Recess nearing an end

Dear Diary….forgive me for neglecting your pages. I continue to primarily focus on our website at CaringBridge.org/visit/kmotz and struggle to find time to post updates here. Obviously, much has happened since November. The doctors were not able to determine exactly what the nodule in her right lung is, but they were able to determine what it is not (we think). We are doing a follow up chest CT this week to see if it has changed in any way. The mastectomy took place in early December and that process is nearing an end….as is Kelly’s chemo recess. The final surgical procedure…..removal of tissue expanders and placement of permanent silicone implants takes place next week. After some healing, the plastic surgeon will then form nipples and the aureolas (?) will be tattooed. Never thought Kelly would get tattoos! Maybe I’ll get one or two also!

Sadly, as expected, her cancer is back on the march as indicated by a rising CA 125 count. It has risen from its lowest count of 79 up to 616 at last check (which was 5 weeks ago). Diary, "normal" range is 0 to 35. She’ll have another this week while at the cancer center getting her chest CT. I find myself getting frustrated at the seeming lack of sense of urgency from her oncologist even though I know that is not the case. It drives me crazy knowing that there simply is no widely accepted or recognized treatment once a patient is beyond the first 6 treatments. We simply have to get the breast reconstruction behind us and then start getting her some medicine as quickly as possible.

On the positive side, she feels good. She has good levels of energy, is sleeping well, and is exercising regularly.  She spends a lot of quality time babysitting our grand daughter. And, speaking of our grand daughter, she’ll turn 1 year old in 9 days and we are celebrating that fact this coming Saturday (a few days early).

Happily, spring is almost here. The days are growing longer and the sun is climbing a little higher in the sky each day. Spring is quite an amazing season, isn’t it diary? Rebirth. New life. You gotta love it!