The News We Prayed For

Had a great visit to Moffitt on July 27, 2009. We were able to bring Samuel and Lindsey for the first time and stayed at a hotel Sunday night before our visits on Monday. We knew it was going to be good when we saw an amazing double rainbow entering Tampa. Appreciated the knowledge of the Oncologist, Dr. Loftus. She was very knowledgeable and helpful in answering our questions. Although her cancer was estrogen positive and progesterone negative, the Oncologist said she will not need Tamoxifin, chemotherapy or radiation! She wants to see Jana again in six months. And although very painful (like right after surgery), the saline injections went well. Our next trip to Moffitt will be on August 10 for followup with the plastic surgeon.

Fast Trip to Moffitt

Leaving at 4:10 a.m. we headed down to Moffitt in Tampa. Except for a rolling roadblock just south of Ocala on Interstate 75 due to a bad pile up, we had an uneventful trip to Moffitt (prayerful for those in the accident, but thankful we were not there just an hour earlier!). Made it to Moffitt in time and was blessed with having the two doctors visits done right away. We made it out in an hour! The pathology report was good, but due to a few cancer cells found in a lymph node, Jana will have to see an Oncologist at her next visit on July 27. We are also waiting on a final pathology to see if Jana's cancer is estrogen receptive or not. If it is, then she will have to take Tamoxafin for five years. If it is not, then she will not have to take it.

Awesome prayer answers

Sorry for not updating sooner, but we have been celebrating since Thursday! The preliminary pathology report is this: although the cancer was extensive, it was all contained and all margins were clear. We will get the full pathology report on Wednesday, and know what the next steps are for us when we return to Moffitt for my follow up visit. We will leave Tallahassee around 4:00 am and hope to return around 5:00 pm.

What a difference a week makes!

Well, it's been a week and a day since my surgery, and we have had a wonderful week of blessings in every way! We have enjoyed great food, good friends and spending time together with family. Lindsey seems to always win at Rummy, Go Fish, Clue and all the other games, but Samuel is the Stratego Champion. I can't convince them to let me win, even out of sympathy. I blame my losing streak on my pain meds, but I am taking less every day, so watch out family-get ready to lose! I'll post more soon on my preliminary pathology report, which I will receive today. This recliner chair in the picture (which I sleep in at night) is one of many answered prayers (we prayed for one, God provided two!). God answers prayers in awesome ways!!! I can't wait to post more.

Recovering Well at Home

Jana is glad to have family here to help. Doug's Mom, Dad and Sister are here helping with everyday stuff and enjoying meeting friends from church and the neighborhood. We enjoyed a great dinner from Katrina last night and had a sphagetti lunch from the youth fundraiser. Her recovery is going well as she slowly reintroduces everyday tasks and the new ones as part of her healing. God has blessed with the incision site healing well, the drains working well and her mobility is increasing more each day. Your prayers are making a great difference.

Home at Last!

Thank God! We are finally home after a four hour plus trip and and hour plus wait at Walgreens for much needed pain medicine. Thanks Joann for the great meal waiting us! Jana is asleep now but doing well. The home healthcare nurse is coming tomorrow.

This picture was made at Moffitt and shows off the beautiful flowers the Bohons sent Jana, the two heart pillows our nurse's 87 year old mother made and the Teddy Bear (support pillow) that our surgeon gave Jana. (We hated to have to leave the lovely hospital gown)

Good Morning to Go Home?

Had a good night's sleep (from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. undisturbed). Dr. Laronga just came by and gave us final instructions. Waiting now on the plastic surgeon's team and final discharge orders. Hope to get out of here sometime this morning.

Words from Jana

Thanks for your prayers! They're making a difference. I just got my IV out and should be going home tomorrow. Have sat up in the chair all day, except for a few excursions down the hallways. Enjoyed visits from Lisa Sanders and Carolyn Ward's sister, Dorothy.

Good Morning!

We had a good night's sleep except for the mandatory vital sign checks every few hours. Jana has been up several times and has walked the halways twice. She has been sitting up this morning and ate half her breakfast. Both of her surgeons have been by with glowing reports of how well she is doing. She still tires easily, but with some pain medicine has been doing well. We look forward to going home tomorrow.