BRUNO'S PIZZA (yum!)

With only 3 weekends left before we leave for Rochester, I've created this list of "must haves" before surgery (I should really write them down and make a check list instead of keeping them in my head) since I don't know when I'll get to have them again or if my non-stomach will tolerate them. 

 First up...Bruno's Pizza! We got to enjoy this on Sunday...only downfall was that I was TOO full to order their melted cookie with ice cream dessert. I WILL go back one more time even if it's just for that amazing dessert.

 

FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

This was a huge part of the message at church on Sunday and I couldn't agree more...in many instances this falls true, but definitely looking to God to help me out on this crazy journey which he has surely helped me with already!!

COMFY CLOTHES TO RECOVER IN

Wanted to get a few more t-shirts before surgery so I have some comfy clothes to recover in. I decided I needed a few more NSFC shirts!! I LOVE the No Stomach for Cancer community, what they do, what they stand for, and all the support each person I've talked to from there has given!! They are a GREAT organization and I'm happy to support them!

MUTATION CAME FROM GRANDPA....OR WAS IT GRANDMA....OR BOTH??

SO.....we know this CDH-1 mutation is genetic & cannot skip a generation. You usually find that family members have had diffuse gastric cancer or lobular breast cancer.

 We KNOW this mutation came from my mom as she passed away from the diffuse gastric cancer. We ASSUMED it came from her father who passed away from "adenocarcinoma" which means stomach cancer. The term "hereditary diffuse gastric cancer" wasn't even listed into the cancer books until 1998 and my grandpa passed away in 1986. There's a VERY good chance he, too, had the hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, but we will never know for sure.

 BUT....thanks to my Aunt Vera  for doing some research, we found out that my grandma had lobular breast cancer!! SO...not that it matters in the end, but really this CDH-1 mutation could have come from either my grandma OR my grandpa. AND...although, it would be pretty rare, there could be a chance that they BOTH had the mutation?? SO, if you have a 50% chance of getting mutated gene if one parent has the mutation, that would most likely, I'd think, give you a 100% chance of having the mutation if BOTH parents carried the CDH-1 mutated gene. This would mean my mom's brothers & sister would have a 100% chance of the mutation. We will never know for sure if both my grandma AND grandpa had the mutation, but we know there's a VERY good chance it could have come from EITHER of them.

 It would be VERY interesting to find out more about the cancer history in our family. For example, if there were more cases of stomach cancer and or breast cancer on my grandpa's side AND what kind of breast cancers family members on my grandma's side have had and if there were any other cases of stomach cancer. 

 ANYWAY, although it really doesn't matter in the long run and "it is what it is," this completely threw a curve ball into the matter and is VERY interesting to me!!!

APPOINTMENTS APPOINTMENTS EVERYWHERE!!!

First pre-op appointment has been set for this Friday. At this visit, they will simply do a bone density scan. This will be key so they know what is "normal" for me so they can check progress after surgery.  I’m not 100% sure and will have to double check, but thinking my doctor down in Mayo said a bone density scan would need to be done yearly to monitor where I am at.

Second pre-op appointment has been set for August 5^th.  At this appointment, we will gather baseline data.  The plan is to check my chemistry panel, get a complete blood count, check iron levels, vitamin B-12 levels, and vitamin D levels.  Again, this will all be beneficial for AFTER surgery to know where my “normal” falls and if I need extra supplements to help get these areas back to normal level.

Last appointment scheduled is for AFTER surgery.  This is to be about 4-5 weeks after surgery and will be for a lesson in administering my own B-12 shots.  My doctor’s office has been wonderful and, of course, said they could give me my monthly B-12 shots if I would like, but I think it would just be easier for me to attempt to give them myself.  It doesn’t seem hard, but I want to be sure I’m doing it correctly. 

Other than that, I think I’m good on appointments for a while!!

SEAHORSES

Seahorses have NO stomach. Food passes through their digestive systems so quickly, they must eat almost constantly to stay alive.

*credit to my fellow no-stomached friend, Amy, for sharing this neat info...I had no idea, but pretty cool*

 

 

2 MONTHS UNTIL SURGERY!!!!

Two months from today I will be down in Rochester, MN having my entire stomach removed.
This has been, by far, the BIGGEST decision of my life and one I will not regret. I have done SO much research and know this is the best route for me to guarantee I do NOT get that nasty cancer that took my mom and grandpa's lives.

I have had a few people ask me if I'm excited for surgery. Excited is one emotion I can't say I would put hand in hand with this....at all. I can say I'm looking forward to not thinking about it so much, looking forward to not researching it anymore, and definitely looking forward to not having those large odds against me (83% chance of getting it with a 4% chance of survival if I wait and happen to get it).

With that said....bring it on!!!!