Making Strides

Dear coworkers, friends, and family,

This year, more than 250,230 women and men will hear the words, “You have breast cancer,” and there’s a good chance that some of them will be people we know and love. I have chosen to fight back against this disease and help make a difference by participating in the Oct. 19 American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Exeter, and I hope you will join me.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is our opportunity to honor and celebrate breast cancer survivors, educate women about early detection and prevention, and raise money to fund lifesaving research and support programs that help ease the burden of patients and their families. But Making Strides is more than just the name of a walk; it describes the amazing progress we can make if we work together to defeat a disease that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with in their lifetime.

Below is a link to my personal page. I hope you will visit my site and sign up to join my team. If you prefer, you can start your own team, sign up to walk as an individual, or make a donation. Hope starts with me and it can continue with you. Please join my team and walk with us to experience an incredible day of inspiration and meaning, and to provide hope for all people facing breast cancer, as well as the next generation.

To donate now, use http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCBlueprint?px=1208108&pg=personal&fr_id=11721

Sincerely,

Kathy Kerrigan

For cancer information 24/7, 365 days a year:
1.800.ACS(227).2345
http://www.cancer.org/
www.cancer.org/NEsupport

View the American Cancer Society Privacy Policy and State Fundraising Notices.

August Update

Apologies for the long delay in updating. Kathy has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride and I think I was just waiting for things to calm down a bit. Since the last post, she's been cleared of the MRSA, had her incision site restitched twice, she took a ride to the hospital in an ambulance with suspicious chest pain, and determined that what they thought might be a pulmonary embolism was most likely excruciating pain from her tissue expander being deflated (to help the incision heal.) That was the quick version of the last few weeks. I know it's been hard on Kathy and the whole family... It's never fun to watch the paramedics load your mother into an ambulance. But, thankfully, they are on vacation with the Kerrigans up in Maine and, I hope, relaxing and just enjoying each other. All they need - like the rest of us - is a little sunshine.

Improvements - baby steps

Kathy is doing a bit better. It looks like the infection is finally under control and the blood thinners are now the main focus. The clot has to disolve and the infections has to stay under control, and then they'll discuss when to start radiation- the last leg of this marathon. It may be possible that Kath can postpone the radiation until after they take their family vacation this summer. It would be nice for them all to kick back and have some fun.

Funny Boys and Healing

Abby and I went over to Kathy's today. She was released from the hospital on Friday night and has been taking it easy these last two days. The visiting nurses are keeping tabs on the clot and the meds with visits and blood tests. Kathy seemed in decent spirits when we got there, and then Jon and Sam came down and just started making us all laugh. They told us the nickname they have for Paul, told us some funny stories and just brought a lightness into the room that was good medicine for me, and I'm not dealing with what Kathy is. She clearly gets so much pleasure and joy from her children, little and big, and they are the best medicine.

Kathy is even more beautiful now than I can remember her being with long hair. I love her cute little G.I. Jane hair and I'm just happy to see her with a smile on her face. She's been through so many set-backs in the last month or so. The good news is that it appears that the infection is getting much better and there is no urgency to get the radiation started.

I know Kathy was so grateful to Dr. McGee, Dr. Marple and Dr. Itkin for their kindness and care over the last few days - maybe they'll read this and see how much it means to Kathy that they go out of their way to care for her as the whole person she is.

Another setback - bloodclot in the arm

Kathy was hospitalized with a bloodclot in her arm last night. I haven't spoken with anyone today, but she was going to be coming home sometime today. Not sure how this will affect the IV antibiotic treatments, but I just spoke with Kathy yesterday morning and she was feeling like the infection was on the run. She said she didn't realize how much the infection had been affecting her until she started to feel better, and she seemed like she was really feeling much better. I'm hoping once they get rid of the clot that she might actually be done with the infection. She needs a little break right now.

The good news is that John is looking very happy and healthy and is back doing driver's ed. Once I get some more info, I'll update on Kathy's condition.

This is a little crazy!

Kathy's arterial line DID slide right in today on the first try. YAY! It seemed to go pretty well - the only hitch was after they x-rayed it, it had to be pulled back a little twice and redressed, which took a little extra time. BUT, while Kathy was waiting to hear that the x-ray looked good and she could go home, she got the news that John would be having his appendix out. He was with Paul at Portsmouth, and they were just waiting for final results.

I went home with Kathy to make sure she rested (and I think she isn't really resting enough.) Kevin got a ride to baseball - thanks Harry - and Ryan and Sam actually high fived each other when they heard that a THIRD brother would be "joining the club." Three boys with appendicitis in one year. That's crazy!

Ryan has lacrosse camp next week, so he'll be busy soon. I do think having the two younger ones out of the house for a few days would really help, if anyone can swing it. Then Kathy AND John can recoup and recover in peace and quiet!

Infection Control

Kathy is going in tomorrow for another attempt at a central line. She needs a few weeks of IV treatment to deal with this infection. Apparently, once you've had MRSA, it "stays" in your body, and subsequent infections must be treated as MRSA. SO - she's got to keep at it and get rid of this stubborn thing before she can move on to the radiation treatments. I think the infection is painful and Kathy is feeling uncomfortable, but even more she is dealing with the frustration of having to struggle with the problems from the infection - trying to get access to veins and having to postpone the next stage of treatments. I offered to go over and give her a foot rub or a back massage today, and she was even a bit too tired for that. Probably the most helpful thing we can all do is think of her tomorrow at 1:30 and visualize the arterial line just sliding right into place. Also, knowing that the the two younger guys aren't hanging around the house just playing video games makes her feel better too. John will stay with them tomorrow, but the play dates are much appreciated and would help her in the coming days as well.

She is a bit discouraged and tired and trying to rest. She wanted me to pass on the message that she is appreciative of the support, although she may not be picking up the phone for awhile. If you want to leave her a message, emails, cards, and posting here are great ways to touch base. And as always, I'll try to keep the blog updated when I can get through and get news from her as well.