Newspaper Interveiw

A couple of weeks ago we were interviewed by the Johnson County Daily Journal for a special edition section for October for Breast Cancer Awareness.  The article was out today and it was just ok.  He didn't quite get everything correct.  Apparently I have a son named Ezekiel!!!!  One of the main questions I guess they ask all whom then interviewed was "What cancer taught me".  By leaving out one word the whole meaning of my response was changed.  It should have said "It taught me to not always rely on myself".  Most of the other mistakes are pretty minor, but since this is MY blog I will correct them here.  :)  First of all, though, here is the article as it appeared: (Please click on each page to zoom and read)

Now for my corrections:

I did not find the lump "while" breastfeeding.  I stopped bfing Caleb in mid October, when he was 11 1/2 months old and found the lump towards the end of November.  It is true that I thought the lump was breastfeeding related since I had recently stopped and the nagging uncomfortableness I had ignored for a few weeks turned into a lump.  I just thought it was a clogged milk duct.

The paragraph talking about survival rate should say 40% survival rate at the 5 year mark.  That number is a dated statistic and I don't dwell on this percentage because I know I'll be fine!  Inflammatory Breast Cancer is one of the rarest kinds that not a lot is known about, but the treatment has been rapidly improving over the past 10 or so years, so that number will keep getting better. 

My doctor also told me that this was "curable" which gave me great comfort (I told the interviewer this, but he didn't put it in).  I thought this was a great statement to hear.

My surgeon did not cut a whole in my side for the chemo port.  She inserted in my upper chest kind of near the collar bone area.  I was short of breathe and in pain for 3 days before going to the ER, not a week.  I described the symptoms to a wonderful nurse at the dr.'s office, whom still tells me she'll never forget that phone call from me!  She said if anyone ever calls sounding like that again she'll know exactly what to tell them, go to the ER!!! 

The article makes it sound like when the chest tube was inserted it immediately sucked the air out of the chest cavity and gave relief, but it did this slowly over the 4 days I was in the hospital.  It was agonizing!  The tubes coming out of me were not only for the chest tube, but also I had a drain tube on the opposite side to drain fluid/blood from where some lymphnodes were removed, the tube was not "for the chemo port".  So I had a tube on each side and could only lie on my back.

After chemo started I mostly sat on the couch when I was wiped out.  I never lied on the floor, but I did do my best to sit on the floor from time to time so I could try to play with the boys a little.  I couldn't do it for long on those bad days. 

I named my church hoping he would recognize them, but he didn't.  It's Center Grove Presbyterian Church.  Wonderful church family!

The out-of-pocket expenses where way more then $1300.  Since it all started in December we hit that number in December and then again at the beginning of the next year!  And then all the prescriptions on top of that!  One round of chemo alone had me spending $45 on just 3 pills to prevent nausea, that happened several times plus other Rx.

Our friends in Cincinnati don't "own" the pizza place!  They were very kind to set it up though, we were so grateful!

The scripture above my bed read: "With God, All Things Are Possible.  Matt 19:26"  I was disappointed he didn't include how going through this journey strengthened our faith and how we relied on it so much.  We talked about it in the interview, but he decided not to include it. :(  Very sad.

Mike transferred within his school corporation from jr sr high band director to elementary music/beginning band. 

Like I said most of these correction aren't too important, but I wanted a place to list them anyway.  If for no other reason then for myself.

Thank you for reading.