A short update for those of you who haven't yet heard--the BEST news. Mom's mastectomy went perfectly. She has been alert and chatty (surprise, surprise) and hasn't needed a pain killer since yesterday afternoon. BUT! The BEST news of all is that, when tested, her sentinel lymph node tested NEGATIVE for cancer!!!!! The cancer was contained in her breast--thank God! We won't know more details for another 10-14 days or so, but that is the best news we could have hoped for. Mom is resting at home now, though resting is, of course, a relative term with her!


Mom, Dad, City Baba, Bryan, and I arrived at the hospital around 7.30 yesterday morning. Despite the expected nerves, we were all in good spirits, especially Mom, who was smiling and cracking jokes with us and the nurses. The nurses took her away for a few minutes, and then we were invited to go see her in the recovery room. She was happy as a clam as she was given a warming blanket--essentially a soft air mattress filled with 38C air, and the main reason she wanted to spend the night at the hospital! After about an hour or so, they took her to pre-op.

Mid-morning, Josh and Jill arrived and the six of us spent the morning chatting and enjoying the beautiful morning outside. Around noon, we went back to the waiting room and not too long after, the nurses brought Mom in. We all spent a few minutes with her and were very relieved to see how well she was doing. Late afternoon, after performing two other breast cancer surgeries back-to-back, the surgeon returned to tell Mom and Dad the much hoped-for news. I haven't seen Dad or Mom so truly happy and relieved in weeks.

Dad and I spent a quiet evening at home--exactly what we both needed. Mom called just after 10 to tell us that she hadn't taken a pain killer since midafternoon, and could Dad please bring her breakfast in the morning? So much for the nausea on the car ride home!

This morning she is chipper and happy (but I will make sure she gets some sleep--maybe I can take out her batteries?). Movies and gluten-free pizza are in order for this evening.

We have all so appreciated your prayers, love, and well-wishes over the past several weeks, and those that you sent with Mom yesterday. Know that we have read or received them all with great gratitude and fondness (and usually tears in my case!) Please continue to pray that Mom will recover quickly and that solid plans and answers will come with the pathology report. We will keep you posted. Expect to read more from Mom very soon.