Friends For The Journey

8.21.07

We are back in Miami! Our trip to Brazil was one of the most wonderful times of my life. I had a great time reading, writing, resting, sleeping as much as I wanted and doing some sight seeing around Rio with Joseph. This was the first time in our 33 years together that we have had so much uninterrupted time together and it was incredible.

Around the fifth week there I began to get sick with bronchitis and the lump under my arm began to get larger and cause pain. By the end of our time in Rio I was having considerable pain. We returned on Monday, August 6th and went to the oncologist on Tuesday with recent tests in hand and he said that according to the MRI and Ultra Sound and the fact that the cancer count was continuing to rise, he believed the cancer had returned and is talking about a fourth round of chemo. I am having x-rays and a bone scan at his request on August 22nd. Today, we went to the surgeon and he is convinced that I need surgery to remove all of the lymph nodes under the left arm, but wants me to have a CT scan first to see if the cancer has metastasized anywhere else in my body. He believes that if it has not metastasized that removing the lymph nodes may take care of the cancer. Joseph felt like this was a hopeful scenario. So, I will have all of my tests and return to him on the 31st.

A while after receiving the diagnosis of cancer in 2005, Joseph and I were watching the movie, “Cinderella Man.” Afterwards, I sat in my seat, stunned and weeping for quite a while until Joseph asked what was wrong. I said, “I, too, am fighting a dirty opponent who wants to kill me. I must learn how to duck at the right time so he can’t defeat me.” Well, it looks like I am headed into the ring for the second round, so please pray that I will be alert and make the right decisions.

Blessings,
Debbie