Today I'm grateful for...
People making me laugh daily
Having such a positive outlook on life
Great companies making a difference
Sharing my life with the people I love
Today was a really long day. After Lulu and I spent a wakeful night tending to Lourdes' needs, I was a wake at 5 AM comforting a crying little girl and feeding her the bottle. The morning was as peaceful as I can ever recall. The sun was streaming through the south facing windows, the Ritz-Carlton room was so quiet it was eerie, and I was truly at peace with my thoughts. I started the day off with a prayer to God. I asked for the strength to endure the rest of Lulu's recovery, give me a sign of how to be a better Father and Husband, and the wisdom to make healthy decisions. Lourdes and I shared the couch in the living area, and we could hear my wife's tender breathing in the adjacent room as she sleep in to the late morning. Once we had finished our wonderful delicious continental breakfast in the Ritz's club level members only lounge, we packed up and headed out into the city for a short tour before Lulu's 3 o'clock appointment at UCSF cancer clinic. Today we had scheduled a meeting with the genetic counselor to look at the possibility that Lulu might be a carrier of the specific gene that when mutated is seen causing many types of cancers. When we arrived at the cancer clinic, we were meet by a young Indian (the country) woman that would be our genetic cancer counselor by the name of Laksma. We found that much of the counseling was forming a family tree, and investigating the relatives health history. After close to an hour of forming the connections between uncles, aunts, cousins, and such, the Laksma thought that genetic mapping looking for the specific cancer causing gene was warranted. So as part of the next appointment Here at the cancer clinic, Lulu is to have blood drawn and sent off for the genetic test to determine this. We thanked Laksma and headed off to the breast surgeon's part of today's appointments.
We were almost seen on time with the breast surgeon (the appointment time was for 4 PM and we were seen at 4:30). It had been over a month since the last appointment with this surgeon, and Lulu was yearning to ask some follow up questions to yesterday's consult with the reconstructive surgeon. Of course the first 10 minutes of the appointment was showing off Lourdes to the doctor and her resident tagging along. I'm now learning that you can never overdo the debut of a incredibly precious little princess, like Lourdes, so we talked about her growth since leaving the intensive care unit 6 weeks ago and how her presence has changed our lives? I asked the surgeon if she didn't mind taking a picture with Lulu and Lourdes so we could show family and friends who was to be cutting the cancerous tissues form Lulu's body. She was more then willing to indulge us for a photo. The whole experience was darned pleasant, and we left feeling more secure with the place that we had decided to care for Lulu and treat her cancer.
The long ride home to Reno was a time for reflection and planning. I was reflecting about how far Lulu has come in her treatment. From those first words, "you have a large cancerous tumor in your right breast" to the present where the biggest concern is where Lulu is going to get "D" sized breasts with her reconstruction? The planning part involved who was going to help with our kids during the last two chemotherapy appointments at the clinic, and what would be the plan for the week long stay in SF during the week of surgery and recovery for Lulu? As I drove the car home with the one that I had chosen to live my life with and the precious Lourdes sleeping in the back, I couldn't help but think that everything was going to turn out fine. For all the expressions of thanks to God I have said and the unbelievable massive amount of well wishing that everyone has been laying upon our family, how couldn't it be?
People making me laugh daily
Having such a positive outlook on life
Great companies making a difference
Sharing my life with the people I love
Today was a really long day. After Lulu and I spent a wakeful night tending to Lourdes' needs, I was a wake at 5 AM comforting a crying little girl and feeding her the bottle. The morning was as peaceful as I can ever recall. The sun was streaming through the south facing windows, the Ritz-Carlton room was so quiet it was eerie, and I was truly at peace with my thoughts. I started the day off with a prayer to God. I asked for the strength to endure the rest of Lulu's recovery, give me a sign of how to be a better Father and Husband, and the wisdom to make healthy decisions. Lourdes and I shared the couch in the living area, and we could hear my wife's tender breathing in the adjacent room as she sleep in to the late morning. Once we had finished our wonderful delicious continental breakfast in the Ritz's club level members only lounge, we packed up and headed out into the city for a short tour before Lulu's 3 o'clock appointment at UCSF cancer clinic. Today we had scheduled a meeting with the genetic counselor to look at the possibility that Lulu might be a carrier of the specific gene that when mutated is seen causing many types of cancers. When we arrived at the cancer clinic, we were meet by a young Indian (the country) woman that would be our genetic cancer counselor by the name of Laksma. We found that much of the counseling was forming a family tree, and investigating the relatives health history. After close to an hour of forming the connections between uncles, aunts, cousins, and such, the Laksma thought that genetic mapping looking for the specific cancer causing gene was warranted. So as part of the next appointment Here at the cancer clinic, Lulu is to have blood drawn and sent off for the genetic test to determine this. We thanked Laksma and headed off to the breast surgeon's part of today's appointments.
We were almost seen on time with the breast surgeon (the appointment time was for 4 PM and we were seen at 4:30). It had been over a month since the last appointment with this surgeon, and Lulu was yearning to ask some follow up questions to yesterday's consult with the reconstructive surgeon. Of course the first 10 minutes of the appointment was showing off Lourdes to the doctor and her resident tagging along. I'm now learning that you can never overdo the debut of a incredibly precious little princess, like Lourdes, so we talked about her growth since leaving the intensive care unit 6 weeks ago and how her presence has changed our lives? I asked the surgeon if she didn't mind taking a picture with Lulu and Lourdes so we could show family and friends who was to be cutting the cancerous tissues form Lulu's body. She was more then willing to indulge us for a photo. The whole experience was darned pleasant, and we left feeling more secure with the place that we had decided to care for Lulu and treat her cancer.
The long ride home to Reno was a time for reflection and planning. I was reflecting about how far Lulu has come in her treatment. From those first words, "you have a large cancerous tumor in your right breast" to the present where the biggest concern is where Lulu is going to get "D" sized breasts with her reconstruction? The planning part involved who was going to help with our kids during the last two chemotherapy appointments at the clinic, and what would be the plan for the week long stay in SF during the week of surgery and recovery for Lulu? As I drove the car home with the one that I had chosen to live my life with and the precious Lourdes sleeping in the back, I couldn't help but think that everything was going to turn out fine. For all the expressions of thanks to God I have said and the unbelievable massive amount of well wishing that everyone has been laying upon our family, how couldn't it be?
Lulu,
ReplyDeleteYou are one step closer to turning lemons into lemonade! Remember to lean on me, I've got experience in this department. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Ailene
The indications for breast reduction surgery are three-fold: physical, aesthetic, and psychological. The restoration of the bust, of the woman’s self-image, and of hermental health.
ReplyDeleteGynecomastia can mean an individual has excess breast fat, excess breast skin, excess breast gland or any combination of the three.
ReplyDeleteGynecomastia causes stress and is difficult to deal with in regards to self-confidence. It is a condition that you should seek treatment for if you are, in fact, suffering from it.
ReplyDelete