Ready, Set, Go??

Hello Everyone,
We met with the oncologist last Thursday morning and discussed the treatment. The drugs used will be a combination of three drugs. The abbreviation for the combination is FEC. The F is 5-FU or Fluorouracil, the E is Epirubicin and the C is Cytoxan. They will be administered every three weeks, there will be six cycles.

I'm supposed to start treatment on the 10th of May. Dr. Walker is putting a "port" in on the 8th since my left arm can't be used and I don't want to "wreck" the veins in my right arm. The port will be at the top of my chest off to one side. It's about the size of a quarter or so and is completely under the skin. Blood can be drawn and the medicine can be administered using the port.

However, we may havea set-back. One of the incisions isn't healing quite as well in one spot. So, until the plastic surgeon gives the ok, we won't be able to start. We went ahead and scheduled everything in hopes we will start this on schedule. I meet with Dr. Whitfield, the plastic surgeon, next Wednesday, the 2nd, so hopefully that will go well.

I guess we just have to wait and see.....seems to be the case quite often. I'm not very good at that.

Thank you for your donations!!

Hi!
I want to thank everyone for their generous donations for the Sandy's Striders team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Milwaukee on May 5th. So far the team has raised over $1,700!! How impressive!

I've started working with a physcal therapist at Froedert to improve my range of motion in my left arm (especially). I have my second appointment tomorrow. The therapist has been able to answer many questions that I have regarding recovery, strength and beginning to exercise again.

Speaking of exercise, I've been back to the gym for two days now. I'm riding the recumbant bike - which is comfortable because there is no bumping for my upper body. It seems to be working well, the next step will be the eliptical but with no arms. I might survive the 5 mile walk on the 5th yet!

Thursday is a big day. We will meet with the oncologist in the morning and likely be discussing the details of the chemo treatment. I go back to work on Thursday as well. It's hard to believe I've been gone for three weeks. At the same time I think back to the day before the surgery and it seems so long ago.

Hopefully everyone reading this is doing well. Again, for those of you that have donated or plan on walking with us on the 5th, thank you very much!!

Nitty Gritty

We had a good appointment with Dr. Walker on Monday (yesterday). He said all is healing well and went over the details of the pathology report. Most of this was mentioned previouslly, the only thing that I didn't include was that it was confirmed as a Grade 2, which is something that looks at how different that tumor cells are compared to "normal" cells. The possiblities are 1, 2 or 3. With Grade 2, these cells don't look like the normal cells and are somewhat faster growing than normal cells.

The pathology report also states that there was also some Ductal Carcenoma In Situ (DCIS) in the left breast as well as the tumor that started this whole deal. So, it seems that once again, the right decision happened to be made on the course of action. However, it was super-duper small - <.1cm at the largest diamater on the slide examined.

There were also two lymph nodes within the breast tissue, one was positive for the invasive ductal carcenoma. However, these lymph nodes are not considered in the satging, so I'm a Stage I. This is a tumor up to 2cm with no lymph node involvement.

All the other parts and pieces of me (sometimes I swear they took brain tissue as well) showed no cancer cells.

The next big day is our meeting with the Oncologist on Apri 26th were I think we'll confirm the treatment details.

I continue to work on my "range of motion" improvement and have yet to drive further than from the garage (in the alley) to the front of the house. I think I'm still a road hazard - even more so than before the surgery! Maybe I will just have to hire a driver.

I hope you are all doing well. As usual, thank you all for your supportive notes and e-mails. They always make my day!

Time to sign off, Matt just brought out the Pringles. I don't want to get crumbs in the keyboard.

These exercises look so easy....

Hi Everyone,
Yay! The last nasty drain was pulled (literally) on Friday. So, yesterday afternoon I decided that I would look at some of these silly exercises that are in the binder I received from the doctor's office. These things look rediculouslly easy, until you try them. One of the exercises is to make a "Y" with your arms, like in the YMCA dance. Well, I can't do a "Y", my move is more like Jesus holding his arms up to his people. So, as our neighbor Terri eleuded to in her post, I am working on what I am calling the "pre-exercises", which will hopefully get me to the full stupid exercises.

On another note, we watched The Departed last night and didn't understand why that guy killed the cop mole guy (Matt Damon) at the end of the movie. Did he just not like him so he shot him in the head? By the end, everyone just ended up getting shot in the head. If anyone can clue me in - please do. Maybe call or send an e-mail to my home address (spelzek@wi.rr.com) so we don't ruin it for everyone else if I haven't already!

Also, to all of you that brought meals this week - thank you so much. They were all wonderful!

Hugs,
Sandy

Great News!

Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well.

I wanted to put up a quick post to let everyone know the latest news. I spoke with a nurse today regarding my pathology report. We'll meet with Dr. Walker on Monday, but she provided me some information.

The short story is the lymph nodes are negative and the tumor is HER2/neu negative as well. Both of these things mean less treatment and are the news that we were hoping for. I know we had mentioned some individual tumor cells in one of the Sentinel Nodes, but for some reason those don't count here - again more detail to follow. Overall, the results from the pathology make me Stage 1. There's not much more you can ask for.

After we meet with the doctor I'll provide more detail for those of you that have done too much reading - like I have.

As far as recovery from the surgery, each day is getting better. I had three of the four drains removed on Wednesday and hope to get the last one out tomorrow.

Sorry for the short post - I'll be back tomorrow.

Home Again!

Yay! It's great to be home and even better to have clean hair courtesy of my personal stylist - Matt!
Since Dr. Walker is out of town this week, we will not meet on the pathology report until next week.
I'm extremely tired thanks to the many nightly interruptions at the hospital, so this won't be long. I do want to thank Shelley Anderson for the fantastic meal that she brought us for Monday. Thank you for not including Jello as part of the menu. I've had enough of that offered to me over the past four days.

Sandy

Pics From Froedert

Here are some pictures from Froedert. The one with the girls is from today. The ladies are Sherry (turquoise) and Jacki (navy blue) my favorite tech and RN that have been here during the days for Sherry and pm's for Jacki. As you can see, I'm wearing the recommended eye patch in one of the picures. They are both wonderful people - as are the others, both doctors and nurses that have been caring for me.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.

Talk to you soon,
Sandy

Easter Hunt With Cousin Trevor

Here are some pics from the girls Easter Egg hunt on Saturday. They had a great time. Carina told the Easter Bunny to "go away". She clearly didn't understand he had candy.

A Few Less Tubes

Today the I.V. fluids were discontinued and I am now allowed to use the bathroom like a normal person. I have been up for two walks and feel more steady today. The nurse has me wearing a sling on my left arm during walks because of the lymph node removal. This helps to prevent fluid build-up in the arm and also encourages sympathy from others. She also suggested I try wearing a patch over one eye.

Dr. Walker and Dr. Whitfield (plastic surgeon) were both here today. I will be going home on Monday. Hopefully the Easter Bunny knows where to find me.

Talk to you all soon.
Love,
Sandy

Update from Froedert

Sandy and Matt are dictating this, Amy is typing it in (what a team we are).

Here's what we know:
After talking to Dr. Walker post surgery, he indicated there was a small focus of cancer cells in one of the two sentinel nodes on the left side. The nurse described it as microscopic. As a precaution they removed the first fat pad of lymph nodes (not the entire strand). While he is confident that radiation treatment will not be necessary, we are awaiting the results of the pathology which are due in next week.

It took some time to figure out, but the pain is now under control. Sandy was able to get out of bed and take a long walk down a short hall trailing poles of I.V.'s and various other bags along with her. Other than that, Sandy is doing remarkably well.

That's all for now, we will check in again tomorrow.

On To Recovery!

Sandy is out of surgery and everything went very well. She should be moved to her room early this evening. I will keep you posted on her status, but knowing Sandy she will have a personal message out here for you in the next few days (if not hours).

Update...

Hello Everyone,
This is Sandy's friend Amy. I know you are all anxiously awaiting an update. I just spoke to Matt and the first part of the surgery is done. I am going to leave the medical details for Sandy to share if she so chooses, but Dr. Walker felt that things went well and he does not think that radiation will be necessary. The plastic surgeon has begun his part which will take several hours. Matt will be calling me again late this afternoon when the surgeries are complete. I promise to update you as soon as I hear something. I know all this waiting is quite painful for everyone. Thank you for all your love and support. It really means a lot to Sandy!

Pelzek Family Fun Day

We decided that it would be a good idea to do something fun with the kids this morning. Here is a picure from the Discovery World museum. The best part is the aquarium - there are areas where you are walking on glass and the fish are swimming under you. Olivia and I both decided it made us a little bit nervous.

Everything is on for tomorrow as scheduled. As part of the pre-op folder they give you a marker and tell you to clearly write "yes" on the breast that is to be operated on. This makes me thing there may have been some mix-ups in the past. Anyway, I'm thinking of also marking "yes" on some other areas I'd like improved and see what happens. A little eye and face lift would be nice. Then again, I saw them doing that on the Discovery Health channel and it was disgusting.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. There is nothing that makes me feel better than to think of all my wonderful friends and family!! Actually, that is sometimes what makes me cry more than anything - but that doesn't mean you should stop!

Talk to you soon!!

Love,
Sandy

Thanks, Nate.

My brother went to a Breast Cancer Awareness event on campus (MSOE) last Friday. He got a t-shirt for me that has a fantastic quote on it from Eleanor Roosevelt. "You gain strengh, courage and confidence by every experence in which you really stop to look fear in the face." With only two more days to go until the surgery I would say I'm definately at the "fear in the face" part. It's hard to understand how you can feel fear and at the same time be angry and ready to even the score.

I'm not a big fan of the unknown, but there aren't many choices here.

I've had a lot of requests for news/updates about the surgery on Thursday. My very most wonderful friend Amy has agreed to post some updates as she hears from Matt during and after the surgery.

I'll do at least one more post before the surgery. Sorry Beth, no before pictures - I've got co-workers reading this too!!

Love,
Sandy