I as write this Kim’s sitting next to me getting her Chemo. Mom usually brings her but mom is giving a nativity program so today I am the designated driver. I am learning and using this time to get caught up on the updates.
Kim is in the middle of day 2 of session 5 of her chemo program. This means she is on the downhill side of this program with only 2 full sessions left after tomorrow. On day one she receives cisplatin and adnamycin. Day 2, taxol is administered. Then on day 3 she reports to the Syracuse hospital for that “make-your-joints-hurt-but-boost-your–immune-system" shot which is actually called nuelasta.
A lot has happened since the last update. A lot of great things! Kim had a CT scan yesterday. The results were an answer to prayer. The tumor on her liver is gone. Her blood work is right where it is suppose to be. She is clear of cancer. I do not know when the medical team will actually use the term “cancer free” or “remission” but we are thrilled with the results of the last test. Like anyone else that goes through this process, she will be having regular checkups to make sure this monster stays away.
This session is a bit late. Kim stretched the time a few days so she would be in good shape to help celebrate Becky and Brad’s wedding. That was a good idea but it didn’t work out as planned. Kim had a nasty cold. She did attend the wedding, dance with her grand-daughter at the reception but wilted quickly. Chances are they would have postponed anyway because she was not in any shape to have her chemo. Kim would wear down quickly and her sleep was often interrupted with coughing. They ended up putting her on strong anti-biotic and waiting another week.
Having little or no energy at this time of year does not get the Christmas decorations up. Enter family stage left……….. the family descended upon their home last Tuesday night. Of course when family gets together is means food too. We enjoyed two kinds of soup, Christmas cookies and of course grandma’s peanut brittle and rice crispy treats. Results were good. It looks very festive in the Kirchhoff home now.
The next chemo session will be right after Christmas. She is planning on the 26th and 27th if she can stay healthy. She feels her best right before she starts her chemo so this is great timing.
Kim will turn 50 before her very last session in January. I keep telling her that 50 is really not so bad. We have a lot to celebrate this Christmas and we are looking forward to new beginnings in 2007.
Jan Snyder
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The Latest
Kim finished her 3rd round of Chemo today. She will report to the Syracuse hospital within 48 hours for that “make-your-joints-hurt-but-boost-your–immune-system" shot. If the pattern holds true, next week will be her queasy, tired time. I am always amazed at her strength and example. I think she is a hero. She is doing well and she looks great.
A lot has happened since the last update. Three weeks ago she was just beginning her 2nd round. She happened to have a reaction on day 2 and they needed to stop the treatment for a while. When they re-started it, they did it at turtle pace which seemed to work OK. It was not a pleasant experience for her but she was able to get through it.
This cycle went better. The medication she took before and during day 2 worked so there was no adverse reaction and they did not need to stop the treatment. However, the best news came at the beginning of this series. Because she is participating in a study group, she needs to see doctors and complete forms before they can start the Chemo each round. They also check the progress through a series of different test at different times. This time they did a CAT scan. We were hoping for good news and we got it. The tumor is shrinking and the cancerous fluids are subsiding.
Kim makes the most of life between sessions. She has celebrated the baptism of grandson, J.J, she enjoyed the traditional annual family hayrack ride, she goes into work as much as possible, she looks forward to the sister’s night together, she stays in touch with the daily harvest report, she attends community and school events, she is among the locals who line the streets and wave flags to welcome a fallen soldier home to his final resting spot, she helps Liz look for a larger place to live, she spends as much time as she can with grand-daughter, Hailey. AND she is taking care of herself, going in for blood work every Monday and getting rest too. She packs a lot into living.
Kim will have her next session (#4) the first week of November. This works out well as she hopes to be back up to full speed to enjoy the Thanksgiving week and a family wedding before starting the whole thing over again.
It is still a tough, life threatening battle, but she is strong in good spirits and fighting a good fight!
Jan Snyder
A lot has happened since the last update. Three weeks ago she was just beginning her 2nd round. She happened to have a reaction on day 2 and they needed to stop the treatment for a while. When they re-started it, they did it at turtle pace which seemed to work OK. It was not a pleasant experience for her but she was able to get through it.
This cycle went better. The medication she took before and during day 2 worked so there was no adverse reaction and they did not need to stop the treatment. However, the best news came at the beginning of this series. Because she is participating in a study group, she needs to see doctors and complete forms before they can start the Chemo each round. They also check the progress through a series of different test at different times. This time they did a CAT scan. We were hoping for good news and we got it. The tumor is shrinking and the cancerous fluids are subsiding.
Kim makes the most of life between sessions. She has celebrated the baptism of grandson, J.J, she enjoyed the traditional annual family hayrack ride, she goes into work as much as possible, she looks forward to the sister’s night together, she stays in touch with the daily harvest report, she attends community and school events, she is among the locals who line the streets and wave flags to welcome a fallen soldier home to his final resting spot, she helps Liz look for a larger place to live, she spends as much time as she can with grand-daughter, Hailey. AND she is taking care of herself, going in for blood work every Monday and getting rest too. She packs a lot into living.
Kim will have her next session (#4) the first week of November. This works out well as she hopes to be back up to full speed to enjoy the Thanksgiving week and a family wedding before starting the whole thing over again.
It is still a tough, life threatening battle, but she is strong in good spirits and fighting a good fight!
Jan Snyder
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Kim's Update - September 20th
Kim looks good as a red head. Her hair is gone and she is sporting either a sassy red wig or cute stylin’ hats. She decided the hair was going anyway so she clipped it short last Sunday. I think she is still surprised at the bald woman who looks back at her from her bathroom mirror.
You can also see in this recent picture of Kim that she faithfully wears her Miracle Icon necklace by Mary Jo Pane, a jewelry artist who now lives in NYC. Mary Jo recently returned to Omaha where she had a Trunk Show to benefit her nephew, Alex Stowe. Alex is a young man with leukemia. Mary Jo’s inspiration behind the collection was inspired by Alex’s illness, living in New York post 9/11 and her own belief in saints, guardian angels and spirits. The antique and vintage religious icons are used to create one of a kind bracelets and necklaces to promote a feeling of spiritual and bodily well being. They are becoming quite popular too. Oprah includes one on her “Favorite Things” list. Matthew McConaughey wore one in “Failure To Launch”. The Rock wore one when he was on the View a couple of weeks ago and Johnny Depp wears his often. Kay Snyder’s GYN Doctor had her necklace on at Kay’s last visit. She happened to be the doctor that delivered Mary Jo’s nephew, Alex. After Kay chatted with her doctor about these, Kay called me and said…. “we need to get one for Kim.” Other friends and family agreed and sent me on a mission.
I went to the Trunk Show, met Mary Jo and she helped me select 3 meaningful icons. Kim wears three Saints on her necklace. St Peregrine (Patron Saint of cancer patients), St Rita (a patroness of difficult cases and healing) and Mary (a spiritual mother, symbol of all things good, hope and grace). Then Mary Jo gave me a wooden bracelet with an St Peregrine. She said she appreciated us supporting her nephew’s benefit but wanted to give Kim something as well. So Mary Jo sent loving wishes, prayerful thoughts and a Miracle Icon bracelet. She is a really neat lady and I enjoyed meeting her. You can see her website at: www.miracleicons.com
Kim will begin Chemo treatment session # 2 of 7 today. Although this is the second session, it will be a bit more typical than the last one. Last time they actually needed to do another surgery to place a port under her skin for future treatment. Shane will bring her into the Med Center and be able to see the process and ask the questions that will no doubt come up. This is an outpatient procedure. Kim plans on staying the night at Gail and Rod’s so she can be in Omaha for day 2 of this session. Again day #3 will be a shot at the Syracuse hospital to boost her immune system.
I hope she weathers this as well as she did the first go around. Kim was very tired, achy and queasy last time but she was a real trooper. She was also pleased with the blood work, as the levels would re-act as predicted and responded well to the medication. She goes to the Syracuse hospital every Monday to have blood work done. If her counts are ever too low, they will tell her to go home and stay away from work and germs. So far they have been good. She has been working as much as she can lately. After a couple of re-coup days from the last Chemo, Kim has been able to put in good half day almost everyday.
Although things have gone pretty smoothly and she has been a strong fighter, there is something that is breaking her heart. It has been a while since she has been able to hold or see her granddaughter. Little Miss Hailey had her 1-year booster shots. Good news is… these days they can vaccinate for chicken pox. Bad news is that is in a live virus and not something that Kim should be around. Hailey did break out with about 4 little pox. They have since scabbed over and dried up so maybe Kim’s wait will soon be over. Holding Hailey again will be good medicine.
I am looking forward to seeing Kim too. I have only been able to visit with her over the phone as I am nursing my first cold of the season. The last thing she needs is to be sneezed on. I can breathe now and my head has stopped throbbing so I am sure I am on the mends. It caused me to miss the last Thursday Night Sister’s Get Together. That has become a very special time for us. The men folk go off to golf and we get together for dinner, laughs and fellowship. I felt very left out last week but glad they had a good time. It was Dad’s birthday and he was able to crash the “Girl’s Night” as a special guest. We will not meet “Chemo Week” so I will really be ready for the therapy of Girl’s Night when we can kick it back in.
Kim will be resting and taking special care of herself for the remainder of the week so she can be healthy enough to enjoy her grandson’s baptism on Sunday. J.J. will be baptized in their home church and we will all be pot-lucking dinner in the social hall after the service. Life’s celebration continues and we don’t want to miss a one!
Jan Snyder
You can also see in this recent picture of Kim that she faithfully wears her Miracle Icon necklace by Mary Jo Pane, a jewelry artist who now lives in NYC. Mary Jo recently returned to Omaha where she had a Trunk Show to benefit her nephew, Alex Stowe. Alex is a young man with leukemia. Mary Jo’s inspiration behind the collection was inspired by Alex’s illness, living in New York post 9/11 and her own belief in saints, guardian angels and spirits. The antique and vintage religious icons are used to create one of a kind bracelets and necklaces to promote a feeling of spiritual and bodily well being. They are becoming quite popular too. Oprah includes one on her “Favorite Things” list. Matthew McConaughey wore one in “Failure To Launch”. The Rock wore one when he was on the View a couple of weeks ago and Johnny Depp wears his often. Kay Snyder’s GYN Doctor had her necklace on at Kay’s last visit. She happened to be the doctor that delivered Mary Jo’s nephew, Alex. After Kay chatted with her doctor about these, Kay called me and said…. “we need to get one for Kim.” Other friends and family agreed and sent me on a mission.
I went to the Trunk Show, met Mary Jo and she helped me select 3 meaningful icons. Kim wears three Saints on her necklace. St Peregrine (Patron Saint of cancer patients), St Rita (a patroness of difficult cases and healing) and Mary (a spiritual mother, symbol of all things good, hope and grace). Then Mary Jo gave me a wooden bracelet with an St Peregrine. She said she appreciated us supporting her nephew’s benefit but wanted to give Kim something as well. So Mary Jo sent loving wishes, prayerful thoughts and a Miracle Icon bracelet. She is a really neat lady and I enjoyed meeting her. You can see her website at: www.miracleicons.com
Kim will begin Chemo treatment session # 2 of 7 today. Although this is the second session, it will be a bit more typical than the last one. Last time they actually needed to do another surgery to place a port under her skin for future treatment. Shane will bring her into the Med Center and be able to see the process and ask the questions that will no doubt come up. This is an outpatient procedure. Kim plans on staying the night at Gail and Rod’s so she can be in Omaha for day 2 of this session. Again day #3 will be a shot at the Syracuse hospital to boost her immune system.
I hope she weathers this as well as she did the first go around. Kim was very tired, achy and queasy last time but she was a real trooper. She was also pleased with the blood work, as the levels would re-act as predicted and responded well to the medication. She goes to the Syracuse hospital every Monday to have blood work done. If her counts are ever too low, they will tell her to go home and stay away from work and germs. So far they have been good. She has been working as much as she can lately. After a couple of re-coup days from the last Chemo, Kim has been able to put in good half day almost everyday.
Although things have gone pretty smoothly and she has been a strong fighter, there is something that is breaking her heart. It has been a while since she has been able to hold or see her granddaughter. Little Miss Hailey had her 1-year booster shots. Good news is… these days they can vaccinate for chicken pox. Bad news is that is in a live virus and not something that Kim should be around. Hailey did break out with about 4 little pox. They have since scabbed over and dried up so maybe Kim’s wait will soon be over. Holding Hailey again will be good medicine.
I am looking forward to seeing Kim too. I have only been able to visit with her over the phone as I am nursing my first cold of the season. The last thing she needs is to be sneezed on. I can breathe now and my head has stopped throbbing so I am sure I am on the mends. It caused me to miss the last Thursday Night Sister’s Get Together. That has become a very special time for us. The men folk go off to golf and we get together for dinner, laughs and fellowship. I felt very left out last week but glad they had a good time. It was Dad’s birthday and he was able to crash the “Girl’s Night” as a special guest. We will not meet “Chemo Week” so I will really be ready for the therapy of Girl’s Night when we can kick it back in.
Kim will be resting and taking special care of herself for the remainder of the week so she can be healthy enough to enjoy her grandson’s baptism on Sunday. J.J. will be baptized in their home church and we will all be pot-lucking dinner in the social hall after the service. Life’s celebration continues and we don’t want to miss a one!
Jan Snyder
Friday, September 1, 2006
Update on Kim - September 1st
It has been over 2 weeks since an update but that does not mean things have been idle. Actually the calendar has been so full that we wonder where the time has gone.
The Dr. told Kim that she was healing nicely and was ready to start chemo. He also told her that it was likely she would qualify for a study group. If she agreed to be part of this group it would mean extra test, a CAT scan an echogram. These are both baseline tests and will be repeated periodically throughout the treatment. We all liked the idea of the “extra TLC” factor. We also liked the idea that she had to have a strong heart and other than her cancer, she needed to be in good condition. Test showed she was. The part of this that we were not thrilled about was the fact that she needed to have a small portion of a tumor that remained in her body. Test showed she did. Not great news but still good to know what they are dealing with. The tumor is less than an inch and on her liver. The doctor hopes the Chemo will take care of it.
The test study was divided into 2 groups. One group will have a “Chemo Cocktail” of 2 types of medication and have it administered 2 days in a row, every 20 days. Group 2 would have a combination of 3 drugs in their “Chemo-Cocktail” taken on the same 2 consecutive days but then followed by a shot that is meant to boost the white blood cells on day 3. A computer assigned Kim to the group once she qualified. She is in the high dose group. The doctors at the Med Center have used both routines so neither is right or wrong, just different. And now they are studying the difference and the outcomes. The combination of the 3 drugs can be too toxic for some patients. Kim and her doctors can and will pull out of the study if this puts her at too high a risk. We are thinking that she can whip this quicker and is in the right study group.
Early last Wednesday, Kim had a port put into her upper chest on the right. This will be where the Chemo is administered. It will stay in for as long as her body allows and she is undergoing Chemo. She then went through a “flushing” before the 1 ½ hour of Chemo followed by another “flushing”. On Thursday the process was repeated. She will go to the Syracuse Hospital to have a shot 24 to 48 hours after her last Chemo. It is my understanding that this shot will make her bones ache a bit but the outcome will be a boost in the white blood cells. Kim will have lab work done every Monday at the Syracuse hospital. The results will go to UNMC where the team will review and Kim’s liaison will call her with directions of which of the dozens of meds she need to increase or decrease. They will let her know if she is restricted on activities or if her cell count is healthy enough for people contact. Kim hopes to get back to work soon. Her work puts her in a lot of contact with people so they will watch her cell counts closely. She is also still tender and her insides are swollen from the surgery. Lifting, pushing and pulling are still no-nos. That surgery was just 24 days ago.
Her hair is still long but her stylist has offered to cut it into a stylish short do. A friend recommended to NOT shave her head just yet to avoid some un-comfortable rashes. Another friend said she tried short, didn’t like the short hairs falling out so she liked the shaved route. What to Do????? Kim will figure it out. A photographer friend took Kirchhoff family pictures last Sunday so her long hair is recorded in photographs.
In the meantime, Becky, Shane and Gail took her to the American Cancer Society and checked out their wig selection - which turned out to be more wigs than Kim could even try on. She tried going brunette, red head, and bleached blonde - curls, straight and some with bobbed cuts. She came out with two very cute wigs one shorter and one longer, two turbans and a cute scarf that brought them back to high school days. They told her she was welcome to come back anytime and exchange her look if she wanted. They provided her with a goodie bag.
When I talked to Kim this morning, she said she was feeling ok and trying to figure out her basket of meds. This is a test for someone who rarely needed an aspirin.
She sounded up for the challenge and glad the process is underway.
Jan Snyder
The Dr. told Kim that she was healing nicely and was ready to start chemo. He also told her that it was likely she would qualify for a study group. If she agreed to be part of this group it would mean extra test, a CAT scan an echogram. These are both baseline tests and will be repeated periodically throughout the treatment. We all liked the idea of the “extra TLC” factor. We also liked the idea that she had to have a strong heart and other than her cancer, she needed to be in good condition. Test showed she was. The part of this that we were not thrilled about was the fact that she needed to have a small portion of a tumor that remained in her body. Test showed she did. Not great news but still good to know what they are dealing with. The tumor is less than an inch and on her liver. The doctor hopes the Chemo will take care of it.
The test study was divided into 2 groups. One group will have a “Chemo Cocktail” of 2 types of medication and have it administered 2 days in a row, every 20 days. Group 2 would have a combination of 3 drugs in their “Chemo-Cocktail” taken on the same 2 consecutive days but then followed by a shot that is meant to boost the white blood cells on day 3. A computer assigned Kim to the group once she qualified. She is in the high dose group. The doctors at the Med Center have used both routines so neither is right or wrong, just different. And now they are studying the difference and the outcomes. The combination of the 3 drugs can be too toxic for some patients. Kim and her doctors can and will pull out of the study if this puts her at too high a risk. We are thinking that she can whip this quicker and is in the right study group.
Early last Wednesday, Kim had a port put into her upper chest on the right. This will be where the Chemo is administered. It will stay in for as long as her body allows and she is undergoing Chemo. She then went through a “flushing” before the 1 ½ hour of Chemo followed by another “flushing”. On Thursday the process was repeated. She will go to the Syracuse Hospital to have a shot 24 to 48 hours after her last Chemo. It is my understanding that this shot will make her bones ache a bit but the outcome will be a boost in the white blood cells. Kim will have lab work done every Monday at the Syracuse hospital. The results will go to UNMC where the team will review and Kim’s liaison will call her with directions of which of the dozens of meds she need to increase or decrease. They will let her know if she is restricted on activities or if her cell count is healthy enough for people contact. Kim hopes to get back to work soon. Her work puts her in a lot of contact with people so they will watch her cell counts closely. She is also still tender and her insides are swollen from the surgery. Lifting, pushing and pulling are still no-nos. That surgery was just 24 days ago.
Her hair is still long but her stylist has offered to cut it into a stylish short do. A friend recommended to NOT shave her head just yet to avoid some un-comfortable rashes. Another friend said she tried short, didn’t like the short hairs falling out so she liked the shaved route. What to Do????? Kim will figure it out. A photographer friend took Kirchhoff family pictures last Sunday so her long hair is recorded in photographs.
In the meantime, Becky, Shane and Gail took her to the American Cancer Society and checked out their wig selection - which turned out to be more wigs than Kim could even try on. She tried going brunette, red head, and bleached blonde - curls, straight and some with bobbed cuts. She came out with two very cute wigs one shorter and one longer, two turbans and a cute scarf that brought them back to high school days. They told her she was welcome to come back anytime and exchange her look if she wanted. They provided her with a goodie bag.
When I talked to Kim this morning, she said she was feeling ok and trying to figure out her basket of meds. This is a test for someone who rarely needed an aspirin.
She sounded up for the challenge and glad the process is underway.
Jan Snyder
Friday, August 11, 2006
Surgery Update
Kim may get to go home on Saturday. The doctor will see her and then let her know. Studies show that people heal faster in their home setting. I am sure she will be anxious to get down that road.
The doctors also had some surprising lab reports. After the surgery the surgical team thought they were dealing with an Ovarian “like” cancer. They didn’t think it was actual ovarian cancer because it was more in the tissue surrounding the ovaries. They did not hold the uterus in high suspect.
After the lab reports came back they told Kim and Shane that this is a rare type of endometrial cancer called: Papillary Serous Endometrial Carcinoma. This form is very aggressive and represents 5% of uterine cancers.
This staging is based upon the results seen at surgery by the pathologist. They had staged this at Stage 4 and will attack it aggressively.
In all likelihood the next steps are: Kim will get to go home this weekend then back next week to have her staples removed. She will remain at home to heal, be pampered by her family and friends and watch someone else vacuum. Kim will be meeting with her oncology team and have a check up before starting chemotherapy as an outpatient the last week of August. They will decide the chemo regiment in the next 2 weeks.
This is scary stuff. Kim has strong moments and some meltdowns. She is working hard at doing everything the doctors and nurses tell her to do and learning what it takes to beat this.
Jan Snyder
The doctors also had some surprising lab reports. After the surgery the surgical team thought they were dealing with an Ovarian “like” cancer. They didn’t think it was actual ovarian cancer because it was more in the tissue surrounding the ovaries. They did not hold the uterus in high suspect.
After the lab reports came back they told Kim and Shane that this is a rare type of endometrial cancer called: Papillary Serous Endometrial Carcinoma. This form is very aggressive and represents 5% of uterine cancers.
This staging is based upon the results seen at surgery by the pathologist. They had staged this at Stage 4 and will attack it aggressively.
In all likelihood the next steps are: Kim will get to go home this weekend then back next week to have her staples removed. She will remain at home to heal, be pampered by her family and friends and watch someone else vacuum. Kim will be meeting with her oncology team and have a check up before starting chemotherapy as an outpatient the last week of August. They will decide the chemo regiment in the next 2 weeks.
This is scary stuff. Kim has strong moments and some meltdowns. She is working hard at doing everything the doctors and nurses tell her to do and learning what it takes to beat this.
Jan Snyder
Thursday, August 10, 2006
A Better Day
I was visiting Kim yesterday when your flowering plant arrived. It really brightened her day. Kim's day was much, much better than the day before. In fact, she said that she was wondering if she was ever going to feel better. I will visit later today and hope I find she is doing even better.
She is still very tired. We all are..... but for a different reason! The family circled our wagons around her house yesterday. We did the kind of spring cleaning I always want to do at my own place but never get to. Mom and Dad brought in the pizza and we rolled up our sleeves and armed ourselves with scrub brushes, lawn mowers and dust mops. The guys even installed their new microwave oven above her stove. The guys had to redesign the upper cabinets in order for it to fit. She will be happy.
Things are looking good for her home-coming.
Thanks again for helping to perk up our Kim.
Jan Snyder
She is still very tired. We all are..... but for a different reason! The family circled our wagons around her house yesterday. We did the kind of spring cleaning I always want to do at my own place but never get to. Mom and Dad brought in the pizza and we rolled up our sleeves and armed ourselves with scrub brushes, lawn mowers and dust mops. The guys even installed their new microwave oven above her stove. The guys had to redesign the upper cabinets in order for it to fit. She will be happy.
Things are looking good for her home-coming.
Thanks again for helping to perk up our Kim.
Jan Snyder
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Tuesday & Wednesday Updates
August 8
Becky is Kim’s niece and a nurse at UMNC and she said that Kim did well last night – still very sore. They met with the Dr. this morning and he said much of the same he said yesterday.
Kim said she remembered some of yesterday but it was all kind of a blur.
August 9
Note to friends and family from Kim’s sister:
Your flowers are beautiful. When I walked into her room yesterday afternoon, she immediately showed me your flowers. She has them on a wall shelf on the TV wall. She had a bouquet from people at work too. The flowers really brightened the room.
They had Kim up and walking to her door and back 3 times yesterday. She can not sit up, get out of bed or walk on her own yet. That will come. Her incision starts about an inch below her sternum makes a "round-about" around her belly button and then down about 6 inches more. It is amazing how much we use our stomach and abdomen muscle. We just don't give it a thought until they are cut through. The metal staples give the art-work a zipper like appearance.
We are in big trouble if we make her laugh. She is tender and does not like to cough or laugh or blow into that awful plastic thing that measure amount of wind. Speaking of wind......the doctor says NO FOOD until she can "toot" the Star Spangled Banner. She is getting her nourishment through her IV but it just ain't the same. Pity the person who enters her room with taco breath and holding a diet coke.
As a SURPRISE, the family is going to descend upon their home this afternoon to do yard work, cooking (and freezing) and cleaning. The doctor said absolutely no vacuuming or cleaning. Kim always did the mowing too. That will be out. We want to make it pretty and shine for her homecoming. The doctor is still saying she will be there until Saturday or Sunday.
Thanks again for brightening Kim's day.
Becky is Kim’s niece and a nurse at UMNC and she said that Kim did well last night – still very sore. They met with the Dr. this morning and he said much of the same he said yesterday.
Kim said she remembered some of yesterday but it was all kind of a blur.
August 9
Note to friends and family from Kim’s sister:
Your flowers are beautiful. When I walked into her room yesterday afternoon, she immediately showed me your flowers. She has them on a wall shelf on the TV wall. She had a bouquet from people at work too. The flowers really brightened the room.
They had Kim up and walking to her door and back 3 times yesterday. She can not sit up, get out of bed or walk on her own yet. That will come. Her incision starts about an inch below her sternum makes a "round-about" around her belly button and then down about 6 inches more. It is amazing how much we use our stomach and abdomen muscle. We just don't give it a thought until they are cut through. The metal staples give the art-work a zipper like appearance.
We are in big trouble if we make her laugh. She is tender and does not like to cough or laugh or blow into that awful plastic thing that measure amount of wind. Speaking of wind......the doctor says NO FOOD until she can "toot" the Star Spangled Banner. She is getting her nourishment through her IV but it just ain't the same. Pity the person who enters her room with taco breath and holding a diet coke.
As a SURPRISE, the family is going to descend upon their home this afternoon to do yard work, cooking (and freezing) and cleaning. The doctor said absolutely no vacuuming or cleaning. Kim always did the mowing too. That will be out. We want to make it pretty and shine for her homecoming. The doctor is still saying she will be there until Saturday or Sunday.
Thanks again for brightening Kim's day.
Monday, August 7, 2006
Letter to family & friends:
Letter to family and friends:
Kim went to the doctor a week ago because of discomfort and bloating. After test results, they suspected ovarian cancer. Surgery was scheduled for Monday August 7, 2006 (yesterday) morning.
Yesterday was a good day and a good day to have behind us. Kim’s surgery went well and Dr. Remmenga from the University Med Center was pleased with the results.
Kim’s surgery actually got started around 8:30. They took 5.5 litters of fluid out of her abdomen area before they could start to remove the tumors. She was in recovery about 2pm and to her room by 4pm. Her cheering group took over both the surgery waiting room then the 4th floor waiting room down the hall from her room. She may not remember much about the day. She was in quite a bit of discomfort and liked to push her pain button but she was able produce a few cute little one-liners to her family.
The goal of surgery was to remove as much malignant material as possible. The surgery involved removing ovaries, the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the omentum, a layer of fatty tissue that covers the intestines, affected material near her pelvis and her appendix.
Kim had three tumors. One was surrounding an ovary, one involved the omentum and the other lay on her pelvis. They also removed her appendix because it was suspect. Everything was sent to lab and results will provided the answers to identifying her actual stage and plan for follow up chemo.
The Doctor indicated that he now believes she is in Stage IIIC but that may change when the lab results are back.
Kim will be in the hospital for the remainder of the week. They originally planned to keep her about 3 days but because of the extensive cutting they want to watch for “leaks” and internal bleeding. The tumor on the omentum had attached to the outside of the intestine and the doctor needed to cut into the outer wall. They called in the doctor that did her colonoscopy to consult. They decided to fill her with air to check for leaks and found none and they want it to remain that way through the beginning of the healing process. They also needed to do a lot of scraping on the pelvis and wanted to make sure there would not be internal bleeding as a result.
Kim will need to take it easy and heal for about 4 to 6 weeks. The doctor would then like to start chemotherapy. Typically, surgery is followed by chemotherapy.
During and after chemotherapy, doctors monitor women's progress via pelvic exams, and with the CA-125 blood test. While the CA-125 isn't a fool-proof screening test for ovarian cancer, it does reliably indicate whether the disease is recurring in women who have already been treated.
Kim went to the doctor a week ago because of discomfort and bloating. After test results, they suspected ovarian cancer. Surgery was scheduled for Monday August 7, 2006 (yesterday) morning.
Yesterday was a good day and a good day to have behind us. Kim’s surgery went well and Dr. Remmenga from the University Med Center was pleased with the results.
Kim’s surgery actually got started around 8:30. They took 5.5 litters of fluid out of her abdomen area before they could start to remove the tumors. She was in recovery about 2pm and to her room by 4pm. Her cheering group took over both the surgery waiting room then the 4th floor waiting room down the hall from her room. She may not remember much about the day. She was in quite a bit of discomfort and liked to push her pain button but she was able produce a few cute little one-liners to her family.
The goal of surgery was to remove as much malignant material as possible. The surgery involved removing ovaries, the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the omentum, a layer of fatty tissue that covers the intestines, affected material near her pelvis and her appendix.
Kim had three tumors. One was surrounding an ovary, one involved the omentum and the other lay on her pelvis. They also removed her appendix because it was suspect. Everything was sent to lab and results will provided the answers to identifying her actual stage and plan for follow up chemo.
The Doctor indicated that he now believes she is in Stage IIIC but that may change when the lab results are back.
Kim will be in the hospital for the remainder of the week. They originally planned to keep her about 3 days but because of the extensive cutting they want to watch for “leaks” and internal bleeding. The tumor on the omentum had attached to the outside of the intestine and the doctor needed to cut into the outer wall. They called in the doctor that did her colonoscopy to consult. They decided to fill her with air to check for leaks and found none and they want it to remain that way through the beginning of the healing process. They also needed to do a lot of scraping on the pelvis and wanted to make sure there would not be internal bleeding as a result.
Kim will need to take it easy and heal for about 4 to 6 weeks. The doctor would then like to start chemotherapy. Typically, surgery is followed by chemotherapy.
During and after chemotherapy, doctors monitor women's progress via pelvic exams, and with the CA-125 blood test. While the CA-125 isn't a fool-proof screening test for ovarian cancer, it does reliably indicate whether the disease is recurring in women who have already been treated.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Kim's Cancer Journey
Our sister Kim had been feeling bloated and discomfort for a couple of weeks. On July 28, 2006 she had a CAT scan done at the Syracuse Med Center. Her test revealed a large tumor on one of her ovaries and a spot on her lung. She will be seeing a specialist at the Med Center on Thursday with hopes of having the tumor removed soon afterwards. Please pray for our sister, the medical team that will be evaluating her and our family as we wait for the next step.
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