Tonya Little Tonya

2013 BEGINS:  Here we go again folks!  I will be having surgery on Thursday, October 17 at 2 pm.  Through a routine PETscan, there was some activity located.  We did a biopsy and it was cancer.  It is about the size of a pinball machine ball and against the abdominal wall.  The concern is not getting the cancer out but closing me up since I'm held together by stuff.  I visited the plastic surgeon who will be closing me and got great news that he is not concerned and can fill the hole Dr. Lee will cut to get the cancer and add more mesh and stuff and I will be closed again.  The surgery is expected to take 4-5 hours and I will be in the hospital for about a week then recovering for 6-8 weeks.  Since this is the 5th time this spot has been opened, I have been warned that I may not bounce back quite as easy this time but I'll be glad to be bounce at all.  Bottom line.......Breathe.  That was my only request.  I know i have angles watching over me because I was supposed to do the PETscan in June but with Sami getting married and moving into the new house, I didn't do it.  Then when I was ready we were out of flex spending, so I waited until the first of September.  Had I done it in June...we probably would not have caught it.  I feel really lucky, we found it, its operable, and you will still have to put up with me for many years!  If it had to come back, its the best circumstances.  Had it been in the pelvis or abdomen, she may not have been able to operate, radiation is dangerous because we don't want to kill what little guts I have left and my grade of cancer does not respond to chemo real well so this is my best bet!  It's off to the resort again.  So please say a prayer for the doctors to be rested and full of energy and pray that I spring into action quickly (there are alot of craft shows this time of year! Black Friday, Nutcracker Market!!)  No time to keep a good shopper down!  We will change cancer drugs after surgery because more than likely as it was explained to me, the cancer can morph itself to start resisting the medicine and that is probably what happened.  We will go from femara to evastin.  The fabulous thing is Sami and Matt are close this time, Mom's a little further (sad about that), lots of amazing new neighbors and of course my Klein family is making preperations and my rock is of course right by my side once again.  He is my strength and love of my life! Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers and we will keep you updated.  Love you all!  Keep smiling....it makes people wonder what you are up to!
2009BEGINS HERE:Generally, events have unfolded very quickly in the last two days like this: I went in for a routine colonoscopy for what the doctor thought would be a simple case of internal hemroids.  To all of our surprise, he found a tumor on my colon.  He did a biopsy and we went to see him the next day to find out the course for treatment.  To our surprise and his again, the pathologist found the majority of the cancer cells were ovarian.  The catscan also showed masses throughout the abdomen area.  The good news is that the cancer has not spread to the liver, kidney, stomach or lungs.  The words ‘ovarian cancer’ felt almost unbelievable at that moment. We didn't know what to think, both colon AND ovarian. It was another curve when what we had hoped for was a simple message that surgery would do it to remove the tumor in the colon. It is a little frightening and sobering at the speed one word can infiltrate and overwhelm every element of the life we know. The road we will travel is carefully but rapidly being laid out for us by a team of  brilliant doctors, on whom we have already learned to rely and lean heavily upon. What we know at this point is that I will need a surgery and that will either be preceded or followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation. This news is difficult to hear yet we are all highly hopeful.  My resolve is set and strong, and my family's faiths are deeply rooted in the spirit of this life. I will do what energy and time allow to provide specific updates for your here at this site as to my developing prognosis and my overall well-being. Please do the same and leave us your own thoughts should you find the time and the words. We thank you in advance for your love and support. Your words will be something I will need, look forward to and cherish. Start blowing kisses of joy our way. I think blowing kisses up to heaven could do some good too. Together we can do anything. Watch out cancer. You’re going down! As Jason says, our story is a long one not a short one.