Happy New Year!

Hey everyone!

It’s been a good couple of weeks since I last provided an update.

Our family and several others from our church went Christmas Caroling at Fair Oaks Hospital and had a great time spreading Christmas cheer to the patients along with Santa, Mrs. Clause and their daughter. We are lucky in that we get to do this every year and we always receive a blessing from the experience.

Laurie went to her reconstructive surgeon on Monday the 22nd and was released from her care because she has progressed so well. Immediately following that appointment we went to Fairfax hospital to have the Mediport implanted. This provides an “input” for the chemotherapy without using various veins in her arm, and everyone tells us it is THE way to go. However, Laurie thought it was only a medical procedure and not an outpatient surgery, and had to readjust her thinking on the recovery process related to that. She was very sore immediately following the surgery for a couple of days but has now become more adjusted to it.

We went to Laurie’s parent’s home in Centreville for Christmas Eve with all the local family followed by Christmas Eve service at Ox Hill. Christmas day we went to Laurie’s sister Carlene’s home in Chantilly for brunch and more Christmas celebrating.

In the week between Christmas and New Years, Laurie was seen and released by the Mediport surgeon, and also went to see the radiation oncologist to get more information as to the benefits of this type of treatment. Given her pathology reports as well as the fact that 4 lymph nodes were involved, statistically she has a 25% chance of recurrence on that side. Therefore, while radiation would not affect her survival rate, it would reduce her recurrence by 75%, or to about 6%. While there are risks, we believe they are worth the benefit so will plan to start that in July after the chemotherapy.

Today Laurie took another step towards her recovery. Since she will lose her hair from the chemo, she decided to donate her hair to Locks of Love and then had the remaining hair shaved. Martha, our next door neighbor, arranged for Laurie to go to Shapes in Herndon to donate her hair. She then had the wig she received at the American Cancer Society styled. She walked out just as proud as she walked in. I have to admit that she looks great! Thanks Martha!

Monday Laurie will have her first chemo treatment which should last approximately three hours. In addition to the chemo she will be also be taking several medications to counter any side effects. She will have her next treatment in three weeks.

As we begin yet another phase of her road to recovery we continue to treasure your thoughts and prayers and look forward to providing you with more updates.
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