Brooke's Blog

Hi this is  Brooke,

This is my video blog update. On my moms progress and much more. Sorry its a little long and a few too many "ands." Hope you enjoy it. Thank you for your support, its makes my moms day go by faster when she sees yalls messages(:

Finally.....

Day 8 of this hospital stay. Thursday morning at 7:30 am, Leticia received her orders for discharge from the hospital this morning. The official diagnosis is a staph infection, non mrsa strand, confirmed by the results of the culture that was taken 3 days ago.  She will continue on antibiotics at home but will have to continue to monitor this as it could ultimately last for six weeks. Bottom line is she gets to go home and continue her rest and rehab from the reconstruction surgery.  White blood cell count is back to normal and she has had no temperature for the last 36 hours. I personally would like to thank everyone that stopped by to see us in the hospital along with everybody who sent flowers/gifts. I am going to need a really big box for all of these flowers!! Breaking up the monotony of the hospital is the best gift you can give me.  Also, Sylvia-as always, thank you for being here and everything you do to help us.  We actually have a special visitor in town today-Brian Welch, former lead guitarist for KORN, is performing at Rock the Desert today and is coming over to hang out before the concert.  Thanks again and we will talk to you soon.  Brian

Monday update....

Monday update:  Hopefully we have had a touch of a breakthrough.  Sunday afternoon we noticed some drainage coming from a drainage tube site near her left breast.  This site was one of the original drainage tube sites from the surgery on July 11th. This morning, her doctor came in to look at it and was able to get an extreme amount of drainage to come out of the spot.  He had originally scheduled another ct scan for this morning but after looking at this spot-he decided to let it drain on its own.  They have been checking and cleaning the drainage every hour and continue to fight the infection with the antibiotics. So at least we now have some visual evidence of the infection and makes it a little easier to deal with. The down side is that is will still be another 3-5 days in the hospital. Thanks, Brian

Why.......

After returning home from San Antonio on Tuesday evening, Leticia started to get the chills and was extremely fatigued. She had a fever of 103.4 that night and was prescribed some antibiotics to take care of it-case closed-right? Wrong. Temperature continued to yo-yo the next day and she felt like she was back on chemo treatment with as bad as her body was reacting. We had her blood tested as well as some other tests done and there is definitely an infection somewhere in her body as her white blood cell count was extremely high. She also has a partially collapsed lung. Unable to get herself admitted to the hospital, we decided to continue the prescribed methods and to see if she could at least be comfortable. On Thursday, she had a scheduled check up with her surgeon who had performed her double mastectomy back in January of 2011. The surgeon, Dr. Viney, was adamant that if her temp spikes back to 102-103 range that she get to the hospital immediately. Thursday night at 10 pm her temp was back up there so I called 911 and had the ambulance come get her. I don't think I could have gotten her to the hospital on my own. She was treated for sepsis but it came back negative and that has been the only postive thing that has happened since Tuesday. She has massive bouts with being cold that were lasting an hour each time-you couldnt put enough blankets on her. Once we were in the emergency room, they ran another X-ray and saw that she still had problems with the lung and ran the ct scan here and they believe that they have found the infection in the left breast-extremely deep in the tissue. There are no outward signs of the infection other than the fever so it is discouraging to say the least. They are continuing to pump antibiotics into her to get this infection to subside and get rid of this temp. Her appetite is non existent and she is generally just feeling miserable. I dont believe that she will be released until next week-Monday would be the earliest that they said they would release her. I will keep you updated......Brian

Friday, July 20th.  Leticia had her first follow up appointment today at PRMA in San Antonio and the results could not have been better. Of the four drains that she has-two were removed today which is a huge relief for me-Brian.  Every time I would put her "back together" after her shower, I would end up crushing one of those drains and have to start over again.  The nurse at PRMA said that if she had to have this surgery, she would want to look like Leticia does after 9 days out of surgery-so that gives her a great sense of relief. Also, Leticia had a bunch of questions that were answered today and the answers she got were exactly what she needed to hear.  Overall, I think she is doing great-she is still in a tremendous amount of pain from time to time but things seem to be progressing well. We will go back next Tuesday for another check up-this time with Dr. Ledoux and we are expecting one more tube to be taken out on that day.  After that hopefully she will be released to go back to Midland.
Thanks for reading all of the updates and more to come.......

Leaving the Hospital!

Today is Tuesday July, 17th and the doctor had to almost kick me out of the hospital yesterday.  I was apprehensive to leave the comforts of the 5th floor, not the hospital food, more the safety net that everyone provided for us there. I was doing so well, pain control was all we were doing at this point and that could be accomplished on our own, so away we went.  Sylvia went back to Odessa and Brian and I checked into our hotel room in San Antonio where we will be for another week.

This has to be the best invention, shampoo in a heated shower cap!

I knew the surgery would be difficult and the pain on a high scale, but what I didn't realize was how dependent I would have to be on everyone else for everything! Talk about loss of control. At this point I can not use my arms to push myself up, lift them above my face, or behind me or pick up anything that is heavier than 10 lbs., that means my purse must be downsized- drastically!  When I am sitting back someone has to literally lift me up.  All I know is this is only temporary and I have a new appreciation for many new things now.

At one point we counted how many things I was hooked up to and it was 13! They were monitoring everything.  Since this was a tissue and blood vessel micro vascular transplant, we had to make sure it didn't fail.  I must say it is nice to look and see a completely flat stomach but, I would still take hours at a gym over this!

The day after surgery! 

I can't thank my sister Sylvia enough for stepping out of her comfort zone and coming to San Antonio on her own.  It wasn't easy, the Med Center is very large and complicated, she managed, with just a few hiccups :)! My mom and dad, Brooke and Bianca would Skype every day and that set everyone at ease back home.  I just love technology!  I want to also Thank my Aunt and Uncle Jesus and Yola and my cousins Jesse and Jennifer and their kids' for coming from Ft. Worth to see me while I was in the Hospital- those visits meant more than you know.  Nate and Kristi dear friends of ours also stopped by, the hours would tick by so having any break meant a lot.  We also receive countless texts, and phone calls, the support is never ending. Thank you all!

My Sister Sylvia!

This seems like a very slow healing process but every day seems to be better than the last.  Thank you again for keeping up with our journey!

~Leticia

Saturday July 14

The pain has started.....not the best title for Saturday-but the truth none the less.  As Leticia has been weened off of the pain medication from the surgery-the pain has gone up.  She can now only push the little button for pain medication through her IV  a couple of times a day so she has had to supplement that with some pain pills.  She is battling right through it though. Between yesterday and today she has been up to walk 5 times so far-and each time gets a little easier.  It is a slow moving route-but at least she is up and about. She is now on a non all liquid diet, so she is getting to eat more than just chicken broth and jello for her meals.  The doctors and nurses all say that she is proceeding very well and it looks like we are going to be in the hospital until Tuesday morning.  The hardest thing right now is to find a sitting position that is comfortable, she is basically in the same position whether she is in a chair or in her bed.  Hopefully the walking becomes easier tomorrow.

July 12th

Leticia made it through the night well-tired but well. After a visit by the PA for Dr. Ledoux this morning they have backed off to checking the new tissue every three hours. She was moved from her bed this morning to her chair and will be sitting up for at least three hours today. The pain is starting to set in -especially when she moved to the chair. All the nurses say she is progressing well. She has finally crashed a little bit and has been able to get a nap here and there and ate all of her liquid breakfast this morning.

1st hours of recovery

Leticia made it to recovery about 8:30 tonight. About 1 hour ahead of schedule so of course her sister Sylvia and I had left the hospital to go eat and then we get called that Leticia was looking for us. We were basically hunted down by the nurses-oops! Well-she is doing remarkably good considering a grueling 10 hours in the operating room. She will be under constant supervision throughout the evening. The nurses need to make sure that the blood flow in the new tissue is constant and working properly. Day one of this particular process is nearing a completion so we will see how things are in the morning. Brian

Surgery update

6:30 pm. Surgery is complete. 6:45 met with doctor and said everything turned out great with the surgery. Length of surgery was elongated due to the amount of scar tissue from her 2 previous c sections. They estimate that she will be in recovery until 9:15 so hopefully we will see her by 10 pm tonight!

4 pm update

According to the reports that I have gotten from the nurse, everything is going good and Leticia is doing fine. Estimated time of being done is 6:00 pm.

Surgery update

Wednesday July 11th 6:30 am Arrival at hospital 7:00 am admitted to pre-op 8:00 am moved to surgery floor and final conference with doctors in preparation for surgery 9:00 am Leticia taken back to operating room. 12:00 pm first update from nurse: everything is proceeding according to plan and transplant of tissue from stomach will begin now. Dr. Ledoux is so good at explaining everything to us that he puts you at ease very easily. This kind of surgery is known as DIEP and is considered a transplant surgery as live tissue is moved from one site to another. The time consuming portion of the surgery is that it is also a micro vascular surgery. All blood vessels will be connected to ensure that the tissue has proper blood flow and will survive. More updates to follow.

Here we go again. Surgery #2

Excitement, anticipation, nervousness, fear of the unknown, sleepless nights, packing and more packing, so many to do items still unchecked and did I mention No Caffeine for almost 3 months, almost two weeks down! All in preparation for my upcoming reconstructive surgery this Wednesday, July 11th.  How the months have gone by so quickly, we have been saying "surgery this summer" and now it is here, just days away.

It doesn't seem possible that just a year and a half ago we were facing a different type of surgery and what would begin this journey and here we are today, nearly at the end.  This reconstructive process is a year long process, no I don't do things the easy way!  This first part is by far what I will call the most tedious, if that is what you call a 6-8 hour surgery performed by two plastic surgeons with a 6 week recovery period.  Three months later I will go in for some touch ups, then three months after that some more and so on.  But no more hospital stays!  The best news of all, my port will be gone - FOREVER!
Yes, I am optimistic about that part.

If you are new to my blog, this has been our tool to keep our countless family and friends updated throughout our journey and battle, which we won!  As you can see the journey is not quite finished, but I am CANCER FREE! That fight was won with soooooo much help, support, thoughts and prayers from so many.  Now on to the next phase for our family.  We will update you on a daily basis if Brian or my sisters can get on my blog the day of my surgery, more often if possible.  That is the best way to let everyone know how I am progressing.

I will be having my surgery in San Antonio, Texas by Dr Peter Ledoux from PRMA who specializes in reconstructive surgeries for breast cancer patients.  This decision came after have four consultations with plastic surgeons in San Antonio and Dallas, all considered to be the best in their field and highly recommended.  The surgery I am having is called a DIEP or deep inferior epigastric perforator microvascular surgery.  After talking with all of the plastic surgeons, one common theme was certain, due to the large amount of radiation I had received (33 treatments) I am not a candidate for a typical implant reconstruction.  They could be done, but would likely have to be replaced several times due to rejection and infections.  Two things I know, my medical insurance covers this at this point, great, later, it would be considered cosmetic, not great.  I love roller coasters, but not real life medical roller coasters.

The group at PRMA in San Antonio also does one in 10 of these specialized surgeries in the nation, with only 50 doctors doing them at this point.  Click on the link if you would like to read more about it, but please be advised, it is a little graphic and detailed...dieplink  I will have to admit, on Saturday I was making one of my last calls and telling the Doctor that I would be out for several weeks, he has been keeping up with my progress.  He asked me where I had decided to go, when I told him, he said he had a patient go to San Antonio, after asking his nurse to look up the patients chart, he realized that it was Dr Ledoux also, I left with a lump in my throat knowing yet again, that I had made the right decision.

Brian and I are leaving for San Antonio Monday part of my restrictions are no travel the day prior to surgery.  On Wednesday we will check in to the Methodist Hospital, Medical Center bright and early at 6:30 am and surgery is set to begin at 8:30 am. My sister Sylvia will also be there with us for a few days which means so much and will help Brian so he won't be alone as he waits and waits and waits and they can also take turns staying with me in the hospital.  I do think one of the most difficult situations is the waiting periods for those that love you.  That helpless feeling is miserable. So please keep them distracted if you can, by calls, texts, or visits if you are in the area - anything will help during that time, trust me!  Your support is what has gotten us this far and I know what will keep us going, thank you so much.

Since this is such a complex surgery, I am due to stay in the hospital until the following Monday 16th, then will have to stay in San Antonio for another week or so after that.  I am not allowed to do any movement of my arms, beside VERY basic for the first four weeks after surgery.  Brian will be on cleaning and cooking duty. I even had to cut t-shirts up the middle so I wouldn't have to raise my arms, all clothing has to have buttons/zippers down the front.  I even read somewhere, something about having to use a walker the first couple of days, oh my! One thing I know... this may test my limits but I'm stronger that any of it and I won't let the effects of what Cancer did to me win in the end - I will!

Speaking of someone that is tough, my dad is doing AMAZING!! He has now been through 3 chemo treatments and has remained so strong, very few side effects, it is incredible to watch.  He and my mom are wishing they could be with me, and are trying to do everything they can to help.  Just knowing they are both together and watching the sunset at the ranch everyday makes me feel like nothing can go wrong.

The kids are all doing amazing, they will all be with family and friends during this time and when I talked about packing earlier, they were also included! Bianca, Brooke, Blayr and Lincoln all continue to be my smiling little rocks that keep me going and make me so proud to be called mommy every second!!

Again, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and if you are in the San Antonio area, Brian would LOVE the company, he doesn't really do well with hospitals, therefore any distraction is welcome.

Thank you all again and again for your unconditional and unwavering support! I would not be where I am today with each one of you and without the true healer who has carried me through the journey. Our God is Amazing. Phil 4:6

My Daddy's Hand.

My daddy's hand, as strong as ever, just like his faith.

I woke up this morning and prayed. Thankful for all the blessings that have come my way, my treatments are completely over! No more infusions ever again as of 4 weeks ago, next step reconstruction surgery this summer.  For right now, on to the next part of my prayer.  I prayed for my Dad. For his guidance, strength and peace as he begins his chemotherapy treatments today.

Crosses I passed in Broadview, NM.

A week after I finished my last treatment, my sister called me to tell me that Daddy's cancer had returned.  He had been in remission from non-hodgkins lymphoma for 15 years. Sylvia had Angie and I on 3-way and was telling us the information, I just handed the phone to Brian. I know most of you have seen me be so strong through my own battle, but hearing the news that my dad was going to have to start this fight all over again was more than difficult.  I was just there.  At the time we did not know what my dad was facing, now we do.

After a biopsy last week, of lymph nodes and bone marrow, we now know that it is the same type of non-hodgkins lymphoma that did return at a stage 3.  Just like before.  His bone marrow is clear.  Chemotherapy starts today, treatments will be every 3 weeks for 3 months, re-evaluate to decide whether to continue for another 3 months.

For those of you that do not know, my dad has been such a strong man in his faith for so many years.  He has served as the music minister in the Spanish Baptist Church in Tucumcari, NM for as many years as I can remember and as in interim Pastor for several also.  This to him is just like another bump in the road, he is just ready to get back to work and frustrated that something is getting in the way.  The Dr couldn't believe he was 77 when he was examining him.  I told him, "it's being a rancher that has kept him young".  My dad needs that strength right now.

I ask for your thoughts and prayers for my dad and mom as they start down this path together. (Lupe & Tomas Gonzalez) Brian was talking to me the other day and made a comment on how hard seeing your spouse go through cancer is.  I don't know, unfortunately both Brian and my mom both know how that feels.

There is so much I need to fill you in on, but I will do that in another post.  For now, I'll leave you with Blayr's prayer at dinner the other day "thank you for this food and I pray that Papoe will be a survivor". Yes,  Blayr that is our prayer.

Lincoln and Papoe waiting for tests at the hospital.
A Hug is all we need sometimes.

1 Year.....

Martina McBride, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It"

On January 26, 2011 I was in a room at Midland Memorial Hospital in Midland Texas.   Dr. Viney had just performed a double mastectomy, when I woke up Brian had to share the news that the cancer had spread into the lymph nodes.  I remember crying but also feeling a sense of peace with the decision of the surgery and knowing that I now had to be strong for my family.  Wow, it's been a year!

We all made it through 18 rounds of "yucky" chemo,  and 33 treatments of radiation! The Herceptin continues every three weeks and reconstructive surgery will be this summer, that will be a 12 hour surgery! Back to the gym I go, have to be fit and healthy for that.  Best news...I won!

I hope you have listened to the chorus of the song, because if I could change some of the words I would say "you have loved me through it" because so many of you have loved me through this past year and not only me, my family as well. Brian, you have "TRULY Loved me through this". Thank you ALL.

A special Thank you to
our Parents, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Friends- old, new and in-between!, all the WONDERFUL Doctors, NP's, PA's, Nurses and office staff, Co-workers, to the many church families that have blessed us beyond words and to "I Am Second"link for teaching us, especially our children, what it truly means to come second.

I sat down with the kids' this afternoon and asked them what this last year meant to them, in order of replies this is what they said:
Lincoln: "Free Cancer!"
Brooke: "If you have God in your life, you can get through anything"
Blayr: "What Brooke said :)"
Bianca: "Mommy is Cancer Free!"

Along the road I have met many women who have also been diagnosed with this horrible disease, some have won the fight, while others have not.  Everything always happens for a reason, I believe one reason this may have happened to me is so that now, I can love others through this battle and guide them where and when I can.  6 weeks ago I met someone who was 24 and just yesterday, I met someone who is 21 who is also battling this beast, not fair.

This last year has been the toughest year of my life, as it has been for Brian as well but it has also been the most blessed year of my life, because I have all of you in it ~ Thank you!
~A Survivor, Leticia