No Radiation!

Metisha met with the radiologist today to learn about the radiation process. The radiologist decides whether or not radiation is required based on a list of approximately twelve criteria. Metisha only met one of the criteria so the radiologist does not want to do radiation! Yeah!!! This will shorten the reconstruction process! Praise God for his continual protection!

Tisha’s hair is continuing to grow! It is getting thicker and is very soft. Every time I see her I’m blown away by how much more hair she has. There are even a few pieces around her ear that are almost long enough to touch her ear! And parts of her eyebrows are growing in also!

So here’s the funny story of the week. Actually this one is a bit creepy. Metisha was at the grocery store the other day when a man walked up to her and said, “don’t I know you?” Tisha politely said no but that didn’t stop him. He continued to follow her through the store and said he was a football coach in Dallas and maybe he had subbed for her. He asked for her name and offered up his and checked her hand for a wedding band! So even with a lack of hair and ta tas, Metisha was hit on. Of course he left the store the same time as she did, so she had to take a winding 30 minute drive home to make sure he wasn’t following her. She said he must be weird but I say her beauty far exceeds hair and ta tas!

Metisha also had a scan yesterday of her sinus, sees the plastic surgeon on Friday and the ENT doctor next week. So the doctor appointments continue!

Continue to pray that:

• Metisha will remain cancer free
• The plastic surgeon will release her for work at her appointment on Friday
• She will have all of her sick leave from surgery reimbursed from a sick bank. She has to apply to the sick bank. If she is not approved, she will be docked pay for every day she misses in the future and she still has a lot of doctor appointments and procedures between now and June!
• God will heal Metisha’s friends Jeff and John who are also battling cancer

Rebuilding the Ta Ta’s

Metisha had her last drain and stitches removed on Friday. She is doing well, but would like to ask the owner of the gorilla that is sitting on her chest to come claim it! She is definitely having some tightness and discomfort in her chest, but she’s still not complaining (I would be)!

The doctors have decided to do radiation. While Metisha isn’t looking forward to any more types of treatment, she is willing to do anything to continue beating cancer. They also got the biopsy back from the breast tissue. There was some residual tumor left which means that some cancer tumor remained, but the cancer cells were not active so that’s excellent news!

The focus for the next six months is to rebuild the ta ta’s. She will remain home for two more weeks to heal and then in three weeks will begin filling the spacers in her chest with saline. It will take about six months to fully expand the spacers. After that, she will do the radiation. The radiation will damage the skin tissue in her chest, so when they put in her permanent implants, they will transplant skin from her lower back. The ta ta rebuilding process will be long, but she is “perky” about the expected results! :)

Metisha will see all of her doctors again in the next few weeks and will have another head scan to checkup on her sinuses. We will keep you updated on what the doctors have to say. In the mean time, keep praying for Metisha’s physical and emotional health as she goes through the rebuilding processes. And always pray for her to remain free from cancer!

“I’m Fab-boob-less”

Metisha says she is “Fab-boob-less”, pun intended. She also says cancer recovery is like puberty: she is growing hair and a chest! Yeah, that crossed a line, but you have to admit it IS funny!

I was able to spend last weekend with Tisha helping Mark and Mom keep her in line. As usual, we spent a lot of the weekend laughing. Shortly after she got home, the flower deliveries began. So many people brightened her day with beautiful flowers that she had her own flower shop. When Tisha would get bored, she would entertain herself by making Mom move the various flower arrangements around the house, and then move them again, and then move them again. Since her sinus surgery Metisha has had to clean out her sinuses twice a day with a squirt bottle. So part of our entertainment last weekend was to see what nasty things would come out of her sinuses. Have I mentioned that we are an odd family? Metisha has not been able to raise her arms or take a shower since surgery so Mom and I used baby wipes to wipe off her legs, arms back and head for her. She said she felt like a car getting shammied at the car wash. Did I mention we are close family?

God continues to bless Metisha with healing. They removed two of her drains today and they hope to remove the last drain and stitches on Friday. She also got the lymph node biopsy back this week and it was clear! Continue to pray for Metisha as she heals from surgery. She wants to return to school as soon as possible. Also continue to pray that God will keep her cancer free. Metisha is proof that prayer works!

Already Home!

The first surgeon came in this morning and told Tisha she was doing so well that she thought she could go home but that she would have to convince the second surgeon. So Tisha bargained and pleaded with the plastic surgeon this morning until he let her out of the hospital so she is already home! She is doing very well and continues to be 1000 times tougher than any cancer (she disagrees but I get to write the blog).

Visiting hours are currently 4:31 am to 4:32 am, but will be expanded soon. Metisha said except for Sharon McKinnie, she is not allowed to visit. :) She is ready for brief visits, but please call before you stop by; she needs time to fix her hair. :)

Continue to praise God with us for his constant healing in Metisha. Pray that the pain will remain manageable, that she will heal quickly and for strength as she faces the reconstruction process.

And while you are praying, pray for:
Jeff –Tisha’s friend from high school who is battling cancer
John – Tisha’s co-worker who has just been diagnosed with cancer

Out Of Surgery

Tish was out of surgery around 10:45 am. Everything went great! They only had to remove two lymph nodes! The doctor's said it went by the text book and were very pleased with how the surgery went. Praise God!!!

I will keep you updated, but continue to pray for her healing. For now, Tish has requested no visitors but is very thankful for all your prayers. I will let you know here as soon as she feels well enough for company.

Send me an e-mail at reganunruh@hotmail.com if you would like her address to send a card :)

In Surgery

Tisha went into surgery at 7:40 a.m. and it is expected to be a long surgery. Pray:

• For wisdom for the doctors to remove the right amount of tissues and lymph nodes.
• That surgery will be quick and problem free.
• That Metisha will not have any permanent swelling from the lymph node removal.
• For Metisha’s mental and emotional strength as she deals with the physical results of the surgery.
• Strength for Metisha’s family as we support her through this.
• For continued healing and a continued cancer free status.

Keep checking the blog throughout the day; I will keep providing updates.