Hey Ladies... Prayers, please...

[Mistress_Autumn]

Tuesday morning I will be flying out to TX. Normally this would be cause for celebration... but not this time.

I will be in TX for three weeks... so that I can care for my mother after her surgery.

I know that a lot of you know about the cancers in my family. My baby sister has been fighting brain cancer for many years (and had a son while battling the damned thing) and my mother was originally diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Well, her cancer came back about 4 years ago... on her cervix that time. More surgery and a bit of chemo/radiation and she was cleared.

Just a few weeks ago they found a lump in her left breast. We thought that it was a recurrence of her original ovarian cancer... No such luck. It's an entirely new cancer. (Yep... My mom got the cancer jackpot.)

To make matters worse... They found cancer cells in her lymph system as well. Which means that this second form of cancer has already spread.

They are doing a radical mastectomy on Thursday morning... and then will be starting her on chemo.

My mother is scared to death. Frankly, so am I. However, I have to be strong for her so that she can have at least one person that she can lean on who won't be forcing her to ignore her own emotions to care for them.

Please pray for us. I need the strength to let my mother be afraid... without succumbing to that fear myself.

...

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Lord and Lady, I'm so scared for her...

[SHpepperKat]

:ilu:You got it. Anything else you need, just let me know. i will do my best to do what I can.

[Vyxen]

::Prayers for strength, prayers for healing::

[Lady Marta]

autumn~

i love mary so much, and im so sorry to hear this. i knew it had come back, i spent time with her opening weekend. please tell her to call me if she needs anything(she has my number) zach and i will do anything we can for her, you or sakeeta.

healing thoughts and energies coming yalls way.

[Kathryn Blakeley]

*lots of good thoughts and prayers going out*

[Mistress_Autumn]

I fly out early in the morning. Thank you ladies for the thoughts and prayers. I'll let my mom know that everyone is thinking of her.

Marta, I'll tell her to call you when she can... I don't exactly know what we will be needing while she's healing, though easily heated-up meals would be welcome, I'm sure. I'm not much of a cook and I'll be alone with her all weekend. Trying to keep a balance between pain meds and healthy meals is sure to be difficult.

I'm still scared, but I know that I can handle myself for a few weeks. My mom needs me to be strong... and I'm a Wench. I -am- strong.

[Saucy Sue]

You both have my prayers for strength and healing!

[Conall Crow]

Kris and I stopped by the shop Pirate Weekend of TRF. Mary was nervous about what was happening, but she still had that fighting spirit that I have come to know in her. We are sending all of our positive thoughts and energies. ::bighug::

[littlekitty381]

I hope all is well.. My thoughts are with you..

MADAM MARY

[Conall Crow]

Here is an update directly from the lady herself...

Well...I've sucessfully escaped the hospital. Not saying I'm doing the greatest...but I 've had the surgery and will have the pathology back this week sometime. Sorry for the short note...but I'm exhausted. Love you all. Please keep good thoughts/wishes coming.

*hugs*

Mary Ehlenfeldt

[Mistress_Autumn]

Update...

Mom is doing well physically. Her surgical sites are healing well. And we got the pathology report back this week.

It's good-ish news!

Confirmed stage 2... and only one of the 14 lymph nodes removed had cancer cells!

The doctor is very pleased. Apparently they caught it early-ish. We are hopeful that the chemo will completely eradicate any remaining cancer cells.

Mom is going through a rough time emotionally. She has lost a part of herself and fears that others (including family) will regard her as "a monster". Both myself and Sakeeta have tried to tell her that no one who cares for her will find her monstorous... but it's not a rational fear. She is grieving for the parts of her womanhood that she has lost (ovaries, uterus, cervix and now a breast) and fears that there will be nothing left as "woman" in her.

I am still trying to be her rock so that she has at least one person to whom she can vent her fears and anger without the fear of hurting my feelings or being abandoned by me for her expressions.

She expresses a deep-seated exhaustion and doubts that she has the will-power to "fight" cancer anymore.

I know that my mother is a tough woman, but this is a very hard thing to deal with for her.

If her drains are removed next week she may be able to return to fair for the last weekend or two. However! She will -not- be working in the shop much, if at all. Please, if she does return to fair, be respectful of her need for recovery and only visit for short periods... with only one or two people visiting her at a time. When hugs are given be very, -very- careful of her right side. Her wounds are still painful...

Continued prayers of support are needed in this difficult time.