Will be sending positive energy to your family. I know how stressful it is.

Back when hub had his big surgery; neck dissection, tonsil & a feeding tube; I was a mess. The biggest thing was what would the surgeon do if cancer was found on his tongue. He had 3 sets of papers filled out; NJ, PA & 5 wishes. We really liked the 5 wishes because hub was able to tell exactly what he'd want done in what situation; so the surgeon would not be able to go further until hub could make his own decision about anything new found.

You can view it at the link below. They don't want you printing it but there is a way around it. Save it to your hard drive, then download & install Cool PDF Viewer; open the program, then navigate to where 5 wishes is saved; you're then able to print.

Good luck to your sister. May there be no surprises during surgery.

Here is a link that might be useful: 5 wishes

Stinky, it's always nice to be acknowledged here, but please don't worry about us! You're too sweet. Sometimes I feel a little too nosy, checking for your posts; I'm looking forward to a good report Thursday or Friday, or whenever you get around to it.

This is a very scary time for all of you, but you'll get through it, somehow, some way. As roselvr says above, may there be no surprises. Peggy is in good hands; sounds like you are, too.

Sherry

Stinky, I will certainly participate. I know how frightening this is. Like roselvr said, we don't want any surprises. Remember to post agin on Thursday to remind everyone.

More prayers to your sister. Glad to know both are being delt with at same time. I think out of all the things I have had done sofar, having the radioactive stuff put in for the nodes was the worst. Not to scare you, but for me it just burned as they injected it. Maybe because of being 4 injections right near the nipple? But not unbearable, I just don't like things that sting/burn. PA doing procedure was really funny and we chatted the whole time, made it easier. I told him, with a smile, that I hated him and he was the meanest person on the planet, again smiling. Made it easier for him too.

It is great that you are getting all the info straight too. It really is important to have support persons who know what is going on. I know a guy who was given someone elses chemo dose in error. His name was on the vials but her meds were in there. He did not see the meds were wrong. My dh and I both look at the meds and check chart at same time. Really good to have second person with you during all this.

Peggy is in my thougths this whole week. I feel so fortunate to be doing well, passing some of my good feelings to her. Hug, Hug.

SG, of course you and your sister have my prayers! Prayers for a negative sentinel node, praying for completely resectable lung mass, prayers for a complete recovery.

Sending prayers, positive thoughts and energies your way. You are a blessing to your DS. Please keep us posted.

Saying a prayer that all goes well with the surgeries and your sister has a speedy and complete recovery. I'm glad they're able to do them both at once. Let us know how it goes.

I'll say prayers that all goes well with your sister's surgeries. Keep us posted, please.

Prayers and positive thoughts going up and out for your dear sister. (((((Hugs)))))

Positive vibes from here too, may all be well and a speedy recovery also.
Keep us posted, good luck.

I must of missed the original post about your sister. I'll be thinking of her and lots of prayers too!

Roselvr, thanks for your interesting links & positive vibes. You're right, there is anxiety there, even though my thoughts & beliefs are sincerely positive. Since Friday, anxiety started sneaking up on me. Mostly I'm forgetting things and spilling things (huge coffee messes made yesterday & today). Being forgetful results in multiple trips here & there, unfinished tasks, errands,etc! I'm just generally more of a bubble-head than usual.

Sherrmann, it's you who is too sweet! Thanks so much for your interest, concern & lovely words.

Golddust, you're golden. Thanks for you're participation!

Shannon, thanks again for your continuing prayers & thoughts. Yes, I wondered if the mapping procedure may be uncomfortable. Thanks for the fyi. So glad that you are feeling well these days. Got the hugs!

Barb5, so nice to hear from you. Know you've been down this road before & I really appreciate your prayers.

Work in Progress, that sounds great! Thank you. Will keep you posted.

Sheesharee, I so appreciate your prayers & good wishes.

Mona, AJ, Mitch & Judie, thanks ladies. Your prayers, thoughts, good wishes, & positive energy mean so much to me. You're such warm, caring women.

I reiterate all that has been wished above, nothing but positive thoughts for a wonderful outcome. susan

Sending positive vibes for nothing but good outcomes and a quick recovery for your sis. Hugs to you and all who love and care for her as you walk this road beside her.

I will hold Peggy in my prayers today and tomorrow and through her recovery.

Have you heard about listening to music while on the operating table? My husband listened to Bach during his surgery after we read about the positive effect of music on surgical outcomes and recovery. I also asked his surgical nurse (who checked in with me every hour or so) to pull out one of his earbuds and tell him he was doing fine every now and then, even though he was under GA. I think it all goes in and makes a difference.

I'll be wishing you well today and tomorrow, too S-G. I know what it's like to sit in the waiting room.

stinky, I was in my Theology class Monday night, and we forget how much the Power of Prayer helps!

I will be praying for your sister and will have my whole class (I go to a private Christian College) pray for your sister too.

I'm Catholic, so I will light a candle for her with my prayer.

Thanks, Susan!

Nice hearing from you Les. Thanks for the positive vibes & hug!

Amy, thanks for your prayers & for your thoughtful insight about the waiting room experience. The music idea sounds great. Bach is great! So glad your dh has done well. Thanks for sharing that.

Olliesmom, how neat that you attend a theology class. I'd love to hear more about it sometime. Thanks for your personal prayers & for asking your class to participate! I'm Catholic too, but my church does not have votive candles, so I really appreciate you lighting one! The churches where I live now are very modern. I miss the votives, statues, art, & all the images that say "Catholic," but that's another topic!

For more about how I see my sister's cancer, & the role of prayer, I am pasting my response to Golddust's thread about luck:

Yes, my dear Goldie, you are lucky, but even if no one had turned in your backpack, purse, or blackberry, you'd still be lucky! Our thoughts really dictate how we see our lives, not our circumstances. You are a person who would find the good in whatever situation you found yourself in, & perceive yourself as "lucky."

If you lost $300.00, well someone needed it more than you, how nice. If your blackberry went poof, well, maybe you were spending too much time on that thing anyway. If we trust that we live in a benevolent universe, we can trust that all is put in our way for the best. God, the universe, life, will give us what we need. But, Can we trust that reality is really unfolding in our best interest? If we can, we see ourselves as "lucky." We love life, ourselves & others however that shows up.

Someone in my life pointed out the other day how a mutual friend just had a baby (lucky!) & how my sister had just been diagnosed with cancer (unlucky!) She put it in those terms pretty directly. Well, that's not how I see it.

When my sister was found to have a malignant brain tumor 3 yrs. ago, she quit smoking. I never, ever thought that would happen! Never! She recovered from the cancer, & has never smoked again. Was it lucky that the cancer came afterall? In a sense, I believe it was. As you know, she now has lung cancer & breast cancer. Well, I believe that there are gifts here too, some that I already see, others that we have yet to find. God is present in this too. Already, I have felt the uplifting prayers of those here at GW. What a blessing.

No matter how "unlucky" a circumstance may seem, there are gifts of gold to be mined from it. We always have the choice to see how lucky we are if we question the thoughts that tell us we are not.

My dh shared this ancient Chinese proverb with me years ago. I love of its wisdom & it speaks beautifully to your query.

Here is a link that might be useful: Are you lucky?

Here is a link that might be useful: Are you lucky?

Positive thoughts of health coming your way.

SG,
I will definitely offer up a prayer for guidance to the medical professionals helping your sister, a prayer for strength & a smooth course of healing for your sister, and a prayer for calm & peace to you & her other support people.

I know the many prayers, from many different religious traditions, that were offered for my DH's healing made a positive difference to his recovery.

I love that story about good luck/bad luck. I've copied it to use in my women's club newsletter later this year.

Stinky, nothing but positive thoughts and prayers for you and Peggy.

Your post to Goldy is so thought provoking and a wonderful reminder of a "glass full" attitude.

Deedee99, thank you!

Hhireno, nice to see you. I appreciate all your prayerful support and good wishes. Glad you liked the story, & hope your newsletter readers do as well!

Marlene, you're so kind. Thank you for your good thoughts & prayers. Glad you enjoyed the story too. It really speaks to me!

God bless you all!

You got it. hang in there.

Thinking of you all...waiting for news...

Me too!

Stinky, I read your post earlier in the week & I am just now able to post.
I wanted you to know that you & Peggy have never left my thoughts & prayers. I was also praying for the medical staff today; that only healing hands come in touch with Peggy.

I'm chiming in late, but wanted to say I'm thinking of you and Peggy, and I hope everything went well today. Hugs and healing thoughts....
Jen

Cooperbailey, Amy, & Golddust, thanks for checking back yesterday!

Southern Vesta, how sweet! I really appreciate that.

Jlc712, so nice to hear from you! Thanks for the hugs & healing energy.

Yesterday was a long day! Happy to report that the surgeries went very well!

During the lung procedure, the doctor took a bit more than he was originally planning, to be safe. He looked at the surrounding tissue, and all was clear and free of cancer cells! Then the breast surgery was done & the search for lymph node involvement began. Two nodes were found to be positive. The other material is being examined at the lab so we need that report to know how many nodes are positive. Could be just 2, could be 12, could be 24. The upshot of finding nodes will be that Peggy will need some kind of follow up therapy...chemo or/and radiation. Until we get the report, her oncologist can't determine which therapy or how much of it will suit her best.

Didn't get to the hospital until late in the afternoon. That's a whole other long story! But, it was fine. I missed seeing my other sister, her dh & their dd by 5 minutes! Thankfully I did get to spend time with Peggy & her dh though!

Though she was able to breathe on her own, she was intubated & in ccu, because her doc thought it would be easier on her not to remove the tube just yet. He wanted her to get some sleep. So, she was sleeping deeply, hooked up to everything, with little booties on her feet & legs. I stroked her arm, talked to her, prayed for her.

Now we wait again...for the lab report, for the oncologist's prescription. As Peggy's recovery process unfolds I know there will be pain and difficulty, but Cooperbailey assured me that the mastectomy heals pretty quickly & is surprisingly not so very painful. Great. One of her docs echoed that, & said he thought she'd have more pain from the lung procedure which required them to move her ribs!

I know from the last experience she will be brave and strong and do what she needs to do. I was just in awe of her as she recovered from the brain surgery. She didn't need any post-surgical therapy after that one, so chemo or radiation will introduce a new experience.

Thanks again... to everyone here who has been sharing this journey with me. It's really nice to have the company (& the compass, maps, directions, etc.!)

Good morning Stinky. Thanks for taking the time to update us today. Glad to hear there was some good news...clear margins...and hoping for good path reports today.

I spent a lot of time in the garden yesterday since the weather finally broke and I could get some planting done. As I dug and put in flowers, I kept thinking of my Stinky Gardener friend and her Peggy. It felt like an appropriate way to be in active prayer for you guys. I hope you'll both be back enjoying the garden again soon.

Aw, Amy, you just brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful and thoughtful gesture. Thank you.

More news...the tube is out, she's awake. Her dh said she's was much happier as soon as the tube was out! She sat up, drank a can of ginger ale and asked him to put on her glasses so she could read an e-mail he had printed out for her. Then she had her dh call me, & she & I talked on the phone! She was hoarse, but sounded great, & 100% like her usual self, feisty sense of humor and all.

She has refused to take pain medication & has not taken so much as a Tylenol. Her dh had to explain to them her attitude about pain medication...she won't take it... unless she absolutely has to. Maybe she'll change her mind about that later, but she's a tough customer, I know.

All good signs. I 'm really elated.

Glad to read the great update! I hope she continues to do well & not need the pain meds.

After surgery, some people suffer with gas & constipation. It might be a good idea to pick up some GasX, Senna pills & a digestive aid.

This is really good news!! The thing is, if your body is stressed, it doesn't heal as fast. If she is in pain, I hope she will rethink her position.

very good news !! you must be so relieved.

Hi Rose, Goldie & Mitch! Yes, I am feeling not only relieved, but amazed. Peggy is far exceeding my expectations, but I don't know why I am surprised. After her brain surgery she never took pain medication...not once, and she got busy getting on with her life asap. Not that she pushed herself or did anything outrageous, but she didn't hang around in bed a whole lot either!

Everyone is different, & I respect a variety of approaches to healing, but I must say I really admire Peggy's attitude. But, don't expect me to be like this after surgery, please! She's raised the bar a little too high for her little sister to reach!

Talked to my niece while she was in the hospital room last night & she said my sister had eaten a full meal, been guzzling ginger ale, was talking, laughing & asking questions about my niece & her husband's 1st anniversary trip that they had just returned from.

Thanks again for the interest, concern, & for checking back in!

Stinky, I just now saw this post. First, I adore the name "Peggy."

I echo everyone esle's sentiments but most of all, since I never had a sister, you're the type of sister I'd give my right arm for!

Hi Oakley! That's a very sweet thing to say! Actually our other sister is a much better sister than I, but thanks! I needed that!

Glad you like the name "Peggy." It suits her. That really is her given name, though it is often used as a nickname for Margaret & the nuns insisted on calling her Margaret for a while!

Speaking of names, it was Peggy who named me (yes after a pope!) She was always more a mother to me than my mother was. She just took over my care from the moment I came home weighing 4 lbs. 2 ounces. She said I was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, (& tells me she still feels that way to this day.) Well, I feel the same way about her! Beautiful inside and out.

I echo Golddust's sentiments about pain, stress and healing. But, to each her own...

So, is your name Formosus? Agapetus? Blessed Eugene?

I am secretly hoping it is Celestine...size=1>

In all seriousness, I hope the week brings more good news.

Hi Amy! Nice to see you! Thanks for checking back.

Just got home from the hospital about an hour ago. Yeah, still no paid meds. I hear what you're saying. I do think she'll take something if she feels real discomfort. So far, so good. I heard a nurse ask today, "How are you doing with pain?" and she said "fine." She really doesn't seem uncomfortable. Once she starts walking and moving though, she may experience some discomfort.

The only concern she seems to have is about her lung. She has brought it up into conversation a few times. I think she wonders what her breathing capacity will be. They took 50% of the lung during surgery, though taking more like 25% was what had been discussed with her. So there has been an element of surprise. She knew she was losing a breast, but losing half a lung too she wasn't expecting.

I think she'll do fine with what she has, but I understand her concern. So far, her breathing does not seem labored, but again, that may change once she becomes more active. I think that there are exercises she can do to strengthen her lungs.

Oh, and Amy, I really like the names you posted, but I can't claim any of them. Actually, 6 popes and several saints have had my name, including the only English pope and the only Dutch pope! Starting to sound like a Jeopardy clue isn't it?

Hi Adrian! hee hee.

All I have to say is your parents chose better names than my parents. I admire your DS's spirit and will. I envy her pain threshold. I have always thought I had a high threshold for pain but not after hearing about your sister!

Ah, Oakley, the cat's out of the bag!! Hee, hee, indeed!

Golddust, I agree. I guess it's mind over matter? I think she may feel more discomfort once she's mobile. Think she's going home tomorrow, so we'll see. I know she's very eager to get home!

Being here with y'all has been very therapeutic! Thanks for your continued interest. I don't want to wear ya out! Just know that y'all have made a difference, and a positive one.

May God be beside your sister on her journey and she will be in my prayers SG.

You don't have to take the time to mention me your hands and heart are already too full.

May God bless your heart and your sweet sister's.

Hopefully your sister will not notice the 1/2 of lung missing. One of my neighbors mother in laws recently had one removed in December; she was on oxygen for a while but no longer needs it. She's probably twice your sisters age.

Sending positive thoughts that she's been released.

~Hugs

Beautiful sentiments New Dawn! Thank you so much.

Rose, thanks for sharing the story & for your continued positive thoughts.

Peggy is home! She was discharged yesterday afternoon, got home around 4:00. She is very, very happy to be in her own house again.

We visited Saturday, Sunday, & Monday. Monday's visit was at her house. When we arrived, a guy was just finishing setting up an oxygen tank for her, making sure she had plenty of length to her tube so she could walk the distance of most of the first floor. Shortly after the guy left, her dh & my dh went out to get a prescription filled and picked up a few groceries. I was glad that we were there so Peggy wasn't alone right away when her dh went out to the store.

Don't know how long she'll be on oxygen, but the doc is saying a week or two right now. I'm sure they'll be playing it by ear.

I think she is most concerned about her lung. With time I truly believe she will adapt to this though.

Our niece & her dh will be over to bring Peggy dinner tonight. They both cook very well, and my nephew loves to cook. He was thinking days ago about all the things he wants to fix for them. Tonight will be enchiladas. I told him he must bake some of his famous lemon squares for them at some point. They are out of this world!

The home care nurse, Nan, will be over today too, & Peggy's dh be home, so she will be well-attended to today.
Recovery is off to a good start.

FWIW, someone I know did just fine for something like a decade with only one lung after lung cancer. They took the whole lung, since he let it go too long (like most guys!) before going to the doctor and there was too much cancer just to take one lobe. Granted, he wasn't out running marathons, but normal everyday stuff? No sweat. No oxygen tank either. I mean, the guy was rewiring his house and lugging around 2x4s (just a couple at a time, but still!)... so maybe that could be some encouragement for her.

Welcome home, Peggy! :-)

Thanks so much, Johnmari. That is really helpful & encouraging to hear. Knowing about a scenario like that will help me sound more convincing and sincere when I give my sister pep talks. It's good to know about what progress is possible. I will share this story with her too.

Thanks Amy!!! You are so sweet!

Stinky, I want to second what Johnmari said. The principal at my kid's school had an entire lung removed years go. He's doing wonderfully. One would never guess.

I have been thinking of Peggy so much lately. She gives me strength to deal with my own cancer. I too hate pain meds and was glad I resisted but always left the option open just in case, so I can understand her feelings about it. Unfortunately, there are some meds we have to take and I am ok with that personally.

As you know all too well, waiting for results is hard. Then sifting through the decisions even harder. But we make our choices and move on with living our lives.

So glad to know Peggy is home. Healing in your own home is so theraputic. I will continue to send my daily hugs her way, and some to you too.

Stinky, I too am so happy that Peggy is home and things are going well. She sounds like such a spirited, feisty individual and that can only serve her in a positive manner. I wish her all the very best as she recovers.

Shannon, what a lovely post. Your outlook and compassion always touch me. Thank you!

Hi Auntjen! So nice to hear from you. You certainly have an accurate take on Peggy's personality! Feisty is the word! I agree, I think that trait does help in recovery process! Thanks for your good wishes & for checking back.