lead room! Rather cruel irony if you ask me! Oh well...

On a different level...I'd like to speak to all of you reading this, and grant me a little grace, if you will. I have several people (not just those who post) wanting the details of my surgery...what, when, how, where, how long, etc. I know that you are just concerned, however...

I've just decided that there are few things I have control over anymore, and I'm at least going to protect my modesty and privacy. I'm just not comfortable discussing the particulars of my upcoming procedures with everyone....especially over the internet. I have jokingly but truthfully said before that if I've never discussed this part of my body with you before, there's a good chance I'm not going to now. :o)

I hope that doesn't sound hateful...that's not my intent. I'm just not going to go into it right now. Maybe in a year, when this is old news I'll be more willing to tell all, but for now, let's just say I'm back to feeling a bit anxious and overwhelmed, and as I said to my mom last week, "This just isn't any fun anymore!" :o)

Continue to pray for my physicians (some of whom may be batting for the other team, if you know what I mean! Makes me a bit uneasy!) You could also be in prayer for my upcoming MRI of the spine...to make sure that the disease in that area continues to shrink.

Additionally, would you pray that my fingertips get back to normal? They have been very sensitive and even numb, which caused the doctors to change my medication. And now, with surgery in the near future, they have suspended my chemotherapy until after the procedure. My oncologist assured me that everything would get back to "normal" after the Taxol got out of my system...maybe 3 weeks, but 3 weeks seems like a long ways away.

Finally, keep Jeff, the boys, and me in your prayers as we "road trip" to Texas again this week. We're looking forward to the trip...the boys did so well last time.

Thank you so much for your continued support. My family...our families...really appreciate all you've done and continue to do. Thanks to our friends from church and the community who have brought meals to my family. Everything is delicious, and that has been such a help. Thanks to those of you who continue to send financial gifts our way. You are putting fuel in our vehicles to travel to Texas, and you are feeding us while we are down there, so thank you, thank you!

Have a wonderful week. I'll post again next week after our road trip. I should have some great stories and pictures to share.

Blessings,
Leslie