2014 Summer Update

Cancer has put its hand on my family again this year but we are not allowing it to hold us down. Mary Jo continues with her regular oncology checkups and is doing fine but my youngest brother Jim received the news that nobody wants to hear after having a suspicious mole removed from his back. Melanoma skin cancer. Jim is fighting back. He has endured the surgeries and already completed phase one of his chemo therapy (chemo for 5 days a week for the first month) Jim has just started phase two on Monday (chemo 3 days a week for 11 months). Jim has a great attitude and he says he feels pretty good and considering the long list of negative side effects that patience can typically experience while going through this chemo treatment. I am so proud of Jim for his courage to take on this most aggressive treatment option, doing everything modern science has to offer in the battle so that he can here for his family years from now verses just leaving it to chance.



my brother Jim receiving his chemo treatment

My cousin Kim Petroska wrote on her Face Book page on July 6th.

Thank You to everybody who wished me a "Happy Birthday"! This year on my 47th Birthday I decided to give myself a Special GIFT...a gift to a new life! Since Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer run in my family with my sister and aunt both having and Survived Breast Cancer. I took a blood test for the BRAC1 gene and my results came back Positive.
I was at high risk for developing both and wanted to be Pro Active! I underwent a bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy and bilateral saplingo-oophorectomy. I had tissue expanders put in and will have the final implants completed in a few months. I feel great! The 3 Doctors were Amazing! And I am looking forward to being there for my family and friends!
So please...
GET TESTED
BE PRO ACTIVE
AND CARRY ON!

But most importantly... Let's Find a Cure for Cancer!

  Paulo (Kim's husband) and my cousin Kim

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Show your support by wearing a little pink this month.   A special thanks to all who donated this summer to my fundraising efforts for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day For The Cure.  With your generous support through donation we surpassed my ambitious goal and contributed $5,545 to help fund a cure for this terrible disease that effects so many.  Look around for pink this month, it's everywhere.

29 Days and Counting

The 2013 Twin Cities 3-Day For The Cure kicks off in 29 days and I am urging everyone to please help support Mary Jo and I reach our ambitious 2013 fundraising goal in the fight to end breast cancer! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days in August. This year, Mary Jo and I along with our friends, Nicole and Randy have volunteered to serve as crew members for the 2013 Twin Cities 3-Day. Our job description, "Lunch Pit Stop Crew" and we will be responsible for supporting all the walkers by working the main lunch stop each of the 3 days at this year's event. I urge you to please help if you can by donating because the net proceeds from your generous donations to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure are invested in breast cancer research and community programs. This research has led to new treatments that have made a lifesaving difference in Mary Jo's cancer treatment and recovery for which I am eternally grateful to the Susan G. Komen origination.

 



Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas 2012

Mary Jo and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy new year.  We are so blessed that Mary Jo is healthy this Christmas and feeling great. 

 

Mary Jo, Cash and Molly at Hossanna's Christmas service

Mary Jo and Campbell at Campbell's "Nutcracker" ballet

 

A Good 6 Month Checkup for MJ

Mary Jo had a good 6 month check up with her oncologist, Dr Mathew Gall last Friday, November 16th.  Dr. Gall did a physical examination and case review with Mary Jo and I.  The bone density scan results from last weeks scan revealed a very slight decrease in density of Mary Jo's spine, although the reading is still in the average range and a slightly more decrease in density of the right hip placing Mary Jo in Osteopenia, which is a pre Osteoporosis condition.   Dr Gall explains that the bone loss is a common side effect of Mary Jo's prescribed cancer treatment drug Arimidex.  Mary Jo continues to take Arimidex daily for two more years (five years total).  It is encouraging that bone loss is not more significant because the greatest benefit comes from being able to take the drug for five full years post cancer.  If bone loss becomes a greater issue, we are told condition is reversible with the introduction of bone density drugs such as Boniva.  Mary Jo's blood work lab results all showed normal.  Mary Jo's reached another milestone on Friday, 3 years post cancer.  Her next scheduled oncology appointment will be in another six months and continue every 6 months until she reaches the big five year mark.  At that point, oncology follow up visits change to once a year.

Mary Jo and I had a second visit with Dr Gall on Friday, however that consultation was concerning Mary Jo's mother Diane.  Last week Diane underwent a da Vinci Hysterectomy.  This is the same laparoscopic robotic surgical procedure that Mary Jo and her three sisters had done to prevent the possibility of getting ovarian cancer as a result of all siblings testing positive for the cancer gene BRCA2.  Diane had tested negative for BRCA2 but the surgery was expected to be a prophylactic hysterectomy and oophorectomy because of the new presence of some suspicious cells found recently.  After the surgery, Diane's surgeon, Dr Boente visited with the family post op and explained that he believed Diane had a very rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer called UPCS.  (uterine papillary serious carcinoma)

The post op patholgy report confirmed the cancer, UPSC and Diane was refered to the oncologist, Dr Mathew Gall.
Diane's consultation with Dr Gall outlined the post op cancer treatment.  Diane will soon start her 6 cycles of chemo administered over the next 18 weeks.  Diane is a real fighter and already a 7 year survivor of colorectal cancer.  This new cancer development is very disturbing for all of us but it is a blessing that it was discovered at this stage and a blessing the path report from the lymph nodes and washings all tested negative for cancer.  We are looking ahead at 4 months of chemo and kicking this cancer's butt.



One More Time

 

Mary Jo is resting at home today after a day surgery procedure performed yesterday by Dr Jacqueline Luong at Southdale Fairview Hospital.  This last reconstruction surgical procedure was the second and final phase of Latissmus Flap procedure.  The first phase was performed on Mary Jo  on May 1st.  Yesterdays procedure involved removing the temporary left breast expander and replacing it with a permanent silicone implant which is commonly used for breast cancer reconstruction surgery.  Back in April, Mary Jo developed a painfull complication called a capsular contracture which resulted in a serious infection in the tissue around the left breast implant.  The infection required the removal of the permanant implant and a procedure (Latissmus Flap) to remove non-radiated healthy skin and muscle tissue from Mary Jo's mid back to be relocated and reconstruct the tissue damaged by the infection and previous radiation treatments.  The one and a half hour operation yesterday went well and Mary Jo is pleased to be done with the second and final phase of the procedure.  Thanks for all the prayers.  She is doing great today.

Thanks For Your Support



2012 Twin Cities 3-Day for the Cure



Mary Jo and I would like to sincerely that all of you who donated, volunteered or assisted the participants of the Susan G Komen 2012 Twin Cities 3 Day For The Cure.  With your help and donations we raised $3.8 million dollars towards breast cancer research.  This is an amazing accomplishment and I am deeply moved by so many peoples generosity and kindness.  Mary Jo and I plan to continue in the years ahead to do whatever we can to bring awareness about breast cancer by volunteering and fundraising for a cure so that some day there will a cure.   We don't want families to have to endue the pain and scares, both physical and emotional that effects those touched by this deadly disease. 

Fundraising is extremely important but I also feel the sharing of information is key to spreading awareness about breast cancer for every ones benefit.  I have shared Mary Jo's story in this blog to inform and most importantly hopefully help others however not everybody feels the same way about their own personal information regardless of whether or not others could benefit from the information in their story.  I was reminded of this yesterday so I have respectfully made changes to several previous blog posts from the past couple years that did not directly address Mary Jo by deleting them.  We live in a very litigious society.  I just want to help people have a future, not potentially harm it.  Please let me know how you feel about this and thanks a million (actually thanks $3.8 million)



MJ, Nichole and Randy Lindo

MJ and me

 

MJ and Diane