The Two Granddaughters

Stella Marie Carlson, 19 October 2007.

Olive Anne Carlson, 13 July 2010.

Both only hours old. They just might be sisters!

Olive Anne Carlson

13 July 2010, 9:20 a.m. MDT, Ontario, Malheur, Oregon, USA. She is beautiful!

Of course, Nana and Papa had to treat Stella to some treats:

Penny & Irv - June 2010

Dear All;

Irv had the repeat ERCP to remove the bile duct stents today. It went very well. He is having no pain, just grogginess from the anesthesia. The surgeon did take some biopsies of questionable areas and some brushings of the duct itself.

Irv is supposed to have a repeat CAT scan in about week, which we are supposed to call about tomorrow. Then the following week, finally, have his appointment with the gastroenterologist to start the steroid therapy.

I have a pre-operative appointment with the foot surgeon on Thurs. July 8 to get the left great toe surgery scheduled. (This is the surgery I was planning before the breast cancer diagnosis. I saw that surgeon 2 days before the diagnosis and after that he wouldn't talk to me until the cancer stuff was done.) Anyway, we will try and get Irv's CAT scan scheduled for the same day. It is an 84 mile round trip to Bend for these appointments so if we can group them it is really nice.

Kind of nice to not have gloom and doom in an email isn't it? We are certainly feeling more optimistic. I have the toe surgery and the breast reconstruction plus breast reduction on the existing breast coming up this summer. Those will require some discomfort and recuperation, but at the end of the summer we are hoping this ongoing nightmare will be just about over! Irv and I are really looking forward to that.

Love to you all;


Penny

Penny & Irv - June 2010

Yesterday Penny saw the plastic surgeon. He said that it appears he can't start his work for 4-6 weeks. There is still fluid present under the scar and the tissue is still too stiff. Dr. Quinn feels that will resolve in that time frame and then the reconstruction can begin.

Penny also started on her hormone therapy, an aromatase inhibitor called Aromasin. The pill costs over $10.00 for EACH one! Thankfully, I only pay $1.67 each, after my insurance pays. I think I take this one for at least 5 years, perhaps longer.

Today, Irv saw the gastroenterology surgeon Dr. Mastrangelo. He hopes an ERCP can be scheduled for Tuesday so the bile duct stents can be removed. As soon as a CAT scan can be scheduled after that Irv will be ready for the steroids to combat autoimmune pancreatitis - which, if there is any karma in the world, will resolve his symptoms.

Again, we wait, but at least with plans in place for future treatments.

Finally we had a HOT day - almost 80º. Beautiful Central Oregon day.

Penny