December 16, 2005, 8:24 am

Hi All,

Just a quick one to let you know that Dee will begin chemo immediately after our five days in Mombasa. One of her wounds hasn't quite healed enough hence the slight delay. Otherwise, she is fine and the surgeon is happy with her progress.

Pray for a restful week. She is dreading the chemo. Pray that she will be psychologically prepared for it.

Thank you for your prayers.

Jane

P.s. I begin my annual leave today and will return to office on January 5, 2006. Meanwhile, you can reach both Dee and I on jmayoli@yahoo.com. Merry Christmas to you all.

December 14, 2005, 2:09 am

Dear All,

Dee just visited the doctor this morning and briefed me as follows:

The nodes that were removed during the second operation were found to be free of cancer - Praise God!

The margins (around where the tumour was) were all found to be clear, again, except for one. The surgeon will make a trip to the lab today to find out where and how infected it is in order to determine whether it is necessary for her to undergo surgery again. His preference, depending on the results, is that if it is not too much, they kill it with chemo and radio rather than yet another surgery. Pray that the correct decision will be made.

Now that chemo seems about to commence, please continue to pray for strength and that Dee will find enough nourishing food that she can tolerate during the treatment to keep her energies up. The whole family is driving down to the coast on the 18th for about five days for a much needed break. Please pray that Dee will be able to cope with the trip physically.

As radio days are coming closer, please add a prayer for financial provision.

On our part, as a family, we are rejoicing that God has bought us this far and that he has kept Dee strong and in high spirits. She's such anencouragement to us. That is such an understatement! She's been extremely strong and positive, and we see God at work in her physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. May all the glory go to God. And we thank you, our brothers and sisters, for sharing our burden. May the Lord bless.

Jane

December 12, 2005, 12:14 am

Dear All,

Just a quick update to let you know that Doris left hospital on Saturday and is recovering at home. She's feeling relatively well. She goes for a review on Tuesday by which time the surgeon should have the results from the lab tests. If she's strong enough, chemo will resume this week. Please pray for strength and for protection against any infections. So far, the plan is that she will have four strong dozes of chemo followed by six weeks of radio in South Africa.

Thank you for your prayer support and for your encouragement.

Blessings,
Jane

December 9, 2005, 8:06 am

Dear All,

Hope you are well.

I am pleased to report that the surgeon reappeared! Turns out that he is suffering from an old slipped disk, and the two hours of bending over Dee on the operating theatre didn't help.

Here's a quick update: The surgeon had to remove all the nodes that he could find because they were all clustered - not a good sign. Nevertheless, we are dealing with a miracle working God so let's not get discouraged. Her team is going to have to be very aggressive with the chemo and radio treatments from here on. The surgeon is also anxious to get the results of the tests on the biopsy. Please pray that no bumbling pathologists and lab technicians will handle these samples!

Otherwise, Dee is doing fine. Her left hand on the side where the nodes were removed only has limited sensation which she is finding rather frustrating but she was warned to expect this. It is not possible to tell how long this will last. Please pray that she will be able to leave hospital tomorrow. She's looking forward to that and is missing her boys.

Thanks for your prayer support and have a wonderful weekend.

God bless,
Jane

December 8, 2005, 3:11 am

Dear All,

I'm reluctant to send this message because I don't yet have much news for you but I know that you must be getting anxious to hear how it went.

Well, surgery took place yesterday. Although the surgeon expected to take about an hour, it took closer to two hours. Unlike last time, Dee complained of some discomfort on her arm thereafter. When I saw her last today at lunch time, she was in high spirits and eating well.

Her surgeon told her that he did not have to do much where the lump was. Upon being pressed, however, he mentioned reluctantly that he had to remove quite a number of nodes because some were bunched up. He absolutely refused to discuss it further and told her that they would talk today. Unfortunately he wasn't able to come in all morning - you'll never guess why - because he slipped a disk! So no further news for now. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

God bless,
Jane

December 6, 2005, 3:32 pm

Hey,

Change of plan. The hospital said they now have a theatre thats free at 8:00am so I will be checking in today by 7:30pm. Kinda feel flustered coz I still have a million things to do before 4:00 which is in the next 30 or so minutes.

I spoke to my oncologist and he confirms that at this point there is no need for a mastectomy. However, I will need very aggressive chemo - I'll be getting 4 - and then 6 weeks of radiotheraphy. The next chemo will be given as soon as my wounds close so in the next 7 to 14 days. Imagine spending Christmas feeling yucky and every place I go there will be yummy foods on display. Well, we've been told to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season (not food).

Actually, our boss gave a talk last week on how everyone gets so excited about gifts and food and parties and stuff like that, and in the process we minimize the reason why Christmas exists at all -we forget how our Saviour came - born into very lowly circumstance. He was saying Jesus showed humility throughout His life on earth and as we are told to be like Him, humility has to be one of the traits of a Christian.

So enjoy your holiday but remember to give thanks to God for everything you are and have and are enjoying because they are all gifts from God because He loves you so, so,sooooooooooooooooooo much.

Later,
Dee

December 6, 2005, 12:08 pm

Hi everyone,

How are you all? I hope some of you respond!!!!

I'm feeling quite well having not had chemo for what feels like ages. My hair is even sprouting. Its about....wait let me measure...ok, its 0.2cm. Unfortunately its really scattered and can't actually be seen unless you stand just so with a light behind you so to the general public, I still look bald.

I had the joy of directing the choir this past Sunday. I enjoyed it immensely. At some point the thought came that I am standing in front of the whole church with my "new look" as people are calling it. What must they think but a second later I got taken up with the singing and forgot all about it.

I also chose to come to the office bare headed. Some people loved the look, others were totally tickled by it, and others had to look for somewhere else to look, like the ground or my shoulder when talking to me. But I think most are now used to it.

I had an episode last week where some check out guys in a supermarket laughed at me. I saw one tell the other something then they looked at me and began to laugh. When they saw me looking at them, they turned away sheepishly. I wanted to go up to them and yell at them or something and tell them why I don't have hair and hope they are racked by guilt and remorse but I remembered I was once advised that events in our life will cause all sorts of reaction but as long as those who matter know whats up, the rest don't matter. They will talk, and laugh and manufacture more stories out of it, but eventually they will move on to the next thing. God can help us grow a thick skin for this. He's done this for me before and I know can do it again.

I'm also able to eat pretty much what I want so have been enjoying the foods I know I'll soon detest once chemo starts again.

Regarding my treatment, I'm scheduled to go back for surgery tomorrow at 2:00pm. The surgeon needs to do what is called a re-exision which means cutting another margin around where the tumour was. This is because there is one corner that was not clean but the rest is ok. He also needs to remove some more lymph nodes because all the ones he removed turned out to be cancerous. I was sort of prepared for this but was obviously not happy to get the news. However, the surgeon has done a wonderful job in explaining to me in detail whats going on and I have tons of material to read to confirm that with breast conservation, this is almost expected.

I know there has been concern from some of you who feel I should just go ahead and get a mastectomy instead of trying for conservation. My only answer to this is that if there is a possibility of conservation being successful, why not give it a shot. However, I hasten to reassure you that if I am advised that a mastectomy is the best course of action, I will not hesitate to give the go ahead. I am praying about this and consulting with both the oncologist and the surgeon before the surgery is done. I would appreciate it if you would pray with me.

The other thing we hope will not occur is emphedema. This time I will need to have a drain in my armpit for a few days but once its removed, we hope fluid will flow through my arm with no problem. Another prayer item.

At the beginning of this journey we prayed about getting the right doctors and I believe we got them. What we didn't figure...I didn't figure...was the importance of praying for a good pathologist and lab technician - basically everyone who is dealing with my case. As I shared with you...did I...my specimen was not handled correctly and so its taken ages to get the results of the biopsy plus I had to do another FNA (where they stick a needle into a tumour or whatever and pull out fluid to test if it has tumour) but fortunately this turned out fine - no tumour. The doctor had wanted this checked out before we go to surgery so he knows exactly how much work he needs to do where.

So, once I go in tomorrow, I'll probably come by the office in a week or so to check on mail but otherwise I do not expect to spend much time here until next year. So if you need to write, please cc Jane.

I thank you all for standing with me through these last four months. May the Lord continue to bless you and use you to bless others as you have done me.

I pray too that the joy of Christ's birth will be very, VERY real to all of you and that you will be rejoicing with the angels as we praise Him again for this wonderful gift of love.

My love to you all,
Dee