Doctor Follow Up Visit

Mary Jo had a two week post op follow up visit with her plastic surgeon, Dr Jacqueline Luong at Dr Luong's Midwest Plastic Surgery clinic in Burnsville yesterday morning.  Dr Luong examined Mary Jo and her nurse photographed Mary Jo for the post op "after" photos.  There were two sutures that required some slight trimming but otherwise everything was as good or better than what could have been expected for a reconstruction patient who had radiated tissues as part of the treatment process for stage IIIb breast cancer.  Mary Jo is not complaining of any pain associated with the last surgery performed by Dr Luong however the issue with her neck is the next medical hurdle she will have to deal with.  Mary Jo's oncologist, Dr Gall discovered through the order of a CT scan that Mary Jo has bulging discs in her C4 and C5 (the lower portion of her neck) causing her pain and discomfort.  It was at the time a welcome relief to us that the scan discovered this degenerative tissue rather than a life threatening progression of cancer to Mary Jo's bones.  Mary Jo had been finding some relief by going to Dr Michael Kennedy,  Chiropractic Kinesiolgist for adjustments however, Mary Jo had to put Dr Kennedy's treatment sessions on hold during the recovery period from the last surgery.  Mary Jo is now scheduling a consultation with spinal orthopedic specialist Dr Jeffery Dick to see what can be done to more permanently remedy the bulging disc problem. 

Mary Jo's sister Anne had her prophylactic double mastectomy surgery performed yesterday afternoon in Omaha hospital and is recovering there today.  Please join us and pray for a speedy recovery for Anne.  Having a prophylactic surgery is the most aggressive way of reducing a BRCA2 carriers chances of developing breast cancer and Mary Jo and I are so thankful that Anne choose the most aggressive procedure currently available to reduce the alarming statistics.  The BRCA2 gene that Mary Jo and Anne carry give the women an 87% chance of developing breast cancer by the age of 70.

Today is election day.  Mary Jo and I urge everyone to exercise their rights as an American and get out there and vote for the candidates of your choice.


Anne and Mary Jo