When Faith first asked me to create this blog, she hadn't yet created her own blog, and wanted a way to update people on her status without subjecting them to all the personal and religious stuff she would put in her own blog.
It seems that now the need for two separate blogs is gone. Nearly everyone has the address for her own blog as well as this one. Besides, she writes so well that her blog is a joy to read.
Please go to http://faithexnihilo.blogspot.com/ for updates on Faith!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Faith's back to normal
Faith is herself again! She went with Charity to mom and dad's house, over an hour on poorly-maintained California (bumpy=painful) roads. Charity went home to finish moving out of her apartment, so Faith will have to drive back home alone. She isn't taking pain medicine any more, so this is feasible.
The good news is that two of her three sisters have tested negative for breast cancer on recent mammograms. So if it does run in the family, we don't have detectable quantities yet.
If you read this post earlier, talking about Faith being turned down for the genetic testing, I was misinformed. She won't know if she is selected for at least two weeks.
The good news is that two of her three sisters have tested negative for breast cancer on recent mammograms. So if it does run in the family, we don't have detectable quantities yet.
If you read this post earlier, talking about Faith being turned down for the genetic testing, I was misinformed. She won't know if she is selected for at least two weeks.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Faith is home
Yesterday the doctors at the hospital really seemed eager to get Faith to go home! When she woke up, she was in so much pain that she could only take shallow breaths. The morphine wasn't working. Finally, at 9:30 they gave her Vicodin, and for the rest of the day she was praising Vicodin and telling people that morphine is useless.
She did finally feel ready to go home at about 3:30. Tony drove about 2 mph around the corners to minimize the bumps, and people were honking at him. Faith went to her own apartment, and Charity is staying with her for now.
Faith didn't remember any of us visiting her the night before in the post-op room.
She did finally feel ready to go home at about 3:30. Tony drove about 2 mph around the corners to minimize the bumps, and people were honking at him. Faith went to her own apartment, and Charity is staying with her for now.
Faith didn't remember any of us visiting her the night before in the post-op room.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Surgery
Yesterday Faith had her surgery. The surgeons said it went well.
They started at 2pm, two hours late because the plastic surgeon was still doing another operation. At 8pm, she was moved from recovery to a hospital room. She was awake enough to question her sister Charity about recent episodes of Lost, but she was very tired.
The chair in her room is a fold-out bed, so Charity stayed overnight with her. I don't know yet if Faith is up to having visitors.
She will go home today if she feels ready.
They started at 2pm, two hours late because the plastic surgeon was still doing another operation. At 8pm, she was moved from recovery to a hospital room. She was awake enough to question her sister Charity about recent episodes of Lost, but she was very tired.
The chair in her room is a fold-out bed, so Charity stayed overnight with her. I don't know yet if Faith is up to having visitors.
She will go home today if she feels ready.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Chemo Clothes
Today Faith and I went to a boutique in Los Gatos called "The Next Step" that sells hats, wigs, swimsuits, skin cream and other items for chemo patients.
She tried on a bunch of hats- really cute 1920's (?) style hats, that come down low and cover the top of your ears. The hats aren't designed for cancer patients- just regular hats with a lot of coverage.
They also sell a special sort of wig that doesn't have hair on top, just on the sides, so you can wear regular hats with it.
Faith isn't planning to get a wig, because she doesn't want to hide what is happening to her. I think she looks more like herself in a hat than in a wig.
This store also sold special camisoles for mastectomy patients, complete with a pocket to hold the drain that you have for 1-2 weeks after surgery. Insurance covers the cost of the camisoles.
I am going to go back and buy a hat for myself.
She tried on a bunch of hats- really cute 1920's (?) style hats, that come down low and cover the top of your ears. The hats aren't designed for cancer patients- just regular hats with a lot of coverage.
They also sell a special sort of wig that doesn't have hair on top, just on the sides, so you can wear regular hats with it.
Faith isn't planning to get a wig, because she doesn't want to hide what is happening to her. I think she looks more like herself in a hat than in a wig.
This store also sold special camisoles for mastectomy patients, complete with a pocket to hold the drain that you have for 1-2 weeks after surgery. Insurance covers the cost of the camisoles.
I am going to go back and buy a hat for myself.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Last day of work
Today was Faith's last day of work before surgery. The teachers at school were so supportive! Everyone wore pink, even the men. They served pink food for lunch and she left with an entire bag of gift cards to places like Whole Foods. Very touching!
Friday, February 29, 2008
New Foods
Faith has never been the type to try strange foods. She couldn't even bring herself to swallow the tapioca pearls in the pearl green tea that I brought home for her two years ago. She always loved salt and dill pickles, and ever since she was little she used artificial sugar instead of real. Now she is eating wheat grass, drinking Kombucha tea, and choking down turmeric with jam! She tells me about the health benefits of a basic (rather than acidic) diet and its effect on making the body inhospitable to cancer.
She says even if these don't make a difference, it helps to feel like you are doing something, rather than just having everything done to you.
She says even if these don't make a difference, it helps to feel like you are doing something, rather than just having everything done to you.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Breast Cancer Gene
Today Faith and I went to a "Breast Cancer Gene" information session. Since she is so young, and most women don't get breast cancer until 50+years old, there is a possibility that she has a family tendency toward breast cancer.
At the clinic, they explained that there isn't a "gene" for breast cancer. Instead there is a type of mutation that occurs on two chromosomes that shows a predisposition for breast cancer. If you have one of these mutations you have an 80% chance of developing breast cancer during your lifetime.
In order for them to give you the blood test, you first have to fill out a detailed family history showing everyone who has had cancer, especially breast and ovarian cancer. Then they determine if you are likely to have the mutation, and then they test you. Because of her age, it is likely that she will qualify.
Only 1 in 20 women who develop breast cancer have this mutation. The test must be expensive to conduct because they do so much screening before they even decide if they will draw your blood!
If Faith tests positive, all three of us sisters will also qualify to be tested.
Trinka
At the clinic, they explained that there isn't a "gene" for breast cancer. Instead there is a type of mutation that occurs on two chromosomes that shows a predisposition for breast cancer. If you have one of these mutations you have an 80% chance of developing breast cancer during your lifetime.
In order for them to give you the blood test, you first have to fill out a detailed family history showing everyone who has had cancer, especially breast and ovarian cancer. Then they determine if you are likely to have the mutation, and then they test you. Because of her age, it is likely that she will qualify.
Only 1 in 20 women who develop breast cancer have this mutation. The test must be expensive to conduct because they do so much screening before they even decide if they will draw your blood!
If Faith tests positive, all three of us sisters will also qualify to be tested.
Trinka
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Breast Cancer Clinic
Today Faith attended a breast cancer clinic at Kaiser in Santa Clara
She has two tumors:
invasive ductal carcinoma, 1.3 cm
ductal carcinoma in situ, 5.5 mm
One tumor is estrogen receptor positive (meaning that estrogen makes it grow)
The doctor recommended a mastectomy with reconstruction for two reasons:
- If you do a lumpectomy you need to also do radiation therapy. Radiation therapy has side effects such as liver problems that show up 10-20 years afterward. For an older woman, that isn't a problem, but for someone Faith's age, it could be.
- There is less chance of re-occurrence if the entire breast is removed, and for someone her age, re-occurrence is more of an issue.
They will be able to do breast reconstruction at the same time as the surgery. After surgery, she will have to do chemotherapy to prevent reoccurance.
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