Email Diary

February 17, 2000 - Inconclusive Test Results

Click here for more information on ovarian cancer.

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers. Your faithfulness is an encouragement to me!

When it rains, it pours!" The results of the MRI are in and they are inconclusive - no one seems to know what is going on with my left ovary. The consensus is: "When in doubt, take it out!" So the schedule of events in my life has changed once again. Good thing I rate high on flexibility! :-)"

Chemo will be postponed and will start on March 20th. In the meantime, on March 9th, I'll be admitted to Lucerne Hospital for a complete hysterectomy. Pre-op testing will occur on March 7th. I have been told that this is a much more "severe" surgery than the mastectomy and that I will be in the hospital for 3-4 days. Recovery time is estimated at 4-6 weeks, with no "travel" during that time period. I will not even be able to drive for 2-3 weeks after the surgery. With the Lord's help and your encouragement, I am hoping to "beat the odds" on recovery from this surgery, too.

My Mom will be here again to care for me after surgery and to care for Roy while I'm in surgery! :-) Several friends have offered to help out, too. A dear friend, Christie, says she is staying with me overnight in the hospital the night after surgery to ensure I get the care and comfort I need. It seems when she had this surgery, someone did that for her with instructions to "return the favor to someone else someday." I'm very blessed to be the someone!

In the meantime, I have almost three weeks of "normal" life for which I am quite thankful. I'll be able to travel with Roy and hear his debut as a keynote speaker at an industry convention and then go on to Norfolk for the NSA Winter Workshop. Hopefully, I'll get to play a little golf after that and spend time with friends. I have a speech on the 4th and another on the 8th of March - it will be good to "work" again. I expect that writing will be the bulk of my work after March 9th until I'm "recovered."

I truly appreciate each and every one of you! You keep me going and keep my spirits high! Thank you for caring enough to care for me and to stay in touch. Every little note helps! I expect my next update will be closer to surgery time.

Love & Hugs!

Deb

Click here for more information on ovarian cancer.