“It’s all about Courage and Connectedness”

One week after the surgery and we are slowly getting back to a semi-routine.  I am taking the kids to school and either I or someone else picks up the kids.  Someone drops in during the mid-day to check on her and in the evening to make sure she is okay at dinner.

Well we got the call today.  I’m not sure if we got the call we were expecting.  I guess things are never just black or white.  The news we wanted to hear is that her nodes both came back negative.  The joy in my wife’s voice was great to hear.  The doctor did say the margins were close and that perhaps we might want to do some follow-up after speaking with the oncologist.  My wife was still upbeat, but I felt like that still was not the perfect news in my eyes.  It was the first time my heart sunk.  Is she still going to need chemo?  Maybe.  Maybe just a light dosage.  I’m disappointed in myself for not being as upbeat as her.  I guess after all these months of trying to be positive, I let my guard down.

All in all though, we are still on schedule and we are thankful.  We still have the strength to carry on.

Tonight was our son’s Back to School Night in which they told us this year’s theme was about Courage and Connectedness.  The courage to try new things and face new challenges.  The ability to connect with others and stay together through tough times.  The words of the Principal almost choked me up as I sat there without my wife.  I felt like he knew that I was thinking those exact things.  We are having to have the courage to face each day anew and to face each challenge with the courage to carry on for our children.  The connectedness with our community has been so wonderful from the encouraging words to the pre-prepared meals.  We wonder what we did to deserve such kindness and help.  We really do feel so lucky compared to those who need more and don’t have such a great support network.

I even have to thank all the wonderful women and their spouses on breastcancer.org.  They’ve been so supportive and helpful and I’ve learned so much from them.  They’ve provided us with so much more information that we’d never have known to ask for.

Well, that’s it.  One week later.  Still holding at about 35ccs per drain and hoping that these drains will come out at the end of the week.  Oh that would be a nice treat.