Thursday, June 20 update

I appreciate every one's concern reaching out regarding my medical condition right now. I am beyond blessed to have such a large community concerned and praying for me and I cannot express my gratitude enough.

I may be repeating myself, so I apologize if you are hearing repeated updates. I'm doing my best to update my blog as needed or every few days. What is best for me is if you would subscribe to the blog updates so you get an immediate email when I post the blog and then I can just share the blog link on Facebook and Twitter. It is a lot of work trying to then email out the blog link to various lists. I tire easily, so I'm trying to keep things simplified. I know a lot of you like to use text messages to check in on me, but PLEASE DO NOT. Email responses or social media messages are preferred. I never know when I will doze off and sleep is essential right now and I need to sleep when I my body says so. Text messages just wake me up.

Surgery was a week ago yesterday. My days are still spent full-time at my parents in Lilburn recovering with home physical therapy, various medicines, lots of sleep and a few visits from close friends. My parents beyond amazing and they are trying to keep me on a good schedule, much like a little baby. Out of bed at 7 a.m. with a chair shower first, then physical therapy, breakfast, rest in a chair or nap before lunch, some computer/TV/reading/or nap in the afternoon, dinner around 6:30 p.m., then back in bed by 9 p.m. each night. Pretty boring, but it seems to be working. I want to feel better each and every day.

We will keep this protocol at my parents house until we make our first visits to doctors on Wednesday, June 26. My skull stitches come out that day and at that time my surgeon will evaluate my physical motor skills. They have told me to be patient. Today has been a great day, but yesterday we had another major numbness attack when I was working with the physical therapist. There is no rhyme or reason and the doctors have told me I must understand this can happen. So I have no idea when I will be able to walk or even drive alone again and that is frightening. Right now, I'm walking good with a walker and very gingerly with a cane in limited settings. I'm really working hard on my physical therapy as I want my mobility back, but I have no idea what this brain has in store for me. On June 26, the surgeon will make a determination on whether to continue home physical therapy or go to outpatient Shepherd Center visits for work that is targeted to brain and spine patients only.

On July 1, they will do a MRI to look at the surgery cavity and results from the brain surgery. They have already told us they got the whole tumor, so that's great. On July 3, my oncologists will read the full pathology reports (which has already been confirmed it was metastatic breast cancer to the brain) and the radiation oncologists will suggest what radiation therapy will be recommended for the additional treatment. It will either be one or 5 targeted treatments. I assume that will happen the week of July 8, but again I have no idea.

Once all that gets figured out, then hopefully there will be some plan on what life will be like going forward. I would love to get back to work by mid-July, but it is really all up to my brain's recovery and the reaction to radiation. I'm being patient realizing this is a process and I have to put my healing in God's hands for now. The best thing I can do is rest and not push myself too hard. Slow and steady will win this race I pray.

Many of you have asked what you can continue to do for me and for that I am humbled:

1) PRAY, PRAY, PRAY that this is a one-time only tumor and the cells do not grow back. These cells can regrow and hopefully due to diligent scans by my doctors, we can either see nothing grow ever again or catch things early and treat with more radiation. I want desperately to be in that 70% survivor group where these tumors only grow once and then I'm done. I want this outcome more than anything in this world.

2) Pray for my motor skills to return to a sense of normalcy and that I'm independent again in my movement.

3) Allow me to ask you for help later. I know many want to help now and have offered any service you can share to make my life easier. I also know you are worried about me, but I have to prioritize rest over visits. Please know I've made a list of things I will want help with if I'm allowed to go home and live on my own in the next two or three weeks. I will need meals assistance, shopping trips, chores around the house, company and it would mean SOOOO much to me to give my parents a break from the full-time care they are giving me now and let you come help me out as I try to get independent again. My parents have me set for now. Just please do not give up on me and let me call on you later as this is not a quick journey.

I love you all for putting me on more prayer lists than I ever knew existed on this earth.

I will try to continue to give blog updates, but I think we are in a good pattern of recovery right now for the next few days. I will be sure to update with any new developments

Pray for every day to be better than the day before for me and I thank God for each and every one of you.

With all my love,
Marcy