Friday, May 2, 2008 - A good week :)

Hiya Bloggy!

Well, what a week this has been, no? First we find out the results of the biopsy (see the previous entry) and, although they are not exactly what we would like them to have been, we find out at the same appt. that the doctors' have a plan. A plan that I am very happy with!

Then, on Thursday, I met with the surgeon, Dr. Adam Meneghetti, who will be doing the adrenal surgery. He is a very nice man and I feel very confident and comfortable with him, hence comfortable about going ahead with the surgery. He explained to me that he will definitely would like to do this surgery laparoscopically, which would involve 4 small incisions. He won't know until he actually starts the surgery as to whether he can do it with the 4 small incisions or if it will have to be a larger single incision. Likewise, he explained the risks involved with adrenal surgery.

We have two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. There are a lot of blood vessels in the area so one of the risks is bleeding. Likewise, the adrenal gland is very close to a large vein called the renal vein. This is a vein that great care must be taken that it is not nicked or cut because that would mean a major bleed... one that would be very hard to control/stop.

He won't know until he goes in with the camera (or with the naked eye if he has to do one big incision) if the adrenal gland is, in any way, stuck to this large vein. If it is, then he will not be able to take the gland/growth out because there will be no way of cutting it out without damaging the vein.

Of course, it is his job as a surgeon to explain the potential risks, including all the normal risks with any kind of surgery where you are given anesthetic. The possibility of blood clots, pneumonia, etc. Although I know these are risks, since I have been through two major surgeries in the last 7 years with no problems, I am not too worried. I have proven to come through just fine in the past and I don't expect any problems now.

So, the next step was to head off to the lab for, you guessed it, more blood work. He needs a whole set of current blood tests done before the surgery. Then it was off to cardiology to have an EKG to see if my heart is strong and healthy enough to face surgery. I passed those tests with flying colours.

The next step now will be for the pre-assessment clinic to do a exam and run any more tests they feel will be needed before surgery. This will happen sometime over the next few weeks and once that is done, then the surgery can take place. He figures that we are probably looking at the end of May, beginning of June for this surgery.

After I have recovered from that surgery, then I will see Dr. Yee for another consult, this time regarding the lung surgery. He will want to make sure I am totally recovered from this first surgery before we do the lung surgery... so I have no idea how long a "complete recovery" will take. I know they do not like to do surgeries back to back, so obviously he will weigh the risks vs the time and come up with when he thinks it's safe to do it.

That was pretty much my week... other than today, I was down at the TUTS office helping out there. I have talked to James (General Manager) and Jill (Operations Manager) regarding working both shows this summer. Of course I WANT to, but I have to look at this realistically with two surgeries on the horizon. With the first surgery expected around the beginning of June, then recovery time... for all I know the second surgery will happen during the run of the summer shows. I felt that it just wouldn't be fair to commit to being the Box Office Manager this year and then possibly having to bow out before we even open... or bow out at the last minute, leaving them high and dry. The pressure that would put on me to be there and the guilt of not being there after committing... well, I just had to eliminate that for both myself and for TUTS.

So, while I am up and about and feeling fine, of course I will be down there helping out in the office. If for some reason, the timing works out fine and I find out I CAN be down there every night, then I'll be a "floater" and just help out where help is needed... be it in the box office, the coffee bar, or the wine/beer bar. And if I can't be down there because I'm in the hospital or back at home but in recovery mode, well so be it, I won't have to feel any pressure or guilt that I'm not down there after any kind of committments. So it's a win/win situation for me... and once again, they are all there supporting me in this ongoing journey.

But hey, it is going on midnight and even though it's a Friday night, I feel a bit knackered. So, I think my little box office schnauzer and I are going to hit the sack!

Hahaha... how about that... a relatively short blog entry! But I did want to put one in to let you all know that I have met with the surgeon and we have started the process :)

Have a great weekend!!

Cheryl

PS: Ok, in re-looking at this entry, I guess it's not all that short after all. Will I ever learn how to just write a short post??? :D

Monday, April 28th, 2008 -- The Biopsy Results

Dear Bloggy,

Well, what a month it has been!! I am worn out, emotionally... and I think physically. There's nothing like 4 weeks of fear to drain a girl of energy.

But, let me get to the point. Mimi, Jo and I went to my appt. with Dr. Sharlene Gill (oncologist). When she came in, she sat down close to me and made some small talk about how she knew this waiting had been hard on me and how was I doing? She then explained the procedure and how the radiologist had used the fine needle to take different samples of cells from the tumour, but had to be careful that he did not open it up in any way so cells could escape, should they be malignant.

The cells that he took did test positive for cancer. My heart and stomach dropped and I really did think I was going to faint. But, Sharlene held my hands and said, "Cheryl, I have a plan that I'd like to go over with you, so don't panic."

She has spent time this week conferring with other specialists, surgeons, colleagues, etc. and they have gone over the PET scan, all the CAT scan images, the biopsy results, etc. and all agree that since the cancer is localized in the adrenal growth, the recommendation is to surgically remove the gland and the growth. Sharlene is referring me to Dr. Menghetti at VGH on an emergency basis (his secretary called me when I got home and I have an appointment to see him this Thursday) and he will do the surgery. He is going to see if he can do it laparoscopically , which would be less invasive and the recovery time would be much faster.

Then, once I have healed from this surgery, Dr. John Yee (remember, he was the Thoracic surgeon I met and really liked and would do the surgery on the lung), said if the adrenal growth was taken care of, then yes, he would go ahead with the lung surgery.

Sooooo, it means two surgeries but I am so excited!!! We now have a plan!! And the fact that this adrenal growth is malignant, it does not mean it's a death sentence... so I am jumping up and down for joy right now.

I am going out for dinner with my friend, Doug, to celebrate... not to mention, I haven't been able to eat much for the last few weeks and now I'm starving :D

So thank you, thank you, thank you all for your positive thoughts and support. Ok, so it turns out it wasn't benign, but all that positive energy gave me the option of a plan, which was not an option at the last appointment.

We will definitely be having a Celebration party... but I'll have to wait to see what's happening with the surgery dates. We may have to have the Celebration party after the surgeries... but celebrate we will!!!

Ciao for now!!

Cheryl