One last delivery

The time has come. Rick and I will head to Durham in about an hour, and I have packed as much as I could into today. I am happy to report I was able to go for a run, then a walk on the beach early this morning. Beyond that, all Christmas presents are wrapped and under the tree, and laundry is washed and put away. I made one last bank transaction for Haiti Awake, and I even had a chance to do one more delivery for Moe’s. (No matter how well surgery goes tomorrow, I won’t be able to lift much until sometime in January. Therefore, I’ll be out for a while.)

This is what was waiting for me at work when I arrived. It was so unexpected. My heart was touched. Nearly six years ago when we stopped at Moe’s one night for dinner and the GM asked, “Hey! Are you interested in a little part-time job?” I’m so glad I said, “Yes!” I enjoy getting out in the community, meeting people, and bringing them food. (Who doesn’t love Moe’s?)

If you had asked me what I needed today, I would never have guessed this was it. But it was.

The surgery date is set

Important dates:

• September 16 - consultation with Dr. Zani who will do my liver resection

• October 10 - PET CT scan & pre-op visit with Dr. Rossi

• October 22 - Surgery with Dr. Zani and Dr. Rossi. They are hopeful that this procedure will be able to be done laparoscopically, but because Dr. Zani will be re-sectioning my liver, my recovery time will be longer than it was 6.5 years ago when I had my first laparoscopic surgery.

• November 14 - post-op visit when we will discuss adjuvant therapy options.

It’s my anniversary!

This journey began on May 2, 2019, when I had my first surgery here in Wilmington. Last year on this same date, I had my second surgery - the big surgery - at Duke University Hospital. Two life-changing surgeries. One date - 4 years apart.

How thankful I am for the excellent care I have received through the years and the kind support of family and friends through it all.

Today I am reflecting on the goodness of God, and I'll be listening to this "Just as Good" (Chris Renzema) on repeat.

And I will build an altar

And stack it stone by stone

'Cause every Ebenezer says I've never been alone

My faith will surely falter

But that don't change what You've done

'Cause every Ebenezer points to where my help comes from.

It’s a delicate balance

When I was first diagnosed with Granulosa Cell Tumor in 2019, I did a fair amount of research on the subject, but I did not seek out community with others with the same condition.

However, when I was diagnosed with a recurrence in February of 2023, I immediately began searching out a support system, wanting to gather all the information I could before moving forward in making crucial decisions. I found a group of women on Facebook who have been a great support system, a wealth of information.

On the one hand, I am so thankful to hear the stories of others, to read about their experiences, to understand how they came to the decisions they have about their own care.

On the other hand, some days it gets to be a little heavy, hearing how difficult things are for some of my GCT sisters, wondering if my life will be like that in the days ahead.

It’s in those moments, when my mind goes to the “what ifs” I know I need to step back, to stop reading, to give myself room to breathe and remember every person’s story is unique. Though each of us is living with GCT, we’re each on our own unique path.

There's a delicate balance between being informed and being discouraged.

A different level of care

From scheduling to reception to nursing staff to physicians, the patient care I have received at Duke is far beyond anything I’ve experienced anywhere else.

I had my first appointment with endocrinology yesterday, and I was reminded again of all of the reasons I am thankful I transferred my care to Duke. I am exceedingly grateful for good insurance that allows me options and choices.

Our health care system as a whole is broken, but I can say without reservation that kindness, compassion, and professionalism characterize standard of care at Duke and make the long drives to and from appointments worth every mile.

It’s Friday, and we're home

I said goodbye to Room 6309 at the Duke University Hospital around 3 pm yesterday and transitioned to our Airbnb.

It was good to have a night to rest before making the drive back to Wilmington this morning.

My belly is really sore today, and nausea has been my constant companion since last night. But we’re back in Wilmington and looking forward to some R & R this weekend.

Some flowers from The Bridge were waiting when we arrived, as well as packages and cards from friends!

This afternoon I plan to take it easy here at home and enjoy my latest obsession - a Detox Island Green from Tropical Smoothie.

Thanks for praying, Friends!

A quick Thursday update

Wednesday went by quickly as I had several visitors and different teams were checking in on me every couple of hours.

I was able to get up and walk laps around my floor. There’s a board where we’re to keep track of our laps. I ended up at 3 miles at the end of the day. I’m room 6309. (Yes, I am bragging.)

Ethan has been a great help to me, even staying overnight. It’s been good having him here and seeing him put his professional skills into action on a personal level (and he really likes this blanket Elizabeth gave me).

Yesterday afternoon, however, we noticed I was experiencing some sort of allergic reaction (probably due to the epidural), so that was suspended, and I’ve only had Tylenol and Motrin since then.

My battle scars are substantial, but I am proud of them because they mean Dr. Rossi was able to do what she needed to do, and I came out on the other side.

I am hoping to be discharged later today (or at the latest, tomorrow), and I look forward to a clear plan going forward that includes healing and health.

I truly appreciate all of care and support that has come from so many of you. Thank you for being on my team during this unusual season.

Above all that we could have asked or imagined

It wasn’t the worst case scenario. It wasn’t the best case scenario, either. It wasn’t even somewhere in the middle. It was even better than we asked or imagined.

We arrived at the hospital a little before 5 a.m., and I was absolutely miserable. I had become dehydrated by the bowel prep, and this was causing extreme nausea and fatigue. So when I was called back to the pre-op prep area, I was relieved.

My new friend I met on the phone yesterday stopped by, as well as Dr. Rossi and other members of the surgical team. Every caregiver was so kind and compassionate.

The patient care here at Duke is phenomenal. One guy on the anesthesiology team was even showing me photos of his dog and chatting with me while another physician was doing my epidural in the OR.

I entered the OR at 7:27 a.m., and the surgery started at 8:50. The procedure was complete, and I was ready for visitors by 10:12 a.m. This was much shorter than the time originally estimated!

The shortened time under anesthesia resulted in a fairly quick stay in the recovery unit, and I felt aware of my surroundings and confident in my ability to communicate almost immediately. My first questions:

Do I have a bag?

Did she have to breach the abdominal wall to remove the tumors in the subcutaneous tissue?

The answers to both questions was “no!”

Further, Dr. Rossi decided not to do a hysterectomy, and there was no need to resection the bowel (that tumor was incredibly easy to remove!) so I came away from the procedure with a less invasive procedure than I had anticipated.

It looks like I’ll be here at Duke through Friday. I’ve yet to get out of bed. (That’s a goal for tomorrow!) I still have an epidural administering pain meds. (I’m not complaining!) And I have a great volunteer nurse. (Ethan is the best human!)

Tonight Ephesians 3:20-21 is on my mind:

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”