The peace I’ve felt these past weeks despite difficult decisions has been a testimony to the power of your prayers. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for surrounding me with such faithful support during this challenging journey.

Before getting into the update, I want to tell you about a cool technology (pictured above) that I’ve never seen before. Today, after three unsuccessful sticks for a blood draw (the combination of chemo and a lot of antibiotics makes your veins hard to work with), the nurses rolled in this device that uses near infra-red to map your veins and overlays an image of them with a laser on any part of your body. How cool is that? 

Tomorrow morning (April 18) at 7 AM Central Time, I’ll be undergoing a semi-major surgery. After extensive consultation with my medical team, we’ve determined that a portion of my colon wall has thinned significantly from the chemotherapy treatments and won’t withstand additional cycles.

It has been five weeks since my last chemo treatment, a delay my oncologist isn’t thrilled about. While I believe the tumor continues to shrink, the progress has noticeably slowed. I’m still experiencing abdominal pain from the infection, which presents an additional concern for tomorrow’s procedure.

Under normal circumstances, this would be a standard bowel resection. However, due to the effects of chemotherapy, there’s significant concern about proper healing after a resection. Instead, I’ll receive a temporary ostomy that will remain in place until after I complete chemotherapy and undergo my mastectomy. The ostomy will likely be reversed in 4-6 months.

The surgical team plans to use the Da Vinci robotic system, allowing for a minimally invasive approach. However, if inflammation is too severe, they may need to convert to an open abdominal procedure, an outcome we’re all hoping to avoid.

As I prepare for an early morning (4 AM wake-up for 5 AM pre-op check-in), I’m asking for your prayers for:

  • Reduced inflammation, allowing the surgeons to complete the entire procedure robotically
  • Clear minds and steady hands for my surgical team, Dr. Pogacnik and Dr. Margulis
  • A complication-free surgery and a smooth recovery process
  • A quick return home on Saturday
  • An easy adjustment to living with a stoma

Your continued prayers have carried me through each step of this journey, and I feel their power as I face this next challenge. I’ll update you when I’m able, but please know how much your support means to me during this time.