Thursday, April 05, 2007

Through The Rabbit Hole .. And Back

I made a conscious decision, when I began this blog, to stick mostly to knitting content - with just an occasional glimpse into life and family in Alaska. But the past several weeks have been too big and Alice-in-Wonderland-ish. I can't possibly just resume my customary knitting chatter and pretend it's life as usual around here.

A routine mammogram in early February was questionable. A follow up was considered "suspicious." So I flew to California for a biopsy that I WAS CERTAIN would have benign results. Wrong again.

If you are still reading and you are due or overdue for your own mammogram, get up from your computer now and go make an appointment. I'll wait. GO NOW.

My planned 4 day trip morphed into 3 1/2 weeks. The wonderful friends with whom I was staying graciously embraced this turn of events. Other wonderful friends wined and dined me. Everyone supported and encouraged me in every way possible. Nick flew down for a week to shepherd me through the lumpectomy and yet more wonderful friends welcomed our boys into their homes in Juneau. It has been one of those life events that starts out feeling devastating and ends up making you realize how blessed you are.

And lucky too. The cancer was caught early. Stage I. Prognosis: Many more years of knitting. More on that .. soon.

15 comments:

margene said...

Thank goodness, you caught it early. Friends, family and knitting get us through the worst of life. Sending good healing thoughts.

j a r e d said...

thanks for sharing. i'm so happy to hear that.

Terhi said...

Oh my god – I hope you are feeling better! Take care!

Mia said...

You are very lucky to have caught it early. Take care!!!

Anonymous said...

Sending wonderful, healing vibes your way. We are here for you.

jillian said...

I must chime in too, as a lurker, and also say THANK GOODNESS they caught it early. Best wishes for a sppedy and uneventful recovery :)

Good for you for having regular mammograms and encouraging others to do the same. At 30, I had a sister and 2 aunts who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I asked my doc (at the time) for a mammo. She said no. That it wouldn't show anything because my girls were too small and dense and besides it was just a dose of radiation I didn't need (implied: with my family history). I left her (yes it was a woman doc!) and found another. Who promptly got me a baseline mammo based on my history! She practically fell over getting the referral started when I told what had happened the first time I had asked.

BTW - my sis was also caught Stage I, and even with a very aggressive form of C (as my family calls it) she recovered fully and just passed the 5-year mark last December with no sign of recurrence anywhere!

Anonymous said...

So glad you caught it and are on the way back! Am thinking good thoughts for you and your family.

Anonymous said...

Lot of healing hugs! Good you caught it early. Over here are mammograms recommended every second year after you have turned 40, and are offered for free for those turning 45, 50 and 55 I think.

kt said...

Oh, I'm so glad to hear that you are ok. Glad to know you have so many caring people to be there when you need them.

Know that I missed reading you and am glad to be reading you and am sending warm thoughts and good karma to you.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to hear you've had to go through that. Having had a scare myself in my 30s (which turned out to be benign) I can fully appreciate the wide range of emotions you've gone through over the past little while. I have a lot of cancer (breast and ovarian) in my family, so I get an annual mammogram and pelvic ultrasound.

How wonderful that it was caught so early! Sending you lots of healing, comforting thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I have been reading your blog all year and feel a real connection with you as a knitter and because my daughter lives in Anchorage (I live in MD). I am so glad at your positive prognosis and encourage all to not only have their yearly mamogram, but to include the self breast examination, too. Best wishes.

Freda said...

I'm glad it was caught early. You will be fine. We all can learn from your experience, to treasure what we have, and to get checked. Thanks for sharing this.

Anonymous said...

Thankfully, you caught it early and you are on your way to recovery. I'm sending lot's of positive thoughts and a hug your way!

Kim said...

I so happy to hear that you caught it early! My thoughts are with you.

Taoknitter said...

Oh Kathy, I am so glad things are going well...I cannot imagine what you must have been feeling. I am adding my healing vibes to the others'! Long, long life!