Out with the old and in with the new..................

Christmas Eve 2013

Patti with Brittany (Mike's daughter)

Merry Christmas Patti and Mike!



Fun with the girls - part one

Fun with the girls - part 2!

Well..... Patti is "officially" done with Chemo!  On Friday 12-27-13, Patti had the chemo port removed! 

Next steps...............and not in any particular order:

• Prepare for a scope to determine what keeps causing her stomach issues (I still think it's stress!)
• Set the date to finish the reconstructive surgery.
• Start Radiation to complete the recovery process.

Backing up to the Christmas holiday, family members expressed joy in seeing how happy Patti was!  She looked great!  She was happy, smiling a lot, and REALLY fun to watch when we played Charades!  I've included a few photos of our holiday.  As you can see.....Patti is in FANTASTIC spirits!

The BEST gift we got for Christmas?  Patti:-)  We are so happy to have her with us, and feel confident in her recovery....knowing she is fighting to share many more holidays with us!

God bless all and stay tuned.......more to come in 2014!

Happy New Year!

Done with Chemo and looking good!

Austin and Aunt Patti at his Accompany Of Kids Holiday Show 12-14-13

 

Looking good sista!

Aunt Patti, Austin, and Denise at Austin's Holiday Choir Concert 12-17-13

 

 

Patti is finally doing well and recovering from the brutal chemo process.  We were thrilled that she finally got out and about - thanks to Austin and his performances, as he has a special place in her heart :-)

 

Tomorrow,  we meet with the oncologist to discuss the next steps.  Once we are through this visit, Patti will plan for more reconstructive surgery in the next few weeks (date TBD - stay tuned!).

 

Then there is the radiation process that will come sooner than later. 

All I will have to say to Patti about that is, "You glow girl!" 

 

More information after our doctor visit tomorrow.  Good night and remember that today is the fourth day of Christmas (according to Austin), which means........someone out there is going to get Four Calling Birds, which begs the question.........who are they calling.....THAT is the question :-)

Patti's dreaming of a white....

"HIGH" blood count.....just like the count she used to know.................

Patti's White Blood Count (we will refer to this as WBC) was extremely low yesterday :-/ 

11/20 - 1st Chemo Treatment and blood work     = 5.7
11/27 - Blood work to keep an eye on the WBC = 3.5
12/04 - Blood work to keep an eye on the WBC = 0.2!  YIKES!!!!  Dangerously low.
They would like to see her count stay above 1.5

With that said, they are processing a temporary medicine through Patti called, "Neupogen".  This seems to be used for treating neutropenia, a common side effect of chemotherapy where it attacks the good cells and takes them out.  This medicine will be administered for 3 days (via visit to the office for a shot), followed by Neulasta, which is the drug that Patti was hoping to avoid. 

What does this mean?  Patti feels the pain right to the bone (literally), as this medicine is designed to focus on stimulating the bone marrow where the larger areas of marrow are present.  The goal is to reproduce "infection fighting" white blood cells via stimulation.  Areas of pain: the sternum, much of the hip area (pelvic bone) and that other bone (I call it the butt bone:-).

It was suggested to get a heating blanket to help her body rest and provide comfort to the bone pain while she works through this part of the process.  Mike ran to the store to get this blanket with the hope that this will help her comfort level and maybe allow her to sleep.  $65 later and she is resting.  Small price to pay, and hoping this helps Patti get some relief.

You may be asking, "What can we do to help?"

PRAY for a "Patti" version of a "White Christmas" - on the HIGH side please! 

 Okay, maybe this is a little too white just yet!


Now that's more like it. AND more in line with what Patti would see as
a "White Christmas"

A hairy situation

Patti wanted me to share the changes going on with her, as well as her "hair" supporters...........

Today, Patti went to our hairdresser (Kristy McManus) who has graciously offered to take care of Patti's mane (or lack of) during her entire treatment program - what an angel :-)

As you can see by the photos, Patti is preparing for the next adventure in this process.  She started seeing signs of hair loss on Sunday and Kristy suggested to cut it short when this process starts.  I personally think she looks pretty darn cute with shorter hair (and younger too!)   Anything to trump me on that age thing - LOL!! (it's a sister thing :-)

Health update:  Patti's blood levels continue to stay within the normal range (YEA!).  She is currently in physical therapy to increase the range of motion with the arm where surgery was performed.  Her range of motion from her body, and extending outward is 100%.  The range of lifting is still being worked on, but she is close.  They will continue to work on the tight cording to bring her back to 100% in all directions.  All in time.  She has been given a bunch of exercises to do so look out!  She is going to be one tough cookie when she's done with all of this training.  

SPECIAL NOTE:  In honor of this loss and to support Patti's loss, her friend from up north (Rich Koss) shaved his head!  YIKES!!!  He is a man of his word, as he promised to shave his head at the first indication of Patti losing her hair. 

Seems that there are male and female angels in this world! 

 

What?

A little something to Aunt Patti from Austin........a little something to help bring a smile to your day!

 

 Oh, and to remind you that he is one of many reasons to keep up the good fight! 

 

As some of you may already know, Patti had a tough weekend.  She started feeling ill midday on Saturday with nausea.  It has come and gone.....and then it came back for another visit - ugh!

She goes for a few hours feeling better and believes she is on the mend.......then it bites her again :-/

I remind her of the plan, the fight and yep, she knows all of this.   She told this cheerleader (me!) to take a seat for a few days. 

She needs time to get past this, and as much as she hates this part, she's just got to let the meds work through their lousy course.  Better days are ahead Patti - hang in there.........

Please pray for her recovery and strength - the power of prayer..........a wonderful gift.

Day THREE and all continues to be going VERY WELL :-)

Patti continues to feel really good as of 11am.  She's still buzzing around, but has a great attitude - YEA!

She's also lacking sleep and is usually crabby when tired.......not today!  She needs to find a way to go to sleep tonight.  I saw a post suggesting to count rolls of wallpaper, as opposed to sheep - FUNNY!

Her friend Rich from up north just sent her a sound machine to see if this will help her rest and sleep (see pictures).  Apparently, she favors the babbling brook. Hmmmmm.......wondering if this may be due to the effects of the medicine (get it? Babbling, racing around -hee hee - couldn't resist :-)

Mark's sis Linda also sent Patti a book called, "Throw the damn ball"......classic poetry by dogs :-)  She says it's making her giggle a lot. 

Thanks to all for your prayers and well wishes to Patti - she loves and appreciates all you do and say to keep it positive and in helping her to keep her spirits bright.

God is over watching Patti and allowing her to make her own story of her progress and get well plan.  Stay well Patti and keep up that fantastic attitude, as that attitude is half the battle in beating this monster!

Happy Friday to all!

Chemo - Day ONE is DONE!

Patti is a fighter!



The sign says it all.....



Showing cancer who's boss! -



Hee hee - I slipped this one in while she wasn't looking :-)




Sister Support system!



Sisters - need I say more?



Mike by her side...........



Hi!

I thought I would start this note with pictures of Patti's support system!  First day of Chemo went something like this:

4 Drugs:

1. Dex (nickname for Dexamethasone) - this is an antiemetic med (anti-nausea) - 15 minutes via IV and this stuff "jazzes" Patti up!  She's still running in place today!
2. Aloxi - This is a drug that they "push".  They basically feed it directly into the IV line so it goes right into the vein.  (anti-nausea med)
3. EMend - this is another antiemetic med (anti-nausea).  15 minutes via IV. 
4. Adriamycin - this is another push (IV push to be sure it's in the vein)
5. Cytoxan - The last of the IV drips (takes about 30 minutes).  This takes 48 hours to process through your body.

Other interesting facts:

• She was also given meds to take if she feels nausea in between treatments.  The meds were referred to as "O" and "P" anti-nausea medicines.  First she would take the "O" and if that does not work in between the 8 hours that it is allowed, she moves to the "P" medicine.  The doctor says, " "O" caused more constipation than "P" - I leave it at that!
• She will not be given Neulasta (bone stimulator) as this has a reaction that is much worse than the 4 others listed above "combined"
• Oh, and did I tell you that we had a victory dance!  The three sisters got up, started dancing and boxing in the air to the theme of "Rocky".  The whole room was smiling and definitely enjoying the entertainment. 

Things they told us may happen:

• She might not feel well.............hmmmmmmmmmm - she sounds good to me so far!  Thank you GOD!
• In two weeks, she could start seeing hair loss and possibly gone by week three (we're not buying that just yet!)

Her support system yesterday? 

• Mike took her there stayed by her side through this. 
• I was her note taker to be sure we understood what they were doing, her sign maker so she could tell the world the important stuff, and naturally slip in a note that she and I tease about often (sister age thing:-)
• Lynn brought her a bag to carry all the goodies she will probably bring with to each visit, and naturally, to support her as well.

A good day for a bad day - she will fight and she will win!  Funny how God works :-) 

I hope you are having as good of a day as she is.  Besides being tired, she is doing very well.

Christmas in November!!??

As Patti prepares for treatment, we thought we would take her there in style!

Patti and I went to the store to pick out her Christmas gifts, as the 80's called and they want their coats back! Patti was in need of a coat makeover, along with some clothes that will be user-friendly when she goes through treatment (zipper down type stuff).  Merry Christmas from us Patti!! 

It was a good week for Patti, as many family members helped to prepare her for next week.  She will do well and she will get though this.......looking good and with style! 

I strongly encouraged her to get all decked out on Wednesday as she heads into treatment.  She needs to show this disease who's boss! 

Going into the unknown - scared and enough already!

After a week of visits to her oncologist and a tour of "that" place that she will need to visit every 3 weeks, Patti's schedule is set, and we start her program on November 20th.  If you noticed, I did not mention any terms associated with her illness.  I did this on purpose, as she is having a REALLY tough week with a plan that REALLY scares her. 

So today I'm reaching out to all of you and asking to keep your conversations, gifts, cards, etc. limited to positive stuff in life such as:

1. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
2. How are your furry kids doing?
3. Can you believe they are already talking about Christmas and we haven't sat down for our turkey dinner yet!
4. Share pictures of your grand kids such as this one in honor of the Badger game today! (Mark's granddaughter).  She is just as excited as Grandpa Mark about the game!

Come on.....this cute face HAD to make you smile, right?

Happy - bright - cheery - feel good stories, pictures, funny things, and good political jokes are always good with Patti.  This is what she needs right now.  As we all know, she is fully aware of her illness and the crummy stuff she has and will have to deal with.

Please take a time out with us and leave the drama at the door, as that will help remind Patti that there is a lot of great things going on, and stuff that she has to look forward to.  Together, we can help raise her spirit.

So.....when you decide to chat with her on FB, on the phone, send a gift, a card, keep it light and leave the illness out of the conversations for a while.   I know she will appreciate it, and God knows she needs it. 

Also, as stated in her previous blog on "physical" help, it is still needed.  Mike is working just about everyday of the week and Patti is home alone, looking at many chores that she simply cannot tend to with her wounds still healing.  With that said, off I go with my hedge trimmer to help her today.  Please think about where you can help and thanks to those who have made those visits in the past week. 

Did you know........it takes about 43 muscles to frown and only 15-17 muscles to smile :-)

Team up to help make a difference.....

So.......we know Patti and Mike are about to travel down a tough road....together.   

Mike has been working 6-7 days a week to keep up with the basic bills and is doing a fantastic job of managing this task (Thank You Mike!!!!). However, its still not enough to keep them going, as owning your own business can be a tough road...even without an illness in your life.  Also, what we all may tend to forget in this progress is that Mike is also affected by Patti's illness but in a different way, and that his life has forever changed as well.  He has been there for her more now than ever, and I know she appreciates the time she and Mike spend together.  She actually gets excited when Mike gets home, as she looks forward to sharing the latest news and anxious to see how work went for him, and of course, checking up on her work and customers she can no longer tend to as well. 

Isn't it amazing how God works?  Patti's illness has brought the two of them closer together .......yes, he ALWAYS has a plan....

Patti will not be able to work for quite a while in the paperhanging business and will spend the next 6 months traveling back and forth to doctors and treatments of some sort, along with the most important thing - eating well and keeping a good diet plan in place.  Patti will have many times where she will not want to eat (apparently, this is a well known fact in this sort of treatment....staying away from the "C" word).  We (ALL of US) have to help her along to ensure she maintains weight as she goes through this process.  Cheering is allowed :-)

Like I said, they are on this journey together............we are there to help them along the way because we love and care for them so much.

With that said, I am reaching out to all who have so kindly followed her progress and ask for you to help where they really will need it. 

You can offer any of the following:
Gas - Gas cards are helpful with the travels to Menomonee Falls and east Mequon for doctor visits and treatment, and to ensure Mike can go to work to keep up with his job, as well as Patti's work that he is now taking on.

Food - These gift cards are more valuable than anything else, as Patti will need to keep her food intake up in order to get through this!  VERY IMPORTANT for her recovery.   Now some may be thinking......."I will bring Patti some nice things that she may like to eat, or make a special dish".......not so much with Patti. 

Side Note:  What you may not know about Patti is that she is a VERY FINICKY eater :-/  Believe me when I say this, as both Dale and I got to watch her grow up not liking a lot of food that both he and I ate (like most kids).  With that said, a gift card to Pick and Save or Piggly Wiggly (two of her favorite places to shop for her favorite foods) would be the best gift you can give.  She really is a picky eater.

While all the wonderful gifts that she has received from all of you wonderful people looking out for her and trying to help keep her mind busy, she just doesn't have that desire to entertain this for now.  Maybe down the road it will change but for now, the suggestions above are best (she has a cute, but small house and not much in the way of storage or space)

You can also donate to her web page that I set up a few months back, as those funds would be used for bills and other necessities that may be needed on her road to recovery:

Donate to Patti's Road to Recovery

Thanks again to all for your ongoing support.  This is a scary time for us and we know she will win this fight......just gotta keep the faith, keep the strength, and continue on with all of the wonderful, ongoing support from all of you!

Overcomer!

 Today, Patti met with the doctor who had to talk about the "C" word, and we are not talking Cancer. This was a tough visit for Patti, as she was hoping to avoid treatment such as this. 

God has a plan - we are human - you are entitled to be mad today -it's okay.  Just remember you have to fight and keep the faith Patti.  We are ALL here for you and YOU WILL GET THOUGH THIS!

Here is a link to remind you (and everyone reading this note):
Patti you ARE an overcomer

To all:
Please keep it positive - doctors orders!!  Patti needs ALL the virtual hugs she can get :-)

Just say NO.......

......to cancer in the NODES!

Hallelujah!  The doctor called today to confirm the results of the surgery on Monday 10/21.  He says he's got nothing!  In simple terms.....the second surgery shows that the cancer did not go beyond the sentinel nodes and this is a VERY GOOD thing.  The cancer stops here - time for Patti to get on with it and get well! 

Patti was not having a good week, as the surgeries and cancer talk has worn on her (I hear you on that sista!).  She really needed to hear good news and we are happy to report that the cancer did not spread beyond the first line of node defense - YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Next steps:
-Follow up visit with the surgeon tomorrow to check on things.
-Next week - meet with more doctors to get the recovery plan in place

Time to get on with her life.....you got this one Patti!  Anyone who can rock hair like you did in this picture (thought you could use a smile right about now - circa 1991), can fight better than a girl! 

Keep the faith Patti and don't give up!

Surgery update

The surgery is done and the doctor says it was successful.  He also stated that the nodes removed did not surprise him.  In other words, they looked perfectly fine however..............we will hold off on the celebration until the lab has done their work to determine the final results.

Patti is in recovery and is expected to be released this evening to go home.  YEA!!! We know that will make her VERY happy, as she does not care for sleep-over at the hospital.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

On another note.....Mike and I are sitting here anxious to be done with all the sitting, waiting, and hearing those same words come from other doctors to the loved ones waiting in this very same area we are in. 

We also starting to think about food!  Now that Patti's surgery is done and we have another 1.5 hours to go before we can see her..........do we hit the café, do we just eat snacks (wait, we already did that!), or do we wait until we get back home? 

Looks like we are going to wait, as the café just closed:-/   Although Mark offered to bring us food, we decided to hold off.  We are close to being done with both this wait and the hospital events in general.

Ready for Patti to hit the RECOVERY road!!!! 

Happy Birthday Patti!

                                                 
Patti's Birthday weekend!

Friday night, Patti, Mark and I went to the MFHS Championship Football game where Austin had the honor of singing the national anthem.  Patti asked that I share the video with you (he did a beautiful job), but it will have to wait for Austin to set it up, as the video appears to be too big for this site.

Saturday, we started Patti's day with the craft fair but had to stop, as Patti had a nasty migraine :-/    Since the weather is ugly and rainy, it seems fitting to take a rain check (pun intended) for another time when she feels better :-) 

Sunday - Happy Birthday Patti! 
Many good things about Patti's day.  Patti was finally free of that evil migraine that took her down for the past 1.5 days, she was feeling pretty good and I must say, she continues to look great as you can see by the photos!

We had a great afternoon with a Packer win (YEA!!!!!!!!), followed by a delicious Lasagna dinner, cake, gifts,  and fun family time :-)  It was a great day overall and nice to see Patti smiling so BIG!



 
The best gift Patti for her birthday?  Time together with FAMILY!  The best gift of all :-) 

 

Happy Birthday Sis!

 

 



The birthday week continues with well wishes, gifts and Patti feeling her best lately!

Good afternoon to all!
Patti is having a good week leading up to her next two big events....birthday (yea!) and surgery (boo :-/ )

On Friday, Patti and Mike received a package in the mail that surprised them - Tamales and LOTS of them!  These were sent all the way from Texas, compliments of Mike's Aunt Peggy ( Judy's sister from Texas)  her husband Ron & kids Amy & Tim, and Patti requests to add in "Tater tot" and "Puppy Mutt" - their furry kids :-)  They own the company where these are made - how neat.  They look like a tasty treat! "Feed" back to follow - hee hee.

In addition to the BIG box of tamales, Patti received a few lovely gifts from Aunt Peggy and family for her birthday (see attached picture of Patti sporting her fighter arm).  We will beat this thing so I am glad to see her showing her strong side!  Okay, she was really intending to show off the bracelet, but I thought I would make it a bit more dramatic with the pose she presented!

She also received a nice gift package from Mark's sister Linda with lovely gifts and a few nice reads to help keep Patti's mind on other stuff! (see picture below). 

In addition to these gifts, a shout out goes to The Taylor Family, The Davidoski Family, and Mike's Dad and wife (Pete and Karen) for their generosity and thoughts as well!

For those who are thinking, "what could I give Patti for her birthday?"  Here is a list that she would love to have and please, make it a belated gift (after 10/22/13):

• Help with dusting the house.
• Vacuuming (especially the sun room where the dogs love to lay around :-)
• Dusting the blinds (BIG job and BIG thanks to anyone who can help with this!)
• An occasional stroll to the bathroom - to scrub it :-)
• Outdoors - raking (if needed) and trimming of plants as they begin to hibernate for winter.
• Wash (wait, I got that one - just add it in with ours:-)
• Kitchen floor washing (Patti's dogs love to drool over her and we can't blame them....did you see the picture?  Looking good sista!)
• Even the kitchen sink!  (Scrubbing, that is :-)

These are wonderful gifts that Patti would enjoy after Monday, as she will not be able to do work again for a few weeks.  If interested in assisting with her "wish" list, please contact her or myself (if after Monday) to plan from there. 

Today, Mark and I will be taking Patti to the fair....A Country Affair, that is!  This is a huge event at Menomonee Falls High School where they have lots of crafty things and unique stuff for the home (mostly focused on Patti's décor style:-).  Patti used to take Austin to this event when he was little and they always had a blast.  As part of our gift to her, we are treating her to the event so she can select a few things that will brighten her home and her spirit!

So, on to the weekend!  We are getting geared up to watch our Packers on Sunday, along with a feast of lasagna for Patti's official birthday.  Gotta fill Patti up on Sunday night, as she will have to refrain from eating on Monday in preparation for surgery. 

Enjoy your day, your weekend, and stay warm!

Pathology reports, bandages and a birthday week!

Good evening to all!

After Friday's news on the HER2 status and the great day Patti had afterwards, we just did not want to trump that moment or the weekend.

We met with her surgeon today and I think we actually entertain him with my barrage of questions and Patti's list of "can I please do stuff again!?"  He sat with us for quite some time and walked through the results of Patti's surgery.  He was very pleased with Patti's progress (yes, pun intended!) and thought that she was healing very well.  He discussed next steps and what to expect with the upcoming surgery on 10/21.  Some stuff sounded scary - some information was familiar - and some was a relief, such as the ace bandage that she hated and finally got permission to remove!.  She had to wear it tightly around her chest for compression and to keep the fluid from pooling.  I think he was just having fun by preparing Patti for her Halloween costume....wrapping her up like a mummy! 

We also received the pathology results.  This document has a lot of information - some we understand - some we did not.  The end result?  We will see this through and Patti WILL get well and carry on :-)  We are anxious to get through this next surgery and get to the recovery plan.  Enough already!  Another doctor visit this Friday and then on to the birthday girl's weekend! 

Patti will be celebrating her BIG  26th, wait, that would be her 31st, ah, who cares how old she is!  Let's just celebrate Patti!

With the news last Friday, the bandages off today, and the ability to move her arm like us, she is a very happy girl today.  She was given permission to increase her activity and finally have a bit of a routine life (until her next surgery).  She needed this freedom to feel some normality in her life again - YEA for Patti!

Patti celebrates her birthday on Sunday.  The best gift for Patti?  Positive emails, FB chats, and lots of smiles!  Remember, a positive attitude is the best recovery medicine and doctors orders!  Oh, and please keep the prayers coming our way too!

With her surgery on Monday, we plan to celebrate her day with a Packer win lots of lasagna!
I attached a photo of Patti showing off her ability to carry her purse on her "right" shoulder (see above)  A happy moment for sure!  Let's keep it happy and positive!

HER2 Status = NEGATIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This test tells us that the cancer is NOT aggressive, and exactly what Patti had been worried about and praying for.

Patti is having a great day and it's only 10am.  Good news will do that to you!

Thank you GOD!

Enough said :-)

Save the date AGAIN! Surgery has been moved up!

Yep!  We worked the medical team over and were successful in getting Patti's surgery date moved up!  The new date will be October 21st - 4:30pm.  This surgery will be no where near as invasive as the first. 

Patti had a great day today, as the tubes were taken out - can I get a BIG YAY!!?!!
She feels so much better.  She is now wrapped in big ace bandages as the continue to work though the process of reducing the fluids and preparing her for the next steps.

Here is what Patti's agenda will look like in the next few weeks to come:

• 10/16 - See the surgeon and verify all is going well with the recovery and ensure no fluid build up.
• 10/18 - Radiologist - General visit to discuss what may be next, just in case radiation is considered.
• 10/21 - Surgery!  Remove more nodes and PRAY PRAY PRAY for no additional cancer cells. If they do find more, we got this anyway.....but less is better!
• 10/31 - Follow up with the reconstructive surgeon and plan the next steps.

What happens after all of this stuff?  It depends.  Once we know ALL of the details of the original surgery (via pathology report), Patti can begin her "get well" journey.  Also, the results of the second surgery will dictate the plan as well.  Lots to digest in the next few weeks......buckets of prayers are always welcome!

What will help Patti (besides all of the love and support of friends and family) will be what they call "Cancer Rehab".  This is a program designed specifically to help patients get back to their normal routine and life.  Some of the activities include:

• Exercise program
• Scar massage
• Dietitian care - they will help her stay well as she goes through Chemo
• Counseling when needed
• and more (Hey, I'm over 50 and cannot remember everything - hee hee)

All good stuff to help Patti feel well while undergoing treatment and get her mind thinking "recovery".  It will also keep her busy while she cannot work and if I were a betting person, she will meet new friends who will be in the same (or similar) position, who can only help her, as we know she will be eager to help them!

That's our Patti!

Have a great day - Patti did :-)

Zip it up, lovely home-made pins, a mouse, a gift box and a better day for Patti

Good afternoon to all,
Sorry for the delay in blogging for Patti, as it's been a long weekend for all.  After receiving the news on Friday, Patti had a tough weekend.  We spent hours on the phone just talking until I could hear her smile again, but it's a moment and there are so many in a day........

It's very difficult for her at this time, and the waiting doesn't help.  Did I mention that she's not the most patient patient :-)  Seriously, we have the ability to come and go as we please......we can go to work (although some days we wish we didn't have to), socialize with others, drive where we want, and engage in life.  Not being able to do what she was used to makes for long days.................

Next time you are chatting with Patti, whether it be on FB, email, or on the phone, please do it with the BIGGEST SMILE you can give.  It's nice to hear good things and a cheery voice.  She needs all the positive she can get right now to keep her in "fighting" mode!

Another field trip!  Patti was able to take her second field trip - to church on Sunday!  It was nice to see her out and sitting up, versus stuck in bed.  She lasted most of the service, but had to leave early.  Glad she got out and a great place to go on a field trip - God's house!  She's still recovering, and her body is telling her to take it easy for a little longer.

Goodies sent her way in the past few days:
As you can see, she continues to be showered with surprises each day.  On Friday, she said she was struggling with finding a jacket that zippered when heading out to the doctor, as it would be easier with the current situation (she's a hoodie girl - no zipper required). Not anymore!  We got her all sported up in a warm, fluffy pink casual fleece, and a very nice, thick sweater-coat that screamed "Take me home, I belong to Patti!" at Boston Store :-)  It's perfect in both Patti's style and color.  Patti also received a lovely note and 2 home-made pins from her long-time friend April.  That was very thoughtful and talented too!  On Saturday, Larry (Austin's dad) stopped by and set Patti up with a wireless mouse, as the laptop mouse can be difficult to work.  Also, it's nice to have other company than us routine family folk (hee hee).  Today, Patti received a box of goodies from Linda (Mark's sister).  It was packed with puzzles, socks, books, and more!  A wonderful surprise to add into the good day Patti was finally having. 

She would like to say "Thank You" to all who continue to pray for her and send little reminders that she is thought of............she feels VERY blessed.

Patti's first field trip after surgery, a visit to the doctor, and news we wish we could lose :-/

Hello to all,
Patti finally got to get out and take in some of this nice weather!  Mike took Patti on a field trip was to the grocery store (see photo with the new sweatpants Mike got her for her adventure!) 

Patti said that it was a tiring experience for her.  Of course Mike did all of the shopping and pushing of the cart, but Patti says that the actual walk through the store exhausted her!  I guess that will happen after a 3 hour surgery of tearing up muscles and all that yucky stuff.   

Doesn't she look proud in those new duds?  Mike has been so supportive through all of this.....makes me think, what could we do for the guy who is dealing with all of the tough stuff that we are not there for, or know about?  thank you Mike!  Not only for being there, but for really taking care of Patti during one of the most difficult struggles she will EVER face in her life.  We love you!

Patti has been so positive through all of this, it simply amazes Mike and I when we talked about her positive spirit.  This is exactly what we need of Patti to get her well and keep moving forward.

Patti had a tough start to the day today.  She was very down this morning.  Then, she got crummy news.... ugh....we all have them, but not like this!  Unfortunately, the second results came back and the Sentinel nodes show cancer cells - BUMMER :-/

So, we are not done with this fight yet!  On November 5th, Patti will undergo yet another surgery to remove these nodes and test.  Our goal and prayer is that they come negative.  This would be the best possible outcome.  Thank goodness we have this blog to keep you posted as this information is just too much for her to repeat again....and again.....and again....you get it, right?

Patti will do her best to see the tree and not look at the whole forest, and we ask that you keep her in your prayers tonight.  No prayer too small!

More to follow tomorrow....see you then :-)

Tag! Patti's it!

 

 

 



 

Good evening to all!
I wanted to send this out last night, but simply ran out of steam.  Writing is actually a lot of work! 
Ah, I do it all for Patti - she loves this blog!  It keeps her entertained and keeps everyone up to date.  Good stuff!

The pictures above were from yesterday.  What we didn't tell you is a hint from yesterday's blog.  Yes, she actually did a load of wash.....3 DAYS AFTER SURGERY!  Mike was ready and willing, but Patti had to do it anyway (I think she waiting until he went to sleep......how sneaky).  I believe Mike said she did that wash at 3am? 

Again, it has nothing to do with the fact that she's German, right?  HA HA
Be sure to give her a hard time and remind her of the goal - recovery - recovery - recovery. 

The first picture you see with Patti feverishly typing away was taken to show off her new laptop table.....compliments of Mark (from his old apartment).  It sure is handy in both convenience with being in bed, and avoiding the potential of Patti moving or lifting the laptop (the weight factor). 

Doesn't she look smart?  As you can see, this photo has to be staged......as we all KNOW Patti needs her "cheater-readers" to see on that laptop (BIG smile right now - LOL!!!).  Lookin' good sista!

The second photo is the ID card for the newest member of her body!  Yes, she is officially tagged!  You can send her a note to ask more on this, as it becomes interesting and funny!  Something about the airport security going off when she goes through, and other fun facts :-)

If you know of people that do not have or use FB, please feel free to share this blog:-)

Good night to all - see you tomorrow.......as we know something will happen with Patti's Progress!

A few more lovely gifts and flowers for Patti and................we got ourselves a leaker here!

 

 

 

 

 



 Good evening to all!
I thought I would post a nice, quick note regarding the wonderful gifts and flowers Patti received today.  Mike, Kristin, and Mason sent a beautiful, bright bouquet of daisies (my favorite) with white roses (love white!), yellow carnations (Patti, is that your favorite?), and other nice foliage with a sweet card of well wishes. 

Patti also received a neat box filled with neat breast cancer items (see picture above).  Besides the beautiful photo of Mason, she received a book for her to read and another neat help guide for the husband!  Yea for Mike! 

My close and long time friend Jan sent a BIG, beautiful bouquet of flowers from her and the kids to let Patti know they are thinking of her.  How awesome!

A short note about today then off to bed for me, as I am under the weather and cannot help or visit Patti due to being sick with a cold  :-/  

Patti and Mike went to the doctor today as she sprung leak!  These crazy tubes she has attached to her were misbehaving and caused a bit of trouble throughout the night.  The doctor took one out completely, which made Patti smile, and they had to work through the other one as it was clogged with some debris (yuk).  All is well now and she is resting at home again.

Also, she was told to take it VERY EASY - no working around the house (including wash Patti), no lifting, no pushing, no shoving, no cheating to get something moved or dusted that bothers her.......no matter what!  The doctor was very clear about this on Friday to Mike and I, and had to tell Patti again to "knock it off!" (this has nothing to do with the German in her - LOL).   She is required to rest and  absolutely no lifting or reaching for anything. 

Okay, off my soap box and off to bed.  I have more to tell regarding tags and tables, but will save it for tomorrow!

Sleep well :-)