Anyone need a tray table?

Thanks for all of the offers of tray tables!  We're all set to host a breakfast-in-bed party. 

The surgery was, well, major abdominal surgery. Much to Carol's chagrin, it will take 6-8 weeks before she's out running again. It's now been 2 weeks, and she has an appointment with her oncologist tomorrow to follow up and look at next steps. 

Thanks for sending little notes of support and encouragement, whether to Carol directly or through me (I do pass them along to her). 

Headed Home Today!

Now that she's had her fill of cookies, croissants, chocolates, coffee, and ice cream that you all have brought by (not to mention the liquid diet she was on for a couple days), Carol's heading home today. The people here have been great, but it's time. She'll be back in about 10 days to get her staples out and talk with the surgeon about her condition. 

People have been so great about offers to help. Now I'm going to go ahead and ask for some:

  -- if you're nearby and you have a type of breakfast-in-bed tray you don't think you'll be using for a couple weeks, think we could borrow it? 

  -- meals are good. We like meals. 

Thanks so much, everyone, for your thoughts, prayers, energies, and every other thing, little or big, that you've been sending Carol's way. They're all big. 

"The secret to living the life of your dreams is to start living the life of your dreams today, in every little way you possibly can."

     --Mike Dooley

Recovering nicely

Hi all,

It's 8:20 this evening, and it has been a long day! Carol came out of surgery late this morning, and everything went smoothly. She's now safely in her private (for the time being) room on the 6th floor at Fletcher Allen, resting pretty comfortably. 

Thanks, everyone, for the warm thoughts. We'll keep you posted as we move forward. 

Tomorrow's Wednesday...

Carol has passed all of her required tests, and she's all set to have her surgery at Fletcher Allen bright and early Wednesday morning.  For those of you who know her sleeping habits, let's just say that 6:00 a.m. is not her preferred time to be doing anything but snoozing.

The reception at Shelburne Vineyard was wonderful.  Thanks for your good wishes, your support, and your strength.  They all help.

Cramming to pass a test on Monday

Despite the fact that it has been a week without treatment, things have been busy.

After meeting with the surgeon early this week, Carol is scheduled to have a hysterectomy the middle of next week.  That is, if she passes the succession of tests that lead up to the surgery.  She has already aced the EKG.  Next up is the dreaded phone interview, but this one should be no problem.  Then, on Monday, the blood test that makes sure her red and white blood counts have rebounded enough from treatment to give her the ok for surgery.  She's studying hard for this one, downing buckets of good foods, staying hydrated, and trying to get lots of rest.

As ever, thank you to everyone who reads this, everyone who cares, everyone who wants to help but doesn't feel that they know how.  Believe me, you do.

Round 1 is over

This week marks the end of the first cycle of Carol's treatment.  Her only visit to the doctor's office this week was to get a quick poke in the arm.

Next week, she'll meet with a surgeon to talk about having some troublesome organs taken out of the picture, which, strangely enough, is how this all got started.  That may now happen within the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, Carol is enjoying a respite from treatment and looking forward to a visit with friends from Alaska.

Thanks, as always, for your caring, your kindnesses, and your understanding throughout this whole process. Hope everyone has a good long weekend.