Is There a Punch Card for This?

Four. Four times Wendy has been back to the hospital to get this drain working correctly! Four punches she would have earned on her "hospital VIP" card if there were such a thing! 

As most of you know, Wendy went in last Monday (2/8) to have a drain placed in her breast. There was a pocket of fluid accumulating there after surgery, causing swelling and discomfort. Unfortunately, removing the fluid by needle did not resolve the issue. Said swelling was really causing more of a pain in the backside (if you know what I mean) because it was causing a roadblock for the start of radiation therapy. 

This pocket of fluid, also known as a "seroma", is a non-infected pocket of fluid that "sometimes" develops after surgery. (I say "sometimes" because Wendy would say her chances were "100%" since it's just her way to be different on this journey!!) Of course, they can be little boogers to manage at times, which has been the case for Wendy the past week and a half! It went like this: 

Monday 2/8: Go to hospital. Drain is placed. Wendy is a rock star. Goes to a meeting with me at 7. 

Wednesday 2/10: Drain stops working and freaks everyone out. Thankful for a snowy night! They happened to be at home and not church for all that crazy.

Thursday 2/11: Go to hospital. Drain is clogged. Let's just start flushing it! No worries.  

Monday 2/15: Go to hospital. Replace drain completely. (Good news though, the cavity is getting smaller!) Despite the chaos. the treatment is working. Again-Wendy is a rock star. Spends the rest of the day running errands and goes to another meeting. Crazy girl. 

Wednesday 2/17: Go to hospital. New drain isn't working either! Oh, it's clogged again!? Seriously. I cannot make this stuff up. Dr. figures out problem. Wendy is a rock star. Jumps in my car as I drive by the hospital, cooks and serves dinner for nearly 100 people and helps take care of 40 kids after that! 

In the midst of all this, the tape from Wendy's dressings has managed to mangle her skin into something "unlike anything the Dr. has ever seen" (I kid you, not). That issue has been WAY more uncomfortable than dealing with the drain itself. 

So-- here we are. Still no radiation plans yet. The drain is working (today), and we are hopeful that by Monday the pocket will be closed. If not, the drain will remain in a bit longer. In the meantime, would you please pray with me: 

-- Pray for Wendy's skin. It is still raw, sore and uncomfortable from the dressing changes.

-- Pray for Wendy's seroma to heal quickly, and for them to be able to remove the drain when they are able. 

-- Pray for NO INFECTION. We want this open area to remain clean and free from bacteria! 

-- Pray for SLEEP. It can be difficult to get in a comfy sleeping position with the drain in. 

-- Pray for Wendy's labs to remain stable (remember our friends Sodium and Potassium!?)

-- Pray for the radiation plans to get underway as soon as they are able. 

-- Pray for peace and patience over Wendy as these frustrations pop up. It's just plain hard when things do not go how you "expect" (over and over and over). 

-- Pray for Andy as he continues to care for her, as well as the kids, and the rest of their family. 

Friends, Wendy is really doing WELL. I am not just saying that. Sure, there are days (or minutes everyday) when she is enormously frustrated. Discouraged. Angry. Jealous. Sad. Tired of feeling tired. BUT- man, she is a rock star. Her attitude is uplifting. Faith-filled. Hopeful. Gloriously stubborn. If I told you her schedule over the past 10 days with this ordeal, you probably wouldn't believe me. She pushes forward. Because she didn't come this far to stop now. Thanks for continuing to encourage her and pray for her. It makes a difference. YOU make a difference.

Blessings- K

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another." - Walter Elliott

An Extra Portion.

Team WW, I am coming today with a humble request for a little more... a little more prayer, a little more encouragement, a little more "you can DO this!"...an extra portion for my friend.

As you know, Wendy had a follow up appointment with her surgeon last week, and an appointment with her medical oncologist on Monday this week. Both physicians were very pleased with her progress, and felt like things were a "GO" for the radiation oncologist to get the ball rolling toward Phase III of striking out breast cancer!

Last Thursday, her surgeon noted a little swelling at the surgical site/in the breast tissue, but reassured her and told her to call if it got "worse", thinking it was a "normal" post-op side effect. She didn't have a fever, wasn't too uncomfortable, and had been following the recommended precautions since her surgery. Great. Well done.

Her medical oncologist, Dr. P, saw her Monday, checked her labs, and noted also that things looked good. He planned to continue closely monitoring her sodium levels (because, you know, they are always a pain in the bohonkas), but also gave her a thumbs up! Great. Well done. (See a theme here?)

So, Tuesday, Wendy headed for her radiation oncology appointment in hurried anticipation of the "full workup" = getting marked and scheduled for upcoming radiation therapy. (Let's get this show on the road!) Except, sometimes things don't go how we expect. (If you ask Wendy...she would say, "Of course! Why would anything be "normal" for me!? ...insert growl...) Dr. H was not at all pleased with the way her surgical site/breast looked, as it was quite swollen. Wendy was asked to go immediately to her surgeon's office for an impromptu draining of over 250 cc of fluid (Wendy is a warrior, people. Handled this like a champ!) "No big deal", said the Dr. "It's not infected"... "just wasn't draining right"..."rest it"..."keep ice on it"..."let me know if it returns"... "we will get you back to the radiation Dr. ASAP" NO BIGGIE!

Fast forward through a VERY IMPATIENT Wednesday... (don't tell this patient you are going to call TODAY to reschedule an appointment and then not do it. Really. Never do that! I am not kidding!) Wendy finally heard (on Thursday!) from the radiation oncologist that they would see her today (Friday), planning to do what they were "supposed to do" on Tuesday. Great! (or, not.)

Dr. H (radiation oncologist) was again very disappointed in the appearance of the surgical site/breast tissue this morning. Too swollen. Need to get that stuff out of there before we can do this. Oh, sorry, the surgeon isn't here today... will have to wait until Monday... I will have her call you today to make an appointment. (No. You. Did. Not. Just. Say. That!)

So, friends, the end result of today is this: Wendy has to have a drain placed on Monday morning to get this fluid off of there before the radiation oncologist can proceed with Phase III of this journey! It is a relatively simple procedure, but one that will require some sedation. We are also uncertain at the moment how long it will have to remain in. Her radiation oncologist is willing to move forward with marking and scheduling radiation, even with the drain, as long as the site looks better! That appointment will be rescheduled (yet again) in the near future.

Wendy is willing to do what she needs to do to stay healthy, and to put this process behind her, but she isn't very patient. I don't mean that she should be. I think she is a rock star who has carried her head so high and her attitude positive, forward-focused, and faith-filled. But she is impatient. This is a setback. We don't have "time" for setbacks! Her mental calendar is ticking away. Her goal date coming closer each day she isn't receiving radiation. And it is forever frustrating!!!! I know she is thinking..."can't I just catch a break!?" "Why does everything with me have to include a setback!?" In faith, she KNOWS SHE CAN with HIS STRENGTH. But her humanness says, "OH, FOR THE LOVE!"

Join me today in asking for an extra portion. Especially for Wendy. But also for Andy. For the kids. For her parents. But especially for Wendy. Jesus is carrying her, but oh, how she longs to just hear from Him... "I've got this. Notice my arms around you. Hear my voice. Feel my joy. We. are. almost. there. I promise."

Blessings- Kindra