Leah typed one already, so no sense in me typing anything else up right now.
Come next Wednesday it will be 3 months since Jennifer's surgery to remove
her entire right pelvic, pubic and sacrum bones.
I'm taking Jen to the city on Monday night for her 8am Tuesday CT scan and
afternoon Surgeon and Oncologist check ups..... as Leah has a specialist
appointment that same day. So while I'm there I will be outfitting her
autocloser fire door to her laundry room with a flip down door stop (that
she can hit with her crutch and I plan to install a lift cord on it so she
can get it back up) so she can crutch or walker her laundry out and back.
Auto closers need to be removed from her front screen door, toilet hand
rails need to be installed and a few other mods around the place to make
life a little easier for her. She has two convience stores directly across
from her apartment for little stuff and her bfriend will have to step up and
get her main groceries for her.
Also by some miracle and she hopes they can take her on.... a physiotherapy
clinic opened up just 300 metres from her apartment door, right on her
street !
Wayne
----- Original Message -----
From: "Leah O'Shea"
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 10:45 PM
Subject: Jen Sept 2011 update
Hi folks, sorry its been awhile.
I have been told that I should have written a lengthy update awhile ago,
but I honestly just don't seem to have the words to convey most of whats
been happening lately.
I guess the easiest way is to just do a brief overview of September....
September 6th was Jen's Mt. Sinai appointment and she was told that all
her x-rays came out clean and she is healing up nicely, so can proceed
with physio and starting to put weight on her right foot now. Both her
chemo doc and surgeon brag that Jen is their miracle patient, that was
saved by their brilliant skills!! Most of you already know that part but
didn't understand that I didn't do a more detailed account. The reason I
didn't have the heart to do that last round even though it was such good
news was because Jen's appointment was 4hrs late....the reason why it
was so late is because 2 other families that we got to know from the
Sarcoma unit, were given devestating news about the prognosis for their
kids after the run of medical treatments. I just found it to hard to
write or even think about, (since but for the grace of God) it could
easily have been us in that situation instead. There is now a 3rd one
from the unit we are still waiting for news about...it just all hits so
close to home.
The rest of September had Jen busy with the upcoming wedding of her
friend Michelle. Wayne and I were busy either chaufeurring Jen around or
nursing her back to health because each small outing was taking its toll
on her. There was a bachelorette party planned, then post-poned and
re-vamped for the following weekend (bridezilla made a last minute
change-up), dress fittings, hair appointments, manicures, rehersal and
rehersal dinner, decorating the hall and then finally the wedding on
September 24th. It was an outdoor wedding on the grass in a park with a
hill, all of these factors had us worried especially since rain was in
the forecast and there was no back-up plan. Luckily the weather was
sunny and the hazards were overcome. Unfortunately, the wedding
photographer realized that Jen could be posed in a position and then if
she could hang on to someone they could remove her crutches so they
wouldn't clutter up the picture. This took more out of Jen then the
people present realized (Wayne & I were not there), so by the time
pictures were finished Jen was ready to pack it in. However, being as
she was the Maid-of Honour she couldn't exactly leave early, so she
stuck it out through the dinner, speeches and the first dance of the
bride and groom...then called us to come and get her from the hall. She
made it home and I helped her up to bed, where she promptly vomited from
over exhaustion. It took her about 3 days before she got back to even
half-strength.
Now as they say...the good news is for last.
First off, Jen drove my truck the other day using her right foot! It
doesn't sound like much until you think about it. You have to be able to
push your foot down on the gas pedal and in my truck you have to pick
your foot up to press the brake down (no easy pivoting your toes and
leaving your heel in one place). We were on a road with no other traffic
and there was no quick stops or fast accelerations, but at least we know
that if she builds her strength up in her leg more, she will be able to
drive again, without any vehicle modifications. She drove around for
about 15minutes, but it meant a great deal to her progress.
Secondly, now that the wedding is over and Jen has proved to us that she
can now figure out how to get drinks and manage getting food, etc. we
have agreed to let her go back to her own place in Toronto. It does make
us a little nervous, but there she will be able to start in with her
physio-therapy and start to resume living a normal life with her friends
again. We also feel it will give her a chance to evaluate where she
lives and things she will have to overcome on crutches, before the snow
flys. She has a CT scan and appointment on October 4th, so that seems as
good a day to return her as any and that way she will also be with her
friends to celebrate Thanksgiving and the end of a horrible year's
ordeal!
Enclosed is a picture of Jen as her hair is as of Septmember 26th and a
picture of Jen at the wedding with her wig on...she thought it would be
better for the bride's pictures.
take care all and thanks for all your support over the year,
Leah
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