Amber's Fam: Jill Update 10/6/07

Hi everyone,

JILL UPDATE

Jill is doing very well after her last chemo treatment on 9/21. She's feeling better and better each day. Last night we (Jill, Jerry, and I) went to see movie and had dinner afterwards while Mom and Dad kept the kids. She said she almost feels normal again. You know... What a whirlwind she (we) has had in the last 4 months.

This crazy summer of '07 is outlined here:

1) There was the diagnosis on June 5th

2) The aftermath (dealing with the scary thoughts about the upcoming events and her future)

3) Lainey's birth on June 11th

4) Chemo all day every 2 weeks - beginning June 15th

5) Head shaving on July 1st

6) Feeling bad physically and emotionally

7) Hat buying

8) Pharmaceuticals

9) Taking care of Lainey and Peyton

10) Oncologist appointments

11) Breast surgeon appointments

12) Periodic MRIs and PET Scans

13) July 4th celebration

14) Peyton's first day of Pre-K - Aug. 23rd

15) Jill's school starting

16) Race for the Cure - Sep. 19th

I would say that it has been the busiest summer I can remember for any of us. Jill sure has been brave. She figures if someone else has gone through it, then she can too. I'm still certain that I would've been much more of a mess than she has been. Such a commentary on humanity that she has received so much support throughout this ordeal... Might seem a little dramatic, but sometimes you do wonder. People she has had little contact with have come out of the woodwork to offer support and care. If I ever doubted that people are inherently good instead of bad, I do not now. I knew she had friends, but I didn't know how good of friends they were. Also, we've received great news that 2 of her 4 aunts do NOT have the BRCA1 gene. Yay!!! Her other 2 aunts have yet to receive results. Hoping and praying for good news from them.

SURGERY UPDATE

The mastectomy/expander surgery is scheduled for Nov. 2 at St. John Hospital. Surgery time is expected to be 4-6 hours. She'll be in the hospital for 3-4 days. Recovery time is 4-6 weeks - no lifting of anything > 5 lbs. She may go back to work after about 2 weeks. The doc won't begin expanding the expanders until about 4 wks. after surgery. You can send well wishes to her in the hospital at St. John, or you can send them to me, and I'll make sure she gets them. I'll be up there every day. Plz refer to your emails for my and Jill's addresses and phone numbers.

Love,

Amber

P.S. The kids are doing well. Lainey is sleeping up to 7 hrs. a night (on a good night - ha!) and grinning like the dickens, and Peyton is loving bus rides and school, smart little thing that she is!

======================================================================

PICS

Awards Ceremony for the Tulsa Race for the Cure - Mandi Rivers (Team Captain) and Jill