Summertime!

Here I am 3 months post reversal of my ileostomy and I'm just about back to my "normal" self, well I guess its a new normal:)  My incisions are healed, just some scars (which requires a lather of SPF 55 at the beach), a fickle colon, and a new perspective.  I realize the things that are important in life; my family, Gods grace, the power of prayer, awesome friends, and a healthy lifestyle.  Then there are the things that used to seem so important, but now I laugh at myself for even getting worked up in a tizzy over them:)
Matt and I went to Jamaica in May FINALLY! It was a fabulous time of sun, sand, relaxation (except when he got super competitive with beach volleyball and ended up with two bloody knees! Ha), snorkeling, eating too much and drinking too many frozen daquraris and red stripes!! Needless to say we had a great time and I'm pretty stoked about spending a week with my family on St. George Island.  9 days till we go to be exact- Anita, you pack the shovel, Matt will bring his prized Christmas gift, the metal detector. Be prepared to see my bf walking the beach in black socks up to his knees and a thrift store find Hawaiian shirt, oh lord:)
My surgeon is moving to Isreal in July- obviously a huge move for him and his family! I am honored to have been able to work with him as a nurse and to be his patient for the last 9 months. He, and his staff, took wonderful genuine care of me, and for that I am grateful.  I am going to see my primary care doctor in the am, Dr. Costley, boy do I have lots to update him on (last time I saw him was last August). I also have a whole lot of thank you's for going with his gut when I told him about my GI issues and he referred me to a gastroenterologist.  I'm waiting on my genetic testing results (hopefully they will be back in July/August) and I continue to pray for good cea levels.
So.... Here I am 3 months post op, hugging my family tighter, loving my life, and thanking God for his many continued blessings.

Home!

I got to come home on Tuesday afternoon- colon woke up, ate some grits, and got discharged-boom:) needless to say I am thrilled to sleep in my bed, play with Lilly, snuggle with Deebo, and stand in the shower! (Matt is pretty cool too, and the couch isn't so bad either:) Once again my parents came every day to sit with me, walk the halls, help wash my hair, etc. They too are pretty fabulous! (Happy birthday to my Dad, it was yesterday, he pretty much would do anything for his girls- seriously. He says that having 4 daughters is why he has gray hair, but secretly he wouldn't have it any other way!). Megan came from NC with Isaac in tow, and all his stuff , who knew kids traveled with so much baggage?!? She wrote on my blog, sent a card everyday with my parents to make me cackle, and even caught a cold while she was here- I dig her. I am so thankful for Teresa and Anita's daily calls and texts, cards sent to the hospital that appeared a week later (Anita, you know the mail room at AMC is probably like the one on Elf), a lovely necklace that I adore, and just knowing how much y'all care about me, well, that's pretty awesome.
I read lots of stories on the Internet about the reversal surgery, pros, cons, life after a stoma, etc. I laughed when reading one about if you have a recliner, you might as well move it in to the bathroom- well I get it now. I waited 7 days for my colon to wake up and at 5 o'clock in the morning when my stomach was rumbling and it was like there was pieces of metal going through me, I realized that a recliner in the bathroom wouldn't be so bad:) but here I am, day 2 of being home, and I am eating (a low residue diet, but eating), sleeping a tad better, not hurting terribly, and getting used to this new colon:)
Thanks for the well wishes, good vibes and thoughts.  Thanks for my friends who checked on me daily , the gorgeous orchid (Liz I promise to try and keep it alive!), and most of all the continued prayers!

Day #6: Wake up Colon!

Kara is patiently waiting for her colon to wake up :)  She has been walking, talking, and resting well- sipping on clears and hopefully passing the time for this big step.   Next round: reintroducing food.  Hard to believe it's been a week!

Day #4: Red Gatorade!

Yay for "Sips of Clear Liquids!"  Today was another starting point for introducing liquids.  We used to get really fired up about getting Gatorade for basketball camp or after a hot day at the ball field.  Kara had about a cup of red gatorade and despite her feelings of hunger yesterday, she was content (or past the point of being hungry) today.  She is still receiving fluids with some extra goodies through an IV and using the pain management pump as needed.  Walking the halls, resting, and sitting in a chair- CHECK.  Baby steps continued... I feel slightly vague in description, but she can update on the nitty gritty later as she chooses.  As for now, keep praying for comfort, rest, and healing!

Day #3: Keep on- keeping on

Kara had a good day today- progression is on track.  She is looking forward to hopefully being able to taste something with flavor tomorrow.  (That is...HOPEFULLY she can sip on some sort of liquid tomorrow night.)

Brady Bunch shout-out in the title :)  Go Kara!

Day #2: I want a Sprite...

Kara described today as "ok".  She sat in a chair, did some walking, and rested a while.  She is working on some ice chips and trying to avoid the nausea/queasiness that keeps lurking.  Today she actually wanted a sprite though, so hopefully that's a good sign! Long days ahead- she is a trooper and staying positive that this challenge too shall pass...
 
Borrowing this from a friend tonight= a great thought to remember... It's often in the wait that God is working the most.

Day #1: Post Takedown

Kara had a tough day dealing with pain and nausea.  She was able to sit in a chair for a while this afternoon, but this intensified the nausea.  Her foley was removed earlier and dressing changed- all looks good at the site of the surgery.  She "ate" half an ice chip before the nausea sort of took over.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. 

Please continue to pray for rest and healing.  Time to remember those baby steps again!

Bag Free!

Kara is resting tonight following her surgery this morning.  The surgeons said all went well and no problems were encountered during the procedure! She has some fairly constant local pain, but has a PCA pump... so hopefully she will be comfortable tonight.  The next four days will include a lot of rest and ice chips only- no food or drink to allow swelling to subside.  Thank you for all the prayers throughout this journey- especially today!  Please keep her in your thoughts as she starts the healing process again. 

5 months

Tomorrow will be exactly 5 months since I had my initial colonoscopy and found out about this cancer business... At times it feels like a lot longer ago and at other times it seems like just a couple of days ago this all started.  So, here I am, 5months of doctor appointments, lab draws, surgery, recovering, researching, praying, laughing, and loving the people I am surrounded by.  I have learned so much through all of this- mostly I am amazed each day at how loving, selfless, giving, faithful, caring, for lack of a more descriptive word:awesome, that my family, friends, coworkers, friends of friends, doctors, nurses, pretty much everyone that I have come in contact with, have been through this process.  I am so grateful for all the prayers, love, and well wishes.
Tomorrow is hopefully (fingers crossed) my last surgery to kicking this cancer!!!! I'm having my ileostomy takedown (in a nutshell: suturing the colon that is sticking out of my skin, popping it back in and then suturing the abdominal wall and skin back together).  Needless to say I'm pumped about getting rid of the ostomy and getting put back together, but at the same time it has almost become my new normal.  I'm feeling more and more like my self, with increasing energy and can kind of sleep on my stomach again which means I'm pretty much golden! Changing the ostomy bag has become routine and believe it or not it doesn't really take 30min like it did when I initially started:)
I got to see my whole entire family this weekend for my nephew's baptism.  I am so thankful that we got to play together, eat together around one big table (which I did all weekend long since I won't be able to eat or drink for 4 days postop, seriously I ate all weekend long) and pray together. I am so lucky to be their daughter/sister/aunt!!!!
So tonight I plan on standing in the shower a little bit longer, hugging my pups a little harder, squeezing Matt's neck a little tighter, and thanking God a bit longer for all of his continued blessings.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your prayers and love! Megan said that she would update the blog,  but she is convinced that this time is going to be so much smoother that I will be able to update everyone.

"Come to Me, and relax in My peace. I will strengthen you and prepare you for this day, transforming your fear into confident trust."   - Jesus Calling devotional book.     (Thanks Melissa!!!!)
   

Seriously....

I can't believe I haven't written in almost a month... I guess no news is good news???? There really isn't much to tell...working, eating lots of protein, and getting ready for March- that is what I do theses days.  I still like to have the occasional sympathy days, actually not even days- more like moments, about a leaky ostomy or not eating tasty berries or fruit, but really how lucky am I???? I have to remind myself stage I, no chemo, no radiation.... Seriously, Get it together:)

My grandma recently broke her hip and tailbone post fall that she can't really remember.  My mom flew to Iowa and I have been quite the inquisitive one about her health, the traction, her nutrition, and overall how she really is doing.  I told my mom that she had to make sure she was eating and drinking- pretty sure my mom said something along the lines of "sounds familiar" So, I get it; easier to be the nurse rather than the patient. I did chat with my grandma the other night though and she said "oh there is plenty of food here." :)  I will never forget summers at the farm; 23 hr road trips, playing with cousins, gathering eggs with my grandma, playing in the barn while my grandpa milked cows, shelling corn, and family time, oh fabulous family time...obviously my grandparents instilled great values and the importance of family and faith with their kids: check out my mom, she is a stellar lady.

"Are you nervous about surgery?" The question of the month.  1. I'm pretty excited to rid this ostomy 2. A little nervous, now that you mentioned it 3. But overall I have faith; faith in a higher hand  guiding my surgeons and protecting me.  So bring on March 5th! (Exactly 6 months since I had my initial colonoscopy and cancer was introduced to my life!)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for continued thoughts and prayers! xo

Wheeeeewwwwww

I had a gastrografin enema in interventional radiology last Friday.....the radiologist was awesome- kind, explained everything, and even called my surgeon while I was on the table.  I was laying on my left side with knees tucked up to my chin, craning to see the images as the dye traveled through my colon, always a nurse:) By far the best part of the day- when the radiologist said "no leak!!!!" I waited to post it, because that report is kinda of unoficially official- I had to hear it come out of my surgeons mouth...so yesterday afternoon I spoke with Dr. Pelta and he pretty much said I'm golden:) maybe not the exact words, but he was pleased with the scan.  So tentatively, the take down of the ileostomy is planned for the first week of March- Bon voyage ostomy:)
I went back to work last week.... Who knew 12 hour shifts were so long????? I haven't started taking patients yet,  just answering the phone and putting orders in the computer, yet I'm still exhausted after a night shift:)
Thank you sooooooo much for your continued prayers- I'm surrounded by an awesome family, fabulous friends, and know that God continues to hold me close... What I'm trying to say, I'm one lucky girl:)

Divot

So, a small divot was found on the anastomosis, where the previous leak was at, but overall Dr. Pelta thought it was healthy!!!! I go to interventional radiology on Friday to have an image study done just to make sure there is no leak.  So these tiny baby steps of healing are all coming together to actually show some clinical results:) I am going back to work tomorrow night (light duty, but none the less, back to work).  I am so thankful for my wonderful bosses who are working with me to figure out the best schedule and job duties as I continue to heal.
So cheers to good results, working, and continued healing! Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!

2013

Happy New Year! 2012 has been a year that I will never forget.... Some crazy fun times like my family sitting under a stairwell of some hotel motel in the middle of nowhere Florida during a tropical storm drinking beer and telling stories:) some totally wonderful times like when we welcomed my nephew Isaac Landry in to the world in July, and one of the most trying times when the word "cancer" became part of my life as a patient, not a nurse.   Needless to say I'm looking forward to a healthy 2013!
Thank you for the continued prayers and thoughts... Specially in the upcoming days as I ring in the new year with a doctors appointment (flexible sigmoidoscopy to check out this anastomosis, and reveal a game plan for the next couple of months).  I'm both anxious and worried about the results of the scope, but know that God has a master plan, and though I might not completely understand it, I trust in Him. I would like to ask a huge favor from all of the prayer warriors.....Please say an extra prayer tonight for a family friend diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, he is only 45 years old and had no symptoms prior to his diagnosis.  He started chemotherapy on Monday. I pray that God holds him close and wraps His arms around his wife and kids.  It's crazy how many people I have heard of lately fighting this disease....
Cheers to a happy and healthy 2013!!