Post-Surgery Letter to Friends and Family

Dear Family and Friends,

If I have already sent you this news, please forgive me for repeating myself. I have learned that many of you have not heard about our latest challenges in Colorado.

First of all Don is doing well. His health is stable, he is surrounded by an excellent team of caregivers, and his treatments are going well. So he is really enjoying his time in Colorado.

As you know, we lost our Mom to colon cancer just one year ago this month and we are still recovering from that terrible loss. Then one year later, early this month, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. On March 9 I went to the outpatient surgery for a lumpectomy and left after an overnight stay having had a full mastectomy. My surgeon believes the entire cancerous tumor itself was removed. Unfortunately, it had already spread to 7 of the 15 lymph nodes he also removed. This means it is considered to be stage 3 cancer and possibly in my bloodstream. Tomorrow (on the first anniversary of Mom's death) I go for a PET scan to hopefully rule out stage 4 cancer. Stage 4, or metasasized cancer ,would mean it is active somewhere else in my body. We will know more tomorrow. Discovering whether it is stage 3 or 4 will determined the type(s) of treatments recommended. In addition to Ken, I think Mom will be with me during this test tomorrow.

Recovering from the mastectomy has been more painful, and takes longer, than I ever thought, but everyday is better. I'm asking all my family and friends to join my Care Team in this new adventure. I need lots of support in terms of encouragement to eat right, get exercise, and take advantage of the many holistic, spiritual tools and resources we all know make a big difference. But first and foremost I need each and everyone of you to always "see" me as well, healthy and whole even when I might be whining. Ken has been my rock and he will need your support too.

I am so grateful for all the prayers, candles and good wishes I've received over the past few weeks. They mean a lot to me. Please keep them coming, and ALWAYS "visualize" me as healthy and joyful. 

Love, Kate