Slow and Steady Healing - the long and winding road

Today marks two weeks since Jane came home from the hospital, and almost 3 weeks since her surgery. Progress has been slow and steady. Though Jane won't be able to sit for about 6 weeks, she is able to putter about the house and recline with her books, podcasts, and small projects. She now has all her incision drains out and the stitches in the inner thighs removed. With this new freedom she is able to move around a bit more every day. At this point she's averaging a mile a day of walking - and by next week perhaps 2 miles/day! Walking is the only PT doctors will allow at this point, and spring arrived in Massachusetts just in time!

This week we have been trying to decide which is the best option for Jane's (phase 3) chemo treatments moving forward. We will go to Beth Israel on Thursday to get a second opinion and will make a decision soon. The doctors want to start chemo as soon as Jane is sufficiently healed, perhaps as early as early May.

Jane has enjoyed many visits from friends and family and is slowly transitioning back to a more regular (less boring) diet. THANK YOU, thank you everyone who has visited, sent cards, flowers, good wishes, meals and encouragement! Your support makes this ordeal so much easier to manage!

Clean Margins !

Hello Friends! 

Some of you have asked about bringing a meal. Anyone who would like to bring Jane a “Monday Meal” (i.e., something for dinner) is invited to do so by signing up via the Lotsa Helping Hands calendar.

Because Jane’s diet will be changing over the coming weeks — moving from the current “low-residue” options to her normal “bunny” diet (aka, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and no white sugar) — she asks that if you sign up to do a Monday Meal, you please give her or Steve a quick call to see what works for her in that given week.

Thank you so much. Below is a good news note from Jane - 

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HORRAY!

I received excellent biopsy results today - all tissue excised during the APR surgery had clean margins all around!

This probably won't change the course of treatment from here, because cancer is a microscopic disease, the oncologists say that a few months of infusion chemo would be a good measure of prevention. But the clean margins certainly give us more confidence that the preceding radiation, the APR surgery, and following infusion treatments will be all worth it!

We saw the plastic surgeon today and he removed two drains, so I am less encumbered and feeling freer to move around, albeit slowly. My day is brightened with hope, my home brightened by your lovely cards, flowers, and smiles. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  

Home Sweet Home

Hello Dear Friends! We have put up info on visiting on Jane's Helping Hands website. Later this will be the place that we put up any needs we might have for meals. If you would like to join you can go to Helping Hands to sign up. Following is a note from Jane: 

So happy to be home! Six nights of hospital pain, confinement, meds, shots, and wake-ups was enough for a lifetime. Although I had to come home with three of the snakes still attached, I am able to move about much more freely. Today I was able to venture into the backyard to feel the bright spring sun. 

THANK YOU ALL for holding me in the light throughout this past week, I really felt and feel your love! It is helping me deal with every single minute of this ordeal. 

Tomorrow I go to see the plastic surgeon and hopefully have my drains removed. Pathology results will be later this week I hope. I am predicting a report back that says: "all clean margins". 

The day has come. Jane will be sprung

The doctor's have agreed that Jane can come home TODAY!  We will be putting up info on visiting soon on the helping hands website.  If you have not joined/signed up, please do today! You can go to Helping Hands to sign up.

Finally, pathology reports will come back later this week and we will be sure to share the news as soon as we have it.

With tears in my eyes, I want to thank all of you that love Jane so dearly.  We could not have done this without all that you have given us.

Steve

Thursday morning at Lahey

Posting from my hospital bed - starting to come out of my pain-killer haze. Feel a bit like I'm wrapped up in a bed of snakes -four drains from my thighs, abdomen and bum, and a catheter. Tried to walk last night but nausea got the better of me. Will try again this morning without the dilautid (opioid) which I think is making me feel dizzy and nauseous. Also planned for today: getting to know my stoma, and if I'm lucky - a piece of toast.
Thank you all for the encouragement and good juju – it really is helping to pull me through!

Let the Healing Begin!

The operation went well.  Both docs, colorectal surgeon (Francone)  and plastic surgeon (Vernadakis) reported that everything went well with no problems.  Francone saw no signs of previous cancer and suggested that the difficult rounds of chemorad did their job.  Pathology, completed in a week or so, will let us know for sure.

Jane is settled in her room (7E11) at Lahey Burlington.  She came up from recovery drowsy and is sleeping comfortably.  Her room has a nice view looking west over route 128.  While she cannot get up from bed for two days,when she gets up she will appreciate the view.  

I successfully distracted myself with HBO shows while Jane was in surgery and have a nice recliner chair in the room so I should be comfortable too.  I feel lots of relief that she came through this procedure so well.  Now we start the long path of healing.  I'm game and I know that Jane will be too.

Thank all of you that wrote, texted, emailed, and prayed.  We both appreciate all of the good wishes and thoughts.  

Love, Stephen