Never Say Never...Uhhhh NEVER!

I am sorry we haven't posted in a bit. But believe me it is worth the wait.

This morning we (Fran and I) went to see my surgeon Dr. Chamberlain to review the CT scans I had done a week or so ago. For me this was going to be the official word, the stamp in my book that said I'm still cancerous or I am not. Because yes, cancer can come back as early as three months post op. And because of this very long recovery I have been experiencing (translation - feeling like crap every day) I didn't feel very disease free, so to speak.

But Dr. Chamberlain came in and said "well your scans are completely clean. You are 100% cancer free." I had nothing anywhere! I read the report and there are no shadows, no "areas suggestive of carcinoma blah, blah, blah." I have a brand new liver thanks to the incredible Dr. Chamberlain and she's a beauty!!!!

I am meeting with my wonderful Dr. Moriarty next Tuesday to talk about the scan there as well and what will happen next. He already had told me he is not putting me on anymore chemo or erbitux anytime soon to give my body a badly, and I mean badly, needed break.

There really are no words to describe how this all feels. This is beyond my wildest dreams. I am overcome with joy, and humility all at the same time. I have been so blessed with really incredible doctors, with really incredible staff since the beginning of this horrific nightmare. My family and friends and strangers from all over have been supportive and loving and caring not just to me but to my husband and my children. I honestly don't know what to say. I really don't. I keep staring at the screen because I am just dumbfounded not just by today but by the last 2.5 years.

I will continue to post of course. I can't say thank you enough times to everyone. I do selfishly ask for continued prayers though, that I never experience a recurrance. That should be an easy one for God right?

I am going to enjoy the rest of the evening hanging out with my hubby in great peace and tranquility.

With a grateful, and humble heart and say thank you.

With much love,
Karen

Happy Birthday Karen!!!

Today is Karen's birthday. Our kids are still a bit young to be blogging so I'll write on their behalf.

What can I say? The past two years stretch out behind us in stark contrast to the years before. We all experience hurdles in life and it's fair to say we are defined by how we respond to those challenges. Karen has been through such a roller coaster of physical and mental highs and lows. Karen's strength has been evident throughout. In what has seemed at times to be a tremendous storm, Karen has been calm and steady. She has maintained a core of faith and always ensured we as a family have been cared for.

Sunday is mother's day, and today is Karen's birthday. I could not be prouder of her. Sydney and Ethan adore their momma. In the way they greet each day, with such joy and happiness, intelligence and adventure, curiosity and innocence, it's a testament to the mother they have in Karen.

We love you babe, Happy Birthday sweetheart.

Home from Overlook

After a long day waiting for Doctors, Karen's home from Overlook and back with her family where she belongs.

Please spare a prayer or good wish tonight for Maggie Weaver and her husband Chris. Maggie was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer (same as Karen) a few months before Karen. Chris and I connected through the websites soon after K was diagnosed in April of 2007. We've followed each other's journeys since then and the Weaver's have been of great support to Karen and I along the way.

Please stop by Maggie's website, read their story and offer whatever support you can.

Maggie's website: http://thumpers-hole.net

A Couple More Nights

Karen's doing well. She's been at Overlook hospital in Summit since Monday. She met with the Pain Management doctor today. She was planning on getting discharged today but that plan changed around 4PM. Luckily I had not told the kids and so they were not crushed.

She's going onto some additional pain medication, fairly heavy duty stuff. The scale as I know it goes Asprin...Vicodin...Morphine...Dilaudid with Fentanyl being the top.

Karen's been tipping this pain medication scale the last couple of days but once the Dilaudid wears off she's in trouble. So there's some new cocktail that they're starting today. Because of the strength they'll ease her up onto it over the next few days and possibly send her home by Saturday.

She'll be on this combo for about 1 month and will also manage her as she comes off of it. This'll be a tricky month as she can't drive during this time. We'll have to figure something out as I need to get back into the office.

Karen's awesome though and you can't keep her spirit down. Her Facebook status last night read "Mandelbaum, Mandelbaum, Mandelbaum".

3rd Hospital Stay Update

Karen has been in hospital since Monday. This is her third hospital stay (surgery, abscess and now this). She's in Overlook in Summit and they do a great job there.

The reason for this admission is the pain in her abdomen, near where her liver touches her lung on the right side. It's intense pain which she describes as a 10. They've been trying since Monday to diagnose the cause of the pain.

She had a CT scan on Monday and a 2nd yesterday. She's also had a chest X-Ray, an EKG and an ultra-sound on her legs. These were looking for a Pulmonary Embolism which is another name for a blood clot. It's been quite tense whilst this was going on as a PE could be very dangerous. At this time they've ruled that out.

She had blood taken on Monday and today is Wednesday. In 48 hours nothing has grown in the cultures and her white blood cells are normal. So infection has been ruled out.

Which leaves...air or fluid. The current theory is her liver is still regenerating and pushing itself back into place. There is a good bit of fluid in between her diaphragm and lungs. The liver pushing up puts this all under pressure. This makes breathing very painful.

If this is the cause she's been told she just has to ride it out.

I took the kids in for a surprise yesterday evening which gave her a lift. We thought she'd be home today but based on the pain situation that will not happen.

It's all very frustrating and overwhelming as we thought we'd be much further along by now. "Hold Fast" is a good motto, but it's not easy.

At this point she's comfortable with the hospital pain management and in good spirits but we're not sure when she'll be home.

Back to the Emergency Room

Karen's at the ER right now awaiting a CT scan. She had been extremely tired all week last week with difficulty eating, nausea and dry-heaving and throwing up.

We met with Moriarty last Friday (Good Friday) where they took some blood work. The CBC (complete blood count) showed Karen was badly anemic. Moriarty scheduled a transfusion for Saturday.

Saturday we went back to Overlook for the transfusion. She got two pints over about 6 hours, much longer than expected but they seemed to help. On Sunday she woke up with a bad pain in her right side, near where the previous drain had been placed. She said it felt like a muscle pain but a dose of fairly stout pain medication was only partially effective.

Early this morning (I think 4AM) (Sunday night) she woke up with severe pain in her side. From a scale of 1 through 10 it was a 10. Karen's got a pretty high tolerance for pain, a really really high tolerance truth be told. So a 10 for Karen is like a 20 for me. We decided to call her doctors and both calls encouraged her to go to the Emergency Room.

Which brings you all up to date. I'm working from home with the kids and will post more as I hear from her.

-======== UPDATE #1 =============-
Karen has been admitted into Overlook hospital and will remain there at least tonight. She has some fluid between her diaphragm and her lungs. If this requires a surgical procedure to be drained she'll be referred out to St. Barnabas tomorrow.
That's all I have at this point.

Home (again)

Karen's doing well. She was discharged today and is home from hospital. She has a drain in ( a needle attached to a tube attached to a bag attached to her leg ) that'll remain until next Wednesday. Her appetite is good, no nausea and no vomiting which is a huge win. She'll have yet another CT scan next week along with a repeat chest X-Ray and a consultation with Chamberlain.

After a stressful week we're all breathing a sigh of relief to have her back home where she belongs.