The Drains are Out - May 26th

 
Nothing earth-shattering has occurred since Robin left the hospital. Robin's pain has been manageable (thanks to Vicodin), and she has gotten stronger day by day. She has been through a few bouts of depression, but has been able to turn it around and return to her normally optimistic outlook. Robin saw Dr. Mason, her surgeon, on Thursday May 19th and again on May 26th. The first time, he removed two of the four drains, and everything looked pretty good. On May 26th, he removed the other two drains. Her wound on the right side appeared to be infected, with redness surrounding the cut, so Dr. Mason prescribed a new antibiotic and told us to call him if it did not improve in a few days. Robin is scheduled to see her oncologist, Dr. McClure, on May 31st. At that time, we will learn more about where we go from here.

On Monday, May 23rd, we were visited by a lady (I am SO sorry I cannot remember her name) who gave Robin some books and tools for therapy and life after Mastectomies. She is a volunteer who has also had mastectomies, and has been trained by the American Cancer Society to help others with the recovery process. The main concern seems to be avoiding lymphedema, a swelling of the arms. The lymphatic system is another circulatory system in the body, and lymph nodes act as "filters" to collect foreign material, like bacteria and cancer cells, to prevent them from reaching the blood stream. After the lymph nodes are removed, the drainage from the arms can be incomplete, causing swelling. This is a common problem after mastectomies. If you see Robin, encourage her to do her exercises!!! We do want her to keep playing the piano!!!

Robin's parents, Johnnie and Hal Gilbert have been here from North Carolina since the surgery, and have helped tremendously with taking care of Robin. That's actually an understatement. They have been a Godsend. There is nothing like a mother for taking care of a sick child, no matter how old she is, and Johnnie has a special gift for helping the sick. Johnnie emptied the drains and meticulously documented the volumes, and she sewed pockets inside some shirts, so Robin could carry the drains without them being taped to her belly. Hal has helped with cooking and cleaning (and revived our dying garden). Many of our friends (or as we call them, "Our Texas Family") have helped us with meals, flowers, and uplifting visits and phone calls. There is no way we could ever repay the love and kindness we have felt during this traumatic experience! I wish we could, though. Thank you all!!!

I'll close for now. We will be going to John's graduation ceremony shortly, and it will be Robin's first public outing since the surgery. This weekend will test Robin's endurance!

Once again, thank you for your prayers and support. Keep up the good work as we move into the next phase of recovery.

Love,

Larry and Robin

==================================================